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EvC Forum Side Orders Coffee House The Trump Presidency

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Author Topic:   The Trump Presidency
dwise1
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Joined: 05-02-2006
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Message 2876 of 4573 (853620)
05-29-2019 1:51 PM
Reply to: Message 2875 by Percy
05-29-2019 1:21 PM


Re: Mueller Speaks
What Mueller doesn't seem to grasp is the ease with which his report is being successfully misrepresented to large segments of the American public. Many actually believe that the Mueller report absolved Trump of both conspiracy and obstruction charges.
After Rep. Rep. Justin Amash's townhall meeting, journalists talked with members of the audience. One, an engaged Republican voter who made a point of keeping up with the news, was amazed at what she had just learned from Amash, because everything she had heard was that there was nothing bad in the Mueller Report. Of course, she was getting all her news from conservative sources (eg, FOX).

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dwise1
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Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(2)
Message 2893 of 4573 (854437)
06-08-2019 8:15 PM


Bumper Stickers

  
dwise1
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Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 2960 of 4573 (855989)
06-25-2019 12:53 PM
Reply to: Message 2958 by Tanypteryx
06-25-2019 12:12 PM


Re: Trump's Embrace of Foreign Interference Draws FEC Response
The clear benefit to Russians is Trump lifting economic sanctions and not adding new ones.
As I recall, one of Trump's first acts was to lift all Russian sanctions, whereupon the GOP-controlled Congress passed a bill to bar him from doing that. It passed by such an overwhelming majority as to make it veto-proof, so Trump had no choice but to sign it albeit under protest.
And of course there's also meeting Russian officials in the Oval Office with no other American present and handing them classified information -- it was the Russians who leaked that. And multiple meetings and phone conversations with Putin with no other American present (except for at least one exception, an interpreter whose notes Trump took away from her so as to leave no record). Whatever they talked about or agreed on, Trump didn't tell his own staff -- the only way we found out any of it was from what the Russians said and from intelligence our agencies gathered through their surveillance of the Russians.
For past administrations, one of the essential jobs on the White House staff is the archivist/recorder who maintains a transcript of all conversations the President has, for the record. That was one of the first jobs that Trump eliminated. Along with the White House visitor log detailing everyone who comes to see the President.

This message is a reply to:
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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 2962 of 4573 (855992)
06-25-2019 1:05 PM
Reply to: Message 2959 by JonF
06-25-2019 12:35 PM


Re: Trump's Embrace of Foreign Interference Draws FEC Response
In espionage, the ways to recruit an asset (from double agent all the way down to useful iddiot (UI) ) is summarized with the acronym, MICE, which translates to any of four meanings (all of which link to Wikipedia's page, Motives for spying):
  • Money, ideology, coercion, extortion
  • Money, ideology, coercion, ego
  • Money, ideology, compromise, extortion
  • Money, ideology, compromise, ego
Trump has no ideology and he is too eagerly willing a lapdog for Putin to be subject to coercion or extortion (ie, we see no evidence of resentment). So in descending order his most likely motives are money, ego, and compromise -- compromise would rank very low as a motive, but Trump is very obviously compromised.
Edited by dwise1, : Circumvent text munging of meaning of "UI"
Edited by dwise1, : not "any for four meanings"

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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 3012 of 4573 (857303)
07-07-2019 1:38 PM
Reply to: Message 3008 by JonF
07-07-2019 10:00 AM


Re: This is what the world sees
HBO is currently running a British mini-series, Years and Years, which is a future history starting from 2020. Kind of shows what they think of us now.
So far, Trump gets re-elected and, a couple days before the end of his second term he pre-emptively nukes a Chinese artificial island. The world imposes sanctions against the US and we end up with President Pence. The world takes a big economic hit and then one of the largest banks, a US bank, goes completely insolvent.
Similary, Netflix in the US is showing a French modern submarine thriller, The Wolf's Call, in which amidst rising tensions with Russia, the US is a complete do-nothing no-show. Again, shows what the world thinks of us now.

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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 3024 of 4573 (857451)
07-08-2019 2:34 PM
Reply to: Message 3022 by Sarah Bellum
07-08-2019 11:40 AM


Re: Representation of immigrants
When the family visited Mexico, we encountered a number of US citizens who had retired to Mexico. Though I read something in my Social Security paperwork about a requirement to not live outside the US for more than six months or else you'd lose your payments, so I don't know their situation about that. My mother-in-law kept her Mexican citizenship for decades because they planned to move to Mexico when my father-in-law retired, but those plans were scrapped when the peso took a nose dive in the 90's (before which commercials on the radio would tout it as a good investment because it was so stable) and she finally became a naturalized citizen.
At the border towns we also have many people who live in one country and work or go to school in the other, commuting daily across the border with no problem at all. Until now -- I haven't heard any stories, but I feel certain that they exist.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 3041 of 4573 (857942)
07-13-2019 5:52 PM
Reply to: Message 3032 by anglagard
07-08-2019 8:13 PM


Re: Of fools and liars
Don't worry, the Democratic Socialists are here to feed the poor, heal the sick, and comfort the afflicted, as is our sacred duty.
Uh, actually that would be the Social Democrats. Democratic Socialists are an entirely different beast based on a very different economic and social model. It is very easy to get the names switched. It is very unfortunate that our social democrats have gotten the names wrong.
Here is a YouTube video that explains these terms (in case the Wikipedia links above get ignored as some of our members insist on doing): The Difference Between Socialism, Communism, and Marxism Explained by a Marxist by azureScapegoat.
I remember a few months or so ago Percy was asking about what all this meant, so this video may help him with that.
So then, we should call a Social Democrat a Social Democrat, not something somewhat opposite.
Edited by Admin, : Fix YouTube code, don't know why it was failing.

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Replies to this message:
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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(4)
Message 3076 of 4573 (858293)
07-19-2019 10:58 AM
Reply to: Message 3074 by Percy
07-19-2019 7:18 AM


Re: Il Duce With Hair
Looks like a Photoshop job. For example, the lines about the mouth and eyes are the same as well as the nose.
However, I do remember seeing Trump in a rally speech settle back after saying something and nod to himself in self-satisfaction like "That was a good one", and noticing how much it looked like Mussolini doing the exact same thing (the Mussolini clip is a very common one).

This message is a reply to:
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dwise1
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Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(3)
Message 3077 of 4573 (858294)
07-19-2019 11:05 AM
Reply to: Message 3067 by Trump won
07-19-2019 12:15 AM


and with a fundamentalist like pence in the wings, who i can see skating into the oval office himself, god may have found the right man for the job
Since, of course, God's Plan is to place the Beast and the Anti-Christ into political power in order to bring about the end of the world.
The "job" you are talking about is the institution and wide spread of human suffering and the destruction of the world. So then, yes, Trump and Pence (AKA "Mike Dense" as he's known in Indiana) are the perfect tools for that job.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3067 by Trump won, posted 07-19-2019 12:15 AM Trump won has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 3079 by Trump won, posted 07-19-2019 5:03 PM dwise1 has replied

  
dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 3080 of 4573 (858367)
07-19-2019 7:01 PM
Reply to: Message 3079 by Trump won
07-19-2019 5:03 PM


hey remember when it was "crazy" to call obama an anti-christ?
Why was he called that? Oh, yeah. For having once worn a tan suit. Or for having sat back and put his feet up on the desk. Yeah, horrendous stuff like that.
guess it's not crazy when your side does it, eh?
By my side you must mean loyal Americans, especially ones who have sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I have solemnly sworn that oath at least seven times during my military career.
i think it's hilarious that y'all think trump is demonic, ...
No, not demonic. We're just pointing out what your own religious framework would correctly identify Trump to be. Assuming that you also believe in demons (my fundamentalist training with the Jesus Freaks, 1970, revealed how extremely obsessed they were with demons), you may wish to have yourself checked for possession -- at the very least it sounds like Morton's Demon.
Rather, Trump is dirty Alpha-Foxtrot. Besides the obvious criminal issues (main reason why he is so frantic about keeping his finances secret), there are the many counter-intelligence issues he raises which all make him appear to be a Russian asset; eg, secretly meeting with Russian officials in the Oval Office (Trump was the only American present) where he handed classified material over to the Russians (it was the Russians who outed him on this one), meeting with Putin secretly in that no other Americans were present and he never briefed his own people on what was discussed (what we have been able to learn had to come from intelligence gathered from the Russian government), phone conversation(s) with Putin conducted in the same manner, lifting of all sanctions against Russia immediately upon entering office (which was blocked by overwhelming vote in Congress which then was completely controlled by the GOP, well over a hundred instances of collusion between his campaign and Russians connected with the Russian government as listed in the Mueller Report, his business plans with Russia which continued well into the campaign and which included presenting Putin with a bribe, his lap-doggish devotion to Putin and eagerness to please him which strongly suggest compromise or more, in foreign policy, trade, and internal policy he is working to undermine democracy and our international alliances all in accordance with Putin's plans. There is strong suspicion that Trump's extreme measures to keep his finances secret are in part to hide income received from Russia, something that Don Jr. had boasted about to reporters a year or two before the campaign. Donald Trump has been identified as a major threat to national security and it should be noted that intelligence services do not share intelligence with his office, knowing that he would probably just give it to the Russians.
Counter-intelligence describes the motives for recruiting an espionage asset (eg, double agents, agents, useful idjits) with the acronym MICE:
quote:
There have been various attempts to explain why people become spies. One common theory is summed up by the acronym MICE: Money, Ideology, Compromise or Extortion (depending on source), and Ego or Extortion (depending on source). Another is the RASCLS framework: Reciprocation, Authority, Scarcity, Commitment and Consistency, Liking, and Social Proof.[1] Others have stressed the roles of disaffection, grudges, and personal links.
Trump is obviously motivated by money in everything that he does, including siphoning government money, political donations, and foreign money into his own pockets. He is far too shallow to have any ideology. Ego definitely plays a role (blow in his ear and he'll follow you anywhere). His secretive dealings with the Russian government obviously has him compromised, though he does not appear to be coerced but rather appears to be eager to get Putin's approval.
His criminality is obvious and will come fully to light with the many on-going investigations. And before you parrot the cry of "witch-hunt!", some of these investigations have yielded confessions and indictments. Trump is dirty Alpha-Foxtrot in these matters as well.
In addition, Trump and his corrupt administration are working to destroy the federal government from within, to leave our federal election system wide open for further attacks from hostile nations such as Russia, to destroy the rule of law, and to liquidate as much of our country's resources into cash for himself, his cronies, and his rich friends.
His MO has turned out to be to manufacture crises in order to distract attention away from his misdeeds and the more panicked he becomes the more extreme the crisis that he creates, such as provoking hostilities with Iran. How far would he be willing to go? Don't forget that very shortly after entering office he asked why he couldn't use nuclear weapons (why having them if we don't use them?).
That's quite a bit more diabolical than wearing a tan suit, wouldn't you agree?

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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 3106 of 4573 (858767)
07-23-2019 1:28 PM
Reply to: Message 3104 by JonF
07-23-2019 9:46 AM


Trump is abysmally ignorant of foreign policy and global economics. Nobody'd taking any significant advantage of us economically. So far his only effect has been alienating our allies.
Even worse, nobody wants to negotiate with us because nobody can believe nor trust us.
Trump thinks he can put pressure on Iran to enter new negotiations to recreate the nuclear deal that he had unilaterally broken and pulled out of. Iran has no incentive to talk with us, because they know for a fact that Trump will only lie to them and will break any and all promises he will make (in the middle of the night while sitting on the toilet). The only way that they'll agree to any deal is if Trump the Chump gives them what they want for nothing in return, like he did for Israel and North Korea.
And if we need to form any kind of military coalition, who's going to be able to trust us enough to commit their forces? Nobody.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 3117 of 4573 (858807)
07-24-2019 3:54 AM
Reply to: Message 3116 by Trump won
07-23-2019 9:23 PM


It's only a problem if folk want it to be a problem. What if instead of detention centers we funded orientation centers where folk got medical care, a short course on US laws, job training or job placement and send the folk on their way to becoming citizens?
The cost would be he same or less and the outcome would be an enthusiastic workforce.
messenjaH of oNe writes:
the problem with that is the resentment it would cause from the fact of millions of homeless in US citizenry.
OK. Decent Christian chap, right? Everybody should be treated with some kind of basic "Christian" decency, right?
So provide the millions of US homeless the same benefits!

This message is a reply to:
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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(2)
Message 3145 of 4573 (859100)
07-28-2019 1:18 PM
Reply to: Message 3142 by Trump won
07-28-2019 11:51 AM


As a Christian, it is your duty to avoid spreading "fake news" lies.
On my quotes page, I quote from An Embarrassing Week for Christians Sharing Fake News: Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. You embarrass us all when you do. by Ed Stetzer (Christianity Today, SOCIAL MEDIA, 13 July 2015):
quote:
It is YOUR jobyes YOURSto check the facts. Yes, these websites should do that as well, but most are more concerned with gaining your page view than growing your credibility.
Remember, Snopes is your friend. Go and check out these stories before you share them on social media.
There are real issues about religious liberty right now (and more coming). Posting links to fake ones just makes all of us look (rightly) gullible.
How To Fix the False Rumor You Spread
1. Post a retraction.
Really.
Do it.
It's not that hard. It will sting a little bit because you'll have to admit you were wrong, but it's good for you. I promise.
Just something like this would suffice: "Hey friends, I posted a story about _______ this weekend, and it turns out it wasn't true! Be on guard and don't believe everything you read out there! I’ll be more careful next time." You can both admit you were wrong and look out for your friends, telling them to be alert for more fake stories, because these weren't the first and I’m sure they won’t be the last.
Integrity is important for the Christian. The Scriptures are clear, especially in the Proverbs.
Proverbs 2:20-21 says:
So follow the way of good people,
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those of integrity will remain in it;
Later, Proverbs 28:18 says:
The one who lives with integrity will be helped,
but one who distorts right and wrong
will suddenly fall.
Do the right thing. Protect your friends from being tricked like you were.
2. Don’t excuse it by saying, Well, it might be true. Or, Well, there is something like that." "Or, well, it will be true soon."
No, you were wrong. You fell for a hoax. Say it and move on.
You were deceived. It's ok to admit that. You don't have to try to cover your tracks and make some sort of lame excuse to make yourself look better.
Have some humility, be willing to admit someone fooled you, and move on.
Posting a link to a story about a for-profit wedding chapel on public land won't make it any better because even that was resolvedjust say you were wrong and move on.
Seriously...
3. Be less gullible next time.
Wisdom is valuable:
Get wisdom
how much better it is than gold!
And get understanding
it is preferable to silver. (Prov 16:16)
"But," you may think, "I'm not wise. I get fooled by this stuff all the time." That's okay, Scripture accounts for people like us. James 1:5 says:
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.
Finally, the Bible makes it clear:
You must not steal. You must not act deceptively or lie to one another. (Lev 19:11)
Lying is wrong. Don't lie, even if you don't mean to. And make it right if you do.
Don't Post What You Can't Confirm
You may say, "But what if I can’t tell if the story is fake or not?"
I've given you several ways to check the veracity of a story, but if that does not work, there is just one solution: don't post it.
If you have not, will not, or cannot confirm a story, do not share it. As Christians, we have a higher standard than even the journalist. We aren’t protecting the reputation of an organization or a website, we bear the name of our King.
If our friends and families cannot trust us with this type of news, many will not listen when we seek to share the good news of the gospel.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3142 by Trump won, posted 07-28-2019 11:51 AM Trump won has not replied

  
dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 3173 of 4573 (859723)
08-02-2019 3:05 PM
Reply to: Message 3167 by JonF
07-30-2019 4:18 PM


Wasn't one of Hitler's first actions requiring an oath of personal loyalty to him?
Trump is nothing but a loser and a wannabe.
Damn Godwin! Full speed ahead!

This message is a reply to:
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dwise1
Member
Posts: 5930
Joined: 05-02-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(4)
Message 3175 of 4573 (859726)
08-02-2019 3:19 PM
Reply to: Message 3172 by RAZD
08-02-2019 12:58 PM


Re: I apologize for being a Paul Krugman fanboy
I played with the numbers before the tax scam was passed.
As I recall, the figures being put forward amounted to the top 1% or 2% getting something like $33,000 each. Now, what are they going to do with that extra money? It's such a paltry sum compare with their total income. Would they even notice it? Would they just stick it in a drawer and forget about it? Or use it to gamble in the stock market (which is what speculative trading is). For example, a multi-millionaire we did some work for remarked that he was receiving Social Security and all he used it for was to have his car serviced.
I used that figure to estimate how much money was involved and it was in the billions. I then estimated how much each person would get if it was instead distributed to the entire population and it came to about $300 per person.
The difference is that while the rich would not spend their $33,000, thus keeping it out of the economy, the rest of us would most definitely spend our $300 on food, bills, durable goods, etc, sending those billions of dollars straight into the economy. With all that money entering the economy, stores could stay open and hire people, new stores and businesses could open and hire people, manufacturers would have more customers for their products and be able to expand and hire more workers, and so on.
Giving money to the rich starves the economy. Getting money into the hands of the middle class and the poor feeds and invigorates the economy.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3172 by RAZD, posted 08-02-2019 12:58 PM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
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