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rmctagg09 The Wanderer from Brooklyn, NY (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
The Wanderer
#249501: Jul 18th 2018 at 7:47:43 PM

From the Start, Trump Has Muddied a Clear Message: Putin Interfered:

Two weeks before his inauguration, Donald J. Trump was shown highly classified intelligence indicating that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had personally ordered complex cyberattacks to sway the 2016 American election.

The evidence included texts and emails from Russian military officers and information gleaned from a top-secret source close to Mr. Putin, who had described to the C.I.A. how the Kremlin decided to execute its campaign of hacking and disinformation.

Mr. Trump sounded grudgingly convinced, according to several people who attended the intelligence briefing. But ever since, Mr. Trump has tried to cloud the very clear findings that he received on Jan. 6, 2017, which his own intelligence leaders have unanimously endorsed.

The shifting narrative underscores the degree to which Mr. Trump regularly picks and chooses intelligence to suit his political purposes. That has never been more clear than this week.

On Monday, standing next to the Russian president in Helsinki, Finland, Mr. Trump said he accepted Mr. Putin’s denial of Russian election intrusions. By Tuesday, faced with a bipartisan political outcry, Mr. Trump sought to walk back his words and sided with his intelligence agencies.

On Wednesday, when a reporter asked, “Is Russia still targeting the U.S.?” Mr. Trump shot back, “No” — directly contradicting statements made only days earlier by his director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, who was sitting a few chairs away in the Cabinet Room. (The White House later said he was responding to a different question.)

Hours later, in a CBS News interview, Mr. Trump seemed to reverse course again. He blamed Mr. Putin personally, but only indirectly, for the election interference by Russia, “because he’s in charge of the country.”

In the run-up to this week’s ducking and weaving, Mr. Trump has done all he can to suggest other possible explanations for the hacks into the American political system. His fear, according to one of his closest aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity, is that any admission of even an unsuccessful Russian attempt to influence the 2016 vote raises questions about the legitimacy of his presidency.

The Jan. 6, 2017, meeting, held at Trump Tower, was a prime example. He was briefed that day by John O. Brennan, the C.I.A. director; James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence; and Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the director of the National Security Agency and the commander of United States Cyber Command.

The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, was also there; after the formal briefing, he privately told Mr. Trump about the “Steele dossier.” That report, by a former British intelligence officer, included uncorroborated salacious stories of Mr. Trump’s activities during a visit to Moscow, which he denied.

According to nearly a dozen people who either attended the meeting with the president-elect or were later briefed on it, the four primary intelligence officials described the streams of intelligence that convinced them of Mr. Putin’s role in the election interference.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Jul 18th 2018 at 10:47:44 AM

Hugging a Vanillite will give you frostbite.
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#249502: Jul 18th 2018 at 7:51:16 PM

More people own guns around the world, but mostly in the US. [1]

A new study shows that firearm ownership has increased worldwide, particularly in the US. US citizens are believed to own 40% of all small arms on the planet, with a record high of 120 guns for every 100 people.

Any speculation on what’s driving this?

Edited by archonspeaks on Jul 18th 2018 at 7:51:04 AM

They should have sent a poet.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#249503: Jul 18th 2018 at 7:53:32 PM

The rise in mass shootings may have spooked some people into buying guns, thinking it might make them safer in such a situation. Never mind that in a lot of (though not all) these cases, they don't really help.

Some people in the USA may also be losing faith in the police for various reasons, leading them to buy guns for their own protection.

People may also be buying more guns out of fear that the gov't will ban guns (never mind there's no way in hell that will happen especially with this administration) in response to the recent mass shootings.

Edited by M84 on Jul 18th 2018 at 10:58:05 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#249504: Jul 18th 2018 at 7:56:00 PM

Mass shootings, conspiracy theories, gun control laws.

When one or more of the above happens, there is a huge increase in gun and ammo sales.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#249505: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:17:06 PM

Wonder if the gun crime/suicide rate has gone up or down recently.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#249506: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:18:14 PM

I don't know about gun crimes, but I'm fairly certain suicide rates have gone up.

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#249507: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:19:11 PM

I don't think the people most vulnerable to the police are buying guns.

Because that will INCREASE the odds of police murdering them outright.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#249508: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:25:00 PM

[up][up][up] I wouldn’t be surprised, if only purely because there’s more guns available.

The expansion of the civilian gun market over the past few years has been pretty alarming, and this is speaking as a gun owner. Everything is cheaper than ever, more accessible than ever thanks to the internet, and there’s a much wider variety of stuff available. I’ve even seen this reflected at gun ranges in my area, I’ve noticed an uptick in dangerous behavior and accidental discharges since there’s a lot more new shooters, who are almost inevitably using cheap and poorly taken care of guns.

I’m really wondering how much the rate of accidents has gone up.

Edited by archonspeaks on Jul 18th 2018 at 8:28:12 AM

They should have sent a poet.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#249509: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:26:17 PM

[up][up] It's less that they're buying them to protect themselves from police. It's that they're buying them because they think "the cops won't save me so I need to save myself".

That this can had has gotten them killed by cops is true. And really, really sad.

[up] I heard a while back that overall gun violence is trending downwards, though mass shootings are on the rise as are suicides.

Edited by M84 on Jul 18th 2018 at 11:27:14 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
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
#249510: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:32:12 PM

[up]X3 If a person lives in an area with certain police cultures having a gun or not won’t make a difference, they’re getting shot anyway if they interact with the police.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#249511: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:38:48 PM

[up][up] Accidents aren’t always reported as gun violence, a lot of times that category will only include murders or attempted murders.

Unfortunately getting good stats and research on this stuff in the US is extremely difficult.

They should have sent a poet.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#249512: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:40:09 PM

[up]Something that is by design thanks to gun lobbyists.

Disgusted, but not surprised
tsstevens Reading tropes such as You Know What You Did from Reading tropes such as Righting Great Wrongs Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: She's holding a very large knife
Reading tropes such as You Know What You Did
#249513: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:55:11 PM

There's a comedian named Jim Jefferies, he was the star of the two season FX show Legit and he has quite a bit to say about guns and gun control, quite a bit I have used myself. Now he's up there on stage having a laugh but it's something he is serious about and perhaps someone we should listen to. (slightly NSFW)

A short brief on the points he makes: he said Australia had the Port Arthur massacre and saw fit to ban all auto and semi auto weapons, and the reaction was a little grumbling but trying to stop another one was more important. In America there is a mass shooting every day and when the duty to have every man woman and child own a AR-15 is questioned Americans go berserk.

The Constitution argument is brought up and Jim Jefferies says yes that's okay, but the arguments in defense of guns he treats as rubbish. Protection is out, gun owners don't pose with security doors or go to home security conventions. He questions are they drawing the gun all time, have it constantly aimed at the door or window, maintains if it's locked in a safe it offers no protection and equates guns to how slavery was abolished because of how badly misused they were in the time. There is one argument he says gun owners have and it's they like guns and want to buy own and use them.

Teachers having guns, he's short and to the point on this idea. After Florida it's topical to address. Would not work. I'll leave it up to him to explain.

Currently reading up My Rule Fu Is Stronger than Yours
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#249514: Jul 18th 2018 at 8:58:21 PM

Sadly, I think the guns are probably being bought by white people who expect the race war Trump has been promising them for years.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#249515: Jul 18th 2018 at 10:28:45 PM

@M84: What Charles means is that you aren't seeing black people buy guns to protect themselves from cops, because they know full well that a black guy with a gun gets shot first and the cops don't get punished.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#249516: Jul 18th 2018 at 10:32:56 PM

[up] And my point is that these people may be buying guns in the first place because they don't trust cops to help them or are worried that calling the cops will lead to them being shot instead.

That was what I meant when I said some people are buying guns because they don't trust cops.

I did not say that people are buying guns to protect themselves from cops.

Edited by M84 on Jul 19th 2018 at 1:33:35 AM

Disgusted, but not surprised
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#249517: Jul 18th 2018 at 10:41:26 PM

I get he understands.

I still wouldn't be surprised if Trumpists were the primary market, though.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#249518: Jul 18th 2018 at 10:47:44 PM

[up] That’s historically been the case, but demographics are changing for gun owners and M84 hit the nail on the head as to why. People increasingly don’t trust the police to help them, and the fastest-growing categories of gun owners are the people who trust the police the least. It’s yet another way the abusive behavior of police towards minorities actually leads to a more dangerous society.

They should have sent a poet.
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#249519: Jul 18th 2018 at 11:47:58 PM

Got [nja]'d

Edited by TerminusEst on Jul 19th 2018 at 1:36:46 AM

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#249520: Jul 18th 2018 at 11:50:49 PM

That must have been an interesting catch-22 for the NRA: Undermine the ability of the big gun manufacturers to make profit, or support the banning of a gun.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
rmctagg09 The Wanderer from Brooklyn, NY (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: I won't say I'm in love
The Wanderer
#249521: Jul 19th 2018 at 12:02:53 AM

[up][up] Already posted that at the top of the page.

That said, as far as I'm concerned that's collusion in spirit and proves that once again he should be dragged out of office.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Jul 19th 2018 at 3:10:02 PM

Hugging a Vanillite will give you frostbite.
MenInGreyToBlak V Since: Oct, 2017 Relationship Status: Too sexy for my shirt
V
#249522: Jul 19th 2018 at 2:23:24 AM

People buy guns because of multiple reasons but the main problem is that these mad gun laws which, from what I know, no other country has, are partially ruining your country. Look at all of these school massacres, happens once a week, now look at other countries, happens once a decade. There's a reason (other than mental illness) that school shootings are happening, the fact that guns are fully legal to buy and have in possession.

...and these types of things, things similar to school shootings and other crimes, make other people extremely worried and therefore they themselves buy guns so that they can protect themselves if anything happens. Trump was going to remove the law, but obviously, that didn't happen.

On a more positive note however, you guys shouldn't lose faith in the police. They are necessarily stricter in your country and you should see how puny they are here in Sweden. They are almost never allowed to shoot even if someone is being overly aggressive and this is a genuine problem as troublesome criminals are terrorizing police officers here for fun and they can't do anything about it, whereas in your country... they may even be allowed to do a bit much...

Edited by MenInGreyToBlak on Jul 19th 2018 at 11:29:03 AM

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#249523: Jul 19th 2018 at 2:40:11 AM

Actually, most Americans still don't own guns...never mind running around with them. The majority of the guns sold privately in the country are in the hands of perhaps 3% of the population..that should make you nervous. Very nervous.

Imca (Veteran)
#249524: Jul 19th 2018 at 3:01:57 AM

[up][up] The problem is that the police are regularly murdering minorities in the US.

There is no way to trust some one who stands a good chance of shooting you in the back for no reason.

PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#249525: Jul 19th 2018 at 4:38:14 AM

[up]Really, it's not for no reason; it's just that the reason is, you're black.

i'm tired, my friend

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