Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Machismo]

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1...683497472?s=19

Wow!

Barr also stated he did not believe in the Russians investigation.

The quote from above is frightening. He is threatening people who their job was oversight.

That's because Barr is a fascist, just like Trump. They want a dictator, and so do all their supporters.

[Daelak]

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1...683497472?s=19

Wow!

Barr also stated he did not believe in the Russians investigation.

The quote from above is frightening. He is threatening people who their job was oversight.

They have to adhere to the party line, since conservatism demands complete fealty or they will be ostracized. We are witnessing the complete destruction of US democratic norms and they are becoming bolder. This is a march towards fascism, and just like in Nazi Germany, Japan, and Italy, a die hard deluded base of conservative people will applaud the death of hard fought progress of human rights once again.

Conservatives should never be near the levers of governance for a democratic nation. This will always be the end result.

[Breccia]

Meanwhile, JPMorgan is predicting a GDP loss of 40% in Q2 this year. Is this winning, MAGAts?

With these data in hand we think the April jobs report could indicate about 25 million jobs lost since the March survey week, and an unemployment rate around 20 percent. Given the expected hit to hours worked this quarter we now look for -40.0 percent annualized real GDP growth in 2Q, down from -25.0 percent previously.

Also: it's time again for Guess the Speaker!

This particular pandemic is one where, I don't think nationwide there's been a single fatality under 25. For whatever reason it just doesn't seem to threaten, you know, kids.

And we lose in Florida between five and 10 kids a year for the flu. This one, for whatever reason, much more dangerous if you're 65 and plus than the flu, no doubt about that. If you're younger, it just hasn't had an impact, so that should factor into how we're viewing this. I think the data on that has been 100 percent consistent. I've not seen any deviation on that.

"That's clearly a dumbass."

Florida's governor DeSantis, yes.

"So, does DeSantis not know that children can carry the virus back to their family?"

He either doesn't know, or doesn't care.

"How about the teachers? It's been a while since I've been in a Florida schoolroom, but I seem to remember the teachers there being on the older side."

He either doesn't know, or doesn't care.

"And didn't DeSantis say that he wasn't closing every county because some were more spread out than others? Wouldn't sending all their kids back to the same building literally be the opposite of that?"

He either doesn't know, or doesn't care.

"Didn't Trump just poo-poo the idea of widespread testing, meaning it's even more likely some of these kids will come from infected homes?"

Yes. But to be fair, DeSantis can't use tests he doesn't have. He should make decisions based on his lack of tests, of course, but it's not like FLorida should be tasked to invent and produce its tests from scratch. He should bid on them like everyone else, then Trump can seize them.

"Does DeSantis think the virus can't sicken, or even kill, young people?"

He either doesn't know, or doesn't care.

"What about --"

Look, there's a lot to unpack here. DeSantis, a member of the rabid fanbase apparently, is pushing for people to return to their normal no-six-foot-distance lives while the CDC says the US hasn't peaked yet and went on CNN to do it. Florida is following NY by maybe a week. Pushing kids back into crowded classrooms is just asking for trouble in a state that has 350+ deaths and a ton of old people.

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This Axios article is a summary piece of the GOP getting tired of the way Trump's failing at this. It's worth a read -- there's a good quote from Sen. Graham whose wife I was banging in the shower -- but here's the important parts:

1) There is no bounce-back planning. "Get back to work while sick" doesn't count.
2) Trump is destroying his own message by holding daily press briefings, during which he does not answer questions, attacks the press, sells medicine that doesn't work and brags about the size of his ratings when there's literally nothing else on.
3) Trump spend 3 years bragging about how yuge and bigly the economy was, despite giving neither the tax cut for the rich that paid for itself, nor 3% GDP growth, nor wage growth, nor job growth, anywhere near his promises. (He did see Obama's massive unemployment drop extend slightly) All of that is now gone, leaving him with nothing.

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The quote from above is frightening. He is threatening people who their job was oversight.

Barr says the firing was called for, because the IG was supposed to go to him or Trump first, about the problem with Trump.

The IG went to Congress, because the whistleblower went to the Executive Branch. They didn't do anything. That was the problem.

It's more gaslighting. The IG did their job to the letter and spirit of the law. Reporting to Trump "This guy says Trump did something wrong" is just retarded.

[DarkTZeratul]

How did she pass a background check to get Whitehouse Press credentials?

Well that's an absurd question. You don't need background checks if you're saying good things about Trump.

[Thepersona]

I know, they all seem way off.

In the face of historical data, about economies trying to recover while under conservative/tory governments.

• Even now the GOP is loathe to give regular people, more money.
• They're even more loathe to give unemployed people money.

Trump will fuck up the recovery by default.

• Odds that Trump will fuck up the recovery on purpose if he loses . That will wipe out Q4 for sure.

Frankly, I dont see a rebound until the vaccine is widely available. Vaccine by Q4 still feels quite optimistic.

• Odds that Trump impedes the vaccine distribution?

It lines up with the notion that this crisis will be an awful, but short one. If everything goes neatly, we'd be back to business in the second half of Q3

[alexw]

It lines up with the notion that this crisis will be an awful, but short one. If everything goes neatly, we'd be back to business in the second half of Q3

Which is exactly what they've done. They've just assumed everything goes back to normal in Q3. There's no reason for that given what we know about the virus and the measures we know we need to take in order to minimize the number of dead. They just assume that it does because they don't want to go against the narrative that the federal government is putting out.

More likely is that this crisis continues for a long time to come with significantly curtailed social interaction and the economic costs that comes with that. It might not be a full lock down but no way is everything going back to normal in Q3. That will only happen when we have either a vaccine or drugs that turn it into the equivalent of catching the flu.

[Thepersona]

Which is exactly what they've done. They've just assumed everything goes back to normal in Q3. There's no reason for that given what we know about the virus and the measures we know we need to take in order to minimize the number of dead. They just assume that it does because they don't want to go against the narrative that the federal government is putting out.

More likely is that this crisis continues for a long time to come with significantly curtailed social interaction and the economic costs that comes with that. It might not be a full lock down but no way is everything going back to normal in Q3. That will only happen when we have either a vaccine or drugs that turn it into the equivalent of catching the flu.

I think that they're banking on the second possibility. No way we have a vaccine until 2021. But a viable treatment? way more possible.

[Mekkle]

I just don't see how McConnell keeps wining his elections with his horrific reputation and low approval ratings, is Gerrymandering that good?

[DarkTZeratul]

I just don't see how McConnell keeps wining his elections with his horrific reputation and low approval ratings, is Gerrymandering that good?

Kentucky is that red. They're more likely to elect a different Republican than any Democrat, and McConnell will see that the GOP destroys any potential challengers.

[Zaydin]

I just don't see how McConnell keeps wining his elections with his horrific reputation and low approval ratings, is Gerrymandering that good?

Gerrymandering only works for the House and state legislatures. State wide races like governor and the Senate rely more on voter suppression than gerrymandering.

[Rasulis]

Kentucky is that red. They're more likely to elect a different Republican than any Democrat, and McConnell will see that the GOP destroys any potential challengers.

Don't forget that McConnell brought a lot of federal money to Kentucky. Also, Senatorial elections are not affected by gerrymandering. Only Congressional.

[D Luniz]

I just don't see how McConnell keeps wining his elections with his horrific reputation and low approval ratings, is Gerrymandering that good?

he's (before he became the GOP senate leader) was brining BILLIONS in federal dollars to KY per term
THATS why he's still there
the "I hate socialism and the government is the problem!!" crowd know what side their bread is buttered on, and who can spread it thick

Edit: Rasulis beat me to it

Don't forget that McConnell brought a lot of federal money to Kentucky. Also, Senatorial elections are not affected by gerrymandering. Only Congressional.

[Breccia]

I just don't see how McConnell keeps wining his elections with his horrific reputation and low approval ratings,

He might not.

1) He's whining like a little bitch that his challenger is running ads that portray him in a negative light, right after airing and add portraying himself in a good light, to which his challenger directly refuted those claims. Losers always whine about their best.

2) His opponent is raising money faster than he is.

3) As recently as February she was only a few points behind

4) And McConnell was relatively recently crowned the least popular Senator in America.

And even now, he's watching his state's coal mines and farms close, unable to stop it.

[Thekri]

Kentucky is that red. They're more likely to elect a different Republican than any Democrat, and McConnell will see that the GOP destroys any potential challengers.

Kentucky has a democratic governor, and governors and Senators have exactly the same voting base. Beshar is a lot more popular then McConnell as well, so it isn't impossible that McConnell could lose. He has a lot of name recognition and a lot of money behind him, so it is still an uphill climb for any challenger.

[Breccia]

The Treasury IG says --

"He doesn't exist."

...the acting Treasury IG says that the Treasury acted properly by blocking the House's demand to see Trump's taxes.

"Yeah! MAGA!"

Because they asked Barr, and Barr said "no".

Basically, the acting Treasury IG passed the buck. The Treasury was supposed to ask the DoJ. Yes, they asked Trump's personal lawyer, knowing the answer would be "no" but they still did what they were supposed to do.

Trump continues to block oversight, as dictators do. Simply put, Trump has taken steps to make sure the person called upon to investigate Trump, is Trump. After all, when he said "only I can fix this" he meant "rig".

[Ivanstone]

Kentucky is that red. They're more likely to elect a different Republican than any Democrat, and McConnell will see that the GOP destroys any potential challengers.

Kentucky is purple but swung somewhat toward the GOP after their donors started dumping more money into the elections. It worked for awhile but Trump, Paul and Bevin undermined the GOP with their incompetence. McConnell is somewhat of an exception since he at least did his job by bringing home the money. Even that's starting to wear thin.

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1) He's whining like a little bitch that his challenger is running ads that portray him in a negative light, right after airing and add portraying himself in a good light, to which his challenger directly refuted those claims. Losers always whine about their best.

It would be really funny if John Oliver's Anti-McConnell ad got some serious traction.

[Benggaul]

Kentucky has a democratic governor, and governors and Senators have exactly the same voting base. Beshar is a lot more popular then McConnell as well, so it isn't impossible that McConnell could lose. He has a lot of name recognition and a lot of money behind him, so it is still an uphill climb for any challenger.

I was under the impression that Beshear only won because Bevin was so universally reviled that even the most "Red" voters either voted for the Democrat or just completely refrained. Pretty sure we had a thread on it a while ago.

I mean, in his last days as governor Bevin pardoned hundreds of criminals including a convicted child rapist. So I guess THAT'S the level of awful it's going to take to get those people to vote Blue.

[Breccia]

I was under the impression that Beshear only won because Bevin was so universally reviled that even the most "Red" voters either voted for the Democrat or just completely refrained. Pretty sure we had a thread on it a while ago.

(points at McConnell)

Yep. That's why it's a worthwhile point to make.

[Edge-]

https://www.citizensforethics.org/tr...-obama-family/

Remember how every time Obama went golfing or took a vacation with his family conservatives lost their god-damned mind?

Well, the Trump family is taking twelve times the number of protected trips. For context, that's up from 133 trips on average to a whopping 1,625.

I'm so glad that taxpayers are funding Trump and his trust fund children's excursions.

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https://www.propublica.org/article/t...ver-had-to-bid

Last month, as a deadly new virus swept over the globe, one Canadian defense contractor predicted on an earnings call that it would lead to a big business opportunity in the U.S. Thanks to the White House, that bet paid off just a few weeks later in a $96 million no-bid deal.

In an unusual move, even in times of disaster, the White House stepped into the federal purchasing process, ordering the Federal Emergency Management Agency to award a contract to AirBoss of America. The Trump administration has rushed through hundreds of deals to address the pandemic without the usual oversight, more than $760 million reported as of this week, but the AirBoss transaction is the single largest no-bid purchase, a ProPublica analysis of federal purchasing data found.

While FEMA placed the order, it was directed to do so by the White House, ProPublica found.

It is unclear why the White House chose AirBoss for the protective equipment, which is similar to products made by other vendors.

“I can’t think of an example of the White House sending FEMA a directive to procure items from a particular company in a particular manner,” said Tim Manning, a former FEMA deputy administrator during the Obama administration.

The March 31 FEMA contract called for the company to produce 100,000 powered respirators and filters for medical workers treating patients in New York — a critical need that the Trump administration has been slow to address. The contract calls for them to be delivered to New York by July 31, five months after the state’s first reported case.

It is unclear why the White House chose AirBoss for the protective equipment, which is similar to products made by other vendors.

More oddities.

White House stepped in to grant contracts to companies, overruling FEMA who usually handles the process. This alone is odd enough, but what's more odd is that the White House gave the contract to a company that they'd never contracted with and as a no-bid deal.

And predictably, it's causing more chaos in an already chaotic situation.

[Breccia]

golfing

Remember when Trump promised he'd never go golfing?

I would rarely leave the White House because there’s so much work to be done. I would not be a president who took vacations. I would not be a president that takes time off.

Can you believe that,with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf.Worse than Carter

If I win I may never see my property -- I may never see these places again. But because I'm going to be working for you, I'm not going to have time to go golfing, believe me. Believe me. Believe me, folks.

Actually, wanna see the video?

"But when Tr--"

Nope. Trump took shots at Obama for playing golf, which Obama did 250 times. Trump had his 249th March 8. If it was wrong for Obama to do it, it is wrong for Trump to do it the same number of times.

I tell you what, rabid fanbase, I'll throw you another challenge you won't do because you know you'll fail harder than a six-time bankrupt TV game show host playing doctor (for $130,000 AHWINK). This is a SHS quote:

I think it would certainly be developing deeper and better relationships with members of Congress in which those relationships have helped push forward the President's agenda, specifically when it comes to helping get the tax reform and tax cuts passed. A lot of that, I think, and the success of that came from the strong relationships that the President has. And he's played golf with a number of senators and used that time, certainly, to accomplish that.

As such, it's the WH official policy and the only one you're allowed to defend.

1) Find the number of times Obama golfed without any other lawmaker.
2) Find the number of times Trump golfed without any other lawmaker.

Whoever has more, loses. You have...uh...a week. Failure to do so means Obama wins and Trump loses.

"But you don't kn--"

*LOUD ANNOYING BUZZER"

Trump already said Obama was bad for golfing so much. Trump said he'd never go golfing. Your job is to defend his promises. Otherwise they're just loud orange wind. I did not criticize Obama for golfing 30 times a year. Obama made no such promises. Trump did. You will defend Trump with facts, or by failure to even try, you will admit Trump broke his promise so hard you'd think he sat on it.