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Donald Trump 2018


TheFlyingBoat

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2 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


We all gonna die, and right soon.
Do you think he’ll accept power slipping from his grasp? He can’t, and won’t. He’ll have only one path left - to show us all his ultimate power. The only question is: WHO does he nuke?
You think I’m kidding. I’m not. When a narcissist has his ego and vainglorious self-image challenged, the inevitable play is “I’ll show them.” When that man has no long-term vision or strategy...yes, that’s exactly what happens.
The GOP can stop the man who will end the world. But they won’t. Because owning the libs.

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26 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

 

McCain is upset with a MIC executive being appointed to a government position because he doesn't jerk affirmative fast enough when asked about injecting lethal arms into geopolitical quagmires. What a world. Merry Christmas. 

Edited by Anastasis
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Every Friday evening, PBS's News Hour holds a conversation with Mark Shields and David Brooks to discuss the week's events. Brooks was away and replaced by Michael Gerson (also a conservative). I normally wouldn't suggest watching 12 minutes of discussion, but this one was really extraordinary.

From the trascript:

Quote

 

Michael Gerson: I talked with a non-histrionic member of — Republican member of the Senate today, who said twice in the course of our conversation: "We are in peril. We are in peril."

Now, some of the reason is because all of our allies did rely on him to provide the intel, is the president serious about his latest attacks on us or not?

And he was — he assured our allies. But he played another role among Republicans in the Senate, was to provide some level of assurance that the most basic purposes of government were being fulfilled. They could say, I don't like his tweets, and his policy is absurd, and he changes his mind on this, and I'm critical of all this, but at least he has Mattis in that place.

And now they have lost "but at least." And that, I think, is the big change. You know, you look at his resignation letter, which coldly and rationally said to the president, you do not understand our friends, and you do not understand our enemies.

And that's about it, right?

I mean, there's no one else to understand. It was a comprehensive critique of the president by the secretary of defense, you know, not an angry one, but a very serious one.

And to leave that as a document of our time is, you know, unprecedented, extraordinary.

 

1

Later:

Quote

 

Mark Shields: Well, Judy, I think that what we have seen, quite honestly, first of all, you have got a Democratic House that's coming in. And that has struck fear.

But I think what the president did and the way he did it this week, as far as Syria was concerned, and now Afghanistan — and I think that we have lacked a public debate in this country. There hasn't been a thoughtful, serious debate. The Congress has abdicated its responsibility.

And successive administrations, in my judgment, have failed to make the public case, or to have entertained public criticism and debate on this issue. But the way it was done, the decision was arrived at, for the president to justify it solely on the basis of, it was a campaign promise he was keeping some two years later, it suggests to me that there is panic within the White House and right within the White House residence.

I mean, we have seen the spotlight — or the flashlight, then the spotlight focused on Trump University. And what it saw, it closed down. We have seen it on the Trump Foundation, the charitable foundation. And what they saw, they closed down.

And now it's on the inaugural. And then it's on the campaign. And now it's the administration. I think what we see in a president, Judy, is a president who is concerned and so alarmed that what the Mueller report is going to reveal is, he's going to have to hold onto that 35 or 40 percent base, and he will do anything he can.

I think it's that serious. I think it's that grave. I don't think anybody really gauges how peril — in peril this presidency is, except a few Republicans I have talked to really believe that the end is probably in sight.

Judy Woodruff: But the end what?

Mark Shields: The end of this administration.

Judy Woodruff: In what way, impeachment or resignation?

Mark Shields: That the Trump — that the Mueller report will be so serious, that the Democrats, who really don't seek impeachment or the fight, that it's almost going to be inevitable that the Congress, House will be forced to vote on it.

Michael Gerson: Yes, I have heard one Republican today that I talked to say — call this the beginning to have the end. They felt that.

That is going to be the only question, when the Mueller report comes out, and the strength of the report will determine that. I think there are at least some Republicans that are talking now that the president needs a challenge in the primaries, and that he needs to lose reelection.

And these are — but, right now, these are not loud voices in the Republican Party, because the base has not turned. But you do hear that sort of talk among responsible Republicans.

Judy Woodruff: Sober note at the end of a week, I think, like no other.

Mark Shields: Like no other week.

Judy Woodruff: Like no other week that I remember in Washington, and I have been here for 40 years.

 

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Edited by bolverk
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3 minutes ago, Tuco said:


It’s how he keeps them in line. If he can cost them ten percent of their voters, he can cripple them.

Absolutely, it’s an intimidation tactic and it works until someone hits back. 

Rand Paul is running operation suck Donnie dick so he gets rewarded by potus thus making the attacks more effective. 

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33 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


We all gonna die, and right soon.
Do you think he’ll accept power slipping from his grasp? He can’t, and won’t. He’ll have only one path left - to show us all his ultimate power. The only question is: WHO does he nuke?
You think I’m kidding. I’m not. When a narcissist has his ego and vainglorious self-image challenged, the inevitable play is “I’ll show them.” When that man has no long-term vision or strategy...yes, that’s exactly what happens.
The GOP can stop the man who will end the world. But they won’t. Because owning the libs.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen someone lose their mind like this. It’s...quite something.

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45 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


We all gonna die, and right soon.
Do you think he’ll accept power slipping from his grasp? He can’t, and won’t. He’ll have only one path left - to show us all his ultimate power. The only question is: WHO does he nuke?
You think I’m kidding. I’m not. When a narcissist has his ego and vainglorious self-image challenged, the inevitable play is “I’ll show them.” When that man has no long-term vision or strategy...yes, that’s exactly what happens.
The GOP can stop the man who will end the world. But they won’t. Because owning the libs.

5beg.gif

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In the twenty odd years I have followed markets, anytime government officials start making phone calls to reassure “bank executives” some serious shit is about to go down.

And the guy that you want making that call is not Steve Mnuchin. It’s Gary Cohn. But Gary Cohn isn’t around to make those calls anymore.
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40 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

I've brought this up before. What the hell takes him 25 minutes to finish a tweet? Not spell or grammar check for sure. It's like he has to recover from the orgasm of finish the first part of the tweet. 

Call me tin foil but I bet Twitter screens his tweets to make sure he’s not starting a civil war or some other disaster. 

I know I would if I owned twitter.

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11 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:


And the guy that you want making that call is not Steve Mnuchin. It’s Gary Cohn. But Gary Cohn isn’t around to make those calls anymore.

I feel like Mnuchin -- despite looking like a Bond villain and married to someone loathsome -- seems to more or less know what he is doing and is trying to do his job.

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Any of y’all ever dealt with a destructive narcissist like Trump before? I have.
You think that he will follow human norms like you will. You’re wrong. He isn’t wired like you and me.
When it all falls apart for a person like this, they lash out as hard as they can - “if I’m going to be destroyed, so are you.” For most folks, that’s with a gun. Most folks don’t have the option of unleashing hellfire. But they would if they could.
Is this a guarantee that Trump’s going to use nukes? Of course not. But we are in a place where a nutbar narcissist can actually do so, as a temper tantrum. The fact that there IS such a risk is an unacceptable risk.
But the GOP doesn’t care.

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14 minutes ago, SuingToGetAMessageBoard? said:

I feel like Mnuchin -- despite looking like a Bond villain and married to someone loathsome -- seems to more or less know what he is doing and is trying to do his job.

He’s sunning in Cabo today with full Secret Service detail while we’re in Govt shutdown.  I guess that qualifies as trying.

 

Edited by triplehorn
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11 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Any of y’all ever dealt with a destructive narcissist like Trump before? I have.
You think that he will follow human norms like you will. You’re wrong. He isn’t wired like you and me.
When it all falls apart for a person like this, they lash out as hard as they can - “if I’m going to be destroyed, so are you.” For most folks, that’s with a gun. Most folks don’t have the option of unleashing hellfire. But they would if they could.
Is this a guarantee that Trump’s going to use nukes? Of course not. But we are in a place where a nutbar narcissist can actually do so, as a temper tantrum. The fact that there IS such a risk is an unacceptable risk.
But the GOP doesn’t care.

"The only question is WHO will he nuke"

giphy.gif

"Is this a guarantee he'll nuke?  Of course not."

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Any of y’all ever dealt with a destructive narcissist like Trump before? I have.
You think that he will follow human norms like you will. You’re wrong. He isn’t wired like you and me.
When it all falls apart for a person like this, they lash out as hard as they can - “if I’m going to be destroyed, so are you.” For most folks, that’s with a gun. Most folks don’t have the option of unleashing hellfire. But they would if they could.
Is this a guarantee that Trump’s going to use nukes? Of course not. But we are in a place where a nutbar narcissist can actually do so, as a temper tantrum. The fact that there IS such a risk is an unacceptable risk.
But the GOP doesn’t care.

Your analysis is sound but Trump seems programmed not to lash out with military force unless it’s on the Mexican border.  

If anything, he lashes out by retreating and becoming more isolated.  

Possibly by design.

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"The only question is WHO will he nuke"
giphy.gif
"Is this a guarantee he'll nuke?  Of course not."
 
 

Fair enough - hyperbole got the best of me.
More accurate would have been “who will he intentionally hurt?” He’s going to do so. The fact that nukes are among his potential tools is a big fucking problem.
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8 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


Fair enough - hyperbole got the best of me.
More accurate would have been “who will he intentionally hurt?” He’s going to do so. The fact that nukes are among his potential tools is a big fucking problem.

Serious question,....are you just venting over Trump's idiocy, or do you truly believe that he (or whomever is POTUS) has the unilateral ability to order/launch nukes without several others in the chain? 

Edited by Whitman
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4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


Fair enough - hyperbole got the best of me.
More accurate would have been “who will he intentionally hurt?” He’s going to do so. The fact that nukes are among his potential tools is a big fucking problem.

You don’t exaggerate.  

The Kurdish deaths stemming from an abrupt, impulsive withdrawal from Syria is just as applicable.  A thoughtful negotiated withdrawal is needed.

But the timing of this action from Trump appears to have everything to do with buckling from leverage due to personal compromise.

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1 hour ago, Fudge Nuggets said:

In the twenty odd years I have followed markets, anytime government officials start making phone calls to reassure “bank executives” some serious shit is about to go down.

Initial thought was agreement then I realized we are so outside normal times. We call crazy just Tuesday in this admin

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44 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Any of y’all ever dealt with a destructive narcissist like Trump before? I have.
You think that he will follow human norms like you will. You’re wrong. He isn’t wired like you and me.
When it all falls apart for a person like this, they lash out as hard as they can - “if I’m going to be destroyed, so are you.” For most folks, that’s with a gun. Most folks don’t have the option of unleashing hellfire. But they would if they could.
Is this a guarantee that Trump’s going to use nukes? Of course not. But we are in a place where a nutbar narcissist can actually do so, as a temper tantrum. The fact that there IS such a risk is an unacceptable risk.
But the GOP doesn’t care.

Having trump with access to the bombs. 

It’s kind of like when aggy remodeled their stadium and fucked up the end zone with not enough structural support and the thing started moving VERTICALLY when aggy played enter sandman or whatever the song was and the aggy all started jumping up and down. 

Of course aggy kind of blew it off claiming that since their piece of shit stadium used to sway horizontally and said the engineers said the chance of collapse was very unlikely that it was fine. 

Well the 2 percenters stepped in and figured out the an “unlikely” collapse that would kill 30k people wasn’t actually good enough and insisted that multi millions were spent to reduce that chance to zero. 

Hopefully the republicans in the senate are more like the 2 percent than just regular old army aggy. 

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Serious question,....are you just venting over Trump's idiocy, or do you truly believe that he (or whomever is POTUS) has the unilateral ability to order/launch nukes without several others in the chain? 

He does indeed.
See numerous discussions of our system. It is designed to move very quickly (as is appropriate in the missile age), with very little opportunity to push back against the order. And it is an ORDER, from the very top of the chain of command.
Maybe Captain Patriot in the nuclear sub ordered to launch will say “no, fuck that lunatic,” but is that what we really want to be counting on? An officer refusing an order?
Having trump with access to the bombs. 
It’s kind of like when aggy remodeled their stadium and fucked up the end zone with not enough structural support and the thing started moving VERTICALLY when aggy played enter sandman or whatever the song was and the aggy all started jumping up and down. 
Of course aggy kind of blew it off claiming that since their piece of shit stadium used to sway horizontally and said the engineers said the chance of collapse was very unlikely that it was fine. 
Well the 2 percenters stepped in and figured out the an “unlikely” collapse that would kill 30k people wasn’t actually good enough and insisted that multi millions were spent to reduce that chance to zero. 
Hopefully the republicans in the senate are more like the 2 percent than just regular old army aggy. 

Thank you for the apt analogy. It’s a really, really, REALLY fucking bad idea to let an immature, deranged, petty narcissist have control of nuclear weapons. And everything about his behavior the past two years CONFIRMS our reason for concern. This is bad shit, it’s a really fucking bad idea, and we should really fucking stop it, like right now.
But the GOP thinks it’s nifty to play with fire to own the libs. Fuck em. Fuck every last one of them. Their egos say it’s okay to play with our lives for vengeful pleasure. Fuck em all in the goat ass.
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1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

Any of y’all ever dealt with a destructive narcissist like Trump before? I have.
You think that he will follow human norms like you will. You’re wrong. He isn’t wired like you and me.
When it all falls apart for a person like this, they lash out as hard as they can - “if I’m going to be destroyed, so are you.” For most folks, that’s with a gun. Most folks don’t have the option of unleashing hellfire. But they would if they could.
Is this a guarantee that Trump’s going to use nukes? Of course not. But we are in a place where a nutbar narcissist can actually do so, as a temper tantrum. The fact that there IS such a risk is an unacceptable risk.
But the GOP doesn’t care.

It only takes one patriot in the right position to end this short of that point.  I hope one exists.

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1 hour ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Your analysis is sound but Trump seems programmed not to lash out with military force unless it’s on the Mexican border.  

If anything, he lashes out by retreating and becoming more isolated.  

Possibly by design.

That's a good point. He's a huge pussy, and he has avoided offensive military action up to this point.

He has a desire to inflict pain and to show that he's in control. He orders the military around and he separates immigrant families. He also needs distractions from the Russia investigation.

He is running out of things to break/control. He took two toys off the table last week -- Syria and Afghanistan.

He has the economy that he can crash or he can start a war. Firing Powell or firing off a few incendiary tweets at KJU would certainly give him the chaos he loves.

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15 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

At least we now know there is no Illuminati running everything or they would have buried Trump a while back. 

Yeah trump has pretty much killed the idea that there’s a deep state controlling everything. If there was he would have been taken out during the Republican primary. 

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The law of dumb average with this administration insists that Rand Paul will desperately regret praising the president for a withdrawal from Syria and adding "the American people are tired of war."  In about two weeks Rand will be punching himself in his own toupee for saying that.  That's how things work now.  

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3 hours ago, Anastasis said:

McCain is upset with a MIC executive being appointed to a government position because he doesn't jerk affirmative fast enough when asked about injecting lethal arms into geopolitical quagmires. What a world. Merry Christmas. 

McCain was being dramatic and grandstanding . . . because that's what he did . . . but he was right.  It was silly for Shanahan to not answer the question in the first place.  There are a few cabinet positions where not being an obsequious political hack would be nice, and S-Def is one of them.

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