TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

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

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#256251: Oct 1st 2018 at 5:53:56 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2018/10/01/day-620/

Day 620: A new dawn.

1/ The U.S., Mexico, and Canada reached a deal to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement, which will be known as the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement. Trump called the agreement "historic news," "an extraordinary agreement," and "a new dawn," claiming that it "solves the many deficiencies and mistakes in NAFTA" and that it's "the most important" trade deal ever agreed by the U.S. The new trade deal leaves much of the old NAFTA deal intact. Congressional approval, however, is uncertain if Democrats retake control of the House since Congress won't vote to ratify the agreement until 2019. The deal was reached with Canada shortly before a midnight Sunday deadline imposed by the Trump administration. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNBC / Politico / BBC)

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/30/nafta-trade-canada-819081

2/ Trump said he supports a "very comprehensive" but "quick" FBI investigation into the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh as long as it's "within reason," because "we don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?" Trump, the White House and Senate Republicans initially asked the bureau to limit interviews to four people: Mark Judge and P.J. Smyth, high school friends of Kavanaugh's; Leland Keyser, a high school friend of Christine Blasey Ford; and Deborah Ramirez, another of the accusers. The White House, however, has reportedly authorized the FBI to expand its investigation, which Trump wants completed by the end of the week. In a letter to the White House and FBI, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee listed more than two dozen people they wanted interviewed as part of the investigation. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / The Guardian)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/white-house-limits-scope-fbi-s-investigation-allegations-against-brett-n915061

3/ Sens. Jeff Flake and Chris Coons said that if the FBI investigation finds Kavanaugh lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee then his nomination would likely not move forward. During an interview, Flake and Coons were asked, "If Kavanaugh is shown to have lied to the committee, nomination's over?" Flake responded, "Oh yes." Coons added: "I would think so." (CNN / Washington Post)

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/30/politics/flake-fbi-kavanaugh-investigation/index.html

One of Kavanaugh's Yale classmates issued a statement saying the Supreme Court nominee was not truthful about his drinking during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Chad Ludington claimed Kavanaugh made a "blatant mischaracterization" about his drinking while in college. (CNN / New York Times)

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/01/politics/read-chad-ludington-statement-brett-kavanaugh/index.html

4/ Trump called the FBI investigation a "blessing in disguise," because "the FBI has a chance reveal a lot of different things," including who leaked the papers. Trump suggested it was Sen. Dianne Feinstein "Because certainly her body language was not exactly very good when they asked her that question." A reporter at The Intercept, who first broke the story about Ford's allegations, tweeted: "Feinstein's staff did not leak the letter to The Intercept." (NBC News / Axios)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-kavanaugh-fbi-investigation-n915091

poll/ 48% of American voters say Kavanaugh should not be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, while 42% say he should be confirmed. 48% of voters believe Ford while 41% believe Kavanaugh. (Quinnipiac)

https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2574

Notables.

Hundreds of migrant children were moved from shelters in various states into a tent city in West Texas. The children were loaded onto buses in the middle of the night and moved from private shelters or foster homes to a camp in Tornillo, Texas. (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/30/us/migrant-children-tent-city-texas.html

Devin Nunes' family dairy farm in California was actually secretly relocated to Iowa more than a decade ago and relies heavily on the work of undocumented immigrants. Nunes is the head of the House Intelligence Committee. (Esquire)

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a23471864/devin-nunes-family-farm-iowa-california/

Secretary of Defense James Mattis canceled his trip to China for an annual security meeting after China refused a request by an American warship to make a port visit to Hong Kong in October. (CNBC / New York Times)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/01/defense-secretary-james-mattis-cancels-trip-to-china.html

Trump to a female reporter: "You're not thinking. You never do." He then refused to let Cecilia Vega, ABC News, ask a question about the FBI investigation into Kavanaugh. During the press conference, Trump claimed the news media has treated him "unbelievably unfairly," saying "they're worse now than ever. They're loco." (Washington Post / Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/01/trump-reporter-insult-854870

Edited by sgamer82 on Oct 1st 2018 at 6:53:42 AM

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#256252: Oct 1st 2018 at 5:59:35 PM

3/ Sens. Jeff Flake and Chris Coons said that if the FBI investigation finds Kavanaugh lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee then his nomination would likely not move forward. During an interview, Flake and Coons were asked, "If Kavanaugh is shown to have lied to the committee, nomination's over?" Flake responded, "Oh yes." Coons added: "I would think so." (CNN / Washington Post)

Interesting.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#256253: Oct 1st 2018 at 6:05:35 PM

If that's the case, he should already have been withdrawn. Him lying has been demonstrably proven at this point.

Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#256254: Oct 1st 2018 at 6:17:29 PM

That clarifies Trump's stance on this to me- He wants the investigation to go ahead because he doesn't believe Ford and thinks the investigation will prove she's lying. Which makes it an interesting point of contrast with his attitude towards the other investigation that comes to mind when you say Trump's name.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#256255: Oct 1st 2018 at 6:56:56 PM

[up][up]He has to be proven of perjury legally. That's the key factor here. If the FBI can interview any of these people and get something concrete, than maybe we'll have something.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#256256: Oct 1st 2018 at 7:10:46 PM

So a former student of Mitchell apparently thinks her evaluation is a bunch of disingenuous partisan bullshit and that she's applying a double standard to make Kavanaugh look better. He points out that many of the things she uses to demerit Ford are things that she explicitly instructed him to disregard, like a long timeframe.

Not that this wasn't obvious but it says a lot that someone who knows her sees through it too.

Edited by Draghinazzo on Oct 1st 2018 at 10:10:44 AM

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#256257: Oct 1st 2018 at 7:56:40 PM

So here's something I'm reading, Brett Kavanaugh, in early July, before any accusation of Rape/Molestation occurred, he asked a former Classmate of his in Yale, Karen Yarasavage, to help him deny any and all allegations of Rape/Molestation against Kavanaugh's 2nd Accuser, Deborah Ramirez. Keep in mind, Ramirez wasn't even Kavanaugh's first accuser; Mrs. Ford, his first accuser, only went Public in Late August/Early September, and Ramirez didn't come out with her own accusations until a few weeks later. Yarasavage had kept the text messages (yes, Kavanaugh asked for this help via Texts) and is helping Ramirez with the FBI investigation this week.

This is absolutely the most damning piece of evidence against Kavanaugh; I have always stood with these women, but the fact that Kavanaugh was asking his 'friends' for help with denying accusations months before they came out basically points to him being guilty as hell. Also, this is a form of Witness Tampering, especially since he wanted her to stick with this narrative in the event of an investigation (and may have gotten some of his other friends to do so).

This just cements him more and more as a liar and rapist (especially in my eyes); even if he gets into the Court, as long as Dems get the House, he'd need to be impeached immediately.

wisewillow She/her Since: May, 2011
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#256259: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:07:55 PM

While Kavanaugh sickens me, I at times find myself even angrier at the people who defend him. Especially when they rely on bullshit like "boys will be boys".

Disgusted, but not surprised
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#256260: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:12:12 PM

[up][up] [awesome][awesome][awesome][awesome][awesome]

I'd say more, but I'm at a loss for words right now. Have been for a while, and will be until I calm down enough to start paying attention to US Politics again.

Edited by AzurePaladin on Oct 1st 2018 at 11:12:25 AM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#256261: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:13:31 PM

Holy crap for two reasons. One, that's awful, and two, could that be the evidence that sinks him?

It's been fun.
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#256262: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:14:46 PM

What's interesting to me is the way that attitude is contrasted with that poll posted that showed an almost exact colleration between believing Ford and thinking Kavanaugh shouldn't be confirmed. Like, apparently only 1% of the country that thinks he should be confirmed whether or not she's telling the truth.

Which is at once comforting and horrifying- comforting because it's such a clear minority, and horrifying because such a disproportionately large number of people elected a federal office are among that 1%.

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#256263: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:17:05 PM

One percent? Really?

Like, I hate the guy, and I know he's unpopular, but that sounds way too small.

Oh God! Natural light!
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#256264: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:19:26 PM

[up][up][up] I wish, but at this point, it looks like he's going to sail on through. He seems to be riding on a wave of "if a Republican does it, its okay." Apparently, they're fine with putting someone who committed sexual assault on the SC, so long as he rams through their policy.

Best hope, he gets impeached if the Democrats take the Senate.

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#256265: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:20:33 PM

To be clear, 42% of the country thinks he should be confirmed, but 41% of the country thinks Ford's lying. So we get that only 1% isn't sure if she's telling the truth but thinks he should be confirmed anyway.

(To be extra clear, I'm doing some really janky, oversimplified analysis here, but it is the most straightforward interpretation of the data)

Edited by Gilphon on Oct 1st 2018 at 11:20:21 AM

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#256266: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:21:46 PM

Ah, okay, that makes more sense.

...I feel like you stated that very confusingly just then.

Oh God! Natural light!
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#256268: Oct 1st 2018 at 8:56:05 PM

[up]x4 If she still has those texts, then that's actual proof of witness tampering. That Kavaugnh broke the law and possibly committed perjury. I'm not going to say it'll definitely sink him, but you can't just say there's absolutely zero chance of it.

AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#256269: Oct 1st 2018 at 9:04:12 PM

[up] I'll keep this in mind, but I'm not too confident. Remember, Trump did a lot of this too, and he still won and the GOP sucked right up to him. And the GOP in the Senate seems largely willing to brush everything aside and push him through ASAP. They've shown absolute contempt for the checks in the Government, I don't see why they'll stop here.

Its not impossible to stop him, but if he is it will be by the skin of our teeth.

Edit: [down] [awesome][awesome][awesome][awesome][awesome]

Edited by AzurePaladin on Oct 1st 2018 at 12:14:13 PM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#256270: Oct 1st 2018 at 9:09:10 PM

I just wanted to add that the fact that some people are defending Kavanaugh make me very angry, too.

Do not obey in advance.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#256271: Oct 1st 2018 at 9:28:24 PM

So the article does seem to say Yarasavage has those texts. The question now is will the relevant people actually see them and consider them valid evidence. If ever there was a time for a leak, this seems to be it. (I could be reading this wrong and she deleted them and simply is telling the FBI that she had gotten this communication.)

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#256272: Oct 1st 2018 at 9:31:38 PM

[up]The article explicitly says she still has them. And that NBC has them also.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#256273: Oct 1st 2018 at 10:24:08 PM

Frankly, I don't get Republicans. Let's put morals aside for a moment (because they don't have any anyway), and discuss about the political implications. I see no reason whatsoever to hold onto Kavanaugh that tightly. I mean, it is not like he is the only anti-abortion judge with partisan republican leanings out there, it is not as if they couldn't have put forward a different nominee the moment the allegation became public, after all, they had to knew already about it to have this stupid list ready, and the only thing they get out of pushing him through no matter what is p... off their own voter base, especially since the victim is not just believable, she is one of them. A lot of republican voters AND donors will see their own wife and daughters when looking at her.

So what is to gain there? As far as I can tell nothing at all. They could have secured the seat already if they had just put forward another candidate.

NickTheSwing Since: Aug, 2009
#256274: Oct 1st 2018 at 10:32:18 PM

Everything continues to fall apart for Real!Bryce.

His own paranoia basically undid him.

TroperOnAStickV2 Call me Stick from Redneck country Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Call me Stick
#256275: Oct 1st 2018 at 10:43:03 PM

[up][up] Either Sunk Cost Fallacy or Stupid Evil, depending on how charitable you are.

[down] And that. Forgot about that. Probably mostly that.

Edited by TroperOnAStickV2 on Oct 1st 2018 at 2:11:28 PM

Hopefully I'll feel confident to change my avatar off this scumbag soon. Apologies to any scumbags I insulted.

Total posts: 417,856
Top