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

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165451: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:34:10 PM

Don't give it to Germany just yet. Let's see how their elections turn out first.

Remember, they're Russia's next target. Now that they consider their op in the US complete, they're focusing their efforts on removing Merkel and destabilizing Germany just like they did us.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#165452: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:36:09 PM

Even if Merkel loses, it won't be to populists/the far-right, it will be to a left-of-center party that (from what I understand) is too cowardly/isolationist (but I repeat myself) to stand up to Moscow.

Germany's electoral system doesn't favor minor parties.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165453: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:37:35 PM

That would still be bad, though. We need every world leader we can get to help contain Russian aggression.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#165454: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:41:30 PM

Face it, bratan. America is basically a Russian satrap now.

"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."
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165455: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:49:38 PM

Da.

We'd better start learning to make borscht, comrade.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
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
#165456: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:54:36 PM

Something more groovy for a change.

Newsweek: Obama's farewell party is going to be way more fun than Trump's

While Donald Trump struggles to land big names (or any names) to perform at his inauguration on January 20, the Obamas have corralled a host of A-listers for their final party at the White House, which will take place Friday night.

The White House has yet to announce details, but The Washington Post has reported the guest list is rumored to include Usher, Samuel L. Jackson, Stevie Wonder, George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, Oprah Winfrey and other stars. Bradley Cooper is also expected to attend. As we learned from Dave Chappelle's Saturday Night Live monologue in November, the actor is something of a regular at White House events for some reason. Beyoncé and Jay Z are rumored to perform.

The names of other notable attendees have been leaked since the Post first reported on the event. Paul Mc Cartney, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and bearded recluse David Letterman reportedly will attend. Chicago's own Chance the Rapper confirmed his attendance with a tweet.

The guest list isn't surprising, as the Obamas have become known for their celebrity-laden parties. In August, Will Ferrell, Tyler Perry, Magic Johnson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Samuel L. Jackson, Ellen De Generes, Portia de Rossi, Chris Paul, Common and others were on hand for the president's final birthday party at the White House. In October, the Obamas hosted a "Love and Happiness" concert with BET that featured over 300 guests, including Jackson, Chappelle, Naomi Campbell and, as noted by Chappelle on SNL, Bradley Cooper.

In December, Barack Obama told People magazine that he and Michelle would host one last throw-down from the White House. Meanwhile, Trump can't convince any big names to attend his inauguration. Celebrities, artists, former presidents and local marching bands have all declined to attend or perform, and those who have agreed to perform for the president-elect have done so amidst controversy.

Several members of the Radio City Rockettes have expressed frustration with being forced to dance in D.C. for the event. New York Knicks owner James Dolan, also the executive chairman of the Madison Square Garden Company, which owns the troupe, told the dancers to "tolerate intolerance" and also said that it's "an honor to perform at any presidential inauguration." Also performing on January 20 is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, one member of which has decided to leave the group because of the engagement.

The poor response has caused Trump to tweet about how he wants the "people," not "celebrities," at the event, but he did claim on Wednesday that Jackie Evancho, a 16-year-old singer who has agreed to perform, has seen her album sales "skyrocket" since announcing her involvement. As many have pointed out, this isn't entirely true.

Now let's eagerly await Trump's inevitable angry tweets about his indifference toward celebrities.

I'm grimacing for the inevitable way in which the opposing side is going to try to crash it probably. Security better check every damn drinkable liquid thrice for undesirable materials.

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#165457: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:57:35 PM

We have to make sure Keith Ellison doesn't get polonium slipped into his coffee.

"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."
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165458: Jan 5th 2017 at 9:57:49 PM

[up][up]MICHELLE OBAMA: Uh, honey? I think I found a dead ferret in the punch.

OBAMA: That's not a ferret dear. That's a toupee.

MICHELLE: Oh. Same difference, really.

edited 5th Jan '17 9:58:28 PM by kkhohoho

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165459: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:04:33 PM

God. I don't understand why this isn't a headline, but it sounds like we just lost Obamacare.

So now millions of people are going to die.

Fuck.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#165460: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:09:01 PM

Welcome back to the 19th Century guys....

Fucking hell, why are Republicans evil?

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#165461: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:12:57 PM

[up]they become a political cult: country is party, party is country, so what is good to them is good for the country.

Yeah, that is going to explote in their face soon.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165462: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:19:43 PM

Okay, let me amend that last post - information is scant, but as near as I can tell, the Senate actually just passed (by a three-vote majority) some sort of budget proposal that would fast-track an ACA repeal - and also blocks the Dems from being able to filibuster it. So maybe the battle is lost, but the war continues? I mean, countless lives are at stake.

I'm still confused, so if anybody else has more information, please share. (The budget proposal still has to pass through the House, but the GOP have a deathgrip on the House, so that's a forgone conclusion.)

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165463: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:32:09 PM

[up]Don't know if these are it, but they're the closest thing I can find. Does that help?

edited 5th Jan '17 10:38:26 PM by kkhohoho

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165464: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:37:01 PM

It does, thanks. So it seems like they just successfully passed the first step needed to get an ACA repeal underway - and removed the Dems' ability to filibuster. That's very, very bad.

I think our best and possibly only shot for saving Obamacare is to do like we did with the ethics amendment. Get on the phones and get pissed. Your representatives work for you, so hold their feet to the fire and tell them you want to keep the ACA. This passed with a margin of only a handful of GOP votes - if we had flipped those, we could have stopped this then and there.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165465: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:50:08 PM

I really don't get why they hate ACA so much. Like, most of their agenda, it's at least things that their base seems to want. But here we have a super zealous hatred of a thing that's visibly saved the life of a lot of their voters.

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165466: Jan 5th 2017 at 10:58:27 PM

Because it has Obama's name on it, I think is the main reason. Same reason their voters think they hate it.

Seriously. Polls show that Republican voters love the Affordable Care Act. They just hate Obamacare. And they're too ignorant to know that it's the same damn thing.

It's common now to hear Trumplings saying "I thought they were just going to get rid of Obamacare! I didn't know they were going to get rid of the ACA!"

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#165467: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:04:53 PM

[up][up] The GOP Congresspeople hate it because...(drumroll)...it's partly funded by taxes on wealthy people.

Repealing the ACA will grant tax breaks (yes, even more of those) to rich people. Like, YUUUGE tax breaks. Bigly tax breaks. The best tax breaks.

The GOP doesn't work for their voters. They work for their rich donor class and spend their time and energy conning their voters.

edited 5th Jan '17 11:07:37 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
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
#165468: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:09:12 PM

Newsweek: Bernie Sanders's prime-time town hall

On January 9, Sanders will discuss Democratic strategy under a Trump administration. “We have got to fight back,” Sanders previously told Rachel Maddow. “We have to tell Mr. Trump and his friends that they’re not going to get away with this.”

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165469: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:09:57 PM

[up][up] It'll also cost an estimated $350 billion and destroy millions of jobs, but the GOP scum seem to be ignoring that fact.

They must be aware of it on some level, though, because the House have barred people from being able to count how much repealing the ACA makes the deficit spike. Basically, "we're going to stab you in the gut repeatedly, then forbid you to count how many times."

It bears repeating. The GOP are without decency, and apparently without shame.

[up] Bernie talks big, but I'll start paying attention to him again when he starts backing it up.

I also notice that he complained for months about the primaries being rigged against him (causing major and possibly decisive harm to Clinton's campaign in the process), but has said like maybe three words about Russian meddling in the election.

edited 5th Jan '17 11:12:13 PM by RBluefish

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#165470: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:11:58 PM

I figured that was the case when... well, insert anything the GOP has done since Obama took office, but mostly when McConnell opened his sewer pipe and implied that it would be undemocratic and political sabotage not to confirm a Supreme Court nominee.

Christ.

It's been fun.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#165471: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:12:14 PM

[up][up] The GOP's motto: "Fuck the poor"

And by poor, I mean everyone who can't afford to give the GOP six-figure donations to their campaigns.

As for Sanders...well, I've made my doubts about him known on this thread before.

edited 5th Jan '17 11:16:12 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
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
#165472: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:15:52 PM

Newsweek: A Wall Street firm founded by Donald Trump’s Army secretary nominee violated trading rules for years

A review of U.S. market regulatory filings raises questions about Virtu Financial, Vincent Viola’s high-frequency trading firm.

vandro Shop Owner from The little shop that wasn't Since: Jul, 2009
Shop Owner
#165473: Jan 5th 2017 at 11:44:04 PM

I also notice that he complained for months about the primaries being rigged against him (causing major and possibly decisive harm to Clinton's campaign in the process), but has said like maybe three words about Russian meddling in the election.::

Does leaking questions to one candidate in advance not count as valid rigging? And her team's sheer overconfidence on the Rust Belt cost her the election, not Bernie.

edited 5th Jan '17 11:44:19 PM by vandro

TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#165474: Jan 6th 2017 at 12:40:39 AM

Team Trump tipped to appoint aide William Hagerty as ambassador to Japan

WASHINGTON – Donald Trump plans to appoint William Hagerty, a key member in his transition team, as ambassador to Japan, an aide inside the U.S. president-elect’s inner circle said Wednesday.

Hagerty’s purported appointment, a move that appears to show Trump is placing weight on U.S. ties with Tokyo, has already been conveyed to the Japanese government, the aide said.

Hagerty is in charge of political appointees for Cabinet and other senior posts in the Trump administration, which takes office Jan. 20.

The Tennessee native is said to have close ties with the Republican establishment, partly because he worked for the 2012 presidential campaign for then Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Hagerty also served under the administration of President George H.W. Bush.

Hagerty is no stranger to Japan. He lived in Tokyo for about three years when he was working for the Boston Consulting Group.

He has built ties within Japanese economic circles through his posting to Japan as well as his work as manager for economic development in the state government of Tennessee.

While he served as Tennessee’s Commissioner of Economic Development, which is in charge of trade, jobs and economic growth for the state, Hagerty reportedly helped Japanese companies to start businesses there, earning him a reputation as a Japan sympathizer.

However, some American researchers on Japan say they have “no idea” who Hagerty is.

If Trump nominates Hagerty and Congress confirms his nomination, he will replace Caroline Kennedy, who took up the ambassadorship in Tokyo in 2013.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Kennedy will leave office and return to the United States before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jason Hyland will run the mission until the next U.S. envoy takes office.

Japan’s top spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Thursday he will refrain from commenting on the anticipated appointment of Hagerty, saying, “There has not been an announcement from Mr. Trump’s side.”

Suga told reporters he believes the incoming ambassador’s role is to “develop friendly relations between Japan and the United States.”

Several names have been floated as Trump’s possible choice for ambassador to Japan including Jon Huntsman, a former ambassador to China, and Bobby Valentine, who managed a professional Japanese baseball team.

Trump has so far picked Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as ambassador to China and campaign adviser David Friedman, a bankruptcy lawyer, to serve as ambassador to Israel.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#165475: Jan 6th 2017 at 12:48:43 AM

Given Trump's other picks, I was expecting to hear that this guy oversaw the concentration camps during the War.

It's been fun.

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