Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Shadowferal]

Mnuchin said he'd never let unemployment get to 20%.
Hmm...we'll see soon.

[arandomuser]

https://www.businessinsider.com/trum...esponse-2020-5

wait why wasnt this a bigger story??
jared refuses to give supplies to states
confiscates them FROM STATES
says their "our supplies"
then gives some to RUSSIA??
this is the guy whos gonna run on re election as an "america first nationalist"
why isnt this in a biden attack ad, i am kinda getting nervous that bidens campaign is run by boomers, atleast bloombergs campaign put out some really good ads and was kind of tech savvy because he spent so much money on people, we need his billion dollars..

[Acidbaron]

@Benggaul

45 minutes now into that The Dollop podcast, do have to say rather amusing to listen to even though that family is far more disturbed than i would figure.
"They had a colour TV, wait i though they didn't like colour?" while that is a more light hearted quote it does show how racist his father and him really were/are.

It' no wonder donald turned out the way he did considering how he was raised and by who.

[Breccia]

wait why wasnt this a bigger story??

Oh, it is. You're just the first one to post it here. Thanks, by the way.

I believe Trump will try to justify "Russia first" with "well we don't need them anymore". Considering red states are both more dependent on federal aid and also re-opening faster, if he's wrong, he's flat-out murdering his own rabid fanbase.

[Levelfive]

I know I keep banging on this drum, but it still needs to be said: Trump supporters are not conservatives. The current GOP are not conservatives. Actual conservatives hate Trump and what he has done to their (former) party.

Ok, that's fair...ish. I think Republicans have sorcerer's apprenticed Trump into the presidency, either through outright stoking or at best countenancing this lunatic, radicalizing spiral for the last 4 or 5 decades. I respect the fact that some of them have realized they don't like the end result, but it doesn't really absolve them.

[Benggaul]

Ok, that's fair...ish. I think Republicans have sorcerer's apprenticed Trump into the presidency, either through outright stoking or at best countenancing this lunatic, radicalizing spiral for the last 4 or 5 decades. I respect the fact that some of them have realized they don't like the end result, but it doesn't really absolve them.

I think Democrats helped in that regard, really. This isn't a "hurr durr both sides!" thing, but you have to admit some Democrats in office in the last few decades have lost sight of who they're supposed to be helping. That led towards a general apathy/disillusionment (or outright hatred) of government for a lot of folks and obviously turned a lot of the dumber ones towards an option that was, at least, "different".

That said, "true" conservatives have been leaving the Republican party in droves the past few years. Skroe did, for example. I THINK Thekri did but I might be misremembering. There are others here as well. You'd have to ask them, but I'd say the Republican party stopped being the party of "conservatives" long ago, before Trump even came into the picture. I'll agree that it doesn't absolve the ones who still remain and continue to support the Republican party, but I think we all need to train ourselves not to use "Trump supporter" and "conservative" interchangeably (similar to the way you can't really say "liberal" and "Democrat" are the same, though far more extreme, I think). You can't really be a conservative when you're supporting someone who spits in the face of all things conservatism represents.

[Anegrohymn]

obamagate is trending like hell on twitter but can't find anything about it in the news.

Botspam?

[Breccia]

So Mnuchin went on FOX News and set up expectations for the future.

Let’s take the next few weeks.

We just want to make sure that before we jump back in and spend another few trillion of taxpayers’ money that we want to do it carefully. We’re willing to spend whatever it takes. but whatever it takes needs to be done carefully.

"What's wrong with that?"

Actually, not much. "Let's see if we need more" isn't itself bad, evil, or broken. It also rather quashes McConnell's "nobody gets anything" rhetoric.

The cynic in me, however, believes the WH is waiting to see if the red states that "re-opening" start making things worse. In other words, there might mysteriously be more money for people if Trump voters start getting sick. Now, Mnuchin did repeat the new Republican line that they're not going to bail out "poorly run" states, yadda yadda donor/recipients. But considering Team Trump doesn't have much authority, I'm fairly confident any bill that comes their way won't give them discretion on which states get funded and which don't.

- - - Updated - - -

Botspam?

Deflection attempt. Already the Flynn thing is growing rancid, with at least one assistant AG saying she was misquoted on purpose and Barr overruling Mueller goes without precedent.

It's also why they're screaming CHINA VIRUS again.

[Benggaul]

The good news: "Only" 750 deaths reported for the 10th (GMT), bringing the total to 80,787.

The bad news: No way in hell is that accurate. Part of it appears to be a small correction for New York's "probable" numbers on previous days, but I'm expecting a larger than normal correction in the next couple days. Several states I've been tracking suddenly have a fraction of the numbers they've consistently had the past week and I sincerely doubt deaths actually abruptly halved (or more). Florida, for example, had an average of about 50 deaths a day the past week, but for the 10th they're reporting 5.

Active cases continues to rise. New confirmed cases are still going up by more than 20k a day. I would be thrilled if we start consistently getting sub 1k totals, but until I see more data on this I'm going to have to chalk it up to a fluke/lack of reporting on a weekend.

In the midst of this TRUMP SHITSHOW...
Stay safe, folks.

[Breccia]

Oh, right, more info on why McConnell and Mnuchin are saying what they're saying: they've seen Pelosi's next bill. It's one-point-two-trillion.

"That has no chance of being passed!"

None. But when Pelosi takes the podium, holds up the bill the Democrats wrote, and points out line-by-line what's in it -- hospitals, Medicaid, testing and direct payments are on the list -- she can then, loophole-honestly, point to McConnell and say "and he doesn't want you to have it".

It also pretty badly tarnishes the idea of "do-nothing Democrats" when, even if it is an effectively sarcastic stunt, the Democrats keep bringing up ways to help the country and McConnell keep saying "no, we'd rather just do nothing at all". Which is where Team Trump comes in. Trump has an added layer of fat that keeps him snug and warm during hibernation. But he also has a layer of security -- the bill won't reach his desk while McConnell blocks it. So he can say things like "we'd like to see something reasonable" knowing Trump won't end up signing a damn thing.

Unless Pelosi and McConnell make a deal, which is not forseeable.

[Bdatik]

The good news: "Only" 750 deaths reported for the 10th (GMT), bringing the total to 80,787.

The weekend always has low totals.

[Benggaul]

The weekend always has low totals.

I'm well aware of this and if you'd been paying attention you'd notice Breccia and I have been updating this daily for many weeks now.

This is the first time since the end of March, however, that the total has dropped below 1k--including the weekend "lull". And considering yesterday it was nearly twice today's number, that's why I'm expecting a larger "correction" in the next few days.

EDIT: And if THAT doesn't happen I'm going to start paying closer attention to several states' reporting since it would suggest some monkey business going on with the reports.

[beanman12345]

The weekend always has low totals.

Particularly Sunday and sometimes Monday too. Tuesday will possibly see a 3k death correction, ugh I hope not.

[Levelfive]

I think Democrats helped in that regard, really. This isn't a "hurr durr both sides!" thing, but you have to admit some Democrats in office in the last few decades have lost sight of who they're supposed to be helping. That led towards a general apathy/disillusionment (or outright hatred) of government for a lot of folks and obviously turned a lot of the dumber ones towards an option that was, at least, "different".

That said, "true" conservatives have been leaving the Republican party in droves the past few years. Skroe did, for example. I THINK Thekri did but I might be misremembering. There are others here as well. You'd have to ask them, but I'd say the Republican party stopped being the party of "conservatives" long ago, before Trump even came into the picture. I'll agree that it doesn't absolve the ones who still remain and continue to support the Republican party, but I think we all need to train ourselves not to use "Trump supporter" and "conservative" interchangeably (similar to the way you can't really say "liberal" and "Democrat" are the same, though far more extreme, I think). You can't really be a conservative when you're supporting someone who spits in the face of all things conservatism represents.

This is not directed at you specifically, I just need to get it out of my system before addressing what you said, but I am sick to death of Democrats being blamed for this latest particular batshit, anti-democracy, anti-rule of law, neo-nazi adjacent incarnation of the Republican party. For once I would like to hear Republicans take some responsibility for decades of race-baiting, dog-whistling, and white supremacist whispering; demonizing anything Democrats stand for, including, somehow, science, for fuck's sake, never mind things like, say, social programs (a diabolical plot to enslave the poor to get votes!); convincing people to hate health care and collective bargaining; and stoking so much hatred and paranoia that supporters think they're in some sort of prelude to a civil war--and claim loudly and often they're willing to wage it if regular, democratic, legal, Constitutional, and / or electoral processes are followed. The Democratic party has its flaws--no question, and I am more than happy to have that conversation in a different context--but Republicans are reaping what they have cynically and deliberately sown for the better part of 40 years, so no, this one is on them.

ETA: Here's @Slybak putting it better:

Will and the NeverTrumpers will never break their delusion. Donald Trump didn't capture the conservative movement. The conservative movement captured Donald Trump.

Anyone who has seen an elderly family member, with either a neutral or shallow understanding of politics, have their minds overthrown by the Saruman-like sorcery of rightwing media understands this implicitly. Donald Trump was always a corrupt, degenerate buffoon, but his present ideological understanding of the world is a recent construction - within the last ten years at most - and that construction was completely the work of the same rightwing media complex of which the George Wills of the world have always been an enthusiastic component.

[swiftowner]

I'm well aware of this and if you'd been paying attention you'd notice Breccia and I have been updating this daily for many weeks now.

This is the first time since the end of March, however, that the total has dropped below 1k--including the weekend "lull". And considering yesterday it was nearly twice today's number, that's why I'm expecting a larger "correction" in the next few days.

EDIT: And if THAT doesn't happen I'm going to start paying closer attention to several states' reporting since it would suggest some monkey business going on with the reports.

Might be because it’s Sunday AND Mother’s Day? Even less people working than normal?

[Milchshake]

@AprilDRyan
I’m hearing on good authority that #coronavirus is more rampant in the #WhiteHouse than the public is being told. A very high-ranking individual may have also been impacted! The administration is currently mum on the matter, seeking prayers instead. #COVID19

Thoughts and Prayers

[Paranoid Android]

Trump tweets 100 times in one day as coronavirus death toll passes 80,000 https://t.co/lcV8s9T5L7

https://twitter.com/Independent/stat...808215554?s=19

On Mother's Day. I'm sure Melania wants nothing to do with him, but it's crazy that this guy goes off the rails on a day he should have some chill in him.

[Felya]

@AprilDRyan
I’m hearing on good authority that #coronavirus is more rampant in the #WhiteHouse than the public is being told. A very high-ranking individual may have also been impacted! The administration is currently mum on the matter, seeking prayers instead. #COVID19

Thoughts and Prayers

Even if you hate the people, we really don’t need martyrs right now. Hopes and pray... oh god damn it...

- - - Updated - - -

https://twitter.com/Independent/stat...808215554?s=19

On Mother's Day. I'm sure Melania wants nothing to do with him, but it's crazy that this guy goes off the rails on a day he should have some chill in him.

Do you think he called the other two mothers of his kids? I don’t think Mother’s Day has the same meaning, for those with a few baby mamas.

[Breccia]

The bad news: No way in hell is that accurate.

Maybe not the sudden drop to the hundreds, but, we could be seeing the decline. The latest University of Washington study predicts 137,000 deaths -- only a slight increase from their prediction last week, and not double what we've seen, suggesting we've hit an inflection point.

"So opening back up is the right move! MAGA!"

Christopher Murray, the director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, predicted the number of cases to particularly increase in areas where people become more mobile.

"What's driving the change is, simply put, the rise in mobility, and that's the key driver," Murray said on "Face the Nation" on Sunday. "We're seeing in some states, you know, a 20-percentage-point increase in just 10 days in mobility. And that will translate into more human contact, more transmission."

"Oh, so that's a small increase in some librul states with the homeless and the immigrants and the bl--"

"The places that are taking off the social distancing mandates, the bump in mobility appears to be larger," he said. "So somewhere like Georgia, which was one of the first, we're seeing is in that category of a pretty big increase."

"Okay, so that's one. Way to cherry pick you commie lib--"

Murray said states which have "big increases in mobility" may see a significant uptick in cases in the coming weeks. The top five states with increased mobility are Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Georgia, Murray said.

"...I mean, 'most' doesn't mean 'yuge'. It's not like they used the term 'explosive increase' or--"

"We're seeing just explosive increases in mobility in a number of states that we expect will translate into more cases and deaths in 10 days from now," Murray said.

Murray said there was a decrease in projected cases coming from New York, New Jersey and Michigan, which have been epicenters of the pandemic, but that there was an increase in states like Illinois, Arizona, Florida and California.

"I don't get it! We're doing everything right! We're protesting stay at home orders, like we were told! We're packing into churches, like we were told! We're going back to work, just like *cough* we were told! We're bui*cough*ding the Wall, we're bl*cough*bl*cough*blaming the Chinese, we're even looking into huffing bleach and drinking fish tank cleaner. These are all things we were told! Why *cough why is *cough* this...happening...to...us..." <thud>

...and your haircut looks stupid.

[Dontrike]

It really will.

It limits physical ability to cross the border.

Add in security guards and digital monitoring and the numbers of illegal crossings dramatically drops.

It doesn't because illegal immigration is mostly from over staying visas and not walking across the border. As for "adding security guards" you really don't understand how much a 2,000 mile wall would cost, let alone to man all 2,000 miles and the rest of everything that would cost.