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
#264576: Dec 18th 2018 at 11:28:17 AM

Trump administration officially bans bump stocks

https://www-m.cnn.com/2018/12/18/politics/bump-stocks-ban/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fcurrentstatus.io%2F

The Trump administration rolled out a new federal regulation Tuesday officially banning bump-fire stocks. Those who possess the devices, which make it easier to fire rounds from a semi-automatic weapon by harnessing the gun's recoil to "bump" the trigger faster, will have 90 days to turn in or otherwise destroy them from the date that the final rule is published in the federal register — likely this Friday — according to senior DOJ officials. Bump stocks gained national attention last year after a gunman in Las Vegas rigged his weapons with the devices to fire on concertgoers, killing 58 people. Officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had previously concluded bump stocks were merely a gun accessory or firearm part, not subject to federal regulation, but President Donald Trump called on the Justice Department to outlaw the devices soon after the tragedy.

Michael Flynn’s sentencing delayed after judge tells the ex-Trump adviser he may not avoid prison time

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/michael-flynn-trumps-former-national-security-adviser-scheduled-to-be-sentenced/2018/12/17/19ce1bb4-0247-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e48b64bf90ba

A federal judge on Tuesday postponed the sentencing for Michael Flynn after he lambasted President Trump’s former national security adviser for trying to undermine his own country and said he could not guarantee he would spare Flynn from prison.

The stunning development means that Flynn will have to be sentenced at a later date, when he can possibly convince a judge more thoroughly of how his cooperation has benefited law enforcement.

Flynn’s attorneys asked for the delay after U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan accused Flynn of acting as “an unregistered agent of a foreign country, while serving as the national security adviser to the president of the United States” — an allegation he later walked back. Sullivan granted the request and asked for a status report in 90 days, though he said he was “not making any promises” that he would view the matter differently in three months.

After reviewing some of the allegations against Flynn, including that he worked to advance the interests of the Turkish government in the United States during the 2016 presidential campaign, the judge pointed to an American flag behind him in the courtroom and said heatedly, “Arguably, that undermines everything this flag over here stands for. Arguably you sold your country out.

“The court’s going to consider that,” the judge said. “I cannot assure you, if you proceed today, you will not receive a sentence of incarceration.”

Sullivan also asked a prosecutor with the special counsel’s office whether Flynn could be charged with “treason.”

Flynn, standing straight and flanked by attorneys on either side, looked shaken, his jaw clenched. Sullivan declared a recess to let Flynn consider whether he wanted to proceed and let the judge impose a punishment, or to delay and cooperate more with the special counsel in hopes of leniency.

Edited by sgamer82 on Dec 18th 2018 at 12:29:14 PM

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#264577: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:04:38 PM

[up]Man, a war between Trump and the NRA would've been awesome. Shame the NRA is essentially dead from the lawsuit against them in New York, just like the Trump Foundation.

TechPriest90 Servant of the Omnissiah from Collegia Titanica, Mars, Sol System Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Servant of the Omnissiah
#264578: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:11:20 PM

[up][up] Bet Flynn wasn't expecting that. That's some serious tongue-lashing from that Judge.

How much longer before that frightens all the other birds to squawk to Mueller, I wonder?

I hold the secrets of the machine.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#264579: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:17:46 PM

In a bit of fluff news, a ban on nunchuks in New York was overturned today, having been in place for 44 years due to fears that impressionable kids would take inspiration from Bruce Lee movies.

In her ruling, Chen said the court couldn’t simply take that part out, and ruled that the state’s law as it pertained to possessing nunchuks as well as to manufacturing, transporting or disposing of them was in violation of the Second Amendment.

The ruling went over the history of the ban, and said it “arose out of a concern that, as a result of the rising popularity ‘of ‘Kung Fu’ movies and shows,′ ‘various circles of the state’s youth’ — including ‘muggers and street gangs’ — were ‘widely’ using nunchaku to cause ‘many serious injuries.’”

In an email to The Associated Press, Maloney said “perhaps the most amazing thing” was getting more relief than he had asked for.

And in more serious news, Alan Greenspan voiced concern that we might be heading for "stagflation" - a period marked by high unemployment and raised interest rates, which also hasn't been seen since the '70s.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#264580: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:19:37 PM

speaking of seats...does anyone know what happened to the three seats which were not called so far? You know, the one in California, New York and the one which is on hold for fraud?

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#264581: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:23:59 PM

It strikes me the judge may be scaring off anyone else turning against Trump.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#264582: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:24:03 PM

Don't know about New York, but the California race was win by Democrat TJ Cox. The North Carolina race was without a doubt won by the Republican through fraud and there is probably going to be a new special election.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#264583: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:31:34 PM

Shame the NRA is essentially dead from the lawsuit against them in New York

Wait what? When did this happen?

i'm tired, my friend
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#264584: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:42:42 PM

Yeah seriously, what? They don't seem dead by a long shot.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#264585: Dec 18th 2018 at 12:44:48 PM

There was a story a while back that their donations/income has taken a big hit relative to past years.

Think I found it, from back in August:

NRA says it faces financial crisis, claims it might be 'unable to exist' in future: lawsuit

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/03/nra-faces-financial-crisis-claims-might-unable-exist/902918002/

The National Rifle Association claims it's facing deep financial problems and it might go broke in a lawsuit that blames its problems on the state of New York.

The gun-rights organization said it may soon have to stop producing its magazines and its video streaming service, NR Atv, because of actions by the state of New York, which the NRA accused of running a "blacklisting campaign."

The campaign appears to be part of a national campaign calling for companies to cut ties with the group in the aftermath of several high profile shootings, most notably with the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

The gun lobbying group claims in its lawsuit, which targets Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Department of Financial Services and Maria Vullo, which heads the department, that the state has caused "irrecoverable loss and irreparable harm" to the organization. But, of course, the organization is making these claims in a lawsuit, which it hopes to win.

Edited by sgamer82 on Dec 18th 2018 at 1:47:11 PM

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#264587: Dec 18th 2018 at 1:02:22 PM

Also, RE: "Media platforms are responsible for the content their posters make" is what's led to stuff like DMCA Takedown abuses and the recent Tumblr porn ban. They can easily go too far on the other side of the pendulum with their reactions.

Edited by ironballs16 on Dec 18th 2018 at 4:02:43 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#264588: Dec 18th 2018 at 1:29:43 PM

I imagine the NRA isn't going to anywhere,publicly they can cry about not getting money but we all know they receive funding under the table anyway

-

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#264589: Dec 18th 2018 at 1:35:33 PM

"speaking of seats...does anyone know what happened to the three seats which were not called so far? You know, the one in California, New York and the one which is on hold for fraud?"

In order: D, D, ???

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#264590: Dec 18th 2018 at 1:35:43 PM

Ya, I don't think we can trust the NRA's own "pity me" posturing any more than we can trust anything that Mitch McConnell says.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#264591: Dec 18th 2018 at 1:35:48 PM

I believe the joke was that now that their finances are being scrutinized, the NRA can't receive more dark money from Russian interests, and they could never have supported how bloated they've become on member contributions alone.

speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#264592: Dec 18th 2018 at 2:16:59 PM

Not that I don't want bump stocks banned, but doesn't he have to go through Congress to get them banned, rather than using a federal agency to just declare something illegal whenever he feels like it?

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#264593: Dec 18th 2018 at 2:49:36 PM

The President can't pass laws-that's congress's job. Having said that I do believe the President can, at least, submit bills for congress to look at.

Leviticus 19:34
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#264594: Dec 18th 2018 at 2:59:57 PM

Answer, per the NYT: "The new regulation, which had been expected, would ban the sale or possession of the devices under a new interpretation of existing law. Americans who own bump stocks would have 90 days to destroy their devices or to turn them in to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives."

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#264595: Dec 18th 2018 at 3:07:23 PM

I don't think that presidents can introduce legislation. See, if I did reform the US government through laws I'd change that so that they can.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Friendperson Since: May, 2018
#264596: Dec 18th 2018 at 3:13:24 PM

Correct, the president cannot introduce legislation. There's really no reason for them to be able to, anyway. They already have executive order power, so it's unnecessary. We have an entire branch for legislation anyway.

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#264597: Dec 18th 2018 at 3:35:18 PM

It strikes me the judge may be scaring off anyone else turning against Trump.
Only if you gloss over the part where he told Flynn that he's almost certainly doomed to prison if he proceeds now with the sentencing as he has been requesting rather than delay it and try to cooperate more with Mueller in hopes that he can give enough to warrant a considerably lighter sentence.

The message I take from this is if you turn against Trump, you had better go the full mile and confess everything quickly rather than try to weasel around and/or drag your feet.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#264598: Dec 18th 2018 at 3:39:02 PM

I don't agree, presidents are constantly expected to make new laws and it's highly unlikely that you will be able to disabuse the electorate from this misconception, and executive orders have a much narrower scope.

Also, apparently future Republican leader Kevin McCarthy apparently persuaded his party that the 2011 redistricting in California was no threat to them. This guy really does walk over his party's corpses, does he.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#264599: Dec 18th 2018 at 5:03:34 PM

[up][up] Yeah, he was pretty clear about how he fealt about Flynn.

Judge, after noting Flynn lied and acted as an unregistered foreign agent (for Turkey): "Arguably, that undermines everything that this flag over here stands for. Arguably, you sold your country out."

"I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense"

Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#264600: Dec 18th 2018 at 5:10:18 PM

Though, really, I'd argue that it was merciful of the Judge to voice his distain that openly- he would've been within his rights to sit there, listening quietly, and then just send Flynn to jail. Instead he gave Flynn time to find a reason why he shouldn't be in jail.

Edited by Gilphon on Dec 18th 2018 at 8:10:35 AM


Total posts: 417,856
Top