US Politics Thread 2016-2020

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by em2nought

Darned Israelis not wanting to be exterminated "again", what's their problem? We all know if they let up for one second that's what's going to happen, and I think there are still many in the world that wouldn't be too bothered by that.

May 1948 to May 2018 = 70 years

Independence Day "Day of Independence") is the national day of Israel, commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.

some people think this will be a testing of Israel's Independence

I'm glad President Trump is on their side (along with his son in law too being Jewish) 2018 will be a trying year. I would be surprised if nothing happens and as always the USA will have to take sides.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Please do not put words in my mouth.

That was not my intention and I apologize.

As to the links you posted, I'm having a hard time connecting that to your original statement.

B.t.w. the real "establishment" is mostly right-wing and conservative, just as a reminder.

I think your idea of establishment and mine might differ.

Merriam-Websters' definition....

An established order of society: such as
a : a group of social, economic, and political leaders who form a ruling class (as of a nation)
b : a controlling group

In the United States I don't think that group is "mostly right-wing and conservative". But I am willing to be enlightened.

[Catfish]

As far as i have understood that, the "red states" are actually richer by households and consumption, while the "blue" states only seem to be rich from outside and statistics because of big business (net worth/corporations), but not by the income or the consuption of the common people.
Which is why the author in the first link makes up the thesis that
"The richer people, by the only standard that actually matters, that consumption, are voting right wing, the poorer are voting left."

[em2nought]

[vienna]

The New Year starts off with a couple of big laughs, the first courtesy of Roy Moore's "Jewish lawyer" (I mean, if you can't trust a lawyer...)...:

The Jewish attorney that Roy Moore's wife touted employing in an attempt to fight off claims of anti-semitism is actually a longtime friend and supporter of Senator-elect Doug Jones, who defeated Moore last month.

Roy Moore's Jewish lawyer voted for Doug Jones, raised money for his campaign --

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018...-campaign.html


The second is from the always humble, and very truthful, Big Yella Guy:


Trump Says He’s the Reason There Were No Plane-Crash Deaths Last Year (He Wasn’t) --

http://www.newsweek.com/trump-plane-...irlines-767985


Social media users mock Trump for taking credit for air-travel safety record --

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...for-air-travel


Trump Takes Credit for Air Safety System Run by Obama Holdover --

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...obama-holdover


What next? Trump taking credit for the not having hd a war with the UK since 1813?...








<O>

[vienna]

I've already posted the exact texts of Special Counsel Mueller's Grand Jury authorized indictments of Manafort and Gates, as well as the exact texts of the plea agreements allocuted to by Flynn and Papdopolous, irrefutable proof of the exact extent of the investigation so far, yet there has been a question about the scope of Mueller's investigation. Mueller was appointed by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, acting in place of Atty. Gen. Sessions, who recused himself from the Russia investigations over conflict of interest concerns; Rosenstein, himself, is a Trump appointee, and his appointment was confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate. Here is a link to the official Justice Dept. posting of Mueller's appointment as Special Counsel by Rothstein:


https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-re...67231/download


Below is a quote directly from the text:

(a) Robert S. Mueller III is appointed to serve as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice.

(b) The Special Counsel is authorized to conduct the investigation confirmed by then-FBI Director James B. Comey in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on March 20, 2017, including:

(i) any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and

(ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; and

(iii) any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. § 600.4(a).


(c) If the Special Counsel believes it is necessary and appropriate, the Special Counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters.

In the appointment order, reference is made to 28 C.F.R. § 600.4, (Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations [C.F.R.}) which fully defines the role, duties, responsibilities and scope of the Special counsel, in terms of Jurisdiction:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.4

§ 600.4 Jurisdiction.


(a) Original jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of a Special Counsel shall be established by the Attorney General. The Special Counsel will be provided with a specific factual statement of the matter to be investigated. The jurisdiction of a Special Counsel shall also include the authority to investigate and prosecute federal crimes committed in the course of, and with intent to interfere with, the Special Counsel's investigation, such as perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses; and to conduct appeals arising out of the matter being investigated and/or prosecuted.

(b) Additional jurisdiction. If in the course of his or her investigation the Special Counsel concludes that additional jurisdiction beyond that specified in his or her original jurisdiction is necessary in order to fully investigate and resolve the matters assigned, or to investigate new matters that come to light in the course of his or her investigation, he or she shall consult with the Attorney General, who will determine whether to include the additional matters within the Special Counsel's jurisdiction or assign them elsewhere.

(c) Civil and administrative jurisdiction. If in the course of his or her investigation the Special Counsel determines that administrative remedies, civil sanctions or other governmental action outside the criminal justice system might be appropriate, he or she shall consult with the Attorney General with respect to the appropriate component to take any necessary action. A Special Counsel shall not have civil or administrative authority unless specifically granted such jurisdiction by the Attorney General.

The scope of the mandate of a Special Counsel is very broad and encompassing. Nothing thus far known of the actions of SC Mueller has exceeded his legal mandate as prescribed and/or proscribed by Federal Law...

In case you may have wondered if Sessions can tip off persons under possible investigation, or even Trump, himself, the text of 28 C.F.R. § 600.6 puts the investigation(s) by Special Counsel outside of the purview of the Atty. Gen., if the SC should so determine:

28 CFR 600.6 - Powers and authority.

Subject to the limitations in the following paragraphs, the Special Counsel shall exercise, within the scope of his or her jurisdiction, the full power and independent authority to exercise all investigative and prosecutorial functions of any United States Attorney. Except as provided in this part, the Special Counsel shall determine whether and to what extent to inform or consult with the Attorney General or others within the Department about the conduct of his or her duties and responsibilities.

The last sentence in the above gives a firm legal standing for not sharing information, if the SC so decides...


All the above is not "fake news": it is firm, solid Federal Law, as writ. The bellyaching of the Trump defenders (why they are defending Trump when he is not known to be a subject of an investigation is a greater mystery) does not hold water in the face of solid law and, as usual, in the face of cold, hard facts...







<O>

[u crank]

Originally Posted by vienna

Exclusive: US government wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman --

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/politi...ans/index.html


There is now a report the Russian investigations were jump-started by the indiscretions of one of the persons who have been charged in the Mueller prosecutions, and not one of the real heavy-hitters, at that. This reported slip is reminiscent of how the Watergate investigations took on a whole new track when a low level White House functionary testifying before Congress casually mentioned the Oval Office had a working hidden recording setup. The person in the Russian inquiries who let his loose lips sink the Trump campaign? None other than George Papdopolous, the, until his guilty plea to charges, little known Trump campaign and Trump White House staff member who, in addition to pleading guilty, has also reached a deal to cooperate with the Special Counsel's investigations:

http://amp.nationalreview.com/articl...os-carter-page

There is no evidence that Papadopoulos or the Trump campaign was ever shown or given any of the emails the Kremlin purportedly had. The evidence, in fact, undermines the collusion narrative: If the Trump campaign had to learn, through Papadopoulos, that Russia supposedly had thousands of emails damaging to Clinton, that would necessarily mean the Trump campaign had nothing to do with Russia’s acquisition of the emails. This, no doubt, is why Mueller permitted Papadopoulos to plead guilty to a mere process crime — lying in an FBI interview. If there were evidence of an actual collusion conspiracy, Papadopoulos would have been pressured to admit guilt to it. He wasn’t.

Even a cursory FBI investigation of Papadopoulos would have illustrated how implausible it was that he could have been integral to a Trump-Russia plot. Anonymous intelligence and law-enforcement officials have been leaking collusion information to the Times and other media outlets since before Trump won the November 2016 election — that’s why we’ve spent the last year-plus hearing all about Page, Manafort, Flynn, et al. If Papadopoulos had really been the impetus for the investigation way back in July 2016, what are the chances that we would never have heard his name mentioned until after his guilty plea was announced 15 months later? What are the chances that we’d only now be learning that he was the real stimulus for the investigation? I’d put it at less than none.

There’s another interesting word that does not appear in the Times’ extensive Papadopoulos report: surveillance. Despite being “so alarmed” by young Papadopoulos’s barroom braggadocio with the Australian diplomat, and his claimed Russia connections, there is no indication that the Obama Justice Department and FBI ever sought a FISA-court warrant to spy on him.

No, the FISA warrant was sought for Carter Page, after his trip to Moscow. The trip the Times used to say incited the Trump-Russia probe.

[vienna]

Yet anther of Trump's initiatives has bitten the dust: the Commission Trump ordered to investigate alleged, and widely debunked, mass voter fraud was quietly disbanded by anther order signed by Trump, a sharp contrast to the fanfare accompanying its inception; not with a bang, but with a whimper...


Trump signs order disbanding voter fraud commission --

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-sig...-politics.html


Trump abolishes controversial voter fraud panel --

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/...ud-commission/


Trump abolishes controversial commission studying alleged voter fraud --

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...=.3b10bdd639e1


I do believe it may be official: the Detroit Tigers, the San Francisco Giants and, even, the Cleveland Browns have had better seasons than Trump...







<O>

[Jimbuna]

^ Thread merged-US politics.

[Jimbuna]

US President Donald Trump's lawyers have written to his former strategist Steve Bannon, saying he has violated a non-disclosure agreement.

The cease-and-desist notice accuses Mr Bannon of defaming the president in speaking to author Michael Wolff.

Wolff's forthcoming tell-all book describes the president as being unprepared for the job.

Mr Trump responded by saying Mr Bannon had "lost his mind" after losing his White House position.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42563443

You know, I'm thinking this and all the other stories mus be a great source of entertainment to Russia and China in particular.

[Rockstar]

And like clockwork the new book hits the streets which is filled with controversy, drama, rumor, hearsay. As some have written people :are breathlessly awaiting a new book promising to damage the presidency as they anticipate their 2018 talking points". Oh, and it will help boost book sales too.

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42563443

You know, I'm thinking this and all the other stories mus be a great source of entertainment to Russia and China in particular.

My thoughts exactly. Russia and China don't have to even lift a finger anymore to damage the US: Trump and his minions are doing all the heavy lifting. I wouldn't be surprised RUS and CHN biggest concern right now is the possibility (probability) Trump will be forced from office; particularly RUS, given all the work they put in to create this mess in DC...












<O>

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by vienna

I don't think calling Trump voters "Nazis" is going to work out any better for your side than calling them "deplorables" did.

[vienna]

Trump is still a great salesman:


The Latest: Trump book publisher moves up release date --

https://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...=.5e3d83cefa30

WASHINGTON — The Latest on a new book about President Donald Trump (all times local):

4:40 p.m.

The publisher of a new book about President Donald Trump’s first year in office apparently isn’t cowed by demands to halt publication — it is moving up the date the book comes out.

Henry Holt and Co. says in a statement that it will move up the release date of Michael Wolff’s “Fire and Fury” four days, to Jan. 5, citing “unprecedented demand.”

Trump attorney Charles Harder has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Wolff and Steve Rubin, president and publisher of Henry Holt. It demands a halt to publication of the book or excerpts.

“Fire and Fury” paints a derogatory portrait of Trump, describing him as an undisciplined man-child who didn’t actually want to win the White House.

Wolff himself is tweeting: “Here we go. You can buy it (and read it) tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. President.”

__

Given Trump has a long, long history of rattling sabres and threatening lawsuits and then backing down or settling, it doesn't look like his umbrage is going anywhere...








<O>

[vienna]

Remember when the Trump-GOP Tax Plan was passed a little while back? Remember when Trump loudly and boastfully bellowed about how major US firms were going to give employees large bonuses and create more jobs as a result of the Tax Plan? Remember how it was all "sunshine, lollipops and rainbows"? Remember how AT&T was proudly in the forefront of all the glad-handing? Remember?...

Well, there doesn't seem to be the same volume level when it comes to the reality and the facts:


AT&T, touting bonuses and investment fueled by tax reform, quietly lays off thousands --

https://www.indystar.com/story/money...led/992690001/

When AT&T Inc. announced it would hand out holiday bonuses to 200,000 workers thanks to Congress' recent tax overhaul, the company's statement failed to mention a separate, yet notable, personnel matter: Many employees will be getting laid off in the coming weeks.

AT&T is eliminating thousands of jobs across the U.S., including 30 in Central Indiana, according to Communications Workers of America, the union that represents AT&T employees. The company is cutting nearly 12 percent of its technicians who install U-verse and DirectTV in the Indianapolis area, according to union figures.

Moments after Congress passed a Republican-backed tax overhaul that will save corporations billions of dollars per year, AT&T was the first major company to draw a link between the bill and benefits for workers. AT&T said it would give $1,000 bonuses to 200,000 employees and invest $1 billion in the U.S. next year.

“This tax reform will drive economic growth and create good-paying jobs," AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said Dec. 20.

But Larry Robbins, vice president of Communications Workers of America Local 4900, said AT&T was publicly forecasting employment growth while privately notifying employees they would be losing their jobs in the new year.

As I've said before, facts, reality, and truth seem to be the undoing of Trump's much touted "successes"...







<O>