Trump and his cabinet/buffoonery- Get your bunkers ready!

[FanboyOf91]

That Will column is best appreciated spoken aloud. So vicious with that acid pen.

 

 

[visionary]

 

 

 

 

[AsburySkinsFan]

9 hours ago, Riggo-toni said:

I love George Will!

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-is-no-longer-the-worst-person-in-government/2018/05/09/10e59eba-52f1-11e8-a551-5b648abe29ef_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f09932262114

 

Trump is no longer the worst person in government

 

Donald Trump, with his feral cunning, knew. The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America’s most repulsive public figure. And Pence, who has reached this pinnacle by dethroning his benefactor, is augmenting the public stock of useful knowledge. Because his is the authentic voice of today’s lickspittle Republican Party, he clarifies this year’s elections: Vote Republican to ratify groveling as governing.

Last June, a Trump Cabinet meeting featured testimonials offered to Dear Leader by his forelock-tugging colleagues. His chief of staff, Reince Priebus, caught the spirit of the worship service by thanking Trump for the “blessing” of being allowed to serve him. The hosannas poured forthfrom around the table, unredeemed by even a scintilla of insincerity. Priebus was soon deprived of his blessing, as was Tom Price. Before Price’s ecstasy of public service was truncated because of his incontinent enthusiasm for charter flights, he was the secretary of health and human services who at the Cabinet meeting said, “I can’t thank you enough for the privileges you’ve given me.” The vice president chimed in but saved his best riff for a December Cabinet meeting when, as The Post’s Aaron Blake calculated, Pence praised Trump once every 12 seconds for three minutes: “I’m deeply humbled. . . . ” Judging by the number of times Pence announces himself “humbled,” he might seem proud of his humility, but that is impossible because he is conspicuously devout and pride is a sin.

Grrrrr I used up my free looks at Washington Post....want full text

11 minutes ago, visionary said:

 

Military budget going up doesn’t mean nukes, it means they have more revenue. 

But this won’t mattet because his supporters just don’t give a damn. He knows it too.

[AsburySkinsFan]

You want to know what I hear whenever Trump supporters say that Democrats don’t understand them, and they are ignored?

 

All I hear is “Wahhh! I know what I know is right and everything that disagrees with what I know is wrong even if I can’t support any of my truthiness with actual facts.”

[nonniey]

26 minutes ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Grrrrr I used up my free looks at Washington Post....want full text

Military budget going up doesn’t mean nukes, it means they have more revenue. 

But this won’t mattet because his supporters just don’t give a damn. He knows it too.

Agree there was absolutely no reason for Iran to lie about the treaty as it only imposed a delay on their nuclear ambitions.  10 Years isn't that long a time to wait, so don't think they'd jeopardize their international trade to violate the terms of the treaty.

[AsburySkinsFan]

3 minutes ago, nonniey said:

Agree there was absolutely no reason for Iran to lie about the treaty as it only imposed a delay on their nuclear ambitions.  10 Years isn't that long a time to wait, so don't think they'd jeopardize their international trade to violate the terms of the treaty.

What’s it matter, the US has already pulled out of the treaty? You got what you wanted.

Aren’t you people ever happy? 

 

But again, an increase in military budget does NOT indicate nuke spending. It ONLY indicates that they have more money to spend. But you Trumplodytes see it and immediately say it must be nukes because the Nacho says so.

 

Gullibility is not a pretty color on you.

[88Comrade2000]

6 hours ago, Renegade7 said:

 

Genius idea to sacrifice the relationship with a superpower that will matter for generations over someone who might be in power for 4-8 years tops.

 

That vacuum will get filled by someone.

Already has. Uncle Puty will be there for all.

[Renegade7]

15 minutes ago, Rdskns2000 said:

Already has. Uncle Puty will be there for all.

You sure about that?  Right now NATO may not like us, but they're still on our side.  Unless Europe gets taken over by the conservative factions in each of their countries, they're going to be on our side versus Russia. That will happen faster if they sever ties, will start with former soviet states, then Western powers by piecemeal.  

 

Europe would be fk'd right if Macron had lost that election.  If they kick us out of NATO, it'll be because they think they can handle it on their own, and I don't think they can.  You'd think Germany could handle its own, but its been so haunted by World War II their military couldn't stop itself from losing to Russia without help. 

 

You want to give Putin Europe the same way Iran is trying to take over the Middle East? It would literally take a collective to slow Russia down if they decided to sweep all the way to Portugal at that point if Russia really wanted to, that option sits on the table for them if they know we won't come to stop them. You take Europe out the picture then we're outnumbered, that's been the threat of the last two world wars.  We could just say F 'em, but it will be that much harder if we have to show up to the party late again.  China gets involved, we might not win if Europe is out the picture.

[Cooked Crack]

3 hours ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

Grrrrr I used up my free looks at Washington Post....want full text

Military budget going up doesn’t mean nukes, it means they have more revenue

Open the link in private mode. Unlimited articles that way.

[visionary]

 

 

 

 

[88Comrade2000]

1 hour ago, Renegade7 said:

You sure about that?  Right now NATO may not like us, but they're still on our side.  Unless Europe gets taken over by the conservative factions in each of their countries, they're going to be on our side versus Russia. That will happen faster if they sever ties, will start with former soviet states, then Western powers by piecemeal.  

 

Europe would be fk'd right if Macron had lost that election.  If they kick us out of NATO, it'll be because they think they can handle it on their own, and I don't think they can.  You'd think Germany could handle its own, but its been so haunted by World War II their military couldn't stop itself from losing to Russia without help. 

 

You want to give Putin Europe the same way Iran is trying to take over the Middle East? It would literally take a collective to slow Russia down if they decided to sweep all the way to Portugal at that point if Russia really wanted to, that option sits on the table for them if they know we won't come to stop them. You take Europe out the picture then we're outnumbered, that's been the threat of the last two world wars.  We could just say F 'em, but it will be that much harder if we have to show up to the party late again.  China gets involved, we might not win if Europe is out the picture.

Comrade, we're all Russians now.

I would like to see Europe defend themselves. i would love to see the day, when the U.S.can bring the troops home. Cut defense spending. The U.S. isn't always going to be there.  Europe needs to be able to defend themselves against all threats. If they can't, then they why do they exist as independent countries?

 

It's clear under the Trump administration, Trump is going full born America First. Trump doesn't give a **** about our allies.  To him everyone in the world must bow down to the U.S. and his interests. Other than the approval of Russia, Trump doesn't give a damn about our allies. eventually, the allies will say screw it. The will come the realization that the U.S. isn't an ally but a pariah state.  They will take punitive measures against the US. just as the U.S.does against them.

 

Trump think's he's smart.  The foreign entities that own our debt, can really lay the screws on us.  Also, going off the dollar; which is what many nations want to do; wouldn't be beneficial to us.  One of the real reasons we went to war in Iraq was that Saddam was going to stop using dollars.

 

i expect 8 years of Trump and I expect Trump to alter to country in ways that will take a generation to fix.  I fully expect Russia to take advantage of this.  Why else would Putin go to effort of making sure Trump won. He doesn't have to fire a single shot.  Have the U.S. weakened from within.  Have the NATO alliance fracture for good. Once that happens, Russia can swoop in to fill the void. Vlad knows what he's doing.

 

Part of what brought down the Soviet Union was that they couldn't keep spending to keep up with us.  The war machine has helped push this country into  insolvency; where we don't even have the money to fix the real problems. Yet we, have money for war and tax cuts.

[nonniey]

14 hours ago, AsburySkinsFan said:

What’s it matter, the US has already pulled out of the treaty? You got what you wanted.

Aren’t you people ever happy? 

 

But again, an increase in military budget does NOT indicate nuke spending. It ONLY indicates that they have more money to spend. But you Trumplodytes see it and immediately say it must be nukes because the Nacho says so.

 

Gullibility is not a pretty color on you.

Suggest you reread what I posted.  Or are you one of those that can't take yes for an answer? To be clear I agreed with you that Iran wasn't lying, they had no need to.

[88Comrade2000]

1 hour ago, Renegade7 said:

 

 

You want to give Putin Europe the same way Iran is trying to take over the Middle East?

Who allowed Iran to become that powerful.

Bush, Cheney, et. all and their Iraqi War.

[nonniey]

1 minute ago, Rdskns2000 said:

Who allowed Iran to become that powerful.

Bush, Cheney, et. all and their Iraqi War.

You missed someone. 

[Renegade7]

1 hour ago, Rdskns2000 said:

Comrade, we're all Russians now.

I would like to see Europe defend themselves. i would love to see the day, when the U.S.can bring the troops home. Cut defense spending. The U.S. isn't always going to be there.  Europe needs to be able to defend themselves against all threats. If they can't, then they why do they exist as independent countries?

 

It's clear under the Trump administration, Trump is going full born America First. Trump doesn't give a **** about our allies.  To him everyone in the world must bow down to the U.S. and his interests. Other than the approval of Russia, Trump doesn't give a damn about our allies. eventually, the allies will say screw it. The will come the realization that the U.S. isn't an ally but a pariah state.  They will take punitive measures against the US. just as the U.S.does against them.

 

Trump think's he's smart.  The foreign entities that own our debt, can really lay the screws on us.  Also, going off the dollar; which is what many nations want to do; wouldn't be beneficial to us.  One of the real reasons we went to war in Iraq was that Saddam was going to stop using dollars.

 

i expect 8 years of Trump and I expect Trump to alter to country in ways that will take a generation to fix.  I fully expect Russia to take advantage of this.  Why else would Putin go to effort of making sure Trump won. He doesn't have to fire a single shot.  Have the U.S. weakened from within.  Have the NATO alliance fracture for good. Once that happens, Russia can swoop in to fill the void. Vlad knows what he's doing.

 

Part of what brought down the Soviet Union was that they couldn't keep spending to keep up with us.  The war machine has helped push this country into  insolvency; where we don't even have the money to fix the real problems. Yet we, have money for war and tax cuts.

 

I'd like to see Europe defend itself as well, but historically on that continent someone gets big balls and starts trying to gooble them all up anyway.  The only way I'd support us closing our bases there and leaving is if we can convince Russia to leave Western Europe alone. I'd still leave some form of defense pact with many of them anyway, especially the major members of the EU and UK. Keep in mind, you started this conversation with saying Europe should make the death-blow move that would lead to that by cutting us off from a military alliance standpoint before we cut them off (like either of us actually want to do that)

 

We broke our promise to Russia not to add former soviet states to NATO and we did anyway, there will be no reconciliation or mutual respect until that is resolved.  What Trump is doing with America First plan doesn't even involve getting rid of NATO like your suggesting, its just increasing their military spending per member to come closer to the ratio to GDP that we do (I don't think they should stop at 2% if we're at 3.5%, nor will they, it is taking too GD long, that I agree with Trump on). NATO will be around even if Trump gets 8 years because they aren't stupid.

 

In many ways, we need to get to the point that we don't need NATO anymore, and once upon a time we had a very real chance for that and screwed it up. We need to look the EEU as the same type of global economic opportunity as the AU as well. In the meantime, we just need to focus on getting Trump out of office because believe it or not, a lot of people in the world actually do get that more then half our country didn't vote for him.

 

You're not only thinking worst case scenario, I can't even tell if your hoping for it or not right now.  As a reminder, this is what you said I initially responded to:

 

10 hours ago, Rdskns2000 said:

Actually, the EU just needs to move on.  In the era of Trump, the United States is the enemy of the world. 

Kick Trumperica out of NATO, the G20, G8, etc..  Trump will love that.

Make it harder for Americans to even visit Europe.

 

Time for all countries that have our debt to sell it or demand immediate payment.  Also, it's time to stop using the dollar was the world's currency. That alone will damage the country.  Let's see how Trumperica deals with that.

 

It's time for the world to stop being bullied by this asshole and execute the leverage over us.

 

 

 

Are you clearly thinking though the ramifications of all that happening or are you just being spiteful?  Cutting off your nose to spite your face hurts like a MF'r if you didn't already know that.  A hard economic reset like that would plunge the planet into a global depression.  And for what?  A guy who's going to be in power 4-8 years tops?  This is short-sighted at best, come back from the ledge, and lets figure this out.

[AsburySkinsFan]

4 hours ago, nonniey said:

Suggest you reread what I posted.  Or are you one of those that can't take yes for an answer.To be clear I agreed with you that Iran wasn't lying they had no need to.

I’m sorry I read that with the exact opposite tone. I’m so used to full blown snark that I guess it’s become my default.

My apologies sir.

[AsburySkinsFan]

6 hours ago, Cooked Crack said:

Open the link in private mode. Unlimited articles that way.

YES!!! Thank you!!! 

 

As for the George Will article, that man is right on the money! It’s exactly why I say a Trump impeachment is NOT enough, that this entire Administration needs to be burned to the ground. Because Pence is who he is. Anyone who would choose to become a boot licking lackey for Trump cannot be POTUS. 

[FrFan]

The EU has a Common Security and Defense Policy ratified during the Lisbon treaty.

The problem is that there is a lack of unity in Europe, some countries believe in political activism to beat it , based on the idea of a limited number of participants forming the hard core of those really equipped countries with operational capabilities. In the mean time it's quite opposite to the idea of an open process of unification.

So why the European Union does not have will not have a common defense policy ?. 

Great Britain's alliance and "special ties" with the US.

The lack of interest of the former members of the Warsaw Pact (integrated into NATO).

The back and forth moves from Germany between NATO and bilateral cooperation.

What happened in Greece and Portugal as they both lost their decision making ability, Germany being opposed to any increase of financial help.

Most of all there is a real informal prohibition by the US to form a European defense that is beyond their political and operational control. We saw that in the former Yugoslavia, the NATO's function is precisely to ensure, under the command of the United States, the security and defense of Europe. 

Bilateral military agreements (Franco-German, Franco-British) even relevants are facing the sad reality of multiple meetings turning into a similacrum of union.

I believe Trump isn't going to help nor Macron who is just a big mouth full of himself thinking he knows better than the others. A trait he shares with Trump, that's probably why they enjoy patting themselves in the back so much

 

[AsburySkinsFan]

 

But you felt that the Left wasn’t listening to you because of bathrooms and icky ghey stuff, oh and guns that weren’t going anywhere, and that abortion you weren’t getting. Oh, I know it was because of coal jobs. That must have been why you voted for him.

[Larry]

Admiring the notion of business owners who have been running their businesses with immigrant labor for decades, voting for Candidate Trump (who's primary campaign promise was "I'll block them foreigners from taking jobs here, and make those jobs hire Americans, instead"), and then being shocked that he actually, kinda, a little, reduced them, some.  

[LD0506]

^^ And it's only May, this is just the beginning of the bite. Harvest time this year is going to see a bumper crop of pain, thousands of the Morlocks are going to lose their family businesses to the stark realities of the world.

 

And yet, in the midst of their thrashings and gnashings, they still want to blame someone else, pulling their red hats tighter on their heads and threatening to do it again if their demands aren't met.

 

A few people such as Bang were touting this a year ago, pointing out the easily seen consequences of letting the stupid drive, and weren't they chided in response, a torrent of replies touting alternative realities where America herself wasn't really raped and murdered but just roughed up to get her attention. Seems like more people are being dragged around to face the facts, I know I see more of that sentiment echoed here lately. That great American dream, which for so many has always been little more than a dream, is dead, murdered in cold blood by greed and selfish shortsigthedness, and we are all just bacteria and maggots living in the corpse. No one knows what might come out the other side of this tragedy but it sure won't be anything resembling what we thought we had.

[AsburySkinsFan]

29 minutes ago, LD0506 said:

 

A few people such as Bang were touting this a year ago, pointing out the easily seen consequences of letting the stupid drive, and weren't they chided in response, a torrent of replies touting alternative realities where America herself wasn't really raped and murdered but just roughed up to get her attention. Seems like more people are being dragged around to face the facts, 

Those of us who live in agricultural areas saw this coming a long time ago. I’ve said for decades that the farmers around me are diehard GOPers but fall silent as church mice on the issue of immigration. Tobacco and other hand cultivated crops, horses and livestock, poultry processing, landscaping, food service, all of these industries are dominated by Hispanic labor both documented and otherwise. 

Every time I hear these complaints from Trump voters about crops rotting in the fields and shortages of labor I just ask myself, “Weren’t you listening?????”

The ONLY thing I can think was that they were listening but they were in denial thinking, “Well, these things won’t affect MY business, afterall I’m a good conservative American Trump supporter.”

 

You want to know who this won’t affect? The massive thoroughbred horse farms near Lexington. I guarantee you they get all of their visas. Funny how ICE raids Mexican restaurants around us but never a multimillion dollar thoroughbred farm. Must be because all of those workers are here legally. Yup, must be it. Uh-huh sure....

[Larry]

18 minutes ago, LD0506 said:

A few people such as Bang were touting this a year ago, pointing out the easily seen consequences of letting the stupid drive

 

I remember one poster, before the election, that Trump's plan to MAGA was to 

 

1)  Start a trade war.

2)  Default on the national debt.

3)  And expel the country's entire agricultural workforce.  

 

[LD0506]

I just can't help but be amazed at the disconnect though, people whose entire workforce and the source of their income voting to forcibly evict/deny entry to those very same people!

 

But again, I don't think this is the main point, we are teetering on the edge of something dark and bloody, every day I have a harder time seeing how this comes out without major, massive bloodshed in the streets. Mowing lawns and crackin' crab is gonna be the least of the problems.

 

 

But on a lighter note....

 

[AsburySkinsFan]

1 minute ago, LD0506 said:

I just can't help but be amazed at the disconnect though, people whose entire workforce and the source of their income voting to forcibly evict/deny entry to those very same people!

 

But again, I don't think this is the main point, we are teetering on the edge of something dark and bloody, every day I have a harder time seeing how this comes out without major, massive bloodshed in the streets. Mowing lawns and crackin' crab is gonna be the least of the problems.

I agree, the animosity amongst Trump supporters has only been growing because of this disconnect. They have codified congitive dissonance into their hardwiring. At this point I’m betting that they’re already preparing their accusations of election fraud in the case of the blue wave. And I Trump lasts long enough to lose in 2020 I guarandamntee that they’ll look for a reason to refuse to accept the result. 

Trump supporters want to know why they are ignored and laughed at, it’s this and so much more.