Trump Thread

[HopAlongBunny]

The USA might still be the "last best hope" hard as it may be to imagine.
The stench of corruption surrounding this administration has turned the White House into that "shining turd on the Hill".

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The USA might still be the "last best hope" hard as it may be to imagine.
The stench of corruption surrounding this administration has turned the White House into that "shining turd on the Hill".

Most administrations come to Washington and become corrupted by power and the political game. Trump's squad came to town corrupted. So the situation is totally different now than with previous administrations.

[Fragony]

Maybe they are corruptie, buy in an other way, at least they are not a part of the dynasties

,Sorry voor the bad spelling, IT is bad anyway bit IT is nog nu fault now

[Husar]

Maybe they are corruptie, buy in an other way, at least they are not a part of the dynasties

Yeah, not like Trump inherited anything of value.

[Fragony]

Those who are against him are worse, Politics is also a kartel

Talking of karrtels, have the Clintons already explained therir role in the mexican cocaïne imports

[Husar]

Those who are against him are worse, Politics is also a kartel

I don't even for a second believe that Bernie Sanders is worse...

[Crandar]

So, how all these Trump-haters comment on the latest brilliant move in Donald's diplomacy, the meeting of Prince Charming with Kim?

[Husar]

So, how all these Trump-haters comment on the latest brilliant move in Donald's diplomacy, the meeting of Prince Charming with Kim?

Kim was much slimmer and a lot more beautiful than I remembered...

[Montmorency]

So, how all these Trump-haters comment on the latest brilliant move in Donald's diplomacy, the meeting of Prince Charming with Kim?

If this is asking what we personally think, I think Trump got irritated at the perception that Kim has considerable geopolitical/diplomatic leverage over the admin at the moment, and that Trump was buying into it too effusively.

I guess he wanted to convey his brand "toughness" by pulling back - well, look at the White House's statement on the matter, it's awkwardly funny:



The more recent news on preparations, it's what, an agnostic image, will-he-won't-he. I'm guessing it takes place in the end because Trump wants it, but pulled this little stunt all for the sake of what he imagines is a tough image.

Hopefully he doesn't abandon the peninsula for a commemorative plaque bearing his likeness in Pyongyang. :P

The admin has been going at everybody from Syria to Canada half-drunk in the past couple of months, some sort of manic state. I can't tell if it's a concerted strategy, a distraction from domestic affairs, or Trump moving down his wishlist after purging or neutering the (((moderates))) around him.

[Strike For The South]

It all becomes clear when you realize he has no plan and is merely using planks from a platform that was never supposed to be seriously used.

[Shaka_Khan]

So, how all these Trump-haters comment on the latest brilliant move in Donald's diplomacy, the meeting of Prince Charming with Kim?

I think even Trump doesn't know what Trump himself will eventually do.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I think even Trump doesn't know what Trump himself will eventually do.

I used to bemoan Obama's reactive approach to foreign policy.

The current occupant is reactive on all fronts and seemingly affected with ADD.

[HopAlongBunny]

Well that makes sense.
The best way to get along in the world is to kick all your allies in the nuts:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/...134948849.html

Canada, the EU, Japan...etc. all seem content to ready appeals to the WTO and prepare retaliatory tariffs:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trum...line-1.4685242

Right now it's a "paper war"; nothing has been implemented...yet. It all seems to rest on the first mover.

[Crandar]

I think even Trump doesn't know what Trump himself will eventually do.

The funny thing is that his most fanatic supporters are proud of it. They will quote a WWII general and say that unpredictability is a great tactic, because your enemy will never anticipate your next move. 3d chess and all that...

[Montmorency]

The funny thing is that his most fanatic supporters are proud of it. They will quote a WWII general and say that unpredictability is a great tactic, because your enemy will never anticipate your next move. 3d chess and all that...

Do you get exposure from Trump fans in Greece, or direct to the source?

[Crandar]

Do you get exposure from Trump fans in Greece, or direct to the source?

There aren't that many in Greece. We prefer orthodox strongmen like Putin. My experience comes from the Internet, since 2016, all three sites I frequent [Syrian Civil War, Total War gaming (I don't mean the .org) and funny images] have been polluted by die-hard white supremacists, with a desperate need to spam their dogma in the most irrelevant place. This is the only place without anyone screaming about how every white man is going to be castrated by Muslim feminists.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The funny thing is that his most fanatic supporters are proud of it. They will quote a WWII general and say that unpredictability is a great tactic, because your enemy will never anticipate your next move. 3d chess and all that...

His core supporters like it a lot. They would prefer a politician who told her/his opponent to go fuck themselves. They do not want ANYTHING that seems like 'politics as usual.' They like hardball tactics in negotiation. They want people they view as enemies treated as such. Many of them live, intellectually, in very black/white worlds.

As Monty and others have suggested before this, the Trump phenomenon is, in many ways, a product of the political 'gaming' that has characterized our system for half a century or more.


I wonder how long it will be before they realize that Trump, on any number of levels, is gaming them...

[Gilrandir]

The funny thing is that his most fanatic supporters are proud of it. They will quote a WWII general and say that unpredictability is a great tactic, because your enemy will never anticipate your next move. 3d chess and all that...

So Trump would make a superb war general? I believe there are plenty of conflicts around the world where the US takes part. Sending him to the front line would be an option. He could succeed in getting himself killed quickly.

[Shaka_Khan]

[Strike For The South]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/trum...on-myself.html

Trump thinks he can pardon himself. That might actually be the tipping point, finally, probably not though.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/trum...on-myself.html

Trump thinks he can pardon himself. That might actually be the tipping point, finally, probably not though.

Constitutionally, I believe he does have that right. If he does it before Halloween of the year preceding the inauguration of he predecessor, that would get him impeached and removed from office. No further legal action would be possible, but that would indeed get him tossed I believe.

[HopAlongBunny]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/trum...on-myself.html

Trump thinks he can pardon himself. That might actually be the tipping point, finally, probably not though.

He might be right
The problem will end up in the courts; will they halt or support the idea?; if it gets bounced to Congress they could decide "their" president [B]is[B] above the law.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/its-no...errick-garland

The problem with the systems we make is they are human, all too human

[Montmorency]

Constitutionally, I believe he does have that right. If he does it before Halloween of the year preceding the inauguration of he predecessor, that would get him impeached and removed from office. No further legal action would be possible, but that would indeed get him tossed I believe.

It's debatable, but that's a problem in itself. A cleverer tyrant than Trump could wield it as a loophole in attaining autocracy, and dare the rest of the government to call their bluff.


Edit: From Bunny's linked article:

St. Clair, Nixon’s lawyer, once said: “The president wants me to argue that he is as powerful a monarch as Louis XIV, only four years at a time, and is not subject to the processes of any court in the land except the court of impeachment.”

[Shaka_Khan]

[Hooahguy]

He might be right
The problem will end up in the courts; will they halt or support the idea?; if it gets bounced to Congress they could decide "their" president [B]is[B] above the law.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/its-no...errick-garland

The problem with the systems we make is they are human, all too human

I doubt that case would gain much traction:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

If it did come down to the Supreme Court on whether or not a president can pardon himself, and god forbid they found in favor of Trump, the US governmental system as we know it is over.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Trump absolutely has the power to pardon himself. "he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

There were plenty of Founding Fathers who leaned toward the "enlightened monarchy" camp and they left their mark in the extent of the President's powers.

Trump is above the law. Trump is the law. Your recourse are as follows:

1. Vote him out.
2. Take away his money.
3. Impeach him.

If this isn't to your liking, well next time remember elections have consequences.

[Gilrandir]

1. Vote him out.
2. Take away his money.
3. Impeach him.

4. Tar and feather him.

[Fragony]

Trump is pebably deeply sorry letting 230.000 job just appear out of nowhere, policy has nothing to do with it

[rory_20_uk]

Trump absolutely has the power to pardon himself. "he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

There were plenty of Founding Fathers who leaned toward the "enlightened monarchy" camp and they left their mark in the extent of the President's powers.

Trump is above the law. Trump is the law. Your recourse are as follows:

1. Vote him out.
2. Take away his money.
3. Impeach him.

If this isn't to your liking, well next time remember elections have consequences.

Trump represents the law - he is not the law any more than a judge is. This is why there are methods to remove him in the same way there are those who represent government / healthcare / etc.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Trump absolutely has the power to pardon himself. "he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

There were plenty of Founding Fathers who leaned toward the "enlightened monarchy" camp and they left their mark in the extent of the President's powers.

Trump is above the law. Trump is the law. Your recourse are as follows:

1. Vote him out.
2. Take away his money.
3. Impeach him.

If this isn't to your liking, well next time remember elections have consequences.

Voting him out is, and was, the preferred method. Impeachment was, and is, the tool in place to remove an executive who was clearly in breach of the law or who was trending toward tyranny. Taking away someone's money was NOT supposed to be a function of government. Taking his money? Courts can fine him according to established criminal guidelines if guilty and individuals may sue him for damages, but these would have to occur after his time in office is concluded.

Trump is not above the law, though the law's ability to touch him is held in abeyance during his term of office (at 1201 Eastern, 20 January 2021 [or 2025] he could be arrested if an arrest warrant has been promulgated).

Congress could impeach him on malfeasance in office as a 'misdemeanor.' I believe they would do this if he pardoned himself while in office to avoid a criminal charge for which convincing evidence had already been proffered. I think Congress would impeach ANY President who stepped outside the spirit of the Constitution so completely.

I suspect, as noted in posts above, that he could pardon himself, again, while he is in office and entitled to do so. In doing so, he could avoid conviction for any crimes he may have committed. He would also, in my opinion, trigger impeachment and removal from office.