Trump

[Son of Mathonwy]

(Aside for SF fans - this situation reminds me of the start of Dune, when the Atreides take over from the Harkonnens and have to turn everything upside down searching for booby traps.)

Hah! I like that reference. He's not competent enough to build a death trap, but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't break things out of petty spite.

Puja

Now that I think about it, he does resemble Baron Harkonnen in several ways.

[paddy no 11]

Joe and kamala not big bojo fans

[Digby]

Perhaps not, but it's still an important social, security and economic relationship and they'll respect that. And beyond global trading standards will be driven by China, the USA and the EU and the USA will be keen to add momentum to their world view taking precedence so they are long term and short term gains to be had there, and (very luckily for Boris) we're hosting COP26 next year which gives both countries a strong beginning to build on to try and joint platform where we can and from that and the security we can or should be able to move forward. These things are never easy, diplomacy and deal making being harder than throwing your toys out of the pram, but we don't at least start with nothing to talk about. And you never know, Blair and Bush anticipated they'd never like each other, and that worked out just fine!

[morepork]

Man, the relief in the air upon hearing adult leaders speak last night was palpable. But enough of that.

The Trump team had a press conference yesterday that was originally said to take place at the Four Seasons hotel in Philly. This was corrected to clarify that it was Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a business in North Philly. You couldn't script better satire.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/202 ... rence.html

[Which Tyler]

[Digby]

How many candidates have lost the popular vote twice? That must be some rarified company

[Which Tyler]

How many candidates have lost the popular vote twice? That must be some rarified company

3
That'd be the single term presidents who lost the popular vote (given how rare it is to win an election whilst losing the popular vote).

Mond, there must be some who ran twice, lost twice

[Sandydragon]

I wonder if Biden's thread will generate over 7000 posts?

[Puja]

I wonder if Biden's thread will generate over 7000 posts?

Almost certainly not, although that's probably not a good thing considering how massively problematic both Biden and Harris are. They will get an absolute free pass on their history of credible accusations of sexual assault, writing and voting for bills promoting mass incarceration, supporting wars and torture for him and aggressively pursuing policies that criminalise the poor (jail punishments for parents of truants for example?!) and leading a department that fought against releasing non-violent prisoners who had reached the end of their minimum sentences because it would reduce the population of free prison-labour (or slavery, as it could be called) for her.

Still, at least they are not Trump.

Puja

[Digby]

Well, Trump called it, that after he loses the election they'd start rolling out the vaccines. I can't imagine it's actually true, but I'm pleased it's another thing for him to be angry about with that body of his putting such pressure on his heart

[Stom]

I wonder if Biden's thread will generate over 7000 posts?

Almost certainly not, although that's probably not a good thing considering how massively problematic both Biden and Harris are. They will get an absolute free pass on their history of credible accusations of sexual assault, writing and voting for bills promoting mass incarceration, supporting wars and torture for him and aggressively pursuing policies that criminalise the poor (jail punishments for parents of truants for example?!) and leading a department that fought against releasing non-violent prisoners who had reached the end of their minimum sentences because it would reduce the population of free prison-labour (or slavery, as it could be called) for her.

Still, at least they are not Trump.

Puja

AOC said some other very good things but again got labelled a dangerous socialist. She really isn't very politic, and she definitely doesn't frame her answers or solutions with relation to 90% of people, and she definitely doesn't think about the other policies that need to be in place to make her policies work in the real world...

But she does speak some sense.

I was listening to an economist arguing about the top rate of tax hike. That in the 20's, the top rate was 60% and they payed 1/3rd of the tax, then they reduced the top rate to just 24% and they payed 60% of the tax...

Which kinda misses the point somewhat, about the economic situations at the time, the growth and job availability, etc. But also introduces a point AOC and others like her have not addressed, which is tax avoidance. And, unlike this economist, I don't think the solution is to simply not raise the top rate but to remove the loopholes that allow them to pay less tax.

And I know the US is very different from the rest of the world as tax write-offs can mean rich people pay 5-10% tax, which is insane.

[Stom]

Oh, and on Biden, look: this is America. As far as American politicians go, this pair are not bad. They're moderates for America, they're liberals, they're nice people...

That they're nowhere close to what we would consider left of centre doesn't really matter: they're American and count as verging on socialist over there.

Baby steps.

[Sandydragon]

OK, so we are all a lot happier that a nicer couple inhabit the top tier of American politics (or soon will) and the orange nutter will soon be forgotten about.

Except I don't think he will be.

Trumpism (for want of a better term) is a load of bollocks. But the reasons why it was popular enough to get 70m votes are still there. Not everyone voted for Trump out of tribal loyalty or because they were scared or reds under the bed. In the same way that some politicians celebrated the demise of communism in much of the world but gave no thought to the social-economic rationals for its existence in the first place, the same is true of Trump's America.

I hope the Democrats have a plan to address many of the issues that matter to these people, rather than just sign them off as gun nut racists (some undoubtedly are of course) but if Trump 2 is to be avoided then some sensible policies for economic and social renewal/improvement need to be found.

[Stom]

OK, so we are all a lot happier that a nicer couple inhabit the top tier of American politics (or soon will) and the orange nutter will soon be forgotten about.

Except I don't think he will be.

Trumpism (for want of a better term) is a load of bollocks. But the reasons why it was popular enough to get 70m votes are still there. Not everyone voted for Trump out of tribal loyalty or because they were scared or reds under the bed. In the same way that some politicians celebrated the demise of communism in much of the world but gave no thought to the social-economic rationals for its existence in the first place, the same is true of Trump's America.

I hope the Democrats have a plan to address many of the issues that matter to these people, rather than just sign them off as gun nut racists (some undoubtedly are of course) but if Trump 2 is to be avoided then some sensible policies for economic and social renewal/improvement need to be found.

We have a better term, it’s called fascism and it’s more than just Trump, it’s Orbán and Duda and Bolsonaro and Duterte and Erdogan and Modi and many more.

And until we do something about it, we’re disgracing ourselves.

[morepork]

A lot of those people don't want social renewal. Bear in mind the most consistent narrative coming out of the white house has been immigration. Wall, scary mooslims, Mexicans, shit hole countries, separating families, dawn raids on immigrant homes. The only other "achievement" has been a corporate tax cut, and Paul Ryan did that just before fucking off into the sunset. The socialism thing is just the malignant tumor on top of the dog shit flavoured anti-diversity sundae, just like your daddy used to have in the 50's when there was sensible segregated dining.

[Sandydragon]

OK, so we are all a lot happier that a nicer couple inhabit the top tier of American politics (or soon will) and the orange nutter will soon be forgotten about.

Except I don't think he will be.

Trumpism (for want of a better term) is a load of bollocks. But the reasons why it was popular enough to get 70m votes are still there. Not everyone voted for Trump out of tribal loyalty or because they were scared or reds under the bed. In the same way that some politicians celebrated the demise of communism in much of the world but gave no thought to the social-economic rationals for its existence in the first place, the same is true of Trump's America.

I hope the Democrats have a plan to address many of the issues that matter to these people, rather than just sign them off as gun nut racists (some undoubtedly are of course) but if Trump 2 is to be avoided then some sensible policies for economic and social renewal/improvement need to be found.

We have a better term, it’s called fascism and it’s more than just Trump, it’s Orbán and Duda and Bolsonaro and Duterte and Erdogan and Modi and many more.

And until we do something about it, we’re disgracing ourselves.

I agree it’s unacceptable whether it’s this right wing populism or indeed fascism. Or communism for that matter. All extremist ideologies are unacceptable.

So, how to ensure that people are attracted to the centre of politics, or at least away from extremes? There are socio economic reasons why these fringe parties become popular. Find what the contributory factors are and concentrate on eradicating them.

[Sandydragon]

SO the initial toy throwing exercise has resulted in the Secretary of Defence being sacked (announced via Twitter of course) and state prosecutors being authorised to investigate allegations of voter fraud.

Trumps main lawyer/arselicker Guilliani apparently has 50+ witnesses who will attest to voter fraud or other irregularities. Hopefully they are more credible than the Ukrainian businessman who has admitted that he lied in return for a green card promise.

[Which Tyler]

Anyone got any comments on this?
https://www.thenational.scot/news/18860 ... ald-trump/

I can even repeat it with my imaging software!

Just seems needlessly incompetent by whoever put it together.

ETA; now I've verified for !yself (by simply zooming)
Actually, with a little thought, I'm more annoyed by the incompetence. For the last 6 months, we've know that he's going to have send one of 2 tweets, 1 to a personal friend, another to someone he knows personally hates him. But we couldn't even authorise 2 tweets to be written up and ready to fire... With 6 months notice...

[paddy no 11]

Barr unleashes the hounds

[Digby]

SO the initial toy throwing exercise has resulted in the Secretary of Defence being sacked (announced via Twitter of course) and state prosecutors being authorised to investigate allegations of voter fraud.

Trumps main lawyer/arselicker Guilliani apparently has 50+ witnesses who will attest to voter fraud or other irregularities. Hopefully they are more credible than the Ukrainian businessman who has admitted that he lied in return for a green card promise.

Everything they've thrown at this so far has failed utterly when required to confirm details under oath.

And actually the leaks out of the Whitehouse are Trump has accepted the situation and is merely using time to set up his next move, seemingly a media one. Exactly what that move will be and how much normalcy/competency/decency we'll see yet as he transitions out isn't clear

[Sandydragon]

SO the initial toy throwing exercise has resulted in the Secretary of Defence being sacked (announced via Twitter of course) and state prosecutors being authorised to investigate allegations of voter fraud.

Trumps main lawyer/arselicker Guilliani apparently has 50+ witnesses who will attest to voter fraud or other irregularities. Hopefully they are more credible than the Ukrainian businessman who has admitted that he lied in return for a green card promise.

Everything they've thrown at this so far has failed utterly when required to confirm details under oath.

And actually the leaks out of the Whitehouse are Trump has accepted the situation and is merely using time to set up his next move, seemingly a media one. Exactly what that move will be and how much normalcy/competency/decency we'll see yet as he transitions out isn't clear

I think its a bit of an automatic response from Trump. If pollen gets your nose you sneeze, if Trump doesnt get what he wants he sues.

Given that Biden is still looking good to win Georgia and Arkansas as well as the other states, even if an irregularity is proved in one particular count, the likelihood of it making a difference is mind bendingly small. I think some senior republicans are allowing Trump to have his last exercise of authority as a way to aid him out of the door in due course. Going to court costs them little and much of the blame can be laid at the door of Trump.

I suspect this is all about building up his base, building that image as a martyred president who the establishment stabbed in the back (so definitely not a loser) and preparing for his next commercial step.

[morepork]

You can be sure that he and his repugnant family are siphoning as much of the money raised for legal fees as they can. He is reportedly setting up a PAC to keep on the scene in the near future. More donated money to piss away. I imagine this is the only thing keeping some shameless pieces of shit around. His press secretary has to be seen to be believed. A rancid cunt of a human being with no redeeming ethic.

[gransoporro]

Just like when he used his charity as a slush fund.

He is now raising money for the legal challenges.

Only, the fine print says that 60% is used to retire campaign debt. A campaign he contributed personally diddly squat.

It is financially convenient for him to keep litigating: he can keep milking his supporters.

[Digby]

you'd love to see how he pissed away his campaign war chest such he now needs to retire debt

[Puja]

you'd love to see how he pissed away his campaign war chest such he now needs to retire debt

I would imagine it's because any money he spent himself was counted as a loan to his campaign, which he's now repaying. Or, even better, I'm willing to bet that the campaign needs to repay the fees incurred by use of Trump properties, Trump employees, probably the Trump brand as well. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if his campaign needs to pay him an appearance fee for speaking at his rallies.

Puja