Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Thepersona]

Question for any jap around here (or people who know about them/their politics). How liked/not liked is Shinzo Abe in that Country?

[Breccia]

He kept pausing for applause

Sounds like he got one of Trump's speechwriters. No, really. Trump's speeches are almost entirely written for the rabid fanbase, and they're just itching for the chance to cheer at his objective lies and unkeepable promises.

The rest of the world has no such feelings.

You tailor your speech to your audience. This...didn't seem to happen.

[Thepersona]

"Jap" has a very bad connotation, pretty much akin to "nigger".

Ok, I didnt know that. I'm sorry if i offended someone,

He reached some historical lows in popularity in the past few years, to the point there were calls for him to resign less than a year ago. But somehow he turned that all around, and now he's back to pretty good results in most polls. Add to that very little competition from opposition without anyone standing out and no one else standing out in his own party, he's on track to stay PM for longer.

But this year is probably going to be very eventful in Japanese politics, with the emperor abdicating in a few months, elections in July and a tax hike planned later this year, opinions could change quickly.

it's useful to know this. Is the tax hike affecting middle class japanese people, or only the rich?

[Breccia]

Once again it's time to play Guess the Speaker!

I wonder if a sitting President exhorting his followers that my role in a TV comedy qualifies me as an enemy of the people constitutes a threat to my safety and that of my family?

Yes, that's President Alec Baldwin.

[RobertoCarlos]

Alec Baldwin should know better than trying to undermine a dictator with humor.

[Kiri]

Alec Baldwin should know better than trying to undermine a dictator with humor.

Undermine implies that his caricature of Trump could do more damage to the man than the real deal already does.

[Zaydin]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.8e64e9f38b5d

So uh...that Nobel nomination? Yeah, it was a fraudulent submission...for the second year in a row.

That article is from a year ago though. Anything newer about this new allegedly fraudulent admission?

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Undermine implies that his caricature of Trump could do more damage to the man than the real deal already does.

Any competent lawyer would laugh Trump out of the room if he demanded they sue SNL for making fun of him.

[Breccia]

SO Axios reports that the Commerce Dept had delivered to Trump their analysis of what his proposed 25% auto tariffs will do.

"When do they become public?"

HAHAHAHAHA..."public"...ah, that's good. No. The article is very clear: most economists, most of Trump's advisors, and the entire auto industry opposes these tariffs and call them anywhere from "terrible" to "stupid". Trump, however, has demonstrably proven he loves taking hostages, and is expected to keep the report hidden so he can reference it, lying of course, as a reason to have more tariffs.

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NBC News lays out the case of how Trump's speech could easily cost him when his "national security lol" ends up in court. Besides the stuff we already know (he said he didn't have to do it, he waited three weeks after waiting five weeks after waiting two years, all his quoted numbers were fiction, etc) they call out what he didn't say:

"The military is needed to do this."

As a reminder, the military is still not allowed to arrest drug dealers or human traffickers (which use legal points of entry anyhow) on US soil. Saying "the military is needed to do this" will be an uphill climb regardless. But his failure to even say that, when it's still objectively evident he's lying to make his case, suggest this is a lie not even Trump is willing to sell on his rabid fanbase.

[PACOX]

New nickname (credit goes to Twitter), MarALardass.

Happy President's Day everyone.

[Paranoid Android]

McCabe: Trump said "I don't care, I believe Putin" when shown US intel on North Korea https://t.co/AatE3UTI25 https://t.co/ojIReEQFtP

https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1...598576640?s=19

Former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said that President Trump dismissed intelligence on North Korea given to him by U.S. officials, telling them, "I don't care, I believe Putin."

Trump told officials in a meeting that he did not believe North Korean missiles could strike the U.S. mainland because Russian President Vladimir Putin told him those missiles did not exist, according to McCabe.

"Intelligence officials in the briefing responded that that was not consistent with any of the intelligence our government possesses to which the president replied, "I don't care. I believe Putin,"" McCabe told host Scott Pelley in an interview with 60 Minutes released Sunday.

So once again backed up that trump believes Putin over US Intelligence.

Edit: For context this was McCabe hearing this second-hand. He was not there personally.

[Breccia]

So once again backed up that trump believes Putin over US Intelligence.

He also believes the 25th Amendment is illegal and treason.

[Breccia]

Just a reminder, there is still a vacant seat in the House. Remember, the Republican (Harris) sent someone around to collect absentee ballots, and by a massive coincidence, these absentee ballots were like 98% or something else ridiculous in his favor, in an otherwise very close race. What are the odds.

The NC Election Board begins the hearing of evidence today. A state court is waiting for that investigation to end, before hearing Harris's case (that he should win anyway).

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So, how are those trade talks with China going?

"Not great, the USA accused China of spying while China accused the US of throttling its tech development."

Which side is correct?

"Doesn't matter. The fact that there's a disagreement with both governments yelling substantial accusations means the talks are going poorly."

[Breccia]

Also what the fuck is going on in Haiti, some mercs got busted armed to the teeth think 2 were merican?

You are likely talking about this story. We have nearly no data -- Haiti isn't, erm, a hotbed of technology and information.

[DarkTZeratul]

Found an interesting article about how Trump's biggest problem isn't Mueller, but the SDNY:
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/...gation-1173346

"Bob Mueller has a task: It’s Russian interference and potential collusion in the 2016 election,” [Chris Christie] said. “Southern District of New York is whatever the heck you want.”

[Endus]

https://www.rollingstone.com/politic...shairs-796184/



As a comment on "an Instagram photo of the federal judge who is presiding over his case with crosshairs near her head" he posted on his account.

Glad that Roger Stone guy is just another coffee boy.

To dig into that pic for a sec, this link has what's almost certainly the original; https://m.dailykos.com/stories/1835742

So it's not just background in the original shot. It's added in there, on purpose.

Here's the original of what Stone cropped down;



I can't find the original source; Stone claims it's from "Corruption Central", as the wording in the background suggests, but I can't actually find a site named that. The only sources I can find for the image are batshit conspiracy sites, and Russian propaganda sites. The Facebook for "Corruption Central" doesn't seem connected and hasn't had a post since 2014. The best probably origin is a conspiracy nutcase blog named "Americans for Innovation", that I won't link to because it's awful and you can Google it if you want to, I won't drive traffic their way.

Regardless, it doesn't really matter, since this really isn't an improvement on anything for Stone. Just a demonstration of how completely bent his mind actually is.

[Zaydin]

To dig into that pic for a sec, this link has what's almost certainly the original; https://m.dailykos.com/stories/1835742

So it's not just background in the original shot. It's added in there, on purpose.

Here's the original of what Stone cropped down;



I can't find the original source; Stone claims it's from "Corruption Central", as the wording in the background suggests, but I can't actually find a site named that. The only sources I can find for the image are batshit conspiracy sites, and Russian propaganda sites. The Facebook for "Corruption Central" doesn't seem connected and hasn't had a post since 2014. The best probably origin is a conspiracy nutcase blog named "Americans for Innovation", that I won't link to because it's awful and you can Google it if you want to, I won't drive traffic their way.

Regardless, it doesn't really matter, since this really isn't an improvement on anything for Stone. Just a demonstration of how completely bent his mind actually is.

Seems fitting that karma is finally catching up to one of Nixons dirty tricksters after all these decades.

[Edge-]

https://theweek.com/speedreads/82443...p-speech-wasnt

The White House has posted online the remarks made by Vice President Mike Pence last Friday at the Munich Security Conference, but there's a glaring error. In the beginning of his address, Pence said it was his "great honor" to speak "on behalf of a champion of freedom and a champion of a strong national defense, the 45th president of the United States, President Donald Trump." In the transcript, it says this was followed by "(Applause)." In reality, it was followed by (Silence).

So again, the White House is straight up lying in official transcripts. But all the folks so concerned with "FAKE NEWS" seem blissfully unconcerned about this.

Which is amusing, because it's not like we don't have literal video of Pence pathetically making a speech with all the appropriate pauses for applause, only to be met with dead silence.

https://www.newsweek.com/contrast-jo...atment-1334278

Meanwhile, Biden got a few rounds of at least polite applause. Hawkward.

[Dontrike]

https://theweek.com/speedreads/82443...p-speech-wasnt



So again, the White House is straight up lying in official transcripts. But all the folks so concerned with "FAKE NEWS" seem blissfully unconcerned about this.

Which is amusing, because it's not like we don't have literal video of Pence pathetically making a speech with all the appropriate pauses for applause, only to be met with dead silence.

https://www.newsweek.com/contrast-jo...atment-1334278

Meanwhile, Biden got a few rounds of at least polite applause. Hawkward.

Entire Trump administration " WHY DONT YOU LIKE ME !?" is getting pretty sad.

[zorkuus]

What a manchild. Poor donny boy needs attention.

[Flarelaine]

Being stupid is practically a requirement to be racist.

Well, no, not really. You can be racist in a cold and calculated, even scientific manner. Source: the 20th century.

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If that happens, there goes all my faith in other Americans. My dad's been saying "People are just too stupid. We're already fucked." But I've tried to keep my faith. A second Trump win however? Time for me to move to another country.

Incidentally, this problem is not specific to America, but a direct consequence of universal suffrage. Observe Brexit.

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On a side note, this was a pretty badass float

I can totally see Trump thinking it is a compliment.

We have a thread with his faithful raving all over it.