The Trump

[mostly_lurking]

..snip
I'm really going to need some time to come to grips with this and then step up my game in another direction.

Sadly,in the end everything falls to the lowest common denominator.

[Pmt111500]

I was hoping that the silver lining of Trump becoming president, would be that people would really become part of a movement pushing for meaningful change (and not the neoliberal wishywashy stuff of the past 30 years). But instead we get quotes from war criminals and torturers, the embracing of fascist neocons, and sentimental eulogies for warmongers who wanted Sarah Palin to become vice-president. Zero progress and not even a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel...

I'm really going to need some time to come to grips with this and then step up my game in another direction.

But it's so fun to mess with politics! Of course there's no truth in there but it's way more fun than some arctic ice. Let's have a party for our party?[/s]

****************
-------------------------
****************

[TerryM]

We all have choices and we all make choices. No exceptions. Choices have consequences. No exceptions.

My choice is to be an exception.
Terry

[Buddy]

I see that Traitor Donald is trying to nail down his place as the “Dick of the century” by taking the US flags back up to full mast (after only about 24 hours at half mast).  Normal etiquette would be to keep them at half mast till after this coming Sunday.

Not surprising to me.  There are still some people who don’t understand what a sick f**k Traitor Don is.  In the coming weeks and months those folks will learn ... the hard way.  He is well on his way to spinning totally out of control ..... just in time for the elections.

[TerryM]

Do NOT let them make a Saint out of this ASSHOLE!
Caitlin Johnstone

A fitting eulogy
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2018/08/24/do-not-let-them-make-a-saint-of-this-asshole/

Terry

[Buddy]

Donnie, Donnie, Donnie ...... you are really in deep shit now.  The avalanche that started in Helsinki many weeks ago ...... and gained a LOT of speed last week when more rats decided to jump ship, is now going to continue to gain speed.

It turns out that Manafort TRIED to get a plea deal, but was turned down by Mueller.  I would NEVER want to play poker against Bob Mueller.  NEVER.  He is going to clean his clock.  And he has help at the table from the State of New York.  New York is going to box Paul Manafort in, and his only way out of this mess is to cut a deal.

And if I am Bob Mueller, I’ve already shared my hand with the State of New York and worked what indictments that New York will likely bring against Manafort..... and I tell Manafort he is boxed in and a federal pardon will not help him.

This is going to get very interesting, very quickly.

Time is ticking Donnie ..... don’t do anything stupid (AGAIN). 😱

[sidd]

Grassley delivers: couple three billion for iowa farmers. He owes trump another one.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-farmers/u-s-government-to-pay-4-7-billion-in-tariff-related-aid-to-farmers-idUSKCN1LC23X

sidd

[mostly_lurking]

I see that Traitor Donald is trying to nail down his place as the “Dick of the century” by taking the US flags back up to full mast (after only about 24 hours at half mast).  Normal etiquette would be to keep them at half mast till after this coming Sunday.

Not surprising to me.  There are still some people who don’t understand what a sick f**k Traitor Don is.  In the coming weeks and months those folks will learn ... the hard way.  He is well on his way to spinning totally out of control ..... just in time for the elections.

Official Protocol says day of death + one day and that is exactly what was done. In any case ,do to your pressure    it's back at half mast until burial.

[mostly_lurking]

..snip

In the 2016 Presidential Campaign, the Press took Trump literally but not seriously. His supporters who voted for him took him seriously but didn't take him literally.

..snip

Although his supporters still want the wall and Hillary in jail....

[Pmt111500]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?destination=%2fworld%2fthe_americas%2freport-nearly-3000-deaths-in-puerto-rico-linked-to-maria

[DrTskoul]

I was hoping that the silver lining of Trump becoming president, would be that people would really become part of a movement pushing for meaningful change (and not the neoliberal wishywashy stuff of the past 30 years). But instead we get quotes from war criminals and torturers....

You were expecting a revolution..

[mostly_lurking]

I was hoping that the silver lining of Trump becoming president, would be that people would really become part of a movement pushing for meaningful change (and not the neoliberal wishywashy stuff of the past 30 years). But instead we get quotes from war criminals and torturers....

You were expecting a revolution..

https://steemit.com/informationwar/@elizbethleavos/opinion-the-death-of-hope-and-why-it-is-crucial-for-an-american-awakening

Opinion: The Death Of Hope And Why It Is Crucial For An American Awakening

The Dream

For some people, hope came in the form of a red hat, with stenciled letters embracing their foreheads promising to Make America Great Again. My hopes were pinned instead on Bernie Sanders: my idealistic, naive trust was uniquely attached to the blue and white of the Bernie sticker I placed on the bumper of my car. Words can't adequately describe the innocent hope I attached to those colors. As Jared Beck writes in his book, What Happened To Bernie Sanders:

"In 2016, the dream was shared by over twelve million Democratic primary voters, as well as nearly 2.5 million campaign donors, that for the first time in forty-four years, a genuinely progressive candidate might run for President of the United States as a major party candidate... In seeking the explanation for how the dreams of millions of Americans came to be shattered in this manner, I have found it necessary to come to terms with the potential demise of my own dreamscape - one that has propelled my life path since my middle school days in a small suburban community outside Albany, New York."

[Pmt111500]

Heard that Trumpistan will renew all the passports issued by a decree of the supreme leader. The main changes to the previous one are the picture of the esteemed one in all the pages and a note stating :"for US use only".

[Buddy]

Will be interesting to see who the Governor of Arizona chooses to fill out the last two years of John McCains term.  I wonder what Donnie would think of Cindy McCain being appointed?

Talk about karma.  THAT would be brutally sweet ....

[wili]

Some background on Bruce Ohr, who was just grilled by the Rethuglicans.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/republican-attacks-on-doj-russia-experts-a-boon-to-russian-mafia-1308617283970?v=raila

[Buddy]

One of the pallbearers for John McCain is a Russian dissident.  How is that for flipping the bird to Trump and Putin from his grave?  LMAO 😂

[sidd]

Google on the griddle: Larry Page develops "vocal chord paralysis"

http://thehill.com/policy/technology/404268-senate-intel-invites-alphabet-ceo-to-testify-rejecting-company-offer-of-vp

sidd

[Rob Dekker]

I was hoping that the silver lining of Trump becoming president, would be that people would really become part of a movement pushing for meaningful change (and not the neoliberal wishywashy stuff of the past 30 years). But instead we get quotes from war criminals and torturers....

You were expecting a revolution..

Bernie's dream of Our Revolution is alive and well here in the US.

There are thousands of people (many of them women) rising up to take political positions across the country, pushing for real change, and millions of voters are fed-up with Trump's policies and lies to vote these people into office this November. Many of them are progressives, but also more conservative voices. That's fine, because as Bernie said : we need to "Bring people together".

We are having our Revolution here in the US, but since Neven seems to prefer to "kick Democrats out", and seems to prefer Jimmy Dore / Alex Jones right-wing conspiracy theories over facts and evidence, it's just not exactly going in the way that Neven envisioned.

[mostly_lurking]

I was hoping that the silver lining of Trump becoming president, would be that people would really become part of a movement pushing for meaningful change (and not the neoliberal wishywashy stuff of the past 30 years). But instead we get quotes from war criminals and torturers....

You were expecting a revolution..

Bernie's dream of Our Revolution is alive and well here in the US.

There are thousands of people (many of them women) rising up to take political positions across the country, pushing for real change, and millions of voters are fed-up with Trump's policies and lies to vote these people into office this November. Many of them are progressives, but also more conservative voices. That's fine, because as Bernie said : we need to "Bring people together".

We are having our Revolution here in the US, but since Neven seems to prefer to "kick Democrats out", and seems to prefer Jimmy Dore / Alex Jones right-wing conspiracy theories over facts and evidence, it's just not exactly going in the way that Neven envisioned.

It is quote delusional. The only people voting for the new batch of progressives are already Dem voters or independents that already support the left. Trump voters are not switching at this time.

[Rob Dekker]

There are thousands of people (many of them women) rising up to take political positions across the country, pushing for real change, and millions of voters are fed-up with Trump's policies and lies to vote these people into office this November. Many of them are progressives, but also more conservative voices. That's fine, because as Bernie said : we need to "Bring people together".

We are having our Revolution here in the US, but since Neven seems to prefer to "kick Democrats out", and seems to prefer Jimmy Dore / Alex Jones right-wing conspiracy theories over facts and evidence, it's just not exactly going in the way that Neven envisioned.

It is quote delusional. The only people voting for the new batch of progressives are already Dem voters or independents that already support the left. Trump voters are not switching at this time.

There are a lot of unknowns here :
People who voted Trump in 2016 may have regrets and vote another way or not vote at all.
People that did not vote in 2016 may be fed-up with Trump and vote against him now.

Elections go in waves.
Things change. People change opinion.
People change their vote.

Let's see what November 2018 brings us.

[mostly_lurking]

There are a lot of unknowns here :
People who voted Trump in 2016 may have regrets and vote another way or not vote at all.
People that did not vote in 2016 may be fed-up with Trump and vote against him now.

Elections go in waves.
Things change. People change opinion.
People change their vote.

Let's see what November 2018 brings us.

I agree, people do. I think for every 1 Trump voter that changed their mind you have 2 or more of these:

Muslim, disabled and SJW that walkedaway as an example

[Rob Dekker]

There are a lot of unknowns here :
People who voted Trump in 2016 may have regrets and vote another way or not vote at all.
People that did not vote in 2016 may be fed-up with Trump and vote against him now.

Elections go in waves.
Things change. People change opinion.
People change their vote.

Let's see what November 2018 brings us.

I agree, people do. I think for every 1 Trump voter that changed their mind you have 2 or more of these:

Muslim, disabled and SJW that walkedaway as an example

OK. This guy is attacking the #MeToo movement.

Sure you can do that, but at a little more than 2000 views, I'm not sure why you would think that people like him would make any bit of difference in the November elections.

If anything, the #MeToo movement itself would empower women to go out there and vote for the candidates that stand up against Trumpism.

[edit] Also, note the comment that this guy made on his own video :

Here is my #Walkaway experience; feel free to share. Let's get this Movement so huge there's no more talk about this "Blue Wave" and it's all RED WAVE 2020!" Saleem

That sure shows where you want this election to go, mostly_lurking.

[mostly_lurking]

It's 2000 views in less than a day. There are hundreds and hundreds of these types of videos and some with up to 100K views as well. Thinking this is one guy is a big mistake for the Dems. As far as elections,yes , at this time I would like Trump to have enough support to finish his term not as a lame duck.

[Buddy]

Below is a chart from this mornings fivethirtyeight.com website.  As I noted several weeks ago as Trump was kissing up to Putin's ass ..... I expect Donnie's approval ratings to continue to slowly drop ..... and his disapproval ratings to continue to slowly rise in the coming weeks/months leading up to the elections.

Trump is coming to a "come to Jesus moment" pretty soon.  The information from the SECOND Manafort trial ..... will NOT be good news for Donnie .... and Donnie knows that.  He has fired McGhan to get him out of the way in case Donnie needs to make a move, at least he won't have to deal with someone making an ethical decision while Donnie goes unethical.

Several different things can happen in the coming weeks and months.  Going to be interesting to see what mild mannered, even keeled Donnie  decides to do.

[mostly_lurking]

All depends on your source - even your "downtrend" on 538 is super tiny.

On RCP he is basically flat for 6 months. at around 43.3

[AbruptSLR]

This story makes me think that Trump is progressively planning to transform the USA into a police state after the midterms:

Title: "Trump warns change would come 'violently' if Republicans lose in midterms"

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-warns-change-violently-republicans-lose-midterms/story?id=57482932

Extract: "President Trump told Evangelical leaders during a closed door dinner at the White House that there will be "violence" if Democrats take control in the November election."

[AbruptSLR]

This story makes me think that Trump supporters like him because he lives in a fantasy world where 'truth' is determined by whatever he wants in a given moment; just like they do themselves:

Title: "Donald Trump can't get his Don McGahn story straight"

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/30/politics/donald-trump-mcgahn/index.html

Extract: "Later Wednesday, Trump voiced a similar sentiment: "Been here now it'll be almost two years and a lot of affection for Don," Trump told reporters, adding of his White House counsel: "He's done an excellent job."

Trump's White House spent much of the last 24 hours selling that very idea, too. This was all part of McGahn's broader plan, he was always going to leave after the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh. And on and on it went.

Until Thursday morning, when -- amid a blizzard of tweets -- Trump offered up this one on McGahn's departure: "The Rigged Russia Witch Hunt did not come into play, even a little bit, with respect to my decision on Don McGahn!"

So, um, what?

"My decision on Don McGahn"? That certainly sounds like McGahn was either a) fired or b) told to find a new gig. Both of which are very different than Trump and McGahn agreeing that post-Kavanaugh confirmation was the right time for him to execute his long-planned departure from the White House.

Trump's tweet Thursday morning certainly gives credence to the notion that McGahn's departure wasn't entirely innocent or scheduled."

[AbruptSLR]

This story makes me think that Trump believes that he won't need a high-powered legal team after the midterms, because he believes that in his coming police state; he will haul-up anyone who opposes him before at trumped-up kangaroo military court (once he declares martial law), just like Stalin did in the Red Terror:

Title: "‘Winter is coming’: Allies fear Trump isn’t prepared for gathering legal storm"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/winter-is-coming-allies-fear-trump-isnt-prepared-for-gathering-legal-storm/2018/08/29/b07fc0a6-aba0-11e8-b1da-ff7faa680710_story.html?utm_term=.8088a9eebdc8&noredirect=on

Extract: "President Trump’s advisers and allies are increasingly worried that he has neither the staff nor the strategy to protect himself from a possible Democratic takeover of the House, which would empower the opposition party to shower the administration with subpoenas or even pursue impeachment charges.

Within Trump’s orbit, there is consensus that his current legal team is not equipped to effectively navigate an onslaught of congressional demands, and there has been broad discussion about bringing on new lawyers experienced in white-collar defense and political scandals."

[AbruptSLR]

It appears to me that Trump is working to create a world where any audio or video evidence that makes him look guilty 'may have been altered' and thus might be fake.  In such a world he would be free to get away with anything, without legal consequences, just like the world that Putin currently lives in:

Title: "Trump Accuses NBC’s Lester Holt of ‘Fudging’ Russia Interview, Provides No Proof"

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-accuses-nbcs-lester-holt-of-fudging-russia-interview-provides-no-proof

Extract: "President Donald Trump unleashed a furious attack on the media yet again Thursday morning, urging CNN to fire its president, Jeff Zucker, and accusing NBC News anchorman Lester Holt of “fudging” an interview with him."

[AbruptSLR]

I imagine that to Trump's way of thinking, why should he care what Graham findings 'disturbing'; as once he declares martial law, such Senators will either fall in line, or suffer the consequences:

Title : "Sen. Graham says Trump's response to McCain's death was "disturbing""

https://www.axios.com/lindsey-graham-trumps-response-to-mccains-death-disturbing-2ca9cb8a-d58d-49a9-b750-4080f16a3758.html

Extract: "Sen. Lindsey Graham said during a CBS This Morning interview Thursday that the manner in which President Trump handled the death of Sen. John McCain this week was "disturbing" and the way Trump speaks about McCain "pisses" him off "to no end.""

[AbruptSLR]

I imagine that getting rid of Sessions is just one step in Trump's plan to turn the US into a police state:

Title: "Trump personally lobbying GOP senators to flip on Sessions"

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/29/trump-sessions-firing-senators-white-house-803922

Extract: "Opposition to the attorney general's firing, long seen as a red line by lawmakers, has softened in recent days."

[Buddy]

My favorite joke told by John McCain:

“What is the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? ..... one is a scum sucking bottom dweller and the other one is a fish.”

I see that salamander McConnell has killed the idea of renaming a senate building after John McCain because it would hurt Donnie’s feelings.  Boy do I hope that Cindy McCain is appointed Senator for the last two years of John McCains term.  Karma is a bitch ...... 😱

[sidd]

A perceptive look at North Korea from 38North covered by Raimondo at antiwar:

"Congress is tackling the president’s feet, the judicial branch is grabbing him by the collar, and news media are bashing him. [in the past]…infighting between vested interests inside US politics did more damage than differences of opinions between North Korea and the United States did. We see it as a higher priority to straighten out fragmented and messed-up US politics than a quick improvement in North Korea-US relations, ..."

"His administration and even his advisors are sleeping in the same bed with the president but dreaming different dreams. They are speaking and acting in a way that is inconsistent with the president’s wish, and they are misleading facts to blur the president’s eyes and ears and steering him toward making unintended decisions."

"the North Koreans are genuinely worried that Trump is not in control of his own government (true) and may soon be on the way out. "

"Our ignorance of how North Korea works is apparently not matched by their knowledge of American politics, which seems both extensive and perceptive. "

"The North Koreans are no dummies: they know a regime change operation when they see one. "

Raimondo:
https://original.antiwar.com/justin/2018/08/29/korea-fake-news-and-whats-really-going-on/

38north:

https://www.38north.org/2018/08/rcarlin082118/

sidd

[Buddy]

Bob Woodward has a book coming out September 11th:  “Fear:  The Trump White House.”

Should be interesting reading.... 

[sidd]

Did Trump know this was coming ? His attack on google just picked up support from Hatch:

https://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/5935a818-76c5-4ad6-ab29-51241b9a8a83/2018.08.30%20Senator%20Hatch%20Letter%20to%20FTC%20Chairman%20Simons.pdf

sidd

[Buddy]

So ..... Traitor Trump is willing to go 1.5 trillion dollars more in debt for tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy, but not enough to give middle income federal workers a raise.

Way to work for the working stiff Traitor Don .... well done.

[AbruptSLR]

McCain is not finished with Trump yet:

Title: "John McCain Sounds the Alarm on Trump and Russia in New Documentary 'Active Measures'"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/john-mccain-sounds-the-alarm-on-trump-and-russia-in-new-documentary-active-measures/ar-BBME1if?ocid=spartandhp

Extract: "The film ends with a stark warning from McCain, Clinton and others about the near certainty that Russia will continue to interfere with American elections this year, in 2020 and beyond. Taking one last shot at Trump for failing to take his own “active measures” against Russia for attacking American democracy, McCain says, “As long as people can do things without penalty, they’re going to continue to do them.”"

[sidd]

More fodder for Guantanamo: the syrian headchoppers have prisoners. This is like when the Pakistanis were selling anyone and everyone to the USA as terrorists after 2001. They were picking people off the streets. Like the CIA was doin in Europe, but on a far larger scale.

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/404421-us-considers-guantanamo-iraqi-prisons-for-isis-fighters-captured-by-syrian

sidd

[sidd]

Boy, Trump really don't like the EU. 0% reciprocal tariff on cars aint good enuf. (In other news, he threatened to pull out of WTO, too ... )

Well, he was elected to break things, and he is. So far his support seems to approve of the breakage.

" “It’s not good enough,” Trump said of the offer from Brussels during an Oval Office interview with Bloomberg News. “Their consumer habits are to buy their cars, not to buy our cars.” "

" “If they don’t shape up, I would withdraw from the WTO,” Trump said Thursday in an Oval Office interview with Bloomberg News. Trump said the agreement establishing the body “was the single worst trade deal ever made.” "

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-30/trump-says-eu-offer-for-no-auto-tariffs-is-not-good-enough

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-30/trump-says-he-will-pull-u-s-out-of-wto-if-they-don-t-shape-up

sidd

[Buddy]

In the new Washington Post poll this morning, Donnie’s disapproval of 60% hit a new high for the Washington Post poll.  His approval was 36%.  The last poll by Wash Post/ABC had 56% disapprove and 40% approve and that polling was this past April.  So the “spread” between approve and disapprove has grown from 16% to 24% since April.  NOT GOOD Donnie ...

10 weeks until the election ..... and Donnie is continuing to melt down...... I sure hope Manafort doesn’t reach a plea deal with Mueller.  That may be one too many holes in the side of the USS Trump.

[jacksmith4tx]

Speaking of polls...

U.S. Gets Second Highest Score in Ipsos' Misperceptions Index

Americans Trail Only Italians in Being Most Wrong on Key Facts About Society

As the surveyed country whose citizens are most likely to have distorted views about social realities, Italy gets a score of 100. The U.S. comes next with a score of 90. France is third with a score of 86. At the other end of the misperceptions spectrum, Sweden gets a score of only 53 as Swedes are less often wrong about key facts pertaining to their society than people from any other country surveyed.
...
The country whose citizens are most widely expected to get facts wrong is the U.S., with an impressive 27% of the global vote — way ahead of any other country. Actually, half of Americans surveyed (49%) select the U.S. as the country with the most inaccurate perceptions of its society among 13 countries listed.

https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/italians-and-americans-misperceptions


Always finding interesting stuff here-> http://opiniontoday.com/

[Buddy]

Another question in the ABC/WP poll concerned corruption in the administration:

13% said corruption had decreased, and 45% said that corruption had increased under the Trump administration.  In an aside, we now know that 13% were watching Sean Hannity. 😱

[AbruptSLR]

Step one to create a police state: politicize the DOJ
Step two to create a police state: politicize the DOD:

Title: "President Trump Threatens to “Get Involved” with the DOJ and FBI"

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/08/trump-criticizes-doj-fbi-at-rally-after-attacking-sessions.html

Extract: "In another attack on his administration’s law enforcement agencies, President Trump told a rally of supporters in Indiana on Thursday night that he would “get involved” if the Justice Department and FBI do not “start doing their job and doing it right.”"

&

Title: "Is Mattis Next Out the Door?"

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/08/trump-north-korea-rant-bad-news-for-mattis.html

Extract: "Trump’s latest tweetstorm doesn’t look promising for the secretary of defense."

[AbruptSLR]

Trump is now bullying the WTO:

Title: "Trump threatens to pull US out of World Trade Organization"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45364150

Extract: ""If they don't shape up, I would withdraw from the WTO," Mr Trump said in an interview with Bloomberg News.

The WTO was established to provide rules for global trade and resolve disputes between countries.

Mr Trump says the body too often rules against the US, although he concedes it has won some recent judgments.

He claimed on Fox News earlier this year that the WTO was set up "to benefit everybody but us", adding: "We lose the lawsuits, almost all of the lawsuits in the WTO.""

[Rob Dekker]

Trade wars, and how they are a tax on consumers, and thus how Trump just gave us a all a nice kick in the balls. Also, where Trump has this idea from. You would be surprised.

Explained clearly by the always amazing John Oliver :

[Buddy]

The Investors Business Daily poll (IBD/TIPP) is out .... and more bad news for Trump.  His approval rating dropped 5 points from just last month ... from 41% to 36%, and his disapproval rating was up to 56% from 53% last month.

It should be pointed out that IBD is a very conservative publication.

If this keeps up, Donnie’s kids won’t even want to be seen with him.  He is becoming toxic.

[Buddy]

When someone enters the “vortex” like Trump is now .... he has very little chance of pulling out of it.  And the thing is, there is SOOOO much more to come out regarding Russia interactions .... to say nothing of Donald’s other issues.  All it will take is one (of many) stories to come out and that will finish him off.

If one of Donald’s abortions were to become public ..... that would finish him.

[mostly_lurking]

I So the “spread” between approve and disapprove has grown from 16% to 24% since April.  NOT GOOD Donnie ...

Just 3 weeks to the 2016 election WAPO had Hillary up by 12 points.

[sidd]

Transcript of trump-bloomberg interview:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-31/president-donald-trump-interviewed-by-bloomberg-news-transcript

sidd

[Buddy]

In the IBD/TIPP poll that came out yesterday .... there are three very troubling signs for Trump:

1). Support from Republicans dropped from 83% to 76%

2). Support from RURAL voters dropped from 60% to 45%

3). Support from men dropped significantly from 49% to 40%.  There was no change in his support from women.

In other words, his BASE is starting to erode in a big way. 

And those drops were from JUST ONE MONTH AGO.  And IBD is a CONSERVATIVE publication.  Welcome to the vortex Donnie ...