1. #1321
    The Undying Breccia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DarkTZeratul View Post
    Trump's directive could also potentially violate the Moon Treaty, which (to quote Wikipedia again) "was created to restrict the exploitation of the Moon's resources by any single nation."
    This just in: Trump signs cease-fire with Russia, cedes control of the Moon.

    Also: the Nazis asked to come back to Charlottesville next year. They were told to fuck off.

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    The head of the CDC, Trump's appointeee, has come under attack as Conway starts the crusade against opioids armed with about $150,000 to work with. Problem is, CDC director Fitzgerald "has holdings in companies that she can't divest from because of legal and contractural obligations. " Specifically, she has holdings in two medical companies, one of which tracks prescription drugs, the other researches cancer. Great companies, I'm sure, but the conflicts of interest are obvious and monetary. For some reason, Fitzgerald can't sell or divest from those holdings, which admittedly she did with other holdings.

    Incidentally, CDC director Fitzgerald's dedication to the opioid crisis is...lacking. Three times she was due to testify before Congress about the opioid crisis. Three times, she sent a staffer in her place.

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    In the wake of EU relations with the US falling apart, China making a new TPP that excludes us, Britain looking to replace us in NAFTA, North Korea building bigger and better weapons while refusing to talk to the US, Russia proclaiming victory in Syria, and of course Trump breaking the Middle East peace progress so hard the UN voted on it, Rex Tillerson defended a 30% reduction in State Department staff by talking about four people retiring -- getting all four titles wrong, getting two of their ages wrong, and aggravating most of his remaining staff, according to a dozen current and former officials.

  2. #1322
    Quote Originally Posted by CrimsonKing View Post
    Here's something else to add to Tillerson's troubles. Apologies if you've already covered it before.

    Star U.S. Diplomat Quits With Fiery Letter To Rex Tillerson
    This administration has basically destroyed the State Department's ability to be useful in most capacities. Some embassies run fine but State is run by a skeleton crew according to most people I know in the Foreign Service.

  3. #1323
    Quote Originally Posted by Knadra View Post
    This administration has basically destroyed the State Department's ability to be useful in most capacities. Some embassies run fine but State is run by a skeleton crew according to most people I know in the Foreign Service.
    This is what they've been working on since day one. The first shoe to drop was when they declined to rehire those top diplomatic aides, which would have been standard procedure under any other president. All the Trumpists claimed it was no big deal, but there was no good reason to let them go and the State Dept has not tried very hard to fill vacant positions since then.

  4. #1324
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    Check it out, 4AM tweet.

    Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia - so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS!
    First of all: "many" millions of dollars was...three. And the Democrats didn't spend it, your FBI did.

    Second of all, Flynn.

    Third of all, claiming the women are all liars and you haven't met them is a politically risky move Trump's staff doesn't agree with.

    Associates close to President Trump are worried that an increased national focus on sexual misconduct could be risky territory for the president as he continues to deny reports of sexual misconduct.

    The Washington Post reports that some Trump aides and advisers view the current national conversation about sexual harassment and assault as a PR issue for the White House that Trump risks inflaming.

    The administration responded to a Monday news conference by three of Trump's accusers by pushing out talking points saying the women's claims are not true.
    And finally..."move on"? Pretty sure the investigation is ongoing. That's why Trump's lawyers are calling for a special counsel to investigate the special counsel. That just screams innocence, don't it?

  5. #1325
    Quote Originally Posted by DarkTZeratul View Post
    It also sounds like a blatant violation of the Outer Space Treaty, which (to quote Wikipedia) "exclusively limits the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes and expressly prohibits their use for testing weapons of any kind, conducting military maneuvers, or establishing military bases, installations, and fortifications." Trump's directive could also potentially violate the Moon Treaty, which (to quote Wikipedia again) "was created to restrict the exploitation of the Moon's resources by any single nation."
    The OST isn't worth jack really. There's no enforcement provisions, and with our recent history with start+newstart and the decline of the russian space program, there's not much reason to hold to a treaty that only hampers one country.

    And you might want to look up who the signatories to the moon treaty are. I'm not too worried what chile, suadi arabia, and mexico say about our rights in space.
    Quote Originally Posted by Rudol Von Stroheim View Post
    I do not need to play the role of "holier than thou". I'm above that..

  6. #1326
    And on the next level of stupid - Dumbass Dump's attorneys want a second special council to investigate the investigators! >_<

    http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...to-investigate

    How fucking far do you take this? Do we need a third special council to investigate the investigators who are investigating the investigators? ...but who will investigate them!? >_<

  7. #1327
    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireS...nator-51739586

    Glad to see that he still has full control over his Twitter account and can use it to continue to engage in teenage troll tactics.

  8. #1328
    Merely a Setback PACOX's Avatar
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    With all this shit coming at Trump, I dont think anyone will let Trump go full authoritarian but I am wary of what powers might be used to stop him. I can see people just straight up ignoring him until he is out of office. Not exactly democratic since he was voted in but whats worse watching him leave the country in a worse state in which he received it or weakening the fabric of democracy so some future more capable person might?

    Resident Cosplay Progressive

  9. #1329
    Legendary! Thekri's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ripster42 View Post
    The OST isn't worth jack really. There's no enforcement provisions, and with our recent history with start+newstart and the decline of the russian space program, there's not much reason to hold to a treaty that only hampers one country.

    And you might want to look up who the signatories to the moon treaty are. I'm not too worried what chile, suadi arabia, and mexico say about our rights in space.
    I generally agree with this. If somebody wants to challenge our rights to the moon, they are welcome to go there and make an actual claim. If Trump decided to conquer the moon, I don't think anyone will really care. That is pretty easily reversible, and it isn't going to happen while he is in office, and probably not even while he is alive.

    I am considerably more worried about him claiming, militarizing, stripping the resources, and generally messing up this planet then any nefarious designs he may have on the Moon. Trump isn't cool enough to be a supervillain, he is just kind of a pathetic trainwreck.

  10. #1330
    Merely a Setback PACOX's Avatar
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    What a day on reddit

    Rodman compare Trump to Kim Jun
    http://m.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asi...-claims-dennis

    Trump pictured with accusers be never met
    http://people.com/politics/donald-tr...f-photo-proof/

    Senate calls for Trump to resign
    https://www.politico.com/story/2017/...-resign-291756

    Ivanka Trump crusades against Christmas
    http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...twitter-745238

    Resident Cosplay Progressive

  11. #1331
    Quote Originally Posted by PACOX View Post
    Ivanka Trump crusades against Christmas
    http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...twitter-745238
    I know this is off topic; but does anyone know when happy holidays became a bad thing to say? My mom has a Christmas tree skirt that has the words happy holidays on it and that thing is old, I think she's had it since Bush Jr was in office if not even longer than that. Also there's old Christmas songs with the lyrics happy holidays. It just seems so dumb for people to get so bent out of shape for saying happy holidays. But I also think it's kind of dumb for people to get upset about saying merry Christmas as well.

  12. #1332
    Legendary! Thekri's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CrimsonKing View Post
    I know this is off topic; but does anyone know when happy holidays became a bad thing to say? My mom has a Christmas tree skirt that has the words happy holidays on it and that thing is old, I think she's had it since Bush Jr was in office if not even longer than that. Also there's old Christmas songs with the lyrics happy holidays. It just seems so dumb for people to get so bent out of shape for saying happy holidays. But I also think it's kind of dumb for people to get upset about saying merry Christmas as well.
    It didn't used to be controversial at all. It was considered a pleasant and friendly thing to say to neighbors or other people that didn't necessarily celebrate Christmas. It was also used in the general sense for rolling Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Years all together. Then some easily offended conservatives decided to pounce on it to defend against an alleged assault on Christianity. Keep in mind that literally no Bible scholars actually place the Birth of Christ in November, and the origins of Christmas as a Christian holiday are historical record. Nor is Christmas actually really even a Christian holiday these days, I celebrate it as an atheist, and I know people from all religions that do. I even know a Muslim that celebrates it.

    But like the kneeling at the national anthem thing, it is an easy flagpole to rally the chronically offended around. It is no different then liberals complaining about the patriarchy with every use of a male pronoun, just silliness for political gain.

    P.S. Ivanka converted to Judaism... She celebrates Hanukah.

  13. #1333
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    The official WH position is that Trump never met these women.

    Incidentally, here is a video of Trump meeting these women.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Tillerson, in new overture to North Korea, says ready to talk without pre-conditions

    U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered on Tuesday to begin direct talks with North Korea without pre-conditions, backing away from U.S. demands that Pyongyang must first accept that any negotiations would have to be about giving up its nuclear arsenal.
    Wow. This looks like bold-faced admission that what the US has been trying, isn't working.

    Tillerson also disclosed that the United States had been talking to China about how to secure North Korea’s nuclear weapons in the event of a collapse of the government in Pyongyang, and that Beijing had been given assurances that if U.S. forces had to cross into North Korea they would pull back across the border into the South.

    But he made clear that the United States wants to resolve the North Korea standoff through peaceful diplomacy and, in terms far more tempered than President Donald Trump’s recent threats against Pyongyang, offered to hold exploratory talks.

    “We can talk about the weather if you want. We can talk about whether it’s going to be a square table or a round table,” he said.
    That's just sad.

    Hypothesis: Tillerson and Trump know full well that Russia and China are in control here, and also, could completely resolve the situation and claim -- accurately -- Trump wasn't involved, castrating him. If they got wind a deal was nearly done, they'd want to rush in and at least pretend. Granted, Trump could always try "Oh! Oh! I made China do it!" but that stands very slim chance of working if everyone else in the world refutes that. I've said since the get-go this could be one of China's strongest options against Trump. Maybe I was actually right for once?

    EDIT: And what a big surprise, Trump flat-out stomps on the idea. Man, those "Trump will fire Tillerson" rumors were just 100% founded, weren't they?

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    Melania and Ivanka Trump both tried to vote in the NYC election.

    "Tried?"

    They both failed.

    Melania didn't sign the envelope of her absentee ballot, and Ivanka mailed hers the same day. Neither got counted.

    Voter Fraud Committee! Investigate them! One of them's an immigrant!

    - - - Updated - - -

    USA Today has released a poll about public opinion about corruption.

    58 percent of Americans believe Trump is corrupt. 44 percent say most of his staff is also corrupt.

    They did the same poll last year. It was 34 and 36 percent in Jan 2016.

    Congress is at 38%. Businesses 32%.

    About 70% say that the US government is failing to fight corruption. That's up from about 50% last year.

    The poll was commissioned by Transparency International, a Berlin-based corruption oversight nonprofit that gauges conflicts of interests and other corruption in governments worldwide, and publishes an annual ranking of the most corrupt nations. Last year, before the Trump administration took office, the U.S. ranked 18th in terms of perceived corruption, with Denmark at number one, perceived as the most corruption-free nation. Somalia, at 176th, was perceived as the most corrupt.
    No word on the US's position this year yet.

    - - - Updated - - -

    "Right now is the “last, best chance to avoid conflict” with North Korea and “time is running out,” President Donald Trump’s national security adviser [McMaster] said on Tuesday.

    "I'm not kidding around," McMaster added, "Trump's poll numbers are dropping. He's going to launch any second now." /s

    - - - Updated - - -

    Some states, including Virginia, are warning their residents that CHIP is running out of money, because the GOP (who controls House, Senate, and WH) have chosen to allow it to.

    A reminder: CHIP covers children who don't have insurance by other methods, such as the millions that will lose health insurance if the ACA or its mandate is repealed. Which is an option they're still trying to force via the tax cut for the rich.
    Last edited by Breccia; 2017-12-13 at 01:57 AM.

  14. #1334
    Quote Originally Posted by CrimsonKing View Post
    I know this is off topic; but does anyone know when happy holidays became a bad thing to say? My mom has a Christmas tree skirt that has the words happy holidays on it and that thing is old, I think she's had it since Bush Jr was in office if not even longer than that. Also there's old Christmas songs with the lyrics happy holidays. It just seems so dumb for people to get so bent out of shape for saying happy holidays. But I also think it's kind of dumb for people to get upset about saying merry Christmas as well.
    when it became a weapon to rally the religious right and paint the left as evil

  15. #1335
    The Undying Breccia's Avatar
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    Crying like a bitch, part 2.

    Trump objects to Russia provisions as he signs $700 billion defense bill

    Trump signed what's basically a pre-bill for defense spending (HR 2810 is a "policy bill" and doesn't itself create funding). Three hours later, he started complaining about how mean it was.

    Even a cursory read over Trump's signing statement shows he's upset about any limits to his power, but two in particular stand out:

    1)
    Section 1097 purports to reauthorize the Office of Special Counsel, including by continuing the existing tenure protections for the Special Counsel. The Special Counsel is a principal officer of the United States who performs executive functions, and has both broad authority and long tenure insulated from the President's removal authority. I reiterate the longstanding position of the executive branch that such insulation of a principal officer like the Special Counsel raises serious constitutional concerns.
    That's right, section 1097 re-authorizes the office of special counsel, protects Mueller and requires that everyone hand over information when requested. It also extends protection to whistleblowers.

    2)
    Several provisions of the bill, including sections 1069, 1231, 1232, 1239, 1239A, 1258, 1259, 1263, 1271, 1279A, and 1607, could potentially dictate the position of the United States in external military and foreign affairs and, in certain instances, direct the conduct of international diplomacy. My Administration will treat these provisions consistent with the President's exclusive constitutional authorities as Commander in Chief and as the sole representative of the Nation in foreign affairs to determine the terms on which recognition is given to foreign sovereigns and conduct the Nation's diplomacy.
    Trump is careful to avoid the word "Russia". For example, section 1231 is "EXTENSION OF LIMITATION ON MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION" and section 1232 is "PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS RELATING TO SOVEREIGNTY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION OVER CRIMEA". That's right: the House and Senate sent Trump a $700B defense spending bill, with specific wording that prevents him from handing Ukraine over to Russia.

    That is public admission they think he might do it.

    And!

    Trump cited both of those -- and more -- as problems.

    But, just like with the sanctions, he still signed it. Because he had no choice.

    Crying like a bitch.

  16. #1336
    Quote Originally Posted by Shon237 View Post
    https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/...88068823715842

    A U.S. Senator endorsing a private business owned by POTUS, who profits from said business.
    I wonder if he'll be "disciplined" like Conway was. Ew.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by PACOX View Post
    Ivanka Trump crusades against Christmas
    http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...twitter-745238
    Funny, I was reading an article the other day about Bannon saying there was a "special place in hell" for Republicans who forsook Roy Moore, turning Ivanka's words around in a pretty open rebuke. Suspect there's a split widening between her and the "Bannonite" faction.

    Quote Originally Posted by CrimsonKing View Post
    I know this is off topic; but does anyone know when happy holidays became a bad thing to say? My mom has a Christmas tree skirt that has the words happy holidays on it and that thing is old, I think she's had it since Bush Jr was in office if not even longer than that. Also there's old Christmas songs with the lyrics happy holidays. It just seems so dumb for people to get so bent out of shape for saying happy holidays. But I also think it's kind of dumb for people to get upset about saying merry Christmas as well.
    I have nothing to prove it but I could swear that this weird beat-up over "Happy Holidays" is only 10-15 years old.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Breccia View Post
    Melania and Ivanka Trump both tried to vote in the NYC election.

    "Tried?"

    They both failed.

    Melania didn't sign the envelope of her absentee ballot, and Ivanka mailed hers the same day. Neither got counted.

    Voter Fraud Committee! Investigate them! One of them's an immigrant!
    I'm sure that one day SOMEONE in that family will fill in a form correctly.
    Quote Originally Posted by Tojara View Post
    Look Batman really isn't an accurate source by any means
    Quote Originally Posted by Hooked View Post
    It is a fact, not just something I made up.

  17. #1337
    Merely a Setback PACOX's Avatar
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    So Trump basically helped lose not one but TWO crucial elections for the Republicans. The Dems now have a chance at taking the Senate in 2018. The calls for him to resign won't go away until he loses in 2020 AND Mueller gets closer and closer everyday.

    I'd quit.

    Resident Cosplay Progressive

  18. #1338
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    Palestinian president: No role for US in peace process

    This follows the refusal to meet with Pence. He's also called Trump's unilateral announcement a "crime". This is just a continuation of evidence that Kushner's biggest job is now impossible, and Trump remains toxic due to his words and actions.

  19. #1339
    Merely a Setback PACOX's Avatar
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    I wouldn't meet with Pence either. Pence is fundamentally conservative, he'd wipe all signs of Islam out of Jerusalem if he could get away with it.

    Resident Cosplay Progressive

  20. #1340
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    Congress lets Iran deadline pass

    When President Donald Trump announced two months ago that he would not certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal, he automatically triggered a 60-day review period during which Congress could decide to snap tough economic sanctions on Iran back into place -- a move that would effectively kill the landmark nuclear arms agreement.

    That review period expired Tuesday, and the results are in: Congress chose not to act.

    The White House said Tuesday there was never any expectation Congress would act on sanctions within the review period and that the administration is still working with Congress on a longer-term, legislative fix to the deal.

    That means the deal, which Trump recently described as the "one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into," remains unchanged -- and the Republican Congress, which the president hopes will make a decision for him, is signaling they may lack the political grit to pass a law that kills it.

    Trump has said he wants Congress to "fix the flaws in the deal" by passing a law that would remove sunset clauses and impose restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called them "trigger points" that relate to unacceptable Iranian behavior. But all five international signatories to the deal agree a U.S. law like that would amount to a material breach.

    Congress' inaction during the review period raises questions about whether or not they will pass a new law that could kill the deal later.

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