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Author
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Topic: The Second Trump Presidency
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 2 of 332 (920650)
11-06-2024 6:59 AM
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Reply to: Message 1 by Percy
11-06-2024 6:37 AM
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An Uncertain Future
I remember an old post you made where you asked rhetorically, "Is this who we really are?" I can't believe he got in, but I am not looking forward to the global future. Of course most conservative church folk voted for him, but what carried him was the Latino vote, as well as the uneducated white vote.(I suppose many elitists would put me in this category!  ) My only prediction is a gloomy one. I believe that both the United States and Israel will be judged for their actions in the next four years. (as well as the past two). For those who don't believe in God as the judge, substitute "the rest of the world". I'm not as scared of Trump as many of you are, but I certainly don't see him as "the smart guy that he portrays himself as. We all are gonna have to own this one. Yes Percy, evidently this *is* who we are. Edited by Phat, : changed terminology Edited by Phat, : spelling
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 1 by Percy, posted 11-06-2024 6:37 AM | | Percy has seen this message but not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 5 of 332 (920654)
11-06-2024 12:06 PM
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Reply to: Message 3 by Percy
11-06-2024 9:17 AM
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Re: Predictions for a Trump America
I am curious about who will fill Trump's cabinet. One name that I read about was Elbridge Colby. I don't know that much about any of these people, but I certainly don't want to see RFK Jr. in charge of health since I heard that he was once an anti-vaxxer. I'm sure that Theodoric thinks that I have supported Trump all along, largely due to my references to Colonel Douglas MacGregor, but I am certainly not a warmonger. I want peace and cooperation. The reconciliation that Trump seemed to propose regarding a divided America is directed at our global adversaries in my opinion. Trump wants to do business and make some money off of the world. Whether this is the best path to peace is up for debate. I learned about Tariffs from you guys and am not in favor of that approach to geopolitical diplomacy and strategy. Russia is not our friend. They are already at economic war with us as I have pointed out before.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 3 by Percy, posted 11-06-2024 9:17 AM | | Percy has seen this message but not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 6 of 332 (920656)
11-06-2024 12:13 PM
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Reply to: Message 4 by Taq
11-06-2024 11:48 AM
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Re: Predictions for a Trump America
I will also be curious to see what happens when Trump learns who actually pays tariffs. I learned about it from you. Surely he has to know. What will end up happening is that the middle class will continue to be squeezed by higher prices as the dollar continues its slow decline. I will point out that de-dollarization is a bi-partisan issue. That reminds me...I need to check the markets. Damn! Gold and silver are both now going down! The Dow jumped a thousand points. Its all inflated dollars anyway.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 4 by Taq, posted 11-06-2024 11:48 AM | | Taq has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 7 by Taq, posted 11-06-2024 12:18 PM | | Phat has seen this message but not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 13 of 332 (920671)
11-07-2024 4:50 PM
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Reply to: Message 12 by Percy
11-07-2024 1:20 PM
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An Uncertain Future
Percy writes: I wonder if those who voted for Trump will ever realize what they have done, or will they not even realize their democracy is gone? ​ I have been at our union contract negotiations and have watched in disbelief as the rulings begin to change before our eyes. The merger, once dead in the water, may assume a new life after January 20th. The pension will take a hit. Healthcare may change. Even Social Security may now be in jeopardy. It is not a good time to grow old.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 12 by Percy, posted 11-07-2024 1:20 PM | | Percy has seen this message but not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 23 of 332 (920693)
11-09-2024 9:58 AM
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Reply to: Message 22 by Percy
11-09-2024 8:23 AM
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Re: Another Step Back
I found a good quote for this occasion:
quote:
When a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental—men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they can
not understand. So confronted, the candidate must either bark with the pack or be lost...
"All the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre—the man who can most adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum. The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. ~ H.L. Meneken
Percy:
I think the average American is poorly educated, leaving them unable to tell truth from lies, good information from bad.
It was remarks like that from the elitists that caused the populists to rebel again and elect Trump. You cant assume that your intelligence is superior to mine or anyone else's (even if it is) Humility is a virtue.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 22 by Percy, posted 11-09-2024 8:23 AM | | Percy has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 24 by Percy, posted 11-09-2024 10:56 AM | | Phat has seen this message but not replied | | | Message 25 by DrJones*, posted 11-09-2024 2:44 PM | | Phat has replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 26 of 332 (920698)
11-09-2024 3:15 PM
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Reply to: Message 25 by DrJones*
11-09-2024 2:44 PM
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Re: Another Step Back
I remember your signature.
quote:
If "elitist" just means "not the dumbest motherfucker in the room", I'll be an elitist! - Get Your War On
Lets peruse the dictionary (and wikipedia) and unpack some of this stuff, shall we?
Wikipedia writes: Elitism is the notion that individuals who form an elite — a select group with desirable qualities such as intellect, wealth, power, physical attractiveness, notability, special skills, experience, lineage — are more likely to be constructive to society and deserve greater influence or authority.[1] The term elitism may be used to describe a situation in which power is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people. Beliefs that are in opposition to elitism include egalitarianism, anti-intellectualism (against powerful institutions perceived to be controlled by elites), populism, and the political theory of pluralism. No one disagrees with the fact that Democrats in general are better educated than Republicans. Many Republicans are CEO's and business leaders. Much of the base is small business owners, many of whom never finished college. According to wiki, elitism as a group favors pluralism as a political ideal.
Wiki writes: Classical pluralism is the view that politics and decision-making are located mostly in the framework of government but that many non-governmental groups use their resources to exert influence. The central question for classical pluralism is how power and influence are distributed in a political process. Groups of individuals try to maximize their interests. Lines of conflict are multiple and shifting as power is a continuous bargaining process between competing groups. There may be inequalities but they tend to be distributed and evened out by the various forms and distributions of resources throughout a population. Any change under this view will be slow and incremental, as groups have different interests and may act as "veto groups" to destroy legislation. The existence of diverse and competing interests is the basis for a democratic equilibrium,[1] and is crucial for the obtaining of goals by individuals. Pluralism is seemingly favoring larger government whereas populism favors smaller government. Comments? I'm in the process of learning here. Note the demographic makeup of our two main political parties. Trumps base is largely white, though other minorities are included based on the shared interest of business. at the DNC, every ethnicity was cheerfully on display, including the LGBQT. It seems that one side favors diversity whereas the other side favors unity at the risk of " a lack of commitment to the democratic process, disrespect for fundamental minority rights, demonization of opponents, and acceptance of political violence."
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 25 by DrJones*, posted 11-09-2024 2:44 PM | | DrJones* has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 27 by PaulK, posted 11-09-2024 4:01 PM | | Phat has replied | | | Message 42 by Taq, posted 11-12-2024 12:58 PM | | Phat has not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 30 of 332 (920703)
11-10-2024 1:51 AM
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Reply to: Message 27 by PaulK
11-09-2024 4:01 PM
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Re: Another Step Back
Upon further investigation, you are right. I must have gotten confused by reading that pluralists favored big government.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 27 by PaulK, posted 11-09-2024 4:01 PM | | PaulK has not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
(1)
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Re: The First Target of Retribution: Jack Smith
Is the /s indicative of satire?
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Re: The First Target of Retribution: Jack Smith
Moose writes: Phat, how could it take you until the Harris/Trump debate to see that it is Harris=intelligent+nice and tRUMP=stupid+asshole (which is all I needed to know to vote D)? Well, unlike way too many others, at least you did come around to seeing the reality (which does have a liberal bias). ​ I wanted to keep peace in the family. In Colorado, voting for Donald Trump would have done no good seeing as how the election is determined through the electoral college. I am a big fan of our Attorney General, Phil Weiser and hope that even if Trump demolishes the FTC, Weisers court lawsuit will save the union and force the employers to pay us the pension that we have earned. I am a conservative leaning political moderate for a reason, though. AZPaul3's acceptance of a government that controls all of the money is one giant reason that I do not support ALL Democratic ideals. If the wealthy corporate overlords succeed in demolishing our pension,however, I may turn full fledged Democrat and demand justice! We have a two party system that together provides the consensus needed for everyday life.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 33 by Minnemooseus, posted 11-10-2024 3:33 PM | | Minnemooseus has seen this message but not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 36 of 332 (920712)
11-11-2024 3:50 PM
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Reply to: Message 35 by xongsmith
11-11-2024 12:14 PM
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Ask Bill Maher
... from 81 million for Biden down 72 million so far. where did they go? were they turned off by a woman of color? Ask Bill Maher.
Bill Maher Short I think that people were/are concerned about the economy and getting their fair share vs doling it out to undocumented workers.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 35 by xongsmith, posted 11-11-2024 12:14 PM | | xongsmith has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 37 by Tangle, posted 11-11-2024 5:37 PM | | Phat has replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 38 of 332 (920717)
11-12-2024 7:46 AM
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Reply to: Message 37 by Tangle
11-11-2024 5:37 PM
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Re: Ask Bill Maher
Tangle writes: How does an undocumented worker get a government dole-out? They don't..at least not directly. What they do is take the attention off of our own domestic poor who have learned to depend on the government through welfare and various social services. When I see the shoplifters at our store, I recognize many of them personally. I see the contrast between them and the Venezuelans (and other workers from other countries) The shoplifters by and large are domestic poor, many addicted to alcohol and illegal drugs. The domestic poor are addicted to handouts and theft. Most of the Venezuelans dont dare steal, even if they are hungry. There may be a small number who are organized gangs, but that number is far smaller than claimed. It is our own domestic poor that is the problem.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 37 by Tangle, posted 11-11-2024 5:37 PM | | Tangle has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 39 by Tangle, posted 11-12-2024 7:53 AM | | Phat has replied | | | Message 41 by Percy, posted 11-12-2024 8:48 AM | | Phat has not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 40 of 332 (920719)
11-12-2024 8:33 AM
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Reply to: Message 39 by Tangle
11-12-2024 7:53 AM
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Re: Ask Bill Maher
Tangle writes: I have a solution for you - deport the poor and keep the illegals.
I have a better solution. Refund the police and make shoplifting unattractive again. Let the domestic poor compete with undocumented workers for jobs and make work a necessity rather than a luxury. Find the undocumented workers and make sure they are paying into social security. Only then can they have a path to citizenship and only after the ones (mainly from Mexico) who came first. Teach the domestic poor to help themselves and not be coddled. The undocumented workers already know that they have to work. We want them to feel welcome but we want them to contribute.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 39 by Tangle, posted 11-12-2024 7:53 AM | | Tangle has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 46 by dwise1, posted 11-12-2024 7:29 PM | | Phat has not replied | | | Message 86 by dwise1, posted 11-20-2024 10:44 PM | | Phat has not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 50 of 332 (920752)
11-14-2024 4:09 PM
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Reply to: Message 47 by Percy
11-14-2024 9:41 AM
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Re: It's Going to be a Wild Ride
as long as they get rid of that guy in a dress with no other skill than being transgender
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 47 by Percy, posted 11-14-2024 9:41 AM | | Percy has replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 63 of 332 (920766)
11-16-2024 8:16 AM
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Reply to: Message 61 by AZPaul3
11-15-2024 5:06 PM
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Re: It's Going to be a Wild Ride
Adding my comments to the mix: ( In Tan )
| Chief of Staff | Susie Wiles | She ran his campaign and seems a solid choice.Phat writes: Her credentials seem solid. Maybe she will bring order to an otherwise chaotic white house. Who is the Press Secretary anyway?
| | Secretary of State | Marco Rubio | Senator from Florida, he's talented, capable, and a foreign policy hawk. He's a strong supporter of Israel, a NATO skeptic, an opponent of Iran and China, and likely favors pressuring Ukraine to cede territory Russia to end the war, to which I reply with one word: Sudetenland. Phat writes: I call nonsense. Russia is hardly capable of pushing into Europe or NATO and would be obliterated with our newer weapons which are replacing the old stuff we are selling Ukraine. If NATO wants strength, NATO should help pay for it. We no longer have the money.
| | National Security Adviser | Mike Waltz | Representative from Florida, he's a foreign policy hawk. He's a NATO skeptic. He has supported aid to Ukraine, but that support has softened recently, likely motivated by a desire to be more in line with Trump.
| | Secretary of Defense | Pete Hegseth | A Fox News personality, he served two tours in the National Guard in Iraq and Afghanistan where his highest rank was captain as a platoon leader. He was later promoted to major. He is completely unqualified for the position. I read up on who Trump had be his Secretary of Defense in 2015. It was a qualified man... Wiki:
James Norman Mattis (born September 8, 1950) is an American military veteran who served as the 26th United States secretary of defense from 2017 to 2019. A retired Marine Corps four-star general, he commanded forces in the Persian Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War(...)Mattis was nominated as secretary of defense by president-elect Donald Trump, and confirmed by the Senate on January 20, 2017. As secretary of defense, Mattis affirmed the United States' commitment to defending longtime ally South Korea in the wake of the 2017 North Korea crisis. An opponent of proposed collaboration with China and Russia, Mattis stressed what he saw as their "threat to the American-led world order". Mattis occasionally voiced his disagreement with certain Trump administration policies such as the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, withdrawals of troops from Syria and Afghanistan, and budget cuts hampering the ability to monitor the impacts of climate change. According to The Hill, Mattis also reportedly dissuaded Trump from attempting to assassinate Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria.(...)
On December 20, 2018, after failing to convince Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw all American troops from Syria, Mattis announced his resignation effective the end of February 2019; after Mattis's resignation generated significant media coverage, Trump abruptly accelerated Mattis's departure date to January 1, 2019, stating that he had essentially fired Mattis. (...)Mattis wrote that Trump was "the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us". He added that America is "witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership".
. It seems that Trump has selected a cabinet of yes men who will never challenge him.
| | Secretary of Justice | Matt Gaetz | Representative from Florida (resigned yesterday) and completely unqualified. He's been under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct. This nomination is nuts. Although the ethics investigation was dismissed, this guy looks like little more than a weapon of revenge for Trumps legal quagmire, which incidentally is now being largely dismissed. Again, I dont see him as bad as Hitler, though I found the following quote on Wiki: After the January 6 attack, Mattis said Trump used the presidency to "destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens." In 2024, after former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley called Trump "fascist to the core" and "the most dangerous person ever," author Bob Woodward said Mattis had emailed him to second Milley's assessment.
| | Director of National Intelligence | Tulsi Gabbard | Former Representative from Hawaii with no experience in intelligence. Like Trump she favors Putin. This nomination is nuts.
| | Director of Homeland Security | Kristi Noem | Governor of South Dakota. Yes, she's the one who shot and killed the family dog for being "untrainable". She'll likely be a strong leader who aggressively carries out Trump's policies on immigration and the border.
| | Director of CIA | John Ratcliffe | Served as Director of National Intelligence in the 1st Trump administration. Likely a solid pick.
| | EPA Administrator | Lee Zeldin | Former Representative from New York. Weak background in environmental policy. His prime qualification is being a Trump loyalist.
| | Ambassador to UN | Elise Stefanik | Reprentative from New York. She will strongly promote Trump's vision at the UN.
| | Department of Government Efficiency | Elon Musk | Billioinaire. The department would likely take the form of an advisory commission. Vivek Ramaswarmy will be co-leader. Who knows what havoc the pair will wreak. Elon is no slouch. He will not only help us develop better weapons, he will do so with maximum efficiency. Personally, I think that the reason Trump wants to break with NATO is because of European Socialist ideology.
| | Secretary of Health and Human Services | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | RFK is an anti-vaxer and a promoter of public-health conspiracy theories. This nomination is nuts.
| | Secretary of the Interior | Doug Burgum | Governor of North Dakota. He favors opening federal lands to and waters to oil and gas drilling. The climate takes another hit. Climate change has been vastly accelerated just by the wars in Ukraine and the Mid East. What concerns me is the pro Christian cabinet who *could* unwittingly hasten an Armageddon type of encounter in the Mid East. We will all see what damage can be done and what wars can be averted or caused by this new administration. |
Edited by Phat, : edited for clarity Edited by Phat, . Edited by Phat, .
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 61 by AZPaul3, posted 11-15-2024 5:06 PM | | AZPaul3 has not replied |
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Phat
Member Posts: 18691 From: Denver,Colorado USA Joined: 12-30-2003 Member Rating: 4.5
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Message 64 of 332 (920767)
11-16-2024 8:33 AM
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Reply to: Message 62 by PaulK
11-16-2024 2:01 AM
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Re: It's Going to be a Wild Ride
Its not so much that supporting Israel is wrong. Its supporting Netanyahu that is the problem. One problem with this mandate is that we have too many leaders within the US and Israel who agree and are extremists rather than moderates. Mattis was a moderate and got fired for it. As for Elon Musk, he will benefit greatly from the future wars. Isnt that a conflict of interest? After all, everyone got mad at Bezos The Clown for censoring the Washington Post. I predict that Elon Musk may come under fire for benefiting from his cabinet post.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 62 by PaulK, posted 11-16-2024 2:01 AM | | PaulK has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 65 by PaulK, posted 11-16-2024 9:05 AM | | Phat has seen this message but not replied | | | Message 66 by Percy, posted 11-16-2024 9:29 AM | | Phat has replied |
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