TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

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

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#245501: Jun 13th 2018 at 8:55:58 AM

Canada is a hellhole of bad dudes, a source of....maple syrup trafficking and violence. We gotta build a SECOND wall and get the eskimos to pay for it....and yes, yes the Eskimos live in Canada. They threaten our way of life in Alaska. -Hypothetical trump speech.

Edit:

Oh and Cohen's lawyers have left him.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-cooperate-attorneys-leave-case/story?id=55861988

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
DrunkenNordmann from Exile Since: May, 2015
#245502: Jun 13th 2018 at 8:57:38 AM

[up]

Canada is a hellhole of bad dudes

Do you mean Ted Cruz?

We learn from history that we do not learn from history
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#245503: Jun 13th 2018 at 9:00:26 AM

Listen, Canada is full of Wendigos and zombies.

Resident Evil and Until Dawn and lots of sci-fi shows are filmed there!

We can't trust em!

They're stealing our genre jobs!

edited 13th Jun '18 9:00:40 AM by CharlesPhipps

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#245505: Jun 13th 2018 at 9:12:53 AM

[up]x4 glad you brought that up. Here's a bit more.

THREAD: What does the potential cooperation of Michael Cohen mean for the Mueller investigation?

1/ Today @abcnews reported that Michael Cohen is likely to cooperate with federal prosecutors in Manhattan. He has reportedly fired his defense attorneys.

2/ It’s not surprising that Cohen is moving towards cooperation, if the @abcnews reports are correct. When the FBI executes a search warrant at your home and office, you’re in trouble. The judge in the Stormy Daniels case concluded Cohen is likely to be charged, and he’s right.

3/ Although Cohen is cooperating with federal prosecutors in Manhattan (not Mueller’s team), cooperation deals typically require the cooperator to provide all information about any criminal activity he knows about. Prosecutors then share that info with other jurisdictions.

4/ Assuming that Cohen has information that will be useful to law enforcement—information that will lead to charges against others—he will get a deal. But one unusual complication is that Cohen is an attorney and some information he has may be about former clients.

5/ There are ample examples of attorneys who are prosecuted—I tried and convicted one—but when they cooperate, everyone involved needs to make sure attorney-client privilege is respected.

6/ Most conversations involving criminal activity likely won’t be privileged because they don’t involve legal advice. Only conversations about legal advice are privileged. A conversation about legal advice isn’t privileged if the advice is used to further the crime.

7/ That last sentence is called the “crime/fraud” exception to attorney-client privilege. It’s more limited than some commentators suggest, but combined with the fact that most criminal conversations aren’t about legal advice, likely few of Cohen’s conversations were privileged.

8/ It’s also worth noting that federal prosecutors allege that Cohen didn’t practice law much, and thus far the documents they seized are consistent with that allegation. The retired judge reviewing the Cohen documents found that less than 1/10th of one percent were privileged.

9/ So if Cohen cooperates, he will have to tell almost all of what he knows about criminal activity to federal prosecutors, who can share that info with Mueller, other federal prosecutors, and state prosecutors.

10/ Trump could derail all of this with a pardon of Cohen. His recent talk of pardons appears to be an attempt to reduce the political damage of giving pardons. If Trump pardoned Cohen for federal crimes, state prosecutors would have to use the evidence gathered by the FBI.

11/ That could result in a cooperation deal for state, not federal authorities. By moving towards cooperation now, Cohen is signaling that he doesn’t believe he will receive a pardon—or he’s trying to get one sooner rather than later.

12/ Regardless of how it plays out, Cohen’s cooperation is a blow to the Trump team and could strengthen the case Mueller is building. How much it helps Mueller depends on what Cohen knows and how forthcoming he is. /end

Or as Dictionary.com just tweeted

The verb flip can mean to turn over, as to another side.

Flipping can also be slang for a certain other f-word.

dictionary.com/browse/flip

edited 13th Jun '18 9:34:32 AM by megaeliz

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#245506: Jun 13th 2018 at 9:37:19 AM

[up][up] It's generally better not to assume that anything is too stupid for Trump to do or say.

Disgusted, but not surprised
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#245507: Jun 13th 2018 at 9:43:24 AM

Did anybody mention yet that Trump once again bashed NBC and CNN for their coverage of the Un meeting, calling "fake news" the enemy of the people? This is after he praised Un. To sum up: The free press (aka anyone who doesn't lick Trump's boots) is an enemy of the people, but brutal dictators are a-okay.

I'm legitimately scared for the future of this country.

edited 13th Jun '18 10:02:36 AM by speedyboris

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#245508: Jun 13th 2018 at 10:16:29 AM

This is a good step, and a blow to Dark money groups.

IRS revokes dark money group Americans for Job Security’s tax exempt status

This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it revoked the dark money group Americans for Job Security’s tax exempt status. The announcement followed a complaint from Issue One and the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) against the organization.

Americans for Job Security was a tax-exempt “business league” that spent tens of millions of dollars influencing elections while keeping its donors secret, but failed to file its tax returns for the past three years. Issue One and CLC’s complaint called on the agency to enforce penalties against Americans for Job Security for failing to file multiple years of mandatory returns.

“The IRS should continue to hold accountable groups that abuse the privilege of their tax-exempt status,” said Issue One Executive Director Meredith Mc Gehee. “This IRS action should serve as a warning to other dark money organizations on the left and right who seek to spend money in elections and then decline to follow-up on their obligations with the proper oversight authorities.”

“For years, Americans for Job Security abused its tax-exempt status to allow donors to secretly influence elections,” said Brendan Fischer, director, federal reform program at CLC. “Although the IRS penalized Americans for Job Security for failing to file its tax returns, rather than for operating as a dark money political committee, it is gratifying to see that there are at least some consequences for groups that evade transparency requirements.”

The IRS automatically revoked Americans for Job Security’s tax exempts status for failing to file three years of consecutive mandatory returns in March 2018. The agency publicly announced their revocation this week.

Founded in 1997, Americans for Job Security was among the earliest political “dark money” groups — so-called because they do not publicly disclose their donors, unlike political action committees, super PA Cs, candidates and parties, which do.

A tax-exempt business league under section 501(c)(6) of the tax code, Americans for Job Security spent more than $20 million in political advertising in the two election cycles following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision.

In July 2016, the Federal Election Commission fined Americans for Job Security $43,000 after the agency concluded that the group should have disclosed a nonprofit known as the Center to Protect Patient Rights, then associated with the political network of billionaires Charles and David Koch, as a donor behind some of its political expenditures in 2010.

In addition to its own political spending, Americans for Job Security also played a prominent role in funneling tens of millions of dollars to two ballot measure fights in California during the 2012 election — part of a scheme that the California Fair Political Practices Commission later concluded was designed to hide the identities of the actual donors supporting the ballot measure efforts.

JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#245509: Jun 13th 2018 at 10:48:57 AM

Did anybody mention yet that Trump once again bashed NBC and CNN for their coverage of the Un meeting, calling "fake news" the enemy of the people? This is after he praised Un. To sum up: The free press (aka anyone who doesn't lick Trump's boots) is an enemy of the people, but brutal dictators are a-okay. I'm legitimately scared for the future of this country.

The worst part is that roughly a third of the country voted for it. All I can say is I hear you, and keep pushing forward.

Larkmarn Since: Nov, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#245510: Jun 13th 2018 at 10:58:40 AM

You know, I thought the worst part of a Trump presidency was the symbolic significance of him being elected. Turns out somehow I was wrong and he managed to be way worse than I anticipated.

Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#245511: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:04:30 AM

The only reason I don't feel the same way is that my expectations for this administration are really low.

And even then, he (very rarely) manages to disgust and surprise me.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#245512: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:04:44 AM

Symbolism of his election was terrible, but the practical results (vulnerable people hurt, administrative capacity gutted, economy overheated, foreign policy overturned, etc) make it look like a stupid home video by comparison.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#245513: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:07:04 AM

When one could make an argument that this presidency would be less destructive if he just spent the entire four years playing golf, you know it's bad.

Disgusted, but not surprised
danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#245514: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:20:07 AM

By the by, Kim Jong Un follows Asian naming conventions. His given name is Jong Un, his surname is Kim.

Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#245515: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:25:38 AM

Trump is pretty much exactly as bad as I was expecting.

Leviticus 19:34
Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#245516: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:30:56 AM

I can say that so far, the Trump presidency has been WORSE than I thought it would be, because I'm still alive.

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
DeathorCake Since: Mar, 2016
#245517: Jun 13th 2018 at 11:40:52 AM

[up]x5

To be fair, pretty much all of that bar the foreign policy nonsense would probably have happened under Generic Republican President #19, and I think your economy isn't overheating just yet. Growth is about where you want it to be and inflation is ticking up but well within reasonable levels, and the Fed is tightening to trade some of that inflation increase for higher unemployment.

I think the continuous stream of insane things Trump has said increases the horror rating, but hopefully you can win back the House and deadlock him for his last two years in the midterms.

It is a weird world when having both the US and UK political systems stalled almost completely due to obstructionism and mostly-irrelevant Brexit kerfuffle is the best medium-term outcome.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#245518: Jun 13th 2018 at 12:05:10 PM

[up]Well said.

It's truly a dark day when obstructionism is a legitimately good option.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#245519: Jun 13th 2018 at 12:23:22 PM

[up]

Even worse is that it gives those that want to dismantle the Federal government more "proof" that it's not needed, as they aren't getting anything done and the country's "doing fine".

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#245520: Jun 13th 2018 at 12:26:14 PM

Or even when things aren't going fine, it's not because of what Trump's done, it's because other countries actually react and take action instead of just bowing down.

DeathorCake Since: Mar, 2016
#245521: Jun 13th 2018 at 12:30:35 PM

[up][up]

There's a quote from somewhere I can't remember:

"whenever a politician talks about how the government is a problem, what he means is that if you elect him, the government will be a problem".

edited 13th Jun '18 12:31:27 PM by DeathorCake

Wariolander Since: Nov, 2017
#245522: Jun 13th 2018 at 12:56:31 PM

So, I'm going back to Europe for a month soon. Judging what I am reading here the last three pages, especially Trash Jack's and Eschaton's comments about Trump going full fascist and preventing people from fleeing to Canada, would it be better to just stay there?

edited 13th Jun '18 1:11:01 PM by Wariolander

DrDougsh Since: Jan, 2001
#245523: Jun 13th 2018 at 1:03:47 PM

Depends on where in Europe you're going.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#245525: Jun 13th 2018 at 1:12:08 PM

The main thing preventing people from fleeing to Canada is Canadian immigration and refugee enforcement/policy. And Trump going "full fascist" is very unlikely, there are still state institutions in place that can and are checking him.

[up]If you have a guaranteed place in Spain (as a citizen or resident), you aren't going to be able to get into Canada on refugee grounds, you'd have to go through normal channels. Really, no one with a Western European passport would qualify, because you have a safe country to withdraw to.

edited 13th Jun '18 1:13:41 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

Total posts: 417,856
Top