Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

Once again, it's time for Guess the Speaker!

I know nothing about the project other than I didn't like when I read about it, I didn't like it. I said this is for government, this isn't for private people, and it sounded to me like showboating and I think I let my opinion be very strongly stated at the time: I didn't like it, it was showboating and maybe looking for funds, but you'll have to see what happens. I think it's a very sad thing for Mr. Bannon.

I didn't know any of the other people, either

"Trump. Duh."

Correct.

Nothing in that statement is true, by the way. Trump did take issue when the part of Wall they built -- by US government contract which he signed -- was falling apart in a few months. He's on record saying that. Problem is, that's not what he said today. He claimed he didn't like it when he read about it. Problem is, that means he either gave a contract to people whose idea he didn't like, or more likely, didn't read about it until after they got their contract. Neither option is redeeming. Or, well, he's lying. I guess that's always an option.

*cracks knuckles*

But let's discuss the other people.

1) While Kobach's statements that Trump was on board in 2019 are not verified, Trump has never disputed them publicly. Still, it'd be unfair for someone who said "I met Trump and he backed my idea" to be taken at face value. We do know Kobach was picked for Trump's voter fraud commission. You know, the one that had maybe two meetings and dissolved with no findings, after one of the members was arrested and one of them died. More info on the failure of the "We Found Nothing" results here.

2) David Clarke is a name we've used here before. If nothing else, Trump tweeted praise for Clarke's book, as shown on this TheHill page from Aug 2017. Also, Trump offered Clarke a role in Homeland Security, but Clarke withdrew two months before the book tweet.

3) Ronneback was the easiest one. You will notice this is a whitehouse.gov address.

THE PRESIDENT: Also here with us today is Steve Ronnebeck from Mesa, Arizona. Steve, if you could come up and share a few words, please.

MR. RONNEBECK: Thank you, Mr. President....

Mendoza was even easier. I don't have to link it -- it's the link as Ronnebeck.

MS. MENDOZA: President Trump, Vice President Pence, you’ve just been there for us, and there are no words to describe what your support and your caring has meant to each and every one of us. And thank you from the bottom of my heart. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, darling.

"...daring? Didn't her kid get shot?"

You expected Trump to act with human emotion?

And, finally, Prince. Um...where to start? I don't really want to DeVos much time to this one, I don't want to backchannel up, so moving on.

Now there might be other names on that We Build The Wall board, but he clearly knows ev--

"Hey Breccia you're taking Trump's words out of context! Trump was clearly saying he didn't know the people who were being arrested! And none of them were! You're being disingenuous!'

That's an interesting point, hypothetical Trump supporter. By the way, did I mention this was Guess the Speaker: Double Header?

President Trump has not been involved with Steve Bannon since the campaign and the early part of the Administration, and he does not know the people involved with this project

"Oh, fraud me in the assets."

McEnemy, yes. Those words count as Trump's unless Trump refutes them. Now to be fair, Trump wasn't involved -- the man who claimed he built the best walls took a mostly tiny hands off approach to the whole thing. Other than pushing for this group to get their contract, that is.

"What?"

Trump personally and repeatedly pushed for their $1.3 billion contract -- the largest single contract, if I'm not mistaken. Correct me if I am, I'm not enough of a hypocrite to admit when I'm wrong on the smallest part of this tire fire.

As for the other three arrested, Trump's personal words might actually hold some ground...but only if he's bad at his job. Brian Kolfage was an outspoken opponent when Trump, finding the section of Wall they built was falling down, took them to court to shut it down. Did Trump enter the courtroom? No. Should Trump have known who was responsible for making his top campaign promise rust and threaten to coillapse? Yes. I guess you could make the argument that Trump sues so many people, and is sued so often, he can't keep them all straight, which...is not the defense of Trump you think it is. But building the Wall and making Mexico pay for it was bigly yuge JOBS! in his campaign. This one should have mattered. Unless, you know, Trump was lying about how important it was. I'll accept that as an excuse, but again, it's not the defense of Trump you need it to be.

The others are long shots to have Trump personally remember their names. Badolato was effectively a part of Cambridge Analytica, and was a close ally of Bannon for 15 years. I guess Bannon might never have mentioned his name. It happens, even with close acquaintances. I've been banging Lindsey Graham's wife in the shower for two years and I haven't mentioned her name once. Unfortunately for me, the last guy happens to share a name with a US Attorney so I'll let that one go.

So while Trump himself did know one and probably should have known two of the four people arrested for fraud, sadly, he's still lying. McEnemy took care of that for him. Until Trump personally disputes what his own mouthpiece says, he's still a morbidly-obese liar.

[Edge-]

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-threate...172038080.html

And he's complaining that California doesn't rake our forests, again, while threatening to withhold federal aide, again, to fire victims in California.

[Breccia]

And he's complaining that California doesn't rake our forests, again, while threatening to withhold federal aide, again, to fire victims in California.

Our Ruling

President Trump claimed California’s deadly wildfires "would never happen" with "proper Forest Management."

Experts on climate, forestry and firefighting all rejected a similar assertion by Trump in November, calling it overly simplistic. They said forest management is just one element, while climate change and urban sprawl are also key contributors.

Trump has, once again, erroneously placed the blame on just one factor.

We rate his latest claim False, as well.

We rate the claim False.

It's an older code, sir, but it checks out.

[Gorsameth]

https://www.businessinsider.com/dona...tollahs-2020-8

Apparently team Trump is big mad that after spending years pissing off our European allies, that they have the gall not to back the US push for snapping back sanctions on Iran.

Who could have ever seen that coming.

Here is hoping they don't decide to have a war in an attempt to help his re-election.

[Felya]

I've always viewed Theo as a person doing their best Anna Khachiyan impression, and more concerned with the tone of voice Democrats use than the reality of what Republicans do (and ignores their tone of voice in the process) while in power.

I find it's easy to sit back and think of new ways to critique liberalism and it's almost a game among YouTube/podcast types to out-hot take each other, but they tend to ignore the fact that even Sanders realizes that leftist aspirations are impossible with another Trump election. You don't always have to agree with people fully to induce positive change.

It’s Dave Rubin... Here Hasan Piker going over the last day of DNC, where it’s very similar rhetoric, but notice the difference in conclusion and the contrast of Trump and Biden, while taking a huge shit on Biden:

[Paranoid Android]

Trump says you can't do fair polls of registered voters, only likely voters, because many registered voters have died.

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/12...155960320?s=19

Just the dumbest mother beeper alive and he is POTUS.

So Trump believes dead people answer phones?? Or takes in person polls? My goodness!

[Thepersona]

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/12...155960320?s=19

Just the dumbest mother beeper alive and he is POTUS.

So Trump believes dead people answer phones?? Or takes in person polls? My goodness!

This is also stupid, because a crapton of his likely voters may die between today and november 3rd (and i stand by the assesment that 25-45k dead people is a crapton)

[Felya]

This is also stupid, because a crapton of his likely voters may die between today and november 3rd (and i stand by the assesment that 25-45k dead people is a crapton)

Registered voters that died, can’t take a poll.

[Thepersona]

Registered voters that died, can’t take a poll.

Oh, i know that, but registered voters that are still alive today (or in the next 2 weeks) and die between then and november 3rd (and considering the current pandemic, and the demographics being mainly targetted) can still say that they'll vote for Dotard Tang, but not vote then... because they'll be corpses by then. That's what i was trying to say. Sorry if it came out badly phrased.

[Felya]

I
Right, Trump just thinks they can vote.

Indeed... thus my avatar... although, I haven’t told anyone to remove it, if I am dead. Meh... it’s true for now... lol

[cubby]

Judge denies Trump's request for a stay on subpoena for tax records
I mean, if I had to provide evidence that I was a criminal, I'd claim that was irreprable harm, too.

Hey @cubby you want to weigh in?

This is something small in a larger issue - Trump essentially avoiding justice by litigating his way to a stalemate. His entire business career has been based on these machinations. The judge in, in relying on the SCOTUS decision, is doing exactly what he should be - making sure that justice is not stymied by loopholes. Bravo to him.

You all know that his tax records have been my person jihad. I think those financial records will show his full involvement with Russia, amongst other things, and is the reason his has been so rabidly against them being release - despite his 10+ promises.

And yeah, most criminals don't want to show the evidence that will sink them.

[Theodarzna]

One, I'm surprised any American would call the last four years "insignificant". Trump has not only tried to block the same mailed ballots he uses, but also, threatened literally yesterday to send, basically, US troops to polling stations.

In the last twenty years, and compared and placed within that context. Basically my view is Trump did not come out of the ether onto an otherwise perfect America, but emerges out of an increasingly immiserated population and declining system. America is deeply broken, the Western NeoLiberal world is deeply broken and on some level we all acknowledge it and did so even before Trump, but pretend its all fine or it was all fine and all issues began and will end with Trump. Trump, is in my view simply like a symptom of a much deeper disease, like a bloody cough of a person dying of terminal cancer. The cough is dramatic and bad, and shocking, but its not the source of all ills nor the main story. The economics of our entire civilization are deeply sick, and the government doesn't really work.

I'm for the most part going off of Hypernormalization to understand this moment, or this documentary by Adam Curtis really rings true in describing and explaining this moment.

[Machismo]

In the last twenty years, and compared and placed within that context. Basically my view is Trump did not come out of the ether onto an otherwise perfect America, but emerges out of an increasingly immiserated population and declining system. America is deeply broken, the Western NeoLiberal world is deeply broken and on some level we all acknowledge it and did so even before Trump, but pretend its all fine or it was all fine and all issues began and will end with Trump. Trump, is in my view simply like a symptom of a much deeper disease, like a bloody cough of a person dying of terminal cancer. The cough is dramatic and bad, and shocking, but its not the source of all ills nor the main story. The economics of our entire civilization are deeply sick, and the government doesn't really work.

I'm for the most part going off of Hypernormalization to understand this moment, or this documentary by Adam Curtis really rings true in describing and explaining this moment.

Yes, he convinced millions of people to shill for him... for free.

[Felya]

Basically my view is Trump did not come out of the ether onto an otherwise perfect America, but emerges out of an increasingly immiserated population and declining system.

He is the very predictable outcome of corporatist policy... which should highlight that complaining about corporatist, under a different name, because Trump is a literal corporation... is the result that was foretold... with those who bitched about it for 20 years, never updating their argument... just rebranding corporatist to help ignore reality.

It’s like having chicken little walking across the rubble from a fallen sky, still screaming “the sky is falling”...

[Deja Thoris]

If it's in the White House, it's likely the taxpayer that is responsible for the finances of this and if that's the case, I damn sure would want to know exactly what I am paying for. Especially since the same people (GOP) talks all the time about fiscal responsibility while literally doing the opposite.

Yea because taking Airforce 1 for a jaunt and then securing a whole cemetery with Secret service people is going to be a whole lot cheaper than using the white house isn't it? This isn't a cost issue.

[Felya]

Yes, he convinced millions of people to shill for him... for free.

Check this out... I’m a Trump supporter... despite my very obvious disdain for Trump, I can type that, just like anything else. Now, imagine if I was such a hard core Trump hater, that I couldn’t even say one negative thing.

That’s the nutshell of Trump... democrats do not have this sort of loyalty... I have no clue how Trump does it, but here we are...

[Gorsameth]

Trump is a logical result of the GOP's southern strategy. By courting racists through dog-whistles they opened the way for a candidate to win purely by throwing away the whistle and just being openly racist.

[Felya]

Yea because taking Airforce 1 for a jaunt and then securing a whole cemetery with Secret service people is going to be a whole lot cheaper than using the white house isn't it? This isn't a cost issue.

Technically it is, because it being in the White House, we pay the bill. I wouldn’t put it past Trump, who went to play golf with Farve and can’t seem to mention what killed his brother, would consider it smart to have the tax payer cover it instead. He has said as much...

- - - Updated - - -

Trump is a logical result of the GOP's southern strategy. By courting racists through dog-whistles they opened the way for a candidate to win purely by throwing away the whistle and just being openly racist.

That’s not enough... We have idolized corporations to such an extent, that one running for president, made him inherently qualified to be president. Joe the plumber ran for office... didn’t do as well...

[downnola]

It’s Dave Rubin... Here Hasan Piker going over the last day of DNC, where it’s very similar rhetoric, but notice the difference in conclusion and the contrast of Trump and Biden, while taking a huge shit on Biden:

Clearly you just need to walk into a bar and order a full bodied opinion and get wasted on facts.

[DarkTZeratul]

Yea because taking Airforce 1 for a jaunt and then securing a whole cemetery with Secret service people is going to be a whole lot cheaper than using the white house isn't it? This isn't a cost issue.

You mean like how he takes Airforce 1 for a jaunt and then secures a whole country club and golf course with Secret Service people almost every weekend?