Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Tenlo]

I'm curious here friendos.
If you are right wing why Trump?
Why, if you are religious, trump? The adulterer who literally will not repent.
Like what are you getting here? He will literally set our country on fire if he thinks someone will praise him for it. I thought the rights shtick was being a manly man who dont need no friends. But Trump will probably suck my dong, a random guy, if i said he is a stronk man.
What policies has he done other than just talking? How has he improved our lives other than maybe an extra 5$ on our paychecks? Someone please help me here I am more than willing to be like "huh i was wrong ok he has my vote" but it seems like he is more than willing to sell us out to Russian/China/Literally anyone so he gets a pat on the back.

[cubby]

Trump Campaign Disputes Claim Photo of President As Rocky Was 'Doctored'

Donald Trump's re-election campaign has claimed there is no evidence a picture of the president with the body of Rocky Balboa was doctored.

Team Trump accused The Washington Post of reporting that the image was doctored "without evidence" in a tweet Wednesday, shortly after President Trump shared the meme of himself as fictional boxing champion Rocky on the platform.

The Post tweeted on Wednesday that it was "unclear why" the commander-in-chief had published the "doctored photo," and reported that the image appeared to come from the film Rocky III's "promotional materials."

Responding to the Washington Post article reporting that Trump had "doctored" a photo of his head on to actor Sylvester Stallone's body, Team Trump jumped in on jokes about the image, tweeting: "Washington Post claims - without evidence - that @realDonaldTrump shared a 'doctored' photo."

....

Perhaps they are trying to pile on the lies regarding media bias and WaPo. Otherwise, if they are really doing this, pushing the photo as real (and as an aside, I love that we can't trust any communication coming out of the White House), then they've reached the abyss, truly looking back at themselves.

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Meant as an actual defense of Trump....

Fox News host Tucker Carlson admits media is right about Trump’s lying: ‘He’s a full-blown BS artist’

Is this basically an attempt to normalise the rampant bullshit that comes from the President and make it ok?

I could not figure out what Touche-Tuckerson was doing with that statement. Could be as you said. Can't be that Tuckerson is turning against Trump...he'd lose his meal ticket.

[Kaleredar]

Perhaps they are trying to pile on the lies regarding media bias and WaPo. Otherwise, if they are really doing this, pushing the photo as real (and as an aside, I love that we can't trust any communication coming out of the White House), then they've reached the abyss, truly looking back at themselves.

It's like some third-world dictatorship, where the "great and glorious leader" is some cut and sculpted god that's the peak of physical performance.

Donald Trump is very much not that.

I'd love to here the Trump supporters around here attempt to justify it, but... they all seem to have fled from these threads, popping in only to drive-by shitpost before disappearing again.

[Xyonai]

It's like some third-world dictatorship, where the "great and glorious leader" is some cut and sculpted god that's the peak of physical performance.

Donald Trump is very much not that.

I'd love to here the Trump supporters around here attempt to justify it, but... they all seem to have fled from these threads, popping in only to drive-by shitpost before disappearing again.

It'll be either: Even they're not stupid or desperate enough to actually try and die on this hill, and will just let it run its course and move on.

Or they'll get smarmy and laugh at people for being 'triggered about an obvious joke'. Like they always do when this admin does something stupid.

[Skroe]

https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...t-than-lincoln

It’s totally not a cult.

[Captain N]

https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...t-than-lincoln

It’s totally not a cult.

Well it certainly does explain the racism in many Trump supporters. The guy who freed the slaves is obviously worse than the guy who locks Hispanic children in cages and separates them from their families.

[D Luniz]

its the party that celebrates the confederacy,is fine with neo-Nazis, and has a white supremacist as the resident's adviser

rather sure practically everything Lincoln did in his time in office is anathema to their views

[Paranoid Android]

Trump announced that the Taliban wanted a ceasefire in Afghanistan and was ready for a deal. The Taliban says that’s news to them. @karendeyoung1 & @sgreports on the latest https://t.co/jD44nBnKgJ

https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker/sta...979826689?s=19

Hey look Trump lied! Instead of actually making it about the troops in Afghanistan in his visit he had to embellish there was talks going on. NOPE!

Such a narcassit, such a liar. This is not the first time.

[PACOX]

https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...t-than-lincoln

It’s totally not a cult.

It make 100% of 53% of Republicans in the of the Southern Strategy will choose a man who cages minorities over one who frees them.

H. Clinton was wrong when she said half of them were deplorable. Turns out it's 53%.

[akris15]

https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...t-than-lincoln

It’s totally not a cult.

Very disturbing but I feel as if that question more addresses the racial resentment issue, which most can see is the real reason behind a majority of trump's supporters, more so than the cultist issue

Now a follow-up question to that poll should have been:

"Who is the better president Trump or Reagan"

Now with that question I think you can interpret more of the cultist aspect of the Trump presidency

[Edge-]

https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker/sta...979826689?s=19

Hey look Trump lied! Instead of actually making it about the troops in Afghanistan in his visit he had to embellish there was talks going on. NOPE!

Such a narcassit, such a liar. This is not the first time.

I have to wonder at what point him blatantly, verifiably, and frequently lying to the American people, the world, our allies, and pretty much everyone else matters.

[DarkTZeratul]

I have to wonder at what point him blatantly, verifiably, and frequently lying to the American people, the world, our allies, and pretty much everyone else matters.

Sadly, the answer appears to be "never."

[Cthulhu 2020]

I have to wonder at what point him blatantly, verifiably, and frequently lying to the American people, the world, our allies, and pretty much everyone else matters.

Nothing that is verifiable matters to them. Hell, some of them in another post said that reality was entirely subjective. They have actively chosen to shun verifiable true events in favor of a more convenient reality to them.

[D Luniz]

So the Rep Gaetz is mad at the Georgia gov because he wont pick the republican Trump hand picked to be appointed to the empty senate seat

the so cult is the right right for the GOP

I know its a crap site, but since its the only one that links to the tweets, it cant be hand waved as fake news

https://www.politicususa.com/2019/11...-governor.html

[Templar 331]

So the Rep Gaetz is mad at the Georgia gov because he wont pick the republican Trump hand picked to be appointed to the empty senate seat

the so cult is the right right for the GOP

I know its a crap site, but since its the only one that links to the tweets, it cant be hand waved as fake news

https://www.politicususa.com/2019/11...-governor.html

https://twitter.com/mattgaetz/status...-governor.html

Wow, that's a whole lot of "wait till DAD hears about this!!!"

Bunch of children.

[Breccia]

Isnt Deutche Bank one of those that have been accused of largescale money laundering?

It has not been a good time to be Deutsche Bank.

This Jan 2017 article has some of the details:

The giant German lender was hit with about $630 million in penalties on Tuesday over a $10 billion Russian money-laundering scheme that involved its Moscow, New York and London branches.

It follows a $7.2 billion settlement Deutsche Bank reached with the U.S. Department of Justice last month over toxic mortgage assets and the $2.5 billion it agreed to pay in 2015 over interest rate manipulation.

The latest fines penalize Deutsche Bank (DB)'s failure to deal with a stock-trading scheme that enabled some of its clients in Russia to improperly move huge sums of money out of the country and into offshore accounts, according to regulators.

And they are still under investigation.

Federal authorities are investigating whether Deutsche Bank complied with laws meant to stop money laundering and other crimes, the latest government examination of potential misconduct at one of the world’s largest and most troubled banks, according to seven people familiar with the inquiry.

The investigation includes a review of Deutsche Bank’s handling of so-called suspicious activity reports that its employees prepared about possibly problematic transactions, including some linked to President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, according to people close to the bank and others familiar with the matter.

Ms. McFadden, a former anti-money-laundering compliance officer at the bank, told The New York Times last month that she had flagged transactions involving Mr. Kushner’s family company in 2016, but that bank managers decided not to file the suspicious activity report she prepared. Some of her colleagues had similar experiences in 2017 involving transactions in the accounts of Mr. Trump’s legal entities, although it was not clear whether the F.B.I. was examining the bank’s handling of those transactions.

The same federal agent who contacted Ms. McFadden’s lawyer also participated in interviews of the son of a deceased Deutsche Bank executive, William S. Broeksmit. Agents told the son, Val Broeksmit, that the Deutsche Bank investigation began with an inquiry into the bank’s work for Russian money launderers and had expanded to cover a broader array of potential misconduct at the bank and at other financial institutions. One element is the banks’ possible roles in a vast money-laundering scandal at the Danish lender Danske Bank, according to people briefed on the investigation.

The congressional investigations are focused on Deutsche Bank’s close relationship with Mr. Trump and his family. Over the past two decades, it was the only mainstream financial institution consistently willing to do business with Mr. Trump, who had a history of defaulting on loans. The bank lent him a total of more than $2 billion, about $350 million of which was outstanding when he was sworn in as president.

Two House committees have subpoenaed Deutsche Bank for records related to Mr. Trump and his family, including records connected to the bank’s handling of potentially suspicious transactions. The president has sued to block Deutsche Bank and Capital One, where he also holds money, from complying with the subpoenas. A federal judge rejected Mr. Trump’s request for an injunction, and the president has appealed that ruling.

The Justice Department has been investigating Deutsche Bank since 2015, when agents were examining its role in laundering billions of dollars for wealthy Russians through a scheme known as mirror trading. Customers would use the bank to convert Russian rubles into dollars and euros via a complicated series of stock trades in Europe and the United States.

Deutsche Bank has two choices, both bad.

1) Fighting a criminal and Congressional investigation could easily bring about even harsher penalties they have proven they can't afford. They have lost billions of dollars Q4 2017, Q2 2019, and Q3 2019. Probably others, too. Their stock has dropped by more than half since Trump took office, but that's likely coincidental due to some fines happening in 2015, and their stocks dropped from a relative peak in 2014 to now by about 80%. Another wave of fines will cripple them. Being blocked from doing business in the US will be a death sentence.

2) Or, they could cooperate and give criminal investigators and Congress everything they want, something they're leaning towards, causing their less-than-savory clients to look elsewhere, which for a bank is probably just as bad.

The situation is so stressful one of the execs hung himself a few days ago. They could have taken this on the chin and kept swinging a few years ago, but they're slumped and staggering now as their crimes have them on the ropes. It's going to be a knockout, TKO, or judge's decision, but Deutsche Bank has no good way out of this. This isn't something a photoshopped tweet will fix.

Deutsche Bank says they don't have Trump's tax returns. They might even be telling the truth, although, tax returns are needed for some loans and Trump's loans are as big as they are controversial. But as other issues take place, including revelations that Trump Tower itself had two sets of books (so, at least one felony if true), Deutsche Bank likely has documents that NYState, the IRS and Congress will have every reason to see.

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So here's something that's, in retrospect, an obvious result of the GOP throwing their lot in with Trump.

One of the many GOP lawmakers who have decided to spend more time with their family is Sen. Isakson (R-GA). Kind of got lost in the stampede for the exit at the time, but, he's the head of the Senate Ethics Committee.

The Senate Ethics Committee is a powerful one, and head of that committee would normally be a good get. But, nobody wants the job.

“Uh, I’m going to say probably not,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of GOP leadership, laughing when asked if she would like to chair the committee. “I don’t think that’s a sought-after position.”

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), another member of leadership, said he doesn’t know who will take over the committee. Asked if he was interested, he answered with an emphatic, drawn out “nooooo.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who previously served as vice chairman, acknowledged that it’s up to the leader but said he’s not interested.

“I served my time on the Ethics Committee, and I think I’ll give somebody else the opportunity,” he said.

Asked if he wanted to take over the committee, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) responded, “Oh no, no, no, but I’m sure that the leadership will put somebody in there that’s solid, good, substantive person. I like what I’m doing.”

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said he would rather undergo a dental procedure.

“Are you kidding? Are you kidding? I’d rather have a root canal,” he said.

That bolded.

Simply put, the SEC is required to look into breaches of rules, laws, and the Constitution by, amongst other people, the White House. Which means, thanks @Skroe that whoever takes this role would have to direct inquiries and actions against the President they claim is a better one than Lincoln, because of all that stuff he does.

Which leaves them with two options...eh, you know the drill.

[pathora44]

https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...t-than-lincoln

It’s totally not a cult.

Well what do you expect? Lincoln was the commander in chief of the soldiers killing most of these people's ancestors so of course they don't like Lincoln. The only reason they bring up Lincoln as a good thing is when they try to stick him in other people's faces as a sign that Republicans aren't racist. Finally Lincoln freed black people from cages and Trump is putting Latino's in cages, which one do you think is more popular with most Republicans?

[arandomuser]

I just dont get it


midwesterner loses job
cant afford food
applies for food stamps
gets declined...because hes not employed
Then said midwesterner instead of voting democrat to increase food stamp coverage...votes for further right republicans because hes convinced its the immigrants and deep states fault, thus creating a perpetual cycle of pain for himself.

[Breccia]

Keep an eye on the budget talks.

As a reminder, last time this happened, Trump unilaterally shut down the government (the Trump Shutdown, no quotes because it's literal and neither figurative nor sarcastic) for 35 days, the longest shutdown in US history.

The next deadline is Dec 20.

Spending levels are set, but the issue of the Wall is not yet resolved. There are reports of a potential solution: passing 11 of the 12 spending bills, then a CR for Homeland Security, meaning Trump wouldn't get any more room to build than he already has.

This is likely to work.
1) Dec 20th is a bad time to have a Trump Shutdown. Or raise tariffs.
2) Which is why the White House has already been signalling they're not going to.
3) And Trump eventually signed everything last time, therefore, if he fails to sign a CR he previously signed he flat-out admits he's being chaotic on purpose.

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I just dont get it

Incidentally, here is more info about the proposed changes:

Roughly 3.7 million fewer people could receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if the Trump administration's proposed restrictions are implemented, a recent Urban Institute study found.

Households in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington state and Texas would be disproportionately affected by the restrictions.

SNAP participation would fall by at least 15% in 13 states, and 24% in Washington, D.C.

Almost 75% of households with gross income above 130% of the federal poverty guidelines would lose SNAP eligibility.

Roughly half a million households with children would lose eligibility and 1.1 million would incur an average of $28 less in benefits.

1 million households with children would have an average of $13 more in benefits.

And in case you're wondering what the poverty line is, according to this dot-gov website, for a married couple with two children would probably be ineligible if the combined salary was $33,500.

That's the 27th percentile of American household incomes. Yeah, bet you didn't know it was that low, did you? It's slightly larger than two minimum wage jobs.

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Reuters brings new info about the trade deal with China.

It's fucked.

Beijing’s top priority in any phase one trade deal with the United States is the removal of existing tariffs on Chinese goods, China’s Global Times newspaper said on Sunday, amid continued uncertainty on whether the two sides can strike a deal.

“Sources with direct knowledge of the trade talks told the Global Times on Saturday that the U.S. must remove existing tariffs, not planned tariffs, as part of the deal,” said the report.

Global Times, published by the official People’s Daily newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party, also cited another unidentified source close to the talks as saying U.S. officials had been resisting such a demand because the tariffs were their only weapon in the trade war and giving up that weapon meant “surrender.”

So there you have it. Trump's only weapon is tariffs. China will not take even the first step unless Trump removes that entire weapon. And this isn't even a broader deal, this is just phase one.

Incidentally, if China's move sounds hauntingly familiar, it should. It's Trump's. Think about North Korea. NK basically has one thing going for them, nukes. A stronger country (US) is demanding they remove all their nukes before negotiations continue. NK isn't doing that, and the stronger country shrugged, said "we tried" and walked away. China is doing exactly the same thing.

With the main difference that NK doesn't have to worry about elections and got some bigly yuge benefits, which Trump didn't get from China, they're a pretty good mirror of each other. This reminds me of the Worf Effect which any Next Generation fan immediately knows what it is without bothering to click the TV Tropes link. For those of you who don't recognize the reference, it's a cliche in which a new character tries to prove how tough they are in their first appearance by beating the crap out of someone the audience knows is tough. Trump, a big fat obese fat bully, waddled onto the world stage and tried this with China -- actually, he tried that with everyone -- because he wanted to show how much of a badass he is.

To date, Commander Bone Spurs is 0 for Everything. China, to their credit, is saying "look, if you just lower your gun we can talk about this like civilized people" which is easy for them to say when they are wearing tactical armor and helmets and have the building surrounded. Trump, in contrast, is still screaming in his beer-stained wife beater while holding his own family hostage.

[D Luniz]

I just dont get it


midwesterner loses job
cant afford food
applies for food stamps
gets declined...because hes not employed
Then said midwesterner instead of voting democrat to increase food stamp coverage...votes for further right republicans because hes convinced its the immigrants and deep states fault, thus creating a perpetual cycle of pain for himself.

thats only half of it
how many grocers in those areas are only profitable BECAUSE of all the food stamp money
This will grow the "food deserts"