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Donald Trump 2019


Francisco 2.0

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1 hour ago, henrygandorf said:

he doesn't.  he has a 40% (or whatever) approval rating out of 1000 people that picked up a landline and actually spoke to a polling rep.

not sure that properly represents americans all that accurately.

This is very true. If I don't recognize the number, I"m not answering. It seems only olds would still answer unknown numbers

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6 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

"The Senate is full of Republican political hacks who didn't do their job" is much easier to explain than "Impeachment was never even voted on."  And I say this as someone who has repeatedly said impeachment would probably be a bad political move for Democrats, although every day I move closer to the other side.

I've been slowly working my way through Team of Rivals, a highly regarded book about Lincoln and his cabinet. I only knew the usual stuff about Abe. Now, I'm dreading the page where he gets shot. What a man.

Anyway, as a politician, Lincoln had great timing and understanding of picking the right moment to do something. He always waited for enough public sentiment to build up in support of something he wanted to do. Notably, he revoked a proclamation freeing slave in Missouri early in the war. He wrote the Emancipation Proclamation long before he presented because he was waiting for both a Union victory on the battlefield and for the public to come around on the issue.

I think Pelosi may be doing something similar. Wait until popular opinion in favor of impeachment peaks. Wait until there is a substantial public outcry for the Dems to do something.  Elizabeth Warren calling for impeachment is just the right amount of cheerleading.

Most of us have concluded that the House should impeach. A lot of people may come to our opinion as they learn more. Further, like Lincoln, maybe wait for Trump do the next outrageous thing and then tap into the public feeling of the moment.

I'm not worried yet about Dem inaction (despite their sorry history of inaction). Trump's staff refusing to go before Congress. Trump's high-pitched whine protesting his innocence. All that stuff will keep working on the middle of the political spectrum.

At least, I hope so.

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3 hours ago, Iconoclast Texan said:

Don’t forget about Johnny Sack, his investments have been way up too from what I recall. This economy has been spectacular for me and other savvy investors. Read the WSJ and see what the people that matter on this country are saying.

Luckily ya'll aren't Gold Star families.

Tax overhaul means some Gold Star families paying much higher taxes on survivor benefits

President Donald Trump's tax overhaul is forcing some military families to pay thousands of dollars more in taxes on their survivor benefits, according to a nonprofit organization that helps those families.

Spouses who signed over their earned benefits to their children -- a move that is done in order to ensure the family of a deceased service member temporarily receives all their benefits -- saw an increase in taxes this year because the new tax law reclassified how children's assets are taxed, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors says.
In past years, Gold Star families who chose this option paid an average of 12% to 15% in taxes on that income. Following the tax reform laws that went into effect in 2018, that tax rate jumped to 37%, according to the nonprofit.

The issue is that survivors cannot get two types of military survivor benefits, one from the Defense Department and one from the Veterans Affairs Department, in full at the same time. But military widows and widowers can select the "Child Option" and sign over their Defense Department benefits to their children while they are minors in order to receive the full amount of both concurrently, according to the non-profit.
The new tax law, however, puts the children of service members "into a different tax bracket known as the 'Kiddie Tax' at a 37% tax rate," according to an information sheet the organization released. The group suggests ending the benefits offset, "therefore resolving the issue."

The sweeping tax bill, signed into law by the President in December 2017, overhauled the US tax system and was the largest legislative achievement by Republicans that year.

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5 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

it wouldn't shock me at all if she had a double they used for far away shots, walking to and from af1 or marine1 or whatever.  bundle her in coats, big sunglasses.  wouldn't be that hard.  they do that shit for musicians all the time.

but to have a double standing behind him this close on camera seems extra ballsy, even for him.

It would surprise the hell out of me. It's not like she's being chased by hordes of screaming fans like in A Hard Day's Night. She's the First Lady. There's no earthly reason for her to have a body double. If there was then the time to use one would've been when she wasn't seen for three weeks while she had "surgery."

The last time this came up it was definitely her. (Maybe the Alabama visit?) She just wasn't wearing makeup. Funny how women look different with and without makeup, or with and without big sunglasses. 

As if these idiots could pull off a stunt like a fake First Lady without anyone leaking it. We're talking about a bunch of bumbling amateurs here. This is a silly conspiracy theory. 

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49 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

I've been slowly working my way through Team of Rivals, a highly regarded book about Lincoln and his cabinet. I only knew the usual stuff about Abe. Now, I'm dreading the page where he gets shot. What a man.

Anyway, as a politician, Lincoln had great timing and understanding of picking the right moment to do something. He always waited for enough public sentiment to build up in support of something he wanted to do. Notably, he revoked a proclamation freeing slave in Missouri early in the war. He wrote the Emancipation Proclamation long before he presented because he was waiting for both a Union victory on the battlefield and for the public to come around on the issue.

I think Pelosi may be doing something similar. Wait until popular opinion in favor of impeachment peaks. Wait until there is a substantial public outcry for the Dems to do something.  Elizabeth Warren calling for impeachment is just the right amount of cheerleading.

Most of us have concluded that the House should impeach. A lot of people may come to our opinion as they learn more. Further, like Lincoln, maybe wait for Trump do the next outrageous thing and then tap into the public feeling of the moment.

I'm not worried yet about Dem inaction (despite their sorry history of inaction). Trump's staff refusing to go before Congress. Trump's high-pitched whine protesting his innocence. All that stuff will keep working on the middle of the political spectrum.

At least, I hope so.

The fatal flaw with Pelosi’s strategy is it has no red line for Trump to cross to provoke impeachment.  Her strategy appears to be to let Trump do his thing until the Republicans can’t take it anymore, then go in for the kill or ride out the Trump storm until 2020.  In other words, she’s leaving impeachment up to the republicans.

This is fine.

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8 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

The fatal flaw with Pelosi’s strategy is it has no red line for Trump to cross to provoke impeachment.  Her strategy appears to be to let Trump do his thing until the Republicans can’t take it anymore, then go in for the kill or ride out the Trump storm until 2020.  In other words, she’s leaving impeachment up to the republicans.

This is fine.

She's actually leaving it up to voters.

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18 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

If there was then the time to use one would've been when she wasn't seen for three weeks while she had "surgery."

The first lady disappeared for three weeks and not another word was said about it. Weird simulation we're living in.

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25 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

It would surprise the hell out of me. It's not like she's being chased by hordes of screaming fans like in A Hard Day's Night. She's the First Lady. There's no earthly reason for her to have a body double. If there was then the time to use one would've been when she wasn't seen for three weeks while she had "surgery."

more likely it would be the optics of "i want everyone to know she's coming with me and we're totally normal and happy" when she's someplace else.  it's not a popularity thing.  may not be a thing at all.

come on, didn't you see "dave"?  you think that story was just someone's imagination?

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32 minutes ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

i'm glad i'm not the only one that's taking some time with it...man, she doesn't leave any detail off the page.

I took a break from the book after Lincoln's elected. I'm not a particularly fast reader. I dove into some fun fiction during the intermission.  She does a great job of bringing these people to life in a very credible, scholarly way.

 

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15 minutes ago, retread said:

The first lady disappeared for three weeks and not another word was said about it. Weird simulation we're living in.

Salty Sailor don’t ever like to hear no back talk or lip. Sometimes bitches be questionin’ things they shouldn’t be thinkin’ bout questionin. And somes of the other times, ya have to come strong with the pimp hand. 

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12 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

more likely it would be the optics of "i want everyone to know she's coming with me and we're totally normal and happy" when she's someplace else.  it's not a popularity thing.  may not be a thing at all.

come on, didn't you see "dave"?  you think that story was just someone's imagination?

Except we frequently see Trump without Melania's company. He's never been one to constantly appear with his wives by his side. Makes it easier to cheat on them. 

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Just now, WhatTheBuck said:

Except we frequently see Trump without Melania's company. He's never been one to constantly appear with his wives by his side. Makes it easier to cheat on them. 

i agree.  the whole thing is silly.

but it can't be a coincidence that this sec service agent looks sort of like her and they have her dressed like her, glasses, etc.

sidenote - on any given day weren't there a bunch of doubles running around for saddam and his family?  crazy shit.

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18 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

i agree.  the whole thing is silly.

but it can't be a coincidence that this sec service agent looks sort of like her and they have her dressed like her, glasses, etc.

sidenote - on any given day weren't there a bunch of doubles running around for saddam and his family?  crazy shit.

The female secret service agent could've just had her fashion choices influenced by the First Lady. I would think that if they wanted to use her as a body double then they wouldn't ever let the two of them be seen together. 

And yeah, Saddam used body doubles. I've heard that Osama bin Laden used one too. So in addition to the fear of throngs of adoring fans, the fear of assassination is another good reason to use body doubles. 

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1 minute ago, WhatTheBuck said:

The female secret service agent could've just had her fashion choices influenced by the First Lady. I would think that if they wanted to use her as a body double then they wouldn't ever let the two of them be seen together. 

And yeah, Saddam used body doubles. I've heard that Osama bin Laden used one too. So in addition to the fear of throngs of adoring fans, the fear of assassination is another good reason to use body doubles. 

what a terrible way to die.

what happened to her?

oh, she looked somewhat similar to the wife of a horrible president and somebody with bad aim accidentally shot her.

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2 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

I've been slowly working my way through Team of Rivals, a highly regarded book about Lincoln and his cabinet. I only knew the usual stuff about Abe. Now, I'm dreading the page where he gets shot. What a man.

Dude.  Spoiler alert?! 

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2 hours ago, WhatTheBuck said:

It would surprise the hell out of me. It's not like she's being chased by hordes of screaming fans like in A Hard Day's Night. She's the First Lady. There's no earthly reason for her to have a body double. If there was then the time to use one would've been when she wasn't seen for three weeks while she had "surgery."

The last time this came up it was definitely her. (Maybe the Alabama visit?) She just wasn't wearing makeup. Funny how women look different with and without makeup, or with and without big sunglasses. 

As if these idiots could pull off a stunt like a fake First Lady without anyone leaking it. We're talking about a bunch of bumbling amateurs here. This is a silly conspiracy theory. 

 

This right here is the best take on this Melania thing.

Edited by High Plains Drifter
grammar
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12 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Off Topic:

Holy Shit, Maddow is burying Chris Christie’s fat ass grave tonight.

TL:DW: 

The lady who just got sentenced to 13 months prison in bridge-gate told the story of her first attorney that was initially assigned to be her defense attorney the day the bridge-gate scandal broke but then backed out over a conflict of interest he initially told her she didn’t need to worry about.

Chris Christie then appointed this attorney to the Supreme Court of New Jersey.  

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Republican goth band lyrics:

Two lovers.  Two sick lovers, especially the one. 

And the overthrow. 

The whole thing with the Hillary Clinton. 

And the leaks. 

And the FBI. 

I'm so embarrassed for the FBI when you look at it. 

And the lies.

(chorus) and the lies

and the lies 

and the lies

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Terroist.  

I wish it didn’t matter but it’s emblematic of what seems to be his administration’s complete lack of attention to detail, desire for quality and ability to competently execute even the most basic tasks  

 

Edited by brown water
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