Trump

[Missy]

Well I agree with you there, because I don't truly trust the state anyway. Which is why it is good that most of the time a lot of what the politicians say is just gums without teeth. However the reason I do vote is because I always felt that I should vote before I complain about stuff I don't like if that makes any sense.

I agree with you on the voting point as well, while I still do feel the structure of our American political system does constrain my basic liberties, I still try to influence the system overall in the direction of the lesser evil, if nothing else.

If nothing else preventing the worse from coming to pass is a priority.

[Haibane]

The wolves circle around, scenting their prey:

Federal prosecutors have discussed making a legal request for Giuliani’s electronic communications

[Beguile's Mistress]

https://trumpevictionclock.com/nicer/

[Haibane]

OMFG that is so awesome. Can you set it as your desktop? 

[Beguile's Mistress]

It's not working for me on Windows 10.  Maybe someone else can figure it out.

[Beguile's Mistress]

I pinned it to my Firefox Bookmark tool bar.

[Regina Minx]

Funfact. If you buy an Advent calendar and start it the day after Christmas, it will finish its countdown on Inauguration Day.

[Haibane]

I pinned it to my Firefox Bookmark tool bar.

Ditto. Thanks!

[Beguile's Mistress]

You are most welcome! 

[Oniya]

Funfact. If you buy an Advent calendar and start it the day after Christmas, it will finish its countdown on Inauguration Day.

We're actually doing this.  My oldest sister sent us one, and we decided to save it.

[Andol]

Always happy to help! :)

Any fixes to the GOP to rectify its own problems and the damage it's caused to America (and by extent, the rest of the world via foreign policy) would be so systemic, and so alienating to the base that's been built up, that it may as well become a new party entirely. Thus the distinction between it being fixed of problems vs. crumbling apart is a moot point. What needs to change is the mindset and mentality among American voters who looked at the last 4 years of Trump and went "yeah, we're okay with this." Otherwise they'll just form their own barbaric 3rd party or flip parties when the Democrats start courting them, like what happened with the Southern Strategy.

Actually in the last four years we have made great strides in a Geo-political viewpoint that sees the Asian-Pacific theater as the center point of contention instead of a backward Cold-War viewpoint that focuses too much on Europe and Russia. In fact it was why France reached out to Russia to start making political moves against Turkey(Who seem to want to pull Armenian Genocide 2: Electric Bugoloo.). As well as China with the help of India and Russia respectively. I am hopeful that Biden continues to understand the need for this going forward and will drop the out dated Cold War view for a more even handed approach with Russia that allows us to use them in that theater.

As for anything we have done in the Middle East... well... yeah... that stuff kind of has been laying in the lap of every administration since Bush... with the war dragging on and on... and well you get the idea.     

[Missy]

https://trumpevictionclock.com/nicer/

And Jeeshe, even twenty eight days seems too long a time, hell that's true of any amount of time though.

[Missy]

Actually in the last four years we have made great strides in a Geo-political viewpoint that sees the Asian-Pacific theater as the center point of contention instead of a backward Cold-War viewpoint that focuses too much on Europe and Russia. In fact it was why France reached out to Russia to start making political moves against Turkey(Who seem to want to pull Armenian Genocide 2: Electric Bugoloo.). As well as China with the help of India and Russia respectively. I am hopeful that Biden continues to understand the need for this going forward and will drop the out dated Cold War view for a more even handed approach with Russia that allows us to use them in that theater.

As for anything we have done in the Middle East... well... yeah... that stuff kind of has been laying in the lap of every administration since Bush... with the war dragging on and on... and well you get the idea.   

I see the merits in your viewpoint, I'd like to live in a world built on cooperation and communication as opposed to competition and self-interest. The only issue I have with that is the number of actions undertaken by the Putin regime in recent years. In a sense I almost feel like opposing such behavior is less competitive in self-interest and more suppressive of it. I really don't think we should be turning a blind eye or allowing Putins regime to normalize some of their aggressive behaviors, towards us, nor the UK, the Ukraine or anyone really. I'm not sure Mr. Putin and his regime are ready to play with others.

[Andol]

I see the merits in your viewpoint, I'd like to live in a world built on cooperation and communication as opposed to competition and self-interest. The only issue I have with that is the number of actions undertaken by the Putin regime in recent years. In a sense I almost feel like opposing such behavior is less competitive in self-interest and more suppressive of it. I really don't think we should be turning a blind eye or allowing Putins regime to normalize some of their aggressive behaviors, towards us, nor the UK, the Ukraine or anyone really. I'm not sure Mr. Putin and his regime are ready to play with others.

Oh don't misunderstand... I don't imply that we should do any of those thing. I guess the best way to put it is that you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. So the actual best tactic in this case is to use Russia as an ally on a short leash. I mean at some point we have to get to a 'greater good' mindset or it will be hard to get any where. The US and Russia still have a lot of military clout in the world, and well they can get a lot of things done and do mostly mean dealing with China... and the list of stuff they are pulling now including what they are doing all the Muslims within their borders, mistreatment of occupied Tibet, threats against Hong Kong and the list that never stops.

I mean I won't deny Putin isn't a good person, but neither was Stalin if you kind of get what I mean. Plus from what I can see, Russia is more worried about China and the CCP than the US overall. This is because the CCP has been saber rattling a lot towards messing with what Russia sees as their 'sphere of influence' in the Arctic, especially in the coming years if global warming opens up some new viable ports for them long term. 

[John Birch]

The notion that we can cooperate and work with Russia is a naive one. They're not interested in cooperating. They're not interesting in meeting us halfway. If we give them an inch, they'll take a foot. If we give them a foot, they'll take a mile. One of the biggest foreign policy mistakes Obama made with Russia was thinking he could 'reset' relations with Russia and augur a new era of improved relations, and if there's one good thing that's emerged over the last few years, it's the fact that more and more folks left of center have been disabused of the illusion that such a thing is possible.

It isn't. And I don't just mean genuinely building a positive relationship with Russia-- I mean even trying to find avenues of limited cooperation for strictly strategic purposes, to 'use them as an ally'. Even the pretense would be counterproductive and harmful.

[Skynet]

Actually in the last four years we have made great strides in a Geo-political viewpoint that sees the Asian-Pacific theater as the center point of contention instead of a backward Cold-War viewpoint that focuses too much on Europe and Russia. In fact it was why France reached out to Russia to start making political moves against Turkey(Who seem to want to pull Armenian Genocide 2: Electric Bugoloo.). As well as China with the help of India and Russia respectively. I am hopeful that Biden continues to understand the need for this going forward and will drop the out dated Cold War view for a more even handed approach with Russia that allows us to use them in that theater.

As for anything we have done in the Middle East... well... yeah... that stuff kind of has been laying in the lap of every administration since Bush... with the war dragging on and on... and well you get the idea.   

Sources on these claims? On the contrary the Trump administration has been deleterious to foreign policy. He pulled out of Syria to let Turkey move in and kill Kurdish allies. Or his plan to get out of the KORUS agreement by moving troops and missile defense systems out of South Korea which would give North Korea and by extent China more leverage to pressure countries within nuclear reach. This is counterproductive to his "tough on China" stance.

This last part is detailed in Bob Woodward's Fear. This man was one of the journalists who helped break the Watergate scandal, and he performed countless interviews with people both in and around the White House, so I consider him a credible source on the matter.

Forgive me for linking to images of the pages rather than a copy-paste; Kindle doesn't seem CTRL C friendly.

For one who says he does not trust the State, you're extending a lot of goodwill to Trump and authoritarian regimes.


And from a purely domestic standpoint, all of that pales in comparison to intentionally withholding and even spreading misinformation about the coronavirus that left a third of a million Americans dead (and climbing). Even if Trump were a fantastic President before the outbreak this would be a black mark on his legacy. A man who doesn't even care about the suffering of his own people is not going to see to the welfare of the world or foreign allies.

[Missy]

Well, I'm not above saying people I hate are right about some things on occassion, $2000 checks would be amazing. With that said I don't think it's justification to be vetoing a bill this critical this way. Good thing he's on his way out the door anyway

[Dhi]

He's holding relief hostage, as has been his reprehensible instinct every time the power is afforded him. You trust more than I do if you want to thank him for it.

[Deamonbane]

It's pretty clearly a stunt to take news coverage away from the slew of pardons that he put out.

[Skynet]

It's pretty clearly a stunt to take news coverage away from the slew of pardons that he put out.

Speaking of which, said pardons include a real bunch of scumbags.

Blackwater mercenaries who killed Iraqi civilians? Check. Allies who lied during the Mueller probe? Check. Republican congressmen convicted of insider trading and misuse of campaign funds? Check.

[Missy]

He's holding relief hostage, as has been his reprehensible instinct every time the power is afforded him. You trust more than I do if you want to thank him for it.

Hardly, it's not doing himself or the Georgia runoffs any favors. Really I wouldn't be disappointed to get the money (as unlikely as that is), but if by some chance Nancy Pelosi can use that to get a little more in the checks then at this stage in the game I'm just taking home a slightly bigger prize and fine with that.

[Beorning]

Oh don't misunderstand... I don't imply that we should do any of those thing. I guess the best way to put it is that you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.

Please define the "eggs" you believe you are allowed to break to make your omelette. Ukraine? The Baltic states? Poland?

I mean I won't deny Putin isn't a good person, but neither was Stalin if you kind of get what I mean.

As a citizen of a country that had suffered for 50 years due to Stalin and Soviet Russia, I can tell you I don't get what you mean at all.

[The Lovely Tsaritsa]

The notion that we can cooperate and work with Russia is a naive one. They're not interested in cooperating. They're not interesting in meeting us halfway. If we give them an inch, they'll take a foot. If we give them a foot, they'll take a mile.

US is never interested, in meeting Russia halfway either though. Or, many other countries. And, where is US, during fighting with Armenia and Azerbaijan?

[Haibane]

On the Russia/China debate I do fear for the future of China's relationship with the west. The Nine Dash Line issue is potentially a war in the making.

[Haibane]

Funfact. If you buy an Advent calendar and start it the day after Christmas, it will finish its countdown on Inauguration Day.

We're actually doing this.  My oldest sister sent us one, and we decided to save it.

With 24 compartments you could print off and hide behind each flap a snippet about TWO of Trumps failed election fraud lawsuits and give yourself a couple of chuckles (or, more soberly, reminders of Why He Must Go) each day.