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

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#343876: Dec 17th 2020 at 10:33:47 AM

More info on Biden's EPA pick:

"His previous work aligns with many of Biden's climate goals. Regan's previous time at EPA centered on air and energy programs. And in North Carolina, he formed an Environmental Justice and Equality Board for DEQ and helped craft the state's plans to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Biden has pledged to make environmental justice and the disproportionate burden of pollution faced by communities of color a cornerstone of his environmental agenda.

If confirmed, Regan would be the second African American to lead the department and would join a team of other high-ranking environmental regulators set to be part of the Biden administration."

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#343877: Dec 17th 2020 at 10:45:39 AM

The thing is, Trump is still rich and still has powerful friends, and he has plenty of options for getting out of trouble that the regular citizen wouldn't have access to. Heck, just being a former president already does a lot to protect him.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
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
#343878: Dec 17th 2020 at 10:52:37 AM

I’d argue that Trump has no actual friends, his entire orbit is grifters, the only person willing to help him because they cared (as opposed to because it gained them something) was Cohen.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#343879: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:01:42 AM

I agree. They are all thieves, not friends.

But it would be horribly inconvenient for them if Trump was caught - he is a stupid liability who was profitable for a while. And sure they do not need him know but he is definitely petty enough to get back at anyone.

There is No Honor Among Thieves.

But there is benefit in not letting him give the others weapons.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#343880: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:08:40 AM

I approve of the fact Trump is sucking up massive GOP funds from the Georgia race and attention.

Let him burn them all.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#343881: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:23:51 AM

An interesting thing that Business Insider article brings up is that Trump seems to really believe the election was stolen from him, with all the misinformation that he's been fed.

It's rather ironic that President Fake News is absolutely incapable of distinguishing between real and fake news, and very susceptible to it himself.

Oh, and here is the full CNN article that BI article was basically cribbing from.

Edited by Redmess on Dec 17th 2020 at 8:31:06 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343882: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:31:02 AM

House Democrats alongide Warren and Schumer in the Senate are calling for Biden to forgive $50K of student debt

I think this is a good barometer of how Biden is going to use executive orders. Does he want to actually help people and make things better, or is he going to get nothing done?

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Dec 17th 2020 at 11:37:49 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#343883: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:32:04 AM

Agreed, this would be a good marker of his actual intentions as president.

Another interesting quote from the CNN article:

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc Connell acknowledged Biden as the president-elect for the first time, and commenced an effort to prevent Republicans from waging a last-ditch effort to overturn the will of voters — even as Trump encourages that effort and shuts down any talk of leaving the White House. Overnight, Trump lashed out at Mc Connell.

That seems to be the end of Mitch backing Trump, then, if he's willing to openly oppose Trump on trying to overturn the election.

Edited by Redmess on Dec 17th 2020 at 8:33:33 PM

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
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
#343884: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:41:18 AM

I’d be shocked if this doesn’t mean that Biden is onboard, it’d be a weird situation for the Dem senate leader to publicly push Biden to do something without them having discussed it first.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#343885: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:45:58 AM

Okay, that BI article basically just copied out/paraphrased parts of that CNN article. What kind of journalism is that?

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#343886: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:46:04 AM

I could have sworn Biden said he was already planning on doing this? I might be misremembering however.

HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#343887: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:49:48 AM

I remember it being part of his campaign promises as well, though I don't really remember what the exact amount he would actually forgive.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343888: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:51:16 AM

I could have sworn Biden said he was already planning on doing this? I might be misremembering however.

He didn't promise to cancel 50K of student debt, IIRC it was some weak number like 10k.

I’d be shocked if this doesn’t mean that Biden is onboard, it’d be a weird situation for the Dem senate leader to publicly push Biden to do something without them having discussed it first.

You could be right, but I don't think it could be that weird. These kinds of calls are about putting pressure on him, and in Schumer's case giving himself some progressive brownie points to get re-elected, I'd say it's compatible with him not making up his mind yet.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#343889: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:53:49 AM

I assume the 50k is per person?

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343890: Dec 17th 2020 at 11:56:03 AM

[up]You assume correctly.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Dec 17th 2020 at 11:56:18 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343891: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:03:11 PM

Biden names Haaland as Interior secretary pick

Oh, that's wonderful, Haaland is a great choice. This is definitely a choice that I am unambiguously happy with, Biden made an excellent decision.

"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
#343892: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:05:47 PM

Darn it, I was going to post that like twenty minutes ago but work got in the way.

Darn you, Spartan, darn you to heck!

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343893: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:09:12 PM

[lol]

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
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
#343894: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:22:47 PM

I was looking at potential Interior secretary picks earlier and wondered if Biden would pick a Native-American to lead the department, glad to see he has.

There really aren’t many posts left to be announced, how quickly do we normally get a full set announced? I’m still standing by my bet that the AG pick has been done but isn’t being announced yet for political reasons.

Also still no Republicans, it’s possible we won’t get any unless Biden both needs to do something fancy with the senate and is able to.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#343895: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:30:47 PM

I think Lloyd Austin is an independent.

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
#343896: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:38:48 PM

He might be registered one way or the other, but until he retired in 2016 publicly identifying with a specific party would have gotten him in trouble.

Speaking of him, any word on if he’s be leaving the board of Ratheon (a massive defence contractor) and divesting himself of his stocks?

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343897: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:43:49 PM

Thankfully it's looking like Biden isn't going to appoint a Republican.

When their party is doing their best to not just generally harm the nation but actively seize control and subjugate his supporters it would be sickening to give a single one of them any position of authority.

"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
#343898: Dec 17th 2020 at 12:46:33 PM

I do recall the Pod Save the World hosts had cautious optimism about Austin, but expressed frustration that Biden was continuing the trend of Democratic presidents not picking Democrats to run their Defense Departments.

Haaland for Interior had been discussed for some time now, but always with the caveat that picking her would narrow the already slim majority the Democrats have in the House. But then just yesterday Pelosi came out in favor of nominating Haaland, so I guess whatever concerns they had were taken care of behind closed doors.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#343899: Dec 17th 2020 at 1:03:33 PM

Her district is safe Blue, I don't think there's any risk of a Republican getting elected.

(though of course, that's an understandable concern)

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Dec 17th 2020 at 1:03:58 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#343900: Dec 17th 2020 at 1:13:59 PM

With regards to Trump leaving the White House, Trump is famously a paper tiger. He talks a big talk but he's too much of a coward to actually put himself on the firing line. When push came to shove, he has always backed down.

I'll believe Trump will try to bunker in at the White House (and be subsequently removed by Secret Service) when I see it. When the time comes, I fully expect him to retreat to Mar-a-Lago with his tail between his legs.

EDIT: That, incidentally, is also why Trump will never actually go beyond stochastic terrorism in his meltdown. Trump is going to spend the rest of his days ranting to his base about how SOMEONE should do something and SOMEONE should stop the Dems and SOMEONE needs to deal with the Mexicans, etc. etc. But he'll never say anything that sounds like directly giving any sort of order, because he doesn't want to be legally on the hook for anything they do.

The First Amendment protects stochastic terrorism like "Maybe one of those Second Amendment people might do something about Hillary if she tries to take the guns away," but it won't protect him if he ever says anything like, "Go murder Hillary Clinton." He knows that. So he doesn't.

Edited by TobiasDrake on Dec 17th 2020 at 1:20:17 AM

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.

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