Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Kaleredar]

So.. About the garden of American heroes... why the fuck is Columbus on that list? He was a rapist murderer, an italian who traveled thanks to the spanish crown and never ever set foot on the americas (only on some of the islands)...

Columbus, for a good long time in America, was taught as a noble explorer who valiantly braved treacherous oceans to discover the new world. That narrative usually then does a giant time skip from 1492 to the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620, with nary another thought put to Columbus or his genocide.

However, that narrative as of late has luckily come under much greater scrutiny, with a lot more being taught (at least in colleges) about how Columbus was actually a violent, exploitative and feckless man, upon whom even his contemporaries said "this guy is fucking nuts."

Much like with doing away with the "lost noble cause of the confederacy" angle, pushing this greater understanding of history is ruffling the feathers of many conservatives who want the American lineage to be one of only shining examples: That you don't have to assess your current actions, because the spotless glories of the past have ordained you with the power to take action beyond reproach. Revealing that some part of what created you was actually stained with blood, destruction, and murder perpetrated on innocent people calls that whole narrative into question.

[Ayirasi]

I'm surprised as well. Are the comments and ratings rigged? Trump videos usually get downvoted into oblivion with scathing comments

The people in the comments are sucking her dick like they owe her money, when the past few years have shown that there aren't much uses for her outside of an onahole. If that.

[Benggaul]

142,022 new cases and 1,422 deaths bringing the total to 408,620. The numbers today are largely meaningless both because it's Monday and because it's a holiday and therefore it's woefully underreported. Tomorrow's numbers will likely be affected as well.

Not sure where I'll be taking this once the TRUMP SHITSHOW comes to an end given that it's likely to be an ongoing urgent problem for most of the year still thanks to Trump's admin fucking it up from the start. I'd rather not pollute the General COVID-19 thread with politics (which is why I've always done the updates here, for those of you still wondering) and I'm not sure I want to dump it in the Biden thread--unless his administration also starts fucking things up. I'll figure it out by the time the end of the thread comes, I guess.

Stay safe, folks.

[Spectral]

Columbus, for a good long time in America, was taught as a noble explorer who valiantly braved treacherous oceans to discover the new world. That narrative usually then does a giant time skip from 1492 to the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620, with nary another thought put to Columbus or his genocide.

Also worth a mention is that the first celebration of Columbus Day in the United States was in 1891 after the brutal lynching of 11 Italian-Americans in an effort to mend diplomatic problems with Italy and build some solidarity with Italian-Americans. I don't know what the average American thought of Columbus in 1840 (if anything), but by the early 1900s, the holiday was clearly about celebrating Italian-American culture. Cultures have their heroes and the historical figure often doesn't have that much to do with it.

[beanman12345]

Just finding out about secret pardons, he's gonna self pardon, and not tell anyone.

[Kaleredar]

Also worth a mention is that the first celebration of Columbus Day in the United States was in 1891 after the brutal lynching of 11 Italian-Americans in an effort to mend diplomatic problems with Italy and build some solidarity with Italian-Americans. I don't know what the average American thought of Columbus in 1840 (if anything), but by the early 1900s, the holiday was clearly about celebrating Italian-American culture. Cultures have their heroes and the historical figure often doesn't have that much to do with it.

There are far better historical Italian-American figures to celebrate than Columbus, who wasn't even acting under orders from Italy anyway.

Might as well be celebrating Mussolini if he happened to discover some chunk of land somewhere... that he then brutally murdered and enslaved the natives to take.

I very much doubt Italy would be "offended" by America ceasing to celebrate Columbus day. People have already suggested celebrating indigenous peoples day on what used to be Columbus day in a bit of karmic irony.

[Breccia]

In yet another blow to the thing Trump seems to value more than his job or country, Trump's poll numbers keep dropping.

Gallup puts him at 34% approval.

- - - Updated - - -

Just finding out about secret pardons, he's gonna self pardon, and not tell anyone.

Near as I can tell, nothing in the Constitution says the pardons have to be announced. But two things:

1) There does have to be some record. It's not like any court will take Trump's word without evidence that he pardoned someone but forgot to bring the paperwork with him. Biden can, therefore, immediately look at those records and announce all the secret pardons in a couple days. No record, no pardon.

2) Once it is known Trump issued blanket secret pre-emptive pardons, Biden can and should say "Well it looks like the President is allowed to issue blanket, secret, pre-emptive pardons. Trump did it, and everyone backed him. Therefore, just a second (turns back, scribbles furiously) there, I have now issued blanket, secret, pre-emptive pardons of my own. I'll just tuck these in a desk drawer for four, maybe eight years. Now, if the Republican Party doesn't like where that's going, surely they'd be willing to propose a bill that would outlaw blanket, secret, and-or pre-emptive pardons. Any. All, Go nuts. Hell, I'll sign it. Aaaaaaaaand I'll wait until such a bill is put forward before moving to prosecute Trump on any of his crimes. Sorry. I don't make the rules. (chuckles) Oh. Wait. I do."

[swiftowner]

Just finding out about secret pardons, he's gonna self pardon, and not tell anyone.

Is there a source for that?

[beanman12345]

Is there a source for that?

Talking about pardons was basically his entire monologue, but starting about the 6 minute mark going for the next 2, "don't trust the pardon list."

[Egomaniac]

Is there a source for that?

Which part?

For secret Pardons...there's no constitutional requirement to reveal the recipient of the pardon, not even to the recipient. It would only be revealed when the recipient is actually charged with a federal crime.

As to him secretly pardoning himself...well...if there was a source...it wouldn't be a secret.

[Breccia]

Once again, it's time for Guess the Speaker!

I think history will remember us very well

"Trump. Duh."

Actually it's Pompeo in a move which is either/both of these options:
1) a bid for Vice President 2024, and/or
2) reality denial

[Egomaniac]

In yet another blow to the thing Trump seems to value more than his job or country, Trump's poll numbers keep dropping.

His "series finale" should get some good ratings though. :P

- - - Updated - - -

Once again, it's time for Guess the Speaker!



"Trump. Duh."

Actually it's Pompeo in a move which is either/both of these options:
1) a bid for Vice President 2024, and/or
2) reality denial

Fixed it for you :P

[Polyxo]

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of hope, justice and equality.

So what's wrong. Seems like a nice message on MLK Day. Problem is this from official ICE Government Twitter. I have a feeling that MLK would have some issues with the way ICE has treated the people under their custody and arrests.

I dunno, maybe he's from the 'did you pay duties on those bananas' part of ICE or whatever.

[Shakadam]

142,022 new cases and 1,422 deaths bringing the total to 408,620. The numbers today are largely meaningless both because it's Monday and because it's a holiday and therefore it's woefully underreported. Tomorrow's numbers will likely be affected as well.

Not sure where I'll be taking this once the TRUMP SHITSHOW comes to an end given that it's likely to be an ongoing urgent problem for most of the year still thanks to Trump's admin fucking it up from the start. I'd rather not pollute the General COVID-19 thread with politics (which is why I've always done the updates here, for those of you still wondering) and I'm not sure I want to dump it in the Biden thread--unless his administration also starts fucking things up. I'll figure it out by the time the end of the thread comes, I guess.

Stay safe, folks.

So, that means more Americans have now died from Covid-19 than the total amount of American deaths during World War II.

[Kaleredar]

So, that means more Americans have now died from Covid-19 than the total amount of American deaths during World War II.

Paranoid governance during WW2 stripped innocent people of their homes and tossed them in internment camps for the fear of them doing something that might cost American lives.

But a disease that has killed more Americans than the Nazis or Japanese ever did? Not even worth a nation-wide mask mandate. And that refusal comes from the side that houses the only people who would probably cheer that gross, shameful and degrading overreach in WW2 as having been some shade of "necessary."

[Xyonai]

So, that means more Americans have now died from Covid-19 than the total amount of American deaths during World War II.

yeah but Trump never got us into any new wars tho so #winning

[Kellhound]

So, that means more Americans have now died from Covid-19 than the total amount of American deaths during World War II.

No, not yet. Over 417,000 Americans died in WWII.

[Kaleredar]

yeah but Trump never got us into any new wars tho so #winning

But, but, but, remember, Hillary would have... something, something, Syria, something, something, Iran, somethingsomething... EMAILS!

No, not yet. Over 417,000 Americans died in WWII.

Oh okay, so... another few weeks, then. Just in time for Biden to take office and for conservative squawkboxes to start saying that Biden has failed to contain the virus still ravaging the world in his first month on the job, with a handy comparative figure for them to bandy about like they suddenly care.

[Breccia]

No, not yet. Over 417,000 Americans died in WWII.

Awesome. Trump is about to kill more Americans than Nazis.

[draynay]

Awesome. Trump is about to kill more Americans than Nazis.

Way way past that, considering the Pacific theater is included.