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

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#268351: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:01:45 PM

[up]

Eh, the BS with Venezuela predates Trump by a good deal, with Bush taking swipes at Hugo Chavez during his Presidency, then Obama reestablishing lukewarm terms with the country prior to the death of Chavez and the collapse of their economy. And given some of the shit Maduro has pulled (e.g. Guaido literally being pulled out of his car while in a traffic jam to be interrogated), I'm not exactly faulting the administration's response here.

Oh, and this happened roughly a year after the National Assembly was dissolved before being reinstated following protests due to a failed military coup that Maduro had blamed on the Congress. Wikipedia has even started a timeline for reference.

[down]

Damned Hipsters... tongue

Edited by ironballs16 on Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:31:03 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#268352: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:25:24 PM

Yeah, also chavez did the whole "insult other people" waaaaaaay before trump by calling bush the devil, mister danger, saying he will win the olympics of drunkness and plenty other shit.

You thing trump was bad? we pull that kind of shit way before.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#268353: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:26:14 PM

Whee, we're catching up to the rest of the world in terms of terrible leaders. I'm so proud.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#268354: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:30:52 PM

@Fighteer: I hope you're not trying to claim that having influence in South America justifies allying with a failing, repressive dictatorship, when there are plenty of other healthy democratic countries there.

Life is unfair...
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#268355: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:32:27 PM

[up][up]

Yeah, this is definitely a Stopped Clock situation - while the Trump administration has been awful at international relationships, this is one they're getting about right... thus far. And that might be because, before now, they simply didn't focus on Venezuela at all, at least not beyond "Look at the shortages there and tell me Socialism works!"

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#268356: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:32:49 PM

For me, When I saw trump was elected, I wasnt surprised: more disapontied that you fall in the same shit as us venezuelan.

Also, for me trump antics just give me a sense of deja vu, for me trump is the most venezuelan president ever.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#268357: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:36:57 PM

I hope you're not trying to claim that having influence in South America justifies allying with a failing, repressive dictatorship, when there are plenty of other healthy democratic countries there.

I'm not talking about Venezuela specifically, although if we want to have any influence in helping this supposed revolution or coup or whatever it is succeed in installing a more democratic, representative government, we are probably up a creek right now.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Eschaton Since: Jul, 2010
#268358: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:52:30 PM

Whatever support the current US administration could offer Venezuela is most certainly not out of a concern for democracy.

Edited by Eschaton on Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:54:25 AM

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#268359: Jan 23rd 2019 at 1:53:30 PM

Meanwhile, it looks like Trump's speech hasn't helped his approval rating.

From same, apparently Kushner is trying to get an immigration deal done.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#268360: Jan 23rd 2019 at 2:08:06 PM

[up]

Yeah, not happening, Jared. Hard to make a Grand Bargain when one party doesn't know the meaning of the word.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#268361: Jan 23rd 2019 at 2:29:31 PM

Forget what I posted, turned out to be satire.

Edited by DingoWalley1 on Jan 23rd 2019 at 5:30:16 AM

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#268362: Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:16:49 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2019/01/23/day-734/

    Day 734: Unforced errors. 

1/ Rudy Giuliani claimed that "no plans were ever made" for Trump Tower Moscow, despite hundreds of pages of business documents, emails, text messages, and architectural plans proving otherwise. For instance, by September 2015, an architect had completed plans for a 100 story high tower, and when Trump signed a finalized letter of intent on Oct. 28 2015, the tower would have "approximately 250 first class, luxury residential condominiums" and "approximately 15 floors" and contain "not fewer than 150 hotel rooms." The Trump team also considered an option to open "The Spa By Ivanka Trump," as well as giving a "$50 million penthouse to Putin." Trump's lawyer characterized this by saying "the proposal was in the earliest stage" and later adding "There were no drafts. Nothing in the file." (Buzz Feed News)

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/azeenghorayshi/here-are-the-trump-moscow-plans

2/ Trump was reportedly "apoplectic" and "furious" with Giuliani after his lawyer claimed that he had been involved in discussions to build a Trump Tower in Moscow through the end of the 2016 campaign. Giuliani's statement contradicted Trump's own public statements about the project. Trump has been "screaming" and is "so mad at Rudy," because he felt that Giuliani had "changed the headlines" for the worse and had obscured what he believed was a public relations victory when Robert Mueller's office disputed portions of a report that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. Trump is also being encouraged by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner – among others – to fire Giuliani before it's too late. Giuliani blamed journalists for his gaffs, saying they've taken his hypothetical arguments literally, adding that Trump is "not pissed. He just wants it clarified." Giuliani also admitted this week that he is worried that his legacy would be that "he lied for Trump" and has told people privately that he "hates the job." (Politico / Vanity Fair / Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/1b3a0037c65941509653ca2a20cd366d

3/ Michael Cohen indefinitely postponed his plan to testify before Congress over concerns of "ongoing threats" to his family from Trump and Giuliani. Trump dismissed Cohen's allegation, saying Cohen has "only been threatened by the truth." Cohen was scheduled to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 7. (CNBC / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Axios / The Hill)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/23/former-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-delays-house-testimony-1121391

4/ Trump told Nancy Pelosi he plans to deliver his State of the Union address in the House chamber as scheduled, rejecting her suggestion that he delay it or submit it in writing because of the government shutdown, which has now entered its 33rd day. In a letter to Pelosi, Trump dismissed the concerns about security due to the shutdown, saying "It would be so very sad for our Country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!" The House and Senate, however, must first pass a concurrent resolution for a joint session of Congress for Trump to address lawmakers on Jan. 29th. (New York Times / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/23/trump-said-he-still-plans-to-deliver-state-of-the-union-address-on-jan-29-1121068

5/ Pelosi responded by blocking Trump from delivering the State of the Union from the House chamber, saying she would not pass a resolution authorizing him to give the speech inside the chamber until the government is reopened. Trump said he was "not surprised" by Pelosi's decision, unrelatedly claiming that Democrats have "become radicalized." (Washington Post / New York Times / Politico / Wall Street Journal)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/23/trump-said-he-still-plans-to-deliver-state-of-the-union-address-on-jan-29-1121068

6/ The State Department canceled a conference on border security because of the ongoing government shutdown over border security. The conference was supposed to take place next month, but it has been postponed "due to uncertainty associated with the continuing partial U.S. federal government shutdown," according to a letter sent to at least 55 U.S. embassies and missions across the globe. (CNN)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/22/politics/state-dept-border-security-conference-postponed/index.html

Hundreds of IRS employees were told to skip work during the shutdown due to financial hardship, despite the Trump administration ordering at least 30,000 IRS workers back to their offices. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/hundreds-of-irs-employees-are-skipping-work-that-could-delay-tax-refunds/2019/01/22/1885e74e-1e7d-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html

The shutdown has impeded FBI efforts to crack down on child trafficking, violent crime, and terrorism due to funding freezes. (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/us/politics/fbi-shutdown-law-enforcement.html

Mick Mulvaney asked agency leaders for a list of the programs that would be jeopardized if the shutdown continues into March or April. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-seeks-list-of-programs-that-would-be-hurt-if-shutdown-lasts-into-march/2019/01/23/661adb3a-1f55-11e9-9145-3f74070bbdb9_story.html

poll/ 54% blame Trump and the GOP for the shutdown, while 35% blame the Democrats in Congress. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/23/trump-government-shutdown-approval-rating-1119877

poll/ 70% of Americans don't think the border wall is worth a government shutdown and think the shutdown is having a negative impact on the country. 65% of Republicans think Trump should refuse to sign a budget unless it includes funding for the wall, while 69% of Democrats think party leaders should continue to refuse Trump's demands to fund the wall. (ABC News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pelosi-has-edge-over-trump-on-budget-negotiations-says-cbs-news-poll/

poll/ 34% of Americans approve of Trump's job performance – down from 42% a month earlier. (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/dad8086738a64b4ba78c0404d5d04e79

poll/ 56% of voters support the single-payer health insurance planknown as Medicare for All, while 42% oppose it. (The Hill)

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/426418-poll-56-percent-of-public-supports-medicare-for-all

Notables.

The House Oversight Committee is launching an investigation into how Jared Kushner got a security clearance, despite concerns that he had been targeted for manipulation by foreign governments. (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/house-democrats-probe-how-jared-kushner-got-security-clearance-n961721

Robert Mueller's team is interested in the Trump campaign's relationship with the NRA during the 2016 campaign. Mueller wants to know more about how and when Trump and his campaign first established a relationship with the NRA, and how Trump ended up as a speaker at the organization's annual meeting in 2015. The NRA is under scrutiny from lawmakers for its spending in support of Trump in 2016 and its ties to Russian nationals. (CNN)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/22/politics/mueller-nunberg-trump-campaign-nra/index.html

Trump recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela. U.S. officials urged Nicolas Maduro to peacefully give up power. Instead, Maduro gave U.S. diplomats 72 hours to leave. Maduro succeeded socialist Hugo Chávez, who died in 2013. (Bloomberg / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/23/trump-venezuela-guaido-president-1121385

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#268363: Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:51:11 PM

Reportedly, Giuliani was drinking before going on TV those last couple of interviews.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#268364: Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:53:59 PM

he's working in the trump administration I dont blame him

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#268365: Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:55:15 PM

Surprised nobody mentioned yet, Trump cancelled the SOTU address in light of Pelosi not allowing him to speak on the house floor.

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#268366: Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:59:00 PM

Huh, and here I was expecting him to double down on making it a rally elsewhere.

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#268367: Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:47:58 PM

RE Guiliani's current predicament: Wow, apparently the answer to my question from a few pages back is actually "Not much." Now excuse me while I laugh my ass off.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA— HA! HA! And a HA! for good measure! It's just too bad that I only have two middle fingers to give to Guiliani.

RE Cohen's family being threatened by Trump and Guiliani: Please tell me there's something that those two said concerning this that could be used to charge them with a federal crime even without the results of the Mueller probe in the equation. And I hope I'm not the only here who considers threats of harm by conspirator to a co-conspirator because the latter dared to cooperate with the authorities over an investigation into the conspiracy the two were involved in is an utterly reprehensible thing that deserves ramping up the punishment for the relevant crime well above the usual level. A line must be drawn so that future cooperators have even more of an incentive to cooperate (namely, absolute zero tolerance with extreme prejudice towards them or their families being threatened over their cooperation).

Trump said he was "not surprised" by Pelosi's decision, unrelatedly claiming that Democrats have "become radicalized."
Gee, why am I not surprised that he said that? Seriously, fuck him and McConnell and the rest of the GOP to the deepest depths of Hell.

Hundreds of IRS employees were told to skip work during the shutdown due to financial hardship, despite the Trump administration ordering at least 30,000 IRS workers back to their offices.
Well, at least somebody in the executive branch has either a living conscience or the bare acceptable minimum of pragmatic sensibility concerning this situation's impact on the poor employees. Good on them.

The shutdown has impeded FBI efforts to crack down on child trafficking, violent crime, and terrorism due to funding freezes.
But Trump is tough on crime!

poll/ 54% blame Trump and the GOP for the shutdown, while 35% blame the Democrats in Congress. (Politico)
Good numbers, right?

Edited by MarqFJA on Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:51:40 PM

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#268368: Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:50:23 PM

Good numbers, right

Absolutely, it's refreshing to see the public blame the proper people.

Especially consider IIRC they previously blamed the Democratic Party 41%, so if that's accurate then public opinion has strongly shifted against the Republicans.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#268369: Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:52:37 PM

I’m still watching approval among republicans-they’re the ones who could really turn the tides.

CookingCat Since: Jul, 2018
#268370: Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:55:40 PM

Mitch Mc Connell had federal workers and union leaders arrested for protesting against him to open up the government: https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/23/politics/arrests-mcconnell-office-protesters/index.html

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#268371: Jan 23rd 2019 at 4:55:52 PM

[up][up] Are you including the Republicans who would actually identify as such if it weren't for the fact that Trump has taken over the GOP and made it too unpalatable for them to identify with said party, and so either remain silent about their true affiliation and refrain from participating in surveys that are intended to gauge the Republican base's opinion?

[up] ... WTF?! That cannot be legal at all. Please tell me this gives the federal government (irrespective of branch) a justification to directly involve themselves.

Edited by MarqFJA on Jan 23rd 2019 at 3:56:54 PM

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#268372: Jan 23rd 2019 at 5:02:37 PM

Fuck that garbage person. Fuck the law making it illegal to go on strike. Hell, maybe even union leaders will need to go on strike anyway if the situation gets desparate.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#268373: Jan 23rd 2019 at 5:02:39 PM

Mitch: I AM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#268374: Jan 23rd 2019 at 5:04:56 PM

Are you including the Republicans who would actually identify as such if it weren't for the fact that Trump has taken over the GOP and made it too unpalatable for them to identify with said party, and so either remain silent about their true affiliation and refrain from participating in surveys that are intended to gauge the Republican base's opinion?

Tangentially this is exactly why Trump's stable approval rating hasn't been as significant as it may first appear, Republicans still hold a high opinion of him partially because fewer and fewer people identify as Republican. Hence why we see places like Orange County in California vote for a Democrat for the first time in decades.

I’m still watching approval among republicans-they’re the ones who could really turn the tides.

It seems to be, an NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist poll found that his approval rating has dropped 7 points since December, dramatically his support amongst suburban men dropped by 18 points(!), and support from men without college degrees dropped by 7 points.

Honestly, if anything could crack his base I think it could be this, if the shutdown drags on and wrecks the economy then I could absolutely see a civil war amongst his base.

It's one thing to cheer Trump on when he hurts the out-group (which is why you supported him) but when he destroys your community then that's hurting the in-group and thus is completely different.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Jan 23rd 2019 at 8:05:58 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#268375: Jan 23rd 2019 at 5:07:31 PM

I remind people that Trump's supporters are the rich and the upper middle class. He was never beloved by the poor lonely masses.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.

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