Trump

[Haibane]

But I am not suggesting that freedom of speech be limited. I am only suggesting that the more offensive racist bigoted homophobic, etc, etc remarks might get culled and put into a "no-no" classification. Much like they are in Europe. We have total freedom of speech here, the issue is that no-one NEEDS to use that kind of extreme language.

If the USA centre/left is serious about dealing with the right wing fascists, this is one move that may help.

Sorry, drifting away from Trumpism a bit, so here's a cartoon.

[Deamonbane]

But I am not suggesting that freedom of speech be limited. I am only suggesting that the more offensive racist bigoted homophobic, etc, etc remarks might get culled and put into a "no-no" classification. Much like they are in Europe. We have total freedom of speech here, the issue is that no-one NEEDS to use that kind of extreme language.

If the USA centre/left is serious about dealing with the right wing fascists, this is one move that may help.

Sorry, drifting away from Trumpism a bit, so here's a cartoon.

I'd say that it's really unfair and also unrealistic to assume that Trump is in any way capable of supporting the weight of a grown man, even on all fours.

[Dhi]

Sorry, drifting away from Trumpism a bit

Even though I understand the need to keep these threads on topic, I think it's beautiful that the conversation keeps going off on tangents. Shows how quickly Trump is becoming irrelevant. Motherfucker isn't even out of office yet, that was a faster fade than Game of Thrones.

[Skynet]

While being proper for this topic, I felt that this was best off as its own thing. I locked the original topic, but decided to link a useful resource of people compiling the Trump Administration's mistakes and misdeeds during his time in politics.

[Haibane]

Private citizen Mr D. Trump will have a busy day on 21st January, the lawyers are queuing up.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54716550

[CrownedSun]

What might happen next: Regardless, the emoluments lawsuits will probably be dismissed or dropped, legal experts say. One brought by congressional Democrats has already been rejected by the Supreme Court.

"Emoluments are not likely to be the basis of any criminal action," said Mr Turley, an expert on constitutional law.

"The emoluments cases relate to Trump holding office, so once he leaves office, the controversy becomes largely academic."

...well that's stupid..

Guy can't be prosecuted for a crime while IN office and once he's out of office there's no crime anymore?

I guess our Presidents can just sell the office for cash now. That's just wonderful.

[TheVillain]

...well that's stupid..

Guy can't be prosecuted for a crime while IN office and once he's out of office there's no crime anymore?

I guess our Presidents can just sell the office for cash now. That's just wonderful.

I believe I speak for a large chunk of the world when I say "What the fuck?"

[TheHangedOne]

"Trump Administration, in Late Push, Moves to Sell Oil Rights in Arctic Refuge

The lease sales could occur just before Inauguration Day, leaving the administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. to try to reverse them after the fact."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/16/climate/trump-oil-drilling-alaska.html

[Iniquitous]

And apparently, he really wants to burn it all down before he leaves office. War with Iran anyone?

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/16/politics/trump-possible-offensive-iran-nuclear-site/index.html

[Callie Del Noire]

And apparently, he really wants to burn it all down before he leaves office. War with Iran anyone?

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/16/politics/trump-possible-offensive-iran-nuclear-site/index.html

He’s not the one who has to deal with the fallout. President Biden will fix it all before he restarts his campaign to get his ‘rightful’ position as head honcho back in ‘24.

[Haibane]

A technical point regarding the office of the President - can a convicted felon stand for office? If he cannot this really puts pressure on the right-wing supreme court to quash any criminal cases brought against Trump after Jan 20 2021 doesn't it?

[Sara Nilsson]

Yupp no law against it.

[Haibane]

"Trump Administration, in Late Push, Moves to Sell Oil Rights in Arctic Refuge

The lease sales could occur just before Inauguration Day, leaving the administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. to try to reverse them after the fact."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/16/climate/trump-oil-drilling-alaska.html

Another link if anyone wants it, to avoid the paywall:

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/16/935527352/trump-administration-rushes-to-sell-oil-rights-in-arctic-national-wildlife-refug

[Haibane]

Yupp no law against it.

Really? A crime boss could become president if they had enough support? Jesus.

[Andol]

Thing is, the russia gate thing as you called it was correct. He was impeached for it and the report did state that he had colluded. The republicans just said.. meh we don't want to kick him out for it. But he was guilty, so not quite the same thing :)

Wait... I thought the impeachment was over the Quid Pro Quo with Ukraine?...

[TheGlyphstone]

It was. IIRC, the Mueller report concluded that 1) Russia interfered heavily in the elections,  2) Trump's campaign could not be proven to directly conspire with the Russians ( the Russians offered but his people kept turning them down), and 3,) Trump tried very hard to obstruct investigations into 1 and 2. It was the Ukraine thing and #3 that he was impeached over.

[Haibane]

The two Georgia senate seats are going to be so insanely critical. If Democrats win both the house will be split 50/50 with the VP having the casting vote. If that happens one presumes the impeachment is resuscitated? Or more likely other alleged crimes Trump has committed will be prosecuted onwards? And in addition hundreds of bills that McConnell has stuffed under his chair could be actioned as well?

Might there even be legislation enacted to prevent another McConnell style stalling? I am still shocked that a position can be abused so thoroughly.

[Haibane]

I honestly wish Trump would just STFU. More rants about voting errors and fraud; he's now blaming the software used on the counting computers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54959962

[Oniya]

Quite honestly, there are still a number of things he can be impeached over.  He's violated his Oath of Office ('I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.') seven ways to Sunday.

[TheGlyphstone]

I mean, you could argue that he did execute the office to the best of his non-existent ability...

[Oniya]

I mean, you could argue that he did execute the office to the best of his non-existent ability...

That's 'execute' as in 'perform the duties of'.  Not as in 'sentence to capital punishment.'   

[TheGlyphstone]

That's 'execute' as in 'perform the duties of'.  Not as in 'sentence to capital punishment.'   

Both definitions apply in this case.

[gaggedLouise]

Both definitions apply in this case.

In Soviet Russia, the High Office executes you. 

[gaggedLouise]

Okay, Trump's plan for a coup is supposed to be about making several Republican states refuse to appoint any electors because they're outraged over massive election fraud, thereby sending the selection of POTUS to the House of Representatives. Once there, the plan is to decide by means of a vote among the individual state caucuses, and so the Republicans would (supposedly) win by 26-24 because they have a majority in more individual state delegations (and it's one vote per delegation, not one per head).

Two questions on this far-fetched plan, for the Americans here (who know their history, I am sure):

1. How many states/electors need to be absent from the EC to make it capsize and declare itself unable to choose a president?

2. Has it ever happened in modern times that a state refused to send any electors because they deemed the election there too flawed to be useful? If it did, when was it?

[TheVillain]

1.) I assume over half, but that's not actually known.
2.) No. IIRC in the 1836 election a group of electors did end up abstaining from actually voting but only because the guy died between the election and the EC meeting. And it was for the loser anyway so nobody really cared.