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Elephants and Jackasses...

Discussion in 'Permanent Threads' started by Nettdata, Oct 14, 2016.

  1. Nettdata

    Nettdata
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    Mr. Toast

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    The biggest problem is that the rich don't want to pay for anything, and it gets a bit silly.

    Welcome to the world of no reasonable compromise, AKA the US Political System.
     
  2. Kampf Trinker

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    Do they? Not all of this is policy, but a few things that stick out.

    - They hate corrupt politicians. They bitch about money in politics. Then Hillary comes along and it's "everyone does it."
    - They were against TPP. Then they supported TPP when Obama was for it. Then they were against it in the primaries. Then they were for it again in the general.
    - Listen and believe. But not for Bill.
    - They love poor people. Then they think poor people voted for Trump. Suddenly, they hate poor people. Poor people are stupid.
    - They giggle incessantly about republicans claiming the election is rigged. Flash forward 24 hours. They lose. They protest because they think the election was rigged.

    That's a few. There's plenty more.

    And dude, most of the points in that post were not even about policy. It's like Obamacare vs Kynect. It has nothing to do with changing policy. They are oblivious that the two things are the same. It's about being stupid and uniformed. [By the way, in his own source the favorability ratings are almost exactly the same. The guy isn't exactly being honest here.] The economy and sports stuff that guy linked had absolutely nothing to with hypocrisy. I wouldn't really take someone with their username being 'impeachtrump' that seriously.

    With republicans too, I again have to stress they often have no idea what the fuck is going on. I'm reminded again of Obama cutting their taxes and tea party idiots immediately protesting a raise on their taxes.

    I want them to pay higher taxes too. At the moment they pay about half the federal taxes though. The bottom half of the country pays zero in net federal taxes. It's worth noting, at least.

    Here's the thing with groups like the justice democrats. They want university to be free. They want year long paid maternity leave. They want free healthcare. They want an expanded social safety net. And so on. While wanting all this they want their taxes to go down(also how do you lower taxes for a group that isn't paying any taxes???). Just make the rich pay for all of it. That's their position and it's ridiculous. If you want all this 'free' shit you have to pay some of it.

    Especially when it comes to things like healthcare. It's 1/6 of the economy. The rich are filthy rich, but not so rich you can just dump everything on them and pay in less yourselves.
     
  3. Kampf Trinker

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    Again, tell me what he has done that makes him an "unmitigated disaster." Everyone keeps saying this. You can't do nothing in a fairly healthy economy and be an unmitigated disaster. You have to go out and make disasters.

    I need more than using a poor choice of words with a soldier's widow.

    There is a huge split in the democrats right now concerning establishment and anti-establishment. If you haven't noticed it you haven't been paying attention. Eg, the justice democrats are planning to primary a lot of the incumbent congressman. Will it be successful? I have no idea, but they're not that well held together.

    When have you ever seen them admit why they lost? In a way that was anything even resembling reality?

    I've seen the slightest touch of "we have a messaging problem." That's about it. Then they don't even blink before it's back to the Russia nonsense and racism and blah blah blah bullshit.

    Speaking of Russia, I keep hearing that they swayed the votes of gullible conservatives. That doesn't make any sense. If they're conservative they're voting conservative anyway.

    Or Georgia? It would be a big win to actually get one of those seats, but I agree. Save the money for the purple districts.
     
  4. Revengeofthenerds

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    This debate begins and ends at his use of twitter. I mean there are literally too many examples to mention -- hell you can just turn on the news, any news station, any day, or even google trump. He's like the reverse Midas. Every time he opens his mouth or touches something it turns to shit, and then snowballs into an out of control shitball.

    I am completely embarrassed as an American that he represents me to the rest of the world. I cannot even fathom how anyone else can honestly feel any differently.
     
  5. Nettdata

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    For one, the dude is blowing up your international relationships. If you don't think that matters, you have no idea how the world works.

    The rest of the world said, "fuck you" when he backed out of the Paris Accord.
    He's going back on long-standing treaties, like the Israel nuke situation, where the rest of the world now has to look at any agreement with the US as being lasting just as long as the term of the current President.
    And to be sure, the current state of the economy is more due to the previous administration, not him. We have yet to see the long term results.

    The dude is making national level decisions with the intellectual understanding of a 10th grader. That WILL have impacts, no matter how much you say otherwise.
     
  6. Kampf Trinker

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    I'm not saying they won't. I'm saying they haven't.

    Definitely, but I'm just saying it doesn't at all compare to Bush's fuck ups. Not until there are results instead of speculation of impending results.
     
  7. Nettdata

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    The world is laughing at the US because it is being led by a moron.

    How is that not a result?
     
  8. Revengeofthenerds

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    While I'm not the biggest fan of Bush (either of them), he never said he "grabbed [a woman] by the pussy," Bush never openly and frequently suggested committing what amounts to war crimes, Bush never turned the entire international community against America, and Bush certainly did not use the position of the Presidency and the dollars of US taxpayers for his and his family's own financial gain.

    I would argue that Trump's use of twitter alone and the effects thereof, just thus far, qualifies him as the worst president in US history.

    I'm still just in shock that we as a nation elected to our highest office a person who admitted on camera to sexually assaulting a woman.

    The implications of that are horrifying.
     
  9. Kampf Trinker

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    It is to a point, but it only matters so much until it leads to something more impactful.

    Nope, just actually committed them.
     
  10. Kampf Trinker

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    To be clear I'm not saying he's doing a good job. He's not. I'm saying he's not doing the job to much effect at the moment.
     
  11. Revengeofthenerds

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    Gasoline, meet fire.

    Holy shit dude just shut up! Even if you did have a better memory than her, it doesn't matter, it still makes you look like a dipshit. But by the way, it does open the door WIDE open for people to question your health, mental faculties, and fitness for the office.
     
  12. Kampf Trinker

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    Ok, this is the point I was making. Is it a little cringe worthy? Sure. Is it anything even approaching the hyperbolic outrage?

    Every single fucking thing that happens is the end of the world and it's getting tiresome.

    I guess I just care about trivial shit like this way less than other people...

    Also, the headline of the article pretty much just lied...
    That's not what he said.

    Also, they have not shut the fuck up about this story for even 5 minutes. Yet, we have a senator on trial for serious corruption charges, and another former congresswoman who just got convicted of dozens of felonies. That congresswoman is now claiming she needs a delay for the appeal because all of her defense material got destroyed in Irma, which is 100% bullshit. She has no defense.

    These are much more important, but the media is just blowing them off to whine about this stupid shit.

    Next person to claim the media is doing a much better job now gets punched in the face.
     
  13. Aetius

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    I agree in that for the most part I don't care. But since we just got done with Trump manufacturing massive political hay out of "sports negroes don't support the troops," I really don't mind watching him be dragged through the mud face first over his rank hypocrisy.

    It's less "this is an important issue" and more rubbing Republicans' noses in the shit they left on the floor. Perhaps its a vain hope that they won't just shit on the floor again tomorrow, but that is the hope.
     
  14. Nettdata

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    EPA.
    NASA.
    FCC (net neutrality)
    Education.
    Climate Change.

    He's made appointments that are actively moving backwards compared to the rest of the world and fucking over Joe Consumer in the process.

    For you to say that there's no bad effect from him is laughable.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. GcDiaz

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    Don't forget his judicial appointments. All retrograde motherfuckers who are now on the bench for years to come.
     
  16. GcDiaz

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    Right, like the toddler with the revolver hasn't ACTUALLY shot anyone yet, so there's no cause for concern.
     
  17. Kampf Trinker

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    There is, but to call him the worst president ever? I don't think he's anything close to that yet. You can't be a president of sweeping changes through executive orders. His environmental policies have been pretty bad though.
     
  18. downndirty

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  19. downndirty

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    Things Trump has handled poorly:
    Paris
    North Korea
    Twitter
    Opposition
    Criticism
    Foreign policy: he's literally proven every critic of democracy (it changes with the tides of populism) correct.

    In a short amount of time, the soft power we've allowed Xi and Vladimir to assume is incredible.

    His political appointments are a nightmare, the State Department literally can't do their jobs and the department of education is practically in mutiny.

    The hurricane response has been anemic, and I'll find it hard to believe he knew he was the president of Puerto Rico before the hurricane demolished it.
    For me, the biggest one has been climate change. It's unconscionable to deny it at this point, and yet here we stand with leadership that would see us have record-breaking heat and hurricanes and do fuck all.

    I kind of like the Chuck Klosterman definition of evil: to know what the right thing to do is and consciously not do it. What is the objective right thing to do here?

    It is not to vilify military families, peaceful protests (what's he going to do during the next Ferguson or Baltimore?), his fellow politicians, immigrants, etc. It is not to abuse his office for travel, golf, nepotism and shady contracts. It is not to empower shady people like Bannon and Manfort, despite all warnings. It is not to flat-out lie to the American people about any number of issues.

    Is it as bad as it could have been? No, not yet and that alone feels like democracy passed the stress test. Will it get worse? I think so, and that bothers me deeply.

    I would also argue that the president's role is that of figurehead. He's meant to lead us through example. There's a bit of romanticizing it, sure, but "Hail to the Chief" and so on....it's meant to be an honor to meet him (he basically threw a twitter tantrum when Golden State didn't go), he's meant to rise above controversy and scandal (FDR for example) not openly court it. The office of the president is somewhat tainted by his buffoonery...does this guy behave like he's the most powerful man on Earth? Does he show any humility or responsibility to the people who got him there? Does he act like he belongs there?

    I would say, no he doesn't. And our country is worse off for it.

    Ultimately, the role he assumed calls for an end to the divisiveness of the campaign. We, as a country are too polar, with little compromise (or motive to compromise), and he has somehow made it worse, not better. I would imagine a successful legacy for Trump would be to unite us behind things we all agree need to change, and it seems he is moving in the precise opposite direction: continuing to anger and divide us. I hope he fails in that, if nothing else.
     
  20. GcDiaz

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    This is why Trump ain't getting impeached. Moore, FYI, is the judge so bad that he lost his job twice, and *even Trump* endorsed the other guy. But yeah, whatever. Gilead 2020.
     

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