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Gamemako View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2017 at 16:22
Originally posted by npjnpj npjnpj wrote:

Is everyone paralyzed?


More or less. There's quite a lot of chatter about what to do, but no agreement. There are few avenues to challenge the president beyond lawsuits, and those take time. I am beginning to wonder whether this may not matter. Maybe... our democracy is ill, and it is both self-inflicted and terminal. For the last 50 years, this country has drunk deeply from the well of partisanship, tribalism, and falsehood; and like the old alcoholic, our democracy will remain in denial of its weaknesses until its dying day.

//EDIT: Otherwise stated, if tribal affiliations trump fact, then there is no value in debate, and therefore no benefit from democracy. Even if the Republic survives Trump, the inevitable outcome is popular subjugation, not discourse. Voicing opinion is worthless if we are reduced to collective despots in the process.


Edited by Gamemako - February 01 2017 at 16:35
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2017 at 17:45
Originally posted by npjnpj npjnpj wrote:

Well, as far as the start of the day here in Europe and watching the USA goes, it's pretty lame, compared to last week. So, Neil Gorsuch hm? Ho-hum.

What bothers me more each day is that there doesn't seem to be that much of a reaction to Trump's daily excesses from the conservatives or the democrats either.

Sure there's the occasional faint protest quacking from the dems, only just audible over the background noise of international protest, and the conservatives seem somewhat torn between what's good for the country and what's good for them. That's understandable, I suppose. Are they debating if it might be time to form some sort of committee or something? The political silence is pretty eerie. There should be uproar, but all we see are slightly pained expressions and helplessness.

Is everyone paralyzed?


Yeah, it was a predicted (Shocked) choice and actually wise. Guess in this case Trump couldn't do it via executive order so actually had to pick a nominee to get by CongressLOL

The GOP is in a weird spot. 1: Trump is good for them. They may hate him, and I have no doubt many do, but also he is a blank slate. He also has shown dedication to Tea Party style policies. They now have to agree or not to a deal with the devil. Thus far, most have taken it. It's sad how little real opposition they have voiced at the slow fascist coup developing but they are also weak. Despite their tough guy rhetoric the Republican  Party has proven to be spineless and impotent. One smack out of the gate and they basically rolled over for Trump. 

I also think the truth many don't wanna accept is: He's not so terribly unacceptable to a large # of Republicans.... 


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2017 at 17:57
Well, Rex Tillerson was confirmed today, 56-43. This was expected, but I was hoping for a unified resistance at least. 3 Democrats voted yes, as did Angus King. Two are no shock, Heitkamp and Manchin are trying to hold on in 2018 representing very red states. Mark Warner is sad to see, but he's a total sellout shill so guess I can't be too shocked. Angus King, I don't even know....

Ah well, our new Sect of State is likely an Oligarch, one who has clear ties with Russia and has made supportive statements for Putin. I question what his ultimate motivations will be, guess we'll find out. All I know is Trump has pissed off Europe, China, and I assume the Middle East. Really, I bet the whole world outside Russia, Israel and Kim Jong Un hate himLOL so Rex has quite a task ahead of him. 


Also, every Democrat has pledged to vote against Betsy DeVos. Two Republicans have done the same. This would put the vote 50-50, if just one more will defect...she would be defeated. I have little hope for this, but maybe one will show some courage. 
It doesn't help most Republicans want or are OK with public schools being gutted to fund private ones and have religion be a major part of the curriculum. I believe education reform can "advance God's kingdom" was her choice of words. She is just a rich kid who doesn't wanna pay for other people's stuff. That and her total lack of qualifications or even interaction with public schooling, is a scary idea. 

Oh and how can we forget guns in schools is fine because "A  school in Wyoming may need one" to fend off bear attacks. OiLOLDead
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2017 at 23:26

Despite all the negative repercussions this morning may bring, this is the funniest news I've woken up to yet. I was half under the breakfast table, helplessly laughing at the horrific enormity of it all.

So, Donald Trump threw a tizzy and hung up on Australia's Turnbull after 25 minutes during a first call scheduled to last an hour. His diplomatic skills are simply off the charts.

And Australia is supposed to be a staunch ally. Way to go, Don! Just imagine what will happen when he talks to the leaders of countries who might be slightly more touchy and less inclined to view the USA in a favorable light, such as China, India, Pakistan, Russia, or the Middle East countries. Big whoopsie.

The remaining White House officials must be excrementing themselves right about now. I wonder if they're assembling a team of specialists, whose job it is to hold the line open while Trump demolishes the phone in a tantrum, trying unsucessfully to hang up. Even Dr. Strangelove will be trying to calm him down.

The Don's voters and supporters must be stumbling out of their trailers at this very moment to hold spontaneous square dances around the burning trash cans.

Later:

It seems that Turnbulls denies that Trump hung up on him, and I'm inclined to believe that. After all, when the leaders of two continents talk to each other, the conversation must reach its natural conclusion after about 25 minutes. What can there possibly be left to talk about? I apologise for having been lead astray by alternative facts.



Edited by npjnpj - February 02 2017 at 01:18
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2017 at 05:53
^ He might not have hung up the phone, but the exchange appears to have been contentious based on reports from the Washington Post, CNN, and New York Times. Australia and the U.S. have had a very long mutually friendly alliance and relationship, so these reports are disturbing.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2017 at 10:00
I love how Trump is pissing off all liberasts and SJWs LOL Long (2025) may it continue!!! I love his presidency so far. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2017 at 10:26
And this is what I was on about above:

Originally posted by Nicky Nicky wrote:

I love how Trump is pissing off all liberasts and SJWs LOL Long (2025) may it continue!!! I love his presidency so far. 


This is all there is to see with Trump supporters: unintelligible trolling and hate. This is not merely their public face; among one another, they do the same, simply reaffirming their abandonment of moral reasoning and nurturing vitriol against the other. You cannot convince a person like this of anything; he opposes logical discourse altogether and substitutes established facts for alternative ones. No matter which side prevails, they will be either unable or unwilling to do aught but attempt subjugation of their opposition. A tyranny of the majority seems inevitable.


Edited by Gamemako - February 02 2017 at 10:28
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2017 at 12:34
Originally posted by Nicky Nicky wrote:

I love how Trump is pissing off all liberasts and SJWs LOL Long (2025) may it continue!!! I love his presidency so far. 
This is a good sample of a Trump supporter: a troll whose vindictiveness and resentment makes him/her enjoy all of this chaos only for the pain or confusion it generates in everybody else. 

These little people don't vote for things, they just react against things. They are useless as sentient beings. They are just condensed forms of ID whose only chance at mental orgasm is to see others suffering. 


Edited by The T - February 02 2017 at 12:36
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2017 at 12:54
How can a clown like Ronald McDonald piss people off? The tide will turn again when Corry Booker runs in 2020.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2017 at 18:49
^ ahh...  Elizabeth Warren...  she'd do what Hillary couldn't do... excite the liberal wing...  the youth.. and also do what Clinton couldn't do... beat Trump.

anyone else Steve... is asking to lose again...




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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 13:39
Warren? The age of reasonable politics is over. Time to get someone that appeals to blacks and latinos on a virseral level or have Trump rule for eight long years. Seriously.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 19:39
I didn't vote for Trump.  But, color me impressed.   We Americans need to give him a chance.   We don't want Sweden's  rape epidemic imported to America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdGPPLmR5Bc&t=9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uNBoUqGvVs&t=33s

Before you scoff, please do your own research.  




Edited by omphaloskepsis - February 03 2017 at 19:44
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 20:44
^ Before you scoff, please hyperlink if you expect anyone to bother clicking on -
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."   -- John F. Kennedy
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 21:50
So two whoppers today.

Trump begins his push to re-deregulate Wall Street, including repealing the rule that financial institutions have to put the interest of their clients first.
What can possibly go wrong!?!?

And when the s**t hits the fan, there will be a bailout. Anyone who doesn't think so is engaging in wishful thinking or flat out delusional.

Second, seems Trump's first foreign policy foray has been a botch. His raid in Yemen didn't go well at all and will likely make terrorism worse, (like all interventionist policy).
People seemed to think Trump would be less interventionist, not sure why, and that he would change our relationship with Saudi Araba. Clearly neither of those is happening. As this points out, the move ironically helps Iran too.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 22:12
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand time for analysis yay!

EPI brings up a point I've never considered or heard about. ACA is government spending, so repealing it is a cut, a pretty decent one, in government spending and thus would have a negative economic impact. http://www.epi.org/publication/repealing-the-affordable-care-act-would-cost-jobs-in-every-state/
">Repealing ACA, all else constant, is expected to cost 1.2 million jobs by 2019 :O

Another angle Democrats HAVE to push. Demand a concrete answer on how they will maintain coverage and keep costs down, but how will they not shift the burden to the middle class and now make em answer how their alternative will not cost a million jobs. This should be showered all over the news, make people aware.


On the flip side
Trade with China has cost the US 3.4 million jobs since 2001
They also note those directly impacted have faced $37 billion a year in reduced wages

The paper cites other, more mainstream, research that finds similar results.
Funny, just days I ago I was doing research for class and found a paper that found there has been basically no "adjustment" in the process of global trade. The areas hurt by it remain, even 2 decades later, worse off. Less jobs, lower wages even in non directly impacted areas, and nationwide there's not been much "offset"

Basically: Trade may be an overall good, but the displacement/distribution process has been worse than expected. Ya know, in the textbooks/theory "the markets adjust" it kinds sucks in the short run but it all sorts itself out and wages will be fine, comparative advantage etc etc

Seems more mainstream places are accepting it's been quite so rosy.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 23:20
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Warren? The age of reasonable politics is over. Time to get someone that appeals to blacks and latinos on a virseral level or have Trump rule for eight long years. Seriously.

2020 will be quite interesting.
Booker lacks many of the issues Clinton had, but Warren also lacks some of the issues Sanders had.

On the flip side, some issues persist. Booker is new, young, so he simply doesn't have much of a record, so that will help him BUT he's a donor class puppet, shill to bigpharma, wall st etc etc
Would he be able to convince a working class now highly skeptical of Democrats?
Then again, Trump may f**k em over bad enough they realize the error of their ways and go back to supporting Dems. They backed Dems for 20 years despite being fairly against their interests solely out of habit and the GOP being so much worse

Warren I feel may be perceived as more "liberal" than Sanders. Tougher on guns and generally less a "relatable" person. Will she have quite the same appeal to the working class? I know people who liked him and not her. At work a conservative girl said she preferred Sanders most of the whole lot, but when I mentioned Warren in the future she actually shuttered and was horrified at the idea. She hated Warren's "radical feminism".  Honestly, NO idea where that comes from or even is misconstrued from. Funny that one can claim to like Sanders but hate her. Then I remember many Americans really don't care a sh*t/know a sh*t about policyLOLCry My gut is yes btw... Warren probably has what it takes to be relatable, besides her rhetoric she acts like a normal person. That's what people want these days, for our politicians to just be "real" with us and quit making it so blatant this is a game and we're not in on it, or behave like they just don't care.

It will be interesting. I've seen quite a few names thrown around. Cuomo, di Blasio, even Tom Perez if you want a not white person with real creds and ties more to Obama than Clinton. Even Biden and Sanders refuse to rule it outLOL
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 03 2017 at 23:41
Originally posted by omphaloskepsis omphaloskepsis wrote:

I didn't vote for Trump.  But, color me impressed.   We Americans need to give him a chance.   We don't want Sweden's  rape epidemic imported to America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdGPPLmR5Bc&t=9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uNBoUqGvVs&t=33s

Before you scoff, please do your own research.  


The simplest answer can be found here. At the very least, read the heading to the Wikipedia page on rape in Sweden. In short... no, not really. Sweden hasn't been convicting mass numbers of refugees of rape, and crime victimization has been steady for a decade. The real crisis is, as usual, poor conditions and paranoid people.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2017 at 05:16
a little excerpt from an article in the Washington Posr:

A federal judge in Washington state on Friday temporarily blocked enforcement of President Trump’s controversial ban on entry to the United States, and airlines planned to begin allowing passengers from banned countries to board, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Following the ruling, government authorities immediately began communicating with airlines and taking steps that would allow travel by those previously barred from doing so, according to a U.S. official. At the same time, though, the White House said in a statement that the Justice Department would “at the earliest possible time” file for an emergency stay of the “outrageous” ruling from the judge. Minutes later, it issued a similar statement omitting the word “outrageous.”

the "outrageous" does in my opinion tell a tale. it shows that the new administration will care little for court rulings. this is definitely another warning sign



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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2017 at 06:05
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Warren? The age of reasonable politics is over. Time to get someone that appeals to blacks and latinos on a virseral level or have Trump rule for eight long years. Seriously.


*spits coffee on the screen*

I think we have differing views on Warren Steve.  She is a tiger man, and her politics.. exactly the type the that will appeal to the youth, minorities, and the emerging ascendant leftist wing of the party. As well as inpire them. She sure does for this old jaded soul.. I'd go through a brick wall for her... or toss any nativist bigoted bible thumper through a wall for her.

She is like Bernie.. just more electable.... with much more personality and a hell of a lot more fire.

Remember man.... .populism cuts for both sides.  If the party learns anything from 2016 it is that the age of middle of the road policis are over. As I said, if Warren goes in 2020... they will likely win... the numbers and demographics favor us.  As long as we don't repeat the mistake we made (in hindsight LOL) in 2016, but would foolish to ignore the lesson of moving forward, competent experienced uninspiring middle of the road dull politicians will lose in today's polarized and irrational country of ours.


Edited by micky - February 04 2017 at 06:16
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 04 2017 at 07:55
I cannot imagine Donald Trump being voted out of office at all. Even if he loses the election, he will let loose a barrage of voter fraud accusations and refuse to step down.

By 2020, the American election system will in no way resemble the one in place now. It will be steamrollered, existing failsafes or not.

Now that his own security system is being installed (see interviews with Conway), as well as own systems to bypass the official White House channels, everything will be in place to be completely autarkic from any outside intervention, 'outside' meaning resistance from inside and outside the remaining US government system.

Once that has happened, and it's only a matter of days now, there will be nothing anyone can do about it.
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