Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

Trump finds perfect scapegoat in Beto O'Rourke, claiming he is the reason a gun control bill is so difficult.

Dummy Beto made it much harder to make a deal. Convinced many that Dems just want to take your guns away

I see he's going with the nicknames again. I urge every American on these forums to call their Rep and ask if it's okay to refer to them as "dummy". Especially those of you with Republican Reps. If "dummy" isn't strong enough, don't worry, there's years of Trump tweets with other options.

Of course, Trump is lying. First of all, no such bill exists. The bills up for consideration are based on background checks, not confiscation, and best of my knowledge don't affect assault rifles. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

But second of all, as we've been over time and time again, the NRA and related groups have been pushing "they're coming to get your guns!" because fear sells guns. Rep. O'Rourke might have joined in, but he's really late to this party.

[Nurasu]

Of course, Trump is lying. First of all, no such bill exists. The bills up for consideration are based on background checks, not confiscation, and best of my knowledge don't affect assault rifles. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

The article mentions the bill, but Trump does not. I couldn't find it either. I think he's referring to the last debate when Beto said "hell yes we're taking your AR15's". I thought that was a bad move as well, cause it doesn't just energize the Democratic base, it energizes the Republican one against them. I think introducing gun control legislation unfortunately requires a lot more nuance in the USA.

[Somewhatconcerned]

What a timeline, in which a guy like Lewandowski can openly and gleefully lie to Congress and the president lies daily but someone like Warren is immediately disqualified by most of middle America and all the wOkE iNdEPeNdEntS because of one previous lie for which she already apologized for.

The GOP truly plays by a different set of rules.

- - - Updated - - -

The article mentions the bill, but Trump does not. I couldn't find it either. I think he's referring to the last debate when Beto said "hell yes we're taking your AR15's". I thought that was a bad move as well, cause it doesn't just energize the Democratic base, it energizes the Republican one against them. I think introducing gun control legislation unfortunately requires a lot more nuance in the USA.

Agreed, that was just tone dead by Beto.

Dems have to learn by now that the right has ironically taken the mantle of most sensitive/triggered and they need to be a little more PC in how they address these issues. Which is again super ironic and hilarious at the same time.

[Breccia]

I think he's referring to the last debate when Beto said "hell yes we're taking your AR15's".

He is, but again, there are bills on the floor that address things like mental health and none of them are "we just take everyone's guns". That's a myth the NRA has pushed to sell guns that does not fit the facts. If you've been wandering social media, you've probably seen an escalation of "The Government Wants To Disarm You!" ads, likes, or retweets. But you saw that right around the time of the Wal-Mart mass murder, not Beto's statements.

- - - Updated - - -

In yet another survey that surprises absolutely nobody, business CEO's predict an economic downturn but not specifically the word "recession".

Following a tumultuous few months, executives from top U.S. companies are expecting a moderate 2.3 percent growth rate in 2019, down from their previous expectation of 2.6 percent, according to a new survey.

The overall CEO economic index, a composite assessing views on the economy, fell 10.3 points from the previous quarter to the below-average level of 79.2. The survey also found a drop in CEOs' plans for capital investment, sales and hiring. Of the three, only hiring plans remained above the historical average.

One of the main drivers of the uncertainty was an increase in trade tensions with China. The survey found that more than half of CEOs reported that the trade war between Washington and Beijing impacted their sales negatively, and one-third said it had negatively affected hiring.

In the manufacturing sector, 40 percent of CEOs said the trade war was hurting their capital expenditures.

So, yeah, another chorus in the Trump's Policies Are Failures song. You all know the words.

EDIT: Here is the survey. Incidentally, the economic confidence of the CEOs is not just below average, it's the lowest it's been since Obama. Also, while 20% said they expected a sales drop in the next 6 months, it was 9% last quarter, which is a substantial increase.

[Paranoid Android]

Alright, this story does not belong in this thread but what the hell.

Corey Lewandowski, who stated in testimony before Congress yesterday that he has no obligation to tell the truth to the press, is now being interviewed on CNN. Why give airtime to someone who has admitted he's going to lie to you?

This is why CNN is a joke. They care about the clown show and I guess having Trump supporters, who admit they are disingenuous.

I first saw this story yesterday where he admitted in testimony he lies to the media, yet CNN employs him. Of course today they have this clown on.

[Breccia]

Trump names new National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien.

"Who the fuck is that guy?"

Trump's hostage envoy, most recently known for his work with...ugh...A$AP. There's not a lot about his record lying around, but apparently W in 2005 sent him to the UN, and he was confirmed by the Senate to do so, so he's a qualified candidate.

He's also less hawkish than Bolton, but that's like saying "I'm taller than a gnome."

Also, I'm reminded of a famous bit from Monty Python:

When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them.

It sank into the swamp. [Flynn]

So I built a second one. And that one sank into the swamp. [McMaster]

So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, and then sank into the swamp. [Bolton]

But the fourth one [O'Brien] stayed up. And that’s what you’re going to get, Son, the strongest castle in all of England.

"Speaking of quotes, do you happen to have a quote from Trump, talking about O'Brien, in a way that has mild sexual innuendo about how he got this position?"

You mean this?

I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!

"Yes, that's the one, thanks!"

- - - Updated - - -

More info on the GM strike.

As mentioned before, UAW has already turned down GM's first offer which was worth billions, and probably did so because they thought there was more they could/should get.

But the problem seems to be that GM, like the CEOs mentioned above, aren't expecting things to get better. They might not even be expecting things to get worse. The market is full of uncertainty, and guess why?

Fuel economy standards aren't finalized because the EPA wants to roll back Obama-era targets and revoke California's authority to set stricter rules; a court battle is likely.

A new trade deal between the U.S., Canada and Mexico has yet to be ratified.

President Trump's trade war with China is escalating.

Steel tariffs, while lifted on Canada and Mexico, remain in place for imports from other countries.

Trump is threatening 25% tariffs on imported cars and auto parts to protect U.S. national security.

Now, we know about that first one. Trump just tweeted about it. Incidentally, I expect this to be met with "if you buy a car that does not match CA emissions, CA can tax you thousands of dollars, we already tax cars, this is no different" and car makers to respond with "well, that will tank our sales, so, fuck that noise."

Regardless of the exact outcome, the market for cars is unstable, and it's hard to find a non-Trump reason why. There is one I did find. GM apparently sucks at electric vehicles. Problem is, electric vehicles are easier to assemble, which means, you guessed it, fewer workers.

Appropriately enough, this whole thing is like a warranty. When automakers decide on the years/distance a car's warranty should last, they base it on the car's durability. But they don't put it at the average, or even close. Standard cars (GM and others) typically have a 3 year/36000 mile, or 5 year/60000 mile, warranty, but the cars are expected to last much longer than that. If the warranty covered half of all breakdowns, it'd cost the automaker a fortune. So the warranty's target is slid waaaaaaaaaaaay down, so they don't end up covering a 100% broken car over and over. Most cars last far beyond their warranty, with 200,000 miles being completely realistic now.

GM is now forced to look at the current situation and, well, make a warranty for it. When making a deal they can offer to the UAW, they have to know what dollar figure to put on it. And like the warranty, they're going to slide it waaaaaaay down, because they know the car market's engine is rattling, the doors are falling off, it's belching black smoke and the horn plays La Cucaracha. You don't put a good warranty on a car like that.

Oh, and consider Trump's re-election the extended warranty.

[Edge-]

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/o...eet-fake-video

Oh look, Trump, the biggest purveyor of "FAKE NEWS", once again retweeted complete and total bullshit in his attacks against Omar. The video claimed she was dancing on 9/11...except that it was recorded on 9/13 at an unrelated event.

The video is gone now, but it doesn't change the fact that Trump continues to support and promote dishonest racists who try to smear minorities they don't like.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.axios.com/trump-benjamin...f7d929d6f.html

Trump told reporters in California that he hasn’t spoken yet to Netanyahu about the election results and stressed that his administration's relations “are with Israel." Those cool remarks are a blow to Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political survival.

Unsurprisingly, when the going gets tough Trump crumples like wet tissue paper. For all his proclamations for supporting Bibi, he dropped him the second it seemed like he may lose power.

I doubt his ilk are taking note, since they keep cozying up to him expecting loyalty when he's literally never given any unless it's personally expedient for him. Get fucked, Bibi. You campaigned on being best buds with Trump, and now you look like a fucking loser.

[Breccia]

Tortoise hypocrite Mitch O'Donnell watches Senate spending bill fail 51-44 and blames Democrats, specifically:

We’ve seen our Democratic colleagues suggest that they may try to shoehorn their long-standing disagreements with President Trump into this appropriations process even though we all agreed not to insist on poison pills

When asked about the bills handed to him from the House that O'Connell refused to put up for a vote, he wandered under a large infrared bulb and pulled into his shell.

- - - Updated - - -

So, in the last 24 hours, Trump has backed a union over a corporation, backed away from rhetoric attacking Iran, backed away from Israel and now he's looking at background checks.

I'm wondering if the GOP has realized they backed someone with no morals or principles, or more correctly, morals or principles which aren't theirs.

[Edge-]

So, in the last 24 hours, Trump has backed a union over a corporation, backed away from rhetoric attacking Iran, backed away from Israel and now he's looking at background checks.

I'm wondering if the GOP has realized they backed someone with no morals or principles, or more correctly, morals or principles which aren't theirs.

I'm convinced this is how Trump decides on his policy positions every day. Except he has Miller jump for him, because we all know Trump would probably break a hip and would likely only make it to the first row.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/...policy-1501932

Bolton is already trashing Trump's policies behind closed doors. I feel like usually it takes at least a few months for fired former-staffers before they start explicitly going after Trump's stupidity and trying to reframe themselves as protecting America against his worse impulses, but Bolton is quick.

[Kujako]

I'm convinced this is how Trump decides on his policy positions every day. Except he has Miller jump for him, because we all know Trump would probably break a hip and would likely only make it to the first row.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/...policy-1501932

Bolton is already trashing Trump's policies behind closed doors. I feel like usually it takes at least a few months for fired former-staffers before they start explicitly going after Trump's stupidity and trying to reframe themselves as protecting America against his worse impulses, but Bolton is quick.

There is simply no way Trump is capable of jumping.

[Thepersona]

Tortoise hypocrite Mitch O'Donnell watches Senate spending bill fail 51-44 and blames Democrats, specifically:



When asked about the bills handed to him from the House that O'Connell refused to put up for a vote, he wandered under a large infrared bulb and pulled into his shell.

- - - Updated - - -

So, in the last 24 hours, Trump has backed a union over a corporation, backed away from rhetoric attacking Iran, backed away from Israel and now he's looking at background checks.

I'm wondering if the GOP has realized they backed someone with no morals or principles, or more correctly, morals or principles which aren't theirs.

Could this be the dementia making him a decent man?

[Edge-]

https://www.businessinsider.com/odni...concern-2019-9

So...that whistleblower that the DNI and DOJ refuse to let talk with Congress? Yeah, apparently that's because they were blowing the whistle on Trump or people in his immediate orbit.

Sure explains why they've been frantically trying to keep them quite and stonewall legal Congressional oversight on the matter.

Impeach Barr and remove him now.

[Breccia]

Sure explains why they've been frantically trying to keep them quite and stonewall legal Congressional oversight on the matter.

At this point, the story has made the news. The whistleblower knows the problem. He should just go directly to Cummings or Schumer or Rachel Maddow or literally anyone but Barr. If he passed on a legit issue, and they're sitting on it, it's time to think of another approach.

[Orbitus]

At this point, the story has made the news. The whistleblower knows the problem. He should just go directly to Cummings or Schumer or Rachel Maddow or literally anyone but Barr. If he passed on a legit issue, and they're sitting on it, it's time to think of another approach.

Yep, do what Steele did, give it to the press, and congress.

[Paranoid Android]

President Trump signs the wall.

If you look at the link and pic, it's actually a fence.

His ego has no bounds.

[Wyrt]

https://www.businessinsider.com/odni...concern-2019-9

So...that whistleblower that the DNI and DOJ refuse to let talk with Congress? Yeah, apparently that's because they were blowing the whistle on Trump or people in his immediate orbit.

Sure explains why they've been frantically trying to keep them quite and stonewall legal Congressional oversight on the matter.

Impeach Barr and remove him now.

So our government's checks and balances have ceased to functions. Now can we call Trump a fascist or are Trumpkins still going to defend this bullshit?

[Edge-]

President Trump signs the wall.

If you look at the link and pic, it's actually a fence.

His ego has no bounds.

So when people climb his "unclimbable" wall, we know that it's his wall they climbed.

- - - Updated - - -

So our government's checks and balances have ceased to functions. Now can we call Trump a fascist or are Trumpkins still going to defend this bullshit?

I think this would qualify as a "Constitutional Crisis", yes. But Democrats seem like they still lack the spine to actually do anything about it.

[Wyrt]

President Trump signs the wall.

If you look at the link and pic, it's actually a fence.

His ego has no bounds.

I'm confused how that's supposed to keep people out. Looks like it'd be rather easy to cut through and easy to climb.

[Edge-]

I'm confused how that's supposed to keep people out. Looks like it'd be rather easy to cut through and easy to climb.

It's tall and retains heat. Because nobody has ever heard of ladders to climb heights or blankets to use as a heat dampener. Or crossing when it's not scorching hot.

[solinari6]

I'm confused how that's supposed to keep people out. Looks like it'd be rather easy to cut through and easy to climb.

Well see, that's funny, because Trump accidently let it slip that they are wired so we will know if someone tries to cut through

https://twitter.com/ScottMStedman/st...50157925982208

Oh my god. Trump starts to discuss apparently sensitive technology deployed at the border. Asks the General in charge to describe the technology.

The General's response: "Sir, there could be some merit in not discussing that."