Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Templar 331]

It’s not new...

And Putin still acts offended when anyone accuses him of it.

Trump having such a hard-on for him is pretty sickening.

[D Luniz]

I don't know, I hear chemical attacks are the new thing with Russia.

Imagine if there was a chemical attack here like the one in England that would take out a few persons of interest. Would Trump's head finally be on the chopping block?

Not likely. :/

as with all things, the GOP wont care till its them personally, or next of kin family affected

[Vizardlorde]

So

Russia didn't do it, they said it and I believe it.

to

I believe our intelligence guys, and they said Russia did it. Maybe. Probably. Could have been anyone.

to

Putin is personally responsible.

The first two have happened repeatedly, but I think this is the first time he's ever actually said that Putin is responsible. Not that it matters, because he'll reverse course within a week.

But damn, Trump really is too scared to confront foreign leaders to their face. He's happy to snipe at them on Twitter or interviews from home, but the second he see's them in person he seems far less confrontational.

Told you orange flip flops

[szechuan]

The Number should be higher.

Poll: 60 percent of Americans say Russia meddled in 2016 election
Eighty-five percent of Democrats and 53 percent of independents say that Russia meddled in the election, while less than half of Republicans — 46 percent — share this same belief.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...igation-730529

[PACOX]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...ng-us-citizens

Probably posted already but Trump says he is open to the idea of Russians coming to the US to question Americans...What the actual fuck?

He is inviting a foreign power to come on US soil and start questioning people. And if the investigator finds the person guilty do they get to haul off the detainee as well?

So not only does he sell out the intelligence agencies, now he is throwing the people under the bus too?

Republicans are cool with that?

[Edge-]

https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/07/18...mpression=true

Every year since a Russian missile downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew, the U.S. State Department has issued a statement to mark the anniversary.

But on the anniversary this year—a day after U.S. President Donald Trump met in Helsinki with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin—the State Department was conspicuously silent about it.

Officials there prepared a draft statement that was sharply critical of Russia for its alleged role in the attack. But for reasons the State Department has not explained, it was never issued.

And the State Department never released the statement. Gee, I wonder if it had anything to do with the recent meeting between Trump and Putin! Jesus, Putin just keeps racking up win after win coming out of this meeting.

[Alindra]

And then back to cozying up to them and considering allowing them to question Americans: http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...ng-us-citizens

Holy fuck, what is wrong with this administration?

I know Putin mentioned allowing Mueller go to Russia (bad idea) to speak to the indicted Russian operatives, but in return the US would have to do the same for Russia and US citizens... but I swear Trump is just handing it to him on a silver platter... because they're besties?

We've seen Trump exhibit fascist behavior and ideologies in the past, but this is a pretty fucking yuge huge step.

When Trump was elected, I figured he'd do considerable damage to our reputation, internal systems, etc... but I thought after 4 years we'd still have something to rebuild from. Between actions like this and inaction from Republicans to do anything about it, I'm seriously doubting the possibility - that there will be anything to rebuild from or that we won't be rebuilding at all.;

Can Republicans / conservatives (speaking of the voter base here, not those in office) seriously not imagine this happening from the other side? What would they be saying if in 2008 there was a consensus from all our intelligence agencies that Obama had had - say - the help from Iranians to tamper with our elections. After that, Obama did everything in his power to discredit anyone who ever tried to publicize the issues. Then, after unilaterally undoing the works of previous presidents, eliminated all restrictions on immigrants from Mexico. Then, in the span of 48 hours, held a meeting with the Iranian government official (sorry, I don't know Iranian politics) in private, worked from the same script in public, then offered Iranian investigators into the US to question Americans who were large critics of his. (If Obama isn't the boogeyman, replace all instances of Obama with Hillary.)

Republicans / conservatives would be losing their goddamn minds... but no, "lol, lubtard tears"? I just don't fucking get it. *throws hands in the air*

Fuck, I need a drink.

[Edge-]

Republicans / conservatives would be losing their goddamn minds... but no, "lol, lubtard tears"? I just don't fucking get it. *throws hands in the air*

Fuck, I need a drink.

For Republicans in Congress, it's less "liberal tears" (though a handful are probably firmly on board with that) and more that they are just desperate to hold onto power for as long as possible until their looting is complete. They don't want to rock the boat, and they never had any intention of placing country over party, or even party over power. It's about power, pure and simple.

And yes, the US collectively needs a drink. Maybe we'll black out and wake up and this will have all been a dream...

[Alindra]

For Republicans in Congress, it's less "liberal tears" (though a handful are probably firmly on board with that) and more that they are just desperate to hold onto power for as long as possible until their looting is complete. They don't want to rock the boat, and they never had any intention of placing country over party, or even party over power. It's about power, pure and simple.

That's why I was talking about the voter base. Government officials holding on to power? Disgusting, but that at least makes sense.. but the voters? What do they gain from this?

And yes, the US collectively needs a drink. Maybe we'll black out and wake up and this will have all been a dream...

If we had a drink every time this administration did something deplorable (even filtering out the mild stuff), we'd be raging alcoholics.

[Adam Jensen]

That's why I was talking about the voter base. Government officials holding on to power? Disgusting, but that at least makes sense.. but the voters? What do they gain from this?



If we had a drink every time this administration did something deplorable (even filtering out the mild stuff), we'd be raging alcoholics.

Well I've got the raging part down.

[Belize]

Well I've got the raging part down.

And I've got the alcoholism covere-
...
...
Sigh.

[Orbitus]

And Putin still acts offended when anyone accuses him of it.

Trump having such a hard-on for him is pretty sickening.

So does the Russians on this forum. Shalcker says it could have been anyone, not the one notorious for doing it.

[Breccia]

Trump says he is open to the idea of Russians coming to the US to question Americans

You know, I might actually be open to the idea.

IF.

If there was even the slightest hint that Russia would allow the 25 indictments against the Russians who attacked the election (and, apparently, other things like trading sex for an NRA membership) to be shipped to the US for a fair trial.

Very much like he did with NK, Trump is making concessions to a dictator in exchange for no visible benefit. Well, no moral/ethical one made public, at least.

[szechuan]

Trump had such a good time this weekend

Flew to Europe and calls The European Union a "foe"
walks in front of The Queen
then goes to Helsinki to drink Vodka in private with Putin for 2 hours
Throws Americans under the bus
Praises Putin as a "Strong Man"
Flies back to the Whitehouse and says oops meant to say "Wouldn't"

Just another weekend at Trumps House.

[Flarelaine]

And yes, the US collectively needs a drink. Maybe we'll black out and wake up and this will have all been a dream...

Ha! You wish.

[akris15]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...ng-us-citizens

Probably posted already but Trump says he is open to the idea of Russians coming to the US to question Americans...What the actual fuck?

He is inviting a foreign power to come on US soil and start questioning people. And if the investigator finds the person guilty do they get to haul off the detainee as well?

So not only does he sell out the intelligence agencies, now he is throwing the people under the bus too?

Republicans are cool with that?

At this point this is the last stop to get off the crazy bus for Republicans to me. Anyone who hasn't cross the line yet from this disaster is now complicit/un-American in my eyes and that is a statement I don't make lightly. A real leader would start to stand up to this crazy but since all Republicans do is just encourage it because they don't want to get torn apart in a primary by a base they cultivated. You reap what you sow feeding your base nothing but red meat for 10 years.

[Fugus]

At this point this is the last stop to get off the crazy bus for Republicans to me. Anyone who hasn't cross the line yet from this disaster is now complicit/un-American in my eyes and that is a statement I don't make lightly. A real leader would start to stand up to this crazy but since all Republicans do is just encourage it because they don't want to get torn apart in a primary by a base they cultivated. You reap what you sow feeding your base nothing but red meat for 10 years.

They are going extra credit at this point.

One of the people they indicted was a Russian who was in the NRA and evidently Russia gave the NRA millions of dollars which the NRA donated in their name to Trump.

So now they are making it so the NRA doesn't have to disclose their major donors anymore.

[Glnger]

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/39...mp-called-very

That stupid fucking military parade? Yeah, it's still a thing. And apparently it's going to be almost as expensive as the "expensive" military drills with South Korea that actually serve a purpose beyond sating Trumps authoritarian ego.

He's hoping people protest it and Fox News can use that to run more round the clock bullshit about how libs hate the troops.

[Breccia]

That stupid fucking military parade?

There's going to be 187,225 photographers watching Trump and saying "Please do something that looks like the Nazi salute, please do something that looks like the Nazi salute..."

- - - Updated - - -

Posted without further comment.

Inflation hits 6-year high, wiping out wage gains for the average American

Prices rose at their highest clip since 2012 over the past year, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The 2.9 percent inflation for the twelve-month period ending in June is a sign of a growing economy, but it’s also a painful development for workers, whose tepid wage gains have failed to keep pace with the rising prices.

The cost of food, shelter and gas have all risen significantly in the past year. Gas skyrocketed more than 24 percent, rent for a primary residence jumped 3.6 percent and meals at restaurants and cafeterias rose 2.8 percent.

Prices have risen roughly at the same rate as wages, erasing any gains workers may have hoped to realize via bigger paychecks.

“While the labor market remains historically tight, the pace of U.S. inflation is now outpacing wage gains late in the business cycle,” said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, an audit and advisory firm. “The U.S. is now ensnared in a three front trade war which will in the near to medium term result in higher prices.”

For workers, more pain may be coming, as economists are concerned that prices could rise further due to President Trumps tariffs on many foreign imports. Trump put a 20 tariff on foreign washing machines earlier this year, and the inflation report Thursday showed more than a 13 percent spike in laundry equipment over the same period last year.

“Expect rising transportation costs to start getting passed on to us, along with the tariff induced jump in costs,” said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer of Bleakley Advisory Group.

Wage growth has been lackluster since the Great Recession. Recently, unemployment fell to one of the lowest levels since 1969 and business leaders keep complaining they can’t find enough workers. Typically, companies raise wages sharply in this kind of environment, but average hourly earnings are still stuck below 3 percent, a low level historically.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has called it “a puzzle” why wages aren’t rising faster. In an interview Thursday with National Public Radio, Powell said “we’re starting to see" some pick up in wages.

“We now just in the last year or so, we have seen wages move up,” he said.

Rising inflation puts the Fed in a difficult position. After years of low inflation, the Fed wants to see prices rises a bit more because it’s a sign of a healthy economy, but the Fed doesn’t want to see the economy overheat, which typically happens when inflation jumps too quickly.

The Fed focuses most on measures of inflation that exclude energy and food, which can be volatile. The Consumer Price Index excluding food and energy rose 2.3 percent in the past 12 months through June. But most Americans are more concerned about whether their pay is keeping up with the cost of living.

“We really close to our target” on inflation, Powell said Thursday. “We want inflation to be symmetrically around 2 percent, so just kind of reaching up and touching it once doesn’t fulfill that goal.”

Okay I lied, one further comment, the red text.

It is not a puzzle why wages aren't rising. There has been no incentive to do so. The tax cut for the rich was supposed to be it, in the ongoing GOP narrative of "trickle-down", but everyone already knows from both theory and practice that trickle-down doesn't work. Since there was no further push from a regulatory/legislative fashion, companies could simply pocket the extra cash (such as stock buybacks) or, if they're in an industry that now requires such, lose some/all of this windfall dealing with the trade war and tariffs (either direction). Someone at that high ranking in the Federal Reserve should not be mystified as to why something nobody wants to do isn't happening.

It's exactly the same issue as with...say...the share of company profits going to the workers continuing to drop. Here's the same guy, Powell (Trump appointee) discussing how he's mystified by that, too. He also testified before Congress saying inflation was 2% and wage growth 2.7%, which the Labor Department just shattered.

[Travis B]

Warning: Once you see this Time cover of Trump and Putin's faces merged together into one, you will not be able to unsee it.

Spoiler: 

Now I'm just waiting for all the people that bitched about the other Time cover with Trump and the immigrant toddler to bitch about this one too: "Hey Trump and Putin never actually blended their heads together like that! FAKE NEWS!!!!1111!!"