Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Endus]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/w...antial-payment

Trump is now pathetically sueing CNN for "bias". Looks like it stems from the Project Vertias bullshit. I look forward to that being thoroughly debunked in court...again. And for conservatives to continue to treat them as a credible source despite all information indicating otherwise.

I feel like the idea that Trump can, as President, sue organizations like CNN, but he cannot himself be sued, because he's President, to be a discrepancy under the law that merits consideration.

At the very least, him filing a suit should allow countersuits to be filed against him; he's the one who breached that wall.

[Edge-]

I feel like the idea that Trump can, as President, sue organizations like CNN, but he cannot himself be sued, because he's President, to be a discrepancy under the law that merits consideration.

At the very least, him filing a suit should allow countersuits to be filed against him; he's the one who breached that wall.

I should have been more clear, it's his campaign that's suing, not him as president.

Though that's more arguing over whether the color is "light" blue or "baby" blue, but it's a legal distinction that matters. And I hope CNN counter-sues his campaign to hell if they cross any lines with their lawsuit.

[D Luniz]

Do these fuckers know, that when dotard tang leaves office and the dems are sworn in, that investigation will be a given?

And another question: How the hell does Dotard Tang has 40% approval ATM?

That's the people that care about nothing but "owning the libs, that's the actual "win" they want.

And unless they feel they are getting it, nothing else matters.

[Breccia]

Oh, and still nothing is on paper

Has Trump got anything on paper? Like, ever?

Yeah, China already admitted most of that, but the made-up number seemed strange to me at the time. To re-quote Reuters:

Outlining the first phase of a deal to end a trade war with China, U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday lauded his counterparts for agreeing to make purchases of $40 billion to $50 billion in U.S. agricultural goods.

That would be double the $24 billion China spent on American farm goods in 2017.

Trump is asking us to believe China will, somehow, double their ag imports and we have to give up nothing in return. China will not do that.

[Edge-]

China will not do that.

You don't understand, he's the best negotiator. He makes the best deals. You're just not thinking in 98163489762345 dimensions like he does.

[Breccia]

Trump is now pathetically sueing CNN for "bias".

First of all, this is a threat so far. They might chicken out.

Second, it's Trump's campaign. That's mostly for you @Endus

But most importantly, HAHAHAHAHA suing for breaking a promise HAHAHAHAHAHA you know what, go nuts. Press that issue in court. Get legal precedent on "suing for broken promise". Then sit back and watch what happens to Trump.

Go for it. There is no way this can possibly end well for you.

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Nah, it's the "I'm doing great, important work, but these dreadful Democrats are trying to stop me!" angle.

Not even the rabid fanbase actually believe Trump is the trodden-upon underdog he claims to be to explain why he can't get it up anymore. Trump accomplished plenty with his unilateral tariffs, his peace in the Middle East actions, kicking a leg out from under ACA and just for fun let's throw in the measles epidemic (Trump was an anti-vaxxer until suddenly the numbers made him look bad). Also, he at least claims to be rich.

It's so self-contradictory that nobody, rabid fanbase or not, can actually believe that. Pretend yes, believe no. "I'm so rich and smart and the best at everything and I'm the President, but oh, oh, they're stopping me, I'm helpless, they won't allow me to do my job, won't someone help me, oh dear me, my pearls"

[Endus]

I should have been more clear, it's his campaign that's suing, not him as president.

Though that's more arguing over whether the color is "light" blue or "baby" blue, but it's a legal distinction that matters. And I hope CNN counter-sues his campaign to hell if they cross any lines with their lawsuit.

It's an abusable distinction.

He could create the "Donald Trump Legal Defense Corporation", whose CEO and sole owner is Donald Trump, which has zero operating budget other than what goes to its attorneys in salary, which can sue anyone and everything on his behalf.

And if you sue back, it closes its doors, and the "Donald Trump Legal Support Corporation" is created, with the exact same staff and operating budget, and continues on. You can't gain anything because it doesn't have assets.

With anyone else, you could say "fuck this" and sue the owner directly, but with the President, you can't. His shell corporations would let him end-run around the law.

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Not even the rabid fanbase actually believe Trump is the trodden-upon underdog he claims to be to explain why he can't get it up anymore. Trump accomplished plenty with his unilateral tariffs, his peace in the Middle East actions, kicking a leg out from under ACA and just for fun let's throw in the measles epidemic (Trump was an anti-vaxxer until suddenly the numbers made him look bad). Also, he at least claims to be rich.

It's so self-contradictory that nobody, rabid fanbase or not, can actually believe that. Pretend yes, believe no. "I'm so rich and smart and the best at everything and I'm the President, but oh, oh, they're stopping me, I'm helpless, they won't allow me to do my job, won't someone help me, oh dear me, my pearls"

You say "no one could actually believe that", but what you're describing is explicitly #s 7-8 of Umberto Eco's 14 characteristics of fascism; http://www.openculture.com/2016/11/u...f-fascism.html

So yeah; they can believe it. It's irrational, but fascism is based upon that irrationality.

Edit: For fun, read the others and apply them to Trump and his campaign. The only one they don't meet in spades is #11, the Cult of Heroism, the "die for the Cause" thing, and to that, you need to attach a big whopping "YET", because this is why Trump's hunting for a convenient war to fight.

[Thepersona]

That's the people that care about nothing but "owning the libs, that's the actual "win" they want.

And unless they feel they are getting it, nothing else matters.

I can get that... And i could rationalize that 20%-30% of the electorate has that mentality... But 40%? Wtf?
Are the democrats doing their jobs by blasting the GoP with ads highlighting their stupidity?

[Breccia]

So Axios has a summary article about the China trade war and...holy shit, it's just eviscerating because it's factual.

Quoting most of it.

The prolonged U.S.–China tariffs are exacerbating the harms to American farmers wrought by both other trade conflicts and the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Foreign food producers are now likely to benefit at the expense of their U.S. counterparts, who have struggled to shift former Chinese exports to other markets.

After China imposed a retaliatory 25% duty on many U.S. agricultural products in July 2018, those exports fell by 53% for the year. They dropped another 8% by the end of July 2019.

Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada, the EU and other agricultural producers have all seen their exports to China grow while those of the U.S. have declined.

Brazil's share of China's $38 billion soy import market shot up to 76% in 2o18, while the U.S.' fell from 35% to 19%. Brazil has also taken up 15% of the $2 billion pork market, as the U.S. has dropped from 15% to 6%.

Ukraine has capitalized on the trade war to increase its share of China’s $790 million corn market from 61% to 81% through 2018. The U.S. share is down to 9%, from 17%.

Canada, Kazakhstan and Russia gained on China's $780 million in wheat imports at the expense of the U.S., whose market share fell from 38% to 14%.

China has formed two years of business relationships with those countries. Also, a lot of those are cheaper. China refuted the $50 billion number, saying instead it would be market forces. Well...those market forces are now against the US. Say what you want about Ukraine (HAHAHAHA China's buying stuff from Ukraine and not US) at least they're being a lot more consistent in this area. Without a specific reason, I don't see why China would buy even as much as before, let alone doubling it.

[Zan15]

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/w...antial-payment

Trump is now pathetically sueing CNN for "bias". Looks like it stems from the Project Vertias bullshit. I look forward to that being thoroughly debunked in court...again. And for conservatives to continue to treat them as a credible source despite all information indicating otherwise.

so basically another lawsuit that will disappear when the raw footage is either requested or released….just like the last 100 times....

[jeezusisacasual]

So Axios has a summary article about the China trade war and...holy shit, it's just eviscerating because it's factual.

Quoting most of it.



China has formed two years of business relationships with those countries. Also, a lot of those are cheaper. China refuted the $50 billion number, saying instead it would be market forces. Well...those market forces are now against the US. Say what you want about Ukraine (HAHAHAHA China's buying stuff from Ukraine and not US) at least they're being a lot more consistent in this area. Without a specific reason, I don't see why China would buy even as much as before, let alone doubling it.

I have not checked the numbers in a bit ( i am adjusting to my new nation ) but the whole farm bankruptcies listed in headlines earlier in the year must be getting back to normal right? https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...n-if-he-walked

This is the very reason why the TPP was to be required because both parties knew and understood a trade war was coming to stymie the Chinese growth and further isolate them by backing out of said trade deal or waiting until he can get the exact same trade deal signed with every member nation inside the TPP ( Like Japan ) will only put his voting base at a huge disadvantage. We are an Empire and thus protecting that status and projecting that power around the world is the absolute rule of law for any US president regardless of whatever they may speak about while running. What a time to be alive.

[Paranoid Android]

“Software programs show that Trump currently speaks at a fourth-to-sixth-grade level.” https://t.co/t0YNp47UWc

https://twitter.com/ClaraJeffery/sta...491082752?s=19

Just going to leave it here.

[Breccia]

I have not checked the numbers in a bit ( i am adjusting to my new nation ) but the whole farm bankruptcies listed in headlines earlier in the year must be getting back to normal right?

Just to be clear, as Casual cited, no, they're not getting back to normal. They're not out of control crazy, but they are significantly above the norm in what Trump claims is a record-breaking economy. And no, it's not just farms that were flooded.

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#BedBugSummit is now trending.

In the day after White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told reporters that the 2020 G-7 summit would take place at Trump National Doral, nearly 30,000 tweets had been sent using the hashtag.

Holly Figueroa O’Reilly, a songwriter and founder of the Blue Wave Crowdsource — an organization that aims to support Democratic candidates — tweeted a January 2017 Miami Herald article covering a lawsuit against Trump Doral over bedbugs.

"Bring the leaders of the free world to Doral, he said. What could go wrong, he said," she tweeted.

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Just going to leave it here.

(minutes later)

That Rooney guy said, and I quote,

How in life can you do those kinds of things when you've just said it right there on national TV? It's not an Etch-A-Sketch

about Mulvaney's walkback attempt. So it's a bit of a theme today.

[Zaydin]

God damn it I am fucking exhausted with Trumps crooked behavior and his cult thugs worship of him. I'd kill for a Pence presidency right now. That's how low the bar has been set by Trump. Pence would be awful as president but he'd be a more traditional Republican awful compared to what Trump is doing.

I just want a boring government where I'm not dreading looking up the news when I get up.

[Breccia]

So the GM strike is nearly over and, um, there's some...issues.

The GM workers will get their health benefits intact, which of course is good news, and 3% raises for two years plus 4% bonuses (not raises) for two years. This actually matches with what I've been saying about GM: they got their tax refund, but know they are having a hard time moving product, so a large raise would be far more damaging to them than some bonuses.

But...see, here's the thing: apparently, if GM signs this, Ford and Chrysler are expected to as well. If not, well, their workers are also UAW and could strike next. For some reason Ford specifically is cited as having a problem with the expense of the health care -- I guess Ford has worse coverage for some reason that, being a union employee myself, don't make a lot of sense.

Also, the deal allows GM to close three plants in the USA. So, there's that.

And of course, expect the costs to be passed along.

[Shadowferal]

oh wait, those were paid-for Trump cheerleaders...and they thought that Trump would pay...omg nevermind.

[Thekri]

Not specifically Trump, but 100% Trumpian.

Angry Trump Fans Accuse Bus Company Of ‘Deep State’ Plot To Strand Them But It Turns Out They Never Paid

Ahaha, that is pretty fantastic. Say what you will about George Soros, at least his checks don't bounce when he is paying protestors /s

[Skulltaker]

China has formed two years of business relationships with those countries. Also, a lot of those are cheaper. China refuted the $50 billion number, saying instead it would be market forces. Well...those market forces are now against the US. Say what you want about Ukraine (HAHAHAHA China's buying stuff from Ukraine and not US) at least they're being a lot more consistent in this area. Without a specific reason, I don't see why China would buy even as much as before, let alone doubling it.

I actually see them doing that if Trump gives them something huge in turn. How much access to state secrets does he have? Are there any US controlled territories in the vicinity of China they might be interested in? Important prisoners? Import bans of certain Chinese products?

I can think of a lot of things the US has that China would be willing to buy 50bn of agricultural products for.

Maybe @Skroe has an idea as to what that might be? It's a bit conspiracy theory, but hey, who knows?

[Shadowferal]

Pretty sure Trump has been isolated as to what state secrets he has access to. (He doesn't trust intel agencies and he knows that they reciprocate that feeling).
He's a mushroom; kept in the dark as much as they can, and fed shit.
Pentagon has already told him "Don't even think about nukes."

[Thekri]

I actually see them doing that if Trump gives them something huge in turn. How much access to state secrets does he have? Are there any US controlled territories in the vicinity of China they might be interested in? Important prisoners? Import bans of certain Chinese products?

I can think of a lot of things the US has that China would be willing to buy 50bn of agricultural products for.

Maybe @Skroe has an idea as to what that might be? It's a bit conspiracy theory, but hey, who knows?

Skroe is on vacation again, so don't expect a reply for a while.

Anyway, China isn't going to buy $50 bn in agricultural products, no matter what Trump gives them. All they could do is dump it, if they bought that much it would slaughter their own domestic agriculture by undercutting it everywhere. I am not even sure the US could sell that much, this isn't a State to State purchase after all, this is Chinese Buyers buying products from US producers.

As far as what China really wants from the US, it is mostly to be left alone. They would really like the US to stop bothering them about stealing tech IP, and maybe shut up about their human rights record, and kindly shut up about Hong Kong too. Taiwan isn't actually a big issue as long as nobody agitates that situation, the status quo seems to leave everyone pretty satisfied.

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Pretty sure Trump has been isolated as to what state secrets he has access to. (He doesn't trust intel agencies and he knows that they reciprocate that feeling).
He's a mushroom; kept in the dark as much as they can, and fed shit.
Pentagon has already told him "Don't even think about nukes."

Milley should really let him in on the secret that nukes are completely fake. They never existed, they were just a propaganda tool used in the cold war, and they are used to provide justification for major powers not to declare war on each other now.

It isn't true of course, but it would scratch Trump's conspiratorial itch while simultaneously prevent him from considering using them.