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Post by Scumhunter on Oct 8, 2019 8:45:35 GMT -5
White House now blocking the ambassador to the EU from testifying to congress. State Department withholding text messages relevant to investigation on his personal device. The White House and state department are in my opinion committing obstruction of justice.
The House has subpoena power and the power to ask witnesses to testify just like other legal or law enforcement entities.
I know it's cliche to say this but we are in a constitutional crisis and the basic checks and balances of our government are severely threatened right now.
We as a people need to continue to stand up and speak out.
There was NO REASON to block Sondland's testimony today other than it would have been devastating for Trump.
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Post by Scumhunter on Oct 10, 2019 1:18:40 GMT -5
And predictably, Turkish forces have launched an offensive on Northern Syria as Trump withdrew Trumps from the region, multiple civilian casualties. The Kurds have been an American ally in the fight against ISIS, and now they fear an invasion that will lead to genocide. Even fellow Republicans, including Lindsey Graham, a former somewhat respetcable Republican Senator and best friend of John McCain turned #1 Trump apologist, has criticized the move.
Here's the thing, the U.S. has a history of getting involved in wars and foreign conflicts we shouldn't have gotten involved in, and I somewhat agree that we can't always be the world's policemen. However, in my opinion, Trump did not withdraw troops for noble reasons but to distract from his Ukraine scandal. In my opinion, blood is on his hands.
And the whole irony is we never get it right. The one time we should have got involved in a war that technically did not involve us was when Jewish people were being murdered by Hitler during the holocaust in World War II. And it took us way too long and took the attack on Pearl Harbor to help our European allies against the axis of evil. I am usually a pacifist and anti-war, but as someone who considers himself Jewish, albeit non-practicing, I cannot help but see the similarities between what the Kurds are going through and the holocaust and feel an obligation to support them.
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Post by Scumhunter on Oct 18, 2019 2:09:59 GMT -5
Just wanted to take the time out to pay respects to Elijah Cummings, one of the most influential African-Americans in congress who as we know sadly passed away at the age of 68.
It is inspiring to see colleagues from both parties pay their respects to him and his family.
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 2, 2019 9:28:53 GMT -5
I ironically haven't been commenting much in this thread lately during the biggest story yet involving lord cheeto because I've been very busy with a side project, but I just wanted to remind all of you that election day is coming up and encourage everyone to please vote. Regardless of your political affiliations, it is important you participate in the process. Too many people will only vote in Presidential election years while your local elections are also if not just as important.
Where I am, it is an off-year and we only have proposals to vote for but those are still important and I still plan on doing what I feel is a civic duty.
Vote and show off your sticker afterwards!
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Post by тσρтєиhυитєя on Nov 2, 2019 12:24:06 GMT -5
And predictably, Turkish forces have launched an offensive on Northern Syria as Trump withdrew Trumps from the region, multiple civilian casualties. The Kurds have been an American ally in the fight against ISIS, and now they fear an invasion that will lead to genocide. Even fellow Republicans, including Lindsey Graham, a former somewhat respetcable Republican Senator and best friend of John McCain turned #1 Trump apologist, has criticized the move. Here's the thing, the U.S. has a history of getting involved in wars and foreign conflicts we shouldn't have gotten involved in, and I somewhat agree that we can't always be the world's policemen. However, in my opinion, Trump did not withdraw troops for noble reasons but to distract from his Ukraine scandal. In my opinion, blood is on his hands. And the whole irony is we never get it right. The one time we should have got involved in a war that technically did not involve us was when Jewish people were being murdered by Hitler during the holocaust in World War II. And it took us way too long and took the attack on Pearl Harbor to help our European allies against the axis of evil. I am usually a pacifist and anti-war, but as someone who considers himself Jewish, albeit non-practicing, I cannot help but see the similarities between what the Kurds are going through and the holocaust and feel an obligation to support them. I want to point out that the Kurds helped us in the war against ISIS and even went as far as to give us intelligence information about ISIS leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The Kurds were the first ones to respond when Iraq spun out of control in the summer of 2014 and since then they’ve been instrumental to ISIS losing their ground. Repaying them by doing that is a really bad thing. |
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Post by outlawtaco on Nov 2, 2019 18:35:29 GMT -5
This might come as a surprise but Beto O Rourke has dropped out before the election I think soon Harris is going to fade out to
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 2, 2019 18:38:37 GMT -5
And predictably, Turkish forces have launched an offensive on Northern Syria as Trump withdrew Trumps from the region, multiple civilian casualties. The Kurds have been an American ally in the fight against ISIS, and now they fear an invasion that will lead to genocide. Even fellow Republicans, including Lindsey Graham, a former somewhat respetcable Republican Senator and best friend of John McCain turned #1 Trump apologist, has criticized the move. Here's the thing, the U.S. has a history of getting involved in wars and foreign conflicts we shouldn't have gotten involved in, and I somewhat agree that we can't always be the world's policemen. However, in my opinion, Trump did not withdraw troops for noble reasons but to distract from his Ukraine scandal. In my opinion, blood is on his hands. And the whole irony is we never get it right. The one time we should have got involved in a war that technically did not involve us was when Jewish people were being murdered by Hitler during the holocaust in World War II. And it took us way too long and took the attack on Pearl Harbor to help our European allies against the axis of evil. I am usually a pacifist and anti-war, but as someone who considers himself Jewish, albeit non-practicing, I cannot help but see the similarities between what the Kurds are going through and the holocaust and feel an obligation to support them. I want to point out that the Kurds helped us in the war against ISIS and even went as far as to give us intelligence information about ISIS leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The Kurds were the first ones to respond when Iraq spun out of control in the summer of 2014 and since then they’ve been instrumental to ISIS losing their ground. Repaying them by doing that is a really bad thing. Yeah, and if you read articles, you'll see the killing of al-Baghdadi largely succeeded in spite of Trump, not because of him. www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/editorials/fl-op-edit-al-baghdadi-trump-20191029-tuqse5rmmzfnfefsohr2jeq4yq-story.htmlAnd also, I'm very happy al-Baghdadi was killed, but he was just a figurehead who many thought was dead already and was a non-factor for years. Trump tried desperately to make it bigger than it was, desperate to have his "Obama/Bin Laden" moment, and thankfully the general public didn't fall it and still booed him at the World Series the same day he announced the news (as if I wasn't rooting for the Nationals enough already lol). 100 ISIS prisoners went unaccounted for thanks to Trump's stunt earlier last month, so despite al-Baghdadi's killing, we are LESS and not more safe. And finally, in 2012, Trump refused to give credit to Obama for Bin Laden's killing, saying in a tweet all he did was say "OK" and it was the Navy SEALs who deserved all the credit. So if he refused to give Obama credit for Bin Laden's death, I don't have to give him credit for an ISIS figurehead's death. |
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 2, 2019 18:41:58 GMT -5
In regards to your comment outlawtaco, It's not a surprise O'Rourke dropped out as he was doing horrible in the polls, but I am surprised he never got any traction when he nearly beat Ted Cruz in frigging Texas in a Senate race. He was pretty much doomed after the first Democratic debate when he attempted to pander to the audience by starting his speech in Spanish. He did much better in the debates after that, but that sort of put him behind the 8-ball. Harris's campaign is also struggling after an initial surge. I don't know if she'll drop out before some others polling below her.
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Post by outlawtaco on Nov 2, 2019 18:44:17 GMT -5
What really surprised me was Julian Castro raised 800,000 dollars
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Post by 912thamwuser on Nov 2, 2019 18:54:56 GMT -5
In regards to your comment outlawtaco, It's not a surprise O'Rourke dropped out as he was doing horrible in the polls, but I am surprised he never got any traction when he nearly beat Ted Cruz in frigging Texas in a Senate race. He was pretty much doomed after the first Democratic debate when he attempted to pander to the audience by starting his speech in Spanish. He did much better in the debates after that, but that sort of put him behind the 8-ball. Harris's campaign is also struggling after an initial surge. I don't know if she'll drop out before some others polling below her. For the general public, the problem with O'Rourke might've been bad marketing and faulty debate skills, but for counter-corporate progressives, it's that O'Rourke wouldn't stand up to industry *lobbies like corporate health insurance, pharma price gougers, and investment banks. I still think funding his campaign with dirty Pfizer, United Health, JP Morgan-Chase, and Goldman-Sachs money did that to him. *I call corporate lobbies corporate bribery fronts, and the lobbyists bribery liaisons. |
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 5, 2019 22:50:56 GMT -5
If we needed further proof of Donald Trump's toxicity, a Democrat just won traditionally red Kentucky's Governor race despite Trump campaigning hard for the Republican Governor. Matt Bevin was a tea party nutjob who had a medicaid plan that would have caused 100,000 or more people to lose their health insurance, so it's a sigh of relief for that state.
Democrats also won both legislative chambers in the Virginia State Assembly.
Additionally, the Governor's race in MISSISSIPPI, the Republican looks like he'll win in the double digits but between like 10-12 points, the previous guy won in the 30's. So even in frigging deep red Mississippi, the Republican didn't do as well as usual.
(Edit: looks like the win was actually in the SINGLE digits after full vote tally)
I will say though seeing a Democrat winning Kentucky does remind me of Hillary's arrogance, as she didn't even campaign in Wisconsin, thinking she had it in the bag, which also helped in getting us stuck with cheetohead. You never just chalk one away and should always compete no matter what.
As for Trump, I hope now this finally gives some Republicans pause when defending him, since part of the reason they had is they're afraid of losing his cult's votes if they stand up to him. They can see now his cult still couldn't help Matt Bevin and some Republicans in Virginia.
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 9, 2019 0:54:19 GMT -5
So apparently Mike Bloomberg might run for President to challenge Trump.
I have mixed emotions on this. I HATED Bloomberg when he was Mayor of NYC. For one thing, he banned smoking from bars, trans fats in foods, wanted to ban large sodas and became known as the nanny-state Mayor. I personally don't smoke or smoke in bars but it was a general thing where I felt he was trying to regulate everyone's habits rather than let people have personal responsibility.
The other thing is the income inequality widened even more in NYC under Bloomberg. He technically fancied everything up but to the point where even previously affordable neighborhoods, specifically Harlem, were now gentrified and rents tripled quadrupled etc....
And of course, corporate billionaire.
However, in retrospect, I feel like I owe him a sort of apology considering how much of a disaster his successor, Bill DeBlasio has been. Crime has went up, police and minorities hate him, he spends more time away from NYC than he does in NYC... Had Trump not been President, I would have voted for the Republican challenger when DeBlasio ran for re-election in 2017, that's how bad he is. However, I had no choice but to vote for DeBlasio because it was too dangerous to have a non-Democratic Mayor in office while cheetohead was still President.
And looking at things, Bloomberg was competent and stabilized the city financially after 9/11 and is a moderate and actual billionaire with the funds to take on Trump.
There's a dilemma with the Democratic race vs. the general election. I prefer Bernie or Warren, and I don't think they're as to the left as people make them out to be. They are also the two candidates with the most passionate base of voters. At the same time, Biden as a moderate in the general election might be more palatable to the average and independent voter who is more center-left or center-right.
At the same time, I feel the reason Obama won in 2008 and Trump "won" in 2016 (thanks electoral college, NOT), was they had a passionate following. A 20-year old kid isn't rolling out of bed to go "hell yeah!, time to vote for Biden!" but they would for Bernie (ironically Bernie is older but he has a passionate base which I feel is important).
At the same time, Bloomberg sort of satisfies the center-left candidate without the baggage that Biden brings as a career politician who appears to be senile at times and has unfairly been cast in a negative light over Ukraine by Trump.
I begrudgingly support Bloomberg jumping into the race for that reason, something I never thought I'd say six years ago.
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Post by 912thamwuser on Nov 9, 2019 13:38:11 GMT -5
So apparently Mike Bloomberg might run for President to challenge Trump. I have mixed emotions on this. I HATED Bloomberg when he was Mayor of NYC. For one thing, he banned smoking from bars, trans fats in foods, wanted to ban large sodas and became known as the nanny-state Mayor. I personally don't smoke or smoke in bars but it was a general thing where I felt he was trying to regulate everyone's habits rather than let people have personal responsibility. The other thing is the income inequality widened even more in NYC under Bloomberg. He technically fancied everything up but to the point where even previously affordable neighborhoods, specifically Harlem, were now gentrified and rents tripled quadrupled etc.... And of course, corporate billionaire. However, in retrospect, I feel like I owe him a sort of apology considering how much of a disaster his successor, Bill DeBlasio has been. Crime has went up, police and minorities hate him, he spends more time away from NYC than he does in NYC... Had Trump not been President, I would have voted for the Republican challenger when DeBlasio ran for re-election in 2017, that's how bad he is. However, I had no choice but to vote for DeBlasio because it was too dangerous to have a non-Democratic Mayor in office while cheetohead was still President. And looking at things, Bloomberg was competent and stabilized the city financially after 9/11 and is a moderate and actual billionaire with the funds to take on Trump. There's a dilemma with the Democratic race vs. the general election. I prefer Bernie or Warren, and I don't think they're as to the left as people make them out to be. They are also the two candidates with the most passionate base of voters. At the same time, Biden as a moderate in the general election might be more palatable to the average and independent voter who is more center-left or center-right. At the same time, I feel the reason Obama won in 2008 and Trump "won" in 2016 (thanks electoral college, NOT), was they had a passionate following. A 20-year old kid isn't rolling out of bed to go "hell yeah!, time to vote for Biden!" but they would for Bernie (ironically Bernie is older but he has a passionate base which I feel is important). At the same time, Bloomberg sort of satisfies the center-left candidate without the baggage that Biden brings as a career politician who appears to be senile at times and has unfairly been cast in a negative light over Ukraine by Trump. I begrudgingly support Bloomberg jumping into the race for that reason, something I never thought I'd say six years ago. I concur that the divide between Wassermancrats, Sandercrats, and Tronald Dump esque white nationalists is a serious issue in today's political climate, but I'm under the impression that the quantity of people who'd vote for a Blue Dog over a counter-corporate progressive is a bit exaggerated. The mainstream TV media is run by 6 giant corporations, deeply beholden to advertisers like Pfizer pharmaceutical, and has probably sown a little doubt in a lot of people's minds about whether a true progressive or the center of the American Overton Window has a better chance of winning a presidential election. People are furious at the establishment Democrats who've raised several Megadollars in expensive fundraising dinners at the expense of people with chronic illnesses, and Wassermancrat centrism already cost us the electoral professors in the rust belt back in '016. |
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 9, 2019 15:03:10 GMT -5
All good points, but at the same time, some of the major races in the past few years where a Democrat has upset a Republican in a major race in a red state has been a center-left or center-right Democrat, Beshear was a center-left/right-ish candidate in Kentucky, for example. That sort of furthers the argument that this country is more center-left or center-right than anything.
But I do agree with you about mainstream media possibly muddying the waters.
I want to support whoever the candidate is that wins the nomination, but I still have my own personal preferences.
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Post by Scumhunter on Nov 9, 2019 15:06:53 GMT -5
Also, I apologize to toptenhunter for saying 20-year-old kid  Sorry to drag you into this but my feeling is while the media and other pundits says the Democrats need to run a centrist to appeal to the "happy medium" aggregate of citizens, people your age might vote for Biden because you don't like Trump, but you're not running to the polls with enthusiasm like you would for Bernie and that kind of inspiration to get youngsters to vote is important as well. |
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