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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#267526: Jan 17th 2019 at 8:12:50 AM

Evil Turtle is trying to protect his senators from controversial votes, and the House bills to reopen the government are controversial votes for his party and vulnerable incumbents like Susan Collins and Cory Gardner:

  • Vote in favour and you get deemed a RINO illoyal to Trump and possibly primaried.
  • Vote against and you get deemed a Trump sycophant and will struggle in a general election.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#267527: Jan 17th 2019 at 8:16:52 AM

Whereas he can do whatever he wants, especially what he's doing now, because he can't be primaried and his state his too red.

Edited by Medinoc on Jan 17th 2019 at 5:17:10 PM

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#267528: Jan 17th 2019 at 8:20:33 AM

I've had some critique of some of AOC, but she's excellent when it comes to social media exposure. She's doing well so far and shaming Mitch is an excellent, excellent thing.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#267529: Jan 17th 2019 at 8:21:15 AM

That's actually not entirely correct: Kentucky is a red state but he is usually unpopular there and his election performance in 2014 was unimpressive when compared to the lean of the state and of the national environment back then. Quite possible that had he been up for reelection in 2018 he could have lost.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#267530: Jan 17th 2019 at 8:25:42 AM

Yeah, but the thing about that? Mitch might be unpopular but he gives Kentucky power. Not liking him is one thing. But Kentuckians like having the boss of the senate being their Senator.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#267531: Jan 17th 2019 at 8:58:59 AM

Well, that's already priced in in the election result of 2014 which I used as a baseline.

On the other hand it seems like I misunderstood the meaning of the RealClearPolitics margin (it's a between party margin, not a party-50% margin) so the actual formula is 56.2 (his result in 2014)-0.94 (a correction factor since Kentucky elections do not neatly trace the national environment; what the 538 folks call the "elasticity")*14.1(the difference between the national environments in 2014 and 2018 according to RealClearPolitics)-40.7 (Lundergan Grimes's result in 2014)=2.246 so he would have actually won by 2.3%. Which is far from a safe reelection, though.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#267532: Jan 17th 2019 at 10:25:08 AM

Whoa. Wall Street Journal: Michael Cohen paid thousands to rig polls in Trump's favor

"The polls are fake! The polls are rigged!"

You would know, wouldn't you?

They really do accuse us of everything they're doing. It's almost eerily consistent.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#267533: Jan 17th 2019 at 10:26:20 AM

Their projection game is very,very strong,it's almost hard to tell when they're not projecting back at us

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Eschaton Since: Jul, 2010
#267534: Jan 17th 2019 at 10:41:51 AM

Whoa. Wall Street Journal: Michael Cohen paid thousands to rig polls in Trump's favor. "The polls are fake! The polls are rigged!"

You would know, wouldn't you?

I've seen speculation is this is actually why he's so hung up on the "fake news" (beyond his dictatorial aspirations). He's been lying and manipulating for his entire life (and bolstered by the fact that, unfortunately, it's worked), he thus cannot comprehend a world where there are people who don't do that.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#267535: Jan 17th 2019 at 10:50:15 AM

Remember that the term Fake News was originally used to refer to false statements used by right-wing and Russian ‘news’ organisations trying to hurt Hillary.

Trump stole the term, but it’s original intent was to refer to him.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#267536: Jan 17th 2019 at 11:20:19 AM

Something breaking, not sure yet of significance:

Trump says Pelosi's overseas trip 'has been postponed' because of shutdown

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/17/trump-pelosis-overseas-trip-has-been-postponed-because-of-shutdown.html

Story is new and still updating. All we really have right now is:

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's scheduled trip to Egypt, Brussels and Afghanistan "has been postponed."

"We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over," Trump said in a letter to Pelosi, referring to the nearly four-week-long partial shutdown of the government over border security disputes between the president and Democratic lawmakers.

But on TV on CNN is the headline "Trump writes letter to Pelosi: I'm cancelling your trip"

Edited by sgamer82 on Jan 17th 2019 at 12:21:37 PM

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#267537: Jan 17th 2019 at 11:24:56 AM

... As this shows, Trump really, truly cannot understand the concept of "stop digging".

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#267538: Jan 17th 2019 at 11:41:29 AM

That's a power play. He's trying to make the shutdown hurt more for Pelosi and Schumer.

Trump's not negotiating here; he's pushing for an unconditional surrender. It's why he walked out of the last discussion Pelosi and Schumer held with him. By all accounts, he walked into the room, asked if they'd cave, and then told them where to shove it and walked out when they said no.

To him, there's nothing else that needs to be said. This is not a negotiation, it's a war of attrition. Trump believes that Democrats need a functioning government more than he does, and so he'll accept nothing less than complete and absolute acquiescence to his demands in exchange for it. If we're not giving him everything he wants, then to him, there is indeed nothing further to discuss.

This is also an apt demonstration of his authoritarian and un-businesslike thinking. Any halfway competent businessman would have asked for ten billion for the wall. That way, he could settle with Pelosi and Schumer at the five billion he actually wants. You always demand too much and then negotiate down to your actual desired amount. That's Negotiation 101.

World's greatest negotiator, everybody.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Jan 17th 2019 at 12:44:58 PM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#267539: Jan 17th 2019 at 11:49:21 AM

[up]Instead, he's doing the opposite. Each time his demands aren't met he asks for more and more money. Isn't it at $6 billion now?

He's clearly used to "negotiating" with people who have no negotiating power at all.

Edited by M84 on Jan 18th 2019 at 3:49:56 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#267540: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:01:38 PM

Its also stupid. Instead of sending her on her way and try to see what he can do without her present in backrooms he makes sure she can ride herd on the House.

"You can reply to this Message!"
FluffyMcChicken My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare from where the floating lights gleam Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: In another castle
My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare
#267541: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:03:53 PM

Plus, couldn't Pelosi easily bypass Trump by buying a civilian airline ticket out of her own pocket? tongue

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#267542: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:07:40 PM

I knew McConnell has been blocking all the Democrats' attempts to reopen the government by refusing to even let the bills be brought to the Senate floor to begin with, but I didn't know that he was actually avoiding the Democratic Congress(wo)men themselves as well. Yeah, this cowardice needs to be shoved into the spotlight and he deserves every bit of public shaming he gets over this and a lot more.

On Trump "canceling" Pelosi's trip: ... Can the POTUS do that to a member of Congress?

Edited by MarqFJA on Jan 17th 2019 at 11:08:25 PM

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#267543: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:09:11 PM

[up][up] Yeah, this is kind of an empty threat. But it does show that he wants Democrats to Kowtow to him, not negotiate with him.

[up] Technically, all he is doing is not allowing Pelosi to fly on Military Planes. Pelosi can do her job, she just has to do it commercial. But he does have the authority to deny individuals the right to fly on Military Property, being Commander in Chief and all.

Edited by DingoWalley1 on Jan 17th 2019 at 3:10:54 PM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#267544: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:13:03 PM

What, was Pelosi originally planning to fly on Air Force One or something?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#267545: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:15:55 PM

Instead, he's doing the opposite. Each time his demands aren't met he asks for more and more money. Isn't it at $6 billion now?

He's clearly used to "negotiating" with people who have no negotiating power at all.

He probably sees the upping in price as punishment. "See what happens when you don't give me what I want right away? The price just went UP."

It's the same tactic he used when Mexico refused to pay for the wall: "It just got ten feet taller!"

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#267546: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:17:18 PM

[up][up] All Federal Politicians and Judges fly on Military Aircraft, mostly for Security Reasons (A Politician on a Public Airplane is a massive target for Terrorists).

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#267547: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:21:25 PM

[up] Commercial aircraft can be made safe, and there’s always chartered flights. Military aircraft are generally considered a privilege for the higher-ranking members of our government, since they fly exactly when you want them to, cut through all civilian air traffic, fly into and out of otherwise denied areas, and are generally quite convenient.

They should have sent a poet.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#267548: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:21:40 PM

They really do accuse us of everything they're doing. It's almost eerily consistent.

Honestly, that habit makes me rather concerned when I think about Pizzagate. -_-

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#267549: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:24:58 PM

I'll note that the shut down didn't stop him from taking a federal plane to fly off to Iraq.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#267550: Jan 17th 2019 at 12:25:00 PM

Apparently, this isn’t just affecting Pelosi.

Members are sitting on the USAF bus on Cap Hill they wait to see if they are departing on overseas trip Trump canceled.

Fox is told there are furious calls going back and forth now between the Hill, State, Pentagon and White House.

Edited by megaeliz on Jan 17th 2019 at 3:26:14 PM


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