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

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#168451: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:13:12 AM

Concerning Mccain...

The most sympathetic explanation for his desire to tow the line is because he might be worried that whoever the GOP sends to primary him might be even worse. It's the only real way he can still hold on to what little principles he has left.

Edit: That said...yeah, screw him. Granting a spotlight and legitimacy to the likes of Sarah Palin really got the ball rolling on the GOP's anti-intellectualism.

edited 23rd Jan '17 7:14:18 AM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#168452: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:20:40 AM

Well, Schumer is trying to spearhead a bill that would restrict Trump's ability to roll back the Russia sanctions. If McCain doesn't throw his full weight behind that, then we'll truly know him for a posturing weasel.

"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.
#168453: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:22:32 AM

Mccain has been banking on his reputation as a Nam vet for forty years, but when he's actually voting, he's exactly the same as any bargain bin Republican. Honestly, he's a better charlatan than Trump could ever be — people actually like him.

"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."
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#168454: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:29:18 AM

I lost all respect for Mccain after that sad little video of him running away from a reporter.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Beholderess from Moscow Since: Jun, 2010
#168455: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:39:44 AM

As a Russian (who, for the record, hates both Trump and Putin and is against everything Trump stands for), I'd say that lifting the sanctions and generally leaving Russia alone might be the single good thing that comes from out of it. It's about freaking time. A lot of people I know are worried that Clinton would have declared a war on Russia.

If we disagree, that much, at least, we have in common
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#168456: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:40:03 AM

Oh, yep - Rubio is going to back Tillerson as well. Say goodbye to national sovereignty, a livable environment, and not being at war with China, I suppose.

I swear to God. The GOP have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
TacticalFox88 from USA Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Dating the Doctor
#168457: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:40:08 AM

https://patribotics.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/dear-mr-putin-lets-play-chess-louise-mensch-trump-russia/

I'm usually not one for conspiracies but when it's well sourced as this with direct links it's hard not to come that conclusion.

Putin played us like an orchestra

New Survey coming this weekend!
theLibrarian Since: Jul, 2009
#168458: Jan 23rd 2017 at 7:59:33 AM

I wonder if a candidate being proven to have gotten help from an outside nation would invalidate their presidency.

math792d Since: Jun, 2011 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#168459: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:00:16 AM

[up] In a sane and rational world, perhaps.

But we are in America.

Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#168460: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:02:11 AM

Various officials and experts have already said that in any other self-respecting democracy, this election would be declared invalid and a new one would be held. Hell, I think that happened a couple times last year.

But we're in 'Murrica. It's apparent by now that we are not a self-respecting democracy. Hell, at this rate, pretty soon we're not even going to be a democracy.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#168461: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:05:29 AM

Also, in case people missed it - Mc Cain and Graham are going to vote to confirm Tillerson, despite all their tough talk on Russia. And Rubio seems to be teetering.

Cowards. Just goes to show - the GOP always falls in line.

I actually wonder how much of it is them falling in line, and how much is panic over how empty the Executive Branch is right now. 690 position require confirmation and Trump's nominated 28. Right now, a monkey could probably be confirmed for a Cabinet position because the alternative is another empty chair.

Which might actually be Trump's plan for getting his cronies confirmed. Trickle them in a little at a time so Congress is desperate to have anyone in that seat,

edited 23rd Jan '17 8:05:46 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#168462: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:06:37 AM

[up][up][up] Quite. Normally America is the one interfering with foreign elections and overthrowing governments when the people elect somebody we don't like. tongue

[up] In terms of Tillerson specifically, when the alternative is fucking Bolton, I'll take the ruthless oil baron with questionable business ties any day over that man.

edited 23rd Jan '17 8:08:12 AM by CaptainCapsase

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#168463: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:12:14 AM

[up][up] Well, Trump has made a career out of taking advantage of opportunities created by his own incompetence. Always at the expense of everyone but himself and his cronies.

Disgusted, but not surprised
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#168464: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:21:22 AM

I wonder if a candidate being proven to have gotten help from an outside nation would invalidate their presidency.
In a sane and rational world, perhaps.

But we are in America.

Various officials and experts have already said that in any other self-respecting democracy, this election would be declared invalid and a new one would be held. Hell, I think that happened a couple times last year.

But we're in 'Murrica. It's apparent by now that we are not a self-respecting democracy. Hell, at this rate, pretty soon we're not even going to be a democracy.

Someone remind me why nobody with the power to do anything about this — namely, Obama as the head of the civilian government's executive branch, and the US Armed Forces top leadership as the collective head of the military — did what sane and rational leaders would do when faced with the prospect of having the country they're sworn to serve and protect on the verge of an internal coup by a combination of unabashed fascists, kleptocrats, other sorts of madmen, and treasonous collaborators/enablers: call out the election as a sham and order an immediate redo while tearing down the intelligence agencies a new one for letting the Russians get away with all they did.

edited 23rd Jan '17 8:22:52 AM by MarqFJA

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#168465: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:24:31 AM

Is it bad if I'd actually prefer the empty seat to most of Trump's nominees? Trump/Pence working out of an empty Executive branch trying desperately to get anything done feels like an appropriate response to Trump's BS. We keep lowering our standards of governance for him out of fear for what would happen if we didn't, and he knows we'll do it.

Trump is basically playing chicken with the fate of the nation. I say let the train hit him.

edited 23rd Jan '17 8:24:41 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#168466: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:24:48 AM

Because they consider the riots and potential civil war that would come from that even worse.

And more than half the military supports Trump anyway.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#168467: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:25:14 AM

[up][up][up] I don't think that Obama would have been the right person to do it, this would have been the job of the Congress.

[up]Civil war and public unrest might now happen anyway.

edited 23rd Jan '17 8:26:09 AM by Swanpride

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#168468: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:27:17 AM

[up]civil war? no, pulbic unrest? yeah, that is bound to happen as trump become more and more erratic.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#168469: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:40:20 AM

Actually, there has so far been no proof that the Trump team did anything illegal. Russia certainly did hack emails in an attempt to help Trump get elected, but provided Trump lent no material aid to that he's legally in the clear. Thats why they are suing him over his business connections and not the email thing. Now that could change if new evidence were uncovered...

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#168470: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:40:29 AM

If only Obama hadn't slashed veterans' pensions...

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#168471: Jan 23rd 2017 at 8:58:40 AM

[up]Why did he do that? Was it some kind of "grand bargain with the GOP" thing?

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#168472: Jan 23rd 2017 at 9:06:16 AM

Just saw a notification that Trump signed an executive order to formally withdraw from the trans-Pacific partnership

"Trump signs order withdrawing U.S. from Trans-Pacific trade deal" - http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-executiveorders-idUSKBN1572AF

edited 23rd Jan '17 9:09:10 AM by sgamer82

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
#168473: Jan 23rd 2017 at 9:08:40 AM

Can he do that? Is that something an executive order has the authority to do?

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#168474: Jan 23rd 2017 at 9:08:53 AM

Great. Now he's going to get credit for that from all the anti-globalists.

[up] Sure. The President has complete latitude in treaty negotiations, up until any result has to be ratified by Congress.

edited 23rd Jan '17 9:09:25 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
FluffyMcChicken My Hair Provides Affordable Healthcare from where the floating lights gleam Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: In another castle

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