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The Trump Years- Every day something more shocking than the last! (4 Viewers)

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I'm not seeing a whole lot of "containment" yet though and the outcome remains uncertain.

He has already, and is currently, profiting from the Presidency. He has begun the process of plundering public land, of harming the air, water, and life for short term economic gain. Could go on and on. Some of this is irreversible it seems.
The containment I see is that Trump knows that certain fences are electrified. 

Why hasn't he fired Mueller yet?  Why isn't he publicly out selling Trump properties or promoting them, aside from trips to Florida?

He's having to go through the motions of following the law as much as possible right now, to avoid stepping on a landmine that blows him out of the presidency.

Those are the containment's I'm referring to.  If they weren't there, do you think Mueller would still be around? Sessions? Rosenstein? He'd be more involved in his businesses.  He'd have more cronies in his cabinet in paid positions.  He'd likely be working hand in hand with Putin on cyber-warfare issues, handing over the keys to ensure he can maintain power.

The guy has absolutely NO respect for our country or its institutions.  The fact that he is even 50% playing by the rules is 50% more than he'd do in a different system.

ETA: I have absolutely no doubt that if Trump had the kind of freedom and flexibility that Putin has, he would've jailed Hillary by now, and likely would jail his political opponents or any opponents.  

 
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The containment I see is that Trump knows that certain fences are electrified. 

Why hasn't he fired Mueller yet?  Why isn't he publicly out selling Trump properties or promoting them, aside from trips to Florida?

He's having to go through the motions of following the law as much as possible right now, to avoid stepping on a landmine that blows him out of the presidency.

Those are the containment's I'm referring to.  If they weren't there, do you think Mueller would still be around? Sessions? Rosenstein? He'd be more involved in his businesses.  He'd have more cronies in his cabinet in paid positions.  He'd likely be working hand in hand with Putin on cyber-warfare issues, handing over the keys to ensure he can maintain power.

The guy has absolutely NO respect for our country or its institutions.  The fact that he is even 50% playing by the rules is 50% more than he'd do in a different system.
I 100% agree. Mueller would have been long gone if there was no checks & balances. We still have most of the ACA. The Muslim ban has been struck down numerous times by judges, and the SCOTUS will ultimately strike it down. 

 
I 100% agree. Mueller would have been long gone if there was no checks & balances. We still have most of the ACA. The Muslim ban has been struck down numerous times by judges, and the SCOTUS will ultimately strike it down. 
The concern is that as he learns the system, like the raptors in Jurrassic Park, he'll learn the weaknesses.  He's already doing that, learning what he can and can't get away with, what he has to walk back and what he can leave out there.

He's clearing out lifetime government employees and inserting loyalists.

The concern is that he'll be around long enough to exploit the systems weaknesses in a way that renders the remaining checks and balances useless, and the only recourse at that point will be something no one wants, to avoid channeling riversco.

 
I can't help but look at Trump as an example to all Americans that shows why our system is so necessary and needs protection.

You have an autocratic, authoritarian leader in power right now, and while he is causing harm, punishing rivals, trampling everything he can, he's still held somewhat in check by our system.

Imagine almost any other country throughout history where a Donald Trump rises to power without the necessary checks and balances to limit him.  He'd sieze control and plunder the country for his own purposes, installing loyalists around him who he'd make fabulously wealthy at the country's expense, punish anyone who opposes him, and use the military to ensure he maintains control. 

You can see these urges today, but the wisdom of our founders is basically all that's standing between us and an authoritarian kleptocracy. 

So while Trump personally fills me with disgust every time I see him or hear about the latest outrage, each time I'm reminded that we have a system in place that is somewhat containing him if only the rest of us can get our act together quickly enough to get rid of this guy.

The world is such a place where Donald Trumps, or worse, will crop up from time to time and rise in our land.  But our system is sufficient, or should be, to hold them in check long enough for the rest of the sane folks here to get rid of him.  Let's hope that mid-terms later this year are a major step in that direction.
Our “system” has followed Trump like a bunch of lapdogs 

 
The containment I see is that Trump knows that certain fences are electrified. 

Why hasn't he fired Mueller yet?  Why isn't he publicly out selling Trump properties or promoting them, aside from trips to Florida?

He's having to go through the motions of following the law as much as possible right now, to avoid stepping on a landmine that blows him out of the presidency.

Those are the containment's I'm referring to.  If they weren't there, do you think Mueller would still be around? Sessions? Rosenstein? He'd be more involved in his businesses.  He'd have more cronies in his cabinet in paid positions.  He'd likely be working hand in hand with Putin on cyber-warfare issues, handing over the keys to ensure he can maintain power.

The guy has absolutely NO respect for our country or its institutions.  The fact that he is even 50% playing by the rules is 50% more than he'd do in a different system.

ETA: I have absolutely no doubt that if Trump had the kind of freedom and flexibility that Putin has, he would've jailed Hillary by now, and likely would jail his political opponents or any opponents.  
The problem I see is not that he isn’t doing this, he isn’t blatantly doing it.   But neither does Putin, he has his cronies and oligarch buddies biding for him

 
Mark Knoller (@markknoller)

3/16/18, 6:24 PM

US Treasury reports National Debt has topped $21-trillion dollars for first time. It represents an increase of over $1-trillion since Pres Trump took office. As a candidate, Pres Trump said he would eliminate the Debt during 8 years in office.

 
The part I don’t understand about the McCabe firing is this panel of career disciplinary officials at the FBI that recommended the firing. Is there reason to question this panel’s motives? If not, this seems to give Trump cover.

 
The part I don’t understand about the McCabe firing is this panel of career disciplinary officials at the FBI that recommended the firing. Is there reason to question this panel’s motives? If not, this seems to give Trump cover.
I don’t think that panel is b I guess questioned. Timing...expediting the McCabe part of IG report...and if there is usually some due process for that type of thing vs Sessions doing it quickly (as well as did Trump put any pressure in Sessions).  Those would be my questions of it all.

 
badmojo1006 said:
And that is all you care about is pissing off the libs.

What a patriot. 
If there's one thing the right is known for it is their sense of humor. Why look at all of the famous Republican comedians. Dennis Miller and, um, Dennis Miller.... 

 
Juxtatarot said:
The part I don’t understand about the McCabe firing is this panel of career disciplinary officials at the FBI that recommended the firing. Is there reason to question this panel’s motives? If not, this seems to give Trump cover.
I can’t pretend to know or understand how this all works. What were the actual steps/mechanics of his firing?

 
sho nuff said:
Underachievers said:
????.....it's called making fun of the left's lack of humor.  

Awesome that we have almost 7 more years to watch your heads explode.
Your post wasn’t funny in any way. It’s not because of a lack of humor by the left...but the lack of funny coming from you.
It's the Rush Limbaugh approach: anytime you get called on making a stupid and offensive statement, fall back on "Oh, come on, you Libs have no sense of humor."

 
Matthias said:
Damn

When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history.

That’s John Brennan, the former CIA director, slamming Donald Trump after his attorney general fired former FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Those are not normal comments from a former CIA director. But then, these are not normal times.
I'm sure Trump will respond, as soon as Ivanka explains what those big words mean.

 
Daywalker said:
We are in the Germany WW II territory of self-delusion among millions of people supporting this guy.

Maybe not in the ballpark. But in the parking lot outside.

I'm talking psychologically.  Incredible to witness.  A dancing plague is in play.
I think it’s important to differentiate between people who support him because he’s a Republican President and those who support him because of his policies and his “he says what I’m thinking and isn’t afraid of the consequences” style.  Then there’s those who like that they feel that they have a voice in they dislike of immigrants and their push for White Nationalism.

I think all 3 groups are hurting us because of their support for him but I know many more people in group 1 that voted for him because he’s an R and will do it again in 2020 because they will never vote for a D.

 
sho nuff said:
Underachievers said:
I felt sorry for Obama because he had to fight the innate racism of Americans.  

I still remember his first speech when he became president,  and they put all that bulletproof glass in front of him.  That right there shows you just how racist this country is.

Just because he's black doesnt mean he's going to shoot somebody.  
Was this supposed to be witty or insightful?
Nope.  Just a distasteful, racist joke from a Trump supporter.  These posts are allowed for some reason

 
Trump’s “solution” to the opioid crisis, coming tommorow, is so ####### predictable: 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/03/18/politics/trump-opioid-plan/index.html

Tougher penalties, including the death penalty. Give law enforcement more power. New commercials on TV: “Just say no!” Oh yeah, and maybe some funding to actually treat the problem itself, unspecified, down the road. 

I’ve written before that Trump is no conservative, but I stand corrected: in some ways, he is what I would call “reactionary stupid conservative”; the guy who thinks that the answer to every problem is “get tough”; who avoids complex solutions in favor of simple ones. 

 
Trump’s “solution” to the opioid crisis, coming tommorow, is so ####### predictable: 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/03/18/politics/trump-opioid-plan/index.html

Tougher penalties, including the death penalty. Give law enforcement more power. New commercials on TV: “Just say no!” Oh yeah, and maybe some funding to actually treat the problem itself, unspecified, down the road. 

I’ve written before that Trump is no conservative, but I stand corrected: in some ways, he is what I would call “reactionary stupid conservative”; the guy who thinks that the answer to every problem is “get tough”; who avoids complex solutions in favor of simple ones. 
It has conservative elements but the death penalty proposal puts him firmly in the realm of authoritarian nationalists like Duterte, Singapore, etc.

 
It has conservative elements but the death penalty proposal puts him firmly in the realm of authoritarian nationalists like Duterte, Singapore, etc.
I actually have no problem with a death penalty for heroin dealers. If a purchase led to an overdose death.  Might make people reconsider the financial benefits of dealing to addicts 

 
I actually have no problem with a death penalty for heroin dealers. If a purchase led to an overdose death.  Might make people reconsider the financial benefits of dealing to addicts 
Add the CEO’s of drug companies pushing opioids which lead to the heroin, too

 
I actually have no problem with a death penalty for heroin dealers. If a purchase led to an overdose death.  Might make people reconsider the financial benefits of dealing to addicts 
Well I am opposed to the death penalty in most cases, and would be opposed here too.

But, these type of solutions - going after the supply side of the drug trade have been woefully inefficient in the past, and no indication that will change here.

Nobody wants to look at the root causes of drug addictions - why are so many people trying to escape life/reality by using drugs?  What can we do to make their lives better?

I don't know the answer - but I know we are not looking in the right places.

 
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Well I am opposed to the death penalty in most cases, and would be opposed here too.

But, these type of solutions - going after the supply side of the drug trade have been woefully inefficient in the past, and no indication that will change here.

Nobody wants to look at the root causes of drug addictions - why are so many people trying to escape life/reality by using drugs?  What can we do to make their lives better?

I don't know the answer - but I know we are not looking in the right places.
It’s a lot easier to say “hell yeah let’s kill the pushers we catch!” Who cares if it’s a deterrent? It’s fun to hear about them dying and it makes me feel like a man. 

As far as the people addicted, no worries, the commercials will talk them out of it, just like the abstinence ones did. 

 
But, these type of solutions - going after the supply side of the drug trade have been woefully inefficient in the past, and no indication that will change here.

Nobody wants to look at the root causes of drug addictions - why are so many people trying to escape life/reality by using drugs?  What can we do to make their lives better?
This sounds a bit like the NRA's argument about guns.

It might be right about drugs and wrong about guns (or vice versa), but the parallel structure strikes me as interesting.

 
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This sounds like the NRA's argument about guns.

It might be right about drugs and wrong about guns (or vice versa), but the parallel structure strikes me as interesting.
Its not quite the same - though if gun violence reaches the same level as drug addictions, then perhaps there is a similarity - where society is breaking down, and the solution is to repair the societal fabric, and not punish the gun manufacturers.

But, lets face it, if it ever got to that point - society is more or less doomed...

 
:mellow:

Scott Dworkin‏ @funder 24m24 minutes ago

Word is @IvankaTrump could serve in some capacities as the Secretary of State. I’m not kidding. She’s meeting with South Korea’s foreign minister. Tillerson was supposed to be doing the meeting. This is a sick, twisted & corrupt joke. What an absurd & unqualified replacement.

 
:mellow:

Scott Dworkin‏ @funder 24m24 minutes ago

Word is @IvankaTrump could serve in some capacities as the Secretary of State. I’m not kidding. She’s meeting with South Korea’s foreign minister. Tillerson was supposed to be doing the meeting. This is a sick, twisted & corrupt joke. What an absurd & unqualified replacement.
De facto, like now, which is ridiculous because she can’t be fully briefed.

Rand Paul coming out against on Pompeo and Haspel means that only 1 more GOP vote against on either (like say McCain on Haspel) would give Trump with no replacement.

 
Taken from reddit but good:

Picture it.

America. 2018. Past presidents led the nation through civil and world wars, depressions and recessions, civil rights upheaval, moon landings, and helped the nation lead the world in developing technology to the point where a bonafide supercomputer can fit in the palm of our hands.

And the president today uses that supercomputer to rage like a spoiled child throwing a temper tantrum in a restaurant.

What's worse is the parents are busy stealing the flatware from the restaurant owners while their petulant child throws food and feces all over the other customers and staff.

 
But, these type of solutions - going after the supply side of the drug trade have been woefully inefficient in the past, and no indication that will change here.

Nobody wants to look at the root causes of drug addictions - why are so many people trying to escape life/reality by using drugs?  What can we do to make their lives better?
This sounds a bit like the NRA's argument about guns.

It might be right about drugs and wrong about guns (or vice versa), but the parallel structure strikes me as interesting.
There is certainly a mental health component for both and I think we could address that by expanding access to quality health care, preferably by a universal scheme. 

I do think it is problematic to treat drug usage itself as criminal

 
Yes I think it would be a good argument if someone was advocating the death penalty for gun sellers.
I wasn't commenting on the severity of the proposed penalties, just the emphases on supply-side versus demand-side solutions.

"Guns don't kill people; people kill people" and "Prohibiting drugs won't address the underlying problems that make people susceptible to addiction" ... versus ... "Banning gun sales like in Europe is the best way to attack the problem" and "We need harsher penalties for drug dealers."

People who prefer the first approach on guns generally seem to prefer the second approach on drugs and vice versa.

That's not necessarily wrong depending on relative elasticities and whatnot, but the fact that people seem to have generally opposite instincts on those two issues is slightly interesting to me.

 
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Well I am opposed to the death penalty in most cases, and would be opposed here too.

But, these type of solutions - going after the supply side of the drug trade have been woefully inefficient in the past, and no indication that will change here.

Nobody wants to look at the root causes of drug addictions - why are so many people trying to escape life/reality by using drugs?  What can we do to make their lives better?

I don't know the answer - but I know we are not looking in the right places.
Let me just put it this way, Ponce de Leon failed us. 

 
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