POTUS Donald Trump

[USAFChief]

Well ridiculous that it was left out.  I'm not sure why you're taking this position...or if you actually think businesses should be able to provide a la carte health care on the basis of their discriminatory religious beliefs.  

 

If we really want to address an underlying problem to many of our social issues--over population, esp. among the poor--birth control in all forms should be free in vending machines in every neighborhood corner store.

You're not sure why I'm taking the position that birth control is not a constitutional right?

 

Didn't you just graduate law school?

[D. Hocking]

From this excerpt this interview must be all kinds of horrible.  Trump is at his most vile when interviewed by someone kissing his behind.  

 

Also, it would be nice if Puerto Rico still was still getting decent media coverage besides when Trump says something stupid and/or insulting.

[PseudoSABR]

 

You're not sure why I'm taking the position that birth control is not a constitutional right?

Didn't you just graduate law school?

Well, no one is saying that BC is a constitutional right.     It is unconstitutional for business to discriminate based on gender.   (In any case, Trump withdrawing the mandate is just wrong, a constitutional violation or not).

 

You seem to be arguing for the rights of businesses, but I'm not really sure you believe that they should offer uneven benefits based on the demographic of their employee or the owner's religion. 

[Vanimal46]

Mike Pence put on his big boy pants yesterday and did a planned early exit at the Indianapolis Colts football game. Apparently Trump and him discussed that if players were protesting during the national anthem (there was no question about it) that he would leave the game. 

It only cost taxpayers about $242,500. Or about $200k more than if he skipped the game all together and flew directly from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. But hey, that $200k must be worth it to stir the pot even more. 

[D. Hocking]

They might have had a better chance of evading the planned part of Pence's being so publicized if Trump did not have such a need to have his ego massaged and had to tweet and brag that it was his idea that Pence should walk out.

 

In case you want to need to do more shopping...  Not surprisingly, Trump wants to make Columbus great again, and in his official Columbus Day statement made sure their was no mention of the Native American population.  Trump is also already using the Las Vegas shooting in trying to get campaign donations.  You could not make him up of he did not exist.

 

[gunnarthor]

And after his SOS called him a moron, Trump is now suggesting they compare IQ tests. He's just so very dumb.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/10/10/trump-proposes-iq-tests-face-off-with-tillerson-after-secretary-of-state-calls-him-a-moron/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_pp-trump-iq-8am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.e5105ba4707f

[Badsmerf]

And after his SOS called him a moron, Trump is now suggesting they compare IQ tests. He's just so very dumb.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/10/10/trump-proposes-iq-tests-face-off-with-tillerson-after-secretary-of-state-calls-him-a-moron/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_pp-trump-iq-8am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.e5105ba4707f

Yes please! I'd love to see the results of any test done by Trump. Of course, he would probably just pay someone to do it for him like he has done his entire life...

 

In other news, NFL owners are now considering policy for kneeling during the national anthem. To me, that would exacerbate the situation. How would you feel as player, other than they are trying to silence you. If it happens, I don't think it will go well. I could already see black players feeling animosity toward Jerry Jones, and if I was them, Dallas wouldn't be high on my teams to play for.

[D. Hocking]

I think people should stand for the flag, but forcing them to stand is a much bigger insult to the flag than taking a knee.  There is also something disturbing about the President of the United of States using his power and financial threats to force a business to adopt a policy so he can get his way and brag that he got a "win".

 

Forcing an appearance of patriotism is a scary road to head down as is having a President who seems to not be adverse to abusing his power to get people to bend to his will (and bow down before him) and thinks his view is the only view.

 

I also think the NFL is going to exacerbate their troubles if they do this.  They are underestimating or possibly just be dismissive of how many of their players feel strongly about these issues (or worse case scenario are like Mike Ditka and think there has been no oppression for 100 years).

 

Amazing that Trump has not even tweeted about the deaths from the fires or the service men killed last week.  There is nothing horrible enough out there that could eclipse his malignant narcissism and thinking beyond himself.

[Craig Arko]

“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”

 

— Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

[drjim]

 

“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”

 

— Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

 

There was some value for this way of thinking in the various misadventures of the last 16 (!) years, but I don't think it is going to work with North Korea to significantly swing support towards him. On the plus side, it will further split the country.

[Vanimal46]

I don't see much of a difference between Trump/NFL owners forcing players to stand for the national anthem, and Kim Jong-un forcing citizens to sing a song praising his leadership and accomplishments.  

[Craig Arko]

 

I don't see much of a difference between Trump/NFL owners forcing players to stand for the national anthem, and Kim Jong-un forcing citizens to sing a song praising his leadership and accomplishments.  

Well yeah, since there is no difference.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I don't see much of a difference between Trump/NFL owners forcing players to stand for the national anthem, and Kim Jong-un forcing citizens to sing a song praising his leadership and accomplishments.  

 

I really wish that a: the players cared enough about this to kneel    b: 2-4 superstars from one team did it, and see what the team really did.....

[Vanimal46]

 

I really wish that a: the players cared enough about this to kneel    b: 2-4 superstars from one team did it, and see what the team really did.....

 

A good test would be with the Dallas Cowboys, since now Jerry Jones is coming out the woodwork saying players who kneel won't play. 

I would like to see him follow through on that threat if their superstar players decided to kneel during the anthem. 

[jimmer]

 

A good test would be with the Dallas Cowboys, since now Jerry Jones is coming out the woodwork saying players who kneel won't play. 

I would like to see him follow through on that threat if their superstar players decided to kneel during the anthem. 

Yeah, I'm really hoping Prescott, Witten, Elliot decide to kneel.  

[jimmer]

 

I don't see much of a difference between Trump/NFL owners forcing players to stand for the national anthem, and Kim Jong-un forcing citizens to sing a song praising his leadership and accomplishments.  

There isn't.

 

Also did anyone notice Supreme Leader Trump suggested going after NBC licensing because they report 'fake news' on him?  Cause anything that is negative about him or isn't glorifying him as the best at everything is fake news.

 

YES, he's going after the first amendment A LOT!

 

But hey, at least the 2nd amendment is safe.

[Badsmerf]

Jerry Jones is playing a dangerous game IMO. The fan base is for sure on his side, but the players have the power. Black Americans have been through this before. A powerful white man choosing what rights they do and don't have. The players should be willing to sit for this. Force his hand and see what happens, that's what I would do. I'm also embarrassed there are so few white players kneeling (are there any!?).

[gunnarthor]

Albright college (Div III) cut their back-up QB for kneeling. 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2738139-gyree-durante-cut-by-albright-college-after-kneeling-during-national-anthem?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

 

The NFL has blackballed Kaepernick. I'm sure there are a lot of players who want to say something but unless they are at the Manning/Brady level, it's pretty hard to do it.

[gunnarthor]

So now Trump is threatening to pull back federal aid to Puerto Rico in another pretty obvious effort to create a social divide. Abandoning Puerto Rico is great for his base and insulting to anyone with a soul. 

[Craig Arko]

 

So now Trump is threatening to pull back federal aid to Puerto Rico in another pretty obvious effort to create a social divide. Abandoning Puerto Rico is great for his base and insulting to anyone with a soul. 

Or even just some humanity and compassion.

[drjim]

The US also just pulled out of UNESCO for some reason.

[D. Hocking]

 

The US also just pulled out of UNESCO for some reason.

 

Most likely something to do with his misshapen ego and to soothe his malignant soul.

 

Supposedly the executive order he signed to day basically lets people buy the worthless junk insurance policies that will do more harm than good.

 

You look at his twitter feed, and you would think the biggest tragedy occurring right now is how he is a victim to the lying media (who largely just reports what he says).  He makes Nero playing the fiddle seem like a great humanitarian doing deeds of kindness and charity.

 

and yes, those PR tweets....

[jimmer]

Trump cries fake news when news reports use his own tweets.

[PseudoSABR]

Looks like the GOP is gonna mess up the political viability of the tax plan as well: 

 

The Trump ‘tax reform’ actually manages to raise taxes on a substantial number of people. Big picture, it’s a massive tax cut for the very wealthy and the mind-bogglingly wealthy, paid for – among other things – by a substantial tax increase for the upper middle class and the only moderately wealthy. The moderately wealthy can probably afford to pay higher taxes. Why they should do so to fund massive cuts for the extremely wealthy isn’t at all clear. What is significant on a political calculus is that wealthy people vote and make their views heard in the political world, through campaign contributions and in other ways as well. Put simply, they can fight back. That may not be fair. But it is the system we live in today. That makes this legislation not just bad policy but highly questionable politics.

 

Via TPM

[drjim]

Looks like the GOP is gonna mess up the political viability of the tax plan as well:

Via TPM

It especially hits slightly upper middle class families with younger children. Such a bizarre demographic to punish.

[gunnarthor]

So now we have Trumpcare. Probably not a good thing.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/13/daily-202-throwing-a-bomb-into-the-insurance-markets-trump-now-owns-the-broken-health-care-system/59dff67a30fb041a74e75d48/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_daily202-759am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.36e0c2599507

[drjim]

So now we have Trumpcare. Probably not a good thing.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/10/13/daily-202-throwing-a-bomb-into-the-insurance-markets-trump-now-owns-the-broken-health-care-system/59dff67a30fb041a74e75d48/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_daily202-759am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.36e0c2599507

Kind of get the impression Trump is good about criticizing, can take a sledgehammer to the current system and create chaos, but not especially interested in producing something that actually works. When bad results start rolling in he'll try and blame Congress. Will be interesting to see how voters respond.

 

In other news, there is almost certainly going to be a government shutdown.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

What would the process be for removing Pelosi and Schumer from leadership?

[gunnarthor]

 

What would the process be for removing Pelosi and Schumer from leadership?

Votes of house and senate dems respectively.  

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Votes of house and senate dems respectively.

 

i wonder what the chances are of those two stepping down and Democrats calling for a re-vote