Donald Trump 2018

[JimmyJames 12267]

3 hours ago, RandomIdoit said:

I don't agree with a lot of stuff Trump does or says and I didnt even vote for him, but I couldn't care less if he is liked especially by people outside of the US.

So you’re A-ok with trump turning our great nation into a complete joke and embarrassing all of us on the world stage by acting like a complete jackass. 

I guess if you’re Russian that would be quite pleasing. 

[Paul Wesley 3273]

3 hours ago, RandomIdoit said:

I don't agree with a lot of stuff Trump does or says and I didnt even vote for him, but I couldn't care less if he is liked especially by people outside of the US.

What a monumentally stupid thing to say.  

If nations generally trust your integrity and your intentions, it saves you billions and billions of dollars that you'd have to spend in hundreds of different ways:  defense spending, tariffs, lost opportunities for trade and manufacturing, etc, etc, etc.

[RandomIdoit 655]

1 minute ago, JimmyJames said:

So you’re A-ok with trump turning our great nation into a complete joke and embarrassing all of us on the world stage by acting like a complete jackass. 

I guess if you’re Russian that would be quite pleasing. 

I just don't think anyone has to be likeable to make America great. I don't think Trump is making America great, but the idea that he has to be liked or else we won't be great is funny.

[Gil Bang 25509]

You're an idiot. 

[JimmyJames 12267]

1 minute ago, RandomIdoit said:

I just don't think anyone has to be likeable to make America great. I don't think Trump is making America great, but the idea that he has to be liked or else we won't be great is funny.

So you don’t think he’s making America great, acknowledge he’s pissing everybody off, but are ok with it because why should other people like him. 

Idiot or troll? Which are you? 

[Longhorn_Fan68 33695]

Username out front shoulda told ya

[Gardner Barnes 1559]

 

He reminds me of every Disney movie sidekick since the Little Mermaid

[TornACL 7652]

5 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

The worship of whatever people think capitalism is has led to as much trouble as anything else. The absurd notions that the market will take adequate care of an issue one refuses to face or that it eventually rights all wrongs have done as much damage to this country as anything else.

I'm not a Marxist or any -ist. I do believe putting all your belief in an illusory god or system that just happens to favor you above others to be poisonous to thought.

Well, at least recently, I think those who "worship" capitalism are praying to a flawed system that has cracked open many opportunities for corruption and unethical practice. 

The idea of a completely free and open capitalist market is simple minded and naive. The controls are there (were there?) to protect against bad actors and bad faith. 

Worship of anything as a cure-all is poisonous, I agree. My point is that when we inevitably react to all this, our fixes will completely miss their target. 

[RandomIdoit 655]

1 minute ago, JimmyJames said:

So you don’t think he’s making America great, acknowledge he’s pissing everybody off, but are ok with it because why should other people like him. 

Idiot or troll? Which are you? 

Because I don't care if the UK or anyone else thinks he is nice or awesome. If he was a jerk and America was prospering, very few people would care.

[JimmyJames 12267]

I think it’s important to keep in mind that when people like randomidiot post ridiculous crap on this board, they are in all likelihood paid trolls and do not even come close to representing what most real people think. 

Such is the way of the internets. 

[SKJ 1298]

4 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

You're an idiot. 

He's also very random

[Paul Wesley 3273]

4 minutes ago, RandomIdoit said:

I just don't think anyone has to be likeable to make America great. I don't think Trump is making America great, but the idea that he has to be liked or else we won't be great is funny.

Again, the idea that you can afford to insult and alienate every civilized democracy (and trading partner) while achieving greatness just shows an unbelievable amount of stupidity and ignorance of how the world actually works.  

[RandomIdoit 655]

Just now, Paul Wesley said:

Again, the idea that you can afford to insult and alienate every civilized democracy (and trading partner) while achieving greatness just shows an unbelievable amount of stupidity and ignorance of how the world actually works.  

Everyone is just going to stop trading with the US because they don't like Trump? 

[SubliminalHorn 6328]

3 minutes ago, RandomIdoit said:

Everyone is just going to stop trading with the US because they don't like Trump? 

Did anyone say that?

[RandomIdoit 655]

1 minute ago, SubliminalHorn said:

Did anyone say that?

Alienating our trading partners implied that. Trump is just unlikable but that doesn't mean that we will not prosper.

[4th&Five 41055]

[Foosters 17624]

3 minutes ago, RandomIdoit said:

Alienating our trading partners implied that. Trump is just unlikable but that doesn't mean that we will not prosper.

Good luck with the trade wars.

[zork 629]

2 hours ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Everyone loves the 'sound of music':

Spoiler

 

 

She was being Euro.

 

[Paul Wesley 3273]

You keep saying that we can still be "great" even if we're not liked by the rest of the world, and it's an exceptionally stupid thing to say.

Military alliances, trading partnerships, economic partnerships, getting other countries to do what you want without spending a trillion dollars on a war machine... all those things that give a nation economic power and political influence... they undeniably require international trust and respect.

Power, influence, and economic success are all vastly harder to achieve if everyone thinks you're an asshole. 

If a nation's government is seen as hostile and corrupt, their citizens are going to pay for that in a thousand different ways.  Their quality of life will suffer.   Look at the deep poverty and ignorance of the North Koreans.  

It feels like a fucking episode of "Elmo" that you need such basic concepts explained to you. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

24 minutes ago, Paul Wesley said:

You keep saying that we can still be "great" even if we're not liked by the rest of the world, and it's an exceptionally stupid thing to say.

Military alliances, trading partnerships, economic partnerships, getting other countries to do what you want without spending a trillion dollars on a war machine... all those things that give a nation economic power and political influence... they undeniably require international trust and respect.

Power, influence, and economic success are all vastly harder to achieve if everyone thinks you're an asshole. 

If a nation's government is seen as hostile and corrupt, their citizens are going to pay for that in a thousand different ways.  Their quality of life will suffer.   Look at the deep poverty and ignorance of the North Koreans.  

It feels like a fucking episode of "Elmo" that you need such basic concepts explained to you. 

No fuck you Mister Teacher Man 'cause 'merica.

[RPM 26073]

1 hour ago, JimmyJames said:

So you don’t think he’s making America great, acknowledge he’s pissing everybody off, but are ok with it because why should other people like him. 

Idiot or troll? Which are you? 

[jimmyjazz 45055]

1 hour ago, Paul Wesley said:

You keep saying that we can still be "great" even if we're not liked by the rest of the world, and it's an exceptionally stupid thing to say.

Military alliances, trading partnerships, economic partnerships, getting other countries to do what you want without spending a trillion dollars on a war machine... all those things that give a nation economic power and political influence... they undeniably require international trust and respect.

Power, influence, and economic success are all vastly harder to achieve if everyone thinks you're an asshole. 

If a nation's government is seen as hostile and corrupt, their citizens are going to pay for that in a thousand different ways.  Their quality of life will suffer.   Look at the deep poverty and ignorance of the North Koreans.  

It feels like a fucking episode of "Elmo" that you need such basic concepts explained to you. 

di·plo·ma·cy

dəˈplōməsē/

noun

 

1. the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations, typically by a country's representatives abroad.

   "the government should assign an ambassador-at-large to oversee diplomacy in the region"

   synonyms:

   statesmanship, statecraft, negotiation(s), discussion(s), talks, dialogue; More

   • the art of dealing with people in a sensitive and effective way.

     "his genius for tact and diplomacy"

     synonyms:

     tact, tactfulness, sensitivity, discretion, subtlety, finesse, delicacy, savoir faire, politeness, thoughtfulness, care, judiciousness, prudence "Jack's quiet diplomacy"

[Gil Bang 25509]

3 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

di·plo·ma·cy

dəˈplōməsē/

noun

 

1. the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations, typically by a country's representatives abroad.

   "the government should assign an ambassador-at-large to oversee diplomacy in the region"

   synonyms:

   statesmanship, statecraft, negotiation(s), discussion(s), talks, dialogue; More

   • the art of dealing with people in a sensitive and effective way.

     "his genius for tact and diplomacy"

     synonyms:

     tact, tactfulness, sensitivity, discretion, subtlety, finesse, delicacy, savoir faire, politeness, thoughtfulness, care, judiciousness, prudence "Jack's quiet diplomacy"

BOW AND APOLOGIZE?  FUCK THAT PUSSY SHIT. MAGA!!!

Edited July 14, 2018 by Gil Bang

[Horn Under a Bad Sign 20300]

2 hours ago, RandomIdoit said:

I just don't think anyone has to be likeable to make America great. I don't think Trump is making America great, but the idea that he has to be liked or else we won't be great is funny.

 

The world is increasingly interdependent and interconnected . Unfortunately, the Manchurian Cantaloupe  in the Oval office either doesn't understand this or understands it but WANTS the U.S. to be isolated for some reason. Teddy Roosevelt's admonition, that we should talk softly but carry a big stick, has been lost on him.

[DixonHur 10807]

2 hours ago, RandomIdoit said:

I just don't think anyone has to be likeable to make America great. I don't think Trump is making America great, but the idea that he has to be liked or else we won't be great is funny.

To be fair, he has a point.  When Hitler and Mussolini were making Germany and Italy great again, they weren't very popular either.  Trump 1, haters 0

[SubliminalHorn 6328]

It’s like the understanding of what soft power is completely lost on these trumpkin morons. Do y’all understand why we have been so powerful? Yes, we have a military that can wipe all life from this planet. But our culture is what has made us great. The fact that everyone has wanted to at least visit America. 

We are losing grasp of our soft power stranglehold because of this fucking moron traitor

[Hugo Stiglitz 23245]

[Horn Under a Bad Sign 20300]

18 minutes ago, SubliminalHorn said:

It’s like the understanding of what soft power is completely lost on these trumpkin morons. Do y’all understand why we have been so powerful? Yes, we have a military that can wipe all life from this planet. But our culture is what has made us great. The fact that everyone has wanted to at least visit America. 

We are losing grasp of our soft power stranglehold because of this fucking moron traitor

 

Yep.  Soft power, the power to persuade people to get them to do what you want them to do, is the only real power.

Unfortunately, this is lost on the Tangerine Palpatine.

[Mdhorn 5819]

1 hour ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said:

 

The world is increasingly interdependent and interconnected . Unfortunately, the Manchurian Cantaloupe  in the Oval office either doesn't understand this or understands it but WANTS the U.S. to be isolated for some reason. Teddy Roosevelt's admonition, that we should talk softly but carry a big stick, has been lost on him.

I imagine Trump talks loudly because he's packing a little stick.  

[TornACL 7652]

3 minutes ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said:

 

Yep.  Soft power, the power to persuade people to get them to do what you want them to do, is the only real power.

Unfortunately, this is lost on the Tangerine Palpatine.

Clearly you don't understand 4-D chess or the art of the deal! 

[mchookem 15432]

3 hours ago, RandomIdoit said:

Because I don't care if the UK or anyone else thinks he is nice or awesome. If he was a jerk and America was prospering, very few people would care.

America is prospering, has been for several years before Trump took office.

they don't think he's not awesome. they think he is stupid and harmful to the world, the one we all have to share.  which he is.

[pyrohornIII 4743]

Manchurian Cantaloupe is allsome.

[Doc Sam Beckett 5695]

19 minutes ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said:

 

Yep.  Soft power, the power to persuade people to get them to do what you want them to do, is the only real power.

Unfortunately, this is lost on the Tangerine Palpatine.

Bro, you need your avatar back. 

[Francisco 2.0 31568]

https://www.axios.com/trump-weighs-tapping-into-emergency-oil-reserve-910441ac-871e-4cd2-adf2-b84e539aefdd.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic&utm_content=1100?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic&utm_content=1100

 

Quote

The Trump administration is weighing whether to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in order to moderate gasoline prices ahead of the midterm elections, Bloomberg reported Friday.

Why it matters: The move would represent a remarkable use of the stockpile for political purposes, given that there's currently no crude oil supply shortage or emergency. And gasoline prices, while higher than in recent years, remain well below levels routinely seen in periods between 2010 and 2014, when they were frequently far in excess of $3 per gallon and at times neared $4.

Notably:

Quote

But it has been tapped in the past to bring down domestic gasoline prices, such as by President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, as well as to fund unrelated domestic legislation," Bloomberg reports.

 

[Francisco 2.0 31568]

 

[atomheartbevo 88751]

47 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

https://www.axios.com/trump-weighs-tapping-into-emergency-oil-reserve-910441ac-871e-4cd2-adf2-b84e539aefdd.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic&utm_content=1100?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic&utm_content=1100

 

Notably:

 

Somebody is scared as fuck that his party is going to lose Congress.

[Loch Ness Monster 3529]

# Leave Trump in Russia for good.

[Francisco 2.0 31568]

Yeah, this seems like a solid move by the Trump admin.  

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/hhs-plans-to-delete-20-years-of-critical-medical-guidelines-next-week?via=FB_Page&source=TDB

 

Quote

The Trump Administration is planning to eliminate a vast trove of medical guidelines that for nearly 20 years has been a critical resource for doctors, researchers and others in the medical community. 

Maintained by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], part of the Department of Health and Human Services, the database is known as the National Guideline Clearinghouse [NGC], and it’s scheduled to “go dark,” in the words of an official there, on July 16.

Medical guidelines like those compiled by AHRQ aren’t something laypeople spend much time thinking about, but experts like Valerie King, a professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Director of Research at the Center for Evidence-based Policy at Oregon Health & Science University, said the NGC is perhaps the most important repository of evidence-based research available. 

“Guideline.gov was our go-to source, and there is nothing else like it in the world,” King said, referring to the URL at which the database is hosted, which the agency says receives about 200,000 visitors per month. “It is a singular resource,” King added.

Medical guidelines are best thought of as cheatsheets for the medical field, compiling the latest research in an easy-to use format. When doctors want to know when they should start insulin treatments, or how best to manage an HIV patient in unstable housing — even something as mundane as when to start an older patient on a vitamin D supplement — they look for the relevant guidelines. The documents are published by a myriad of professional and other organizations, and NGC has long been considered among the most comprehensive and reliable repositories in the world.

AHRQ said it’s looking for a partner that can carry on the work of NGC, but that effort hasn’t panned out yet.

“AHRQ agrees that guidelines play an important role in clinical decision making, but hard decisions had to be made about how to use the resources at our disposal,” said AHRQ spokesperson Alison Hunt in an email. The operating budget for the NGC last year was $1.2 million, Hunt said, and reductions in funding forced the agency’s hand.

Quote

Underscoring how medical research like that maintained by the NGC can be politicized, AHRQ drew the ire of then-congressmember Tom Price in 2016 when it published a study critical of a drug manufactured by one of his campaign donors. According to ProPublica, one of Price’s aides emailed “at least half a dozen times” asking the agency to pull the critical research down. Price was the first director of HHS, AHRQ’s parent agency, under the Trump Administration, before resigning under pressure last year over his spending on chartered flights.

The current director of AHRQ, Gopal Khanna — a Price appointee — is thefirst non-scientist to head the agency. His résumé includes mostly positions in information technology management, in state government in Minnesota and Illinois, and a brief stint in the George W. Bush White House. Shortly after he was hired in 2017, he announced that data dissemination as one of his central priorities at the agency.

 

Edited July 14, 2018 by Francisco 2.0

[atomheartbevo 88751]

5 hours ago, SKJ said:

Cross post

I suspect that Trump will come away from the Putin meeting with a new understanding...

Like "I believe Putin didn't do it... He doesn't even own a computer!"

Or "Putin doesn't even know how to type! Believe me, I watched him try... He doesn't even know where the backwards R is!"

I keep expecting something like this fake tweet.  

[SubliminalHorn 6328]

1 hour ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Yeah, this seems like a solid move by the Trump admin.  

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/hhs-plans-to-delete-20-years-of-critical-medical-guidelines-next-week?via=FB_Page&source=TDB

 

 

Incredible. They’re seriously trying their hardest to be complete assholes and the worst administration ever. 

[SKJ 1298]

24 minutes ago, SubliminalHorn said:

Incredible. They’re seriously trying their hardest to be complete assholes and the worst administration ever. 

They're not even really trying.

I think it just comes natural to them

[Born to Run 6186]

They're not even really trying.
I think it just comes natural to them

They walked into a complicated factory and are flipping all the levers the opposite direction blindly to see what happens.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23245]

 

[HenryJames 64907]

 

[Biff Tannen 44921]

Incredible. They’re seriously trying their hardest to be complete assholes and the worst administration ever. 

I’d say they have succeeded

[pyrohornIII 4743]

At least in recent history.  I think maybe the Harding, Hoover or Andrew Johnson admins might have been as corrupt.  But not as traitorous.

[retread 2951]

14 hours ago, Storm the Field said:

There was an article a few weeks back where a reporter asked White House insiders to summarize the Trump administration's view on foreign relations..

There was one that stuck out to me, something along the lines of "No Allies. No Enemies. Only America."

Quote

Incredible. They’re seriously trying their hardest to be complete assholes and the worst administration ever. 

From Krugman

Quote

"Part of the answer is that anything that weakens the Western alliance helps Vladimir Putin; if Trump isn’t literally a Russian agent, he certainly behaves like one on every possible occasion."

imo, it's much more sinister than a stand-alone philosophy. I think many here agree that he's a functionally illiterate idiot. He's a full-blooded narcissist, and there's also a pretty good chance that he has been compromised by Russia. His fliippant comments about asking Putin again about hacking have gotten even more brazen. It's like he wants to laugh so hard while saying it. Same goes for his tweet this morning (above). 

Take tariffs. Even the most narcissistic idiot wouldn't dig his heels in against the whole world. I could see if he went all in against China, but he has alienated most of our allies on economic and now political bases (NATO comments). To me, these are the actions of a man who is utterly compromised by Russia.

You can see the actions of the narcissist in his obstinacy in wanting The Wall. He wants to be right about it, but some of those actions are so over the top that there have to be other reasons. He was offered all of his demands by Schumer, and he chose chaos, strife, and division. Same for separating the immigrant children. It's beyond the pale when it comes to enforcing immigration policy, and it suggests something really demented in his personality.

Edited July 14, 2018 by retread

[zork 629]

1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

 

 

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/trump-meets-queen-elizabeth-ii-at-windsor-castle-briefly-forgets-how-to-walk.html

[jimmyjazz 45055]

Tom Hanks won an Oscar for playing a dim-witted character.  If Trump is acting, he's doing an even better job.  He isn't acting.

That said, I see no reason to say it's not possible he's a low-intellect narcissist AND he's compromised by Putin.  He would be the living breathing definition of "useful idiot".

[retread 2951]