Nov 2023 Mod notice:
There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.
If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations
and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.
Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.
If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.
In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.
Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
I would argue that "Build the wall" is aiming for the impossible, and then the xenophobia we got now is settling for what is feasable.
I guess you could make a point about noble goals vs raw xenophobia...
But goals being noble in intent doesn't prevent then from being damaging
Edited by Imca on Nov 14th 2018 at 3:38:04 AM
Yeah, there's no way Mc Connell doesn't think Trump will fire Mueller; in all likelihood, that's precisely why he's blocking it.
Like I said earlier, he literally does not understand the concept of shame
So...with everything which is going on...anyone noticed the whole story about the extremely republican state in Florida being allowed to vote per mail? Which is illegal?
I kind of was only waiting for something like this. The Republicans were screaming so loud about the recount, there had to be something fishy going on somewhere.
She/her
Fourthspartan, glad to see you change your mind on Ocasio-Cortez. I also changed my mind (I originally thought it a bad move, although more excusable than others here) after I found this useful twitter thread which sums up what happened and notes that it isn’t a shocking break of protocol or sign of antagonism- the Republicans are the ones framing it that way, and a lot of the press just repeated them.
18. Here is what Ocasio-Cortez said to activists:
Should Leader Pelosi become the next Speaker of the House, we need to tell her that we’ve got her back in showing and pursuing the most progressive energy agenda that this country has ever seen.
19. Later, to the news media:
AOC: One of the things I admire so much about Leader Pelosi is that she comes from a space of activism and organizing. And so I think that she really appreciates civic engagement. What I’m here to do is to support the folks who are here. …
20. AOC: This is about uplifting the voice and the message of the fact that we need a Green New Deal and we need to get to 100 percent renewables because our lives depend on it. …
- We are here to back [Pelosi] up.***
21. To which, Pelosi said: We are inspired by the energy and activism of the many young activists and advocates leading the way on the climate crisis …
22. Pelosi: We welcome the presence of these activists, and we strongly urge the Capitol Police to allow them to continue to organize and participate in our democracy.
23. Um, yeah, no. This was not a protest, as Republican Ash Lee Strong said. It was activism. This was not disunity. It was unity.
Anyone else feel more comfortable ignoring US Politics after winning the House?
Huh, well that's heartening.
Onto something else, Trump aide Ricardel forced out after showdown with first lady.
Edited by LSBK on Nov 14th 2018 at 5:45:26 AM
Nope. The House helps, but it isn't a magical pacnea. Trump's still gonna Trump.
Edited by kkhohoho on Nov 14th 2018 at 5:43:57 AM
She/her
Oh hell no. Trump is still capable of great viciousness using executive orders, and the senate can keep confirming far right judges. Plus the presidential primaries are approaching now.
I can understand people harboring a certain distrust of Ocasio-Cortez because of her association with Sanders - I think we can all agree the man himself is highly flawed- but it pays to be a little careful when you're trying to navigate this kind of issue. Ocasio-Cortez is always going to be under a lot of scrutiny for being a young woman of color in a position of power.
Also, you should NEVER, EVER ignore politics in the US ever again. Why? Because the Republicans will never stop. That's what a lot of people took for granted, the GOP voterbase is conditioned to believe every midterm or election is a battle for the soul of the country, they'll always turn out no matter how loathsome the candidate is.
Edited by Draghinazzo on Nov 14th 2018 at 7:47:54 AM
I guess you could make a point about noble goals vs raw xenophobia...
But goals being noble in intent doesn't prevent then from being damaging
Eh, you aren't wrong but I don't think it really fits with Trump. He wasn't viewing it as some kind of major long-term goal that would be achieved after work and struggle, he just thought that he would get elected and then it would be done.
Now obviously, you're right that good intentions won't make unrealistic goals suddenly viable but I don't think Trump is really the best example of that.
And honestly, I feel comfortable assuming that if aiming for 100% renewables is crazy then the Democrats will moderate it when the actual legislation is being made. Pelosi and other establishment figures wouldn't support something if it's nonviable or pie in the sky.
Damn, can't say it surprises me that the Republicans started it and the media just repeated after them like the lemmings they are. It's still annoying, I wish they would stop being useful idiots and opportunists.
But yeah, the article I posted more or less said the same things (and it had some of the same tweets). It's really nice to see establishment and Progressive figures cooperating in a productive manner.
It may be preemptive but I would really like it if, in the long run, Cortez acts as Sanders' heir, she seems way more willing to address issues beyond class than he is and she's willing to work with Dems.
Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Nov 14th 2018 at 6:52:56 AM
"Sandwiches are probably easier to fix than the actual problems" -Hylarn
, yeah, apathy and disinterest in politics is part of how we got here in the first place.
Edited by megaeliz on Nov 14th 2018 at 6:53:02 AM
@Cookingcat. Not really because:
Things are just getting interesting.
Also, if you are American there is still work to do and all that jazz.
Edited by Rationalinsanity on Nov 14th 2018 at 7:54:30 AM
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Figure of Hourai
Humans consume 72% of the energy the earth surface gets from the sun daily, assuming that you managed to do the physicaly impossible and make a 100% effecient covererter, that's 72% if the planets surface dedicated soley to power generation.
No, no we don't. We don't even begin to approach that value.
The total human energy consumption is one third of the lower bound of the amount of energy that is conceivably harvestable via solar technology. The upper bound (in a 2000 report) was fifteen times that number.
Avatar Source
@Swanpride.
I'm sorry, I don't understand, do you mean that some Florida republicans voted by mail and their votes are being counted even though it's not legal to vote by mail in Florida
I'm hearing that Avenatti has been arrested for domestic abuse. Nothing concrete yet, the person I first saw mention it said it came from TMZ but it's getting confirmed by other sources, but if true brace yourselves.
In the meantime:
https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2018/11/14/day-664/
Day 664: Discretion.
1/ The White House argued that Trump has "broad discretion to regulate access to the White House for journalists" in response to a lawsuit by CNN over the suspension of Jim Acosta's press pass. The lawsuit alleges that the ban violates CNN and Acosta's First and Fifth Amendment rights and they're asking for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction that would restore his access right away. Almost every major news organizations has sided with CNN. (CNN)
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/media/trump-response-cnn-lawsuit/index.html
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/14/fox-news-to-file-amicus-brief-on-cnn-case-990070
First Amendment lawyers say courts have a history of defending access for journalists, and the White House's shifting justifications for revoking Acosta's press pass won't help it in the coming legal fight. (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/13/cnn-white-house-lawsuit-jim-acosta-988160
2/ The Justice Department defended the legality of Trump's appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general, arguing that the appointment is consistent with the Constitution, federal statutes and past precedent in a 20-page memorandum opinion. The memo's disclosure comes a day after Maryland asked a Federal District Court judge to issue an injunction and declare that Rod Rosenstein the acting attorney general. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN)
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/politics/whitaker-justice-mueller/index.html
Whitaker walked away from a taxpayer-subsidized apartment-rehabilitation project in Iowa after years of cost overruns, delays and other problems. The city of Des Moines pulled an affordable housing loan that Whitaker's company had been awarded, and another lender began foreclosure proceedings after Whitaker defaulted on a separate loan for nearly $700,000. (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/885a44ac27944976ab1b6738e0c5ba38
Whitaker praised Trump in his first public speech as acting attorney general, telling an audience that "under President Trump their 401(k)s are doing pretty good right now." (CNN)
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/politics/whitaker-trump-401k/index.html
3/ Sen. Lindsay Graham said he supports a bill to protect Robert Mueller's investigation from any politically motivated firings. Graham also said that he would urge Mitch Mc Connell to allow a vote on the bill. "I would certainly vote for it," Graham said. "I don’t see any movement to get rid of Mueller. But it probably would be good to have this legislation in place just for the future." Chuck Grassley, meanwhile, said he supports the bill, but he won't lobby Mc Connell to allow the measure to move forward. (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-senate-mueller-idUSKCN1NJ02W
4/ Jeff Flake threatened to vote against Trump's judicial nominees if legislation to protect Mueller does not receive a Senate floor vote. Flake said he will not vote to confirm nominees on the Senate floor or advance them in the Senate Judiciary Committee after Chris Coons unsuccessfully attempted to force a Senate vote on the special counsel legislation. Mitch Mc Connell objected to the request for a vote from Flake. (CNN / Axios)
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/politics/mueller-protection-bill-flake-coons/index.html
5/ Roger Stone claimed multiple times during the 2016 presidential race that he was in communication with Trump and his campaign. Stone and Trump spoke weekly, which is now being scrutinized by Robert Mueller. Stone repeatedly said during the campaign that he had communicated with Wiki Leaks founder Julian Assange through a "backchannel," "intermediary" or "mutual acquaintance." Mueller's office is also exploring whether Stone tried to intimidate and discredit a witness who is contradicting his version of events about his contacts with Wiki Leaks. (CNN / Wall Street Journal)
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/politics/kfile-roger-stone-2/index.html
poll/ 37% of voters want to see Trump reelected, compared to 58% of voters who want someone new in the Oval Office come January 2021. Trump's overall job rating stands at 43% approve and 49% disapprove. (Monmouth University Poll)
https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_US_111418/
poll/ 53% of Americans said the midterm election results were a rejection of Republican policies. 62% said it would be good for the country to have Democrats in charge of the House. (CNN)
Notables.
Rep. Elijah Cummings says one of his first priorities when Congress returns will be to investigate why the Trump administration decided to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census. "There are certain things that mandate that we look at immediately. One of them is the census, because that’s right around the corner," Cummings said. Last month, Cummings asked for an official probe into why the Commerce Department added the question to the census, which critics say could serve to depress responses to the census from immigrants, many of whom live in Democratic-leaning communities. (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-census-idUSKCN1NJ1FW
Lawyers suing Trump over his decision to end special protections shielding certain immigrants from deportation are seeking unaired footage from "The Apprentice" to allege the move was racially motivated. Lawyers for Civil Rights has issued subpoenas to MGM Holdings and Trump Productions for any footage in which Trump "uses racial and/or ethnic slurs." (NBC News)
Trump criticized British Prime Minister Theresa May when she called Air Force One for not doing enough to contain Iran after the U.S reimposed sanctions. Trump questioned May's approach to Brexit, and complained that U.S. trade deals with European nations were not fair. (Washington Post)
Betsy De Vos plans to overhaul how colleges and universities handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment. The new rules, set for release before Thanksgiving, will bolster the rights of the accused, including the ability to cross-examine their accusers. The rules will also reduce liability for universities, tighten the definition of sexual harassment, and allow schools to use a higher standard in evaluating claims of sexual harassment and assault. (Washington Post)
Florida Gov. Rick Scott will recuse himself from certifying his own election. Scott led Bill Nelson by fewer than 13,000 votes in unofficial results before the recount started. (CNN)
Without evidence, Trump accused people, who "have absolutely no right to vote," of changing their clothes and returning to cast additional ballots in disguise. "Sometimes they go to their car, put on a different hat, put on a different shirt, come in and vote again," Trump explained while calling for more voter ID laws. Then, Trump suggested that "if you buy a box of cereal — you have a voter ID." (Daily Caller)
https://dailycaller.com/2018/11/14/trump-brenda-snipes-fired-broward-county-florida-elections/
Edited by sgamer82 on Nov 14th 2018 at 5:30:13 AM
Figure of Hourai
Whatever that means. I don't understand US legal procedures.
Avatar Source
Well, I am glad that it apparently was not as antagonistic as it seemed to be initially.
Otherwise: Solar power is only ONE form of renewable energy. Between wind, tides, Erdwärme (earth warm? No idea what it is called in English), hydronic power and whatever else I am currently forgetting, there are a LOT of options.
No, I meant that apparently one election supervisor just allowed e-mail vote despite it being illegal AND it was clarified in advance that this wouldn't be allowed. Mail is naturally allowed.
Edited by Swanpride on Nov 14th 2018 at 4:32:49 AM
Call me Stick
Geothermal, I think.
Hopefully I'll feel confident to change my avatar off this scumbag soon. Apologies to any scumbags I insulted.
Arrested but not charged / remanded.
"Yup. That tasted purple."
Queen of Good Things, Honest
Okay, yeah, that is way more reasonable than how it was initially presented.
I still don't like or trust Ocasio-Cortez (although I am glad she won both her primary and the general, because f*ck Crowley) and didn't long before this particular headline broke, but what happened here actually seems pretty chill.
Edited by TobiasDrake on Nov 14th 2018 at 5:37:07 AM
My Tumblr. Currently liveblogging Haruhi Suzumiya and revisiting Danganronpa V3.
@Swanpride
..... So voter fraud is now double duty a cover for suppressing minority vote, and classic right wing projection...
I would just like to remind that 100% renewable energy is not only a nice goal, it is also a necessary goal. Like, not only burning fuel will destroy the environment, it will also run out eventually. *Not* pursuing 100% renewable is an immense failure of future planing, and it is crazy we continue doing this. Even if we aren't able to actually get to 100% in the near future, the closer we get to that mark the most we will be able to make traditional fuels last. That goal will need to be reached eventually, and the sooner we try to go for it, the better.
Edited by Heatth on Nov 14th 2018 at 10:51:42 AM
Not really, the Nuclear Fuel supply runs us at about 4 billion years for the earths supply, and given that the sun will explode in about 5, and the earth will be unlivable naturally long before that due to solar expansion.
It is not renewable, but it is the closest to unlimited you get... thats actualy one of its primary draws.
Edited by Imca on Nov 14th 2018 at 5:03:20 AM
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
So Fox News is filing an amicus brief on behalf of Jim Acosta.
“Fox News supports CNN in its legal effort to regain its White House reporter’s press credential,” the network announced. “Secret Service passes for White House journalists should never be weaponized.”
The network then called out the “antagonistic tone by both the president and the media” during recent press conferences, while reiterating that it supports “a free press, access and open exchanges for the American people.”
The White House stripped Acosta of his press pass after a testy exchange with the president. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also drew criticism for promoting a doctored video that made it look like Acosta had been physically aggressive with a White House intern.