Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

Hey, @Breccia you might want to skip it tonight until you get that pint of Ben & Jerry's.

Yeah, we're going to have to table that discussion anyhow. More details later. But um...yeah, that's really not great news.

- - - Updated - - -

A win for Trump: in 2020 air quality significantly improved --

"Woohoo! MAGA!"

Because of the pandemic.

"Oh goddam steam".

The U.S. is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels by more than 9% in 2020 compared with last year, according to research firm BloombergNEF. The last time yearly emissions were this low was 1983, nearly four decades ago.

While the reductions were driven by a combination of decreases in various sectors, including power and industry, the largest drop was transportation, which declined 14% from 2019.

Reductions like this — if sustained — help fight climate change by trapping less heat in the atmosphere. More heat trapped leads to higher global temperatures.

"Well I guess we can give Trump's leadership credit for--"

But the report also contains bad news: Emissions from the historic wildfire season in the western U.S., which is partially driven by climate change, have been four times higher than the yearly average.

That jump in wildfire activity will offset the U.S. economy-wide emissions drop by about 3%. But the U.S. should still post a 6.5% total decrease in emissions this year, according to the BloombergNEF report.

One disaster Trump ignored is directly fighting against another disaster Trump ignored.

[PhaelixWW]

One disaster Trump ignored is directly fighting against another disaster Trump ignored.

Too bad they're also directly fighting against the people of the US, as well, otherwise that might really qualify as a silver lining.

As it is, it's more like a sooty, plague-filled lining.

[Breccia]

Too bad they're also directly fighting against the people of the US, as well, otherwise that might really qualify as a silver lining..

Oddly enough, the smoke probably...oh. Anyhow yes, Trump's America is like Mr. Burns having every single disease and claiming he's indestructible.

[postman1782]

Man, what happened with Hunter's laptop? It's almost like it didn't fucking matter.

I think when Fox News found out the information they got was from a literal fake person that was created by an AI, then they quietly dropped it after someone tried to steal their fake information.

[Breccia]

A second local prosecutor on Thursday asked the U.S. Justice Department to have his name removed from a controversial report on policing reforms, saying he feared it would fail to address systemic racism in the criminal justice system.

So we're clear, they wrote the report, he read it, he didn't like it, he wanted his name removed from it.

In October, a federal judge temporarily stopped the Justice Department from publishing the commission’s report, saying it had violated federal open meetings laws.

The ruling came after the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (NAACP LDF) sued the panel, alleging it lacked diverse membership, allowed police interest groups to have undue influence on the commission’s work, and failed to give ample access to open meetings.

The commission had planned to deliver a slate of proposals recommending sweeping new powers for police shortly before the November presidential election.

Earlier this month, the judge told the Justice Department it could only release the final report with a disclaimer saying it was written in violation of federal open meeting laws.

Trump is just the absolute worst.

- - - Updated - - -

So before Benggaul hits us with the numbers...ugh, wishing i had that pint after all...it's worth pointing out that the Trump administration has gone from "hoax that will vanish after the election" to "follow these guidelines for Thanksgiving or you will die".

It is far too late for Team Trump to get any credit for stopping or even slowing this. Trump's actions, and inactions, are leading us back into April levels of deaths per day.

[Benggaul]

192,186 new cases; about 30k more than last Thursday. Another new national record.

Top 20:

Texas: 15,133 new cases (new record); 226 deaths
Illinois: 14,612 new cases; 180 deaths
California: 12,953 new cases (new record); 97 deaths
Fuck Florida.
Michigan: 7,983 new cases; 144 deaths
Minnesota: 7,863 new cases; 72 deaths (new record)
Ohio: 7,787 new cases; 63 deaths
Indiana: 7,281 new cases; 59 deaths
Pennsylvania: 6,881 new cases (new record); 104 deaths
Wisconsin: 6,635 new cases; 83 deaths
Colorado: 6,107 new cases; 79 deaths
New York: 5,753 new cases; 33 deaths
New Jersey: 4,755 new cases (new record); 36 deaths
Missouri: 4,425 new cases; 38 deaths
North Carolina: 4,296 new cases (new record); 38 deaths
Arizona: 4,123 new cases; 19 deaths
Iowa: 4,113 new cases; 39 deaths (tied record)
Utah: 3,968 new cases; 16 deaths
New Mexico: 3,665 new cases (new record); 12 deaths
Kentucky: 3,637 new cases (new record); 30 deaths

Other states with new case/death records: Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Texas becomes the third state to pass 15k cases (and Midland has STILL apparently not reported since the day after the election--if anyone in the area wants to take a deeper look into what the fuck is up with that be my guest). New Jersey set a new record for the first time since mid-April. Arizona is now approaching the levels they had in Summer when they had to set up actual death panels. I almost went through the full top 20 list without getting to a state below 4k. 42 states had 1k or more new cases. 200k+ tomorrow is looking like more of a certainty. ICUs--both permanent and makeshift--are filling up at an alarming rate through a good chunk of the nation and medical staff are becoming fatigued. The GOP who decided to side with Trump's downplaying of the pandemic are now pushing stopgap measures through for their states--conveniently after the election, and far too late.

2,065 deaths, nearly 900 more than last Thursday. The total is now 258,333. So much for yesterday being an anomaly. I guess there's still the chance that both days are aberrations, but I'm less optimistic today than I was yesterday. Texas passed 200 again. 4 states had triple digits and California nearly joined them. 40 states had double digits or more. I'm not up to predicting what tomorrow will bring after today's disappointment.

Related news:

WHO Advises Doctors Not to Use Gilead’s Remdesivir for Covid--I think there was a study not long ago that said as much, but apparently the WHO is confirming it's not all that beneficial.

Rural hospitals brace for onslaught of COVID-19 patients--They're not going to be able to rely on passing overflow to the cities because the cities are ground-fucking-zero.

Pence projects confidence in Covid response as pandemic worsens nationwide--"Great progress!" he says. I guess parasites just naturally cheer each other on. Fuck Pence, fuck Trump and fuck you if you still support their bullshit.

Stay safe, folks.

[Corvus]

The 200K/2K number looks like coming sooner than I had expected. At this rate it is going to be close to 500K dead than 400K by the time Trump leaves office.

Seriously, at some point someone has got to start realising that this can't go on. This is turning into the US's equivalent of the Great Chinese Famine or the Holodomor.

[Thepersona]

Too bad they're also directly fighting against the people of the US, as well, otherwise that might really qualify as a silver lining.

As it is, it's more like a sooty, plague-filled lining.

Sooo... it's like when Nurglites started Fighting Khornates in the plague war?

[PhaelixWW]

Texas: 15,133 new cases (new record); 226 deaths

Texas becomes the third state to pass 15k cases (and Midland has STILL apparently not reported since the day after the election--if anyone in the area wants to take a deeper look into what the fuck is up with that be my guest).

Worldometers is showing that Midland had a +733 total as part of today's 15,133.



It looks like maybe they're catching up, and checking out Midland's update website, they note:

Beginning on November 9, 2020, the City of Midland Health Department will report daily and weekly COVID-19 case counts on the chart below.

From their update calendar on that page, it looks like the +733 is supposed to be an update dump from the last three days (302+218+210 = 730)



My guess is that worldometers will catch up to the new reporting method and reassign those numbers correctly later, but it might be fine from here on out.

EDIT: The page also notes that the numbers in red (so everything from 11/6 onward) is, well...

Please note, numbers listed in red are preliminary data and are subject to change based on additional reporting.

[Belize]

The 200K/2K number looks like coming sooner than I had expected. At this rate it is going to be close to 500K dead than 400K by the time Trump leaves office.

Seriously, at some point someone has got to start realising that this can't go on. This is turning into the US's equivalent of the Great Chinese Famine or the Holodomor.

Do you think Trump and the GOP actually care?

Their stocks are making record profits and no one currently in power gives a singular shit about long term sustainability. This is the meme of cities destroyed by nuclear blasts with a guy in a suit telling other survivors that for a brief moment they generated infinite value for shareholders. They're riding this to the grave.

[Breccia]

2,065 deaths, nearly 900 more than last Thursday. The total is now 258,333. So much for yesterday being an anomaly.

Yeah...

(rips open Ghirardelli Dark Squares)

...yeah.

The CDC can and should say things like "don't travel by a bus packed with strangers" but the house is on fire and they're suggesting you hide in the closet. The problem of "the house is on fire" should have been solved first while the house was only a little on fire.

[PhaelixWW]

CNN is lighting the fire under Trump's feet. You know, just in case he forgot about what was looming for him in... <check's calendar> ...exactly two months.

CNN: New York authorities investigating millions in tax write-offs from the Trump Organization

New York authorities investigating the Trump Organization have expanded their inquiries to include tax write-offs involving millions of dollars in consulting fees, according to people familiar with the investigation.

Investigators with the Manhattan district attorney's office, which is conducting a broad criminal investigation, and the New York attorney general's office, which has a civil inquiry under way, have subpoenaed the Trump Organization seeking records relating to the consulting fees.

The subpoenas were in response to a New York Times investigation into President Donald Trump's tax returns that first disclosed that he took $26 million in write-offs that came from fees he paid to consultants, including an apparent $747,000 fee that the Times said matched a payment disclosed by Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump.

The New York Times first reported the subpoenas had been sent. There is no suggestion that Ivanka Trump accounted for the payment improperly. Representatives for the Manhattan district attorney, New York attorney general and Trump Organization declined to comment.

Ivanka Trump reacted to the Times' story Thursday evening, tweeting, "This is harassment pure and simple. This 'inquiry' by NYC democrats is 100% motivated by politics, publicity and rage. They know very well that there's nothing here and that there was no tax benefit whatsoever. These politicians are simply ruthless."

Alan Garten, general counsel of the Trump Organization, told the Times, "Everything was done in strict compliance with applicable law and under the advice of counsel and tax experts." He added, "All applicable taxes were paid and no party received any undue benefit."

The New York investigations are the most serious facing Trump as he leaves office and becomes a private citizen.

The district attorney has been in a year-long battle over a subpoena for the President's tax returns. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the matter soon. That investigation is wide ranging and prosecutors have suggested in court filings it could include anything from insurance fraud, tax fraud or schemes to defraud -- the equivalent of a federal bank fraud charge.

The New York attorney general's investigation is focusing on whether the Trump Organization or Trump improperly inflated the value of certain assets in violation of tax laws or when seeking loans and the forgiveness of a $100 million loan. They have identified at least four Trump properties that are under scrutiny.

[Breccia]

"New York authorities investigating the Trump Organization have expanded their inquiries to include tax write-offs involving millions of dollars in consulting fees, according to people familiar with the investigation."

We talked about that before. A charity is allowed to pay people salaries and still be a charity. You could attempt to dodge taxes by making a "charity" and paying yourself and your friends very large salaries, preferably from money stolen from a children's cancer fund raiser.

It would work great, fi you didn't run for office and intentionally bring a spotlight on yourself.

[beanman12345]

CNN is lighting the fire under Trump's feet. You know, just in case he forgot about what was looming for him in... <check's calendar> ...exactly two months.

CNN: New York authorities investigating millions in tax write-offs from the Trump Organization

The best part of your quote is Ivanka's reaction, because she is so screwed and will likely spend time in prison due to the fraud. Trump himself, i think at best he get's house arrest, but Ivanka, prison. Wouldn't be surprised if the two dolt sons are involved too in some regards.

[postman1782]

FUCKING SURPRISING, Fox News is finally pushing back against Trump.

[Blur4stuff]

Looks like Murdoch isn't happy about Trump threatening to compete. Of course, there's zero chance Trump would successfully run a media company.

[Breccia]

FUCKING SURPRISING, Fox News is finally pushing back against Trump.

Literally hit pause and stopped watching after four seconds. I'd seen enough.

FOX News is still mostly playing the Trump angle, but they are also thinking long-term. They know they, at least, will survive Trump's inevitable downfall.

- - - Updated - - -

Yet another top Pentagon official tests positive.

[Kathranis]

FUCKING SURPRISING, Fox News is finally pushing back against Trump.

Fox News has been alternatingly pushing back against Trump and continuing to act as a mouthpiece depending on which anchors and which program is airing.

At the end of the day Fox News is still gonna be Fox News.

[Azadina]

Looks like Murdoch isn't happy about Trump threatening to compete. Of course, there's zero chance Trump would successfully run a media company.

Could add one to his resume of bankrupted businesses. He doesn't have media company there yet, does he?

[Breccia]

Fox News has been alternatingly pushing back against Trump and continuing to act as a mouthpiece depending on which anchors and which program is airing.

Indeed. FOX News overall seems to be riding the Trump Train, but every once in a while one of them does point out that it's derailed.

- - - Updated - - -

Trump plans to virtually attend an APEC conference, yes China will be there.

First of all, awkward.

Second of all, Trump sure seems to be signing a lot of E.O.s, threatening to defund the government, take credit for vaccines, etc. pretty frequently lately. Where was this energy when he was elected?

Sleepy Donnie Trump is about to see how much respect the world really has for him, now that everyone admits he lost.