Nov 2023 Mod notice:
There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.
If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations
and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines
before posting here.
Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.
If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules
when posting here.
In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.
Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
Hannity's response on twitter:
I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party.
In response to some wild speculation, let me make clear that I did not ask Michael Cohen to bring this proceeding on my behalf, I have no personal interest in this proceeding, and, in fact, asked that my de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen, which dealt almost exclusively about real estate, not be made a part of this proceeding.
edited 16th Apr '18 2:08:40 PM by megaeliz
THREAD: What does today’s court ruling mean? [1]
2/ A temporary restraining order is a short-term action by a court to prevent *immediate* harm that can’t be repaired. For example, if the government is about to bulldoze your house, you might seek a TRO because you can’t undo their action.
3/ TR Os are granted in limited circumstances because they don’t require notice to the other side or a hearing. The purpose of them is just to freeze things so the judicial system has time to figure out what to do before harm is done that can’t be undone.
4/ Today Judge Wood denied the request for a TRO because the prosecution said that they are not looking at the documents—the documents are in the possession of the “taint team” and they aren’t talking with the investigators. Judge Wood said she trusted their integrity.
5/ Cohen also sought something called a preliminary injunction. It is also an extraordinary thing to ask for in this situation. Basically it’s an order from the court stopping one side (in this case, the prosecution) from harming the other side in a way that can’t be undone.
6/ An important difference between the two requests is that a preliminary injunction is granted after a hearing at which both sides present evidence. It still requires Cohen to prove that he will be harmed in a way that can’t be undone.
7/ Judge Wood hasn’t made a decision on the preliminary injunction yet. She said that she wants both sides to propose potential choices for a special master, which would be someone appointed by the court to review the documents and make determinations about privilege.
8/ Judge Wood said that she isn’t convinced a special master is necessary and that she trusts the integrity of the federal prosecutors and the “taint team” procedure. That’s not surprising, given that taint teams are typically used in situations like these.
9/ In the meantime, the documents are in the hands of the “taint team” until the judge rules. At most, what Cohen and Trump have accomplished is forcing the prosecution to reveal details about their investigation (including search warrants on Cohen’s email accounts).
10/ One point to note is that the search of an attorney’s office or home is not “unprecedented” or problematic. However, the request by Cohen and Trump is without precedent that I’m aware of, and is problematic. Their actions are far more unusual than the prosecution’s. /end
Choice cuts:
I like John Pavlovitz's
pieces about the Christian Right.
I think I’ve finally found the truth that really will set me free.
After years of pushing him away, I’m think I’m ready to invite Make America Great Again Jesus into my heart.
It’s not inspiration or inner conviction or divine revelation that has led me to this holy conversion moment—it’s mainly just fatigue.
I’m tired.
It’s hard caring about people; waking up every morning and having to have empathy for someone who isn’t me, let alone someone who doesn’t even look like me, think like me, vote like me, talk like me, worship like me. It’s fairly exhausting trying to actually live all that Gospel Jesus stuff: loving the least, being a servant, turning the other cheek, living humbly, tending to the sick and the poor, praying for my enemies. I didn’t realize that being a peacemaker and a Good Samaritan would be such thankless, taxing, costly business—and honestly it’s worn me the heck out.
I was beginning to think maybe I needed to jump ship altogether; that maybe Christianity wasn’t for me—until I found MAGA Jesus and he saved me from a life of sacrifice, humility, and selflessness. He isn’t half as demanding as Gospel Jesus is. In fact, all things considered, he requires very little from me: Say a quick magic prayer, in exchange for a permanent Get Out of Hell Free card, a life of unrepentant privilege, and the right to judge the humanity around me however I please. It’s a pretty sweet deal.
With MAGA Jesus running things, I’ll be able to focus on saving souls for the next life—which means I won’t have to be concerned with what befalls people in this one all that much anymore. Their poverty, their adversity, their suffering is really none of my concern. (They’re supposed to “rejoice in their trials” anyway, so I’ll actually be doing them a favor.) Oh sure, I’ll still be able to take enough interest in people’s personal existence to condemn them for who they love or the bathroom they want to use or their desire to get married—but beyond that I don’t have any pressing interest one way or the other. Someone else’s life (outside of the bedroom and bathroom) is none of my business.
MAGA Jesus also frees me up from worrying about the planet heating up or the coral reefs dying or the honeybees disappearing. I can chalk that all up to a “groaning creation” that is well above my pay grade, and simply live with relative abandon, consuming and wasting to my heart’s delight.
I don’t have to welcome refugees or immigrants, or those fleeing war, oppression, and sickness the way Gospel Jesus insisted—I can just tell them all to go pound sand. I can spend and acquire and hoard as much as I want and not give it a second thought, because MAGA Jesus is a make it rain deity who wouldn’t dare tell me that I can’t serve both God and money—the way Gospel Jesus would. And all the annoying death, suffering, violence, and disease outside my door? I can blame it all on the sins of a “fallen world”, while I offer “thoughts and prayers” and pass the buck to God.
The really great thing about worshiping MAGA Jesus , is that I’ll still get to call myself a Christian—which will be helpful in simplifying the post-conversion transition. I won’t even have to edit my social media profiles. And as long as things stay as they are here, I can guarantee that I’ll always be well-represented in Washington and from the megachurch pulpits and on Fox News—which is really all any American religious person needs.
Sure, I’ll have to adopt a decidedly white, affluent, American, gun-loving, gay-hating Savior, which will take some getting used to, but from what I’ve seen it doesn’t take long. In no time, I’ll be worshiping Capitalism, waving the flag, retweeting Breitbart, and telling the poor and the hurting to pull themselves up by their bootstraps— without having to worry about whether they have boots or not.
I figure I’ve given this Gospel Jesus thing a good go of it. I’ve been working that whole “love your neighbor as yourself”, compassionate, generous program for nearly half a century, and what has it gotten me—except a diverse community, an experience of lives I’d never otherwise known, and the hope of leaving the planet a little kinder than when I found it. Not exactly a golden parachute and surely not profitable.
It isn’t like I’ll totally be exempt from empathy either. I’ll of course still get to care for my spouse and my kids and my parents and my friends, my kind—but beyond that, giving a greater damn will be at my discretion. Anyone else’s well-being or healthcare or kids or job, especially beyond our borders, won’t have to be a priority anymore.
I’m sure I’ll miss my old religion from time to time; the joy and kindness and the mercy, but I sure won’t miss the work. I’m looking forward to finally having a God work for me—instead of the other way around.
I think I’ll get everything I as a straight, white, Christian male deserve, for a change.
I believe MAGA Jesus will make my Christianity great (and easier) again.
I’m ready.
edited 16th Apr '18 2:59:42 PM by megaeliz
According to Wikipedia,
the word originated from the Greek word euangelion, which means "gospel" or "good news".
What's strange is that here on Peru, the Evangelists tend to the be the less racists.
You know, that's kinda expectable when most of the country isn't white.
Token Religious person of the forum reporting.
edited 16th Apr '18 3:14:00 PM by KazuyaProta
Watch me destroying my country![]()
Catholicism is the largest single Religious Group in the United States, with 68,202,492 members, or ~21% of the US population. However, all the Protestant Sects combined are larger then Catholicism, making ~47% of the Population. The Southern Baptists make up the largest Protestant Sect, of 16,136,044 members.
(All this Info I got from a basic Wiki Search.)
![]()
Well, the Alt right also continues that proud the tradition of being proudly atheistic and right wing too.
Leftists christians have a hard time expressing it because they also try to be as secular as possible, which obviously means dont talking about christianity in any political way at all. While Right wing christians just dont care about it.
You will never see a Leftist christian trying to convert anyone, for example. Which makes sure that any community that they build is effectively smaller than its right wing counterparts.
edited 16th Apr '18 3:45:07 PM by KazuyaProta
Watch me destroying my country![]()
Hey, as long they can throw Muslims at the sea, they can ignore their differences for a while. Enemy Mine at its finest.
edited 16th Apr '18 3:46:39 PM by KazuyaProta
Watch me destroying my country
The issue with Left Wing Christians is that they basically cant find anything to be proud in mass scale that DONT involves something that can be used for white supremacists or sexist groups.
Maybe African Christians (who actually build their own kingdoms) can do that, but North American and European christians are gonna have a way harder time to do that. Even Latin American christians have issues with it because, you know, Conquistadores.
edited 16th Apr '18 4:01:45 PM by KazuyaProta
Watch me destroying my country

So you mean Stratego
?
Just to point out, it would have to be both engaging in the criminal behavior to qualify - a client admitting guilt to their attorney is, to my knowledge, still covered by A/P privilege so long as the attorney doesn't suborn perjury afterward.
edited 16th Apr '18 1:59:43 PM by ironballs16
"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"