US politics general thread

[greg0205]

https://slate.com/news-and-politics...in-who-oversees-the-russia-investigation.html

With Zero Sense of Irony, House Republicans Move to Impeach Rod Rosenstein, Who Oversees the Russia Investigation

It’s not just the faux oversight that’s been conducted in bad faith, the move to impeach is ethically bankrupt in equal measure. To impeach Rosenstein “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which would mark the first time an executive branch official was impeached in more than 140 years ago, a majority of the House, which Republicans control, would need to approve the measure. That alone will be an impossibly tall order. To then actually remove Rosenstein from office, two-thirds of the Senate would need to vote to do so. The chance of that happening is close to zero. So why the articles of impeachment? It’s hard to say exactly what the game plan is for Trump’s congressional minions, but it’s like an alley-oop for the president who will use it to make the case that everyone’s guilty, so he can’t possibly be

This is "Gym" Jordan's version of, 'look at this shiny thing, not all of those Ohio State wrestlers who were molested on my watch'.

 

[greg0205]

Hopefully they get enough support to impeach this swamp donkey.

Tom Nichols posted a Twitter thread about you. Well, not you personally, but you know what I mean...

Tom Nichols

@RadioFreeTom
Following @RadioFreeTom

So, I had an interesting run-in with some Trumpers today, and it's story worth telling. (Mute now if you're not into story time.) I was part of a panel at Harvard talking about the Helsinki summit. Afterwards, two middle-aged women had some, er, questions. /1

The thread at --> http://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1021938493835173888

 

[rietrot]

Tom Nichols posted a Twitter thread about you. Well, not you personally, but you know what I mean...



The thread at --> http://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1021938493835173888

Ja, no. I'll give that a skip.

He is a member of the*Never Trumpmovement*

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Nichols_(academic)

Obviously the guy has some issues with his world view that clouds his judgement.

 

[greg0205]

Ja, no. I'll give that a skip.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Nichols_(academic)

Obviously the guy has some issues with his world view that clouds his judgement.

Nevermind, I'll post his summary here for you...

Tom Nichols

@RadioFreeTom
Following @RadioFreeTom

No rational or fact-based politics will reach these folks. I hate to say that, because I believe in the power of reason and facts. But they're gone. Some of them are nice people, but dumb. Some of them are just bad people. But rationality isn't going to change much here. /14x

http://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1021938509442162688

 

[buka001]

Ja, no. I'll give that a skip.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Nichols_(academic)

Obviously the guy has some issues with his world view that clouds his judgement.

Really curious to hear what issues he has with his world view, that clouds his judgement?

 

[rietrot]

Something that is extremely relevant though for those really interested is Joe Rogan experience # 1145 Peter Schiff.

(it isn't exactly pro-Trump) it's very neutral and realistic and does a good job at getting to the bigger picture that some here struggle with.

 

[The_Assimilator]

Nevermind, I'll post his summary here for you...

http://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1021938509442162688

Sadly the only thing those people are good for is being turned into Soylent Green. If you reject facts for beliefs you are no better than the animals that you eat. Yes, I went there and no, I will not apologise.

Something that is extremely relevant though for those really interested is Joe Rogan experience # 1145 Peter Schiff.

(it isn't exactly pro-Trump) it's very neutral and realistic and does a good job at getting to the bigger picture that some here struggle with.

What "bigger picture"? That Peter Schiff is a conspiracy theorist libertarian gold bug?

 

[rietrot]

What "bigger picture"? That Peter Schiff is a conspiracy theorist libertarian gold bug?

No. They do talk about more general stuff, current politics, the bigger picture.

That he is a "conspiracy theorist libertarian gold bug" is a good thing. I disagree with a lot of nuisance points he has, but he offers some real alternative ideas.

 

[rietrot]

Really curious to hear what issues he has with his world view, that clouds his judgement?

I highlighted it. He is a anti-Trumper. So after he branded himself that way there's no way he can come back a have a realistic neutral view.

 

[cerebus]

President snowflake has started banning press members who ask questions he doesn't like.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...-question-affair-karen-mcdougal-a8464416.html

A CNN correspondent was excluded from covering a Donald Trump event after the White House reportedly told her she asked an “inappropriate” question.

Kaitlan Collins was barred from an engagement with the president after posing questions in the Oval Office when Mr Trump met European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

She asked about an audio recording of the president purportedly discussing a payoff over an alleged affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal, with his former attorney Michael Cohen which emerged yesterday. Ms McDougal has said she began a nearly year-long affair with Mr Trump in 2006 shortly after his wife, Melania, gave birth to their son Barron.

Looking forwards to two more years of cheerleading press events.

 

[rietrot]

President snowflake has started banning press members who ask questions he doesn't like.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...-question-affair-karen-mcdougal-a8464416.html



Looking forwards to two more years of cheerleading press events.

Good. About time he teaches them some manners. Since when should they take questions from those that scream the loudest.

 

[greg0205]

Good. About time he teaches them some manners. Since when should they take questions from those that scream the loudest.

Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease.
Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed- in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical – and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack.
For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

[rietrot]

Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease.
Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed- in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical – and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack.
For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Beautiful. It is so applicable today with the stupid socialist that want to kill a few more million people, those that listen to fake news like msnbc all day.

Interesting person to quote.

 

[Unhappy438]

President snowflake has started banning press members who ask questions he doesn't like.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...-question-affair-karen-mcdougal-a8464416.html



Looking forwards to two more years of cheerleading press events.

Ya its just CNN derangement syndrome

 

[OrbitalDawn]

More fun for farmers.

Trade spat with Mexico speeds U.S. decline as global wheat supplier

Mexican bread, pasta and flour-tortilla makers are seeking alternative suppliers of wheat to reduce their dependence on the United States as trade relations between the two neighbors deteriorate.

Mexico, the top importer of U.S. wheat, is increasingly turning to cheaper supplies from Russia, which surpassed the United States as the top global wheat supplier in 2016.

Now the U.S. market share decline is accelerating as Mexico casts about for more alternative suppliers in Latin America and elsewhere to hedge against the risk that U.S. grains will get more expensive if the Mexican government imposes tariffs, according to interviews with three large Mexican millers, international grains traders, the top Mexican government agricultural trade official and government and industry data analyzed by Reuters.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Trump Organization Finance Chief Called to Testify Before Federal Grand Jury

Allen Weisselberg, a longtime financial gatekeeper for President Donald Trump, has been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in the criminal probe of Mr. Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, according to people familiar with the investigation.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Butina Sought a Secret Kremlin Line to the U.S. A Rockefeller May Have Helped

A scion of the Rockefeller clan, George D. O’Neill Jr., was one of the U.S. conservatives who allegedly helped Mariia Butina’s efforts to build a secret line of communication back to the Kremlin, judging by details in recent U.S. filings.

...

Before the prayer breakfast visit, Butina wrote in an email that the delegation of about a dozen Russians would include “VERY influential” people close to the Kremlin coming to establish a back channel of communications. They included a Russian close to President Vladimir Putin, who has been identified as Alexander Torshin. Afterward, according to another email cited by prosecutors, Butina wrote the person believed to be O’Neill to thank him for the “wonderful dinner.” She added: “My dearest President has received ‘the message’ about your group initiatives and your constructive and kind attention to the Russians.”

 

[crackersa]

Every single one of you need to read this link and learn from it.

https://www.better-angels.org

The United States is disuniting. The last presidential election only made clear what many have feared – that we’re becoming two Americas, each angry with the other, and neither trusting the other’s basic humanity and good intentions. Today Americans increasingly view their political opponents not only as misguided, but also as bad people whose ways of thinking are both dangerous and incomprehensible. This degree of civic rancor threatens our democracy.

Launched in 2016, Better Angels is a bipartisan citizen’s movement to unify our divided nation. By bringing red and blue Americans together into a working alliance, we’re building new ways to talk to one another, participate together in public life, and influence the direction of the nation.
GET INVOLVED
What is Better Angels?
Better Angels is a national citizens' movement to reduce political polarization in the United States by bringing liberals and conservatives together to understand each other beyond stereotypes, forming red/blue community alliances, teaching practical skills for communicating across political differences, and making a strong public argument for depolarization.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Well, not even a month on the job and he's in the swamp already. Of course, being a former lobbyist for them, it was always going to happen.

Despite his assurances, Wheeler met with former clients

Since Andrew Wheeler was sworn as EPA's second in command on April 20, the lobbying veteran has had at least three meetings with former clients that may have violated the Trump administration's ethics pledge and other promises he made to steer clear of potential conflicts of interest.

Wheeler — who became acting administrator after Scott Pruitt's July 6 resignation — has also attended other events that prominently included the head of a company he is currently prohibited from getting involved with, according to an E&E News review of public documents.

The string of ethically questionable encounters stand in stark contrast to the acting EPA chief's claims that he is taking pains to avoid helping his former clients advance their interests.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Russian Hackers’ New Target: a Vulnerable Democratic Senator

The Russian intelligence agency behind the 2016 election cyberattacks targeted Sen. Claire McCaskill as she began her 2018 re-election campaign in earnest, a Daily Beast forensic analysis reveals. That makes the Missouri Democrat the first identified target of the Kremlin’s 2018 election interference.