What stupid shit has Trump done today?

[CRI]

No American journalists were allowed into this meeting, btw.

 

[Ming]

I think many people have been poo pooing the idea that there is any Russian connection with the election or the Trump administration, and I don't mean just his loyal followers. I think it's where they've been looking at it to narrowly - that "intervention" means "trying to take over the country" as was the fear back in the old cold war days. The Russian government wants an American Government that will, at best, make choices that are favourable to Russia (e.g. dropping sanctions, doing business that will further enrich the wealthiest, etc.). At worst, they'll just poke their beaks out and let Russia do what it wants wherever they want to. I agree with what many have said here - there already seems plenty evidence of involvement that tracks back to Putin, but I think the purpose has been to sow instability, mistrust, confusion and exhaustion among Americans, and legislators, so they are more likely to give Russia a pass and less like to pull them up on anything.

I have no idea whether Trump is the clever man playing the fool to get what he wants or if he really is a fool. It's not all about him, anyhow. There are plenty in his cabinet and wider circle who no doubt see it in their own financial interests to lift sanctions and forge lucrative links with Russian leaders and oligarchs. It's not really an arm wrestle over ideology US-Soviet relationships appeared to be say 30 or 40 years ago. These days, it's all about exploitation and wealth accumulation - the kleptocracy. That's why I tend to speak of his administration, or the administration and GOP congress. Every single one that hasn't stood against him when they had a chance is complicit in what's happening. Some are more than that - instigators and agents, driven by greed.

I think there are too many Americans who are still clinging to the idea of American exceptionalism - the "this can't really be happening here," like the frog in the stewpot that hasn't realised the water is getting hotter and hotter. Then there are the folk who backed trump because they like his policies (e.g. banning abortion, reversing rights for women and minority groups, halting immigration, etc.) They probably have reservations, but are able to push those aside if they think they can get what they want.

As authoritarian regimes traditionally do, this one is toiling to remove as many opportunities for holding the administration and congress to account. The not so veiled threats also send a clear message to anyone who thinks they can stand in the way. It won't just be America that suffers if the nation's decline continues like this.

So, I'm pretty gloomy on this at the moment.

Me too. It just occurred to me that GWB's administration outed a serving CIA agent (Valerie Plame) for political reasons and got away with it. So laws, oaths, etc arent of value and don't apply to these guys. I think they'll get away with it (using Russia to win the election). They'll throw Flynn under the bus but that'll be it.

 

[RD2003]

Me too. It just occurred to me that GWB's administration outed a serving CIA agent (Valerie Plame) for political reasons and got away with it. So laws, oaths, etc arent of value and don't apply to these guys. I think they'll get away with it (using Russia to win the election). They'll throw Flynn under the bus but that'll be it.

Maybe Russia used them to win the election.

Jesus, when did we all become so credulous?

 

[Ming]

Maybe Russia used them to win the election.

Jesus, when did we all become so credulous?

I don't think we have. But i think the current situation is particularly bad. Remember that this used to be a joke in an episode of The Simpsons. Similarly Brexit. This is not normal.

 

[RD2003]

I don't think we have. But i think the current situation is particularly bad. Remember that this used to be a joke in an episode of The Simpsons. Similarly Brexit. This is not normal.

It is. It's just a new (yet still somehow stale) version of normal.

 

[Ming]

It is. It's just a new (yet still somehow stale) version of normal.

No dude. It's a joke on The Simpsons. Be careful what you choose to consider 'normal'. Normalizing insanity is a bad thing mmmkay.

 

[RD2003]

No dude. It's a joke on The Simpsons. Be careful what you choose to consider 'normal'. Normalizing insanity is a bad thing mmmkay.

Nothing that's happening today is any more insane than was happening x many years ago. Think about it.

 

[Ming]

Nothing that's happening today is any more insane than was happening x many years ago. Think about it.

Study the mistakes of history or be prepared, etc, etc. Bit of context. I'm 48 and my dad had me old (he was 50 when i was born). So he served for the whole of WW2 (Merchant Navy). A lot of his mates we're ex-vets so i grew up with stories of this and that. When i hear 'authoritarian nationalism is on the rise'? I hope you get my point. It's when you 'normalise' something that you give it credibility and power.

 

[RD2003]

Study the mistakes of history or be prepared, etc, etc. Bit of context. I'm 48 and my dad had me old (he was 50 when i was born). So he served for the whole of WW2 (Merchant Navy). A lot of his mates we're ex-vets so i grew up with stories of this and that. When i hear 'authoritarian nationalism is on the rise'? I hope you get my point. It's when you 'normalise' something that you give it credibility and power.

No ideology is normal. Chaos in the world is normal. And we can't do anything about it.

 

[Ming]

No ideology is normal. Chaos in the world is normal. And we can't do anything about it.

Well on behalf of my father and his war service (RIP).

Nein! morgen gehört mir! (sorry...couldn't resist it).
But seriously.....do you think the world has become more or less civilised over the years (deliberately broad question)?

 

[Ming]

No ideology is normal. Chaos in the world is normal. And we can't do anything about it.

Are you a Randian by the way?

 

[RD2003]

Well on behalf of my father and his war service (RIP).

Nein! morgen gehört mir! (sorry...couldn't resist it).
But seriously.....do you think the world has become more or less civilised over the years (deliberately broad question)?

On one level it may seem so (although we fool ourselves as to how deep run the sentiments behind our legislatively-derived 'enlightened' views.) On another it seems more barbaric than ever. And barbarism always threatens even in our relatively cushy enclave...

 

[RD2003]

Are you a Randian by the way?

More war communism than Randian.

 

[Ming]

More war communism than Randian.

war communism...lol (i know Ayn Rand's background)?

 

[bimble]

Apparently the betting odds on Trump not lasting out his 1st term are now up to 50% (were 40 before Comey's firing). Lots of talk about impeachment again.
If I was a republican senator I'd probably be considering my options and keeping head down with a view to keeping my job after the Trump ship sinks.
The White House Is Lying About Comey. The Evidence Is Overwhelming.
Why Donald Trump's firing of James Comey should be investigated

 

[CrabbedOne]

On Politico Russia’s Oval Office Victory Dance

...
“Everyone had been hopeful that adult supervision would mean that Trump’s foreign policy would become more predictable and rational,” said another longtime Russia hand. “We thought he would be constrained from making stupid decisions on Russia policy because of all this furor. But look at this mad-tweeting and the Comey decision: Anything can change at any moment.”

And if Trump does not have a Russia policy, Putin certainly has a U.S. policy, these experts believe, with priorities that include getting Trump to go along with Putin’s plan for some sort of settlement to the long-running Syria civil war that leaves Russia and its client the Assad regime with control over at least a significant chunk of Syria’s territory. On Ukraine, given that lifting the sanctions against Russia imposed after its takeover of Crimea appears to be a nonstarter on Capitol Hill, Putin seems to be willing to play for time.
...

Trump not quite presenting Comey's head on a silver platter to Lavrov in a very chummy meeting but getting there.

 

[CrabbedOne]

Why do you assume both positions aren't possible?
He's as thick as pig Shyte but thinks his base is even thicker.

I think what Trump has is a genuine instinctive empathy rather than sympathy with US voters. Unlike the bleeding hearts of Hillary or Bernie or even a ruthlessly scheming hard right propagandist like Bannon Trump can put himself in their mental space and see what they'll go for and close on them. He did say he loves poorly educated voters and he perhaps does have an intimate feeling for them and they returned it with a genuine affection. It's a predatory grifters knack for spotting a mark's key weaknesses. Do that and you can coax even smart people into stupid choices like putting Trump in Oval Office. This is quite unusual in US politics but not US business. I've noticed this knack with natural salesmen I've encountered including my father.

It's a tactical thing often related to finding just the right words at the right moment here not twinned with any real ability to formulate strategy. Unlike a great salesmen Trump has a very thin skin and little impulse control. He's increasingly revealed as a playful but essentially poor political deal maker as President. He likes to indulge in ego boosting brinksmanship like firing Comey perhaps just for the childish thrill of it. This looks closer to being a little insane than simply stupid.

 

[Idris2002]

I think what Trump has is a genuine instinctive empathy rather than sympathy with US voters. Unlike the bleeding hearts of Hillary or Bernie or even a ruthlessly scheming hard right propagandist like Bannon Trump can put himself in their mental space and see what they'll go for and close on them. He did say he loves poorly educated voters and he perhaps does have an intimate feeling for them and they returned it with a genuine affection. It's a predatory grifters knack for spotting a mark's key weaknesses. Do that and you can coax even smart people into stupid choices like putting Trump in Oval Office. This is quite unusual in US politics but not US business. I've noticed this knack with natural salesmen I've encountered including my father.

It's a tactical thing often related to finding just the right words at the right moment here not twinned with any real ability to formulate strategy. Unlike a great salesmen Trump has a very thin skin and little impulse control. He's increasingly revealed as a playful but essentially poor political deal maker as President. He likes to indulge in ego boosting brinksmanship like firing Comey perhaps just for the childish thrill of it. This looks closer to being a little insane than simply stupid.

Have you drink taken?

 

[rekil]

Stick to the c+ps from the same 4 DC wonk blogs and twitters m8.

 

[bimble]

Transcript of an interview he did with the economist

..

 

[Idris2002]

Now I understand:

Spoiler

 

[CrabbedOne]

In TAC The Self-Sabotaging Trump Administration

...
“It is a debacle,” said one Republican in constant touch with the West Wing. “They got everything — timing, rationale, reaction — completely wrong.”
...

But it's somehow got the inevitability of slap stick.

 

[CRI]

I think what Trump has is a genuine instinctive empathy rather than sympathy with US voters. Unlike the bleeding hearts of Hillary or Bernie or even a ruthlessly scheming hard right propagandist like Bannon Trump can put himself in their mental space and see what they'll go for and close on them. He did say he loves poorly educated voters and he perhaps does have an intimate feeling for them and they returned it with a genuine affection. It's a predatory grifters knack for spotting a mark's key weaknesses. Do that and you can coax even smart people into stupid choices like putting Trump in Oval Office. This is quite unusual in US politics but not US business. I've noticed this knack with natural salesmen I've encountered including my father.

It's a tactical thing often related to finding just the right words at the right moment here not twinned with any real ability to formulate strategy. Unlike a great salesmen Trump has a very thin skin and little impulse control. He's increasingly revealed as a playful but essentially poor political deal maker as President. He likes to indulge in ego boosting brinksmanship like firing Comey perhaps just for the childish thrill of it. This looks closer to being a little insane than simply stupid.

I wouldn't say he has empathy with anyone really. He displays fairly classic narcissistic personality traits, including lack of empathy for others, inability to accept criticism and obsession with what people think of him. He does seem to have an "affinity" with supporters who consistently praise him and never question what he does.

I don't think these faithful followers are all poorly educated, either. Plenty of folk with no letters after their names smelled his bullshit ages ago (and remember, more people in the lowest income brackets and with the lowest education levels voted Clinton than Trump.) One factor that unites many of his most avid supporters is fundamentalist Christianity. Folk who value faith over facts and who are used to believing preposterous things with great enthusiasm have found it pretty easy to extend their religious fervency to devotion to Trump.

 

[CRI]

This actually wouldn't surprise me a bit.

 

[teqniq]

from here

Heinrich Questions Acting FBI Director McCabe About Comey Firing | U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico

During the hearing, Senator Heinrich questioned Acting FBI Director McCabe on whether former FBI Director James Comey had lost the confidence of the rank-and-file agents at the FBI. Director McCabe, contradicting reports from the White House, stated that Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the FBI and still does to this day.

 

[teqniq]

This all looks to be blowing up in his face.

 

[MightyTibberton]

I absolutely believe Trump and co are in cahoots with the Kremlin.

Incidentally, it's being thrown around Twitter right now that the FBI are raiding a Republican Party fund-raising/consulting/marketing company in Annapolis (not sure where that is!), but that it may be due to a local political race rather than money laundering etc. . .

 

[CRI]

This all looks to be blowing up in his face.

View attachment 106478

Trump and his team ain't gonna like this one bit.

My hunch is he's going to rail against all of them, against the judiciary generally, in full Twitter freak out mode.

 

[CRI]

I absolutely believe Trump and co are in cahoots with the Kremlin.

Incidentally, it's being thrown around Twitter right now that the FBI are raiding a Republican Party fund-raising/consulting/marketing company in Annapolis (not sure where that is!), but that it may be due to a local political race rather than money laundering etc. . .

I saw that -

FBI’s D.C. Field Office Raids Republican Campaign Fundraising Firm In Md.

Agents have turned off elevator access to the third floor of 191 Main Street, where Strategic Campaign Group is housed, and used trash bags to cover the office windows while they gather evidence.

They came prepared with a warrant to search the office and take files.

WJZ cameras watched them come out of the building with full garbage bags.

The president of the firm tells our media partners at The Baltimore Sun that the federal investigation ties back to a 2013 Virginia gubernatorial campaign.

Annapolis is the capital of the state of Maryland, on Chesapeake Bay, pretty well equidistant from Washington, DC and Baltimore. Well known for the US Naval College and also commutable from the US Capital. It was on my list of places to visit (for the historical sites, and the seafood) when I lived near Alexandria, but didn't manage it.

 

[MightyTibberton]

Of course, and me a bloody Wire fan! Middle-age memory lapse!