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

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#236901: Mar 28th 2018 at 6:59:58 AM

Huh. So Trump's approval ratings are at 42%. That's... worrisomely high.

Highest they've been since the 100-day mark, in fact. See now things like that are particularly worrisome to me on the "Teflon Don" front. Yes, he's got basically a ~30% base of support that will never go away, and a ~45% base that will never be anything but strongly disapprove, but seeing those undecideds approve of him in the midst of the Daniels thing, the Trade War threats, and everything else going hilariously wrong right now is kind of terrifying. Like, there have been periods where I'd get it but... now is not one of those.

On the lighter side, Stormy Daniels' interview broke 60Minutes' rating's record... pushing Trump's post-election win interview to third place. And (now) number 2? Interview with Barack and Michelle Obama. That... tickles me, for some reason.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#236902: Mar 28th 2018 at 7:03:59 AM

That’s one poll and thus not accurate, now 538 have his average at 40.4 currently, which is higher than I’d like, but it takes time for polls to factor though.

Plus increased activity amongst Dem’s won’t hurt Trump’s approval raiting (they already disapprove) but will hurt him and the Republicans come November.

Also the undecideds are people who dislike all the corruption attached to Trump (his base denies that its real) but wills tick with him while the economy is good.

edited 28th Mar '18 7:05:28 AM by Silasw

β€œAnd the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael β€œIf the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#236903: Mar 28th 2018 at 7:37:30 AM

Maybe they just approve of the fact that he's currently shut up for once? [lol]

CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#236904: Mar 28th 2018 at 7:39:31 AM

It's difficult to assess his true approval these days with the precision of last year because many polls that skewed toward greater disapproval are now only reporting numbers weekly, rather than daily.

Gauging day to day crests and troughs is meaningless, like making a judgement on the long-term stability of markets based on each day's Dow numbers as they come, rather than trends. Trump is still historically unpopular, and with the interview, the curtain has been pulled back further, the Mueller investigation is proceeding admirably, and Democrats have started winning elections. Give it time, everyone knows more and more about Trump's sordid private life and business, and when it comes to him, familiarity breeds contempt.

edited 28th Mar '18 7:43:40 AM 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."
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
#236905: Mar 28th 2018 at 8:32:44 AM

That Craigslist ad is awesome. I hope they gets lots of feedback.

Have we talked about Trump's court picks lately? His qualification for potential judges is simple: destroy government to get out of the way of corporate dominance. Full article text 

WASHINGTON β€” It has been practically a given that anyone nominated for a federal judgeship by a Republican president had to pass an unspoken litmus test, usually on abortion but often on many divisive social issues. The Trump administration has a new litmus test: reining in what conservatives call β€œthe administrative state.”

The White House has laid out a plan to fill the courts with judges devoted to a legal doctrine that challenges the broad power federal agencies have to interpret laws and enforce regulations. Those not on board with this agenda, the White House has said, are unlikely to be nominated by President Trump.

The criteria were first used last year in Trump’s Supreme Court selection of Neil M. Gorsuch, an appeals court judge who became something of a hero on the right for chastising his fellow jurists for being too deferential to government functionaries.

β€œThis is different than judicial selection in past years,” Donald F. Mc Gahn II, the White House counsel, explained in remarks last month to the Conservative Political Action Conference, noting that previous presidents had used β€œsingle-issue litmus tests” as part of their criteria.

But under Trump, Mc Gahn described a β€œcoherent plan” to pair the administration’s deregulation orders with judicial nominees who find the accumulation of power in the federal bureaucracy alarming. β€œIt’s kind of its own branch of government now, and those decisions tend to trend to the left.”

This approach has shaped what could be one of Trump’s most enduring legacies, with the potential to shrink the body of federal regulations and programs that touch almost every aspect of American life.

If it is successful, the Trump administration could come closer than any Republican White House has to achieving a goal conservatives have longed for since the New Deal: curtailing the reach of a federal government they say has grown far too large and invasive.

β€œIt’s the next step in the national debate about the proper role of the courts,” said Leonard Leo, a prominent conservative lawyer who is advising the administration on its judicial picks. β€œThe administrative state is 75 years old,” Leo continued. β€œIt’s become a huge, glaring issue.”

Weeding out judicial candidates based on an ideological checklist is something Democratic and Republican presidents have long done. But it is rare for a White House to be so open about what it considers disqualifying.

So we're on track for the Great Depression II.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236906: Mar 28th 2018 at 9:56:45 AM

SchrΓΆdinger's patriot:

The right in the United States of America:

We must honor our military & the sacrifices they have made by demanding that we get to own weapons of war in case the military we love turns on us.

So which is it? Do you support the military, or do you believe they want to kill you? [1]

edited 28th Mar '18 9:57:12 AM by megaeliz

Snipertoaster from Mind Your Business (Ten years in the joint) Relationship Status: If it's you, it's okay
#236907: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:07:33 AM

[up][up]I'd like to say that it looks like some people don't know why regulations are there until a major disaster happens because they took them away, but then again, we all know those same people will scream denial until they're blue in the face.

And regarding the census, I have to say this worries me. It feels like this can only end with the opposition being neutered further.

edited 28th Mar '18 10:08:12 AM by Snipertoaster

We can choose to be better.
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#236908: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:11:47 AM

[up][up] They have an explanation for everything, sadly. In this case it's usually "the troops would switch sides and join us". Cognitive dissonance knows no bounds.

They should have sent a poet.
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from πŸ€” Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#236909: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:13:21 AM

I wonder if some Republicans look at Brave New World or Jennifer Government and see the settings there as utopia?

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#236910: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:15:21 AM

If the troops would switch sides to join you then you'd get their guns which are better than your guns anyway (most of the time), so you don't need guns.

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#236911: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:18:23 AM

[up][up] That seems like a very safe bet.

[up] Weirdly, civilian small arms are actually much nicer than military ones. That often gets left out of the gun control debate, there's an argument to be made that many of the weapons available to us are actually more dangerous than what the military has.

But really, they just make that argument so they can continue paying lip service to the troops without having to confront that they are also endorsing shooting at the troops.

They should have sent a poet.
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#236912: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:28:13 AM

Where civilian counterparts actually exist, that is.

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#236913: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:29:05 AM

[up][up]Of course they are. As much as people complain about the money being poured into the military-industrial complex, it's not like that money actually goes toward getting us newer and better gear. Of course civilian retail models costing hundreds to thousands of dollars are gonna be better quality than bulk-purchased military gear. The actual advantage of the military is having a bunch of spare parts thanks to standardization, and having access to bigger toys that are explicitly unavailable to civilians.

edited 28th Mar '18 10:29:12 AM by danime91

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#236914: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:35:21 AM

On CNN I saw a headline that China there a curve ball at Trump ahead of his plans to go to Korea. I can't be sure, no sound and they've moved on, but it might be referring to this:

"China says North Korea's Kim pledged commitment to denuclearization" - http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-china/china-says-north-koreas-kim-pledged-commitment-to-denuclearization-idUSKBN1H305W

Another headline said the Emoulluments case against Trump is moving forward

edited 28th Mar '18 10:36:04 AM by sgamer82

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#236915: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:37:26 AM

[up][up] Basically. A civilian AR is leaps and bounds nicer than what you'd be issued in the armed forces. Civilians can get better body armor, better communications gear, pretty much anything other than heavy weapons and even then you'll occasionally hear stories about RP Gs turning up in private collections. Hell, there are people out there who have Destructive Device stamps for working main guns on surplus tanks.

The big advantage any military has is training and organization.

edited 28th Mar '18 10:37:37 AM by archonspeaks

They should have sent a poet.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236916: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:42:15 AM

[up]And resources, just because civilians can theoretically be superior 1 to 1 equipment wise doesn't mean they will be. Even the most well funded civilian group cannot match the resources at the disposal of the US military.

"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
#236917: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:44:51 AM

[up] I lumped that in with organization.

I brought it up though because I always hear talk of keeping "military grade" weapons off the streets, and I think a lot of people don't realize that civilians paradoxically have access to much more effective weapons. All of the A Rs used in recent mass shootings could be described as above military grade.

They should have sent a poet.
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#236918: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:45:41 AM

[up]Fair enough.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236919: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:47:42 AM

Trump’s Lawyer Raised Prospect of Pardons for Flynn and Manafort as Special Counsel Closed In. note 

WASHINGTON β€” A lawyer for President Trump broached the idea of Mr. Trump pardoning two of his former top advisers, Michael T. Flynn and Paul Manafort, with their lawyers last year, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.

The discussions came as the special counsel was building cases against both men, and they raise questions about whether the lawyer, John Dowd, was offering pardons to influence their decisions about whether to plead guilty and cooperate in the investigation.

The talks suggest that Mr. Trump’s lawyers were concerned about what Mr. Flynn and Mr. Manafort might reveal were they to cut a deal with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, in exchange for leniency. Mr. Mueller’s team could investigate the prospect that Mr. Dowd made pardon offers to thwart the inquiry, although legal experts are divided about whether such offers might constitute obstruction of justice.

Mr. Dowd’s conversation with Mr. Flynn’s lawyer, Robert K. Kelner, occurred sometime after Mr. Dowd took over last summer as the president’s personal lawyer, at a time when a grand jury was hearing evidence against Mr. Flynn on a range of potential crimes. Mr. Flynn, who served as Mr. Trump’s first national security adviser, agreed in late November to cooperate with the special counsel’s investigation. He pleaded guilty in December to lying to the F.B.I. about his conversations with the Russian ambassador and received favorable sentencing terms.

edited 28th Mar '18 10:48:01 AM by megaeliz

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#236920: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:54:17 AM

[up]If he does that, then he may as well just say "I'M GUILTY!" and be done with it.tongue

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#236921: Mar 28th 2018 at 10:58:24 AM

Analysis by Renato Mariotti:

THREAD: What does today's report that Trump's lawyers discussed pardoning Manafort and Flynn mean for Mueller's investigation?

1/ The @nytimes just reported that Trump's former lawyer John Dowd approached lawyers for Manafort and Flynn and suggested that Trump would pardon them.

2/ Suggesting to Manafort and Flynn that they would get a pardon could be a way to discourage them from cooperating against Trump. A pardon would greatly reduce their incentive to cooperate.

3/ As @nytimes notes, Dowd has said privately that he doesn't understand why Flynn pleaded guilty. I wondered the same thing, because if @Comey is to be believed, Trump went to great lengths to protect Flynn. Presumably Flynn could expect a pardon, but he flipped anyway.

4/ Three potential explanations come to mind. First, perhaps the plea deal was so good that it was worth taking over an uncertain pardon. Second, Flynn was concerned about a state prosecution, which Trump couldn't pardon. Third, Flynn was concerned about his son's liability.

5/ This news does help explain why Manafort has not pleaded guilty despite facing overwhelming charges and a long prison sentence. I have long suspected that Manafort expected a pardon because his team's hyper-aggressive attacks on Mueller only make sense if that was the case.

6/ The main question raised by the piece is whether Dowd's comments to attorneys for Flynn and Manafort result in increased liability for Trump. The short answer is that they only create problems for Trump if Trump *himself* considered pardoning Flynn and Manafort.

7/ I understand what you're thinking—of course he did! But this article is an example of why people in Trump's position should only communicate through their attorneys. Dowd can't reveal whether Trump discussed pardons with him, and Trump can decline to reveal what he told Dowd.

8/ Trump could also take the Fifth if he's asked whether he considered pardoning them, given that it's possible that his motives for pardoning them could give rise to criminal liability.

9/ That doesn't end the discussion because Trump does not appear to be careful about what he reveals to others about his thoughts and intentions. Trump may have discussed with others—people who are not his personal, outside lawyers—his intent to pardon Flynn and Manafort.

10/ Mueller could interview those people about what Trump told them. If Trump wanted to pardon Flynn and Manafort in order to undermine the Mueller investigation, it could potentially create liability for him but it would be an unprecedented and novel case.

10/ Mueller could interview those people about what Trump told them. If Trump wanted to pardon Flynn and Manafort in order to undermine the Mueller investigation, it could potentially create liability for him but it would be an unprecedented and novel case. note 

12/ In any event, the quotes by Sekulow and Cobb in the @nytimes piece are meant to suggest that they are not aware of Trump ever discussing pardoning Flynn and Manafort. If Trump did discuss pardons with anyone but Dowd, we can expect to read about it in the months ahead. /end

To change the subject, I once got blocked by a Russian Troll for calling him Comrade Steve. He claimed to be from Britain but got all defensive when we started calling him a Russian Troll.

edited 28th Mar '18 11:07:42 AM by megaeliz

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from πŸ€” Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#236922: Mar 28th 2018 at 11:13:25 AM

So Trump was planning parading two people that were fired as a result of the Muller case huh?

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court Judges are looking for a solution to Gerrymandering without being as the article says "a constant police officer on the beat"

And from WTFJHT:

edited 28th Mar '18 11:25:29 AM by MorningStar1337

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#236923: Mar 28th 2018 at 11:15:00 AM

Dowd can't be asked about his conversations with Trump, but can he be asked about his conversations with the lawyers for Flynn/Manafort?

edited 28th Mar '18 11:16:02 AM by Silasw

β€œAnd the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael β€œIf the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#236924: Mar 28th 2018 at 11:36:38 AM

[up]No attorney-client privilege in play, unless Dowd was sneaky enough to have the conversation with the lawyers' clients also in the room, in which case it may be a bit muddy.

FyodorDose Since: Mar, 2018
#236925: Mar 28th 2018 at 11:38:29 AM

I'm not really getting what makes the parkland kids immune to criticism. I've noticed it's "wrong" to disagree with them because "they're just kids." I feel like if they're old enough to support a political agenda and have people rally behind them, they're old enough to be criticized like every other political figure, ever.


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