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

TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#192301: Jun 7th 2017 at 3:54:47 PM

[up][up] Assuming that the states he won last year are the ones that are behind the decreased approval ratings (and not, say, people who either approved of or didn't care about Trump, while living in high-population blue states like New York and California), and that voter suppression doesn't get worse by 2020.

[up] You'd be amazed how many people worship reality TV and treat political parties like sports teams. I doubt that Trump would have gotten as far as he did if he didn't have The Apprentice behind him, or if he ran outside of the Republican Party.

edited 7th Jun '17 3:56:45 PM by TrashJack

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
IFwanderer use political terms to describe, not insult from Earth Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
use political terms to describe, not insult
#192302: Jun 7th 2017 at 3:55:19 PM

@Hextar: Oh, well, I guess it does defeat the purpose, if you think the purpose of the White House is "governing the country effectively", if the purpose is "All hail GOP!", it helps by weakening the opposition.

@megaeliz: I like that slogan.

[down]Woah, FOX is calling out Trump?

edited 7th Jun '17 3:57:07 PM by IFwanderer

1 2 We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. -KV
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#192304: Jun 7th 2017 at 3:58:08 PM

[up][up][up]Amazed? More like disgusted.

But then, I've never been a sports fan, and personally I find sports fans obnoxious. I guess that explains a few things...

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#192305: Jun 7th 2017 at 3:59:48 PM

Yeah, but what sort of person would consider Trump likable, and want to have a beer with him? I didn't like him way back in The '80s, and I despise him now.

Republicans. His policies are shit but he's an excellent showman, and that counts for a lot. More than facts. Like that $110 billion dollar deal he pulled out of his ass? Doesn't matter that it's a lie, because he already won his political points off it. Our liberal media can report that it was bullshit but his base doesn't listen to the media, they listen to Trump, so that doesn't mean anything to them.

He could literally come out and go, "I just signed a bill that created 50,000 jobs and fixed the economy," and we can spend the next seven months reporting that there is no bill, no jobs created, and the economy's just getting worse. And his base will go, "Trump is the best President ever! Look at all those jobs he created! I mean, I haven't seen any, but they're there!"

Because he said it and they trust him. Because he tells it like it is. Because he never lies. Because he's a REAL MAN and not a politician or a wussy liberal. Because he's the only person in Washington who has a clue and isn't trying to scam you for all you're worth. And all of this is true, because he's assertive, constantly picks fights to prove the size of his dick, and says things with confidence. That's literally all he needs.

That is the reason why we're in this mess; because Trump is vapid and hollow, but he's always been vapid and hollow with confidence and charm that allowed his voters to project whatever they wanted onto him.

edited 7th Jun '17 4:00:58 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#192306: Jun 7th 2017 at 3:59:59 PM

The White Naionalist movement has grown over 600 percent since 2012 on Twitter. The WN movement is growing faster than ISIS.

Donald Trump is a prominent subject among white nationalists on Twitter. According to the study, white nationalist users are “heavily invested” in the Republican’s candidacy. Tweets mentioned Mr Trump more than other popular topics among the groups.

But mentions of Mr Trump and the use of Trump-related hashtags were second only talk of the “white genocide” – the belief that the influx of non-white cultures and increasing diversity in the US are fuelling the extinction of the “white race”.

“Social media activists tweeted hundreds of times per day using repetitive hashtags and slogans associated with this trope,” the study said.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#192307: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:00:04 PM

It's not charisma...it's lack of shame. As a saying goes: Frechheit siegt (roughly translated "Impudence wins"). Which is exactly why Trump won't get pardoned. He won't, because unlike Nixon he won't take the way out, he will keep fighting until the bitter end. And consequently loose. Because this time around, he is not dealing with an opponent he can bury under costs.

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#192308: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:02:35 PM

Details about Christopher Way, the nomanee to replace Comey. He has a history working for the Trump family and is representing Christie in Bridgegate. If it weren't for those things his record would be reasonable.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#192309: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:12:35 PM

With those things he comes off as another crony

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#192310: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:22:42 PM

Here's the official White House servey on executive branch reform.

What agency would you like to reform?

PLEASE SHARE YOUR IDEA, INCLUDING THE PROPOSAL AND BENEFITS. IF NECESSARY, YOU MAY INCLUDE A LINK TO A MORE DETAILED REPORT OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

What agency would you like to eliminate?

PLEASE SHARE YOUR IDEA, INCLUDING THE PROPOSAL AND BENEFITS. IF NECESSARY, YOU MAY INCLUDE A LINK TO A MORE DETAILED REPORT OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Do you have any management reform ideas, such as acquisition/procurement reform?

Do you have any management reform ideas, such as acquisition/procurement reform?

https://www.whitehouse.gov/reorganizing-the-executive-branch#page

Just put fake name and email. And get creative with what to get rid of. A good example would be corn subsidy programs.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/corn/policy/

edited 7th Jun '17 4:27:32 PM by megaeliz

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#192311: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:42:37 PM

"Honestly Trump might as well be the first super-powered human because it's like he has actual real-life Plot Armor. Absolutely everything that could've brought down anyone pre-campaign he has shrugged off without a hitch, and i find highly unlikely we're seeing him leave until he's done the eight-year run."

Trump is The Scourge of God for America:

Trump to America: "I am the scourge of God, appointed to chastise you, since no one knows the remedy for your iniquity except me. You are wicked, but I am more wicked than you, so be silent!"

edited 7th Jun '17 4:42:52 PM by CrimsonZephyr

"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."
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#192312: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:44:08 PM

[up]x5, [up]x7: That's just it — I've always been a skeptic and an independent thinker. So I have a very difficult time grasping the notion that people are willing to believe such obvious bullshit, just because some bigwig says it with phony confidence.

I guess I'll just never understand the "Sheeple" mentality. Lucky for me.

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FireCrawler2002 Since: Apr, 2017
#192313: Jun 7th 2017 at 4:48:51 PM

[up][up] So he's Pious or at least works for the Eternal Darkness. Lovely.

edited 7th Jun '17 4:49:02 PM by FireCrawler2002

TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#192314: Jun 7th 2017 at 5:00:34 PM

[up] At this point, President Augustine might actually be a step up.

edited 7th Jun '17 5:00:49 PM by TrashJack

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#192315: Jun 7th 2017 at 5:03:31 PM

@Trash Jack,

Trump barely won the Midwestern states that put him over 270 EV. Any dip in general approval, especially against a less slandered opponent (and maybe no Russian backup...) and he wouldn't win.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#192316: Jun 7th 2017 at 5:05:15 PM

I don't think Trump has charisma. I think he demands attention and actively tries to pull it towards him, but he isn't charismatic. Someone with no context for his speeches wouldn't think he's amazing and want to follow him, they'd just wonder if he'd had a stroke. Multiple times.

The problem is that lots of people spent eight years denying charisma when it was present (because Obama was extremely charismatic) so they assume this really loud guy is charismatic because they don't know what charisma even is.

Like, look at the meetings Trump and Justin Trudeau had. Trudeau is charismatic to a somewhat extreme degree. When he and Trump are in a room together, everyone focuses on Trudeau. No one cares about Trump because Trudeau makes you want to like him, without saying or doing anything explicit towards that goal. Trump just yells at you and demands you love him.

It makes me think of a Terry Pratchett thing that pops up a couple times in his books. "Charisn'tma" where the person in question is so awful and repulsive (in one case physically, but in another, personality-wise) that it boomerangs right back around to a sort of horrified fascination that stupid people mistake for admiration.

edited 7th Jun '17 5:22:22 PM by Zendervai

MadSkillz Destroyer of Worlds Since: Mar, 2013 Relationship Status: I only want you gone
Destroyer of Worlds
#192317: Jun 7th 2017 at 5:55:28 PM

I don't know about up a rally but I've heard that Trump is personally charismatic

WhatArtThee Since: Oct, 2015
#192318: Jun 7th 2017 at 5:58:21 PM

Question: Lots of people have been calling the Trump administration "fascist". But is it?

I'm not sure. Fascism would be like, eliminating the Democratic party, taking control of all business and industry, jailing or detaining political opponents, eliminating the House or Senate and starting a dictatorship... None of that seems like it's gonna happen. I don't think Trump's a "fascist" he's more like a Yahoo! News comment troll who is somehow running the country.

Thoughts?

edited 7th Jun '17 6:00:28 PM by WhatArtThee

Just another day in the life of Jimmy Nutrin
FireCrawler2002 Since: Apr, 2017
#192319: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:01:11 PM

[up] It's more authoritarian than fascist.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#192320: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:01:43 PM

Yeah, but what sort of person would consider Trump likable, and want to have a beer with him?

I'm not one for beer, but I have to admit that I find his weird speech pattern and mannerisms somehow charming. If I didn't have everything else to look at, I'd think he was likable on that alone.

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#192321: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:04:24 PM

"So he's Pious or at least works for the Eternal Darkness. Lovely."

Better hope the Democrats have enough Pargon.

Just for your information, that's actually a quote by Timur-i-Leng to the nobility of Delhi before killing them, burning the city down, and creating a pyramid from the skulls of the dead in what was once the city center. It's such a perfect Card-Carrying Villain moment from history that I love referencing it.

edited 7th Jun '17 6:06:41 PM by CrimsonZephyr

"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."
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#192322: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:04:27 PM

I've heard comments from some of Trump's supporters, and it seems as if he does indeed have charisma — but only to those who are receptive to it. They say, "Oh, he's like your best friend, he'll do anything for ya."

To the rest of us, he's just a crude, loud, obnoxious boor.

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Gaon Smoking Snake from Grim Up North Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#192323: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:07:10 PM

The usual logic is that the administration is ideologically Fascist, but not full-on fascist in practice (yet) because the very foundations of the entire United States government and society are structured to keep that from happening.

So not fascist technically speaking because realpolitik is stonewalling them, but they'd sure love to be. It's quasi-fascist.

"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
#192324: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:25:36 PM

Although that statement saying they'll never accept oversight from Democrats sure isn't helping things.

Republicans have more or less announced they're going to govern as if America is a one party state now.

Oh really when?
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#192325: Jun 7th 2017 at 6:25:37 PM

With those things he comes off as another crony

I thought pretty much the same thing.

Do not obey in advance.

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