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

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#156226: Nov 17th 2016 at 3:42:02 PM

I actually think Bernie's playing chicken with Trump by reminding him of some left-leaning elements of his campaign.

Sanders is calling on Trump to raise the minimum wage to $10 - despite raising a fuss over Clinton's plans for $12 not being good enough - as well as to defend Social Security and Medicare, institute tariffs on companies who ship jobs overseas, and re-regulate Wall Street.

Sanders asserted that these are promises Trump made and that if he shifts to more conventionally conservative positions now to get along with the Republicans in Congress, it exposes him as a fraud.

Sanders is also calling on Trump to get rid of the highly controversial Steve Bannon, the alt-right ringleader Trump appointed as chief strategist.

As for the Democrat party, despite cries from certain members of the party demanding that we move as far away from the Clintons as possible and insisting that this election proved that Hillary is obsolete, Sanders insists that Hillary Clinton has a vital role to play in the party's future.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#156227: Nov 17th 2016 at 3:43:10 PM

Yeah, if your life isn't actually at risk under Trump's policies it's more productive and courageous to remain within the US and effect change from within than dodge the problem altogether. Though it's easy for me to say as someone who's lived in heavily blue states all my life.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156228: Nov 17th 2016 at 3:52:36 PM

But during the 2016 campaign, Ryan did offer the kind of muscular, economics-based critique of Donald Trump that many Democrats in retrospect wish Clinton had offered. Speaking at a rally in Youngstown in October, Ryan dwelled on Trump’s habit of not paying his subcontractors and said, “I don’t mean to be graphic, but this guy to our friends in the trades — to our steelworkers who he’s been treating unfairly, very unfairly — he will, he will gut you and he will walk over your cold dead body and he won’t even flinch.”

We need more of this rhetoric. I want the blue collar workers in America to turn on Trump with a fiery vengeance.

edited 17th Nov '16 3:53:25 PM by Draghinazzo

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156229: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:00:01 PM

@Tactical: Despite his rhetoric, Sanders was reasonably pragmatic during his time in congress, and he knows as well as anyone that a $12.50 minimum wage isn't going to happen with the GOP in congress.

$10.00 an hour is something even most of the Republican establishment agreed upon however.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:01:48 PM by CaptainCapsase

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#156230: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:04:21 PM

[up][up][up]Or in other words, if I'm a straight white male who's in pretty good health, (which I am,) I shouldn't be racing towards the border with my arms flailing and screaming like a ninny?tongue

carbon-mantis Collector Of Fine Oddities from Trumpland Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Collector Of Fine Oddities
#156231: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:07:02 PM

Rumor mill has it that Trump is eyeing Romney for secretary of state.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156232: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:07:31 PM

Even if the Republicans choose to repeal Obamacare and delay dismantling it, it would still have horrible consequences.

The experts I’ve talked to over the past few days argue that a repeal vote would give health insurers good reason to quit the marketplaces — and that could leave 10.4 million Obamacare marketplace enrollees in the lurch.

“If we don’t know what the replacement plan looks like, many insurers might drop out of the marketplace or price very conservatively, charging a lot more because of the risk and uncertainty in the market,” says Topher Spiro, vice president for health policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress.

Insurers need to make decisions far in advance about whether they’ll sell on the marketplaces. As Spiro pointed out in a recent report, insurers need to tell the government by May 2017 whether they’ll participate in 2018.

So let’s say we’re in May 2017 and Republicans have indeed gone the repeal-and-delay route. They’ve passed a bill that ends Obamacare in January 2019 (right after the midterms) and are starting to debate replacement plans. Insurance executives can’t wait for legislators to delay repeal when they get close to the deadline — they need to decide this spring whether they want to sell on the Obamacare marketplaces.

“Carriers have to rejigger everything,” Laszewski says. “They have to make decisions very early about whether to be in.”

Insurers won’t know who will sign up for coverage in the face of uncertainty either. But it seems safe to expect that the sickest people, who value their coverage the most, would be the most likely to stick around.

“[Insurers] would not know how enrollees might react to the uncertainty in 2018,” Spiro says. “In general, the sickest ones would be the least likely to drop coverage, resulting in a sicker risk pool.”

Even before Trump’s election, when Obamacare’s future seemed secure, the Obama administration sometimes struggled to get insurers on board. There have been multiple instances where no insurers wanted to sell in certain rural, low-population counties. The Obama administration had to swoop in at the last minute and convince at least one plan to sell.

Again, that was before Trump’s election. So think about what an undesirable business the marketplaces become when you’re given notice that the whole thing will shut down in two years.

[up] Romney as the Token Good Teammate (for a certain value of "good")? That'd be kind of funny given that afaik Romney's been one of the only republicans with a spine by not falling in line to support Trump.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:08:38 PM by Draghinazzo

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
carbon-mantis Collector Of Fine Oddities from Trumpland Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Married to my murderer
Collector Of Fine Oddities
#156234: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:11:37 PM

[up]Reuters cites a confidential source.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:11:48 PM by carbon-mantis

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156235: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:13:40 PM

I find it unlikely Romney will get the job unless Paul Ryan and other Republican leaders grow a spine and demand he gets in the cabinet as a compromise, because Trump's history and disposition suggests he wants a cabinet of sycophants and yesmen.

KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#156236: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:15:51 PM

What's Romney's stance on foreign policy, anyway?

Oh God! Natural light!
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#156237: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:16:25 PM

Isn't Romney pretty sincere in his hatred of Trump and everything he stands for? Unless this is Trump's attempt at to bribe Romney into backing down or to convince the rest of the Republican party into supporting him.

[up]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Mitt_Romney#Foreign_policy

Uh, I guess he's not the worst out there. I don't remember too much of his governorship in Massachusetts but I remember him being fairly moderate during his time there, and thinking that most of his rightward shift in the 2012 election seemed like a way to placate the far right during the primaries and that he would revert to being more moderate once actually in office, were he to win. Of course it's possible his centrism during his governorship was itself a concession to Massachusetts' liberalism and his views during the 2012 race were more reflective of his real ones, though the timing of his supposedly "evolved" stances on things makes me think otherwise.

If the offer's sincere then part of me hopes Romney accepts the position to stave off the worst of Trump's tendencies and doesn't let up in his criticism because of it. Despite his business background Romney seems sincere in his desire to actually be a leader and politician as opposed to purely using the power to benefit himself. An anti-Trump if you will. My mother actually likes him and is convinced he's a more honest politician than most Republicans because he's already wealthy and therefore less vulnerable to lobbying than the rest of the party.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:28:20 PM by AlleyOop

thatguythere47 Since: Jul, 2010
#156238: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:20:51 PM

All the more reason for him to accept the job. If Romney really sees himself as a stabilizing and moral source (and Mormons are probably the least-terrible part of the GOP) then having a key position would let him influence policy. Granted I doubt it's really true but this fucking year everything's coming up tails so who the fuck knows.

Is using "Julian Assange is a Hillary butt plug" an acceptable signature quote?
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156239: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:21:42 PM

[up][up] That's why I find him unlikely; Trump seems to be serious about wanting to attempt to normalize relations with Russia, and Romney is vocally anti-Russia, so unless he's willing to work towards that goal, he's not going to be Secretary of State.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:22:10 PM by CaptainCapsase

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#156240: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:28:59 PM

"Uh, I guess he's not the worst out there. I don't remember too much of his governorship in Massachusetts but I remember him being fairly moderate during his time there, and thinking that most of his rightward shift in the 2012 election seemed like a way to placate the far right during the primaries and that he would revert to being more moderate once actually in office, were he to win."

It might actually be the other way around — Massachusetts Republicans tend to be RINO-like; for a Republican to be elected, they have to be extra-vanilla moderate. I mean, Charlie Baker commands 70% approval ratings purely on his ability to be a complete cypher.

"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."
Demonic_Braeburn Yankee Doodle Dandy from Defective California Since: Jan, 2016
Yankee Doodle Dandy
#156241: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:30:51 PM

Senator Tim Kaine: No plans to run for president in 2020.

Donald Trump Holds Meetings With Governor Nikki Haley, Governor Rick Scott and Henry Kissinger.

Also according to the Rumor Mill, Senator Jeff Sessions might be our new Attorney General.

Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist wins seat in US House.

He just won't give up.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:31:58 PM by Demonic_Braeburn

Any group who acts like morons ironically will eventually find itself swamped by morons who think themselves to be in good company.
blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#156242: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:33:02 PM

Wait Jeff sessions is Alabamian, isn't he? Does this mean the Senate loses its majority?

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156243: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:33:46 PM

[up][up] Uggh, Kissinger. If it weren't for the fact that Trump is an ignoramus, I imagine he'd be perfectly fine with Trump's ruthless realpolitik.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:33:55 PM by CaptainCapsase

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#156244: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:35:05 PM

>Attorney General Jeff Sessions

UGH.

>Charlie Crist

Well let's hope he actually sticks to the Democratic party line in exchange for them letting him in, instead of being a nakedly opportunistic DINO. Though he was already from the critically endangered race of moderate Republicans so maybe he would've anyway.

[up][up] I figure Alabama is already safely red so they'd just appoint another Republican as a replacement.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:37:19 PM by AlleyOop

PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#156245: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:36:17 PM

Perhaps Romney is a pick to show a sign of legitmacy from Trump's administration. I sincerely doubt he can find 4000 sycophants that easily. So Romney might be an attempt by Trump, grinding his teeth in annoyance, to find someone to join his administration who isn't a 100% patsy, as there's reports Trump's team keeps scaring people off from joining.

blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#156246: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:39:21 PM

Lol classmates from my university recently signed a petition to stop Senator Sessions from making a graduation speech there. He keeps shooting down public funds for universities, particularly financial aid. I dunno why the school invited him to begin with

edited 17th Nov '16 4:40:03 PM by blkwhtrbbt

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#156247: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:39:54 PM

Looking at it Romney seems to be one of the least terrible people in the GOP.

He has expressed support for muslims and the religious discrimination they suffer from (if I were charitable I might say it's a personal issue for him; mormons have historically been persecuted for their faith as well), said he would oppose any efforts to ban contraception, supported anti-discrimination laws for LGBT people and women in the workplace (although he's still opposed gay marriage throughout his career), and even supports teaching evolution in schools, all of which firmly puts him head and shoulders above chumps like Pence.

He's far from perfect but compared to the cesspit that the GOP has become he's like a spring breeze.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:41:54 PM by Draghinazzo

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#156248: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:43:33 PM

Romney also consistently attacked Trump and didn't vote for him, if he has any sense of honor he won't accept a position in this regime.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#156249: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:44:18 PM

Yeah, in honest I never got Tumblr's utter hate-on for him that continues to this day. He's way more moderate and reserved than most of the current party, but going by what they say about him you'd think he's literally a less orange Trump. A lot of them still were referring to him Satan even as he was calling out Trump (e.g. many popular posts had the theme of "you know you're bad when even Satan is calling you out on your shit").

[up] Most likely, but I can just as easily see him accepting the position thinking that he can use it to control or counter Trump too.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:49:23 PM by AlleyOop

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#156250: Nov 17th 2016 at 4:44:30 PM

[up][up] Or perhaps he hopes to steer the administration away from near certain disaster, putting his reputation and in a worst case scenario his life on the line.

edited 17th Nov '16 4:44:36 PM by CaptainCapsase


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