General US Politics Discussion

[Tchuck]

No but see, Giuliani probably has a grandkid or a nephew who is just as good at computers as Barron is. He can do anything with computers. He's great, the greatest at computers. He can compute the sh*t out of Trump's enemies.

[El Dildo]

and he's trying to pick Jeff Sessions for Attorney General.

the same guy who was denied political appointments 25 years ago for being a strict opponent of racial integration and immigration reform. so a man who doesn't believe in the blind equality of justice is going to be the nation's top prosecutor; a man who has has made a career out of oppressing civil rights.

 

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions.

named after Confederate president Jefferson Davis and Confederate general G. T. Beauregard.

 

remind me; did Trump say he was going to drain the swamp?

or did he say he was going to jump into the swamp head-first and start splashing around?

[Twang.]

When did we start referring to the 'intelligence community' as some sort of consolidated institution? IC? Last I checked, there were some rivalries between a few of the bureaus and now we're expected to believe they all act as one big happy family?

[Svip]

When did we start referring to the 'intelligence community' as some sort of consolidated institution? IC? Last I checked, there were some rivalries between a few of the bureaus and now we're expected to believe they all act as one big happy family?

You are not wrong. But apparently they've found a common foe in Trump. You know the old saying, common foes bring people together.

[Creed Bratton]

f*ckin' amazing: https://www.reddit.com/r/facepalm/comments/5murti/im_not_on_obamacare/

 

What a complete and utter moron.

[Triple Vacuum Seal]

For those who think Bill Clinton's head counsel had a lot on his plate, y'all ain't seen nothing yet. As most legal experts have pointed out, DJT might be in violation the Constitution's emoluments clause on day one. At best, this guy is a walking distraction.

 

 

He manages to antagonize the intelligence community even when showing restraint, sneak dissin’ and what not. Mr. Trump’s beef with the IC is ill-advised to say the least. As president, intelligence agencies can either be one of your closest allies, or make your presidency a living hell.

 

 

And @ Trump kvetching about US intelligence 'allowing' false information to go public...information that neither originated with nor was distributed by US intelligence. Coming from the guy who ran an entire campaign on misinformation. So our intelligence agencies are Nazi-like for not forcefully carrying out his political will and burying compromising information? He'll have to do better than that now that the audience is no longer an auditorium full of his inbred followers.

 

When did we start referring to the 'intelligence community' as some sort of consolidated institution? IC? Last I checked, there were some rivalries between a few of the bureaus and now we're expected to believe they all act as one big happy family?

 

Yeah it is a little misleading. It's a catch-all term for those who work in intelligence at the federal level (~17 agencies) more so than a reference to any sort cohesion beyond the professional duties.

[Eutyphro]

Hillary Clinton might've violated the emoluments clause as well, but mainstream media don't really care when their favored candidates are corrupt. As for Trump's conflict with the 'Intelligence Community', I don't think Trump had the intent to create such a conflict. All Trump does is defend himself in a very childish and aggressive way from anyone including celebrities. He felt he was under attack from many aspects of this supposed 'intelligence community' and he wasn't completely wrong. The way anonymous leaks from the 'Intelligence Community' have been used by the mainstream media to discredit Trump winning the election is very dishonest. And regardless of whether Trump is a complete bullsh*tter himself, he is right that the document published by buzzfeed that is seemingly a bunch of lies intended to hurt him, was a disgrace. But I seem to be disagreeing with those who think dishonesty should be fought with dishonesty, and who thus think anything regardless of whether it is fair or true used against Trump is legitimate. I disagree with that on principle.

[jatiger13]

What Giuliani knows about cybersecurity would fit on a postage stamp. Laughable.

That's giving him a bit too much credit, don't you think?

[sivispacem]

 

What Giuliani knows about cybersecurity would fit on a postage stamp. Laughable.

That's giving him a bit too much credit, don't you think?He could write "I started a cybersecurity company" if he wrote it very small, which is is technically accurate. He'd have to miss off "but nobody knows what it actually does", though.

[Piggsy pls]

f*ckin' amazing: https://www.reddit.com/r/facepalm/comments/5murti/im_not_on_obamacare/

 

What a complete and utter moron.

The crazy thing is that his poor, rural voters will be the ones overwhelmingly f*cked over by ACA being repealed. It'd almost be funny, were it not for the fact that people are gonna die due to this decision.

[Triple Vacuum Seal]

Spineless pricks that they are, Republican lawmakers love giving lip service to their constituent's increased premiums and copays while deliberately avoiding the fact that without insurance, out of pocket costs for medical services make these copays and premiums look like a drop in the bucket. They've cleverly made Obama the scapegoat for price-gouging pharmaceuticals, healthcare providers, and capitalism in general really.

 

 

But instead of having the courage and foresight to question the limitations of an overly-privatized medical services sector, they'd rather blame Obama. I actually feel bad for many of these working class Republican voters. They've been bamboozled good and proper.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Triple Vacuum Seal

[Raavi]

Trump in an interview has taken aim at the EU calling it "a vehicle for Germany" adding that his trust for the Chancellor of Germany Merkel "may not last long at all”. Altogether making this quite possibly the single most hostile act by an (incoming) US president on the European community in post-war history. Marking yet another new low in an ever growing list of lows.

[Eutyphro]

I can't specifically find him saying that about Merkel. All I can find is criticism of Merkels refugee policy by him. I did find an article about Merkel saying such a thing https://www.thelocal.de/20170113/merkel-warns-eternal-us-eu-ties-not-guaranteed-week-before-trump-takes-office He also just trash talked outgoing CIA director John Brennan on twitter. It's an ever continuing political sh*t show.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Eutyphro

[Raavi]

I can't specifically find him saying that about Merkel.

 

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/donald-trump-interview-brexit-britain-trade-deal-europe-queen-5m0bc2tns

 

In an interview with Gove of all people.

[dice]

And a little over a year ago he said she is "probably the greatest leader in the world today". His comments obviously arent ment to be taken seriously and are manufactured in the moment to fit his current political agenda

Edited January 16, 2017 by  dice

[El Dildo]

yeah... that or he's a pathological lying narcissist.

 

/Occam's razor

[Creed Bratton]

His comments obviously arent ment to be taken seriously and are manufactured in the moment to fit his current political agenda

How can you not take his comments seriously? He's about to be the most powerful man on the planet. Everything he says is important and has the potential to shape domestic and foreign policy. And Trump is using that power to annihilate decades of political, economic and military cooperation and friendship with Europe. His stupid comments can have a pretty big impact on the rise of right-wing eurosceptic parties in the EU. He is the single most dangerous person on the planet right now.

[dice]

Because global politics today are much more influenced by economic dependance and power, and less so on a few bad words designed to reap political points from your voters. A good example is the current Russia-Turkey relationship.

 

Trump (probably) also knows severing ties with the EU will make the Union seek an alternative in Russia, thus outpacing the US economically and influentially. I don't really believe any of his comments until he starts backing them up with actions

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

So Michael Gove has beaten Eeyore (PM Theresa May) to an interview and meeting.... Strange that isn't it? A backstabbing, paranoid wanker has met Gove, the biggest backstabbing, paranoid wanker of the lot!

 

What is interesting is the notion and suggestions the great orange one has towards the EU and the swift trade agreements he if offering to Brexit Britain. Personally I feel the only way the UK will get an agreement is if every person who is critical of the Great Orange Grope (Obama had the Hope poster when he was elected, so Trumps' past towards women clearly makes Grope right.) is extradited to the US and is shot on arrival.

 

I'll start packing my bags now!

[Creed Bratton]

Rudy Giuliani's cybersecurity website is riddled with vulnerabilities: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/01/13/giuliani_joomla_outdated_site/

 

Beautiful!

 

Obviously the website "mysteriously disappeared" as soon as this got out.

Edited January 17, 2017 by The Yokel

[jatiger13]

Well, just another thing to add to the long list of outdated things related to Trump. His policies take up most of the room on that list though.

[Creed Bratton]

More lawmakers boycotting Trump inauguration: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38656271

His approval rating is at a record low: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/donald-trumps-40-approval-rating-9640735

 

EDIT: Obama commutes Chelsea Manning's sentence: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/us/politics/obama-commutes-bulk-of-chelsea-mannings-sentence.html?_r=0

 

I hope he pardons Snowden while he's at it.

Edited January 17, 2017 by The Yokel

[El Dildo]

good for Manning.
but f/ck Snowden. guy's a sellout.

[sivispacem]

Wonder if Assange will keep his word and surrender for extradition now Manning had been granted clemency, as he said he would last week.

[Creed Bratton]

Wonder if Assange will keep his word and surrender for extradition now Manning had been granted clemency, as he said he would last week.

I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps his word because I don't think that Assange would risk it unless he made a deal with Trump. He basically worked for him during the election. I am almost certain that Trump will pardon him.

[Uncle Sikee Atric]

But that still doesn't lift the Swedish case hanging over Assange. I want to see him fight that case and hear the evidence against him.

[Svip]

The US has not asked - publicly anyway - the UK nor Sweden to extradite Assange yet. So if Assange lives up to his word, he will be extradited to Sweden. What happens then is anybody's guess.

 

But I am not sure Trump would pardon Assange, should Assange be charged (which he hasn't yet).

[Triple Vacuum Seal]

I hope he pardons Snowden while he's at it.

 

He definitely won't. Snowden technically never served time as far as Obama is concerned. I hope he pardons more drug offenders. Too many dope dealers behind bars.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Triple Vacuum Seal

[make total destroy]

like this post if you can't wait to lose your health insurance

[Svip]

I'd like to draw your attention to what's happening in Gambia.

 

To summarise: Yahya Jammeh have ruled Gambia since 1994 where he obtained power through a bloodless coup. In December 2016, a presidential election was held, where Adama Barrow won a plurality of the votes, which under the terms of the Gambian constitution would grant him the presidency.

 

However, Jammeh refuses to step down and have rejected the results. Barrow fled to neighbouring Senegal and with support from the UN and Ecowas, Senegal have now decided to move its troops into Gambia to oust Jammeh and put Barrow in as President.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

 

Now what does all this have to do with US politics you might ask. The short answer is the Jammeh-Trump comparison.

 

Consider this: Had Trump lost the election back in November, he probably would have protested the result, but regardless of his attempts, he would be powerless to prevent the inauguration of Clinton.

 

Now imagine this scenario: Congress decides to impeach the President for reasons to be determined. And while the impeachment is settled, Trump refuses to budge, and refuse to accept Congress' impeachment. Unlike the alternative history scenario, Trump - as President - would in this case be presiding over the US army along with all the federal officers. Putting them all in an awkward position: Do they follow the orders of their commander in chief? Or do they submit to the ruling by Congress as outlined in the Constitution?

 

Donald Trump already doesn't seem keen on follow precedence when it comes to campaigning nor being President-elect. And I presume he'll continue in this fashion as President. But so far, it's primarily customs he has broken, not laws. But as President, he would have a far larger arsenal in refusing to budge on constitutional matters.

 

Should he overruled by the Supreme Court or Congress, he could simply decide to ignore either party. The Constitution is only worth the paper it's printed on, if not everyone is willing to follow it.

 

Imagine if Trump manages to sit his term, but loses the Presidential election in 2020, but then refuse to accept the result? What then? Who will stop him? Will the real President-elect flee to Canada and hope their army can invade the US and install him/her in the White House?

Edited January 19, 2017 by Svip