Regardless of who wins in November

[TexasTiger 12,965]

America is done as a functioning Democracy. If Republicans control the Senate, they’ll likely never allow a Democrat to appoint another Supreme Court justice after Mitch’s BS— and he’s supposedly a more “reasonable” Republican. The Old South played the long game and won. The Union should have never let them back in on an equal basis— should have at least consolidated states to defuse their power in the Senate.

[homersapien 11,395]

1 hour ago, TexasTiger said:

America is done as a functioning Democracy. If Republicans control the Senate, they’ll likely never allow a Democrat to appoint another Supreme Court justice after Mitch’s BS— and he’s supposedly a more “reasonable” Republican. The Old South played the long game and won. The Union should have never let them back in on an equal basis— should have at least consolidated states to defuse their power in the Senate.

Trump, McConnell and Republicans in general have exposed just how weak our democracy is once you strip away custom and tradition and replace it with pure power politics.

Not to mention the inherent flaws in our undemocratic electoral and representational system which reward that quest for minority power.

It presents a poor image for what should be the world's foremost leader for democracy.

 

 

Edited March 5 by homersapien

[AU9377 4,980]

We now have several generations of people that have no desire to do the right or honorable thing if it conflicts with what they want.  They have no problem with a President attempting to overturn the results of a valid election by any means necessary.  To hell with the system.  Are they ignorant?  I would say not.  They are simply allowing themselves to be led around like sheep.  It is the same mentality that placed a man like Hitler in power in Germany. 

That isn't me comparing Trump to Hitler, but it is a valid comparison of the methods being implored.

[jj3jordan 2,056]

14 hours ago, AU9377 said:

We now have several generations of people that have no desire to do the right or honorable thing if it conflicts with what they want.  They have no problem with a President attempting to overturn the results of a valid election by any means necessary.  To hell with the system.  Are they ignorant?  I would say not.  They are simply allowing themselves to be led around like sheep.  It is the same mentality that placed a man like Hitler in power in Germany. 

That isn't me comparing Trump to Hitler, but it is a valid comparison of the methods being implored.

Don't forget spying on campaigns, weaponizing the alphabet, fabricating evidence and using that evidence to investigate, infiltrate, and impeach on a purely partisan basis because that candidate had the audacity to defeat the anointed one. All beginning prior to inauguration with the explicit objective to impeach that candidate. And continuously for four years attacking persistently with partisan judges to thwart policies that would help our country improve and grow raising the levels of all citizens of our country.

If you believe me or anybody else on the right side of this forum falls into your Hitler non-comparison, you are the cultist, not us.

[aubiefifty 16,824]

20 minutes ago, jj3jordan said:

Don't forget spying on campaigns, weaponizing the alphabet, fabricating evidence and using that evidence to investigate, infiltrate, and impeach on a purely partisan basis because that candidate had the audacity to defeat the anointed one. All beginning prior to inauguration with the explicit objective to impeach that candidate. And continuously for four years attacking persistently with partisan judges to thwart policies that would help our country improve and grow raising the levels of all citizens of our country.

If you believe me or anybody else on the right side of this forum falls into your Hitler non-comparison, you are the cultist, not us.

before we answer this can we find out if you bought the sneakers? grins

[auburnatl1 4,983]

23 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

America is done as a functioning Democracy. If Republicans control the Senate, they’ll likely never allow a Democrat to appoint another Supreme Court justice after Mitch’s BS— and he’s supposedly a more “reasonable” Republican. The Old South played the long game and won. The Union should have never let them back in on an equal basis— should have at least consolidated states to defuse their power in the Senate.

I don’t think it’s a southern thing so much as it’s rural vs cities and education level.  Ie % with college degrees by state….

[TexasTiger 12,965]

31 minutes ago, auburnatl1 said:

I don’t think it’s a southern thing so much as it’s rural vs cities and education level.  Ie % with college degrees by state….

That’s developed nationwide relatively recently, but not historically. Take Iowa, for example. Even 10 years ago it had Tom Harkin & Charles Grassley as senators. Solid MAGA now.
 

The South, on the other hand, has a long history of delusional and irrational thinking. Look at the mythology around the Civil War. The broad belief that slavery and Pious Christianity were not only compatible, but logically intertwined with God on their side.
 

Beyond a predisposition to delusion, is longstanding predisposition toward division and bigotry. The South embraced the Dixiecrat Thurmond in 1948 over segregation, and Trump’s populist predecessor George Wallace in 1968. Look at the electoral maps. 

[AU9377 4,980]

3 hours ago, jj3jordan said:

Don't forget spying on campaigns, weaponizing the alphabet, fabricating evidence and using that evidence to investigate, infiltrate, and impeach on a purely partisan basis because that candidate had the audacity to defeat the anointed one. All beginning prior to inauguration with the explicit objective to impeach that candidate. And continuously for four years attacking persistently with partisan judges to thwart policies that would help our country improve and grow raising the levels of all citizens of our country.

If you believe me or anybody else on the right side of this forum falls into your Hitler non-comparison, you are the cultist, not us.

I don't see how you can call Biden the anointed one while supporting a man that portrays himself as that very thing.  Then again, I do get it.  You parrot anything and everything that they put in your ear.  You support a man that hired, as his campaign manager, a man that has admitted to being on the Kremlin payroll a year prior. Then you act surprised when Republicans, not Democrats, actually begin an investigation.

Partisan judges is just another bucket of BS.  The man was impeached twice because he refused to stay within the bounds of his office.  He used his office to attempt to extort a foreign country into taking an action that would help him politically at home.  Democrats didn't uncover that.  Members of his National Security Council refused to keep quiet about it because the country was more important to them than loyalty to one man.  Thank God those people still exist.

Guess what?  If he gets re-elected, the other branches of government will be more vigilant than ever before because everyone knows that he refuses to act with any dignity or decorum and will use his office for his own benefit more than any other cause. If/when he steps out of line, he will get yanked back down.  That is how checks and balances work.  When it doesn't work, that is when we no longer have a functioning constitutional government.

[jj3jordan 2,056]

42 minutes ago, AU9377 said:

I don't see how you can call Biden the anointed one while supporting a man that portrays himself as that very thing.  Then again, I do get it.  You parrot anything and everything that they put in your ear.  You support a man that hired, as his campaign manager, a man that has admitted to being on the Kremlin payroll a year prior. Then you act surprised when Republicans, not Democrats, actually begin an investigation.

Partisan judges is just another bucket of BS.  The man was impeached twice because he refused to stay within the bounds of his office.  He used his office to attempt to extort a foreign country into taking an action that would help him politically at home.  Democrats didn't uncover that.  Members of his National Security Council refused to keep quiet about it because the country was more important to them than loyalty to one man.  Thank God those people still exist.

Guess what?  If he gets re-elected, the other branches of government will be more vigilant than ever before because everyone knows that he refuses to act with any dignity or decorum and will use his office for his own benefit more than any other cause. If/when he steps out of line, he will get yanked back down.  That is how checks and balances work.  When it doesn't work, that is when we no longer have a functioning constitutional government.

The anointed one was Hillary. Try to keep up. Impeachments were pure politics. Biden extorted Ukraine but nothing to see here. I get it you are a Trump hater. Blinded by TDS. Predictable and boring.

[jj3jordan 2,056]

4 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

before we answer this can we find out if you bought the sneakers? grins

No sneakers.

[AU9377 4,980]

1 hour ago, jj3jordan said:

The anointed one was Hillary. Try to keep up. Impeachments were pure politics. Biden extorted Ukraine but nothing to see here. I get it you are a Trump hater. Blinded by TDS. Predictable and boring.

Explain the 24 former members of his administration that say he is unfit to be President and is a deeply flawed human being.

1. His vice president, Mike Pence: “The American people deserve to know that President Trump asked me to put him over my oath to the Constitution. … Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.”

2. His second attorney general, Bill Barr: “Someone who engaged in that kind of bullying about a process that is fundamental to our system and to our self-government shouldn’t be anywhere near the Oval Office.”

3. His first secretary of defense, James Mattis: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us.”

4. His second secretary of defense, Mark Esper: “I think he’s unfit for office. … He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country. And then, of course, I believe he has integrity and character issues as well.”

5. His chairman of the joint chiefs, retired Gen. Mark Milley, seemed to invoke Trump: “We don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.”

6. His first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson: “(Trump’s) understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of US history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t even understand the concept for why we’re talking about this.”

7. His first ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley: “He used to be good on foreign policy and now he has started to walk it back and get weak in the knees when it comes to Ukraine. A terrible thing happened on January 6 and he called it a beautiful day.”

8. His presidential transition vice-chairman, Chris Christie: “Someone who I would argue now is just out for himself.”

9. His second national security adviser, HR McMaster: “We saw the absence of leadership, really anti-leadership, and what that can do to our country.”

10. His third national security adviser, John Bolton: “I believe (foreign leaders) think he is a laughing fool.”

11. His second chief of staff, John Kelly: “A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law. There is nothing more that can be said. God help us.”

12. His former acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, who resigned as US special envoy to Ireland after January 6, 2021: “I quit because I think he failed at being the president when we needed him to be that.”

13. One of his many former communications directors, Anthony Scaramucci: “He is the domestic terrorist of the 21st century.”

14. Another former communications director, Stephanie Grisham: “I am terrified of him running in 2024.”

15. His secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, who resigned after January 6: “When I saw what was happening on January 6 and didn’t see the president step in and do what he could have done to turn it back or slow it down or really address the situation, it was just obvious to me that I couldn’t continue.”

16. His secretary of transportation, Elaine Chao, who resigned after January 6: “At a particular point the events were such that it was impossible for me to continue, given my personal values and my philosophy.

17. His first secretary of the Navy, Richard Spencer: “…the president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices.”

18. His first homeland security adviser, Tom Bossert: “The President undermined American democracy baselessly for months. As a result, he’s culpable for this siege, and an utter disgrace.”

19. His former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen: “Donald’s an idiot.”

20. His White House lawyer, Ty Cobb: “Trump relentlessly puts forth claims that are not true.”

21. A former director of strategic communications, Alyssa Farah Griffin, who is now a CNN political commentator: “We can stand by the policies, but at this point we cannot stand by the man.”

22. A top aide in charge of his outreach to African Americans, Omarosa Manigault Newman: “Donald Trump, who would attack civil rights icons and professional athletes, who would go after grieving black widows, who would say there were good people on both sides, who endorsed an accused child molester; Donald Trump, and his decisions and his behavior, was harming the country. I could no longer be a part of this madness.”

23. A former deputy press secretary, Sarah Matthews, who resigned after January 6: “I thought that he did do a lot of good during his four years. I think that his actions on January 6 and the lead-up to it, the way that he’s acted in the aftermath, and his continuation of pushing this lie that the election is stolen has made him wholly unfit to hold office every again.”

24. His final chief of staff’s aide, Cassidy Hutchinson: “I think that Donald Trump is the most grave threat we will face to our democracy in our lifetime, and potentially in American history.”

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/03/politics/donald-trump-former-allies-what-matters/index.html

Edited March 6 by AU9377

[TexasTiger 12,965]

3 hours ago, AU9377 said:

Explain the 24 former members of his administration that say he is unfit to be President and is a deeply flawed human being.

1. His vice president, Mike Pence: “The American people deserve to know that President Trump asked me to put him over my oath to the Constitution. … Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.”

2. His second attorney general, Bill Barr: “Someone who engaged in that kind of bullying about a process that is fundamental to our system and to our self-government shouldn’t be anywhere near the Oval Office.”

3. His first secretary of defense, James Mattis: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us.”

4. His second secretary of defense, Mark Esper: “I think he’s unfit for office. … He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country. And then, of course, I believe he has integrity and character issues as well.”

5. His chairman of the joint chiefs, retired Gen. Mark Milley, seemed to invoke Trump: “We don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.”

6. His first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson: “(Trump’s) understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of US history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t even understand the concept for why we’re talking about this.”

7. His first ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley: “He used to be good on foreign policy and now he has started to walk it back and get weak in the knees when it comes to Ukraine. A terrible thing happened on January 6 and he called it a beautiful day.”

8. His presidential transition vice-chairman, Chris Christie: “Someone who I would argue now is just out for himself.”

9. His second national security adviser, HR McMaster: “We saw the absence of leadership, really anti-leadership, and what that can do to our country.”

10. His third national security adviser, John Bolton: “I believe (foreign leaders) think he is a laughing fool.”

11. His second chief of staff, John Kelly: “A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law. There is nothing more that can be said. God help us.”

12. His former acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, who resigned as US special envoy to Ireland after January 6, 2021: “I quit because I think he failed at being the president when we needed him to be that.”

13. One of his many former communications directors, Anthony Scaramucci: “He is the domestic terrorist of the 21st century.”

14. Another former communications director, Stephanie Grisham: “I am terrified of him running in 2024.”

15. His secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, who resigned after January 6: “When I saw what was happening on January 6 and didn’t see the president step in and do what he could have done to turn it back or slow it down or really address the situation, it was just obvious to me that I couldn’t continue.”

16. His secretary of transportation, Elaine Chao, who resigned after January 6: “At a particular point the events were such that it was impossible for me to continue, given my personal values and my philosophy.

17. His first secretary of the Navy, Richard Spencer: “…the president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices.”

18. His first homeland security adviser, Tom Bossert: “The President undermined American democracy baselessly for months. As a result, he’s culpable for this siege, and an utter disgrace.”

19. His former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen: “Donald’s an idiot.”

20. His White House lawyer, Ty Cobb: “Trump relentlessly puts forth claims that are not true.”

21. A former director of strategic communications, Alyssa Farah Griffin, who is now a CNN political commentator: “We can stand by the policies, but at this point we cannot stand by the man.”

22. A top aide in charge of his outreach to African Americans, Omarosa Manigault Newman: “Donald Trump, who would attack civil rights icons and professional athletes, who would go after grieving black widows, who would say there were good people on both sides, who endorsed an accused child molester; Donald Trump, and his decisions and his behavior, was harming the country. I could no longer be a part of this madness.”

23. A former deputy press secretary, Sarah Matthews, who resigned after January 6: “I thought that he did do a lot of good during his four years. I think that his actions on January 6 and the lead-up to it, the way that he’s acted in the aftermath, and his continuation of pushing this lie that the election is stolen has made him wholly unfit to hold office every again.”

24. His final chief of staff’s aide, Cassidy Hutchinson: “I think that Donald Trump is the most grave threat we will face to our democracy in our lifetime, and potentially in American history.”

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/03/politics/donald-trump-former-allies-what-matters/index.html

They’re just jealous losers!

[Mikey 16,648]

4 hours ago, AU9377 said:

Explain the 24 former members of his administration that say he is unfit to be President and is a deeply flawed human being.

I don't care what they say or how flawed Trump is if he fixes the catastrophe at the border. And opens up American oil production. And doesn't embarrass this country like Biden did in Afghanistan and....the list is endless. Any thinking person who cares for America will not vote for Biden.

[autigeremt 6,654]

The fall of Democracy in this country is equally shared. Accept the failure and stop acting like it’s a one sided affair. 

[alanevans 47]

3 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

They’re just jealous losers!

 

3 hours ago, Mikey said:

I don't care what they say or how flawed Trump is if he fixes the catastrophe at the border. And opens up American oil production. And doesn't embarrass this country like Biden did in Afghanistan and....the list is endless. Any thinking person who cares for America will not vote for Biden.

Good God, How you call anyone a loser is a mystery 

[Gowebb11 9,345]

7 hours ago, Mikey said:

I don't care what they say or how flawed Trump is if he fixes the catastrophe at the border. And opens up American oil production. And doesn't embarrass this country like Biden did in Afghanistan and....the list is endless. Any thinking person who cares for America will not vote for Biden.

Facts are completely on your side on the border and oil production. What is puzzling is the notion that only DJT can fix these things. Reagan proved that a President can be tough and effective without being a predator (is it not embarrassing to have an US President found liable for sexual abuse?) and an a-hole. To see people of good character like Romney and Cheney and Buck tossed into the waste bin for the likes of  DJT, MGT, Boebert, and Gaetz is incredibly sad to me. 

[creed 1,642]

9 hours ago, Mikey said:

I don't care what they say or how flawed Trump is if he fixes the catastrophe at the border. And opens up American oil production. And doesn't embarrass this country like Biden did in Afghanistan and....the list is endless. Any thinking person who cares for America will not vote for Biden.

I care. 

[Mikey 16,648]

3 hours ago, Gowebb11 said:

Facts are completely on your side on the border and oil production. What is puzzling is the notion that only DJT can fix these things. Reagan proved that a President can be tough and effective without being a predator (is it not embarrassing to have an US President found liable for sexual abuse?) and an a-hole. To see people of good character like Romney and Cheney and Buck tossed into the waste bin for the likes of  DJT, MGT, Boebert, and Gaetz is incredibly sad to me. 

I don't think that Trump is the only one who can fix these things. There are innumerable people who could fix them. However, it appears we are stuck with a choice of either Trump or Biden. If that's the choice we have, then Trump is much more likely to correct these terrible situations than is Biden. Just like four years ago, people are spending too much time looking at Trump and not enough time looking at the only alternative to Trump. Forget Trump and LOOK AT BIDEN for a few minutes and consider the consequences of him getting another term as president.

[I_M4_AU 7,882]

11 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I don't think that Trump is the only one who can fix these things. There are innumerable people who could fix them. However, it appears we are stuck with a choice of either Trump or Biden. If that's the choice we have, then Trump is much more likely to correct these terrible situations than is Biden. Just like four years ago, people are spending too much time looking at Trump and not enough time looking at the only alternative to Trump. Forget Trump and LOOK AT BIDEN for a few minutes and consider the consequences of him getting another term as president.

Trump’s rhetoric is more extreme than his actions; and Biden’s actions are more extreme than is rhetoric.

[TexasTiger 12,965]

7 hours ago, alanevans said:

 

Good God, How you call anyone a loser is a mystery 

Sarcasm evades you.

[Cardin Drake 1,843]

Regardless of who wins in November...

Republicans and Democrats will continue to spend us into bankruptcy. The Fed will continue to print money and asset bubbles will continue to happen and enrich the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class.  Congress will refuse to make a meaningful budget, and will pass continuing resolutions instead that allow for unrestrained spending. Inflation will worsen and wages will not keep pace. The government will continue to lie about the inflation rate as the middle class shrinks and poverty spreads.  Politicians will keep us arguing about which party is worse and neither party's base will do a damn thing to hold their own side accountable.

[auburnatl1 4,983]

4 minutes ago, Cardin Drake said:

Regardless of who wins in November...

Republicans and Democrats will continue to spend us into bankruptcy. The Fed will continue to print money and asset bubbles will continue to happen and enrich the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class.  Congress will refuse to make a meaningful budget, and will pass continuing resolutions instead that allow for unrestrained spending. Inflation will worsen and wages will not keep pace. The government will continue to lie about the inflation rate as the middle class shrinks and poverty spreads.  Politicians will keep us arguing about which party is worse and neither party's base will do a damn thing to hold their own side accountable.

This I strongly agree with.   The social issues (which is our fixation) matter but the financial ones are  becoming existential. 

[ArgoEagle 1,792]

1 hour ago, I_M4_AU said:

Trump’s rhetoric is more extreme than his actions; and Biden’s actions are more extreme than is rhetoric.

WELL SAID!

[Mikey 16,648]

3 hours ago, creed said:

I care. 

If you care enough about those things to not vote for Trump, and you also care about America's future, what is your alternative to voting for Trump?

[TexasTiger 12,965]

1 hour ago, Cardin Drake said:

Regardless of who wins in November...

Republicans and Democrats will continue to spend us into bankruptcy. The Fed will continue to print money and asset bubbles will continue to happen and enrich the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class.  Congress will refuse to make a meaningful budget, and will pass continuing resolutions instead that allow for unrestrained spending. Inflation will worsen and wages will not keep pace. The government will continue to lie about the inflation rate as the middle class shrinks and poverty spreads.  Politicians will keep us arguing about which party is worse and neither party's base will do a damn thing to hold their own side accountable.

True.