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Donald Trump 2019


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Just now, BrickHorn said:

Do you believe 42% of Americans are sociopaths entirely devoid of empathy?  Because, for those that aren’t sociopaths, “self interest” includes the desire to not see loved ones harmed. And it’s precisely that form of self interest that I suggest can be leveraged to stem the march towards fascism.

No, I think most of them live in a fantasy world that protects them from either feeling empathy for Trump's victims or from blaming him for the things that trigger their empathy.   I think they are in a cult of personality, and that it would be counterproductive to waste resources trying to deprogram them.   They will generally not be moved by self-interest.  The GM workers who lost their jobs this week but still love Trump and blame Dems.   The farmers who are going bankrupt but still love Trump because at least he's sticking it to China too.  And on and on. 

The self-interest group I was referring to covers the actual low-to-no empathy folks.   Sociopaths and low-EQ people who are fine with border concentration camps as long as their stocks are up.   If the economy crashes, some of them will lose their reason for supporting Trump and peel off.   But it won't be because their grandkid thinks they're mean; they just laugh at how naive they are. 

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14 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

I agree with everything you’re saying on this thread.  The GOP voters got to where they are with the exact same thought process as the liberals reacting to Trump.  They convinced themselves “The Left” was not just destroying America, but cheating to do it.  The media is conspiring with them, George Soros is pulling strings, the government wants to take our rights away, it’s a socialist conspiracy, they think they’re above the law, nobody believes in law and order, they use the Supreme Court to legislate from the bench, they want to declare war on Christians, blah blah blah.

Limbaugh and Fox News and every right wing radio host and blog reinforced this.  They honestly think they have to stop playing by the rules because “The Left” stopped playing by the rules first, and why should they sit back and let the other side cheat and abuse them without fighting fire with fire?

Admittedly, it’s a lot more stupid for GOP people to believe all of that than for liberals today to believe Trumpism is a lawless menace, but it’s the same process that accelerates the race to the bottom.

Somebody is going to have to be the bigger person and lead us to rise above the nonsense instead of just continuing and worsening the cycle of distrust and punishing the losers.  Yes, it means some deplorables probably will get better treatment than they deserve.  But the Marshall Plan worked a hell of a lot better than just saying to the victor goes the spoils.

One difference being it wasn't true when Rush was saying it about the left, and it's actually true about the right now.  And another difference being that it was reflected in a GOP candidate running on a Muslim ban, a wall to keep brown people out, repealing Obamacare, and cutting taxes on the wealthy, whereas the Dem candidates are all running on universal health care, DACA and immigration reform, access to college, and a score of other positive policies. 

Dems don't have to be the bigger person.  They are the bigger person.  And it's well past time that they do it their way without trying to bend over backwards to accommodate the hateful people who brought us to this point.  How about the GOP gets the pressure to be the bigger person for once? 

Edited by Mojo Hand
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9 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

We didn’t rebuild Germany and Japan because we thought maybe they were right or at least not so bad after all.  We thought we were right, and they deserved to get nuked and firebombed, but we also realized it would benefit us not to put the screws to them so much that they came back again in a few years for round 3.

Like Brickhorn said, this is as much or more about pragmatism than being tender hearted.

I just don't see the analogy.   Germany and Japan were humbled and desperate and thus susceptible to our influence.  The GOP controls all of government except the House.  I'd be happy to throw some bones of kindness to a rebuilding GOP in ten years, if the Dems have the presidency, the House and Senate, a majority of the Supreme Court, and a majority of state governments.   

If there's any analogy to be made to WW2, what you're suggesting is more akin to trying to rebuild Germany and Japan in 1943 or something.  It makes no sense.  Right now we need to beat Trumpism to a pulp, and we can worry about rebuilding the GOP when they've been thoroughly defeated. 

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6 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

How do you give away more than 100%?  Obviously I'm not a math genius like he is. 

He managed to do it in the casino business.  In fact it seems to be one of his more common business models.  

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One difference being it wasn't true when Rush was saying it about the left, and it's actually true about the right now.  And another difference being that it was reflected in a GOP candidate running on a Muslim ban, a wall to keep brown people out, repealing Obamacare, and cutting taxes on the wealthy, whereas the Dem candidates are all running on universal health care, DACA and immigration reform, access to college, and a score of other positive policies. 
Dems don't have to be the bigger person.  They are the bigger person.  And it's well past time that they do it their way without trying to bend over backwards to accommodate the hateful people who brought us to this point.  How about the GOP gets the pressure to be the bigger person for once? 
Do you honestly beleive this?

Lol, whitewashed bs is all.that is
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19 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

We didn’t rebuild Germany and Japan because we thought maybe they were right or at least not so bad after all.  We thought we were right, and they deserved to get nuked and firebombed, but we also realized it would benefit us not to put the screws to them so much that they came back again in a few years for round 3.

And look what happened when the Good Guys gave those nasty Germans their just desserts at Versailles.  Conservativism was replaced with Naziism, and evil returned with new-found determination.  

Do y’all want to poor gas on this fire, or put it out?

 

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15 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

If there's any analogy to be made to WW2, what you're suggesting is more akin to trying to rebuild Germany and Japan in 1943 or something.  It makes no sense.  Right now we need to beat Trumpism to a pulp, and we can worry about rebuilding the GOP when they've been thoroughly defeated. 

But winning the 2020 election won’t “beat Trumpism” any more than the 2016 election “beat liberalism.”  The right may lose at the polls, but they’ll still be out there with their voter IDs and increased motivation to win the next go round.  Long term victory requires changing minds.  

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2 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

My war metaphor probably was shitty, but you’re not going to get rid of the problem by beating them to a pulp.  Winning elections?  Sure.  But beating them in the sense of telling those people to fuck off and they don’t matter is just going to strengthen their resolve.  They are Trumpists now precisely because they think society has been doing that to them, and reinforcing it will make it worse.

I am not even saying you have to throw a bone on policies.  Their ideas should be rejected.   But you’ve still got to treat them as people and not write them all off as an abstract enemy that doesn’t matter.  Even if they really suck.  It’s for your sake more than theirs.

I don't propose telling them to fuck off, or doing anything aggressive towards them (and you may have been responding to someone else who was, so I agree with you there).   What I propose is writing them off.   Don't try to get in their heads or figure out how to reach them or cater to them in any way.   Don't give them any more oxygen than they already have.   Stand for what we stand for.  Universal health care, college access, etc. will help everyone, including them.  Work with reasonable Never Trumpers where appropriate.  Shun Trump supporters socially.   Don't temper a single policy to appeal to their racism, xenophobia, or ignorance.  Succeed and they will wither.

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7 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

But winning the 2020 election won’t “beat Trumpism” any more than the 2016 election “beat liberalism.”  The right may lose at the polls, but they’ll still be out there with their voter IDs and increased motivation to win the next go round.  Long term victory requires changing minds.  

Changing new minds. Ensuring the next generations are better prepared and more responsible. Many of the old minds are lost. We should treat them with respect. We should take care of them. But we should also take away the keys. 

Edited by Dahobbs
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1 minute ago, BrickHorn said:

But winning the 2020 election won’t “beat Trumpism” any more than the 2016 election “beat liberalism.”  The right may lose at the polls, but they’ll still be out there with their voter IDs and increased motivation to win the next go round.  Long term victory requires changing minds.  

You're more than welcome to test your theory on smax; he seems persuadable.

(I really wish you were right and certainly agree that your argument isn't without merit. But having witnessed my own parents' descent despite my attempts to influence them through  both intellect and morality. My dad couldn't care less - he believes in "you vote for the party, not the politician," and my mom just believes whatever my dad says.)

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3 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

But winning the 2020 election won’t “beat Trumpism” any more than the 2016 election “beat liberalism.”  The right may lose at the polls, but they’ll still be out there with their voter IDs and increased motivation to win the next go round.  Long term victory requires changing minds.  

except when trump gets pounded next november, it'll likely be by someone who will serve two terms (unless it's biden, then he better pick a strong vp).  so the dems will have the oval office until 2028 if not longer.

think about how the 65+ crowd feels about fox news and republicans.  then think about how the 15-30 crowd feels about them.  their numbers are shrinking, and i seriously doubt another "donald trump" is going to come out of the woodwork on the right.  he's a one-of-a-kind grifter/conman/business cheat/celebrity/reality star turned politician, who has a flare for the dramatic, tweets his every thought, pretends he's playing in a sandbox, has the maturity of a 9 year old, the grammar skills and spelling of a 6 year old, and the political know-how of an infant.

those don't grow on trees, even from the right.

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59 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

 Limbaugh and Fox News and every right wing radio host and blog reinforced this.  They honestly think they have to stop playing by the rules because “The Left” stopped playing by the rules first, and why should they sit back and let the other side cheat and abuse them without fighting fire with fire? 

This can't be said enough. R voters from middle age up to post-retirement have been hearing thie indoctrination for nearly 30 years. Their whole adult life. Every day it's pounded home that Bill and Hillary and every D in power are evil incarnate. The libs and the brown people are going to destroy our way of life.

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9 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

But winning the 2020 election won’t “beat Trumpism” any more than the 2016 election “beat liberalism.”  The right may lose at the polls, but they’ll still be out there with their voter IDs and increased motivation to win the next go round.  Long term victory requires changing minds.  

That depends entirely on how much we win and what we do with it.   Winning and going back to the Obama years of trying to be palatable to the lib-hating right will get us right back where we are now.   That's exactly why I oppose efforts to "reach" Trump dead-enders. 

Winning and doing what the Rs do when they win — that is, dominating — will kill Trumpism.    Win the Senate and presidency.   Kill the legislative filibuster and pack the Court.   Enact a huge swath of progressive policies, starting with true universal health care.   That will steamroll Trumpism, IMO. 

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You're more than welcome to test your theory on smax; he seems persuadable.
(I really wish you were right and certainly agree that your argument isn't without merit. But having witnessed my own parents' descent despite my attempts to influence them through  both intellect and morality. My dad couldn't care less - he believes in "you vote for the party, not the politician," and my mom just believes whatever my dad says.)

Well if there’s anybody who we know cares about decency and kindness, it’s Smax.

That being said, I agree with Brickhorn at least to the extent that IF an older Trump supporter can be backed off from their support, the winning pitch is probably through the effect of Trumpisms essential inhumanity (which they already perceive) and the impact on their grandchildren rather than policy or logic or anything fact-based. It’s hard to root for cruelty when it’s directed at family.

I have a friend who is retired and a big Trump guy. He’s currently reconsidering his support because of his granddaughters and their experiences and perceptions. I think he realizes that his support for the President diminishes him in their eyes, and now he’s asking the right questions about why that is.
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1 minute ago, Axiom of Choice said:

Trump supporters are somewhere around 40% of the nation.  It is just not feasible to write off 40% of the population and expect to implement policies and initiatives that require long term support and investing.  We do not have a pure majority rule democracy.  This 40% has managed to get control of the senate, the white house, and a majority on the supreme court.  Ignoring them is not the right approach.  

It was feasible for 40% to take over everything, as you describe, but it's not feasible for the other 60% to do so now?   That doesn't make much sense.   It won't take much for Dems to win the presidency or the Senate.   It won't require any of the Trump 40%.

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1 hour ago, BrickHorn said:

But winning the 2020 election won’t “beat Trumpism” any more than the 2016 election “beat liberalism.”  The right may lose at the polls, but they’ll still be out there with their voter IDs and increased motivation to win the next go round.  Long term victory requires changing minds.  

Every once in awhile a group goes so far beyond the bend that they’re beyond all reason. Eventually they become violent and have to be put down, and something resembling normalcy may be achievable in the aftermath. We fucked it up after our civil war, but figured it out post ww2, at least for awhile.

We’re not going to convince the modern American right that we’re their fellow human beings. They don’t see anyone that isn’t like them as human, they see everyone else as a disease that is threatening their way of life. They’re going to make sure things get much worse before they can get better.

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10 minutes ago, Axiom of Choice said:

Trump supporters are somewhere around 40% of the nation.  It is just not feasible to write off 40% of the population and expect to implement policies and initiatives that require long term support and investing.  We do not have a pure majority rule democracy.  This 40% has managed to get control of the senate, the white house, and a majority on the supreme court.  Ignoring them is not the right approach.  

there are more red states than blue states which is an issue with the senate.

it's also an issue with the electoral math.

i can't imagine a republican winning the popular vote for president anytime soon.  even trump supporters know the electoral college is the only thing giving them a chance.

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15 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:


Well if there’s anybody who we know cares about decency and kindness, it’s Smax.

That being said, I agree with Brickhorn at least to the extent that IF an older Trump supporter can be backed off from their support, the winning pitch is probably through the effect of Trumpisms essential inhumanity (which they already perceive) and the impact on their grandchildren rather than policy or logic or anything fact-based. It’s hard to root for cruelty when it’s directed at family.

I have a friend who is retired and a big Trump guy. He’s currently reconsidering his support because of his granddaughters and their experiences and perceptions. I think he realizes that his support for the President diminishes him in their eyes, and now he’s asking the right questions about why that is.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting your anecdote, but it sounds like your friend is motivated by losing the respect of his grandchildren, not by the shittiness of Trump's policies finally sinking in.

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are they really 40% of the nation, or just 40% of likely voter/those frequently polled?  As for adults of the gross population, I think it's more like 30-35%.  

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19 minutes ago, Axiom of Choice said:

I did not say it was not feasible for the democrats or the other ~60% to gain control.  I'm saying to write off 40% of the population (who have proven to be very adept at gaming the system to gain control) with no effort to change minds is a bad approach.  All long term influential ideologies are proficient at evangelism.  

I don't intend to suggest that Dems can succeed with a permanent 40% lockstep Trumpist opposition.    The discussion we've been having is over how to break Trumpism so there isn't a permanent 40% lockstep Trumpist opposition.

I think the way we achieve that is by a strong, progressive, and positive Dem party that doesn't try to convert the deplorables.  I think Trumpism feeds off of Dem weakness and lib tears and will wither and die if the Dems actually get some major wins under their belt, like real universal health care, affordable college, and some of the other major policies being proposed right now on the Dem side.  The way we bring out the good in Trump voters isn't by indulging them, but by inspiring them through the example of the alternative we present.  And the good GOPers can take back control of their party and do their own work to fix the problem in their house to compete with what we are doing.

By contrast, the way we keep Trumpism is by normalizing it as a reasonable political perspective that is open to reasonable discussion.    Bend over backwards to try to woo them to a moderate Dem - former GOP uniparty that doesn't really stand for much beyond not being assholes like Trump, which will just present as weakness.   Try to reason with cultists who think reality is fake news and that Hannity defines reality.   That will enshrine Trumpism within the GOP for years to come.  And the efforts to woo déplorables will fracture the Dem party by alienating progressives.  We should cater to the good, not the bad. 

In my opinion.  I could be wrong.  I have no special expertise.  But it's the vision I'll be pushing for unless I'm persuaded otherwise. 

Edited by Mojo Hand
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19 minutes ago, Axiom of Choice said:

They can gain control of the white house or the senate without winning the popular vote in either. 

Senate is elected by a popular vote. EC is only for Presidential elections.

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29 minutes ago, Axiom of Choice said:

I think we are simply at a fundamental disagreement with how we view the situation.  I view it as an ideological split.  People are Trump supporters because they believe the basic tenets of the positions are valid.  Ramming through legislation they disdain will not convert them anymore than the Republicans passing tax cuts and seating judges converted any democrats.  Those things have the opposite effect.  For example, the ACA was a major win, and all it did was piss off and rally the opposition.  A little bit of negotiation, even when a side has control, goes a long way.  

Yes, we clearly just have a fundamental disagreement (which is fine).  For example, you think "People are Trump supporters because they believe the basic tenets of the positions are valid."  I think people are Trump supporters irrespective of the basic tenets of the positions because they've been captured by a cult of personality.  I've seen, on countless issues, Trump supporters accept a 180 degree reversal from what they purported to care about under Obama. 

I also completely disagree with your take on the ACA, which I view as a false Republican narrative.   It's not worth rehashing in depth, but in my view the ACA was fucked up precisely because the Dems bent over backwards to try to accommodate Republicans in the foolish hope that it could be bipartisan.   It was a Republican plan to start with, Republicans had significant involvement in its early development, there were dozens of bipartisan hearings, and a number of Republican amendments were passed.   Yeah, after Dems finally realized that no R would vote for it out of pure, cynical, partisan calculation, the Dems passed it on their own, and then the Rs used that against them too.    And cowardly Dems ran away from it for years, until some young Dems with guts finally stood up for it in 2018 and a blue wave crashed over the House. 

And you mention the GOP tax bill.   For all we hear about the mean Dems ramming through Obamacare, where is all of the fallout from the GOP ramming that turd through with zero hearings, zero discussions with Dems, and the text secret until hours before the vote?   Yeah, it's proven unpopular, but the process is a non-issue. 

The point being that it is the substance that really matters, not the process.  Dems lost the ACA argument for years because they were too scared to defend it on substance, until they finally did and took the House.    Republicans have so far lost the tax bill argument because it sucks, but their process in enacting it has had no impact.    If the Dems ram through a bunch of legislation, they'll stand or fall on the quality of that legislation, not whether they wooed some Rs to vote for it.   And if they have to water down the bill to get those Rs, like with the ACA, it's more likely to backfire than help. 

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I think we are simply at a fundamental disagreement with how we view the situation.  I view it as an ideological split.  People are Trump supporters because they believe the basic tenets of the positions are valid.  Ramming through legislation they disdain will not convert them anymore than the Republicans passing tax cuts and seating judges converted any democrats.  Those things have the opposite effect.  For example, the ACA was a major win, and all it did was piss off and rally the opposition.  A little bit of negotiation, even when a side has control, goes a long way.  


No.

Trumpkins don’t have any basic beliefs in any positions.

Their beliefs bend with whatever Trump is pushing.

I can point to hundreds of examples of hypocrisy but I’ll just use one - North Korea.

During the Obama administration, even the suggestion that Obama might open talks was met with cries of “He’s appeasing dictators! Bow and apologizing foreign policy is making America weak!”

Hell, even during the first year of the Trump administration when Trump was threatening NK with “fire and fury” tweets, the Republicans wanted to nuke them off the planet.

But now? NK is totally cool and Trump is a master statesman for getting played by a fat man in a little coat.

The national debt used to matter.

Executive overreach used to matter.

Activist judges used to matter.

None of it matters unless Trump says it matters.

The 40% are where they are because of beliefs and values and policy positions. They’re there because Fox News and Trump tells them to be there.

They exist and can’t feasibly be completely written off but don’t give them the credit of being who they are because of beliefs.

They’re just assholes.
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3 minutes ago, Ted Dantzler said:

 

"he looked really well and very healthy" 

I wonder what Kim Jong Un's medical issue is? 

 

This is a tell about Trump’s own health, not Un’s.  Something is wrong but we’re not going to find out about it until it’s too late.

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Watched John Mulaney's Radio City show again tonight. The Horse in the Hospital part reminded me of two things again. One was the idiots who voted for Dotard and two that a fucking horse should never be let loose in a hospital!

Edited by UpperWestside
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1 minute ago, UpperWestside said:

Watched John Mulaney's Radio City show again tonight. The Horse in the Hospital part reminded of two things again. One was the idiots who voted for Dotard and two that a fucking horse should never be let loose in a hospital!

John Mulaney is really funny.

Tom Segura is funnier.

SUP KANE!

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4 hours ago, BrickHorn said:

I disagree.  There are a lot of people like my folks who just haven’t been prodded to pay attention and to imagine a loved one suffering an alt right future.  

That’s nice that your folks are reasonable. A lot of us have family that wouldn’t mind seeing us killed if it meant owning the libs harder.

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4 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

This is a tell about Trump’s own health, not Un’s.  Something is wrong but we’re not going to find out about it until it’s too late.

Nah. My guess is that in a briefing from the CIA/etc it was mentioned that Kim was having health issues and this was Trumps way of saying that briefing was fake news and they don't know anything. 

 

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Watched John Mulaney's Radio City show again tonight. The Horse in the Hospital part reminded of two things again. One was the idiots who voted for Dotard and two that a fucking horse should never be let loose in a hospital!
“Well, the hospital was inefficient!”
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3 hours ago, longhornmatt said:

The GOP should get pressure to be the bigger person.  They won’t do it in their current post Tea Party form.   They’ll also claim it’s the other side who should have to do it first.

It’s wrong.  It’s not fair.  The Democrats are at a disadvantage for being less mean spirited and less entrenched in a bunker mentality.  But you can either decide you’d rather continue to be at each other’s throats or not.  It’s like having a parent with dementia.  They’re the ones who are the problem, but they’re not going to be the ones who change.  So, you can blow it all up or deal with it.

Agree. 

3 hours ago, Mojo Hand said:

I just don't see the analogy.   Germany and Japan were humbled and desperate and thus susceptible to our influence.  The GOP controls all of government except the House.  I'd be happy to throw some bones of kindness to a rebuilding GOP in ten years, if the Dems have the presidency, the House and Senate, a majority of the Supreme Court, and a majority of state governments.   

If there's any analogy to be made to WW2, what you're suggesting is more akin to trying to rebuild Germany and Japan in 1943 or something.  It makes no sense.  Right now we need to beat Trumpism to a pulp, and we can worry about rebuilding the GOP when they've been thoroughly defeated. 

Agree with this too - ‘right now’ is the key.  It’s the part where we drop nukes on the R party.  The rebuild can be kind.  But right now we can’t play nice.  

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Our President also cleaned up Washington DC of homeless people so foreign dignitaries wouldn't have to see them.  Also, he makes mention of the federal government getting involved in cleaning this up.  Gee, let me guess.  "Camps".

 

 

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