Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Kaleredar]

UPDATE: Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate symbol from state flag

I would say "I called it!" but I not only didn't say anything, but wouldn't have guessed "fold in a week" even if I had.



The AP article then lists a whole bunch of people who cheered the move, stingy on the names of those who oppose it, which makes sense with such overwhelmingly one-sided beat downs. My favorite?



Apparently, Winter has a long history of being Mississippi's least racist white person. The Center for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi is also named in his honor..

Well Mississippi only technically outlawed slavery in 2013, so hey, only seven years to taking a treacherous symbol off their flag is... Good, I guess?

[Masark]

Bolton makes no sense.

"Trump is an existential threat to our democracy"

"I won't vote for Biden"

"Republicans must hold the senate! The same republicans who have enabled Trump"

"Trump is an existential threat to our democracy and I'm all for democracy being destroyed!"

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Well Mississippi only technically outlawed slavery in 2013, so hey, only seven years to taking a treacherous symbol off their flag is... Good, I guess?

Oh, don't worry. They're not making any actual progress. The new flag will be "In Gawd We Trust". Maybe they'll put it on a green background and add a sword just so we're completely clear on what country they want to emulate.

[Thepersona]

"Trump is an existential threat to our democracy and I'm all for democracy being destroyed!"

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Oh, don't worry. They're not making any actual progress. The new flag will be "In Gawd We Trust". Maybe they'll put it on a green background and add a sword just so we're completely clear on what country they want to emulate.

There're many countries with swords (or scimitars on this case). Which one would be?

Edit: NVM, it's the Saudi one. And now i'm on a list.

[Breccia]

Because Houston-area hospitals are spiked with COVID-19 cases and reaching capacity, they've taken a bold new step:

They've just stopped reporting how close they are to reaching capacity.

Charts updated daily by the Texas Medical Center, a hospital system with locations in downtown Houston, contained a warning as of Sunday that an "upward trajectory of new daily cases" was continuing, and indicated that the surge in patients to the ICU "supports future ICU resource planning." However, no indications of when the hospital system would reach capacity were available.

"Currently TMC institutions are able to serve all patients requiring intensive care," the documents read, alongside a note indicating a 5-percent average growth of coronavirus patients requiring admittance to the ICU. No other information on when the TMC would reach ICU capacity was publicly available.

The Houston Chronicle reported that the data was altered to exclude this information after Saturday's update indicated that Houston ICUs would reach “unsustainable surge capacity” by July 6.

The Chronicle also reported that the change occurred after a conversation "between Gov. Greg Abbott [R] and hospital executives in which the governor expressed displeasure with negative headlines about ICU capacity."

A spokesperson for Abbott's office denied to the Chronicle that the governor's office had asked for hospitals to provide less data about ICU capacity.

Fuck Florida.

[Nellise]

Because Houston-area hospitals are spiked with COVID-19 cases and reaching capacity, they've taken a bold new step:

They've just stopped reporting how close they are to reaching capacity.

As I posted in the General OT thread, it seems like it's already back up with a better description of what capacity means since 100% didn't mean it was actually full: https://www.tmc.edu/coronavirus-upda...and-occupancy/, and https://www.tmc.edu/coronavirus-upda...mc-bed-status/

And they still have this: https://www.tmc.edu/coronavirus-upda...upancy-growth/

Edit: it seems like maybe they're complaining one specific projection was removed, but the Texas Medical Center is huge and can adjust better than probably any other system in the country.

[bladeXcrasher]

Because Houston-area hospitals are spiked with COVID-19 cases and reaching capacity, they've taken a bold new step:

They've just stopped reporting how close they are to reaching capacity.



Fuck Florida.

Who cares what Abott says. Everyone in Harris county got an alert Friday to stay the fuck home because we are at level 1 COVID-19 transmission and hospitals are approaching capacity. I'm glad the Mayor and Houston democrats are taking this shit seriously still and Abott isn't overriding them...again.

[Felya]

So... Pence did wear a mask yesterday and encouraged others to do it... now that it is hitting the south and risking Trump’s electoral path... will Trump claim he always supported wearing masks?

[breadisfunny]

UPDATE: Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate symbol from state flag

I would say "I called it!" but I not only didn't say anything, but wouldn't have guessed "fold in a week" even if I had.



The AP article then lists a whole bunch of people who cheered the move, stingy on the names of those who oppose it, which makes sense with such overwhelmingly one-sided beat downs. My favorite?



Apparently, Winter has a long history of being Mississippi's least racist white person. The Center for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi is also named in his honor..

now when is florida going to stop selling it at their flea markets? seeing it at the daytona one pissed me off and enraged me. like it was everywhere. (this was months and months ago before the lockdown began). almost every stall had it.

[Felya]

now when is florida going to stop selling it at their flea markets? seeing it at the daytona one pissed me off and enraged me. like it was everywhere. (this was months and months ago before the lockdown began). almost every stall had it.

I don’t think flea markets will ever stop...

[Twdft]

So... Pence did wear a mask yesterday and encouraged others to do it... now that it is hitting the south and risking Trump’s electoral path... will Trump claim he always supported wearing masks?

No doubt about it... "I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic."

[Thekri]

So... Pence did wear a mask yesterday and encouraged others to do it... now that it is hitting the south and risking Trump’s electoral path... will Trump claim he always supported wearing masks?

I really hope he does, because that is what it would take to get his idiot fans to get on board. Unfortunately I kind of doubt he will, I suspect that his opposition to masks is purely because he personally doesn't like wearing them.

If he does flip on this, expect him to point out that Obama didn't wear a mask during H1N1 without a trace of irony. And probably claim he supported masks before Biden did, and that he actually invented masks in the first place. All of which would be fine, as long as he gets his fanbase to wear a goddamn mask to the grocery store.

[Felya]

I really hope he does, because that is what it would take to get his idiot fans to get on board. Unfortunately I kind of doubt he will, I suspect that his opposition to masks is purely because he personally doesn't like wearing them.

If he does flip on this, expect him to point out that Obama didn't wear a mask during H1N1 without a trace of irony. And probably claim he supported masks before Biden did, and that he actually invented masks in the first place. All of which would be fine, as long as he gets his fanbase to wear a goddamn mask to the grocery store.

I think the dow will jump at least 1000 points if Trump wears a mask, so he will be focusing on that and claiming to be doing what is best for economy.

[Benggaul]

I really hope he does, because that is what it would take to get his idiot fans to get on board. Unfortunately I kind of doubt he will, I suspect that his opposition to masks is purely because he personally doesn't like wearing them.

If he does flip on this, expect him to point out that Obama didn't wear a mask during H1N1 without a trace of irony. And probably claim he supported masks before Biden did, and that he actually invented masks in the first place. All of which would be fine, as long as he gets his fanbase to wear a goddamn mask to the grocery store.

It's pure vanity that keeps him from wearing a mask. I don't see that changing anytime soon. He thinks people want and NEED to see his disgusting mug.

[Paranoid Android]

JUST IN: Trump shares video of white couple pointing guns at protesters in St. Louis https://t.co/4zCbra6O4w https://t.co/ncCyg0HPlC

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1...052097538?s=19

Well Trump is at again.

President Trump on Monday shared a video on Twitter of a white couple pointing firearms at a group of protesters in St. Louis who were marching to the mayor's residence to demand her resignation.

The 30-second clip, which was posted on Twitter by ABC News, showed a man and woman holding weapons as a number of demonstrators walked by about 20 yards away. The couple was standing outside their home in the upscale Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis, according to The Guardian.

Brief description above, but the protesters seemed peaceful and stayed on public grounds and didn't trespass. Yes, I'm guessing the homeowners had the right to brandish firearms, yet can make a case for city ordinances and open carry license.

Yet we all understand what the undertone is here.

Link of video below.

https://twitter.com/xshularx/status/...055483393?s=19

[Dontrike]

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1...052097538?s=19

Well Trump is at again.





Brief description above, but the protesters seemed peaceful and stayed on public grounds and didn't trespass. Yes, I'm guessing the homeowners had the right to brandish firearms, yet can make a case for city ordinances and open carry license.

Yet we all understand what the undertone is here.

Link of video below.

https://twitter.com/xshularx/status/...055483393?s=19

It seems as though the protesters pushed through a gate of a gated community. If so then there's a bit of grey area here between brandishing a gun like the one pink polo there is holding and the protesters being in that community. I don't know what kind of legality it is to be in a gated community like that, but there's definitely an overreaction going on by them if those protesters are peaceful and didn't cause any damage. Plus, that wife doesn't know how to hold a gun.

[Paranoid Android]

It seems as though the protesters pushed through a gate of a gated community. If so then there's a bit of grey area here between brandishing a gun like the one pink polo there is holding and the protesters being in that community. I don't know what kind of legality it is to be in a gated community like that, but there's definitely an overreaction going on by them if those protesters are peaceful and didn't cause any damage. Plus, that wife doesn't know how to hold a gun.

Yeah the holding of the handgun is a silly part.

[Thekri]

It seems as though the protesters pushed through a gate of a gated community. If so then there's a bit of grey area here between brandishing a gun like the one pink polo there is holding and the protesters being in that community. I don't know what kind of legality it is to be in a gated community like that, but there's definitely an overreaction going on by them if those protesters are peaceful and didn't cause any damage. Plus, that wife doesn't know how to hold a gun.

Probably legally justified. At least the man is, as he isn't pointing it at anyone. The woman may not be legally justified, depending on what state they are in. She is actually pointing a gun at people, and as a general rule you are not allowed to stand on your own property and point guns at people who are not. The fact she clearly has no idea how to hold a gun makes it much more dangerous, that is an incredibly irresponsible way to hold a gun, and it is very fortunate she didn't hurt someone.

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Yeah the holding of the handgun is a silly part.

Well it kind of is, actually. Using a gun to protect your property and your person is an acceptable use of a gun. Now there doesn't seem to be any sort of serious threat to their property here, so they are being idiots, but the man at least is not aiming it at people. It is the wife recklessly pointing the handgun at everyone, including her husband that makes this probably illegal as well as stupid.

A staggering number of people like this are absolutely clueless as to the proper handling of firearms. They use them as a power fantasy, not as a deadly tool you actually have to train with. They don't learn how they function or how to use them, they just want to wave them at people, rendering them ineffective for defense, and also a danger to everyone around them.

[Breccia]

Desperate for any message that doesn't make them sound like criminally negligent clowns, HHS's Azar went on live TV to say

We've got to get to the bottom of why we're seeing these cases surge in this area, but at its core, we all own as individuals, our individual behavior to make sure that we are practicing appropriate social distancing and wearing facial covering when we're not able to, and practicing good personal hygiene and especially protecting our most vulnerable citizens.

Besides what @Felya said about Pence, this might at first sound like the WH strongly encouraging mask use...except for Trump, or by Trump. Until Trump not only encourages mask use personally, but wears one personally, the rabid fanbase won't listen. Thing about cults? There is no second in command.

But two things.

One, Trump won't wear a mask, and in theory he doesn't need to. Trump is protected by a special form of herd immunity, not because he weighs as much as several oxen, but because everyone that the WH will let come within 100 yards of him will be tested multiple times first. There were enough scares early on that they're not taking chances at the only person in the WH that matters.

Two, Azar's statement? I didn't see him say it but I'm going to guess it was very well rehearsed. The Party of Trump is backing away from their earlier messages (again, irrelevant because Trump won't follow suit, but they are trying) that their authority is supreme and states must reopen and that everything will be fine. Already people like Pence are saying "listen to your governors". Azar is now adding "the governors are not to blame either, it's the people who were stupid and didn't wear a mask". They're desperate for something, anything, to change the narrative away from "we reopened too early and now the outbreak is much worse as a direct result"

And just to make that point clear:

If we don't act responsibly, we're going to see governors pull back on those reopenings

which mimics what Abbott said earlier. It also mirrors the Party of Trump's view on guns. "Everyone can get as many weapons of war as they want, and if there's another mass school shooting, well the problem was individuals or the victims not having guns". It's a fairly standard Republican trait, lower regulations, I get that. But if you intentionally lower regulations so much that it causes people to die, at some point, it's your fault too.

[Benggaul]

Looks like Trump's been indirectly handed another court loss...

In a landmark ruling, the US Supreme Court strikes down a Louisiana law restricting abortions as unconstitutional

That's going to make it more difficult for the "overturn Roe v. Wade" crowd.

[Thekri]

which mimics what Abbott said earlier. It also mirrors the Party of Trump's view on guns. "Everyone can get as many weapons of war as they want, and if there's another mass school shooting, well the problem was individuals or the victims not having guns". It's a fairly standard Republican trait, lower regulations, I get that. But if you intentionally lower regulations so much that it causes people to die, at some point, it's your fault too.

It extends much beyond that too, it is a uniquely American concept that is used to assign individual blame for almost everything. It leads directly to why so many people feel personally attacked by social problems. Every time someone uses the term "White man" or "Black Man" a huge swath of Americans perk up their ears and identify with that person, and when either of those two caricatures does something wrong, they feel attacked. This tendency runs deep, like really fucking deep. Both sides like breaking down societal issues and assigning them equally too everyone, so each American is directly responsible for 1/328 millionth of all the nations problems.


This "Research Paper" whose very first bullet point is "Per capita emissions are the total U.S. emissions divided by the U.S. population" Like that is a useful metric. This is a standard tactic by companies to shit the blame for their products to consumers, because it is their fault for using electricity in the first place. Never mind that there are cleaner ways to produce energy, and consumers don't really get a choice on how their local utility produces power, it is the consumers fault for buying their products.

We use this logical misdirection all the time, and for everything. "Personal Responsibility" is a way for leaders to avoid taking responsibility for the actions of their organizations. Tobacco, Gun and Pharmaceutical companies all hold strong to the line that they aren't responsible for their industry, it is those damn consumers that are misusing their products. PG&E acknowledges it probably shouldn't have set the state on fire, but it is mostly the fault of people that lived in the woods. They should have known better! Houston blames all those people that lived in floodplains, not the decades long mismanagement of drainage systems, and so forth to infinity.