Flynnghazi: Justice Dept. warned WH that advisor vunlnerable to blackmail.

[Skroe]

Totally agree - and I think the Dems can find some heavy hitters to help them both recover and get back ahead in the game. Maybe.

The key is tactical messaging.

Going through the laundry list of liberal agenda items in the Rust Belt in 2016 was in retrospect, fucking stupid. Save that for Boston and Los Angeles. For Centra PA, jobs, jobs, jobs. And not a peep about universal Pre-K, Transgender Bathroom rights, or things like that.

Provided Trump makes it to 2020 - something i deeply doubt - that is going to be my line for how to beat him. A detail-heavy super-wonking policy plan will fail against Trump's genius-in-simplicity. Democrats need to come up with a plan to beat him in the minimum number of required moves. Don't be fancy and talk about every liberal dream item, just bludgeon him where he is weak and shave off voters by the tens of thousands.

Grand ambitions can come after Democrats saved the country. But it will take a simple message to beat Trump's simple message.

Again, if he makes it to that point.

[Yvaelle]

Well in addition there is some talk that Flynn also received monetary payments from Russia. I'm not sure how much but still.

Flynn was flown to Russia, paid for by the Russian Government (via RT, which is state-run and funded), to appear and speak at a gala event, and dine with Vladimir Putin in December of 2015. We know that the trip was paid for entirely by the Russian government, he may have (likely?) received a speaking/appearance fee as well.

It's also relevant that Trump first reached out to Flynn in the summer of 2015, immediately after declaring his candidacy for POTUS: which means his trip to go talk to Putin was after he was already a surrogate for the Trump campaign.

[Dug]

As my cousin said, he voted for Trump because at least Trump told him he will bring jobs back. The fact that Hillary listed education and emerging industry, while Trump just repeated slogans is what worked. No one wants to hear they will need to learn something to compete, we just want jobs handed to us.

Really puts that "bootstraps" narrative they push into question, huh?

[alexw]

Wonder if he thinks he will have better luck with Pence in charge...

Right now, it only threatens to take down Trump and co. Plus it would have the added benefit of putting their man in the drivers seat.

If they bury it and stop any investigation and its later leaked by the intelligence establishment, well then it would potentially take down the top couple layers of the republican establishment.

There's no real gain for them from burying it, not now, not after Flynn has been ousted. Flynn's actions give them the political cover they need with Trumps mouth-breather base. They simply need to begin the investigation, let the democrats push it forward, then "reluctantly" oust Trump if it digs up anything damning.

[Xeones]

For as much as conservatives and their screeching posse laughed about "Russian hackers" and Trump having Russian ties and bribes...

We sure do find ourselves coming back to the Trump administration having friendly ties with Russia over and over and over and over...

You'd think these people would start to realize that maybe, just maybe, there's a possibility that Trump and his crew negotiated with Russia to lift sanctions in exchange for hacking Hillary and helping Trump win the election?

Oh but nope, that's all FAKE NEWS.

The problem is every time it comes up they just go "What is wrong with better relations with Russia? If it were Hillary we would already be at war"

I find myself floored, that they refuse to see the difference between better relations and bizarre pandering to a hostile dictator. There has to be an explanation for it all, and it isn't "Well better relations are good!"

I want better relations too, I was happy with the easing of restrictions on Cuba I'm all for diplomacy, but why would I want to sit around and watch the man trying to reclaim the Soviet Union get praised as a saint and allowed to do as he pleases?

[Felya]

And thats a real problem. Because in all honesty how many policy goals do you think will change under pense? Do you think the repeal of the aca will stop? How bout policy in the environment? Yea okay pence isnt a total incompetent but his america and the donalds are not all that different.

Absolutely none and I'm all for laying this on the RNC. After nearly 10 years of 'anyone, but Hillary', the fact that they omitted competent, is their fault. But, at this point... I'll take the what in comparison is a thoughtful and compassionate, Bush...

[Glorious Leader]

Really puts that "bootstraps" narrative they push into question, huh?

Right! How dare they ask the government to pick winners and losers..m

[Cthulhu 2020]

You basically have to be a paranoid conspiracist to get even remotely close to the truth anymore.

Hahahahaha, wow. The sad part is just how many of our fellow Americans actually believe this.

[Xeones]

And thats a real problem. Because in all honesty how many policy goals do you think will change under pense? Do you think the repeal of the aca will stop? How bout environmental policy? Yea okay pence isnt a total incompetent but his america and the donalds are not all that different.

The fear right now is largely about external politics rather than internal. Both are going to try destroying our nation, but only one seems willing to sell us to an enemy.

[Mormolyce]

One day after Flynn's future was "being considered" by Trump, Russian jets buzzed a US Navy destroyer:

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-us...-idUSKBN15T2MU

On the day he stepped down, US Navy spots a Russian spy ship off the coast of Delaware.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/ru...17-2?r=US&IR=T

Same day, reports emerge of Russia secretly deploying a cruise missile in violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/ru...issiles-2017-2
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/w...eaty.html?_r=0

I'm sure this is all a big coincidence.

[Felya]

Really puts that "bootstraps" narrative they push into question, huh?

That was always pejorative... it's the ol' moochers and job creators... fine Frank Luntz work...

[Glorious Leader]

The fear right now is largely about external politics rather than internal. Both are going to try destroying our nation, but only one seems willing to sell us to an enemy.

You could argue that all the reps basically sold you to the enemy by supporting trump. Granted its a bit tangential but they supported him itsnl just as much on them.

[NED funded]

And thats a real problem. Because in all honesty how many policy goals do you think will change under pense? Do you think the repeal of the aca will stop? How bout environmental policy? Yea okay pence isnt a total incompetent but his america and the donalds are not all that different.

I think the problem is that Pence is competent. I mean imagine if the travel ban was actually well written?

[Cthulhu 2020]

Really puts that "bootstraps" narrative they push into question, huh?

Liberals saw it coming a long time ago, thus occupy wall street and all of the push to reinvigorate the economy with stimulus and taxing corporations/wealthy. Then of course conservatives started screaming that liberals were just being lazy and if they were poor and out of a job, needed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps!

Then these same people get hit by the bad economy, and start demanding that the government fix their lives.

The irony and continued vindication is delicious.

[Mormolyce]

As my cousin said, he voted for Trump because at least Trump told him he will bring jobs back. The fact that Hillary listed education and emerging industry, while Trump just repeated slogans is what worked. No one wants to hear they will need to learn something to compete, we just want jobs handed to us.

Well those people are going to be in for a nasty surprise.

I still can't get over how Trump's sweetener he offered Carrier to temporarily keep some of their jobs from moving to Mexico will be spent researching automation... how can people not see the writing on the wall...

http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/08/news...bs-automation/

[Xeones]

I think the problem is that Pence is competent. I mean imagine if the travel ban was actually well written?

Then the judges wouldn't have even considered blocking it.

I tried to explain that to my father, he wouldn't even listen to me saying I'm not terribly against the ban, I'm against how it was written. He just kept saying "He promised it" and "It's making us safe" without listening to a word I said about how it couldn't be challenged if any effort had gone into writing it.

[Glorious Leader]

Liberals saw it coming a long time ago, thus occupy wall street and all of the push to reinvigorate the economy with stimulus and taxing corporations/wealthy. Then of course conservatives started screaming that liberals were just being lazy and if they were poor and out of a job, needed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps!

Then these same people get hit by the bad economy, and start demanding that the government fix their lives.

The irony and continued vindication is delicious.

The republicans have been using the nanny state to shape market outcomes for decades. This bootstrap nonsense was just divisive. Fact is the wealthiest and richest need,use and get the most out of government.

[Skroe]

Well those people are going to be in for a nasty surprise.

I still can't get over how Trump's sweetener he offered Carrier to temporarily keep some of their jobs from moving to Mexico will be spent researching automation... how can people not see the writing on the wall...

http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/08/news...bs-automation/

I flashed this around the election. It explains everything.



Evidence is not required. :/

[Felya]

You could argue that all the reps basically sold you to the enemy by supporting trump. Granted its a bit tangential but they supported him itsnl just as much on them.

Here is something fun:

January 2nd 2017:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...s-murder-rate/

Donald Trump Offers Chicago Help with Its Murder Rate

Trump went to Twitter on January 2 after stories hit the nation of the tremendous number of murders in Chicago, and he pleaded for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to turn to the federal government for help if he cannot solve the problem himself.

———

August 30th 2016:

Leaked Memo Reveals Soros Plan for Federally Controlled Police

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...rolled-police/

A leaked document from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations exposes the billionaire’s level of involvement in attempting to build what his organization describes as a “national movement” to reform local police forces across the U.S. The reform largely consists of federal guidelines for local police forces.

[NED funded]

Well those people are going to be in for a nasty surprise.

I still can't get over how Trump's sweetener he offered Carrier to temporarily keep some of their jobs from moving to Mexico will be spent researching automation... how can people not see the writing on the wall...

http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/08/news...bs-automation/

Automation is not necesarily bad and improving our productivity would bring back buisness in a healthy way, rather than using tariffs. Granted the jobs that are going to be brougt back would be medium skilled at the very least, but what gives? Let's do like China and think about that later on.