Congress passes the Cures Act. Corporate money obviously shaped certain aspects of the bill, but overall I would take it as one of the few things congress has done right in recent memory.
https://np.reddit.com/r/PoliticalDi...sment_says_russia_was_trying_to_help/db0zali/ https://np.reddit.com/r/politics/co...l_college_members_demand_briefing_on/db5or6d/ A pair of well-cited posts about Trump's relationship with Russia. It seems the question is how closely did Russia support Trump and why? But....I think it's clear this election was hugely influenced negatively by the internet, either by the email hack, fake news or just social media bots (Reddit was a case in point). I also find it interesting that Hillary's "crimes" were enough for some people to think she couldn't hold office, yet no one is applying the same logic to Trump's business dealings that are at best, shady and at worst criminal. It's telling that he still won't distance himself from his businesses, and how this all plays out.
So Trump continues his quest to hire the perfect idiots and hires Rick Perry as energy secretary. Yes, the fucktard who wants gays outlawed from the military and who filled a football stadium to pray away a drought (the drought tripled after that). They asked for this, they got this.
Not to mention this was not only one of the departments he wanted to eliminate, but it was the one he forgot about during his infamous "oops" moment, continuing Trump's reign as troll-in-chief. He's doing what the republicans have been doing with their obstructionism on a larger scale. They made sure congress couldn't get a goddamn thing done so they could point to congress and say "see, it doesn't work," so they could drum up support for scaling it back. Now he's appointing whoever hates everything each department stands for most so they can destroy it from the inside and go "look at how ineffective and/or wasteful and/or destructive this department is, guess we should get rid of it." I understand the point of view of wanting limited government regardless of how much I agree with it, but I hate the general game plan of making it look like you're saving us all from something you intentionally broke yourself.
So: - recount - blame Russia - it's a white lash - pizzagate - fake news - internet trolls - "but you don't know how I feel" protest time - Trump conned them - they didn't listen to us enough What's the over/under on when the democrats can accept that they lost? I am asking the question in all earnest because they sure had a lot of faith in elections when they thought they were going to win.
Maybe part of your issue is that you're not reading the complete sentence? "I also find it interesting that Hillary's "crimes" were enough for some people to think she couldn't hold office, yet no one is applying the same logic to Trump's business dealings that are at best, shady and at worst criminal." Trump won. He won with Russia's support. How explicit was that support, and did it follow the rules? Given Trump's style, I'm going to go with "Very" and 'No", followed by "most likely not, but it'll be hard to prove a damned thing." This isn't some foreign government donating to a foundation out in the clear and open, this is fucking Russia who for the first time since 1945 invaded a sovereign European country, is under sanctions and is by all accounts, falling the fuck apart while Putin and his vultures pick at the remains to enrich themselves. The fact that they have a hand in picking our president and cabinet is fucking terrifying. If anyone can look at Trump's real, day to day musings and dealings and feel comfortable that guy will win against Putin, I want to talk to your pharmacist. Someone please explain to me what good could result of Putin collaborating with the most easily manipulated, least experienced, money-hungry set of "politicians" we have yet seen? I honestly don't give a fuck about Hillary, she lost. Recount, electoral college, etc...she lost. I think it's weird your logic only applies to her, and not to Trump, but at this point I am far more terrified of the President elect's ineptitude than I am upset about a loss/victory. This isn't about Democrats or Republicans, this is about both parties being assaulted by foreign influence and manipulation. The one that won seems suspiciously dirty, and if it were the other way around, I don't think there would be a different tone. The intelligence folks run red and they are throwing every flag they can and have been since May. If you took a poll of saying "hey the russians fucked with the election, want a do-over with new candidates?" I'd be stunned if it wasn't 90% answering in the affirmative. And the first Republican to say "impeach" in anything louder than a whisper gets railroaded by his own party...and it would be unpopular, because then we have Mike Pence, or a fucking oil company CEO running the country.... God. Fucking. Damn. It.
Maybe part of your issue is that you're not reading the complete sentence? "I also find it interesting that Hillary's "crimes" were enough for some people to think she couldn't hold office, yet no one is applying the same logic to Trump's business dealings that are at best, shady and at worst criminal." Trump won. He won with Russia's support. How explicit was that support, and did it follow the rules? Given Trump's style, I'm going to go with "Very" and 'No", followed by "most likely not, but it'll be hard to prove a damned thing." This isn't some foreign government donating to a foundation out in the clear and open, this is fucking Russia who for the first time since 1945 invaded a sovereign European country, is under sanctions and is by all accounts, falling the fuck apart while Putin and his vultures pick at the remains to enrich themselves. The fact that they have a hand in picking our president and cabinet is fucking terrifying. If anyone can look at Trump's real, day to day musings and dealings and feel comfortable that guy will win against Putin, I want to talk to your pharmacist. Someone please explain to me what good could result of Putin collaborating with the most easily manipulated, least experienced, money-hungry set of "politicians" we have yet seen? I honestly don't give a fuck about Hillary, she lost. Recount, electoral college, etc...she lost. I think it's weird your logic only applies to her, and not to Trump, but at this point I am far more terrified of the President elect's ineptitude than I am upset about a loss/victory. This isn't about Democrats or Republicans, this is about both parties being assaulted by foreign influence and manipulation. The one that won seems suspiciously dirty, and if it were the other way around, I don't think there would be a different tone. The intelligence folks run red and they are throwing every flag they can and have been since May. If you took a poll of saying "hey the russians fucked with the election, want a do-over with new candidates?" I'd be stunned if it wasn't 90% answering in the affirmative. And the first Republican to say "impeach" in anything louder than a whisper gets railroaded by his own party...and it would be unpopular, because then we have Mike Pence, or a fucking oil company CEO running the country.... God. Fucking. Damn. It.
Yep, so that would be a never then. There is no proof of collusion between Russia and Trump. None. If that is proven they will impeach him, but there has to be evidence of it, you know? Russia hacked McCain in '08 and they are ALWAYS trying to hack us. Fix the cyber security problem. Maybe Hillary wasn't the best person to do that. Maybe you don't care that the documents were genuine and she still hasn't answered a single fucking question about them other than deflecting the blame. Teach these old shitheads how to use a computer and protect files already. Anyway, the news will keep that butt hurt train rolling until at least Jan 20th. Then we'll hear sensationalism over every little fucking thing Jerry Springer style. We'll see how he actually does. If the dems hate him so much, try again in 4 years, buddy. That's the nice thing about democracy.
I like Tillerson based on what I know about him thus far. He's an outsider who knows the global market inside and out. Rick Perry is a complete fucking idiot and might not be qualified to vacuum the oval office.
I dunno. At this point, I don't really believe in coincidences. There's so much smoke coming from Russia, between the fact they are holding Snowden or that Trump specifically looks up to him and called upon him. The fact that Tillerson has obvious business interests in the region. The fact that Mitch McConnell threatened to make the Russia thing a public partisan issue if the White House made any public statements. And when they didn't, his wife got a cabinet appointment. Rick Perry is on the board of the company who wants the Dakota Access Pipeline and now he's in charge of a department that he wanted to get rid of that could wield tremendous influence over that project. That just a few things so far. Yes, there's no "direct proof" but the appearance of impropriety is enough to get me fired from my job if I ever did anything remotely shady. Why aren't you holding Trump to that standard?
Well, here's some good news... Elon Musk joins Trump's advisory council. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-forum-idUSKBN1431KU This very well may counter a huge amount of the "technical stupidity" that is forming around Trump.
I just dont know anymore. I have absolutely no idea what this guy's (Trump's) vision is supposed to be. His appointments are so completely all over the place, its hard to put together an overall narrative. Last week he called Mitt Romney in to twirl around like a cheap hooker and kicked him to the curb without cab fare. In the last two days hes appointed Rick Perry as Secretary of Energy and Elon Musk as an advisor. What is going on? Maybe its not a bad thing, who knows, that is yet to be seen.
At the very least, this shows me the first indication of some sort of balance to his appointments. I hope he will go through and be similarly unpredictable so that at least there are different viewpoints and voices at the table. It's when they're all fucking idiots from the Stone Ages that it gets scary. Here's hoping that Elon gets a new Bat Phone so that he's the first one called about anything technical... like Net Neutrality, etc.
It would be very interesting to see what influence he will have over Trump. If we see the start program to go to Mars in the short future, we will know, not that I am complaining. But I could see Trump doing it just to spite China. Hell, part of the original moon mission was to spite the Soviets. Nothing motivates a government than fucking with a rival super power.
I have found the most consistent and coherent understanding of Trump by realizing he doesn't have a vision, he has NPD. You can't treat him like a normal politician, because he has literally pathological needs that override his ability to adhere to anything resembling an ideological drive or rational decision making process. Never ask yourself "What does Donald Trump want for the country," always ask yourself "What does Donald Trump want for Donald Trump at this specific moment in time."
I love Musk, I just hope this was done over serious consideration and it isn't just Trump is throwing a bone to the non-retards.
It's an interesting mix so far. It's an assortment of business sharks, and appointments to satisfy the republican establishment. Like it or not, it was a nasty campaign, especially in the primaries and he needs them on his side if he wants to get shit done. Man, I remember when liberals laughed and stuck their noses up at republicans for grasping at every straw to 'prove' Obama was a dictator. While at the same time bitching Obama was too soft. It is now clear how fast that flips and we'll get 4 years of Trump is a dictator! Liberals are insisting on it everywhere. Sigh. I don't know why it bugs me, it's just so lame. Yeah Xray, the connections with Russia through business, it's kind of like Romney and China last election cycle. If Romney had won we never would have heard the end of it. Work on bolstering cyber-security. Investigate the hacking, it's their job. If the CIA has/finds evidence linking Trump with Russia, then fucking put it out there. If they don't, I don't give a fuck. Remember when they told us Saddam had WMDs? Remember when we were told Assange is a pedophile? Now it's "don't trust wikileaks for publishing genuine documents we didn't want you to read because Russia wants you to read it." Have they for even a split second addressed what was in the wikileaks? Of course not, why would they? Blaming the whole election on Russia looks like partisan bullshit to me, and it's not like wikileaks was some sole factor. Exxon Mobil has business in tons of places. Is Tillerson knowing people across the globe a qualification or proof of... what? That he isn't qualified? That Putin is ruling the United States and is going to take over Europe, or what the fuck is the point of this? That he signed off a country for Russia to annex? Seriously. Until there's evidence of something I can see for myself, I don't give a fuck about the innuendo that news anchors bark out nonstop. Russia trying to hack us isn't news to me, it's same old, same shit. If Hillary didn't protect her information, and it got aired as dirty laundry, and damaged her, that's on her unless Trump was directly involved in the hacking.
Anyway, it looks like the Iran deal is in trouble. We don't know what intelligence gathering led them to renew the sanctions, but this puts war with Iran back on the table. http://www.voanews.com/a/congress-renews-united-states-sanctions-law-iran/3619509.html Bill passed 99-0 in the senate. Deal is pretty much dead, having been violated by both sides now.