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U.S. Politics: The Biggest Trade in WNBA History
- Thread starter BigLutz
- Start date
Pikachu52
Well-Known Member
Is this really that surprising - the allegations of child sexual abuse against Roy Moore were ignored, Republican's still endorsed Donald Trump after the access Hollywood tape and nobody mentions the fact Trump was sued personally for sexual assault against a minor.
Worse still Trump supporters and republicans are turning the allegations into a partisan slugging match.
If you have the constitution for it, check out Fox New's Jeanine Pirro's thoughts on the matter - Then get out a vomit bag:
https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-h...ne-feinstein-and-her-unhinged-lunatic-1122875
This echos the comments that I've on Trump's twitter feed from his die hard supporters, accusing Christine Blasey Ford of being a "democrat" and a "Hillary supporter" - That is literally all they cite to discredit her.
And of course, cue the hate mail and death threats:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...rett-kavanaugh-sexual-assault-accuser-threats
There's a revolting irony that many of these people were prepared to believe that John Podesta was running a child sex ring out a Washington Pizzeria that didn't even have a basement, yet when a person comes forward with a sexual assault allegation against one of their own party they demonise and smear the accuser.
The leaders of the two Korea's have met again, with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un making promises to "permanently" abolish it's key missile facilities in the presence of foreign experts:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-19/north-korea-agrees-to-dismanlte-nuclear-test-site/10282040
I'll believe that when I see it.
In other news, Trump says something stupid, beware strawberries, and excerpts from Stormy Daniel's new book have leaked to the press - specifically the salacious ones. Keep that vomit bag close.
Trainer Yusuf
VolcaniNO
https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/INDU:IND
While it is a bit down right now, Dow Jones Index has increased to its highest most recent value today. In similar manner, many so-called emerging markets(so-called because a lot of them are developed countries as of the most recent Human Development Report) had their currencies risen up a bit, due to rise of Euro relative to both yen and dollar. Hard to say how this will go beyond as Russian ruble and Turkish lira will be hit again with the November 2018 Iranian embargo, and many countries in debt swamp like Italy and Portugal will continue to be in crisis, but for this fiscal year things seem fine overall for everyone else.
Since the actual Brexit will happen in the end of this fiscal year(March 29th for Brexit, March 31st for end of the fiscal year) something might pop up in the European economies then, but for the time being there won't be a recession, it seems.
This also means even if a recession were to happen in 2019-2020, which it most likely will, it is unlikely that Trump and the Republicans would lose the next election. So yeah, welcome to stabilitocracy.
Edit(20.09.2018): As a slightly related note, in the most recent poll, AfD has finally defeated Social Democrats. Remember, far-right parties will often have much higher results than the polls(1 to 6 points) so this is terrifying, actually:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_German_federal_election#Poll_results
As a plus side, both Die Linke(populist left and communists) and the Greens are quickly rising, so the hoped grand left-wing electoral alliance might happen in the next election, but if SocDems go for another grand alliance with conservatives(CDU/CSU) they will probably need the liberals(FDP) like the current EU commission, which is a grand alliance between Christian, Social and Liberal Democrats against Eurosceptics.
Edit(23.09.2018):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_plc#Proposed_takeover_by_Comcast
Comcast has bought European TV giant Sky, owned by Rupert Mordoch. Sky was partially owned by Fox, but since Disney was buying Fox, they wanted to buy Sky as well. Murdoch refused to give it all up to Disney, so Comcast bought it instead.
While it is a bit down right now, Dow Jones Index has increased to its highest most recent value today. In similar manner, many so-called emerging markets(so-called because a lot of them are developed countries as of the most recent Human Development Report) had their currencies risen up a bit, due to rise of Euro relative to both yen and dollar. Hard to say how this will go beyond as Russian ruble and Turkish lira will be hit again with the November 2018 Iranian embargo, and many countries in debt swamp like Italy and Portugal will continue to be in crisis, but for this fiscal year things seem fine overall for everyone else.
Since the actual Brexit will happen in the end of this fiscal year(March 29th for Brexit, March 31st for end of the fiscal year) something might pop up in the European economies then, but for the time being there won't be a recession, it seems.
This also means even if a recession were to happen in 2019-2020, which it most likely will, it is unlikely that Trump and the Republicans would lose the next election. So yeah, welcome to stabilitocracy.
Edit(20.09.2018): As a slightly related note, in the most recent poll, AfD has finally defeated Social Democrats. Remember, far-right parties will often have much higher results than the polls(1 to 6 points) so this is terrifying, actually:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_German_federal_election#Poll_results
As a plus side, both Die Linke(populist left and communists) and the Greens are quickly rising, so the hoped grand left-wing electoral alliance might happen in the next election, but if SocDems go for another grand alliance with conservatives(CDU/CSU) they will probably need the liberals(FDP) like the current EU commission, which is a grand alliance between Christian, Social and Liberal Democrats against Eurosceptics.
Edit(23.09.2018):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_plc#Proposed_takeover_by_Comcast
Comcast has bought European TV giant Sky, owned by Rupert Mordoch. Sky was partially owned by Fox, but since Disney was buying Fox, they wanted to buy Sky as well. Murdoch refused to give it all up to Disney, so Comcast bought it instead.
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Pikachu52
Well-Known Member
It seems that, among the ranks of American conservatives, the closer one gets to Trump the less they like. While Trump hard core supporters cheer like fans a Billy Graham revival for their messiah in Las Vegas, his own inner circle seems intent on bringing his demise.
It was in the New York Times today, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstien, public enemy number one among Trump fans for his appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, suggested that he secretly recording Trump and discusses recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment.
Undoubtably the comment sections and twitter feeds of the world will soon be filled with the shrill cries of "deep state" and "fire Rosenstien" and various calls to end the mueller investigation and inevitably to blame Obama for this. Which makes me think the leak was probably by a Trump ally seeking to pour gasoline on that dumpster fire.
Rosenstien for his part is denying the allegations - though these thing usually end up being true.
This is not the first time we have heard of Trump aids discussing the possibility of removing the moron in chief via the 25th amendment. The New York Times OP-ED written by a "member of the resistance in the Trump White House" alleged that some in the cabinet had debated doing just that.
Heck, this isn't even the first time someone has taped their conversations with Trump - Both Micheal Cohen and Omarosa were doing just that. It seem like a fairly natural thing to want to do when faced with someone known to be a pathological liar.
This comes at the same time as Trump is trying to declassify arts of the FISA warrant issued against former aid Carter Page and kneecapping his Attorney General. Like the trainer Damian abandoning his Charmander, Trump said of Sessions, "I don't have an attorney-general."
In spite of everything, the racism, the homophobia and the family separation policy, one almost has to feel sorry for Jeff Sessions. Bullied mercilessly by his boss essentially for doing the right thing in this instance. In Bob Woodward's book "Fear," he alleges Trump goes as far as to call Session a "dumb southerner" and mocks his accent.
Let the irony not be wasted that most of Trump's support is in the deep south - among people whom probably highly resent east coast elites disparaging them for their values and way of life. They certainly resented being called a "basked of deplorables." But then the base does seem to have abandoned Sessions as much as it has Rosenstien.
So the $64 question is - For how long is Rosenstein going to keep his job?
It was in the New York Times today, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstien, public enemy number one among Trump fans for his appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, suggested that he secretly recording Trump and discusses recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment.
Undoubtably the comment sections and twitter feeds of the world will soon be filled with the shrill cries of "deep state" and "fire Rosenstien" and various calls to end the mueller investigation and inevitably to blame Obama for this. Which makes me think the leak was probably by a Trump ally seeking to pour gasoline on that dumpster fire.
Rosenstien for his part is denying the allegations - though these thing usually end up being true.
This is not the first time we have heard of Trump aids discussing the possibility of removing the moron in chief via the 25th amendment. The New York Times OP-ED written by a "member of the resistance in the Trump White House" alleged that some in the cabinet had debated doing just that.
Heck, this isn't even the first time someone has taped their conversations with Trump - Both Micheal Cohen and Omarosa were doing just that. It seem like a fairly natural thing to want to do when faced with someone known to be a pathological liar.
This comes at the same time as Trump is trying to declassify arts of the FISA warrant issued against former aid Carter Page and kneecapping his Attorney General. Like the trainer Damian abandoning his Charmander, Trump said of Sessions, "I don't have an attorney-general."
In spite of everything, the racism, the homophobia and the family separation policy, one almost has to feel sorry for Jeff Sessions. Bullied mercilessly by his boss essentially for doing the right thing in this instance. In Bob Woodward's book "Fear," he alleges Trump goes as far as to call Session a "dumb southerner" and mocks his accent.
Let the irony not be wasted that most of Trump's support is in the deep south - among people whom probably highly resent east coast elites disparaging them for their values and way of life. They certainly resented being called a "basked of deplorables." But then the base does seem to have abandoned Sessions as much as it has Rosenstien.
So the $64 question is - For how long is Rosenstein going to keep his job?
The Rosenstein article is mostly some rush job based on half-truths, most likely pushed by someone in the administration to provide cover so he could get fired. That just got out too fast before anything could be done about it.
Whether it was because Trump is actually really cowardly about firing people, or because someone told him it would put the GOP in an even bigger hole in November nothing happened.
Whether it was because Trump is actually really cowardly about firing people, or because someone told him it would put the GOP in an even bigger hole in November nothing happened.
He is, that's why Cruz was forced to do these debates. Outside of the usual stuff that makes debates bad he looked better than Cruz, who shot himself in the foot at the end.
It's going to be close to a tossup, but Beto's strategy is registering voters and focusing on energizing the left, which is the correct strategy for him to do instead of going over the aisle for people who would rather kill their kid than vote for him based on the D alone.
It's going to be close to a tossup, but Beto's strategy is registering voters and focusing on energizing the left, which is the correct strategy for him to do instead of going over the aisle for people who would rather kill their kid than vote for him based on the D alone.
Pikachu52
Well-Known Member
A second woman, one Deborah Ramirez, has come forward with accusations that she was sexually assaulted by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
The claim is that Kavanuaugh exposes himself to Ms. Ramirez and attempted to force her to touch his genitalia while they were both in college.
Well Republican you sure know how to pick them.
The claim is that Kavanuaugh exposes himself to Ms. Ramirez and attempted to force her to touch his genitalia while they were both in college.
Well Republican you sure know how to pick them.
Pikachu52
Well-Known Member
Today the Clown in chief fronted the United Nation's General Assembly to deliver a speech (full text here) in which he yet again blasts the favourite conservative straw man that is "globalism" and chastised other countries, both ally and adversary alike for their trade practices and, in true trump form, touted his own record.
Said Trump, to which the assembly responded with a chorus of laughter.
But that of course didn't stop conservatives in America from lapping up every word, and Trump basking in their praise. He retweeted both Pastor Jeffress and Mark Levin who complimented him for the speech and his twitter feed is full of conservatives who saw it as giving the finger to the globalists. The core ideological position behind Trump's incoherent foreign policy is opposition to a straw man with anti-Semitic origins.
Perhaps the core component of Trump's, or at least the only part that contained any coherent display of policy, was his scathing criticism of the Iranian regime, in which he appeared to be trying to drive a wedge between Iran's government and it's people. He seems to be desperately hoping that Iran will suffer a regime collapse at the hands of it's people so his decision to violate the Iran deal and reinstate sanctions will be vindicated.
Trump's speech also contains the usual US scepticism in relation to International institutions, particularly the ICC.
This is neither a particularly bold nor even new position. Bill Clinton was the first president to reject the ICC after he recommended the Senate not ratify the Rome Statute after he himself had signed it. Bush took matters further signing into law legislation that gives the president the powers to protect US soldiers from the ICC.
And of course, he's once again mistaken in fact. The ICC only claims jurisdiction over cases referred to it by either the UN Security Council or States parties in which the alleged crime was committed.
And finally, here's my favourite line:
Of tangible threats to US sovereignty, perhaps the most potent is the Russian interference in America's electoral process for which multiple indictments have been file by Robert Mueller that inculpate the GRU directly. So the president who cares so much for US sovereignty, may well owe his entire presidency to a violation of such.
As Trump increasingly becomes the centre of American conservatism, American conservatisms doctrines become more abstract, paradoxical and coloured in nationalism and bigotry.
Said Trump, to which the assembly responded with a chorus of laughter.
But that of course didn't stop conservatives in America from lapping up every word, and Trump basking in their praise. He retweeted both Pastor Jeffress and Mark Levin who complimented him for the speech and his twitter feed is full of conservatives who saw it as giving the finger to the globalists. The core ideological position behind Trump's incoherent foreign policy is opposition to a straw man with anti-Semitic origins.
Perhaps the core component of Trump's, or at least the only part that contained any coherent display of policy, was his scathing criticism of the Iranian regime, in which he appeared to be trying to drive a wedge between Iran's government and it's people. He seems to be desperately hoping that Iran will suffer a regime collapse at the hands of it's people so his decision to violate the Iran deal and reinstate sanctions will be vindicated.
Trump's speech also contains the usual US scepticism in relation to International institutions, particularly the ICC.
This is neither a particularly bold nor even new position. Bill Clinton was the first president to reject the ICC after he recommended the Senate not ratify the Rome Statute after he himself had signed it. Bush took matters further signing into law legislation that gives the president the powers to protect US soldiers from the ICC.
And of course, he's once again mistaken in fact. The ICC only claims jurisdiction over cases referred to it by either the UN Security Council or States parties in which the alleged crime was committed.
And finally, here's my favourite line:
Of tangible threats to US sovereignty, perhaps the most potent is the Russian interference in America's electoral process for which multiple indictments have been file by Robert Mueller that inculpate the GRU directly. So the president who cares so much for US sovereignty, may well owe his entire presidency to a violation of such.
As Trump increasingly becomes the centre of American conservatism, American conservatisms doctrines become more abstract, paradoxical and coloured in nationalism and bigotry.
This is becoming so disturbing, insofar as the new normal that's being established. We can now expect the Republican party to defend and champion sexual predators, guilty or otherwise, they'll take their chances, as long as it means they get the win. First Trump, then Moore, and now Kavanaugh. I'm probably forgetting someone? Jesus. What upsets me the most about this is that these kind of allegations used to be career enders for most people in the public square, especially politicians, who would get the boot for things innocent in comparison, i.e. cheating on your wife. Now, even when there is credible evidence of grave sexual misconduct, political leaders have little worry - as long as they toe party line, their boys will have their back. This creates a political climate in which leaders can more or less go out and commit sexual crimes with impunity. Unless you rape someone at knife point, in broad daylight, in the middle of a Target center, it didn't happen!
White evangelicals are ripping this country apart. Because of their silly religious delusion that embryos have souls and abortion is murder, they will turn a blind eye and elect the most disgusting people as the lesser of two evils.
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Pikachu52
Well-Known Member
You're forgetting Jim Jordan!
In my view this is the defining problem of the Trump administration - Hyper partisanship.
Even how people view serious sexual assault allegations is being viewed through partisan lens, with Republican voters and Trump supporters closing ranks around people like Kavanaugh and Moore and demonising people like Christine Blessy Ford who testified before the Senate Judiciary committee today. A quick glance at Trump and Avenatti's twitter feeds seems to confirm that whether a person believes either Kavanaugh or Ford is reflect of whether or not they are a Trump supporter.
And this seems to be confirmed by polling too according to fivethrityeight.
And it's not just Kavanaugh - it's other issues with major ramifications. The Russia investigation for instance.
American politics, particularly among republicans, is becoming defined by contempt and loathing for the other side. That's a problem in and of itself, but under a constitutional system with a strict separation of executive and legislative power and no party discipline it could ultimately spell disaster.
You can't remove the element of sexism from this either. Vox has an interest article pointing out the similarities between Christine Blessy Ford's testimony has many similarities with Anita Hill in the 1990's. Most republicans probably don't believe her and Trump tweeted support for Kavanaugh's statement - inevitably contributing to the hatred of her among his support base.
To make matters worse a third accuser, one Julie Swetnick, has come forward with some truly horrible allegations which she has provided in a sworn Affidavit. The salient point of her claim is that while they were both in high school Kavanagh and his friends used to attend parties where they would engage in drink spiking in order make it easier to commit sexual assault against the women there.
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Zora
perpetually tired
There's honestly no words to communicate my anger today, even as a man whose never experienced sexual assault firsthand. There are people who have it much worse than me, and condolences to all people affected by today's hearings. But today felt significant, part of me wants to say historical. I get this collective feeling of such mutual anger that, rather than subside, will leave its mark. Maybe not today; probably not tomorrow; probably not next week and when/if Kavanaugh is sworn in, but I don't think today is a day that'll be forgotten anytime soon. Nor should it be.
That's all I feel I can contribute.
Most of this week has been more personal, reflecting on this environment and toxic masculinity, how we got to here, thinking back on times when I thought something was off but didn't say something--and probably should have. But, hmm, that's a discussion for a different day.
That's all I feel I can contribute.
Most of this week has been more personal, reflecting on this environment and toxic masculinity, how we got to here, thinking back on times when I thought something was off but didn't say something--and probably should have. But, hmm, that's a discussion for a different day.
It's been rough. I recently had to remove someone from facebook because of what they had posted on my status about the hearings. He kept saying that it was "politically motivated" because she had waited so long to come forward, and some things that seemed to be just Trumpian fake news, like how she "suddenly" had 40,000 dollars worth of debt erased or something? Couldn't find a damned thing about that. Anyways, he was so defensive on the side of the accused that he even started copy/pasting false rape claim links in an effort to convince me that they were a really common thing, and that she was probably lying.
It's one thing to take the neutral position and argue not to make conclusions since not all the evidence has been gathered, that's fair enough. It's another thing to place all of your benefit of the doubt right square with an alleged predator and none to the victim. That makes you a sleazebag in my book and you can get bent.
That's the thing, none of this was an accident. He groomed his base to have that kind of blind loyalty to him and he's reaping the rewards. By muddying the waters and calling any all factual reporting that portrays him in a negative light "fake news" he can feed his supporters as many lies as he wants. I have a solid six friends on facebook right now convinced that the entire Mueller investigation is a "deep state" (Whatever the **** that means? Like, huh?) conspiracy to overthrow his presidency. Hyper partisanship is at the core of the problem, but also the lack of capacity for the common American citizen to properly verify information. When citizens don't know how to or don't care to discern fact from fiction, of course you'll come down on the side of your biases.
It's one thing to take the neutral position and argue not to make conclusions since not all the evidence has been gathered, that's fair enough. It's another thing to place all of your benefit of the doubt right square with an alleged predator and none to the victim. That makes you a sleazebag in my book and you can get bent.
That's the thing, none of this was an accident. He groomed his base to have that kind of blind loyalty to him and he's reaping the rewards. By muddying the waters and calling any all factual reporting that portrays him in a negative light "fake news" he can feed his supporters as many lies as he wants. I have a solid six friends on facebook right now convinced that the entire Mueller investigation is a "deep state" (Whatever the **** that means? Like, huh?) conspiracy to overthrow his presidency. Hyper partisanship is at the core of the problem, but also the lack of capacity for the common American citizen to properly verify information. When citizens don't know how to or don't care to discern fact from fiction, of course you'll come down on the side of your biases.
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Anyone who wants to immediately confirm after today should just stroke out and die. We have a party so focused on power and control over others they would sacrifice anyone and anything to do it. Part of the problem today that wasn't talked about is it's not if they believe her or not, because I'm sure most of them know she's telling the truth, it's that they don't care. There are several other victims, and they didn't even try to do an actual investigation. It's only due to being comically evil that they messed up this badly optics wise, and I hope they pay for it in November.
Like they literally brought in someone to cross examine a sexual assault victim, and bring in the sexual predator with "haha what beer do you like?". He even acted in a way where if this is him sober he's probably a terrifying drunk.
Basically the Dems need to pack the courts the second they get the chance.
Like they literally brought in someone to cross examine a sexual assault victim, and bring in the sexual predator with "haha what beer do you like?". He even acted in a way where if this is him sober he's probably a terrifying drunk.
Basically the Dems need to pack the courts the second they get the chance.
As an aside, people kept saying Kavanaugh was so angry, but it looked more like he was doing his best to hold his angry face so that he could keep from crying.
All I saw was a sniveling little *****.
What's also interesting to note is that all three victims describe their assault in eerily similar settings, these are some pretty coordinated conspirators, yeah?
All I saw was a sniveling little *****.
What's also interesting to note is that all three victims describe their assault in eerily similar settings, these are some pretty coordinated conspirators, yeah?
Also he used his mom being the local prosecutor at the time as a plus for him, which just adds another reason why she wouldn't come forward at the time, because no way would it have ended well for her.
Meanwhile Ford's dad refuses to endorse her because he'll lose his country club spot, and her family has already had to move.
Meanwhile Ford's dad refuses to endorse her because he'll lose his country club spot, and her family has already had to move.
That's the thing though, this was a job interview because the GOP refused to have an investigation. It's why I don't think Trump would ever get impeached, because even if he raped and murdered a child on video these ****ers would still not care.
And Harris was a prosecutor before the Senate. That's why people gave their time to her.