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

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#239851: Apr 25th 2018 at 10:45:33 AM

I wonder if anyone told Mulvaney that you're not supposed to actually admit this.

The bothsiderism is strong enough at this point that you can admit anything if you're a Republican. Confessing to corruption actually wins you points rather than losing them, because Republican voters and too many moderates go, "Well, this is true of every single politician on both sides of the political spectrum, but he admits it. That means he's honest!"

The demonization of politicians is so strong in this country that we actually respect them for being openly corrupt.

I'm seeing a headline on tv on CNN that the Supreme Court is releasing audio on their hearing regarding the Travel Ban and that Kennedy and Conservative judge seem to me backing Trump.

"U.S. Supreme Court leans toward upholding Trump's travel ban" - http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-immigration/u-s-supreme-court-leans-toward-upholding-trumps-travel-ban-idUSKBN1HW0F8

Like I said before, we've never been able to successfully challenge the premise of the thing. It's horrible, but it does appear to be entirely within the powers given to the President. As such, we've only successfully blocked past versions because Trump's sheer incompetence resulted in including verbage or passages that were easily declared unconstitutional.

So long as it's a thing that he can legally do, it was only a matter of time before he got it right and issued one that avoided falling into those loopholes.

edited 25th Apr '18 10:46:51 AM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
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.
#239852: Apr 25th 2018 at 10:55:39 AM

"Tommy Ahlquist is so liberal he wouldn't even vote for Donald Trump over Hillary,"

What the fuck is this supposed to mean, and who the hell is it supposed to appeal to?

Nevermind, I figured out it's an attack ad against Ahlquist. A really fucking poorly worded attack ad at that.

edited 25th Apr '18 10:57:09 AM by PushoverMediaCritic

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#239853: Apr 25th 2018 at 10:58:16 AM

"Tommy Ahlquist is so liberal he wouldn't even vote for Donald Trump over Hillary,"

What the fuck is this supposed to mean, and who the hell is it supposed to appeal to?

Nevermind, I figured out it's an attack ad against Ahlquist. A really fucking poorly worded attack ad at that.

Yeah, it reads like the political equivalent of a Your Mom joke

edited 25th Apr '18 10:59:46 AM by sgamer82

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239854: Apr 25th 2018 at 11:01:43 AM

So the two days Macron spent buttering Trump up, and putting up with this,

Just became worth it. Today he gave an extraordinary speech in front of Congress, denouncing the politics of hate, fear, isolationism and nationalism, and calling for cooperation in protecting our planet and our future and confronting the new (or in many cases not so new) threats, and advocated for the Iran deal and the Paris Agreement. (Start at 48m or so.)

edited 25th Apr '18 11:34:45 AM by megaeliz

math792d Since: Jun, 2011 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#239855: Apr 25th 2018 at 11:21:15 AM

I still think Macron is a snake oil salesman with overinflated ambitions, but at least the man knows how to sell a message.

Still not embarrassing enough to stan billionaires or tech companies.
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#239856: Apr 25th 2018 at 11:40:38 AM

"Tommy Ahlquist is so liberal he wouldn't even vote for Donald Trump over Hillary,"

What the fuck is this supposed to mean, and who the hell is it supposed to appeal to?

Nevermind, I figured out it's an attack ad against Ahlquist. A really fucking poorly worded attack ad at that.

Right. Basically, what they're doing is saying that Ahlquist is so mindlessly, slavishly devoted to the Democratic Party that he would vote for that screeching hell-beast forged from the depths of human suffering, Hillary Belongs In Prison Clinton, just to score a win for his party at the expense of your children's future.

It's an angle that only works if you agree that Hillary Clinton is not just a Democrat, but the worst pile of criminal scum ever to run for Presidency. As many Republicans and a frustrating number of Democrats do. As such, it would be belligerent gibberish in a general election, but in a red state where supporting Hillary is tantamount to treason like Idaho, it works.

edited 25th Apr '18 11:40:48 AM by TobiasDrake

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tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239858: Apr 25th 2018 at 11:55:38 AM

The President gave a eloquent and uplifting speech before congress, defending the rule of law, international cooperation in the face of new threats and opportunities, and an indictment of the recent rash of nationalism, hate, and isolationism, that has been sweeping the world.

Sadly that president happened to be French.

There's a point in it, where he says he's concerned about the next generation, and both the republicans and democrats give a standing ovation, until he clarifies he was talking about Climate change, when all the Republicans sit down. It's really awkward.

edited 25th Apr '18 12:22:30 PM by megaeliz

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#239859: Apr 25th 2018 at 11:55:49 AM

[up][up]That sounds karmic. Is it karmic?

edited 25th Apr '18 11:55:58 AM by sgamer82

TroperOnAStickV2 Call me Stick from Redneck country Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
Call me Stick
#239861: Apr 25th 2018 at 11:58:23 AM

... war on the poor, folks.

Hopefully I'll feel confident to change my avatar off this scumbag soon. Apologies to any scumbags I insulted.
Mario1995 The Dishonorable from Atlanta Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
The Dishonorable
#239862: Apr 25th 2018 at 12:05:11 PM

If SCOTUS rules in favor of the administration on the travel ban, I can't help but imagine the impact on America's relationship with Muslims from this ruling being more fundamental than even 9/11 and Trump's election.

Everyone who protested against the ban will feel like they failed, and that they were fighting a losing battle all along. Not to mention Muslim activists who protested heavily against it will come to the conclusion that protest won't work and that the system is fundamentally rigged against Muslims.

Thus, America's Muslims will end up more vulnerable to radicalization than ever, on par with that of Europe's Muslims.

"The devil's got all the good gear. What's God got? The Inspiral Carpets and nuns. Fuck that." - Liam Gallagher
TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#239863: Apr 25th 2018 at 12:12:50 PM

And then that will be used to justify even harsher actions towards Muslims.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
Mario1995 The Dishonorable from Atlanta Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
The Dishonorable
#239864: Apr 25th 2018 at 12:23:39 PM

That nobody in the media seems to be imagining the profound consequences of the decision is alarming.

"The devil's got all the good gear. What's God got? The Inspiral Carpets and nuns. Fuck that." - Liam Gallagher
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#239865: Apr 25th 2018 at 12:46:27 PM

While this is certainly a bad thing I don't see any reason to assume that it will lead to profound consequences, hostility towards Muslims is not a new thing and this is not especially noteworthy with that in mind.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Grafite Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Less than three
#239866: Apr 25th 2018 at 12:58:54 PM

Things were worse in the years following 9/11. Anyways, this seems like the Supreme Court upholding the law, whether people consider it immoral or not. The current proposition is a watered down version of the one Trump wanted, so there's that at least.

Life is unfair...
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#239867: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:01:13 PM

[up]My thoughts exactly.

It's bad but we should keep things in perspective.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#239868: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:01:55 PM

I'd also like to point out that "imagining" does not equate to reporting on. In any case it's more than a bit difficult to make a direct line between this ban to radicalization when the case isn't over, the ban has already been having an effect just because the president put it out there and it just seems to give protesters a reason to get out there, and that you're making an awfully huge assumption that protesters would simply give up because of this one thing not succeeding for them.

I imagine that protesters get used to an awful lot of disappointment and continue on with their lives without becoming radicalized on a regular basis.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239869: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:02:01 PM

So how long will it take Trump to realize he just got played bigly, by Macron, you think?

I swear, he speaks English better than Trump.

edited 25th Apr '18 1:04:00 PM by megaeliz

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#239870: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:05:24 PM

Trump won't realise anything unless it's pointed to him by fox news

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#239871: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:08:40 PM

I like Macron just fine, but I don't think a speech in front of Congress is a hugely meaningful victory.

They should have sent a poet.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#239872: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:10:47 PM

Mulvaney capped off his speech at a American Bankers Association conference by arguing that trying to sway legislators with campaign contributions was one of the "fundamental underpinnings of our representative democracy." Mulvaney, who is rumored to be at the top of the list when it comes to Trump’s next pick for Chief of Staff, also revealed that he would only meet with lobbyists who contributed to his campaign during his time as a Congressman. “If you’re a lobbyist who never gave us money, I didn’t talk to you,” Mulvaney explained. “If you’re a lobbyist who gave us money, I might talk to you.”

So... can he get nailed on charges of accepting a bribe for saying that? Or is it just tacit enough (e.g. "Yeah, they paid me and I sat down to talk with them because of it, but that doesn't mean I did anything beyond talk!") to skirt such a charge?

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239873: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:17:42 PM

[up][up] I don't know. It's just amusing to me, how they were all "best buds", and then he turned around and delivered a speech practically indicting everything Trump campaigned on, in front of congress. I can't imagine Trump was expecting that, based on his behavior yesterday.

He even got several standing ovations for it too.

edited 25th Apr '18 1:21:31 PM by megaeliz

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#239874: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:17:55 PM

[up][up]They bought his time, not his action.

edited 25th Apr '18 1:20:36 PM by Larkmarn

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archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#239875: Apr 25th 2018 at 1:20:42 PM

I mean he was never going to endorse Trump, let's be real. The speech was fine, but unsurprising.

They should have sent a poet.

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