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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.

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

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#290776: Sep 23rd 2019 at 5:48:24 PM

Trump is too stupid to dismantle the US Hegemony but it's not from lack of trying.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
KazuyaProta Shin Megami Tensei IV from A Industrial Farm Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#290778: Sep 23rd 2019 at 6:43:15 PM

A US soldier is being charged with plotting to blow up a "major US news network," join a far-right militia in Ukraine, and possibly planning to assassinate Beto O'Rourke.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#290779: Sep 23rd 2019 at 6:46:49 PM

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas, Smith revealed his plans to a confidential source to bomb a “major American news network.” Smith allegedly said, “A large vehicle bomb. Fill a vehicle full of [various explosive materials] then fill a ping pong ball with [commonly available chemical] via drilling then injection. Put the ball in the tank of the vehicle and leave. 30 minutes later, BOOM.” The complaint’s affiant noted Smith’s instructions would not lead to a viable explosive.

Not exactly a criminal mastermind here.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#290780: Sep 23rd 2019 at 6:53:41 PM

Isolationism doesn't mean pacifism. Falling back on hard power and shunning soft power is actually completely consistent with this narrative of US retreat, the prediction there being that once that hard power refuses to budge things the US will "take its ball and go home."

If you're falling back on hard power instead of soft power then you're literally not doing isolationism, in that they're both how you interact with others y'know the exact opposite of being properly isolationist.

Trump would be isolationist if he was unilaterally withdrawing from US commitments overseas, slashing the size of the military, leaving international organizations, or some combination of the previous things.

But he has done nothing of the sort, as you say, he has merely moved from soft power to focusing on hard power. Which, I repeat, is in no way isolationism.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#290781: Sep 23rd 2019 at 7:05:53 PM

If Trump were a proper isolationist he'd be going back to play in his corner of the sandbox, not go around kicking sand at other kids' sandcastles and insisting they listen to him.

Disgusted, but not surprised
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#290782: Sep 23rd 2019 at 7:33:30 PM

I disagree, is rethoric is pretty much build of "do what you have too, I dont care" except he want US to bully others.

Is just petty self interest, US wont meddle in anyone buissnes except when it need something, that it.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
KazuyaProta Shin Megami Tensei IV from A Industrial Farm Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Shin Megami Tensei IV
#290783: Sep 23rd 2019 at 8:23:27 PM

Maybe we can word it on other way.

After people complaining about how USA were self serving hypocrites that didn't had any humanitarian concern at all, Trump went "Yeah, USA don't care for anything, even alliances, because we're so cool

Watch me destroying my country
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#290784: Sep 23rd 2019 at 9:23:40 PM

A few earthquakes have hit off the coast of Puerto Rico over the past hour or so, starting with a 6.3 at about 11:23 pm AST. No tsunami warnings at this time.

Edited by tclittle on Sep 23rd 2019 at 11:24:08 AM

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#290785: Sep 24th 2019 at 2:37:15 AM

This just in, Trump is still a dick, news at 11.

Trump mocks teen climate activist

President Donald Trump mocked 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg on Twitter late Monday.

Posting a fatalistic statement the Swedish teen had made earlier Monday at the United Nations’ special meeting on climate change, Trump tweeted: “She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!“

[...]

Thunberg has developed an international following for her persistent efforts to get the international community to combat climate change, particularly winning support among young people. Trump’s tweet contained one of her quotes from her U.N. remarks Monday: ”People are suffering, people are dying, entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth.”

Michael Knowles referred to Thunberg as “a mentally ill Swedish child who is being exploited by her parents and by the international left," but at least Fox issued an apology for him being a dick.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#290786: Sep 24th 2019 at 3:00:43 AM

Took me a while to see that Trump's comment was sarcastic. That Knowles "statement" on the other hand...

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#290788: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:16:08 AM

I'm picturing a certain knight charging at a Trump shaped windmill

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#290789: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:36:12 AM

Trump is saying he'll release the phone transcripts tomorrow.

NickTheSwing Since: Aug, 2009
#290790: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:36:44 AM

[up][up] Except his impeachable actions have been well documented, so this is absolutely not a windmill thing. Impeachment is the only right course of action as the President has shown he has no respect for the rules and laws governing his position.

Much like, early on, he said he was gonna release his tax returns. Then he said they were too complicated, and then he tried to stifle any talk about it.

Edited by NickTheSwing on Sep 24th 2019 at 11:37:29 AM

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#290791: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:44:24 AM

Are we going to talk the pro and con of impechement again?.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#290792: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:48:26 AM

Might be a moot conversation. Sources are saying Pelosi is calling up all the Democrats in the House to announce an official impeachment committee.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#290793: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:49:29 AM

So did they wear her down or was he refusal always just biding time?

TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#290794: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:51:21 AM

More and more Democrats have been warming to impeachment, so it's the former most likely. By all appearances, Pelosi really doesn't want to do this for perceived political backlash and is only willing to cave now because of the pressure.

Edited by TheRoguePenguin on Sep 24th 2019 at 11:52:40 AM

KazuyaProta Shin Megami Tensei IV from A Industrial Farm Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Shin Megami Tensei IV
#290795: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:54:51 AM

Ahem. People, look at the sticker

Watch me destroying my country
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#290796: Sep 24th 2019 at 11:59:14 AM

[up] There is no rule against posting impeachment-related news, though.

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#290797: Sep 24th 2019 at 12:06:59 PM

Hopefully it will stick to that and discussion of the objective motives and validity of the news rather than the revolving circlejerk that is discussion of the subjective morality/merits of impeachment.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#290798: Sep 24th 2019 at 12:08:28 PM

Apparently Pelosi has been consulting with other Democratic leaders for a couple of days now. Trump actively trying to get a foreign government to interfere in the 2020 election is what pushed her over the edge.

singularityshot Since: Dec, 2012
#290799: Sep 24th 2019 at 12:13:15 PM

We kind of got stuck on the political advantages / disadvantages because it was a hypothetical. If Pelosi has come to the conclusion that it's go time and hypothetical turns to reality then the discussion of "should we Impeach" is moot - it's happening and we'll see in due course if or not it was the right decision.

Alea iacta est, as Julius Caesar supposedly said.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#290800: Sep 24th 2019 at 12:15:58 PM

Biden is also expected to announce his support for impeachment. I'm surprised he held off for so long.


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