Dangers of a Trump Presidency--Part 7

[caseyedwards]

I'm wondering why a question like this matters. Do you get extra credit in contemporary American citizenry based on the date of your arrival or DAR membership? I don't often see people who say these kind of things give more credit to the opinions and recommendations of Native Americans based on seniority, so I guess I don't understand why it makes a difference to make points in this case.

It’s very important because most Americans are descendants of immigrants and the laws now make legal immigration too hard and virtually impossible so people have to be “illegal” or claim asylum to get in. Many of My ancestors did go through Ellis island and they were only checked for illness and that’s it! They didn’t apply for any visas as they didn’t exist and there was nothing at all to be worried about except getting sick. Then you wouldn’t be allowed in. So everyone in America should be pro immigrant

Are you sure? Because they had the same plan for Hillary had she won. They were basically already assembling impeachment papers in the weeks leading up to the election.





Exactly. Now, you don't have open borders because you have to apply for something and if your application isn't granted you get send back home or have to stay home.




There is a section about that in the article.




Yes, and they'd still demand asylum with a wall. So, what they need are people who can process them and a system that allows for quickler processing and effective anti-corruption measures for the money that they're sending to Central American countries.

That depends a lot on Central America! All the central American countries governments can’t fight the gangs. The gangs are too powerful. The gangs use the police forces to recruit for the gangs

Wall doesn’t work, sensors don’t work, drones don’t work, infared doesnt work. In fact what the drones are doing now is leading the cbp to the migrants who then turn themselves in to them to demand asylum.

There needs to be like 5000 more judges! That’s a lot. Plus courts just ruled every denied migrant can use federal courts to appeal

 

[Aussie Willy]

"Living in a bubble" is not what I would call this. Racist is what I would call blaming a black president for the problems of "race relations" in this country. Yes let's blame African Americans for not doing more to make whites feel comfortable. Fck me, the things that people expect us to put up with in this country are astounding.

Anytime the power of the elite is challenged, it does bring out the true nature of those who are racist, sexist and whatever other prejudiced points of view they wish to hold. People see it as a chance to say what they truly feel. Of course the person who they are against is not qualified for the job solely based on the person's race or gender. That discounts them without any evidence or facts.

As for accusations of Obama bringing race relations to public attention, well if you had been part of a group that had been suffering at the hands of racism for generations, then it might just be a focus of your life.

 

[Sparks]

For some people, talking about racial issues is worse than being a racist.

 

[VGThuy]

For some people, talking about racial issues is worse than being a racist.

It becomes clear with how selective they're being when they're calling others out for making race relations worse when they refuse to reflect on how behavior by others who may be on "their side" has made race relations "worse" or actually prove the point others are stating about current and historical race relations in this country and the reality people who are not like you live.

There's a reason why "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" evolved to represent all the issues facing black/brown men (and women and others) at the hands of law enforcement. Anybody with some education on the subject would not deny it's long been an issue. Ferguson, even if it was NOT problematic, was not the start nor the finish line but one out of many events that hit a boiling point and it's still going on. In fact all the issues about him being a "thug" and what not is also an issue people talk about how quick people are to justify the killing on black/brown men when there were other options available and clear that they were available. It's so well-documented that one could research more if one actually cared about race relations from a position outside of "I just don't want to hear about it! Anybody who sheds light on the subject is just making things worse (for me)!"

Also, the quickness to paint this whole thing as being for or against law enforcement as opposed to looking at it from a macro perspective and seeing the differences in trends and treatment based on socio-racial-ethnic factors says a whole lot as well. Of course, there are good cops who put themselves out on the line, but that doesn't mean there haven't been bad apples or issues with hiring and disciplinary actions within departments that allow these things to happen culturally that they become the norm. It's not like Cops and law enforcement are gods who are beyond critique. It's about making everybody better, and that's not something to shy away from attempting to do. We do it all the time in other facets of life...finding better ways to conduct things to minimize harm.

 

[Vash01]

Anytime the power of the elite is challenged, it does bring out the true nature of those who are racist, sexist and whatever other prejudiced points of view they wish to hold. People see it as a chance to say what they truly feel. Of course the person who they are against is not qualified for the job solely based on the person's race or gender. That discounts them without any evidence or facts.

As for accusations of Obama bringing race relations to public attention, well if you had been part of a group that had been suffering at the hands of racism for generations, then it might just be a focus of your life.

However that was not the focus of Obama’s life. Sorry but your statement comes across as an insult to Obama. He helped whoever needed help. Early in his life he helped the African Americans because they were the downtrodden. After he got into politics it was about the country as a whole, not about his race. Racial issues do exist. Should he not have dealt with them and just push them under the carpet? In fact some African Americans criticized him for not working enough on race issues, but Obama was a president for all Americans, not just for a small group of people.

 

[ballettmaus]

The RNC wants to run attack ads against reporters who continue to report unfavorably on Trump and Russia. And that is how you suppress the freedom of the press without violating the 1st amendment. You intimidate and discredit them. https://www.theatlantic.com/politic...mp-wants-campaign-mueller-report-2020/585967/

Someone please do something because between that, the attacks against Schiff, the demand to not give classified intel to Schiff, Warner and Swalwell anymore and the letter they sent to TV producers, Trump and Republicans are totally out of control and someone needs to stop them. Quickly.

 

[Aussie Willy]

However that was not the focus of Obama’s life. Sorry but your statement comes across as an insult to Obama. He helped whoever needed help. Early in his life he helped the African Americans because they were the downtrodden. After he got into politics it was about the country as a whole, not about his race. Racial issues do exist. Should he not have dealt with them and just push them under the carpet? In fact some African Americans criticized him for not working enough on race issues, but Obama was a president for all Americans, not just for a small group of people.

I think you have misinterpreted what I said. I was responding to one of the other posters who commented that Obama was the cause of race issues and contributed to it.

My comment was about if you grow up being part of a group that suffers racism, it is going to be part of your life and you will want to fight it and make things better for yourself and those around you. I was only addressing that issue because that was the topic under discussion. Obama became President for many reasons, not just related to race. And definitely not to massage his ego such as the orange one currently in the WH.

If you watch someone like Trevor Noah, he addresses the issue quite directly but it is never with malice or hatred. He is quite open that it is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. But he does approach the issue seeking to understand and not just condemn or retaliate. I think Obama is also in that mould which was a positive thing when he was President. He never appeared to attack a person but rather questioned the idea or discussion.

 

[demetriosj]

The RNC wants to run attack ads against reporters who continue to report unfavorably on Trump and Russia. And that is how you suppress the freedom of the press without violating the 1st amendment. You intimidate and discredit them. https://www.theatlantic.com/politic...mp-wants-campaign-mueller-report-2020/585967/

Someone please do something because between that, the attacks against Schiff, the demand to not give classified intel to Schiff, Warner and Swalwell anymore and the letter they sent to TV producers, Trump and Republicans are totally out of control and someone needs to stop them. Quickly.

What is wrong with trying to find out who started the lies about "collusion"?

 

[Sparks]

Collusion, conspiracy and coordinating all have different meanings.

 

[mag]

There you go, throwing the word racist around. Obama made everything about race, even when it wasn't. He did not wait for the facts before he started spouting off about Ferguson, for example. He was wrong about Ferguson. That kid was a thug who had just roughed up an elderly store owner, and "hands up don't shoot" never happened. In another event he said the police acted stupidly, and was later proved wrong again. Many other examples. His attitude and comments regarding police were disrespectful and ill-informed. He stirred the pot and now we see the consequences.

You do realize that Trump makes everything about race, right? Just because his identity politics are white and male, doesn’t make them any less about race.

Generally speaking, “white men have in common the following opinions: that identity politics is only identity politics when it’s about race or sex; that race and sex have nothing to do with ‘wider’ issues like ‘the economy’; that it is ‘narrow’ to specifically address the concerns of female voters and voters of colour; and that working class means white working-class men...

These white men also have in common that they are white men. And I labour this point because it is exactly their whiteness and maleness that caused them to seriously vocalize the logical absurdity that identities exist only for those people who happen to not be white or male. When you have been so used, as a white man, to white and male going without saying, it’s understandable that you might forget that white and male is an identity too.“
(Invisible Women, Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, Caroline Criado Perez)

The book I have quoted from is an excellent read and while not focused on Trump or even the US, provides an interesting perspective on 2016. There is a quote at th beginning of the book which gives insight into what is in the book:

“Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.” Simone de Beauvoir

 

[Aussie Willy]

“Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.” Simone de Beauvoir

Absolutely.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Trump calls the FBI 'Treasonous' and believes in Putin and Kim.

I can't imagine what the FBI employees must feel. They work hard, sometimes putting their lives in danger, to serve the country.

I really hope our collective suffering will end after the 2020 elections.

That includes Adam Schiff. The nine Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee wrote a letter to Schiff demanding that he resign because they contended that he lied and was unethical! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black; especially Devin Nunes!

Here is Schiff's remarkable response; he is a hero!

https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1111289977143545856

 

[mag]

So I take that Republicans now think that anyone in a position of power who lies to the American people should resign? Interesting.

 

[Vash01]

That includes Adam Schiff. The nine Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee wrote a letter to Schiff demanding that he resign because they contended that he lied and was unethical! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black; especially Devin Nunes!

Here is Schiff's remarkable response; he is a hero!

https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/1111289977143545856

I saw Schiff’s response on msnbc three times today.. Then I thought he should run for President. To me he looked presidential in that moment.

He was so powerful! Lawrence said that historians will refer to this speech (paraphrasing) as a speech about morality. He had never seen Schiff angry until today but it was a controlled anger. IMO it was a great response. I am sure it made some of the republicans squirm.

“It is ok with you, it is not ok with me.” Every point he made was correct.

 

[caseyedwards]

The fact is every Central American country is like a Somalia. They are being overrun by militias not just gangs and warlords are taking over not “gang leaders”!
“This morning, Rio Grande City agents working near Roma, Texas responded to a report of a large group of suspected illegal aliens walking north of the Rio Grande. Upon arrival, agents encountered 190 illegal aliens, all from Central America. On Tuesday, the Rio Grande Valley Sector apprehended nearly 1,700 illegal aliens, making it the highest one-day total since 2014. At its current rate, the Rio Grande Valley Sector will surpass 2014 apprehensions during the last mass migration influx.”

Time for UN and US intervention like in Somalia

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/large-groups-continue-inundate-border-patrol-agents

On Monday, Rio Grande City agents patrolling the Rio Grande near Sullivan City, Texas, encountered a group of 110 illegal aliens from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. A few hours later, Rio Grande City agents working near Roma, Texas, encountered a large group of 98 illegal aliens from Central America. On Tuesday, McAllen agents working near Penitas, Texas, encountered a group of 158 illegal aliens comprised of family units and unaccompanied children from the countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador and Nicaragua.

 

[Susan1]

I saw Schiff’s response on msnbc three times today.. Then I thought he should run for President. To me he looked presidential in that moment.

He was so powerful! Lawrence said that historians will refer to this speech (paraphrasing) as a speech about morality. He had never seen Schiff angry until today but it was a controlled anger. IMO it was a great response. I am sure it made some of the republicans squirm.

“It is ok with you, it is not ok with me.” Every point he made was correct.

At his rally last night (no I didn't watch it, they showed it on Morning Joe) : “Little pencil-neck Adam Schiff. He has the smallest, thinnest neck I’ve ever seen.” Well, maybe give him 2/3 of yours if you can find it under all those chins. As much as he likes to watch himself on t.v., you'd think he would notice how gross he looks.

 

[NeilJLeonard]

Like I don’t know that impeachment doesn’t remove! Lol!!! It would just be nice to have a trial of a criminal! Why shouldn’t a criminal outrageous president be put on trial just because he won’t be convicted?!? I will work to defeat trump next year as all Americans will. That’s not up for debate or discussion but now trump should be held accountable for so many things. Obstruction, Charlottesville, Puerto Rico, hiring Flynn, Helsinki, emoluments, etc etc etc

A failed 1st term impeachment will strengthen Trump and probably insure a 2nd term. Some say that he will get another term anyway. If that happens and the Dems still have at least the House impeach as you wish. It might have a chance of working then. Maybe.

Voting him out does the same thing a successful impeachment does, plus removes any excuse of politics being the sole cause. The people have spoken, not congress. After he is out any protections the Presidency offers are gone. Investigate, indict and put on trial as needed. Eventually you will get your wish on at least a few of the things you have mentioned.

NJL (..The key is to get the GOP out of all offices, Federal, state and local, ASAP. No GOP, no Trump, or Pence or anyone else like them....)

 

[Simone411]

Whether he gets another term or not, he should stop lying about his education. Either that or go back to school to learn the letters of the alphabet A-Z, take a Spelling course, learn the English language including a course on Grammar.

This is an article from Forbes that was published yesterday.

Here's Why Donald Trump Doesn't Want Anyone To Know His Grades Or SAT Scores

Moreover, both Trump and Obama seem to have "kept their heads down"—Trump publicly criticized Obama for not being remembered by many of his Columbia classmates, although the same is true of him and Wharton. Although Obama then went on to graduate magna cum laude from Harvard Law, while Trump did not go to grad school. Trump has a reputation for projection, so it’s reasonable to think that his vocal criticisms of Obama’s presumed academic record are more similar to his own record than he’d admit. For one thing, he questions how Obama could have gained admission into an Ivy League school, when his own admission to Penn was due in large part to personal family connections.

2 — Trump Lied About Graduating “First In His Class”


Trump has repeatedly claimed (and allowed media outlets to report on his behalf) that he graduated ‘first in his class’ from the Wharton School at Penn. In fact, he wasn’t close—Trump graduated without honors. Some schools base honors on GPA percentile, but Wharton bases them simply on GPA, which means that in order to graduate without honors, his GPA had to have been less than a 3.40—or else that he was sanctioned for academic integrity or student conduct violations. What’s interesting about this is that it’s not the GPA itself, but the lie, that Trump may have been concerned about. Trump’s college GPA wasn’t a big deal until he made it a big deal by speculating about Obama’s GPA, lying about his own records and threatening his schools if they released them.

 

[Prancer]

Perhaps they should be. Read Secret Empires, How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends by Peter Schweizer.

Ah, yes, people should read a book written by Stephen Bannon's business partner for an unbiased book full of unsupported speculation about people in the Obama Adminstration.

 

[BlueRidge]

Speaking of partisanship, its disturbing that Trump's use of the term Russia hoax is probably convincing his partisans that there was never any Russian interference in the election.

As a country we are at great risk with the issue of Russia interference become an entirely partisan issue. We can't counter something one party denies and the other sees through a partisan lense.

The longer it takes to get the full report to Congress at least, and the public ultimately the more endangered we are.

IMO the Democrats blew this by making the Russia investigations about Trump first rather than making them about Russian interference first. If there had been a 9/11 type commission to investigate and report first and turn over evidence to a prosecutor if warranted, we might have avoided at least some of the partisanship.

Never mind, that's probably ridiculous to think.

ETA: This is really dangerous stuff. (from the Guardian):

“All of the Democrats, politicians, the media also – bad people,” Trump told the crowd at Michigan’s Van Andel Arena. “The crooked journalists, the totally dishonest TV pundits” helped perpetuate “the single greatest hoax in the history of politics”.

He later claimed that the investigation was really an effort “to overturn the results of the 2016 election”.

“It was nothing more than a sinister effort to undermine our historic election and to sabotage the will of the American people,” Trump said to loud boos.

He repeatedly called for “accountability”, drawing chants of “Lock them up”.

 

[Vash01]

At his rally last night (no I didn't watch it, they showed it on Morning Joe) : “Little pencil-neck Adam Schiff. He has the smallest, thinnest neck I’ve ever seen.” Well, maybe give him 2/3 of yours if you can find it under all those chins. As much as he likes to watch himself on t.v., you'd think he would notice how gross he looks.

Trump is one of the ugliest persons on tv.

I know it is not nice to criticize someone's looks but Trump deserves it, based on his behavior.

Barr's actions are uglier than his looks. Same with Trump.

 

[BlueRidge]

On the money column from Michael Gerson:

A thought experiment: Suppose that on March 24 — the day Attorney General William P. Barr publicly summarizedthe Mueller report — all of the results of the special counsel’s probe that have dribbled out over the past two years had been revealed at once.

Americans would have discovered that a hostile foreign power had engaged in major intelligence operations designed to elect Donald Trump — something consistently denied by the president himself.

In this hypothetical, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III would have simultaneously announced the indictment of 34 Russians and Americans ...revealed that 14 Trump associateshad been in contact with Russian nationals, including the president’s son, who had met with Russian operatives in an attempt to gain information harmful to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

He goes on, the point being what if all the information we know about Trump & Russia had come out at once in the Mueller report instead of over time and the report itself still hidden. Clearly it would not allow for "Trump's victory lap" rather even though evidence did not merit a charge of criminal conspiracy against Trump, he would look very bad.

Yet for the moment he's taking a victory lap and many in the media are backing off. (Though Jennifer Rubin calls it his “Mission Accomplished" celebration).

What is really scary is this:

And Trump and his team provided a master class in controlling expectations. Trump consistently set out the standard of judgment he wished — “No collusion!” — in the knowledge that he was not personally guilty of collusion. And when this was (seemingly) confirmed by Mueller, Trump and his team declared unconditional victory.

Trump may be a terrible president surrounded by idiots but uh he at least for now has managed to get the best of this situation. Be afraid.

 

[demetriosj]

Ah, yes, people should read a book written by Stephen Bannon's business partner for an unbiased book full of unsupported speculation about people in the Obama Adminstration.[/QUO[

It's not unsupported.

 

[JanetB]

It's written by Stephen Bannon's business partner.

Who Funds Peter Schweizer's Government Accountability Institute?

Discredited Clinton Cash author Peter Schweizer is the president of the Government Accountability Institute (GAI), a conservative group with close ties to a billionaire family funding Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential run. GAI has also received substantial support from groups backed by Charles and David Koch.

Schweizer's upcoming anti-Clinton book has garnered widespread media attention, despite the author's long history of criticism from reporters for blatant errors, retractions, and reliance on sources that "do not exist."

Schweizer's GAI, which was behind one of the "bogus" reports Schweizer has been excoriated for, bills itself as a nonprofit devoted to investigating "cronyism and government corruption" and protecting "free markets."

But as MSNBC's Rachel Maddow explained on her show, "[W]hen you take a closer look at Mr. Schweizer's organization and who is backing him, it is a who's who of big right-wing funders, including one of the guys behind the right-wing media site Breitbart.com, for which Mr. Schweizer has previously written -- also the billionaire family that is currently bankrolling Ted Cruz's presidential run."

 

[demetriosj]

I saw Schiff’s response on msnbc three times today.. Then I thought he should run for President. To me he looked presidential in that moment.

He was so powerful! Lawrence said that historians will refer to this speech (paraphrasing) as a speech about morality. He had never seen Schiff angry until today but it was a controlled anger. IMO it was a great response. I am sure it made some of the republicans squirm.

“It is ok with you, it is not ok with me.” Every point he made was correct.

Morality?! He was trying to get dirt on Trump from fake Russian operatives, he actually fell for it......The audio is out there, check it out.

 

[demetriosj]

It's written by Stephen Bannon's business partner.

Who Funds Peter Schweizer's Government Accountability Institute?

If that bothers you, you should be more worried about who really was the brains behind getting AOC elected.

 

[JanetB]

Morality?! He was trying to get dirt on Trump from fake Russian operatives, he actually fell for it......The audio is out there, check it out.

No republican should even think of mentioning the word morality, because the whole republican agenda of tax cuts to the top 1% while cutting services to senior, children and the disabled, taking away peoples health care, discriminating against Muslims, Jews, women, LGBT and everyone else who is not a white male, voter fraud and destroying the public school system is completely and utterly immoral.

 

[Simone411]

Morality?! He was trying to get dirt on Trump from fake Russian operatives, he actually fell for it......The audio is out there, check it out.

Yes. There's a lot out there including this.

Schiff shot back at his Republican colleagues in a lengthy speech. He highlighted the Russians' offer of damaging information on 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump Jr.'s willingness to accept that "dirt," former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's offer of internal polling data to an allegedly Kremlin-linked source, and other allegations that had surfaced over the course of the Russia probe.

"You might say that's all OK. You might say that's just what you need to do to win. But I don't think its okay. I think it's immoral. I think it's unethical. And I think it is unpatriotic," Schiff said.


"And yes, I think it is corrupt," he added. "And evidence of collusion."

House Intel Chairman Adam Schiff Bites Back Amid Pressure To Resign

 

[demetriosj]

No republican should even think of mentioning the word morality, because the whole republican agenda of tax cuts to the top 1% while cutting services to senior, children and the disabled, taking away peoples health care, discriminating against Muslims, Jews, women, LGBT and everyone else who is not a white male, voter fraud and destroying the public school system is completely and utterly immoral.

No republican should even think of mentioning the word morality? OK. Republicans destroyed the public school system? Also please show real proof of voter fraud. Discrimination against anyone who is not a white male? Exactly whose health care was taken away? Do you even know what you're referring to? There is no way to have a discussion with you! Keep believing all of the bs you hear on CNN, MSNBC, boards like this, etc. Basically most of you are still in shock that President Trump won in 2016, and just can't accept that fact. You'll believe anything that makes you feel that his win was somehow not legitimate, whether it's factual or not.

 

[Susan1]

Trump is one of the ugliest persons on tv.

I know it is not nice to criticize someone's looks but Trump deserves it, based on his behavior.

Barr's actions are uglier than his looks. Same with Trump.

He's like a 4th grade bully. "nyah nyah nyah" Even his followers seemed to be laughing uncomfortably. He has to resort to personal insults and rude nicknames because he doesn't have anything substantial/factual/adult/presidential/coherent to say.

And then you have:
"If Hillary got in... you'd be doing wind. Windmills. Weeeee. And if it doesn't blow, you can forget about television for that night. 'Darling, I want to watch television.' 'I'm sorry! The wind isn't blowing.' I know a lot about wind."

Who voted for this idiot? It'd be funny if it wasn't so freakin' scary.