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

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#236426: Mar 24th 2018 at 10:24:14 AM

Sounds like it makes Trump's inauguration look like a microscopic dot upon a microscopic dot labeled "you are here".

edited 24th Mar '18 10:24:23 AM by sgamer82

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#236427: Mar 24th 2018 at 10:31:55 AM

@Tobias Drake: Well to be fair, the US President technically can't declare war per se.

Leviticus 19:34
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#236428: Mar 24th 2018 at 10:33:37 AM

If it weren't for that pesky congress he could have all the wars he wanted!

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#236429: Mar 24th 2018 at 10:37:41 AM

[up]Shhh! Don't give him any ideas!

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#236430: Mar 24th 2018 at 10:37:57 AM

The US (or any other country) doesn't need to declare war to conduct massive military action. Last time Washington actually declared war was in 1942, against the Axis B-Team.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
TheWanderer Student of Story from Somewhere in New England (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: Wishfully thinking
Student of Story
#236431: Mar 24th 2018 at 11:09:53 AM

Well, under the War Powers act, the president can put troops into combat for up to 60 days, with an additional 30 to make arrangements for withdrawal without an act of Congress. All the Pres has to do is give Congress 48 hours notice, and then he has that timeframe mentioned above to convince Congress to formally declare war.

Considering the bully pulpit of the Presidency and the weakness of Congress and the reluctance of most of them to take a stand on anything, one could argue that an authoritarian President could easily lambast Congress in the media for refusing to take action if they don't pass an act with that timeframe and "let good Americans die for nothing in the fight for freedom against a terrible dictator like Kim", or something along those lines.

I doubt it would work for Trump, whose popularity is slowly oozing away and whose strongest supporters favor isolationism, but you never know. I've given up trying to figure out this world.

And all the reassurances about how war is more or less impossible would be more reassuring if we lived in a world that did bother to make some sort of sense, or had leaders with basic intelligence and decency. Note that I'm not saying it' going to happen or even likely, but ruling out anything in this world of ours because "It wouldn't make sense, it wouldn't be possible, there are laws against it" looks more like hoping for the world to work the way it should than acknowledging the forces that are actually in play in reality.

| Wandering, but not lost. | If people bring so much courage to this world...◊ |
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#236432: Mar 24th 2018 at 11:18:42 AM

I think Trump thinks that transgender servicemembers are getting gender reassignment surgery while on duty and making the army pay for it.
If they were? I'd be totally cool with it.
The Pentagon reportedly panicked when they saw this tweet, because it was believed by officials in the Department of Defense that Trump was about to announce a military strike against North Korea on his Twitter account.
You know, he probably would. But yes, the real question is if Kim would take him seriously on it or not.
Wisconsin's Republicans will attempt to change the law on Special Elections after a Judge (appointed by the Republican Governor) ordered the Elections to be called.
... Can a particular individual (ie, Gov Walker) be sued for violating one's constitutional rights? In this case, the very direct right to representation and voting?
Currently, an 11-year-old is on stage. "People have said I'm a tool of some nameless adults."
"And they're all right over there, let me introduce them."
Not even saying this is a great speech just that "They didn't write it themselves, so it has no meaning" is ridiculous.
Some of my favorite moments in The West Wing are Sam struggling on how to word something just right for the President.
If it weren't for that pesky congress he could have all the wars he wanted!
Stop tempting Trump to become a Scooby Doo villain. He'll be far more competent then!

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
Wyldchyld (Old as dirt)
#236433: Mar 24th 2018 at 11:19:09 AM

The Orange House has announced that any steel/aluminum tariff exempts will expire on May 1st, unless the country in question gives in on bilateral (or NAFTA, in the case of Canada and Mexico) extortion attempts.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-nafta-deadline-tariff-mexico-canada-1.4590588

The absolute worst thing to do right now would be to give in.

Which means he's just proven to the international community that his tariffs have nothing to do with national security. It'll now be easy for a case to be made to the WTO that Trump's tariffs are illegal.

If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#236434: Mar 24th 2018 at 11:27:49 AM

[up] It'll also prove in a court of law that this is a general tariff, something Trump can't do (only Congress can impose Tariffs), and thus this would be illegal.

Wyldchyld (Old as dirt)
#236435: Mar 24th 2018 at 11:33:35 AM

So, illegal under both domestic and international law at the same time?

edited 24th Mar '18 11:34:29 AM by Wyldchyld

If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
SatoshiBakura (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#236437: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:01:44 PM

I am in DC right now and the protest just finished.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#236439: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:32:36 PM

Sometimes I wonder how much of the bullshit that comes out of Trump's mouth is stuff he knows is bullshit. Obviously, all the lies about not colluding with Russia, but what else?

SatoshiBakura (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#236440: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:32:46 PM

Yeah, it was. I never have experienced tragedies in that level in school, but I felt obligated to go.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236441: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:34:17 PM

Sometimes I wonder how much of the bullshit that comes out of Trump's mouth is stuff he knows is bullshit. Obviously, all the lies about not colluding with Russia, but what else?
Probably a terrifying low amount of it, Trump is the natural end point of Conservatism's rejection of facts and anti-intellectualism. I wouldn't be surprised if Trump has no real concept of honesty or truth, just things that make him happy at the moment and must be therefor be real.

edited 24th Mar '18 12:35:36 PM by Fourthspartan56

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#236442: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:34:22 PM

I mean, I wouldn't even be totally sure he doesn't genuinely believe the Russian investigation is just a witch hunt to get him. He's wrong, obviously, but that doesn't mean he doesn't believe it.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236443: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:36:23 PM

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if he just sees his probable collusion as merely just helping a friend, corruption is a way of life for him and probably doesn't seem special in the slightest.

edited 24th Mar '18 12:36:31 PM by Fourthspartan56

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#236444: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:37:27 PM

Regarding Trump and North Korea, you just have to look at the calculus this way.

Any North Korean strike results in the 100% guaranteed destruction of their country. If Trump tweets that he's going to nuke, their options are either a preemptive strike, leading to the 100% guaranteed destruction mentioned above, or waiting and doing nothing. Doing nothing is the winning choice every time because a tweet from Trump may or may not actually translate into action.

If we're really serious about war with North Korea, it won't be coming through a tweet. Everyone here remembers the lead up to the Iraq war, it was basically a full court press from all the top members of the administration, as well as over a year of military maneuvering to get in place. It's not as simple as Trump tweeting war and the troops marching out no questions asked.

They should have sent a poet.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236445: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:38:10 PM

[up] that's awesome

edited 24th Mar '18 12:40:04 PM by megaeliz

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#236446: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:39:07 PM

[up][up][up][up][up]

I wouldn't be surprised if Trump has no real concept of honesty or truth, just things that make him happy at the moment and must be therefor be real.

Remember that this is a man who has admitted that his own idea of what his net worth is depends on his mood.

edited 24th Mar '18 12:40:21 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236447: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:40:16 PM

I saw this little informal poll on Twitter:

Hypothetical question... just imagine.

If high school students had "fetuses" in them, and got shot at while in school.

Do you think the right would defend the gun or the unborn?

The three options were

  1. Gun
  2. Unborn
  3. But'err'emails

I feel like you would make their heads explode with the contradiction.

[down] You know it's true though.

edited 24th Mar '18 12:48:30 PM by megaeliz

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#236448: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:43:05 PM

I'm not even going to attempt to answer that qeastion because the way it's phased makes me feel sick

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#236449: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:51:21 PM

That reminds me of a very early episode of Law & Order about the bombing of an abortion clinic. The woman responsible felt no guilt at all for the act up until the moment the prosecutor asked her "if abortion is murder, then whatever you feel about the victim, aren't you responsible for the murder of her unborn child?". The Armor-Piercing Question left her stunned into silence.

edited 24th Mar '18 12:52:18 PM by sgamer82

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236450: Mar 24th 2018 at 12:51:58 PM

It doesn't bother me but it doesn't especially amuse me either, just seems boring.

[up]That... is rather unbelievable. The kind of person who would bomb an abortion clinic would be so full of cognitive dissonance that they would be completely immune to such tactics.

edited 24th Mar '18 12:52:40 PM by Fourthspartan56

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang

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