maomao
普費斯
None of you have any say in 'political outcomes'. Policy is decided entirely by corporate lobbyists. The forty percent who don't bother are just saving themselves the stress of believing otherwise.
What stupid shit has Trump done today?
- Thread starter Yossarian
- Start date
Voters have the ultimate say in political outcomes. Politicians do indeed take legal bribes from moneyed interests and make policy accordingly. But there are a lot more of us (average people) than them (moneyed interests). Those who don't vote chose not to hold those politicians accountable for their corrupt behavior. IOW, I think there is hope in at least partially overcoming the power of money in politics.
maomao
普費斯
The influence of elites, interest groups and average voters on American politics - Journalist's Resource
CIA Tom said:
And you'll achieve this by putting your energies into campaigning for the election of Wall St funded neoliberal politicians how?
I'm saying voting matters and it matters who wins, even given the immense power of moneyed interests. I'm not willing to surrender to the cynicism of 'don't bother to vote because the fat cats run everything.'
maomao
普費斯
Surely cynicism and surrender is for those who've thrown their energies into supporting a party who are a gnat's hair from their opposition and claim that the only change worth having comes through the ballot box.
And the alternative to the ballot box is what?
Libertad
Sparking up a rollie in the Reichstag
The Armalite.
maomao
普費斯
Activism. Unionism. Anything from direct action to large people led campaigns that actually stand a chance of affecting policy. Occupy. Black Lives Matter. Etc etc etc.
Kaka Tim
Half Arsed and Slapdash till I Die
I don't think the wolff book tells us much new in and of itself - what it does do is firm up the idea that Trump is a capricious, infantile, bullying dimwit with questionable mental health surrounded by chaos. Indeed Trump's response to the book has only reinforced that perception.
What i am wondering is how long will it be before Trump loses his shit to the extent that he is clearly incapable. I have a lot of issues with the shrink assessment of his fitness for office - but the notion that the stress of the FBI investigation will lead to ever more erratic and destructive behaviour does ring true (the whole "biggest button" thing is gobsmacking really - its like some OTT, dr strangelove-esque satire but for real). The wolff book may become a self fulfilling prophecy - in that it provides the final nudge that pushes Trump over the edge. Or maybe a pummelling in the mid terms will do that.
How much cover could Trumps circle provide if trump does become truly incapable? they are not the most discreet and loyal bunch are they?
What i am wondering is how long will it be before Trump loses his shit to the extent that he is clearly incapable. I have a lot of issues with the shrink assessment of his fitness for office - but the notion that the stress of the FBI investigation will lead to ever more erratic and destructive behaviour does ring true (the whole "biggest button" thing is gobsmacking really - its like some OTT, dr strangelove-esque satire but for real). The wolff book may become a self fulfilling prophecy - in that it provides the final nudge that pushes Trump over the edge. Or maybe a pummelling in the mid terms will do that.
How much cover could Trumps circle provide if trump does become truly incapable? they are not the most discreet and loyal bunch are they?
bimble
floofy
What would that look like ? I mean how would it be different from yesterday or today (where he just called it a Fake Book).
Kaka Tim
Half Arsed and Slapdash till I Die
I suppose if he got so bad that he couldn't be allowed to appear in public.
kebabking
Not a Girly Swot, but I like them....
I'm thinking of a French King who thought himself made of glass - it would be pretty funny to watch Trump get to that kind of thing.
2hats
Dust.
All pretty amusing provided he doesn't vitrify large areas of the planet in the process.
kebabking
Not a Girly Swot, but I like them....
I don't think the US military would consider it a valid launch order, and I don't think they would lose much sleep over refusing it.
DexterTCN
Troy and Abed in the morning
CNN interview with Trump's spokesman. It goes as well as can be expected. It's a bit scary how the guy manages to sound like the pres. You only need to watch the last 3 minutes, really.
Tapper cuts off interview with Trump adviser - CNN Video
Tapper cuts off interview with Trump adviser - CNN Video
tim
EXPLODED TIM! (Help me!!!)
It was seen as a complement not an alternative
Joe Reilly
Well-Known Member
It struck me the other day that the tale of Trump and prostitutes in Moscow would have been a perfect fit for this book except someone else had invented it already.
So the eagerness to snap up a book written by someone who is little more than a top end gossip columnist to confirm pre-existing prejudices (cheese-burgers in bed, childish, illiterate, early onset dementia and so on) speaks of a political class/movement/strata who 15 months in, are no more capable of coming to terms with happened today as they were on day after the inauguration in 2016.
This eagerness to see Trump removed on some technicality or other suggests many would hope to postpone the necessarily harshly critical post-mortem indefinitely.
If so, far from ending the Trump presidency prematurely, they are beavering away to ensure his shot at a second term.
imposs1904
Thread Killa'
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
The cover of that book is really shit, it looks like one of those dodgy ebooks people sell on eBay as part of some home business pyramid selling scam.
I can see how it's being played though, trying to create fractures and division by exposing negative comments of allies and family members, and Trump is clumsily sucking it all up and reacting with predictable bluster. A wiser leader might have tried rising above it all and shrugging it off.
I can see how it's being played though, trying to create fractures and division by exposing negative comments of allies and family members, and Trump is clumsily sucking it all up and reacting with predictable bluster. A wiser leader might have tried rising above it all and shrugging it off.
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
MightyTibberton
Well-Known Member
Wolff was one of the few print journalists to be even remotely pro-Trump in my recollection (outside obvious Murdoch shills). I read Sarah Kenzidor today arguing that the crazy/incompetent-not-criminal story he is flogging is a likely Trump defence if Mueller produces substantial bad stuff on him.
Some commentator said he pretended to be pro-Trump to gain Trump's trust and then access.
MightyTibberton
Well-Known Member
I've also read (from a journalism professor, Jay Rosen, I think he is called) that it sounds like he went in planning to do an "unexpected-genius-of-Donald-Trump" story - as his subjects were expecting/were told? - and then saw how insane it all was and decided to tell the truth...!
maomao
普費斯
Whatever sells the most books! He's pulled off a real coup here. A right wing loon who's selling more books to liberals than any right wing loon has before.
I hope he rakes in millions. Hopefully his book will weaken Trump and any politician who supports him.
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