Abject Failure for Trump in Hanoi, but That Doesn’t Stop Him From Defending a Mass Murderer

Politics • Views: 31,003

Our so-called president’s big diplomatic showcase effort to legitimize North Korea collapsed like a house of cards last night, when Kim Jong Un decided he didn’t want to denuclearize but he did want Trump to lift all sanctions against his terrorized country.

Leading to some of the fastest aging tweets ever seen.

Even for the worst president in history, Kim’s demand was apparently a bridge too far. But nobody could have seen this coming, right?

Oh wait. I meant everybody could have seen this coming.

But even though Li’l Kim burned him again, that didn’t stop Trump from coming to his defense in the Otto Warmbler case.

“I don’t believe he would have allowed that to happen,” Trump said. “It just wasn’t to his advantage to allow that to happen.”

Trump said that he spoke to Kim about the death of Warmbier — whose family has called it a murder — and that Kim “feels badly about it.” He said the North Korea leader, who rules the country with an iron grip, knew about the case but learned about it only after the fact because, Trump suggested, “top leadership” might not have been involved.

“He tells me he didn’t know about it, and I take him at his word,” Trump said.

Say what you want about Donald Trump, he sure does love him some dictators.

UPDATE at 2/28/19 10:27:10 am by Charles Johnson

And now we have the cherry on top of this fail sundae…

It’s anybody’s guess who to believe here: the mass murdering despot or the president who’s told thousands of documented lies while in office.

Jump to bottom

264 comments
1
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:23:15am

There’s a lot that pisses me off about Trump but this actually angers me.

2
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:24:12am

He thinks it is necessary to maintain any chances of getting a “deal”

3
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:26:52am

The pattern isn’t dictators, so much as it is people Trump likes. Robert Kraft, Brett Kavanaugh got the same treatment. “He denied it”, so it didn’t happen. End of story.

I mean, this is the guy who didn’t believe NK had an ICBM because Putin told him so, no matter what data the IC put in front of him. Reality is what he wants it to be, so if he likes somebody, they didn’t do it.

4
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:27:05am

Trump dealing with Kim Jong Un reminds me of James Franco’s character in The Interview except Franco’s character eventually realized what a terrible person and autocrat Kim Jong Un is. In this movie, Trump begs Kim to let him adopt him and make him the fourth Trump brother, Kim Jong Trump.

5
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:28:25am

re: #3 Blind Frog Belly White

[Embedded content]

The pattern isn’t dictators, so much as it is people Trump likes. Robert Kraft, Brett Kavanaugh got the same treatment. “He denied it”, so it didn’t happen. End of story.

I mean, this is the guy who didn’t believe NK had an ICBM because Putin told him so, no matter what data the IC put in front of him. Reality is what he wants it to be, so if he likes somebody, they didn’t do it.

While he doubts the words of lifelong American civil servants who have spent years working for our interests. And then the pieces of shit at CPAC have the nerve to say that we hate America and Trump loves it. Trump despises this country. We’re a means to an end with him. He’ll sell us out and not have any regrets. He’d just insist on getting paid handsomely.

6
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:29:10am

And now, of course…

7
austin_blue  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:30:42am

Yes, yes, you Marmalade Shit-gibbon, Kim’s people love him to their death.

8
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:30:44am

re: #6 Charles Johnson

And now, of course…

[Embedded content]

All Trump’s meetings with Kim have done have given the Kims the first ever American President they could push around. Great going tough guy Donnie! You’re a trainwreck.

9
The Vicious Babushka  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:30:52am

CL’ed

I propose that we sell the states that were part of the original Louisiana Purchase back to France.

10
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:31:30am

re: #9 The Vicious Babushka

CL’ed

[Embedded content]

I propose that we sell the states that were part of the original Louisiana Purchase back to France.

Why do you hate France? :)

11
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:36:08am

re: #6 Charles Johnson

Who could have seen this coming, besides everyone?

Oh, and Jong Un tires of this back and forth, so don’t expect additional summits or negotiations.

Jong Un got exactly what he wanted out of these two summits: direct talks and parity with the US and Trump called off joint military exercises.

Jong Un got more time to build out his nuclear arsenal and missiles and Trump got his photo op.

12
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:38:06am

re: #11 lawhawk

Who could have seen this coming, besides everyone?

Oh, and Jong Un tires of this back and forth, so don’t expect additional summits or negotiations.

Jong Un got exactly what he wanted out of these two summits: direct talks and parity with the US and Trump called off joint military exercises.

Jong Un got more time to build out his nuclear arsenal and missiles and Trump got his photo op.

And Trump made his successor’s job a lot harder too with this.

13
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:38:44am
14
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:39:19am
15
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:39:26am

Where have I heard… witch hunt… before… where the party yammering about witch hunts is complaining that law enforcement is going after them and finding crimes.

16
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:40:42am

I mean say what you will about Nixon and Kissinger when they met Mao and Zhou Enlai but that was done through careful preparation, awareness of geopolitics, and wasn’t full with moments like Nixon praising Mao as a great person. It was a purely geopolitical move through of two reasonably intelligent people who saw that they could take advantage of China’s falling out with the USSR. Trump just wants Kim so he can say he did what Presidents Truman through Obama could not do. And you know what good job, Donald, you succeeded, you showed that you’re the first American president not to care about the Kim regime’s brutality to its subjects.

17
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:42:19am

re: #15 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Where have I heard… witch hunt… before… where the party yammering about witch hunts is complaining that law enforcement is going after them and finding crimes.

I’m tired of half-measures. If they want to call it a witchhunt, I say we make it a REAL witchhunt. Throw him in a pond. See if he drowns. If he drowns, he died innocent. If not…

She turned me into a newt!
18
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:42:44am
19
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:45:44am

re: #11 lawhawk

Who could have seen this coming, besides everyone?

Oh, and Jong Un tires of this back and forth, so don’t expect additional summits or negotiations.

Jong Un got exactly what he wanted out of these two summits: direct talks and parity with the US and Trump called off joint military exercises.

Jong Un got more time to build out his nuclear arsenal and missiles and Trump got his photo op.

This step he would have taken regardless whether Trump met with him. There is no way that under a Republican administration that exited JCPOA, Kim would have ever given up anything in his nuclear arsenal or done anything to de-escalate the situation.

20
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:46:33am

21
Dr Lizardo  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:46:35am

re: #13 jaunte

4:30 p.m.: Seminar by Candace Owens, “Let me tell you about Hitler”.

22
Archangelus  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:46:53am

re: #15 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Where have I heard… witch hunt… before… where the party yammering about witch hunts is complaining that law enforcement is going after them and finding crimes.

Netanyahu’s been arguing that investigations against him are a “witch hunt” for a VERY long period; Wouldn’t surprise me one bit to find out that a certain orange menace has been watching and copying him this whole time…

23
Dr Lizardo  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:49:34am

re: #14 Blind Frog Belly White

BREAKING: In rare press conference, North Korean official says “Chairman Kim got the feeling that he didn’t understand the way Americans calculate” says Kim may have “lost the will” for further negotiations.

I wonder if Trump exhibited erratic behavior or something and Kim was left thinking (quite rightly, if that was the case) “WTF is up with this fool?”

24
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:49:58am

re: #21 Dr Lizardo

4:30 p.m.: Seminar by Candace Owens, “Let me tell you about Hitler”.

:”He’s not so bad when you get to know him, get over the invasion of Poland thing and you just have a guy who wanted to make Germany great, honest!”

25
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:50:57am

re: #9 The Vicious Babushka

CL’ed

[Embedded content]

I propose that we sell the states that were part of the original Louisiana Purchase back to France.

I still believe that unless we eliminate the EC there will be an election where the losing candidate receive 60-65% of the vote.

26
Michele: Out of the closet and into the fire  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:53:28am
27
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:53:49am

re: #15 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Where have I heard… witch hunt… before… where the party yammering about witch hunts is complaining that law enforcement is going after them and finding crimes.

What, is Benji at a loss for words that he has to make that a Trumpian statement?

28
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:55:01am

Wow.

Jim Jordan, Devin Nunes, Mark Meadows, Lindsey Graham, Scott Walker, Matt Gaetz, Matt Bevin and James O’Keefe are all speaking at CPAC this year.

29
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:55:49am

Man. Van Jones has really turned out to be a major jackass.

30
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:57:04am

re: #16 HappyWarrior

I mean say what you will about Nixon and Kissinger when they met Mao and Zhou Enlai but that was done through careful preparation, awareness of geopolitics, and wasn’t full with moments like Nixon praising Mao as a great person. It was a purely geopolitical move through of two reasonably intelligent people who saw that they could take advantage of China’s falling out with the USSR. Trump just wants Kim so he can say he did what Presidents Truman through Obama could not do. And you know what good job, Donald, you succeeded, you showed that you’re the first American president not to care about the Kim regime’s brutality to its subjects.

Trump thinks if you treat others the way he likes to be treated they will go along with you. So he offers fake praise, bullshit and a show to Kim and expects him to go with it.

No Donny, not everyone is the complete waste of human flesh you are. Even a dangerous dictator in North Korea won’t fall for your act.

31
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:57:05am

re: #29 Charles Johnson

Man. Van Jones has really turned out to be a major jackass.

Maybe, Mr. Jones, you’re seeing the failure of your analogy.

32
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:58:04am
33
Archangelus  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:58:51am

Man oh man, the live speech going on now by Netanyahu’s main election competitor, Benny Gantz, is using Netanyahu’s own past words (from when he spoke against former PM Ehud Olmert when he was indicted as a sitting PM) against him.
#NotEnoughPopcornInTheWorld

34
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 10:59:41am

re: #28 Eclectic Cyborg

Wow.

Jim Jordan, Devin Nunes, Mark Meadows, Lindsey Graham, Scott Walker, Matt Gaetz, Matt Bevin and James O’Keefe are all speaking at CPAC this year.

Lindsey is the only one that at some time in his life showed he was capable of independent thought, but like so many, he will not do what is right if he might lose his position. He is a coward — the others are just evil.

35
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:00:59am

I forgot, what is “Criminal justice reform” code for again? Locking up more brown people?

36
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:01:17am
37
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:02:19am

Wan’t the criminal justice reform a bi-partisan deal? I know Cory Booker was pushing it.

Van Jones is slumming.

38
garzooma  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:02:37am

So when does Trump and the GOP thank Mueller for letting them know about the crook they had working for them?

39
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:03:42am

Trump’s big thing is that he’s such a great dealmaker he can simply ignore all the ‘failures’ that went before. No need to prepare, no need to really consider what the other side’s concerns are. He’ll just sweep them away with his dealmaking ability and WIN!!

This worked for him in situations where, if the other side said “No,” he’d just find someone else, and eventually he’d find a sucker, and wow them. Cohen talked about this yesterday, that when you were with Trump, you felt like you were part of something bigger than yourself. It’s simple manipulation, and it works on some, but not all people. In his business life, Trump could always find someone manipulable.

Here, he has to deal with the people he has to deal with. Want NK to denuclearize? You have to deal with KJU. There’s not ANOTHER NK to go to if you can’t cut a deal with him.

This is why Trump thinks the first summit was so great, because he thought he’d hooked KJU, like previous investors, and he just had to reel him in. Instead, KJU hooked him, got what he wanted out of that summit, and this time walked away from the table when Trump didn’t meet his terms.

At the same time, Trump makes it clear that nobody who ostensibly negotiates on his behalf really has the power to do so, because he’ll completely undercut them. And by ditching the Iran deal and threatening NATO and other alliances, he makes it clear the US can’t be trusted to follow through - kind of like in his business practices.

Trump’s been running on hubris this whole time, and reality is starting to spoil his beautiful imagined invincibility.

40
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:05:22am

re: #36 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Just as well this is a VIRTUAL community, then.
//

41
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:08:05am
42
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:09:42am

re: #41 Blind Frog Belly White

If we boiled him down, none of his bones would be racist. I doubt his digestive tract is either. It’s the sum total of him that is.

43
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:10:01am

Posted in a dead thread…so here goes again:

Hivemind time - My wifi router (Belkin) died. I have an old 2.4ghz TP link I have hooked up for the moment, but wondered if you all had any suggestions for which WiFi mesh system I should go with since I’m upgrading anyway.

I did buy an Arris Surfboard modem this morning to replace the old Comcast/Xfinity modem that I’ve been paying rent on for 10 years.

Anyhoo…let me know what I should look at - Luma, WavLink, Dlink, Tenda Nova are the least expensive options - Eerio, Google, Linksys, TP, Netgear run a bit more…do I need to spend the money?

44
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:10:06am

re: #41 Blind Frog Belly White

southpaw
@nycsouthpaw
Perhaps our focus on whether these folks have racist bones has glossed over a lot of racism in the soft tissues…..

Of course!! The brain is a soft tissue!

45
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:10:38am
46
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:11:27am

47
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:12:08am

re: #45 Charles Johnson

Good lord. That is elementary school level petty bullshit.

48
sagehen  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:12:17am

re: #3 Blind Frog Belly White

[Embedded content]

The pattern isn’t dictators, so much as it is people Trump likes. Robert Kraft, Brett Kavanaugh got the same treatment. “He denied it”, so it didn’t happen. End of story.

The Central Park Five also denied it.

But even when someone else confessed, and there was DNA proof that it really was this other guy who confessed… he still wouldn’t believe their denial.

49
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:13:50am

re: #36 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Who the hell was subjecting monkeys to 3 Stoogies movies?

50
Dave In Austin  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:17:25am
51
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:17:52am

re: #45 Charles Johnson

So Laura’s admitting she’s a Nazi?

52
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:18:39am
53
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:19:17am

re: #51 Belafon

So Laura’s admitting she’s a Nazi?

Why not? Dreher already did.

54
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:19:40am

re: #45 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

What I call the PeeWee Herman Defense - “I know you are, but what am I?”

55
Dread Pirate Whitebeard  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:20:43am

re: #44 Hecuba’s daughter

Of course!! The brain is a soft tissue!

Some brains are softer than others.

56
Jack Burton  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:21:39am

re: #54 Blind Frog Belly White

What I call the PeeWee Herman Defense - “I know you are, but what am I?”

“Why don’t you make me!”

“No, why don’t *you* make me!”

“Because I don’t make monkeys, I just train them.”

57
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:22:11am

re: #48 sagehen

But the Central Park Five also denied it.

But even when someone else confessed, and there was DNA proof that it really was this other guy who confessed… he still wouldn’t believe their denial.

The Central Park Five do not qualify as “people Trump likes”, so they are denied Trump’s automatic acceptance of their denial.

Plus, you know…black

58
sagehen  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:22:29am

re: #25 Hecuba’s daughter

I still believe that unless we eliminate the EC there will be an election where the losing candidate receive 60-65% of the vote.

Norm Ornstein has for years been trying to sound the alarm that by 2030, states with 30% of the population will hold 70% of the Senate.

59
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:22:49am

60
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:25:09am

re: #58 sagehen

Norm Ornstein has for years been trying to sound the alarm that by 2030, states with 30% of the population will hold 70% of the Senate.

Apropos of which…..

61
sagehen  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:25:32am

re: #34 Hecuba’s daughter

Lindsey is the only one that at some time in his life showed he was capable of independent thought, but like so many, he will not do what is right if he might lose his position. He is a coward — the others are just evil.

Lindsay has NEVER been capable of independent thought.

He just used to be remora for a somewhat smarter shark.

62
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:26:13am

Theresa Momo.

63
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:26:47am

re: #62 darthstar

Theresa Momo.

[Embedded content]

Now do Ivanka!

64
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:27:11am

re: #62 darthstar

Theresa Momo.

[Embedded content]

Break your toys, kids. Put a fork in a light socket…it’s fun…Vote Brexit…I think I see the resemblance…

65
goddamnedfrank  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:30:03am

re: #23 Dr Lizardo

I wonder if Trump exhibited erratic behavior or something and Kim was left thinking (quite rightly, if that was the case) “WTF is up with this fool?”

Maybe but Kim was never there to negotiate in good faith. He got exactly what he wanted, two high level one on one meetings that put him on parity with the President of the United States in front of the world. And he got all of that because he has nuclear weapons and Trump is an idiot. It was insane to think he was going to give them up for anything.

66
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:30:06am
67
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:31:51am

re: #65 goddamnedfrank

Maybe but Kim was never there to negotiate in good faith. He got exactly what he wanted, two high level one on one meetings that put him on parity with the President of the United States in front of the world. And he got all of that because he has nuclear weapons and Trump is an idiot. It was insane to think he was going to give them up for anything.

I don’t know if you can say he was not negotiating in good faith…I think you might better say he was negotiating under a very different set of assumptions and with very different priorities.

68
ckkatz  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:32:50am

re: #43 darthstar

Posted in a dead thread…so here goes again:

Hivemind time - My wifi router (Belkin) died. I have an old 2.4ghz TP link I have hooked up for the moment, but wondered if you all had any suggestions for which WiFi mesh system I should go with since I’m upgrading anyway.

I did buy an Arris Surfboard modem this morning to replace the old Comcast/Xfinity modem that I’ve been paying rent on for 10 years.

Anyhoo…let me know what I should look at - Luma, WavLink, Dlink, Tenda Nova are the least expensive options - Eerio, Google, Linksys, TP, Netgear run a bit more…do I need to spend the money?

I haven’t looked at routers for quite a while. Although I suspect that you are well past this point, generic questions I would start with are:

1. Looks like the router would have to connect to the modem via ethernet cable. I would make sure that the router has this and it is capable of the speeds wanted. (Don’t ask me how I know that verifying that equipment correctly interconnects is a good idea.)

2. Which WiFi band do you intend to use?

3. How many ‘things’ do you wish to connect to the router?

4. Does the router have the range/ability to reach all ‘things’? What is the distance and configuration of the ‘things’ you wish to connect to?

5. Any special features that the router should have?

6. Finally are there any security or dependability issues that are important/not-important to you?

Myself, I tend to be a late adopter. I do not need special gaming features. And I prefer dependability as I prefer to minimize my time in diagnosing, replacing and reconfiguring routers.

That said, I just tend to go with better known brands that are common locally. If there are problems I am more likely to find someone who has already found and corrected that issue.

69
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:33:43am

I say that because I suspect Kim may well have thought he was going to get a deal that would be extremely advantageous to his position.

70
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:35:36am

71
GlutenFreeJesus  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:36:29am

re: #43 darthstar

Posted in a dead thread…so here goes again:

Hivemind time - My wifi router (Belkin) died. I have an old 2.4ghz TP link I have hooked up for the moment, but wondered if you all had any suggestions for which WiFi mesh system I should go with since I’m upgrading anyway.

I did buy an Arris Surfboard modem this morning to replace the old Comcast/Xfinity modem that I’ve been paying rent on for 10 years.

Anyhoo…let me know what I should look at - Luma, WavLink, Dlink, Tenda Nova are the least expensive options - Eerio, Google, Linksys, TP, Netgear run a bit more…do I need to spend the money?

I’ve got an Orbi system and love it. The AC2200 with the 3 pieces. One router and 2 satellites. I paid significantly less for it last year. Depending on your coverage needs, you could opt for a different Orbi system.

NETGEAR Orbi Whole Home Mesh WiFi System - WiFi router and 2 satellite extenders with speeds up to 2.2 Gbps over 6,000 sq. feet, AC2200 (RBK23) amazon.com

72
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:37:28am

re: #58 sagehen

Norm Ornstein has for years been trying to sound the alarm that by 2030, states with 30% of the population will hold 70% of the Senate.

It now appears to be that 34% of the population controls 70% of the Senate. From its inception, there were fatal flaws in the Constitution, but many were remedied by Constitutional amendments (some of which ALEC is trying to reverse). The EC is the one that I am hoping can be removed in the near future.

73
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:38:39am

re: #69 Scottish Dragon

I say that because I suspect Kim may well have thought he was going to get a deal that would be extremely advantageous to his position.

This. Plus simply being onstage with Trump AGAIN. There was really no way for Kim to lose.

I remember a time when Republicans insisted on withholding ANY talks at any level until the other side gave up all its leverage. Now? They do a SUMMIT in hopes that somehow this will bring a deal?

74
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:40:32am

I don’t know that I agree with switching to a pure popular vote system. That would essentially give too much power to a few key states and guarantee Democratic Presidents for the foreseeable future.

But there has to be a middle ground solution. Something more proportionate than EC but not quite as basic as popular vote.

75
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:41:31am

76
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:42:10am

re: #74 Eclectic Cyborg

I don’t know that I agree with switching to a pure popular vote system. That would essentially give too much power to a few key states and guarantee Democratic Presidents for the foreseeable future.

But there has to be a middle ground solution. Something more proportionate than EC but not quite as basic as popular vote.

How would a popular vote for president give it to a few states?

77
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:42:32am
78
goddamnedfrank  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:43:01am

re: #67 Scottish Dragon

I don’t know if you can say he was not negotiating in good faith…I think you might better say he was negotiating under a very different set of assumptions and with very different priorities.

In order to get these meetings he’s been enticing fools with the idea of denuclearization that he never had any intention of actually doing. It’s a bait and switch, first he asks for sanctions relief and suspension of exercises, then he wants is the US out of South Korea and the Asia Pacific region entirely.

re: #69 Scottish Dragon

I say that because I suspect Kim may well have thought he was going to get a deal that would be extremely advantageous to his position.

This outcome is extremely advantageous to his position. He looks like he stood up to America and gave us nothing. He even got us to abandon our demand of a full accounting of his nuclear program as a prerequisite for more talks. Anybody in his military command who might have worried that the nukes were genuinely on the table has had those fears put to bed once and for all.

79
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:43:23am

re: #74 Eclectic Cyborg

I don’t know that I agree with switching to a pure popular vote system. That would essentially give too much power to a few key states and guarantee Democratic Presidents for the foreseeable future.

But there has to be a middle ground solution. Something more proportionate than EC but not quite as basic as popular vote.

Doesn’t the status quo already give too much power to a few key states? I agree that popular vote isn’t perfect but I honestly reject the whole premise. Yeah it’s true that California and New York would be the margin of victory for a Democratic candidate but I gotta ask how is that any different than what allowed Trump to win last time? The whole premise to me with rejecting popular vote is this idea and I know you don’t believe this but that the voices of people in bright blue states like California and New York don’t matter.

80
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:44:00am

re: #76 Belafon

How would a popular vote for president give it to a few states?

Well presumably the margin of victory would be caused by New York and California being overwhelmingly Democratic but I don’t see how that’s different than now.

81
bd (Emergency!)  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:44:34am

82
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:45:17am

re: #77 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

Uh they literally did Ronna. But please keep showing why you’re an even more of touch buffoon than your uncle is.

83
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:45:59am

re: #68 ckkatz

I haven’t looked at routers for quite a while. Although I suspect that you are well past this point, generic questions I would start with are:

1. Looks like the router would have to connect to the modem via ethernet cable. I would make sure that the router has this and it is capable of the speeds wanted. (Don’t ask me how I know that verifying that equipment correctly interconnects is a good idea.)

2. Which WiFi band do you intend to use?

3. How many ‘things’ do you wish to connect to the router?

4. Does the router have the range/ability to reach all ‘things’? What is the distance and configuration of the ‘things’ you wish to connect to?

5. Any special features that the router should have?

6. Finally are there any security or dependability issues that are important/not-important to you?

Myself, I tend to be a late adopter. I do not need special gaming features. And I prefer dependability as I prefer to minimize my time in diagnosing, replacing and reconfiguring routers.

That said, I just tend to go with better known brands that are common locally. If there are problems I am more likely to find someone who has already found and corrected that issue.

Thanks…I don’t do gaming - just streaming TV and Alexa for music. Also, I tend to open several remote desktop sessions over VPN when I work from home. My wife just needs to check mail and send spreadsheets back and forth. A regular wifi is good enough, but it would be nice to boost power to the yard as we like to sit outside in the evenings and a booster in the garage would open the front yard and neighbor’s deck for cocktail hour.

I always have at least one channel with no password for passersby and guests.

84
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:46:53am

re: #78 goddamnedfrank

In order to get these meetings he’s been enticing fools with the idea of denuclearization that he never had any intention of actually doing. It’s a bait and switch, first he asks for sanctions relief and suspension of exercises, then he wants is the US out of South Korea and the Asia Pacific region entirely.

This outcome is extremely advantageous to his position. He looks like he stood up to America and gave us nothing. He even got us to abandon our demand of a full accounting of his nuclear program as a prerequisite for more talks. Anybody in his military command who might have worried that the nukes were genuinely on the table has had those fears put to bed once and for all.

A negotiation in bad faith is meant to fail to begin with, like some of the early rounds of the peace talks before we left Vietnam. You design the process to fail and then get propaganda rewards. The North Vietnamese played that game several times.

I don’t think that was operative here. I think Kim wanted a successful negotiation, but obviously a very one sided outcome in his favor. That isn’t really the same thing as a bad faith negotiation; it is an unrealistic negotiation.

85
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:48:45am

re: #74 Eclectic Cyborg

I don’t know that I agree with switching to a pure popular vote system. That would essentially give too much power to a few key states and guarantee Democratic Presidents for the foreseeable future.

But there has to be a middle ground solution. Something more proportionate than EC but not quite as basic as popular vote.

I keep hearing this argument, and I have yet to hear anyone say it in a way that makes a lick of sense. How can a state have power when it has no role at all in electing the President?

86
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:49:19am

re: #78 goddamnedfrank

In order to get these meetings he’s been enticing fools with the idea of denuclearization that he never had any intention of actually doing. It’s a bait and switch, first he asks for sanctions relief and suspension of exercises, then he wants is the US out of South Korea and the Asia Pacific region entirely.

This outcome is extremely advantageous to his position. He looks like he stood up to America and gave us nothing. He even got us to abandon our demand of a full accounting of his nuclear program as a prerequisite for more talks. Anybody in his military command who might have worried that the nukes were genuinely on the table has had those fears put to bed once and for all.

However, even if KIm may think he has been granted more prestige, he’s basically where he would have been under any President: economic sanctions still in place and unfettered development of nuclear weapons. Our President may look like the fool he is, but in practical terms, how is Kim’s position really different?

87
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:49:33am

re: #80 HappyWarrior

Well presumably the margin of victory would be caused by New York and California being overwhelmingly Democratic but I don’t see how that’s different than now.

That was basically my thought process. I don’t see how you can come up with any system that does NOT disenfranchise any states. EVERY American vote counts but where a 25 vote variance may mean nothing in a heavily Democratic urban area it could mean the difference between getting a Republican or a Democratic House Representative elected in a rural county in eastern Kentucky.

Maybe we could try something like EC and Popular Vote are both factored in, only weighted differently? It’s quite a complex conundrum.

88
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:51:25am

re: #87 Eclectic Cyborg

That was basically my thought process. I don’t see how you can come up with any system that does NOT disenfranchise any states. EVERY American vote counts but where a 25 vote variance may mean nothing in a heavily Democratic urban area it could mean the difference between getting a Republican or a Democratic House Representative elected in a rural county in eastern Kentucky.

Maybe we could try something like EC and Popular Vote considered, only weighted differently? It’s quite a complex conundrum.

You’re basically saying that every American vote shouldn’t count equally. We already have representation in government where votes are counted differently for different size states, the House and Senate. The president can and should be answerable to all the people, equally.

89
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:52:20am

re: #84 Scottish Dragon

A negotiation in bad faith is meant to fail to begin with, like some of the early rounds of the peace talks before we left Vietnam. You design the process to fail and then get propaganda rewards. The North Vietnamese played that game several times.

I don’t think that was operative here. I think Kim wanted a successful negotiation, but obviously a very one sided outcome in his favor. That isn’t really the same thing as a bad faith negotiation; it is an unrealistic negotiation.

I’m not sure it was that unrealistic, given who he was negotiating with. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Trump had gone for lifting at least some sanctions in exchange for NK shutting down the facility it already shut down. My guess is that Trump was about to go for it, and between Pompeo and Bolton they talked him out of it.

I don’t know this, obviously, but it wouldn’t surprise me, especially given Trump’s later statement on Otto Warmbier.

90
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:52:50am

re: #87 Eclectic Cyborg

That was basically my thought process. I don’t see how you can come up with any system that does NOT disenfranchise any states. EVERY American vote counts but where a 25 vote variance may mean nothing in a heavily Democratic urban area it could mean the difference between getting a Republican or a Democratic House Representative elected in a rural county in eastern Kentucky.

Maybe we could try something like EC and Popular Vote considered, only weighted differently? It’s quite a complex conundrum.

It is tough I concede. I just think that in principle whoever gets more votes should win. We don’t have a EC system for Senators where their “ECs” are calculated by which CDs they win. I just hate the idea of punishing the Dems for having voting blocs centered in heavily populated states and knowing the EC comes from the Founders not being totally democratic.

91
MsJ  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:53:14am
92
Decatur Deb  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:53:22am

Good. (The Wallbuilding GFM scam is also still in play, has added Bannon to their board.)

Group running robocalls impersonating Trump’s campaign has already raised more than $100,000

cnn.com

93
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:54:08am

re: #88 Belafon

You’re basically saying that every American vote shouldn’t count equally. We already have representation in government where votes are counted differently for different size states, the House and Senate. The president can and should be answerable to all the people, equally.

Would you not agree that voters in rural areas hold more power than voters in large cities simply because there’s not as many votes to go around in a less populated area and thus each vote becomes that much more valuable?

I would argue every American vote already DOESN’T count equally. Some are far more impactful than others depending on regional demographics.

94
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:54:33am

re: #89 Blind Frog Belly White

I’m not sure it was that unrealistic, given who he was negotiating with. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Trump had gone for lifting at least some sanctions in exchange for NK shutting down the facility it already shut down. My guess is that Trump was about to go for it, and between Pompeo and Bolton they talked him out of it.

I don’t know this, obviously, but it wouldn’t surprise me, especially given Trump’s later statement on Otto Warmbier.

Who was in the room when Trump negotiated with Kim? He’s been known to ignore the advice of the experts in other situations (like in all his dealings with Putin).

95
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:55:33am
96
The Vicious Babushka  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:56:06am

re: #33 Archangelus

Man oh man, the live speech going on now by Netanyahu’s main election competitor, Benny Gantz, is using Netanyahu’s own past words (from when he spoke against former PM Ehud Olmert when he was indicted as a sitting PM) against him.
#NotEnoughPopcornInTheWorld

Which party is Gantz from, Avodah? (or whatever used to be Avodah, I don’t know what they call themselves now TBH)

97
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 11:58:21am

re: #87 Eclectic Cyborg

That was basically my thought process. I don’t see how you can come up with any system that does NOT disenfranchise any states. EVERY American vote counts but where a 25 vote variance may mean nothing in a heavily Democratic urban area it could mean the difference between getting a Republican or a Democratic House Representative elected in a rural county in eastern Kentucky.

Maybe we could try something like EC and Popular Vote are both factored in, only weighted differently? It’s quite a complex conundrum.

How can you disenfranchise states when NO state has any power in electing the President? California, New York, Wyoming - NONE OF THEM would be voting for President. PEOPLE would be voting for President. And if a candidate can stitch together enough votes nationally to win, they win, no matter where those votes come from.

98
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:00:48pm

re: #93 Eclectic Cyborg

Would you not agree that voters in rural areas hold more power than voters in large cities simply because there’s not as many votes to go around in a less populated area and thus each vote becomes that much more valuable?

I would argue every American vote already DOESN’T count equally. Some are far more impactful than others depending on regional demographics.

I though that was the problem we were trying to address.

99
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:02:23pm

re: #93 Eclectic Cyborg

Would you not agree that voters in rural areas hold more power than voters in large cities simply because there’s not as many votes to go around in a less populated area and thus each vote becomes that much more valuable?

I would argue every American vote already DOESN’T count equally. Some are far more impactful than others depending on regional demographics.

That’s only true because of the EC, because the Senate favors smaller density states. Otherwise, a single vote is a single vote. Density would have nothing to do with it. Every vote should count equally, especially for the presidency. And the only way to do that is to have the vote be based on the popular vote.

100
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:04:16pm

re: #99 Belafon

That’s only true because of the EC, because the Senate favors smaller density states. Otherwise, a single vote is a single vote. Density would have nothing to do with it. Every vote should count equally, especially for the presidency. And the only way to do that is to have the vote be based on the popular vote.

Correct

101
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:06:32pm

re: #95 jaunte

[Embedded content]

102
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:07:14pm

I keep hearing from people that “The Cities” would dominate, as if people who live in the country are individuals, but The Cities are monolithic entities. Same thing for populous versus empty states.

“Ooo! But then California and New York would choose the President!” Right. 18% of the population, which split 60:40% in the last election, would somehow provide 51% of the votes for a single candidate. Do people not have the ability to do math anymore?

And another thing - if The Big States dominate by virtue of having most Americans living there, isn’t that the POINT of a democracy?

103
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:07:26pm

re: #101 Scottish Dragon

[Embedded content]

Haha

104
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:08:25pm

re: #102 Blind Frog Belly White

I keep hearing from people that “The Cities” would dominate, as if people who live in the country are individuals, but The Cities are monolithic entities. Same thing for populous versus empty states.

“Ooo! But then California and New York would choose the President!” Right. 18% of the population, which split 60:40% in the last election, would somehow provide 51% of the votes for a single candidate. Do people not have the ability to do math anymore?

And another thing - if The Big States dominate by virtue of having most Americans living there, isn’t that the POINT of a democracy?

It’s a silly argument.

105
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:09:13pm

re: #101 Scottish Dragon

Beria resumes Russian dressing manufacturing. Khrushchev calls the move pandering and then demands production be increased to twice what Beria wanted, because that’s what Stalin would have done.

106
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:09:54pm

re: #100 HappyWarrior

You can each state do proportional representation in allocating EC votes instead of winner take all (which would mean candidates would have to pay real attention to Texas and California) and or we could look at doubling the representatives in Congress (at the minimum!) which would help redress the EC imbalance.

107
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:09:59pm

A Conservative Political Action Conference travels on its stomachs.

108
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:10:21pm

re: #102 Blind Frog Belly White

I keep hearing from people that “The Cities” would dominate, as if people who live in the country are individuals, but The Cities are monolithic entities. Same thing for populous versus empty states.

“Ooo! But then California and New York would choose the President!” Right. 18% of the population, which split 60:40% in the last election, would somehow provide 51% of the votes for a single candidate. Do people not have the ability to do math anymore?

And another thing - if The Big States dominate by virtue of having most Americans living there, isn’t that the POINT of a democracy?

no

Innumeracy

109
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:10:27pm

re: #104 HappyWarrior

It’s a silly argument.

But popular. People cling to it who can’t defend it cogently. It’s just something they KNOW is true, somehow.

110
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:10:52pm

I missed the specific clause in the Green New Deal that eliminates cows.

111
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:11:11pm

re: #102 Blind Frog Belly White

I keep hearing from people that “The Cities” would dominate, as if people who live in the country are individuals, but The Cities are monolithic entities. Same thing for populous versus empty states.

“Ooo! But then California and New York would choose the President!” Right. 18% of the population, which split 60:40% in the last election, would somehow provide 51% of the votes for a single candidate. Do people not have the ability to do math anymore?

And another thing - if The Big States dominate by virtue of having most Americans living there, isn’t that the POINT of a democracy?

Do people have the ability to do math? No. They don’t. They don’t do math. No one said that there’d be math!

The GOP has themselves mindless drones who regurgitate the Fox talking points because that’s easier than doing the heavy lifting of realizing that the GOP is lying to the public daily about their goals and intended outcomes. Fox and GOP both rely on racism and agitprop to keep people misinformed.

112
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:12:36pm

re: #99 Belafon

That’s only true because of the EC, because the Senate favors smaller density states. Otherwise, a single vote is a single vote. Density would have nothing to do with it. Every vote should count equally, especially for the presidency. And the only way to do that is to have the vote be based on the popular vote.

I agree, unfortunately the Republicans will never let this happen.

113
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:13:07pm

re: #109 Blind Frog Belly White

But popular. People cling to it who can’t defend it cogently. It’s just something they KNOW is true, somehow.

I just don’t see why those two states providing a margin a victory is bad. The people there are Americans. It’s better than the status quo.

114
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:13:44pm

re: #108 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

no

Innumeracy

The other day, I was watching a video which tried to explain Principal Compnent Analysis. At one point, after showing an XY graph, they showed and XYZ graph, where points closer to 0:0:0 were larger than points with higher Z values.

And all I could think was…

YouTube

115
Charles Johnson  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:13:59pm
116
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:14:41pm

Other countries have urban centers that favor one party over the other. Doesn’t mean they don’t have popular vote.

117
Dr Lizardo  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:14:55pm

re: #95 jaunte

Former Trump White House official Sebastian Gorka: “They want to take away your hamburgers. This is what Stalin dreamt about but never achieved.”

Yes, Stalin’s well-documented hatred of hamburgers was most assuredly one of the causes of the Great Purge.

FFS, these people are mentally ill.

118
Dread Pirate Whitebeard  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:15:28pm
119
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:15:35pm

re: #115 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

So pathetic. This whole thing is a butthurt moron upset banned from a website. Say that slowly.

120
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:15:42pm

Unclear on Concept.

121
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:15:58pm

re: #117 Dr Lizardo

Yes, Stalin’s well-documented hatred of hamburgers was most assuredly one of the causes of the Great Purge.

FFS, these people are mentally ill.

Gorka is so stupid.

122
Dr Lizardo  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:20:01pm

re: #121 HappyWarrior

Gorka is so stupid.

Yep. The only saving grace thus far is that these people are, by and large, profoundly stupid. If they were reasonably competent, like the Bolsheviks or the Nazis, we’d be in a world of hurt.

Gonna call it a day here in Europe; up early for work tomorrow. Have fun Lizards.

123
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:20:16pm
124
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:21:09pm

re: #106 Scottish Dragon

You can each state do proportional representation in allocating EC votes instead of winner take all (which would mean candidates would have to pay real attention to Texas and California) and or we could look at doubling the representatives in Congress (at the minimum!) which would help redress the EC imbalance.

Let the EC go through the same motions they do now, but take away the two unearned Electoral Votes each state gets for having two Senators.

125
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:21:14pm

re: #121 HappyWarrior

Gorka is so stupid.

Gorka the Fabulist was so unqualified or incompetent, or such a security risk, that he couldn’t manage to get cleared to work in Trumpworld.

Ponder that for a moment. With all the other corrupt, incompetent, and compromised people who got cleared (and shouldn’t have - like Jared/Ivanka), Gorka couldn’t get past that low bar.

126
Rocky-in-Connecticut  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:21:56pm

re: #26 Michele: Out of the closet and into the fire

You’ve gotta hand it to Elon Musk. He’s the first guy to oversee a spaceship that actually looks like something you would see in Star Trek or Space Odyssey 2001.

All you need is a couple of nacells attached to the side of the Dragon unit and Engage Warp Drive..

127
ckkatz  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:25:01pm

re: #83 darthstar

Thanks…I don’t do gaming - just streaming TV and Alexa for music. Also, I tend to open several remote desktop sessions over VPN when I work from home. My wife just needs to check mail and send spreadsheets back and forth. A regular wifi is good enough, but it would be nice to boost power to the yard as we like to sit outside in the evenings and a booster in the garage would open the front yard and neighbor’s deck for cocktail hour.

I always have at least one channel with no password for passersby and guests.

Fwiw, I just have the Verizon branded dual-band modem/router that I will be replacing with another dual band router/modem when my current contract ends.

A few more random thoughts…

I guess I would first look at available ‘wetwear’. Will you be setting this up yourself? If so, do you glory living on the bleeding edge of technology or is technology just there to allow you to accomplish other things in life. Do you have someone who can do a set up and maintenance of a system? Does work require or support certain set-ups? Or can/will the techies help you on a specific set-up?

It sounds like you have already worked through this, but…

On selecting a router and looking for specific features…

PC Mag outlines some of the major features and choices:
pcmag.com

Because you are looking at streaming video, you may wish to consider dual band (2.4 and 5 ghz). There are also tri-band systems (1@2.4 and 2@5ghz) which are good if you want to connect to a lot of devices or have heavy traffic on some devices.

A lot of routers have ‘parental-control’/Quality of Service/Guest-Network features that allow set up of guest connections and other channels without completely compromising the rest of the network.

Some networks allow you to physically connect shared devices, such as hard drives (NAS) or printers, to the router. Sounds like you do not need this.

It also sounds like you would want a WiFi Booster/Extender/hot-spot/mesh-router. One question would be whether you just want to purchase a system or roll your own. Basically that boils down to how much work and responsibility you want to take on yourself. (Personally, I do not see it an onerous amount. Now designing and building a networked saltwater aquarium, that impresses me!)

pcmag.com

tomsguide.com

128
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:25:18pm
129
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:26:49pm

re: #128 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Facts hurt huh CPAC cult members. You’re not deficit hawks. You just like stupid tax cuts and spending cuts.

130
MsJ  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:28:04pm

Christ.

131
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:29:14pm

re: #130 MsJ

Christ.

[Embedded content]

I’m not going to lie. I worry about that too.

132
Teukka  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:29:51pm

re: #131 HappyWarrior

I’m not going to lie. I worry about that too.

I worry about him going scorched earth…

133
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:30:01pm

re: #129 HappyWarrior

It’s a pep rally, they’re not interested in reality.

134
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:30:45pm

re: #130 MsJ

Christ.

[Embedded content]

I don’t believe he will leave office peacefully. He will fight with whatever tools he has, including using violence in the streets.

135
MsJ  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:30:46pm

re: #111 lawhawk

Do people have the ability to do math? No. They don’t. They don’t do math. No one said that there’d be math!

Math? They barely do English.

136
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:31:05pm
137
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:31:34pm

re: #128 jaunte

Danielle Blake
@abradacabla
Perfect metaphor for the state of conservative movement right here

Alex Griswold
✔
@HashtagGriswold
Quit a bit of booing as a CPAC panelist keeps pointing out that Trump added to the deficit

It was Ryan and McConnell who added to the deficit — Trump would have signed anything they presented to him. This is a fatal flaw in the GOP vision for our nation: >>deficits bad if they help the nation,
>>deficits good if they help the wealthy

138
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:33:18pm

re: #130 MsJ

Christ.

He can either walk out of the White House peacefully, or he can go out in handcuffs.

139
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:35:21pm

re: #136 jaunte

[Embedded content]

OFFS. This man was a governor.

140
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:35:45pm

re: #138 Belafon

He can either walk out of the White House peacefully, or he can go out in handcuffs.

I think it could come to that.

141
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:35:54pm

So sick of lies about choice from these scumbags.

142
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:36:06pm

Someone grab the popcorn, because this attempt to impugn Cohen’s credibility isn’t going to end as they hope it does. When the investigation finds no wrongdoing, what then?

They’ll just make more baseless claims all while excusing Trumpworld criminality, or claim that Mueller’s making stuff up, or the SDNY made stuff up, or the EDNY, or state prosecutors… when all of them have corroborated multiple felonies conducted by Trump and his crime syndicate.

143
Jay C  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:36:40pm

re: #130 MsJ

Christ.

[Embedded content]

Not sure what’s the worse situation: the prospect of Trump refusing to leave the WH if defeated, or realizing that Bill Fucking Maher may have had a valid insight for once.

144
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:37:05pm

re: #142 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Someone grab the popcorn, because this attempt to impugn Cohen’s credibility isn’t going to end as they hope it does. When the investigation finds no wrongdoing, what then?

They’ll just make more baseless claims all while excusing Trumpworld criminality, or claim that Mueller’s making stuff up, or the SDNY made stuff up, or the EDNY, or state prosecutors… when all of them have corroborated multiple felonies conducted by Trump and his crime syndicate.

Grifters.

145
steve_davis  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:37:44pm

re: #20 Eclectic Cyborg

[Embedded content]

apparently the guy on the end drew the straw and is the one getting eaten by dogs later in the evening.

146
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:37:44pm

Walker:

“By the way, it’s not live-birth abortion. It’s not infanticide. It is murder. If you take the baby home and kill the baby at home, it’s murder. And the same thing is true at the hospital.”

Good thing they aren’t doing that, then, Scott.

147
TedStriker  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:38:29pm

re: #43 darthstar

Posted in a dead thread…so here goes again:

Hivemind time - My wifi router (Belkin) died. I have an old 2.4ghz TP link I have hooked up for the moment, but wondered if you all had any suggestions for which WiFi mesh system I should go with since I’m upgrading anyway.

I did buy an Arris Surfboard modem this morning to replace the old Comcast/Xfinity modem that I’ve been paying rent on for 10 years.

Anyhoo…let me know what I should look at - Luma, WavLink, Dlink, Tenda Nova are the least expensive options - Eerio, Google, Linksys, TP, Netgear run a bit more…do I need to spend the money?

Any Asus router that is capable of running a third-party firmware (such as Tomato or AsusWRT-Merlin [my favorite]) should be preferable, since they tend to have the specs (and support) to last a good while in service, even if you never put a third-party firmware on it.

148
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:38:45pm

re: #142 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Someone grab the popcorn, because this attempt to impugn Cohen’s credibility isn’t going to end as they hope it does. When the investigation finds no wrongdoing, what then?

They’ll just make more baseless claims all while excusing Trumpworld criminality, or claim that Mueller’s making stuff up, or the SDNY made stuff up, or the EDNY, or state prosecutors… when all of them have corroborated multiple felonies conducted by Trump and his crime syndicate.

It’s performance art for their base. Nobody takes it seriously.

149
MsJ  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:40:07pm

re: #142 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Someone grab the popcorn, because this attempt to impugn Cohen’s credibility isn’t going to end as they hope it does. When the investigation finds no wrongdoing, what then?

They’ll just make more baseless claims all while excusing Trumpworld criminality, or claim that Mueller’s making stuff up, or the SDNY made stuff up, or the EDNY, or state prosecutors… when all of them have corroborated multiple felonies conducted by Trump and his crime syndicate.

So the screamers are still screaming.

150
Barefoot Grin  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:40:29pm

re: #105 lawhawk

Beria resumes Russian dressing manufacturing. Khrushchev calls the move pandering and then demands production be increased to twice what Beria wanted, because that’s what Stalin would have done.

Beria’s image disappears from dressing labels….

151
MsJ  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:42:28pm
152
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:44:20pm

re: #151 MsJ

[Embedded content]

Good. About time.

153
A hollow voice says, Collusion!  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:47:06pm

re: #138 Belafon

He can either walk out of the White House peacefully, or he can go out in handcuffs.

I’m picturing the Secret Service frog-marching him out of the WH.

154
ckkatz  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:47:18pm

re: #151 MsJ

[Embedded content]

If I recall correctly, Ehud Olmert was told, while he was still serving as Prime Minister, that he would be indicted, but stepped down before he was actually indicted.

155
TedStriker  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:48:30pm

re: #154 ckkatz

If I recall correctly, Ehud Olmert was told, while he was still serving as Prime Minister, that he would be indicted, but stepped down before he was actually indicted.

As with Trump, I don’t see Bibi going easily.

156
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:49:40pm

re: #155 TedStriker

As with Trump, I don’t see Bibi going easily.

I don’t either unfortunately.

157
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:50:47pm

re: #113 HappyWarrior

I just don’t see why those two states providing a margin a victory is bad. The people there are Americans. It’s better than the status quo.

as we all know from 2016, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania account for 46 electoral votes and between them the election was effectively decided by 107,000 votes for trump over clinton

that’s roughly 0.09 percent of all votes cast

the tipping point state for a given election is by definition the margin of victory

158
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:51:25pm

re: #157 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

as we all know from 2016, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania account for 46 electoral votes and between them the election was effectively decided by 107,000 votes for trump over clinton

that’s roughly 0.09 percent of all votes cast

the tipping point state for a given election is by definition the margin of victory

Right.

159
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:52:20pm

re: #119 HappyWarrior

So pathetic. This whole thing is a butthurt moron upset banned from a website. Say that slowly.

refusing to take personal responsibility for the behavior that caused the ‘banning’

160
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:52:28pm

re: #157 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

as we all know from 2016, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania account for 46 electoral votes and between them the election was effectively decided by 107,000 votes for trump over clinton

that’s roughly 0.09 percent of all votes cast

the tipping point state for a given election is by definition the margin of victory

77,784 votes, actually, IIRC. Spread over 3 states.Vote for 3rd parties substantially exceeded that margin in all 3 states.

161
ckkatz  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:53:31pm

re: #157 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

as we all know from 2016, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania account for 46 electoral votes and between them the election was effectively decided by 107,000 votes for trump over clinton

that’s roughly 0.09 percent of all votes cast

the tipping point state for a given election is by definition the margin of victory

And which negated millions of other Americans’ votes that were cast for Clinton.

162
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:54:46pm
163
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:54:56pm

re: #131 HappyWarrior

I’m not going to lie. I worry about that too.

i wouldnt waste a nanosecond on it
it’s been explained dozens of times why it can’t and is never. gonna. happen.

164
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:55:12pm

re: #161 ckkatz

And which negated millions of other Americans’ votes that were cast for Clinton.

Precisely

165
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:55:45pm

re: #163 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

i wouldnt waste a nanosecond on it
it’s been explained dozens of times why it can’t and is never. gonna. happen.

I hope so.

166
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:57:28pm

It’s not that I worry that a Dem won’t become President. I know Trump will be the most graceless loser ever.

167
goddamnedfrank  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:58:53pm
168
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:58:58pm
169
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 12:59:44pm

re: #167 goddamnedfrank

Music playing in said ear piece:

Enya.

170
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:00:51pm

re: #115 Charles Johnson

Why is Laura Loomer?
Why is Jacob Wohl?
What is wrong with these people and why can’t they just go away and find other social media companies to ban them?

171
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:01:02pm

re: #167 goddamnedfrank

[Embedded content]

Lol. I’m sorry but he’s surpassed CCJ as most pathetic. I bet even the CPAC cultists are laughing.

172
steve_davis  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:02:07pm

re: #85 Blind Frog Belly White

I keep hearing this argument, and I have yet to hear anyone say it in a way that makes a lick of sense. How can a state have power when it has no role at all in electing the President?

they get two freaking senators and have 50,000 people living there….ala North Dakota. And that’s all the representative democracy on the federal level they deserve. I’m a blue voter in an overwhelmingly red state. You don’t see anyone crying over the fact that my vote on a national level hasn’t mattered in the 35 years I’ve been voting.

173
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:02:17pm

re: #160 Blind Frog Belly White

77,784 votes, actually, IIRC. Spread over 3 states.Vote for 3rd parties substantially exceeded that margin in all 3 states.

i defer. i pulled the 107k from memory

so then even less palatable, .07%

174
ckkatz  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:02:43pm

re: #147 TedStriker

Any Asus router that is capable of running a third-party firmware (such as Tomato or AsusWRT-Merlin [my favorite]) should be preferable, since they tend to have the specs to last a good while in service, even if you never put a third-party firmware on it.

I had not even considered third party firmware as a possible option. Learned something new here! Makes sense that ASUS would do that. The hive-mind strikes again!

175
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:02:49pm

re: #165 HappyWarrior

I hope so.

I think he will leave UNLESS he wins the popular vote and loses the EC. In that case — he will hold on tight. If Bernie or Tulsi is the nominee, Trump could very well win the popular vote. At dinner with a few friends the other night — one was adamant that Trump was going to win and if Bernie were the nominee, he felt it would be a Trump landslide. He was very despairing of the judgement of American voters. Another was confident that Trump would lose and Bernie could defeat him. Both of them had supported Bernie in the 2016 primaries but did vote for Hillary in the general election.

176
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:02:59pm

And what’s funnier? Jacob’s daddy laughing at him or the shoes that are three sizes too big for his feet?

177
Hecuba's daughter  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:04:51pm

re: #172 steve_davis

they get two freaking senators and have 50,000 people living there….ala North Dakota. And that’s all the representative democracy on the federal level they deserve. I’m a blue voter in an overwhelmingly red state. You don’t see anyone crying over the fact that my vote on a national level hasn’t mattered in the 35 years I’ve been voting.

I concur — these states are over represented in the Senate; their population doesn’t need to have a disproportionate impact on the Presidential election.

178
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:05:33pm

re: #175 Hecuba’s daughter

I think he will leave UNLESS he wins the popular vote and loses the EC. In that case — he will hold on tight. If Bernie or Tulsi is the nominee, Trump could very well win the popular vote. At dinner with a few friends the other night — one was adamant that Trump was going to win and if Bernie were the nominee, he felt it would be a Trump landslide. He was very despairing of the judgement of American voters. Another was confident that Trump would lose and Bernie could defeat him. Both of them had supported Bernie in the 2016 primaries but did vote for Hillary in the general election.

I don’t think we’re going to see a landslide, a true one that is either way. I think Bernie or Tulsi would gather at least 45% of the vote by default they would likely lose.

179
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:06:14pm

re: #173 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

i defer. i pulled the 107k from memory

so then even less palatable, .07%

The number is seared into my brain. I keep thinking about it everytime Trump does something like pulling out of the Paris Accords, or killing the Iran Nuke Deal, or threatening to pull out of NATO.

180
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:06:27pm

re: #172 steve_davis

they get two freaking senators and have 50,000 people living there….ala North Dakota. And that’s all the representative democracy on the federal level they deserve. I’m a blue voter in an overwhelmingly red state. You don’t see anyone crying over the fact that my vote on a national level hasn’t mattered in the 35 years I’ve been voting.

Food for thought but when the system was developed the. The difference between the biggest and smallest state’s populations wasn’t as big as it is now. There are more people in several counties than a lot of these states.

181
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:07:16pm

re: #177 Hecuba’s daughter

I concur — these states are over represented in the Senate; their population doesn’t need to have a disproportionate impact on the Presidential election.

Like I said, they have representation for that: The Senate, and to lesser extent, the House. There should be at least one of those that truly represents the majority.

182
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:07:51pm

re: #163 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

i wouldnt waste a nanosecond on it
it’s been explained dozens of times why it can’t and is never. gonna. happen.

You might have noticed that a lot of things we thought would never happen…did in fact happen.

It is a mistake to underestimate the damage an authoritarian can do when he is threatened. We already know he will call a national emergency based on nothing at all. How would we stop him from a declaration of martial law, exactly? Would the GOP actually stop him?

His followers would welcome it.

183
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:08:58pm

re: #180 HappyWarrior

Food for thought but when the system was developed the. The difference between the biggest and smallest state’s populations wasn’t as big as it is now. There are more people in several counties than a lot of these states.

Some of that would have been mitigated if the House reps had kept growing. But yeah, the top 5 metropolitan areas in the country would be among the top 15 states. The representation is probably far more skewed now.

184
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:09:56pm

re: #175 Hecuba’s daughter

I think he will leave UNLESS he wins the popular vote and loses the EC. In that case — he will hold on tight. If Bernie or Tulsi is the nominee, Trump could very well win the popular vote. At dinner with a few friends the other night — one was adamant that Trump was going to win and if Bernie were the nominee, he felt it would be a Trump landslide. He was very despairing of the judgement of American voters. Another was confident that Trump would lose and Bernie could defeat him. Both of them had supported Bernie in the 2016 primaries but did vote for Hillary in the general election.

without doing the math (see above) i dont think with the current political climate it’s possible for an R to win the popular and lose the EC

185
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:10:35pm

re: #182 Scottish Dragon

You might have noticed that a lot of things we thought would never happen…did in fact happen.

It is a mistake to underestimate the damage an authoritarian can do when he is threatened. We already know he will call a national emergency based on nothing at all. How would we stop him from a declaration of martial law, exactly? Would the GOP actually stop him?

His followers would welcome it.

Because he would have to have everyone in Washington agree to ignore the results of the election. The moment Roberts swore in the new president, Trump would have zero power.

186
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:12:10pm

This is the sort of thing I think we will see in 2020 should he lose:

It would be nice to think that America is protected from the worst excesses of Trump’s impulses by its democratic laws and institutions. After all, Trump can do only so much without bumping up against the limits set by the Constitution and Congress and enforced by the courts. Those who see Trump as a threat to democracy comfort themselves with the belief that these limits will hold him in check.

But will they? Unknown to most Americans, a parallel legal regime allows the president to sidestep many of the constraints that normally apply. The moment the president declares a “national emergency”—a decision that is entirely within his discretion—more than 100 special provisions become available to him. While many of these tee up reasonable responses to genuine emergencies, some appear dangerously suited to a leader bent on amassing or retaining power. For instance, the president can, with the flick of his pen, activate laws allowing him to shut down many kinds of electronic communications inside the United States or freeze Americans’ bank accounts. Other powers are available even without a declaration of emergency, including laws that allow the president to deploy troops inside the country to subdue domestic unrest.
This edifice of extraordinary powers has historically rested on the assumption that the president will act in the country’s best interest when using them. With a handful of noteworthy exceptions, this assumption has held up. But what if a president, backed into a corner and facing electoral defeat or impeachment, were to declare an emergency for the sake of holding on to power? In that scenario, our laws and institutions might not save us from a presidential power grab. They might be what takes us down.

theatlantic.com

187
Rocky-in-Connecticut  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:16:08pm

re: #66 Scottish Dragon

…and the North Korean nuclear weapons manufacturing continues as before.

188
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:16:39pm
189
PhillyPretzel  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:17:24pm

re: #186 Scottish Dragon

I am not surprised. DT would try a scenario like this.

190
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:18:38pm

re: #176 darthstar

191
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:19:25pm

re: #183 Belafon

Some of that would have been mitigated if the House reps had kept growing. But yeah, the top 5 metropolitan areas in the country would be among the top 15 states. The representation is probably far more skewed now.

Yeah and I hate the idea of punishing those areas for being so heavily populated.

192
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:19:58pm

re: #190 jaunte

[Embedded content]

[Embedded content]

Gosh. //

193
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:20:52pm

re: #185 Belafon

Because he would have to have everyone in Washington agree to ignore the results of the election. The moment Roberts swore in the new president, Trump would have zero power.

Declares a national emergency on the basis of illegal voting, unlocks a LOT of potential powers and goes from there. Says election is invalid. Deploys troops to “put down unrest” in Democratic areas with Latino populations and large cities. Uses demonstrations as excuse to declare martial law.

The idea of tanks rolling through the streets of U.S. cities seems fundamentally inconsistent with the country’s notions of democracy and freedom. Americans might be surprised, therefore, to learn just how readily the president can deploy troops inside the country.
The principle that the military should not act as a domestic police force, known as “posse comitatus,” has deep roots in the nation’s history, and it is often mistaken for a constitutional rule. The Constitution, however, does not prohibit military participation in police activity. Nor does the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 outlaw such participation; it merely states that any authority to use the military for law-enforcement purposes must derive from the Constitution or from a statute.
The Insurrection Act of 1807 provides the necessary authority. As amended over the years, it allows the president to deploy troops upon the request of a state’s governor or legislature to help put down an insurrection within that state. It also allows the president to deploy troops unilaterally, either because he determines that rebellious activity has made it “impracticable” to enforce federal law through regular means, or because he deems it necessary to suppress “insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy” (terms not defined in the statute) that hinders the rights of a class of people or “impedes the course of justice.”

theatlantic.com

Now, this would be subject to immediate challenge in courts because a major component of martial law is that the courts are not functioning….

But as Andrew Jackson said when he ignored court orders: The Supreme Court has made its decision, now let them enforce it.

194
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:21:06pm

re: #182 Scottish Dragon

You might have noticed that a lot of things we thought would never happen…did in fact happen.

It is a mistake to underestimate the damage an authoritarian can do when he is threatened. We already know he will call a national emergency based on nothing at all. How would we stop him from a declaration of martial law, exactly? Would the GOP actually stop him?

His followers would welcome it.

Yeah I don’t think it will happen either but I never thought we would have a President like Trump either.

195
William Lewis  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:21:58pm

re: #186 Scottish Dragon

Two words: praetorian guard.

196
Scottish Dragon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:23:23pm

re: #195 William Lewis

Two words: praetorian guard.

When we have to consider that a military coup might be necessary to save the Republic, we are in a very dark place.

If Trump does what I think he is capable of doing, military resistance to his orders will be the only thing standing between us and the abyss.

197
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:24:00pm

Bearded Don Jr. cosplaying Zapp Brannigan.

198
darthstar  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:25:24pm

199
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:28:36pm

re: #138 Belafon

He can either walk out of the White House peacefully, or he can go out in handcuffs.

What happened to the thinking that Trump never wanted to win it?

Anyway, I think he will leave normally because he will have already gotten what he wanted. The office, the history, the retirement and all the damn money he and his kids made while in office.

It sets him up well which if it to be believed is what he wanted just from running in 2016.

If he gets cranky, I have a feeling there those in the military that would be willing to help him leave.

200
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:31:05pm

re: #197 jaunte

[Embedded content]

Bearded Don Jr. cosplaying Zapp Brannigan.

That’s so bad. It looks like a satire.

201
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:31:31pm

re: #198 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Put some bees on his head and be done with it.

202
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:31:46pm

re: #142 lawhawk

[Embedded content]

Someone grab the popcorn, because this attempt to impugn Cohen’s credibility isn’t going to end as they hope it does. When the investigation finds no wrongdoing, what then?

They’ll just make more baseless claims all while excusing Trumpworld criminality, or claim that Mueller’s making stuff up, or the SDNY made stuff up, or the EDNY, or state prosecutors… when all of them have corroborated multiple felonies conducted by Trump and his crime syndicate.

Jordan and Meadows are doing what they have been doing for some time. Tossing monkey wrenches into the works to jam it up as much as possible and then go to their districts and play heroes to the idiots that elected them.

It is all a show for the FOX News crowd. They are doing something…they are shaking it up.

203
ckkatz  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:35:07pm

re: #202 ObserverArt

Jordan and Meadows are doing what they have been doing for some time. Tossing monkey wrenches into the works to jam it up as much as possible and then go to their districts and play heroes to the idiots that elected them.

It is all a show for the FOX News crowd. They are doing something…they are shaking it up.

It seems to me that after doing all they can to jam things up, they then point to the mess and claim that the government doesn’t work.

204
Decatur Deb  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:36:58pm

re: #195 William Lewis

Two words: praetorian guard.

A two-edged gladius.

en.wikipedia.org

205
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:38:30pm

re: #200 HappyWarrior

That’s so bad. It looks like a satire.

that is the scary part of it all; it is an unintentional self-parody but they fail to see it, like people who sing “Freedom Isn’t Free” as a patriotic ballad.

206
BlueSpotinAL  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:38:47pm

re: #43 darthstar

Posted in a dead thread…so here goes again:

Hivemind time - My wifi router (Belkin) died. I have an old 2.4ghz TP link I have hooked up for the moment, but wondered if you all had any suggestions for which WiFi mesh system I should go with since I’m upgrading anyway.

I did buy an Arris Surfboard modem this morning to replace the old Comcast/Xfinity modem that I’ve been paying rent on for 10 years.

Anyhoo…let me know what I should look at - Luma, WavLink, Dlink, Tenda Nova are the least expensive options - Eerio, Google, Linksys, TP, Netgear run a bit more…do I need to spend the money?

This article compares Eero, Orbi, Velop, Google mesh.
allpowermoves.com

I have Google mesh, it covers my house and is stable.

207
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:40:32pm

re: #182 Scottish Dragon

You might have noticed that a lot of things we thought would never happen…did in fact happen.

It is a mistake to underestimate the damage an authoritarian can do when he is threatened. We already know he will call a national emergency based on nothing at all. How would we stop him from a declaration of martial law, exactly? Would the GOP actually stop him?

His followers would welcome it.

i read an article recently and didnt bookmark it, and i dont remember it clearly
- if there were any question of legitimacy of the election, it would be up to law enforcement to investigate, (hopefully) quickly and make a determination of some kind - so the EC could act
- if the EC actually voted, would it (who actually elects the president) allow itself to be invalidated/illegitimized?
- trump would have from election night thru 1/20/20 to try and ‘do something’
- after 1/20/20 he’s not the president (assuming he ‘really’ lost and just wont admit it). he can shout, scream, squat in the white house - he has no constitutional power. and no, not ‘the GOP’, the FBI (nationwide), the secret service, or the military (again worldwide) is gonna claim that he does.

- in that short window up to 1/20/20 sure, he could declare martial law or try other things. the question then is largely the same as after 1/20/20. who’s gonna ‘enforce’ it? i said above ‘or’ but really it’s ‘and’. they’d all have to get behind this for anything to happen.

sure, he’s snowed 30+% of the people and a bunch of higher level toadies. the gop congress (both houses) can abdicate, has they have.
for this to work, it’s gotta be, not just ‘a’ general, but the entire military (r’s and d’s, alike). not just the AG. all law enforcement everywhere. the secret service? yeah right.

i understand the thinking and the ‘concern’. this is never. gonna. happen.
(and yes, i was totally convinced and totally wrong about clinton winning)
this is not a question of outcomes and probabilities.
its more fundamental and structural and there simply are not nearly enough people in those positions, whose overwhelming support of such a thing would be critical who would all endorse this. and they would not be prepped and trained for months in anticipation for this. it would be sprung on them all.

208
Unshaken Defiance  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:41:07pm

Big airliner just overflow downtown Los Angeles. Unusual course and kinda low. Much lower than visible LAX traffic. AF1 ?

209
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:41:32pm

re: #185 Belafon

Because he would have to have everyone in Washington agree to ignore the results of the election. The moment Roberts swore in the new president, Trump would have zero power.

i just spend 20 minutes writing a bunch of paragraphs and you said it in two sentences, er, 20 minutes ago

210
Eventual Carrion  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:41:47pm

re: #107 jaunte

[Embedded content]

A Conservative Political Action Conference travels on its stomachs.

Well it certainly isn’t on its wits.

211
PhillyPretzel  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:43:08pm

re: #208 Unshaken Defiance

It is possible.

212
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:43:18pm

re: #160 Blind Frog Belly White

77,784 votes, actually, IIRC. Spread over 3 states.Vote for 3rd parties substantially exceeded that margin in all 3 states.

The number seems to be in contention. I did a count of the three states a couple months ago based on a Time magazine count and it was 107,000+ votes.

Many keep saying 75,000+. I wonder if that number came from within days of the election and the numbers I found are tallies that were still coming.

The real point, it was by a hair in the big count. And a real pisser considering that 2,880,000+ more voted for Hillary in the popular count.

213
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:44:21pm

re: #189 PhillyPretzel

I am not surprised. DT would try a scenario like this.

i dont see it

like the last ‘shutdown’, anything he does like this affects everybody

you cant just shut off democrat bank accounts or lefty twitter feeds or socialist cell phones.

214
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:44:23pm

re: #163 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

i wouldnt waste a nanosecond on it
it’s been explained dozens of times why it can’t and is never. gonna. happen.

Your a dreamer too. Like me.

215
William Lewis  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:44:50pm

re: #196 Scottish Dragon

When we have to consider that a military coup might be necessary to save the Republic, we are in a very dark place.

If Trump does what I think he is capable of doing, military resistance to his orders will be the only thing standing between us and the abyss.

In this case. I would like to think it would be the Secret Service defending the presidency.

216
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:45:33pm

re: #166 HappyWarrior

It’s not that I worry that a Dem won’t become President. I know Trump will be the most graceless loser ever.

I think that goes without saying. He will be an asshole about it because he is an asshole about everything.

217
Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:45:34pm

The whole point of it would be to try to diminish the legitimacy of the winner rather than to cling on to power

218
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:46:17pm

re: #193 Scottish Dragon

Declares a national emergency on the basis of illegal voting, unlocks a LOT of potential powers and goes from there. Says election is invalid. Deploys troops to “put down unrest” in Democratic areas with Latino populations and large cities. Uses demonstrations as excuse to declare martial law.

theatlantic.com

Now, this would be subject to immediate challenge in courts because a major component of martial law is that the courts are not functioning….

But as Andrew Jackson said when he ignored court orders: The Supreme Court has made its decision, now let them enforce it.

this assumes ‘the monolithic military’ would just do it
and once again after 1/20/20 his password’s still expired.

219
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:46:20pm

re: #167 goddamnedfrank

[Embedded content]

What’s a fake bodyguard go for these days?

220
PhillyPretzel  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:46:25pm

re: #213 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

I agree. That will not stop DT from trying something like that.

221
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:47:27pm

re: #216 ObserverArt

I think that goes without saying. He will be an asshole about it because he is an asshole about everything.

He really is.

222
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:50:13pm

re: #166 HappyWarrior

It’s not that I worry that a Dem won’t become President. I know Trump will be the most graceless loser ever.

Since he’s a sociopath, I wouldn’t put it past him to call for his supporters to fight.

223
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:50:24pm

re: #196 Scottish Dragon

When we have to consider that a military coup might be necessary to save the Republic, we are in a very dark place.

If Trump does what I think he is capable of doing, military resistance to his orders will be the only thing standing between us and the abyss.

seomethign else to consider
- cohen’s testimony that trump didnt want to or expect to be president
- i believed this story from the early days
- and i think it explains largely why he behaves as he does - towards the job (ie doesnt do it / doesnt want to)
- he may or may not be a megalomaniac.
- and yes, by now he may understand that the presidency is protecting him from some prosecution (not investigation)
- ‘if’ he runs for reelection he probably expects and wants to win
- still i think he’d be relieved to out and not atcually go through the machinations to try and turn the country on its head so he can do this for 4 more years

224
lawhawk  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:51:08pm
225
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:51:10pm

re: #199 ObserverArt

What happened to the thinking that Trump never wanted to win it?

Anyway, I think he will leave normally because he will have already gotten what he wanted. The office, the history, the retirement and all the damn money he and his kids made while in office.

It sets him up well which if it to be believed is what he wanted just from running in 2016.

If he gets cranky, I have a feeling there those in the military that would be willing to help him leave.

and again i get beaten by one well written sentence

226
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:52:29pm

re: #222 jaunte

Since he’s a sociopath, I wouldn’t put it past him to call for his supporters to fight.

He’s obsessed with ratings. I can’t see him taking the first reelection lose in 28 years well.

227
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:53:03pm

dailykos.com

The results of a Thursday morning Democratic conference in the House were apparent in the votes this morning to expand gun purchase background checks from three to 20 days. Only two Democrats voted for a Republican poison pill offered as a motion to recommit (MTR) the bill, after 26 Democrats defected on a similar effort Wednesday.

That Wednesday vote exposed a growing problem in the Democratic leadership, in which Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Majority Whip James Clyburn are at odds. Pelosi has been trying to enforce some discipline in her conference, keeping them all on board to fight Republican shenanigans. Unfortunately, Hoyer and Clyburn haven’t been enforcing. Quite the opposite—they’ve encouraged the “moderates” in the conference to “vote their districts,” even if it means giving fuel to Republicans.

Pelosi’s frustration reportedly boiled over Thursday morning, and she had some harsh truths for her conference. “This is not a day at the beach,” she reportedly told the members complaining about having to take hard votes on Democratic priorities. “This is the Congress of the United States.” She even floated the possibility of withholding help from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, “although her threat may be more bluster than reality, according to Democratic lawmakers and aides.”

“We are either a team or weren’t not,” she told members, “and we have to make that decision.” After the meeting she told reporters that Democrat have to simply vote against these procedural motions and deny the Republicans “leverage.” “I’m a big believer in respecting the whole House and the rights of the minority to have their say,” Pelosi said. “I think we should just vote against all motions to recommit. It’s a procedural vote, it’s a ‘gotcha’ on the part of the opposition.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reminded her colleagues in the meeting that the vote on Wednesday was hard for her, too, because the poison pill they allowed to pass gives more power to Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That meant having to tell her supporters and activists afterward that she “had to choose between immigrants and gun violence. Not because of Republicans, but because of Democrats.” She continued, “I think it is an extension of Trump’s tactics into the House and we cannot legitimatize it and we cannot allow for it and we cannot support it.”

228
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:53:40pm

re: #214 ObserverArt

Your a dreamer too. Like me.

Dreamer, you stupid little dreamer
So now you put your head in your hands, oh no

supertramp

229
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:55:00pm

re: #219 ObserverArt

What’s a fake bodyguard go for these days?

coffee
dry cleaning
what ever they’re told to get

230
TedStriker  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:55:40pm

re: #201 HappyWarrior

Put some bees on his head and be done with it.

231
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 1:59:02pm

re: #173 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

i defer. i pulled the 107k from memory

so then even less palatable, .07%

Found a link to a government election count.

It is 77, 744.

10,704 Wisconsin
44,292 Pennsylvania
22,748 Wisconsin

I’m bummed. 107,000+ was bad enough.

The link to the pdf. It is interesting as it shows counts for all the people that ran no matter how many states they were entered, etc.

Official 2016 Presidential General Election Results - Federal Election - FEC

232
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:01:44pm

re: #176 darthstar

And what’s funnier? Jacob’s daddy laughing at him or the shoes that are three sizes too big for his feet?

[Embedded content]

You know what they say about the size of a man’s foot?

Anyway, he probably stuffs a rolled up sock up in there to take up the extra space.

It’s an old Mick Jagger trick.

233
A hollow voice says, Collusion!  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:01:45pm

re: y #195 William Lewis

Two words: praetorian guard.

I imagine the military are already pretty sick of DT, and someone would quietly tell him not even to think about staying around.

If that happened. But if we’re really in that lawless a state, why was the Democratic House allowed to take their seats?

234
Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:01:58pm

re: #222 jaunte

Since he’s a sociopath, I wouldn’t put it past him to call for his supporters to fight.

I think that is very likely if most of the military and federal law enforcement tell him to get stuffed, as seems likely. The RWNJs have been tuning up for this very scenario for years.

235
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:03:54pm

re: #188 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Yay. I was hoping for darth doggies.

236
EPR-radar  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:07:40pm

re: #32 Charles Johnson

The conservative movement in the US has been dogshit since day one. Its only contributions to US politics have been negative and destructive.

Movement conservatives do not have one single acceptable policy position. On anything.

237
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:09:30pm

re: #212 ObserverArt

The number seems to be in contention. I did a count of the three states a couple months ago based on a Time magazine count and it was 107,000+ votes.

Many keep saying 75,000+. I wonder if that number came from within days of the election and the numbers I found are tallies that were still coming.

The real point, it was by a hair in the big count. And a real pisser considering that 2,880,000+ more voted for Hillary in the popular count.

Okay, so going to Wikipedia (whose numbers calculate out to 77,744) and using their links to the official count page for each state, I get 80,261 - PA’s official numbers are slightly higher than Wikipedia has.

But I’ll probably remember 77,784.

ETA: Now I’m confused, but I figure the FEC numbers are pretty much gold standard.

238
A hollow voice says, Collusion!  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:11:13pm

re: #234 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

I think that is very likely if most of the military and federal law enforcement tell him to get stuffed, as seems likely. The RWNJs have been tuning up for this very scenario for years.

And if they take up arms, they’ll find out just how effective assault rifles are against a modern military.

239
Dread Pirate Whitebeard  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:12:25pm
240
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:13:38pm

re: #237 Blind Frog Belly White

Okay, so going to Wikipedia (whose numbers calculate out to 77,744) and using their links to the official count page for each state, I get 80,261 - PA’s official numbers are slightly higher than Wikipedia has.

But I’ll probably remember 77,784.

I posted a few comments before this one. I found numbers that are more like your original figure. It was a Federal Election Committee link I believe to a state-by-state count.

But it could have been the Russians spoofing a site.

241
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:14:55pm

re: #239 Dread Pirate Whitebeard

[Embedded content]

This fucking guy.

242
Eclectic Cyborg  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:15:58pm

243
ObserverArt  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:16:55pm

re: #242 Eclectic Cyborg

[Embedded content]

I see that image and all I can see is…everyone laugh at his joke or else.

244
Sir John Barron  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:18:04pm

re: #107 jaunte

A Conservative Political Action Conference travels on its stomachs.

Conservatives sure are killing us with all their great ideas.

/

245
Blind Frog Belly White  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:22:09pm

Hey, out of idle curiosity, has anyone seen places selling live chicks and bunnies for Easter? This was a stupid thing people did when I was a kid, but I don’t remember seeing anyone do this in decades. In fact the only references I can find to it are areticle after article saying “Don’t do this!”

So, do they really still do it anywhere?

246
Sir John Barron  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:22:31pm

re: #137 Hecuba’s daughter

It was Ryan and McConnell who added to the deficit — Trump would have signed anything they presented to him. This is a fatal flaw in the GOP vision for our nation: >>deficits bad if they help the nation,
>>deficits good if they help the wealthy

They booing the mention of the word ‘debt’ during a GOP admin or are they booing the debt?

The former, I’m guessing.

247
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:23:36pm

re: #234 Shiplord Kirel, Friend of Moose and Squirrel

I think that is very likely if most of the military and federal law enforcement tell him to get stuffed, as seems likely. The RWNJs have been tuning up for this very scenario for years.

who are they going to fight and where? their local police? fbi office?
their home towns? gonna all come to washington. even then -what next?
what exactly gets them a win? not damage. a win. there’s no way to keep the job and the power. so temporary disruption and turmoil

then the supremes speak (in a manner) when roberts swears in the winner
there’s no move after that. it’s over.

mobs aside, anyone in the military, law enforcement, etc that even thought of supporting this nonsense, will see the country’s moving on without them. they lost

and this wont delegitimize the actual winner. when it all cools down. and it will. it’ll be seen for what it was.

248
sagehen  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:25:09pm

re: #238 A hollow voice says, Collusion!

And if they take up arms, they’ll find out just how effective assault rifles are against a modern military.

Unless China, Russia, NK and Saudis take his side against the US military. Canada and Mexico would side with the anti-Trump Americans. Japan would point out that they don’t have a military anymore, at our insistence.

And Europe would say hey, we hosted WWI and WWII, we’re happy to let WWIII be on your territory. (besides which, Europe has all those Russian missiles to consider, so maybe we’re not their first priority. And South Korea has to worry about their northern border.)

249
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:25:44pm

re: #246 Sir John Barron

They booing the mention of the word ‘debt’ during a GOP admin or are they booing the debt?

The former, I’m guessing.

i thought they were booing the drawing of attention to it

250
Sir John Barron  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:26:43pm

re: #249 dangerman-call me sandy, not a drink named Steve

i thought they were booing the drawing of attention to it

Yeah, every good conservative knows you only bring up the debt during a Dem administration.

251
Man, DangerMan  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:28:08pm

re: #248 sagehen

Unless China, Russia, NK and Saudis take his side against the US military. Canada and Mexico would side with the anti-Trump Americans. Japan would point out that they don’t have a military anymore, at our insistence.

And Europe would say hey, we hosted WWI and WWII, we’re happy to let WWIII be on your territory. (besides which, Europe has all those Russian missiles to consider, so maybe we’re not their first priority. And South Korea has to worry about their northern border.)

folks we need to back up

he’s gonna sneak out into his limo and drive away
then he’s gonna spend the next 4 years tweeting minute by minute every goddamn day

what id’a done. how id’a fixed it etc. how this one’s a moron/illegitimate, etc.
and hopefully, thankfully, no one’s gonna pay attention to the doddering old fool ex-pres

252
HappyWarrior  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:28:23pm

re: #250 Sir John Barron

Yeah, every good conservative knows you only bring up the debt during a Dem administration.

Cheney’s Law.

253
Varek Raith  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:32:09pm

re: #208 Unshaken Defiance

Big airliner just overflow downtown Los Angeles. Unusual course and kinda low. Much lower than visible LAX traffic. AF1 ?

Requesting permission to buzz the city.

Wait, wha….?!

Buzzing city.

254
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:33:00pm
255
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:35:08pm
256
TedStriker  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:36:45pm

re: #253 Varek Raith

Requesting permission to buzz the city.

Wait, wha….?!

Buzzing city.

“That’s a negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.”

257
Mike Lamb  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:38:09pm

re: #255 jaunte

[Embedded content]

It’s fucking nuts that the system allows the President to have final say. And I’d feel that way regardless of who occupies the office.

258
GlutenFreeJesus  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:39:42pm

Big announcement from Tesla now. Huge price cuts across the board for all models. And finally, the base standard range Model 3 for $35k that gets 220 miles in a warm climate under perfect driving conditions is available for order. ;)

I paid quite a bit more for my Model 3 Performance compared to what it costs now, but the federal tax credit of $7500 doesn’t make it hurt all that bad. As of now, the tax credit is $3750. I definitely could have waited, but I would have missed out on free lifetime premium connectivity, and free lifetime supercharging. So all is good. :)

259
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:41:08pm

re: #258 GlutenFreeJesus

Tesla would be smart to produce a full sized pickup sooner rather than later.

260
Archangelus  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:43:19pm

re: #96 The Vicious Babushka

Which party is Gantz from, Avodah? (or whatever used to be Avodah, I don’t know what they call themselves now TBH)

Nope, he’s not the Avodah/Labor at all (warning, lengthy explanation):
Gantz is a popular political newcomer and well-respected former IDF Chief of Staff. While left-leaning, he has launched a new and now leading centrist party originally named Israeli Resilience. Over the past couple of weeks, he’s worked with the goal of creating a broad and inclusive party aimed at bringing about a civil and moderate alternative to the Netanyahu administration.
To that end, he’s brought about a major political unity among Israeli political factions, resulting in the creation of a new political party unifying Israeli Resilience with the other left-center party Yesh Atid (headed by Yair Lapid) and the new Telem party headed by former Likud member Bogi Ya’alon (another respected military leader, who had enough with the Likud).
The really new party, called Blue White (כחול לבן, invoking the Israeli flag), is headed by Gantz and Lapid; if elected, they will each serve as Prime Minister for 2 years per a Rotation Agreement similar to previous ones in Israeli politics, with Gantz as PM for the first 2 years and then Lapid for the following 2. As it stands, Blue White has been at the top of the election polls, unseating the Netanyahu’s Likud party even BEFORE today’s indictments. It should go without saying that he’s the boogeyman who haunts Netanyahu’s political nightmares these days - and rightfully so.

The Labor party itself has always been the same, only now it’s no longer part of the Zionist Union political faction it’s been a part of for two election cycles. It’s been in bad shape even before Gantz entered the fray - as it’s presently headed by a total idiot of a man named Avi Gabai, who has managed to screw things up drastically over the past few months (would take an even longer explanation to cover it all); as it stands, the party is projected to lose half of its current parliament seats in April’s elections, predictions which have remained unchanged since the early elections were called; Despite this, Gabai still claims he poses a realistic challenge to Netanyahu (and no, it isn’t even remotely close).

261
jaunte  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:49:00pm
262
mmmirele  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:52:29pm

This was funny, Lewis Black going off on anti-vaxxers on The Daily Show.

cc.com

Seriously, go watch it.

263
A hollow voice says, Collusion!  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:53:13pm

re: #248 sagehen

Unless China, Russia, NK and Saudis take his side against the US military. Canada and Mexico would side with the anti-Trump Americans. Japan would point out that they don’t have a military anymore, at our insistence.

And Europe would say hey, we hosted WWI and WWII, we’re happy to let WWIII be on your territory. (besides which, Europe has all those Russian missiles to consider, so maybe we’re not their first priority. And South Korea has to worry about their northern border.)

Not one of those countries has the ability to create a theatre of war in US territory without immense effort. China might manage it if they wanted to completely retool their economy (and lose their biggest customer). As to the others — well, consider the Saudi Arabian or North Korean expeditionary forces establishing a beachhead on US soil. If you can stop laughing.

264
Belafon  Feb 28, 2019 • 2:55:03pm

re: #261 jaunte

The problem is who will do the indicting?


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