The Political Thread

[Arcadia]

Nope, he hasn't gotten better. There is a new, jaw-dropping outrage almost every day. It would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous to the world's peace, health, environment and economic stability.

[Fantasy Lover]

I read it, it's so horrifying. Did you read about Mollie Tibbetts? In case you didn't, Mollie Tibbetts was jogging when she was approached by a man in a car, she wanted to be left alone and threatened to call the police. He wasn't amused so he kidnapped and killed her, and then Trump used her death to advocate for stronger boarder control while the issue isn't immigrants, but men not respecting no.

[Arcadia]

I know. What bothers me even more, though, is the people who just lap up that kind of thing. So much anger and intolerance. Scary.

[J.P.]

Don't you know? It's always about him. My brain cannot compute this.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Haiz. Same thing. Haven't read news for month, and it doesn't look very good. What happened?? 

I read the possible impacts of prolonged government closure and it seems like it's very risky and things could fall apart and creates domino effects. Why would.. why... gah!!!

I don't know much, and ignorant enough, but isn't emergency declaration seem to fit more to the fact that the closure is still ongoing instead of wall not being built??????

Is it a mega tantrum? 

[Arcadia]

21 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Haiz. Same thing. Haven't read news for month, and it doesn't look very good. What happened?? 

Trump stubbed a toe, blames Mexicans.

21 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I read the possible impacts of prolonged government closure and it seems like it's very risky and things could fall apart and creates domino effects. Why would.. why... gah!!!

Hey, he's gotta keep Vladimir happy somehow.

21 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I don't know much, and ignorant enough, but isn't emergency declaration seem to fit more to the fact that the closure is still ongoing instead of wall not being built??????

No matter how little you know, Trump always knows less.

21 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Is it a mega tantrum? 

Yup.

[T.o.b.y]

On 1/11/2019 at 5:55 AM, Arcadia said:

No matter how little you know, Trump always knows less.

Sorry that I laughed at that one but I couldn't help it. 

It is very, VERY difficult to understand from over here why people continue to support him. 

[Arcadia]

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 1:41 PM, T.o.b.y said:

It is very, VERY difficult to understand from over here why people continue to support him. 

It's very, VERY difficult to understand from over here, too.  

[Caya]

I honestly didn't know whether to pick "haha" or "sad" as the reaction gif. We need something like this, maybe, for the political thread?

[Van Buren Supernova]

We definitely need other reaction gif for this thread.

Now I'm reduced to only read headlines, and had been living under the rock for a while, and oh boy he did it.

[Arcadia]

I know it's wrong, but I'm still laughing over yesterday's news:
 

Quote

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the United States last year posted an $891.2 billion trade deficit in merchandise, the largest in the nation’s 243-year history despite more than two years of President Trump’s “America First” policies.

The results were a sobering reminder that the laws of economics still apply to a president....

[Van Buren Supernova]

I think he is one of the most dangerous person in the world, and I don't mean it in criminal mastermind way.

[J.P.]

Yes. the deficit made it even into German newspaper.

On 1/14/2019 at 7:41 PM, T.o.b.y said:

It is very, VERY difficult to understand from over here why people continue to support him.  

Well, it's even more difficult to understand: some people in Europe support him too.

[Fantasy Lover]

Everyone in the UK right now.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Anyone affected on your daily thingy?

I can imagine a lot of things, from groceries to shit like visa. I'm sure those crossers (EU living/study/working in UK and vice versa) would be the most affected?

[Douglas]

Politicians! Do we really need them?! If so: I wish we didn't!! Our Politicians here in Australia are probably as bad, if not worse, than politicians anywhere else in the world, sadly!! They're embarrassing!! 

[Carol the Dabbler]

In a society as large and complex as ours, I regretfully suspect that we do need politicians -- even though the inevitable downside is that they won't all behave in a manner we would consider sensible.

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 3/30/2019 at 4:34 AM, Douglas said:

Politicians! Do we really need them?! If so: I wish we didn't!! Our Politicians here in Australia are probably as bad, if not worse, than politicians anywhere else in the world, sadly!! They're embarrassing!! 

I think there is a mayor cat or dog?? So you may have a point!

Actually the dangdest thing is good politician trying to fight the odds of doing the right things but being brought down by people who are affected; the corrupted and the rich. It's disheartening.

[Douglas]

2 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I think there is a mayor cat or dog?? So you may have a point!

Actually the dangdest thing is good politician trying to fight the odds of doing the right things but being brought down by people who are affected; the corrupted and the rich. It's disheartening.

Yes; I know what you mean, and I agree, Van Buren Supernova; it is disheartening. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Unfortunately, it can be pretty hard to tell the difference between politicians who are trying to do the right thing and politicians who are merely facilitating certain vested interests.  They all use terms like "the common good."

[Arcadia]

Oh, I think it's pretty easy to tell the difference. Well, easy if you pay attention to what they're doing vs. what they're saying. But it's not that easy to pay attention, is it? Time-consuming, it is.

At any rate, I still think most U.S. public servants are in it for the right reasons, even if I disagree with their p.o.v.  Trump is the massive, grotesque, horrifying exception, and he's bringing out the worst in all of us. Hope we survive him....

[Carol the Dabbler]

Trump is definitely an anomaly!    But as you say, most "public servants" seem to mean well (regardless of whether you or I agree with them), and that would include the people Trump has chosen to assist him.  It's awfully hard to see them, though, since they're standing behind his enormous ego.

[J.P.]

The anomaly that seems quite ubiquitous. It started with Putin, Erdogan, Orbán, Kwasniewski…

It's the size of the country and the ego that make Trump outstanding. And the fact that he is the most openly corrupt and criminal of them all.

Yes, grotesque is the word I was searching for in his regard. Thank you.

[Arcadia]

I think time will tell whether he's an anomaly or not. If, for example, he is elected for a second term, I think his type of bombastic crudity will become all too normal. If it hasn't already. It was already lurking in the wings, he's just made it more visible.

Brrr. A second term. I just creeped myself out.   

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'm reasonably certain that he will be reelected, simply because most first-term Presidents do go on to a second term.

The Republicans will nominate him again of course (I'm a bit surprised at how they've lined up behind him, after many of them opposed him so bitterly before the primaries, but hey, that's politics).  If the Democrats ran someone that the independents and moderates could really get behind, that might swing things the other way, but they currently seem so hell-bent on proving that they're Not Trump that I don't see that happening.

Added:  My actual point (which I neglected to mention) is that a second term wouldn't necessarily mean that he's not an anomaly.  Two terms is simply the norm these days.