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

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#165601: Jan 6th 2017 at 5:39:36 PM

The danger isn't dictatorship in the conventional sense, it's what's known as illiberal democracy.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165602: Jan 6th 2017 at 5:42:21 PM

Oh, and speaking of We the People...

Never thought I'd be saying this, but given the times, Captain Kirk actually has a damn point.tongue

Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#165603: Jan 6th 2017 at 5:43:37 PM

The danger isn't dictatorship in the conventional sense, it's what's known as illiberal democracy.

Case in point: Putin's Russia.

"All you Fascists bound to lose."
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#165604: Jan 6th 2017 at 5:46:45 PM

Pretty much. The thing about Putin is that he wins legitimately every time and is acting perfectly within the Russian constitution and government limitations without altering them.

On paper at least, he's not doing anything wrong.

edited 6th Jan '17 5:47:04 PM by LeGarcon

Oh really when?
Lanceleoghauni Cyborg Helmsman from Z or R Twice Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In my bunk
#165605: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:23:01 PM

the fact that those rules conveniently change whenever he wants them to is completely immaterial.

"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#165606: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:24:44 PM

Nah he's followed them pretty well for the most part. He and his party just have such an overwhelming supermajority in every branch of government and control over the media that he can just do whatever.

Oh really when?
TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#165607: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:28:02 PM

Holy shit.

Rachel Maddow is dragging Trump.

"He blatantly, explicitly, and OUTRIGHT Lied."

Finally someone calling this shit like it is.

New Survey coming this weekend!
TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#165608: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:29:14 PM

[up] It won't matter. The people who voted Trump didn't listen to her before the election, and they're not going to now.

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
Lanceleoghauni Cyborg Helmsman from Z or R Twice Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In my bunk
#165609: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:34:28 PM

I mean, as I've been saying for months, who CARES that he's lied, AGAIN. He's done nothing BUT lie. Again and again the media, and congress, and anyone with the ability to hypothetically /do something/ about it have failed to. Trump will never stop lying because it's obvious that he can say and do whatever he wants and get away with it because he's the goddamn president.

edited 6th Jan '17 6:37:00 PM by Lanceleoghauni

"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#165611: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:47:14 PM

Statements about the latest lie are not necessarily just for Don T voters. The people who voted against him might want any and all means to stay grounded in reality.

edited 6th Jan '17 6:47:42 PM by CenturyEye

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#165612: Jan 6th 2017 at 6:51:07 PM

Concerning Russia (and Turkey for that matter): Having an elected leader doesn't make a democracy even if he plays by the rules. Part of having a democracy is allowing critical voices to be heard and taken into consideration no matter who the current leader is. Putin and Erdogan are both infamous for brutaly squashing dissenting voices.

Considering Trump's track record with critic, it might take four years until the US is a true democracy again.....

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#165613: Jan 6th 2017 at 7:23:26 PM

It matters that someone in the media is calling him out on a lie (and the one she's calling him out on is actually new and pretty goddamn idiotic for him to have done it, but I'm not surprised he's doing something stupid) needs to be done, regardless of whether or not we think anyone's listening. Because it's for goddamned sure that if no one says anything, no one will hear it.

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#165614: Jan 6th 2017 at 7:26:04 PM

[up][up] Four years sounds like an incredibly optimistic projection to me. A failure of democracy imperils election integrity by its very nature. Right now, there's very little to stop 2020 from being a repeat of 2016 - only worse, because Trump, Putin, and the GOP will have had an extra four years of unchecked deck-stacking.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165615: Jan 6th 2017 at 7:26:16 PM

The US isn't going to become Russian or Turkey anytime soon. Believe it or not, all this has happened before. One party controlling all three branches of gov't, rampant corruption, plutocrats pulling the strings, demagogues getting elected to the highest offices. We've been there and overcome it all before.

The thing that keeps saving us? They're wrong. They are always wrong. They don't know how to run an economy, how to keep the country safe, how to keep the peace. Trump will screw up, as inevitably as every would-be tyrant always does. And when he does, the mob that elected him will throw him to the curb just as quickly as that.

Is there anyone in this thread who thinks Trump actually knows how to grow the economy or restore American employment? Anyone? OK, then stop worrying, and get ready. 2018 will be here before we know it, and we dont have any time to waste. Don't get depressed, just get involved.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#165616: Jan 6th 2017 at 7:29:50 PM

Trump's also a childish asshole who can't leave well enough alone. Bush and Pence have enough brains to just shut up and act quietly when they're insulted; Trump howls about it. It's dangerous when the Republicans are moving behind the scenes and Trump is in the spotlight, but if we can get Trump talking about what's going on...

[up]We've never had outside interference like this before, though.

edited 6th Jan '17 7:30:53 PM by JBC31187

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165617: Jan 6th 2017 at 7:42:40 PM

Of course we have, in both legal, and illegal forms. We are far too important for other countries to leave us alone.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#165618: Jan 6th 2017 at 8:09:45 PM

[up][up] This is, even if we never had, there's no way the Russians' could maintain Trump in Non-Election years. You'd need to have a large amount of Russian Troops, Diplomats and Business men to keep Trump in Position for more then a year (at best), otherwise their whole system falls apart, and most Republicans would never allow Russia to do something like that, let alone Democrats or Independents.

Trump might have won an Election with Russian Help, but American Democracy (and Democracy in General) is more then just Elections. Trump will be criticized, hampered, blocked, and (if push comes to shove) removed if the need arise, and unless Russia is willing to go to war to save Trump, then their plan will fail because they don't understand Democracy (and American Democracy) enough.

edited 6th Jan '17 8:11:26 PM by DingoWalley1

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#165619: Jan 6th 2017 at 8:16:12 PM

Putin understands us just fine. But he would never have had this much success if the Obama administration hadn't basically handed him his victories. We could have clipped his wings long ago, if we had taken him seriously enough. We didn't, and here we are. But Trump's ego is too big for their love affair to go on much longer. The two will have a falling out, over what I don't know, but they both want too much control for themselves to cooperate much longer.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#165620: Jan 6th 2017 at 9:30:48 PM

The intel report: Yes, it may be stuff we already know, but it's a big deal anyway - it's official now, not limited to journalists, cybersecurity types and anonymous government officials saying that it's the case.

It's a lot harder to run from it now.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#165621: Jan 6th 2017 at 10:04:32 PM

I'm kind of surprised that so many business people back Trump when it has been discussed that he's apparently not so bueno at it.

Do not obey in advance.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#165622: Jan 6th 2017 at 10:19:28 PM

[up] Two things: Deregulation and corporate tax cuts.

Of course, actually smart business people are worried because Trump is an idiot who may very well screw up the global economy.

Disgusted, but not surprised
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#165623: Jan 7th 2017 at 4:50:42 AM

Trump and his debts to Wall Street.

Here is the too rich to be answer corporate and Wall Street interest groups candidate.

[down]b-b-b-b-but her emais!

edited 7th Jan '17 5:29:53 AM by AngelusNox

Inter arma enim silent leges
JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#165624: Jan 7th 2017 at 5:19:42 AM

Ah, but you see, Clinton gave a speech once...

TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#165625: Jan 7th 2017 at 6:24:00 AM

It's a damn shame too.

Obama (and to some extent Hillary's) biggest failing is believing in the innate goodness in people and that above all else the average person will see reason.

That just isn't the case.

New Survey coming this weekend!

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