Trump

[TheGlyphstone]

I have met my share of Christians that don't approve of what Trump has been doing lately. Unfortunately, they (in their words typically) is more or less feeling silenced by both the loud right and the fear of being just thrown in as a Trump supporter simply because they are Christian. I kinda sympathize with them, actually.

I do feel sympathetic for them, at least on the first point - the second I just see as a logical if unfortunate consequence of that silence; as long as they're unwilling to speak out and risk the ire of their peers, they're going to end up lumped in with the loudmouths if there's no visible signs to the contrary.

[Twisted Crow]

Kinda like my politcal opinions on this site, then.  ^-^

Ha. Sad but true, though. I say the same about other political or controversial affiliations, too.

[TheGlyphstone]

It can sometimes be depressing when you're a horse of a different color than the herd around you - Democrats in the Deep Dixie South, for instance, or a Republican in southern California.

The existence of this thread in itself proves you're willing to speak out even if it draws negative attention, though, so you're one step above those silent objectors; on the other hand, you have a lot less to lose in a quasi-anonymous internet forum than they would in breaking with the families/friends/church groups they see every day. Not an easy line to walk, particularly when their faith already lends itself to demanding conformity and suppressing individualistic interpretation.

[Twisted Crow]

It is easy to facepalm with the Blues, though, when Trump puts  his foot in his mouth. A lot in my family are mostly red and even they facepalm when Trump gets on Twitter.  :-\

I hate that it is an easy thing to pick at, but he does do that to himself. So, yes... he even embarrasses some that bat for red.  ^-^

[TheGlyphstone]

My expectations went into free-fall when he spent the first year of his office complaining  about Saturday Night Live making fun of him, in between feuding with Arnold Schwarzenegger over Celebrity Apprentice ratings. So there's really not much left I can face-palm over personally, as he's already hit rock bottom on that front.

[Mechelle]

As such a strong supporter of capitalism and free enterprise, I am sure Donald Trump will be delighted that a small entrepreneur in Manchester (England) is producing Donald Trump toilet paper, with the great man's face on the roll.

[Callie Del Noire]

As such a strong supporter of capitalism and free enterprise, I am sure Donald Trump will be delighted that a small entrepreneur in Manchester (England) is producing Donald Trump toilet paper, with the great man's face on the roll.

Oh no.. that’s disrespectful..

[Tolvo]

https://publicintegrity.org/national-security/digging-ukrainedocs-omb-foia/

A non-profit was seemingly able to get Pentagon documents published showing communications between the White House and the Pentagon regarding demands to halt aid by Trump's administration and Trump. With the communication for the demand to stop aid coming hours after his call with the Ukrainian President.

[Oniya]

In lighter (darker?  oranger?) news, we've got conclusive proof that it's not the lightbulbs.

https://www.politicalflare.com/2019/12/trump-had-a-severe-makeup-mishap-at-wh-christmas-party-and-hes-now-an-absolute-laughing-stock/

[gaggedLouise]

Glancing at a worldwide new-year's eve chat on Youtube, and some people are tossing in stuff like "The future belongs to Trump" (is that an ironic nod to the scene in Cabaret?) - then the next one: "TRUMP is a TRAMP"  :P

[Oniya]

Right - I'm looking up that song on YouTube so I can fire it back at them.  (Wish I still had a copy of the whole movie - Joel Grey was amazingly creepy in it.)

[gaggedLouise]

So, the US is promptly sending in around 900 soldiers to Iraq from Fort Bragg, and planning to send more (nothing I am against in itself, after the embassy attack). Now how many soldiers was it that Trump pulled out of northern Syria a few months back, a move that left a military vacuum ready for Turkey, Iran adn Russia to move in? I don't think those were many thousand, yet Trump was talking as if these troops posed an intolerable cost.   ::)

[Missy]

Is this a movie about Nazis? heh, I'm sure they must be 'very fine people'.

In any case, a quick google seems to turn up it's likely about him now trying to create a new division between 'patriots' and globalists (hey look kids more Facism!), which as a globalist I think is very sad; globalism is probably better for individual nations, even wealthy ones, than factionalism.

Personally though I think the idea of the 'future belonging to Trump' is kind of ironic and highly unlikely.  I imagine reading some news article about Trump being dragged out of the White House by the secret service next December/January, after refusing to leave. I think the truth is Trump has never been very effective or popular in a real sense, he's good at some things sure, like divisive exploitation, he's the king at that, but that's really all he knows how to do. I'm very much of the opinion he never really 'won' in 2016 (and I'm not refferring to the popular vote), I'm really of the opinion that Hillary lost much more than Trump won; there is a distinction, Hillary really wasn't very well favoured either, if she had been she wouldn't have struggled to win the popular vote so narrowly. Trump has been riding along on easy mode using the one trick he has, he's not about to change his strategy and in the past three years people have seen more of the limitations of what he has to offer, that sentiment has merely been growing. One thing I noticed in 2018 was the way many people thought the midterms had been a failure against Trump because of how many Republicans were still in office in terms of absolute number. Once you look at the number proportionately in terms of how much the Democrats had on the table as opposed to the Republicans, you saw just how much of a loss it really was for them. In 2018, the Democrats gained a lot more than they lost and where the Republicans won, they were expected too, the Republicans mostly won in places where they had a strong history of winning anyway. Fast forward to 2020 (albeit Jan01) and the trend is holding strong, no doubt folks will draw up McConnel's statements about the impending Impeachment trial, but really tunnel vision people. McConnel and the Republicans are digging their own graves, of course Trump has been impeached and of course he won't be convicted by a Republican controlled Congress; the thing is sentiment against Trump has been growing all this time, in America Trump can't last. Even Fox News reported one of their polls turned up a 49% in favour of impeachment and removal, Fox News is most strongly connected to what would be Trumps base, if Fox News is turning up 49% of their viewers (people who tune into right-wing news) favour impeachment and conviction then you can be sure that's one of the lowest numbers you're going to get. Trump and his Republic stooges, like McConnel, Linsey Graham and all the others I don't recall the name of are doomed, barring a complete 180 by the Republican party, there won't be much of a Republican party presence in Washington this time next year. Some of your will point out there have been some numbers reported on some polls of folks who want to see Trump impeached, but not removed from office and this is true, there are those hardliners who will take anything to not have a Democrat in office and these folks will always be there unfortunately, regardless of some hardliners attitudes have been turning against Trump for some time and the trend just continues. To be honest, in the event I'm wrong and Trump somehow wins the 2020 election, I wouldn't be surprised if Pelosi held the Articles of Impeachment for over a year before turning it over to the very likely Democratic Senate of 2021, at this point it's becoming even more clear: the only safe place for a Republican candidate is a deep red state like Utah or Indiana. A lot of Governorships have gone over to the Democrats this past year and the only way for Trump is win a second term is to be pitted against a very lackluster Democrat, (which isn't impossible). I think the Republicans are unlikely to change in the coming year, certainly not the major players in a meaningful way, I think by 2022 the Republicans will be defending their seats from yellow as much as from blue.

or the TLDR, look forward to some entertaining news articles about Trump being dragged out of the Presidential apartment next December/January. *smirk*

[Oniya]

Trump loans linked to VTB by way of Deutschebank: https://www.scribd.com/document/441601742/Forensic-News-Article-12-3  (Rehosted because of site overload/DDoS attacks.)

Trump ordered airstrike that killed Iran's 2nd in command - without notifying Congress:  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/airstrike-kills-top-iran-general-qassim-suleimani-baghdad-airport-iraqi-n1109821

[Oniya]

Correction - Forensic News has also had their financial stream cut off.  https://twitter.com/ScottMStedman/status/1213187951393267712?s=20

[Beorning]

Trump ordered airstrike that killed Iran's 2nd in command - without notifying Congress:  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/airstrike-kills-top-iran-general-qassim-suleimani-baghdad-airport-iraqi-n1109821

I fear WW3 is coming... or, at least, a destruction of yet another country. :\

[Callie Del Noire]

Correction - Forensic News has also had their financial stream cut off.  https://twitter.com/ScottMStedman/status/1213187951393267712?s=20

Looking more and more like something organized against them.

Trump ordered airstrike that killed Iran's 2nd in command - without notifying Congress:  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/airstrike-kills-top-iran-general-qassim-suleimani-baghdad-airport-iraqi-n1109821

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Didn’t Eisenhower write an executive order against assassinations?

[Kitteredge]

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Didn’t Eisenhower write an executive order against assassinations?

I doubt it. He had the elected leader of Congo, Patrice Lumumba, assassinated.

[Oniya]

Looking more and more like something organized against them.

Yep - there was a weird spike in traffic coming out of Helsinki at one point, of all places.

[Callie Del Noire]

I doubt it. He had the elected leader of Congo, Patrice Lumumba, assassinated.

Yeah you’re right.. Executive order was given by President Ford.

[Beorning]

Yeah you’re right.. Executive order was given by President Ford.

And yet, Trump ordered this assasination now...

No disrespect meant to the US, but I honestly don't understand why stuff like that should be allowed :\ Was this Iranian general guilty of any crime that would warrant such action? Not a fan of the Iranian government, but still...

[Callie Del Noire]

And yet, Trump ordered this assasination now...

No disrespect meant to the US, but I honestly don't understand why stuff like that should be allowed :\ Was this Iranian general guilty of any crime that would warrant such action? Not a fan of the Iranian government, but still...

Among other things, he’s coordinated/led Hezbollah from time to time, assisted in the Yemen and possibly elsewhere.

[TheGlyphstone]

Maybe Trump's argument is that the target was the militia leader and he was just in the blast radius? Unlikely but it's all I got.

[Sara Nilsson]

Doesn't take a brainy mc brainypants to figure out what Trump is thinking.. he isn't.

[Orval Wintermute]

Didn’t Eisenhower write an executive order against assassinations?

Doesn't matter who wrote it the EO is created by the Executive and the Executive can set it aside.