# 'the Donald' just doesn't get it: When U're in a hole, QUIT DIGGING...



## leashedForLife

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...& don't hand friends or family members a shovel "to help", either.
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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/donald-trump-eric-trump-clueless-sexual-harassment
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- the Donald sez "he'd hope (his adult daughter) would 'either find another career, or another [firm to work for]", if harassment happened at her workplace.
Don't punish the perp - send the victim off on a job-hunt, or even a complete career-change. Very effective, that. Especially if U, the F victim, have invested in a college education, internship, years of training, etc, before this cr*p began - or while it's ongoing.
Just throw all that away, start over, & find a career where women AREN'T sexually harassed. Where would that be? --- Xanadu? --- Shangri-La?
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- Then his son Eric chimes in that "Ivanka (his sister) is a very strong woman, & she *wouldn't let herself *be harassed". That's a new one - we women get to CHOOSE if we're sexually harassed or not?! -  when did that start?
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I want to officially file my "I decline sexual harassment" claim, right now - retroactive to my 1st job, at 16-YO.
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Or does son Eric merely think that only WEAK women get harassed? - really?... then why is the current Attorney General of the state of Massachusetts receiving death threats & sexual harassment by phone & via e-mail, after she announced that copycat guns made to mimic illegal assault weapons would be prosecuted?... Is *she* weak? I don't think so.
Does she 'deserve' to be called a c___, b___, etc? - I don't think so.
Maybe Eric Trump does - or his misogynist sire - but most folks on the street, asked their opinion, would probly disagree. She's a well-educated, experienced barrister with a sterling past career - where & how is she 'weak', & when did she invite sexual slanders & bigoted verbal assaults, let alone death-threats?
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## leashedForLife

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All this began 'cuz Trump's friend Alies at Fox-News was shown the door, after repeated complaints of sexual harassment by several F employees.
The Donald has no comprehension of how toxic the workplace can be, even for "strong" women - whether by that he means job skills, physical strength, or emotionally resilient, the Goddess only knows, but in any case, female strength doesn't prevent males harassing them.
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If anything, strong women - in any sense of the adjective - can provoke even-more intense harassment by male co-workers, male bosses, or male customers. I've seen other women be targeted precisely because they were strong - highly skilled, physically able, or emotionally competent - & i've been singled out, too.
Did it make me feel special?... H***, no. No more than being catcalled & hearing obscenities while i passed a construction zone made me feel "sexy". It made me want to punch a hardhat-wearing sexist pig, right where he'd feel it most. >:--\
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The only attribute needed to elicit obscene male attn from a worksite is a presumed vajayjay. They'll hoot & shout just as crudely at a guy in a dress. It's not any sort of tribute to one's claim to beauty - it's merely a way to pass the time, & yell sh*t in public that their mothers would wash their mouths out for, way-back when.
It's also one way to get applause from the other men on the crew - 'bonding thru mutual antagonism'. Goody.
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## leashedForLife

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We've seen how marvelous The Donald's personal skillz are - shouting "U're FIRED!" at reality-TV contestants, making crude comments about the national-TV interview by a woman who *dared *to ask him real questions instead of lob soft pitches he could knock out of the ballpark - but here's another instance of his brilliant "business acumen".
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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/trumps-taj-mahal-atlantic-city-announces-its-closing
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The dude's filed for bankruptcy FOUR TIMES since 1986. Yet somehow, he still has megabucks, & the poor dweebs who were once his employees are the ones left with nothing. His former casino-employees even took him to court, in an effort to get their promised pensions or at least some of the money they'd paid into the fund - & failed.
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Hilary Clinton spoke about his repeat failures in Atlantic City:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/07/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-atlantic-city
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He's spent years trying to do business in Russia - & flopped every time:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/07/donald-trump-history-trying-do-business-in-russia
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From 1987 to 2013, a string of proposed Russian real-estate & business deals all withered & died. This is the "brilliant businessman" who claims he's "created tens of thousands of jobs". That, BTW, was the 'sacrifice' that Trump put up as comparable to the loss suffered by the Muslim couple, the death of their son in Iraq - when he saved his squad & died himself, keeping a suicide bomber out of the base.
Just how much suffering did Donald "creating jobs" cause him, personally?... 
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## Lurcherlad

The idea that DT could ever become your president is very scary!

How can any right minded person think he is a good candidate? Very worrying.


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## Zaros

Lurcherlad said:


> *The idea that DT could ever become your president is very scary*!
> 
> How can any right minded person think he is a good candidate? Very worrying.


Why not?

G W Bush, the Elmer J Fudd of politics, became President and he was a gibbering lunatic. :Wacky


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## Lurcherlad

Zaros said:


> Why not?
> 
> G W Bush, the Elmer J Fudd of politics, became President and he was a gibbering lunatic. :Wacky


You have a point!


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## Happy Paws2

Stil it's rather worrying that someone like that could become president when he's a racist, sexual bigot.


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## stuaz

Zaros said:


> Why not?
> 
> G W Bush, the Elmer J Fudd of politics, became President and he was a gibbering lunatic. :Wacky


Twice!


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## DogLover1981

Donald Trump doesn't scare me anymore than Hillary does. Trump and the people that work for his campaign are absolute geniuses. He's made a complete mockery out of American culture, politics and media and it's hilarious. I like it  He's using campaign strategies right from Miley Cyrus by being as obnoxious as possible to get media attention. Almost anything he can think of to get media attention, he'll do. He knows exactly what he's doing and it's working for him so far. At this point, I'm really hoping Donald Trump wins this election as it'd hopefully force the Democrats to find someone besides Hillary in 2020. Both candidates have truckloads of dirty laundry and both are disgusting in their own ways. Both could be said to be racist in different ways. You could say I've given up on this election.  Could we please rewind time and redo this election? It'd be nice. lol

Edit: I should also add that he has absolutely no shame. I could _never _say some of the things he's said.


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## Happy Paws2

DogLover1981 said:


> Donald Trump doesn't scare me anymore than Hillary does. Trump and the people that work for his campaign are absolute geniuses. He's made a complete mockery out of American culture, politics and media and it's hilarious. I like it  He's using campaign strategies right from Miley Cyrus by being as obnoxious as possible to get media attention. Almost anything he can think of to get media attention, he'll do. He knows exactly what he's doing and it's working for him so far. At this point, *I'm really hoping Donald Trump wins this election as it'd hopefully force the Democrats to find someone besides Hillary in 2020.* Both candidates have truckloads of dirty laundry and both are disgusting in their own ways. Both could be said to be racist in different ways. You could say I've given up on this election.  Could we please rewind time and redo this election? It'd be nice. lol
> 
> Edit: I should also add that he has absolutely no shame. I could _never _say some of the things he's said.


That's if we are still here, by then he'll have started WWIII


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## leashedForLife

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Yow! - how is "hoping he'll get elected" supposed to be *helpful *in any sense, or _*hopeful? - *_
_* *_The prospect of spending 4-years under his "guidance" is pretty dam*ed scary to me, & i'm not scared by much - "vicious" dogs, snakes, spiders, biker dudes, rifle-toting NRA members, prospective in-laws, etc - I've faced 'em all.
*4-years with the Hair-Don't in the Oval Office?... *that's too much to cope with._* *_
_*.*_
Compared to The Donald, Dubya was a brilliant thinker & a suave diplomat - only in comparison, as IRL, he was an ignorant blowhard with no statesmanlike qualities.
_*.*_
if this egomaniac horse's butt is elected POTUS, it would be catastrophic, IMO. The sole potentially hopeful pinpoint of light in that very-dark moment, were he elected, is that the arsewipe might decide that he didn't actually want to SERVE as Prez - which a few of his nearest & dearest have already alleged, as for The Donald, it's apparently not about the office - it's about 'winning the election'.
My personal fond hope is that he goes back to "reality-TV", where he belongs, after a sound defeat in the November polls.
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## Goblin

Like the BREXIT campaign.. tell the public anything they want to hear and they'll ignore the facts and vote for you.


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## Zaros

Happy Paws said:


> That's if we are still here, by then he'll have started WWIII


A third world war has already begun HP. But it's not one you might recognise in the conventional sense of the meaning.
At the moment it's a war of hypocrisy of subterfuge of propaganda of distractions of deception of censorship and of lies.
You just have to know who your real enemy is by identifying the one who is guilty of the most sabre-rattling.

In one respect or another we are all casualties, victims and Guinea Pigs of aggressive and avaricious superpowers.

_It's 8:15 and that's the time that is has always been. (Enola Gay) _OMD


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## Happy Paws2

Zaros said:


> A third world war has already begun HP. But it's not one you might recognise in the conventional sense of the meaning.
> At the moment it's a war of hypocrisy of subterfuge of propaganda of distractions of deception of censorship and of lies.
> You just have to know who your real enemy is by identifying the one who is guilty of the most sabre-rattling.
> 
> In one respect or another we are all casualties, victims and Guinea Pigs of aggressive and avaricious superpowers.
> 
> _It's 8:15 and that's the time that is has always been. (Enola Gay) _OMD


I agree with you, but but if Trump gets in he's likely to push the red button, that's the war I was talking about.


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## Zaros

Happy Paws said:


> I agree with you, but but if Trump gets in he's likely to push the red button, that's the war I was talking about.


I don't believe he's any more likely to 'press the button' as any other blind arrogant lunatic that's held office.
You can't expect a psychopath to surrender his pride for the sake of humanity.
It has never been the way of psychopaths in history and I very much doubt we can expect anything different from the psychopaths of the future.


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## Happy Paws2

I'm not so sure he's a gun crazy lunatic, I woud trust him with a water pistol


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## DogLover1981

Donald Trump isn't any more likely to start WW3 than Hillary is, IMO. Trump is, in some ways, more of a dove than Hillary is. Though, both candidates are so "all over the place" that it's hard to know for sure. This has been one of the most cringeworthy outcomes for an election I've seen. Again, I'm really hoping that Trump wins as it'll force the Democrats to find someone besides Hillary in 2020. I do believe Hillary could be a disaster and especially a disaster for the Democrats. The longer a politician is involved in national/presidential politics, the more connections and corruption they're likely to have. The Clinton family has been in national politics since the early 90s and that's definitely proven true with the Clintons. Once a person has done their four or eight years as president, they and their family should just get out of politics. Politicians shouldn't be anywhere near charities too. 

Edit: You could say I'm mostly being strategic this election cycle. Never in a million years did I think I'd be hoping a person would win the election when that person openly betrays himself publicly as sexist, loudmouthed, belligerent and extremely arrogant.


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## Zaros

DogLover1981 said:


> Donald Trump isn't any more likely to start WW3 than Hillary is, IMO. Trump is, in some ways, more of a dove than Hillary is. Though, both candidates are so "all over the place" that it's hard to know for sure. This has been one of the most cringeworthy outcomes for an election I've seen. Again, I'm really hoping that Trump wins as it'll force the Democrats to find someone besides Hillary in 2020. I do believe Hillary could be a disaster and especially a disaster for the Democrats. The longer a politician is involved in national/presidential politics, the more connections and corruption they're likely to have. The Clinton family has been in national politics since the early 90s and that's definitely proven true with the Clintons. Once a person has done their four or eight years as president, they and their family should just get out of politics. Politicians shouldn't be anywhere near charities too.


You do realise that mentioning the Clintons and corruption in the very same sentence could possibly earn you a place on the Arkansas Sudden Death Syndrome Register.:Facepalm

Don't you?


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## leashedForLife

QUOTE, DogLover1981:

I'm really hoping that *Trump wins,* as it'll *force the Dems to find someone BESIDES Hillary.*

/QUOTE
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I don't grok what U're trying to say, i'm sorry. The Democratic party *can't* choose someone else, now - unless Hillary dies or commits an egregious crime, is severely injured, ____ , she's -It- for this cycle.
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DL1981, U "hope Trump wins" _what, _exactly? - He *has* the Republican nomination as their candidate for POTUS.
The only thing left to "win" is election to office as Prez, at which point, the Democrats will have 4-years to mull over whom they'd want to propose as the _*next *_Democratic candidate for POTUS - & Hillary will be history.
Do U really think she'd be selected twice?  -- Why?
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If the Hair-Don't _*wins *_the November election, Dems of all types, Tea-party Republicans & moderate Repubs, Libertarians, Socialists, Commies, Green party, radical idealists, Progressives, KKK members, Neo-Nazis, Daughters of the American Republic, VFWs, Moose Lodge, Sons of the Confederacy, Muslims, Buddhists, Ecumenicals, atheists, Quakers, Baptists, snake-handlers, Catholics, Wiccans, born-again Pagans, agnostics, Lutherans, biker-gangs - sorry, clubs, dope-addicts & dope-dealers, designer-drug makers & Silicon Valley venture capitalists...
we're all condemned to live thru the next 4-years with this roaring numskull as our elected figurehead, our international representative, our designated appointee in affairs of state, abroad & domestically.
That could very-well be catastrophic.
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POTUS isn't a despot or a king, but s/he sets the emotional tone of the administration - Obama's terms have been aspirational, affirming, optimistic, & outgoing; he can't single-handedly do much, but he DID push hard for reconciliation with Cuba, more negotiation & diplomatic conversations with foreign gov'ts beyond our traditional allies [EU, NATO, etc], realistic talks with Mexico about our mutual problems [drugs, paramilitary cartels, escalating violence, border violations - Mexico is the crossing-point for all of Central & South America, & northing immigrants violate her borders before they get to ours], & more.
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one example of Mr Trump's diplomatic skillz:
the Donald wants Mexico to erect a wall along the entire border, at their own cost.
I'm sure it's never occurred to him that wildlife need to cross borders, too - & another artificial barrier creates far-more problems for wildlife than for human migrants, who will go over, under, thru, or around it in multiple ways. It's nothing more nor less than a land-based dam, impeding flow - not of humans, but of nonhumans. Genes don't stop at political borders, & impoverishing the border's gene-pool of fauna, flora, microfauna & microflora does nothing to "enhance national security".
It undermines it.
Saber-rattling or trade-sanctions against Mexico, a close neighbor with strong economic ties to the US, is shooting oneself in the foot. Mexico & the US have gotten along quite well for decades - why explode that happy collaboration by demanding they build a useless, expensive, destructive barrier?
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Mexico is a friend, & he's insulted & alienated her, before ever taking office - how well do U think he'll deal with nations that genuinely work against US-interests, some of whom threaten the safety & even the lives of US-citizens, *after* he takes office?
Will he have a brain-transplant, so that he has at least a modicum of diplomacy & tact, negotiating flexibly & honestly with other countries?... to my knowledge, there is no such thing.
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Having this appeal-to-the-lowest-denominator as POTUS, even with the limits on Presidential power, will severely inflame the already-strained relations among our polyglot, immigrant citizenry. The USA is every color, ethnic background, economic class, & religious or irreligious type imaginable.
Donald Trump is a narrow-minded bigot who fans flames; he doesn't include, he excludes - he insults, belittles, & disempowers anyone not like him, meaning not-*male, *not-white, not-wealthy, not-politically-connected. That's the vast majority of the US popn.
The gap between Haves & Have-nots has never been bigger, & continues to widen. There's no reason to suppose that all-out revolution couldn't happen, here, again - France overthrew the kingship & aristocracy precisely because of their privileged stranglehold on "the common citizen", & colonial farmers with their feet wrapped in burlap faced the British army in the American revolution.
Is that price - sowing hatred, racist & class division - worth paying FOR 4-YEARS, just to somehow embarrass or punish the Democrats for choosing Hillary Clinton?
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QUOTE, cont'd:
I do believe Hillary could be a disaster, and especially a disaster for the Democrats.

/QUOTE
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Considering the Donald's virtually-unlimited potential for disasters of all kinds, diplomatic, international, national, fiscal, individual rights [a woman's right to abortion, a citizen's rights to equal legal protection, national health-care, etc], & a shopping-list of others, WTH could Hillary Clinton potentially do that might even come close to his aftermath?
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What train-wrecks do U foresee that Ms Clinton might cause, which could even approach the level of threat embodied by Mr Trump? I'm not being sarcastic; i genuinely cannot see anything nearly as Godawful that President Hillary might do, compared to what President Donald might do, while in office.
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QUOTE, DogLover1981:

Politicians shouldn't be anywhere near charities, too.

/QUOTE
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U're right - Prince Charles & Lady Diane included.
Politicians shouldn't even appear at charity-fundraisers, or mention any charity in a speech, let along actually DO something concrete to support a charity, like help build a home for a homeless family, or improve the homes of families who are living in dumps, & give them a stake in improving their family's health, lives, & fortunes.
Who the H*** does that Jimmy Carter think he is, wielding a hammer as one of a Habitats for Humanity crew?....
Come to think of it, WTF was i thinking, volunteering for Habitats? - i don't have children, nor a husband - why do i give a rat's bum about "housing families"?
I've worked on 3 Habitat-homes, one new & 2 refurbished, & nobody's building a home for me, now that *i'm* homeless.
Why in God's name did i show up every weekday at a house in Bellefonte, PA, for an entire summer, collecting stone at commercial construction sites, laying drystone walls & a patio, helping tote plasterboard & framing, & sweating my a$$ off every day?
Why did i bother persuading my then-consort to come along & work, too?
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While we're at it, let's get rid of *celebrities* in charity-work, too.
Cher Bono, Leonardo DiCaprio, Betty White, Angelina Jolie, Ed Bagley, Sally Struthers, Marlo Thomas & her father Danny (& all the kids at the hospital he founded), the March of Dimes celebrity spokesniks, the Muscular Dystrophy telethon & Jerry Lewis [AFAIC, the best thing the comedian ever did in his life - i found his humor often grating], Alec Baldwin, Annette Bening, Brigitte Bardot, Maria Shriver, Gladys Knight...
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And well-heeled businessmen - who do they think they are, distributing largesse to sooth their consciences?...
Gates & his 'foundation', trying to provide water for African citizens outside of cities, or reduce malaria deaths, or end river-blindness. Ridiculous.
Andrew Carnegie & his endless public-libraries. _Pffui._
Richard Branson & _Virgin Unite - _ending obstetric fistulae, AIDS / HIV awareness & prevention, Tb, malaria, climate change - I mean really, who cares about those things? He's such a Debbie Downer. 
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In sum:
I don't care who helps, why they help, or how - as long as they help; & if glitter gets public attn, so much the better.
If it takes celebrity endorsement to catch the eye & ear or heart of a fickle public, go for it; if politicos want to devote time & energy or even money, wonderful. If multi-millionaires or billionaires want to buy their way into heaven, fine with me - just ease the struggle of others not so fortunate on Earth, before U leave.
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In a time when thriving U.S. cities have shelters for homeless ppl with WAITING LISTS for 6-mos or more just to get a bed for the night, & subsidized housing has YEARS to be wait-listed, & charity-kitchens and food-banks see entire families come in for meals & groceries, we need all the help we can get, from anyone willing or able to help - anywhere, everywhere.
And that's here, in America - a wealthy country with a stable national Govt.
That's only looking at human needs, in one nation - not the global popn, & certainly not the planet, nor the other species who share it.
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Globally, we all need all the help we can beg or borrow - i'm talking about all the inhabitants of this planet, not "just humans", & if it's giving willingly & freely without a desperate last-minute appeal, so much the better.
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## CuddleMonster

leashedForLife said:


> .
> I don't grok what U're trying to say, i'm sorry. The Democratic party *can't* choose someone else, now - unless Hillary dies or commits an egregious crime, is severely injured, ____ , she's -It- for this cycle.
> .


Bearing in mind Trump is now apparently trying to encourage people to shoot her...

I really, really hope his daft remarks don't give 'inspiration' to any mentally unstable person.


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## Satori

It's all a bit academic. Trump doesn't win. He has pushed the rhetoric too far. Clinton is 7-9% ahead nationally and also ahead in every realistic battleground state. Polsters get it wrong, of course, but not this wrong.


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## DogLover1981

Those polls are bad for the whole election process, IMO. The polls this far out don't mean that much. Trump has shown himself to be remarkably resistant to scandals regarding stuff he has said. Too, there's plenty of possibilities with scandals surrounding Hillary that could reduce her chances of winning between now and November. I do wonder how accurate polls are nowadays with all the people that only have mobile phones. I'm just not even going to guess who will win at this point.


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## leashedForLife

.
I'm not that sanguine - Trump-*supporters *are vocal & dedicated. They'll vote.
If 1 in 10 of Clinton's lukewarm supporters decide to stay home, the Hair-Don't is that much closer to the Oval Office. It wouldn't take much - just a sense of smug assurance, & he's in for the duration.
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For the record, i'm not a huge fan of Hillary; I do, however, think she's a huge improvement over her husband. She pays far-more attn to citizens' concerns, as opposed to corporations' interests - which God knows, we've needed since the 1st term of Ronnie Ray-gun. But in this particular 2-horse race, the alternative - 4-years of Donald as POTUS - is far-too awful to allow for half-hearted or mere verbal support. She needs voter-turnout.
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## Goblin

Satori said:


> It's all a bit academic. Trump doesn't win. He has pushed the rhetoric too far. Clinton is 7-9% ahead nationally and also ahead in every realistic battleground state. Polsters get it wrong, of course, but not this wrong.


Same as Brexit. Similarities are too close to discount the possibility and to be complacent.


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## Guest

The way I see it, it’s like the choice between getting in two taxis. 
In the Hillary taxi you know you’ll probably get cheated on the fare, it won’t go where you want to go, there will be some pretty scary driving, and you’ll probably end up in a bad part of town. 
In the Donald taxi, it’s all of the above, plus your driver is an unstable maniac with a bad case of road rage.


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## Satori

Goblin said:


> Same as Brexit. Similarities are too close to discount the possibility and to be complacent.


Well apart from the fact that they are not remotely similar, maybe. One was a referendum, the other a FPTP system, one was polling close, the other showing a very clear winner. One was in uncharted territory and the other has decades of historical analysis to work with......


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## leashedForLife

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_"...decades of historical analysis" _don't mean squat if the cohort U polled AND the many they represent in proxy, don't show up on the day to vote. 
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## Satori

leashedForLife said:


> .
> _"...decades of historical analysis" _don't mean squat if the cohort U polled AND the many they represent in proxy, don't show up on the day to vote.
> .
> .
> .


Tiny Tim tiptoes through the tulips.


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## Goblin

Satori said:


> Well apart from the fact that they are not remotely similar, maybe. One was a referendum, the other a FPTP system, one was polling close, the other showing a very clear winner. One was in uncharted territory and the other has decades of historical analysis to work with......


On unknown ground with Trump as well. Polls didn't expect him to be nominated. Polls were not close at the start of the BREXIT campaign either, only at the end with remain expected to win. That's why the petition was started calling for a 2nd referendum by someone supporting the leave campaign.


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## leashedForLife

.
And Shirley sells seashells by the seashore - but Tiny Tim would vote for Mickey Mouse as POTUS, & Shirley has unresolved daddy-issues - she'd vote for any father-figure that she thought might take care of her [Bernie Sanders, in all likelihood - even tho he's withdrawn].
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Real ppl have to show up on election day, & cast legible / credible ballots - no 'hanging chads', no picking 2 where U're spozed to pick one, not scribbling in the name of their 4th grade teacher for POTUS & their minister as Veep.
I'm not confident of the outcome, plus it's August - we've got 90-days of rhetoric & promises, bullsh*t & baby-kissing, speeches, debates, misquoting & cheap shots, yet to come.
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A poll *now* only indicates how the person feels today - not necessarily how s/he will vote come November, or even if they'll go to the polls at all. Ppl can change their minds, be disillusioned or irritated by a chance remark, or suddenly decide their spouse / co-worker / neighbor was absolutely right, & vote for The Other One at the last minute.
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Voters are fickle. Showing up is the big hurdle; voting for the candidate they think will do the best job for their fellow citizens & themselves isn't what all voters DO, altho that's what they're spozed to do - many vote for 'my party' on a straight ballot, or vote for the pundits' choice of "winner", or simply vote -against- the presumed 'loser'.
Ppl forget that an election isn't a horse-race; U aren't supposed to pick the winner, U're supposed to choose the person who will best meet the demands of that office. Our former Sec of State isn't perfect, but everybody's flawed - compared to the Other Brand, she's the nation's shining hope.
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## Catharinem

Happy Paws said:


> Stil it's rather worrying that someone like that could become president when he's a racist, sexual bigot.


Please, please say you mean sexist, not sexual! :Stop


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## leashedForLife

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*"This Could Be the Stupidest Thing Ever Said in the History of Presidential Campaigns"*
http://www.motherjones.com/contribu...-stupid-does-according-to-forrest-gumps-momma
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*Republicans Say We Should Just Laugh Off Donald Trump's Assassination "Joke." No.
 http://*http://www.motherjones.com/media/2016/08/donald-trump-second-amendment-hillary-clinton-joke
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## Zaros

The Clintons are equally dangerous people. Trump might not have killed anyone (yet) but, to date, the Clintons have been associated with many odd and very questionable deaths.

Maybe they'll trump Trump? Maybe not? Maybe that would look too obvious.:Nailbiting


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## CuddleMonster

Zaros said:


> The Clintons are equally dangerous people. Trump might not have killed anyone (yet) but, to date, the Clintons have been associated with many odd and very questionable deaths.
> 
> Maybe they'll trump Trump? Maybe not? Maybe that would look too obvious.:Nailbiting


I'm not a fan of either Trump or Clinton. But 'joking' about shooting Hilary was an incredibly stupid and insensitive thing to do, especially considering the number of people who ARE killed by guns each year  And the risk of any politician becoming a terrorist/nutcase assassination target. Those sorts of comments from a 'leader' can too easily put ideas into the minds of unstable people.


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## Zaros

CuddleMonster said:


> I'm not a fan of either Trump or Clinton. But 'joking' about shooting Hilary was an incredibly stupid and insensitive thing to do, especially considering the number of people who ARE killed by guns each year  And the risk of any politician becoming a terrorist/nutcase assassination target. Those sorts of comments from a 'leader' can too easily put ideas into the minds of unstable people.


Whilst I agree it was a most outrageous statement to make in the public arena I do not condone such a message especially in a country where its citizens possess the right to bear arms.
But this is a no holds barred race to the White House. An event customarily turned into a circus by a hungry media waiting for the tiniest morsel of controversy to entertain an expectant audience.
American politics is a dangerous business.


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## Guest

Zaros said:


> Why not?
> 
> G W Bush, the Elmer J Fudd of politics, became President and he was a gibbering lunatic. :Wacky


Yes, true, but in comparison to Trump they were wise angelic characters. Hitler got votes too and we all know how that ended. We should know better, or rather you Americans. Let´s hope sense will prevail. My choice would have been Sanders, naturally, but that would have been too much for most Americans at the moment.


----------



## Zaros

MrsZee said:


> *Yes, true, but *in comparison to Trump* they were wise angelic characters.* Hitler got votes too and we all know how that ended. We should know better, or rather you Americans. Let´s hope sense will prevail. *My choice would have been Sanders,* naturally, but that would have been too much for most Americans at the moment.


They were angelic characters!

They?

I would just like to take this opportunity to point out that Elmer J Fudd was a cartoon character created by Warner Brothers.:Smuggrin
Or was that Bush:Wacky

However, am I to understand it then, that you're referring to none other than the inimitable Colonel Sanders?
A man who may well have thought that Hillary, as a spring chicken, was finger licking good.


----------



## Guest

Zaros said:


> They were angelic characters!
> 
> They?
> 
> I would just like to take this opportunity to point out that Elmer J Fudd was a cartoon character created by Warner Brothers.:Smuggrin
> Or was that Bush:Wacky
> 
> However, am I to understand it then, that you're referring to none other than the inimitable Colonel Sanders?
> A man who may well have thought that Hillary, as a spring chicken, was finger licking good.


:Mooning :Mooning :Mooning


----------



## FeelTheBern

DogLover1981 said:


> Donald Trump doesn't scare me anymore than Hillary does. Trump and the people that work for his campaign are absolute geniuses. He's made a complete mockery out of American culture, politics and media and it's hilarious. I like it  He's using campaign strategies right from Miley Cyrus by being as obnoxious as possible to get media attention. Almost anything he can think of to get media attention, he'll do. He knows exactly what he's doing and it's working for him so far. At this point, I'm really hoping Donald Trump wins this election as it'd hopefully force the Democrats to find someone besides Hillary in 2020. Both candidates have truckloads of dirty laundry and both are disgusting in their own ways. Both could be said to be racist in different ways. You could say I've given up on this election.  Could we please rewind time and redo this election? It'd be nice. lol
> 
> Edit: I should also add that he has absolutely no shame. I could _never _say some of the things he's said.


My thoughts exactly! Both candidates are contriversial liars who are not fit to rule one of the most important countries in the world. I do not know how they have been so successful in the presidential race.
I dislike Clinton because of her involvement in controversies such as the Grand Theft Auto scandal of 2006 and the more recent Email Scandal.
I also dislike Trump because, simply put, he is a racist, sexist bigot.
Bernie Sanders was the only hope for America. Although I politically identify as a moderate conservative, I still believe he would have be a great president. He is a great public speaker, he is fair, he does not have extreme views and he has not been involved in any ridiculous controversies.


----------



## Zaros

FeelTheBern said:


> My thoughts exactly! Both candidates are contriversial liars who are not fit to rule one of the most important countries in the world. I do not know how they have been so successful in the presidential race.
> *I dislike Clinton because of her involvement in controversies such as *the Grand Theft Auto scandal of 2006 and *the* more* recent Email Scandal.*
> I also dislike Trump because, simply put, he is a racist, sexist bigot.
> Bernie Sanders was the only hope for America. Although I politically identify as a moderate conservative, I still believe he would have be a great president. He is a great public speaker, he is fair, he does not have extreme views and he has not been involved in any ridiculous controversies.


But isn't this the vehicle that now conveys her as the Underdog?

Evil Queen or Mad King, I don't think the people of America have any real choice in the hope of a stable future. Instinct tells me she is already cutting new keys to the White House.


----------



## Happy Paws2

A least she has a polical back ground and knows how to handle herself in the polical world, I just can't see Trump talking to world leaders.


----------



## FeelTheBern

Zaros said:


> But isn't this the vehicle that now conveys her as the Underdog?
> 
> Evil Queen or Mad King, I don't think the people of America have any real choice in the hope of a stable future. Instinct tells me she is already cutting new keys to the White House.


There is a new Independent candidate though, but because he entered the presidential race so late I don't think he actually has any chance of winning.


----------



## Zaros

FeelTheBern said:


> There is a new Independent candidate though, but because he entered the presidential race so late I don't think he actually has any chance of winning.


Where did they get the money from? I thought the Clinton Corporation had cleaned up in that respect


----------



## FeelTheBern

Zaros said:


> Where did they get the money from? I thought the Clinton Corporation had cleaned up in that respect


That I do not know.


----------



## Zaros

FeelTheBern said:


> That I do not know.


In that case.....in the immortal words of Hillary..... 'Ha.ha.ha.ha.ha'
'Ha, ha, ha ,ha ha'


----------



## leashedForLife

.
I'm heartily sick of this particular election-campaign already, & saw a bumper-sticker on Thurs evening that i should have photographed, as it expressed my feelings so well - obv, someone else shares my terminal disgust, LOL.
.
It was a white rectangle with a swirly spray of ribbon-like streamers across it, in solid red or solid blue, with stars of several sizes at both ends of the streamers, also either bright scarlet or deep blue - interrupting the streamers in the center was text,
|_ * . ~~~ Giant meteorite 2016! ~~~ . * ..._|
| please, just let it be over. ___________________________________________________| 
. 
I can definitely vote for that. 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
And of course, it goes on...
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/donald-trump-contradicting-himself-hypocrisy-video
.
.
here's a bit of ...fun? - Or at least, somewhat lighthearted, albeit it hawks back to 5th-grade:
http://www.motherjones.com/contribu...get-it-its-like-a-street-fight-but-on-twitter
.
I think she's got something there; The Donald can't abide the idea of losing, period, & losing to a _*g*__*irl*_ is a nightmare.
.
.
.


----------



## grumpy goby

#MakeAmericaBrannigan has been, by far, the best thing to come out of this election season....

https://www.pastemagazine.com/artic...-joins-in-on-makeamericabrannigan-by-rea.html


----------



## leashedForLife

...

https://www.pastemagazine.com/artic...-joins-in-on-makeamericabrannigan-by-rea.html
.
*definitely* the best thing from this sad, weird campaign - it's unfortunate that there's an 'Original' IRL who both said & believed the nonsense Zapp elucidates, but it's fun to laugh at, when it emerges from a cartoon-character's mouth. 
Thanks, Grumpy Goby!
.
.
.


----------



## FeelTheBern

grumpy goby said:


> #MakeAmericaBrannigan has been, by far, the best thing to come out of this election season....
> 
> https://www.pastemagazine.com/artic...-joins-in-on-makeamericabrannigan-by-rea.html


I would much rather the selfish mysoginist from Futurama to be our next president than the selfish mysoginist that is Donald Trump, that's for sure!
The things that Zap Brannigan says in Futurama are similar to the things that Trump says to try and promote himself. Zap Brannigan was meant to be stupid and funny, however Trump was not. Trump has made himself look stupid by constantly spouting racist, sexist and xenophobic statements.


----------



## kimthecat

Trump will be on Newzoids soon ! Cant wait . His comb over is a talking cat .

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/donald-trumps-newzoids-puppet-truly-8557333


----------



## Goblin

Interesting article
http://www.thelocal.de/20160816/why-trump-doesnt-have-a-clue-about-germany-or-merkel


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
A NYX investigation using public records, his campaign "financial filing" [woefully incomplete], & the services of 2 financial firms, found his companies owe **At Least** a staggering $650-million-US.
.
This is the "brilliant businessman" who's going to save the US-economy?!... 
.
Trump's Empire: A Maze of Debts and Opaque Ties
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/us/politics/donald-trump-debt.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Trump & Putin - i mean, really?... Is The Hair-Don't that clueless?!
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-putin-yes-it-s-really-a-thing
.
It's not just that he admires an unapologetic strongman who rules with an iron grip - he apparently has financial obligations to persons close to the Russian premier. This is deeply uncool.
.
Meanwhile, his tangled & opaque personal & business finances continue to make headlines...
http://mediamatters.org/video/2016/...ms-complex-maze-donald-trumps-finances/212646
.
.
and ex-SecState Clinton ripped him to ribbons a few hours ago, over his divisive, racist, bigoted attitudes, & the incitement he's given to far-right hate groups & "anti-" individuals
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/hillary-clinton-alt-right-donald-trump
.
She referred to Trump '..._"offering a dog whistle" to stir up the white nationalist, anti-immigrant, alt-right fringe supporters of his campaign', _& thus rallying the Internet troops of discord & hate-speech.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
For those of us who've wondered how in Heaven's name an ignorant, loud-mouthed, reactionary bigot came to be an actual candidate for POTUS, the author Sinclair Lewis warned of the possibility in his book, _'It Can't Happen Here', _published in 1935 & re-written as a script for live theatre in 1936.
.
http://theconversation.com/the-nove...a-swell-of-great-depression-demagoguery-56058
.
In my opinion
The U-S has always been too smug & too quick to claim "it can't happen here", whether 'It' was the wholesale genocide of WW-2 or the local viciousness of attacks on neighbors who happen to be a different color, religion, economic or social class than the attackers; the top-to-bottom monolith that stymied any individual or widespread advancement by blacks in South Africa; the censorship still practiced by the Chinese government; the horrors committed by Stalin, particularly those with ethnic or rural targets; the seemingly effortless takeover of African nations by hard-fisted "strong man" dictators... we like to reassure ourselves 'it can't happen here'.
.
Lynching, riots, homes burned with impunity by known persons, legalized murder when Federal marshals fired on unarmed protestors on the steps of the Capitol in D.C [Civil War veterans who gathered to demand the reparations they'd been promised, still unpaid years after the war's end], systematic ignorance imposed by a century of inadequate schools, lack of books, & poorly-trained teachers in segregated schools, & more, have ALL happened here.
.
Lewis' book, the play, the Federal project that brought the play to the stage - during the Great Depression, as part of government support for the arts & artists - can be found here:
.
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0301001h.html
.
doc.wrlc.org/handle/2041/60692
.




.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/*It_Can*'t_*Happen*_*Here*
.
.
That the Donald has an irresistible allure for the media is inevitable; he's controversial & says outrageous things, why wouldn't they love him? - he makes great copy! --- but that he has strong vocal support, mostly from white men - white-collar, wealthy, or blue-collar - is worrying, IMO. Those who don't know history are doomed to either repeat it, or play out the predictions of those who anticipated it - like Lewis.
.
cartoonist Trudeau likewise had a hunch - nearly 30 years ago:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-donald-trumps-presidential-run-29-years-ago/
.
a novelist put his campaign tag-line in her future dystopia, many years ago:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...erica-great-again_us_5776d9dce4b0416464100242
.
the Mexican craftsman who caricatures the Hair-Don't in pi~natas
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-man-behind-the-trump-pinata
.
the menstrual-blood portrait of the Donald:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...ng-portrait-using-menstrual-blood-tampon.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
since my last post, the POTUS campaign has only sunk to new lows - the Donald *bragged* about groping women's crotches in 2005, & we got to hear all about it on the evening news. A combo of _'W-T-H!!...' _& _blecchhh... :Hungover_
_Then he denied he ever did it - _he suddenly "only talked about it" As If He Had Done It. Yeah, sure, i believe that...  I mean, he's clearly heard on the video / microphone to say that he can "grab women by the [female anatomy likened to feline] & get away with it", because "...if U're a star, they LET YOU DO ANYTHING..." - meaning that the women he's grabbed 'allowed it'. Sure they did, Donald. [In what alternate reality?!...]
.
.
He also claims he _"can't help himself", _that beautiful women are magnetic to him, or more specifically their LIPS are magnetic to his, & he just HAS TO kiss them - bleccchh, again. :Grumpy 
Being groped & slobbered over by a pudgy, privileged sexist pig is such a huge sexual thrill for women, don't U agree?... Jeebus, Marky, & Jo-beth.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
this is, of course, merely the capper to his long-time career in 'entertainment', & he claims he was 'only entertaining' - WHO THE H*** does he envision as the audience, that's spozed to be 'entertained' by his sexual braggadocio & descriptions of outright assault, pursuit of married women who turn him down [a definite show of better taste than his own actions...], & molestation, or his years on "hate radio" as a guest of Howard Stern?! -
about whom, BTW, the less said, the better.
Howard is / was a foul-mouthed loudmouth who firmly believed that any sentence is improved by an obscenity... or 5. :Grumpy He & the Hair-Don't made a ripe pair, probably richly stenchful miles downwind.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
the latest [non]development is the [non]release of [possibly utterly inconsequential & / or irrelevent] e-mails related to the slimeball Wiener, who is under FBI investigation for possible sexual [physical or written] attns to a minor.
.
ex-sec of State Clinton had nothing todo with Wiener's willie or his sexting via mobile phone, but *despite* warnings from the Dept of Justice that he'd be violating policy re an ongoing investigation AND interfering with the election, the head of the FBI wrote [his opinion, not the determination of any court or judge] warning that "this investigation" into slimey Wiener *might*, just mayB, possibly, involve Ms Clinton -- somehow, altho OF COURSE he could not say yet whether it will / does / might...
IOW, just a poison-pen letter to imply guilt where none is known nor proven, or even alleged as yet.
What a tempest in a toy-sized tea cup, U'd think it was a Force-5 gale in the North Atlantic, & it's not even a ripple in a footprint's puddle!
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
i'm simultaneously looking forward to the *end* of this Godawful prez campaign, & feeling slightly sick with dread of a possible win by the Hair-Don't.
The mere thought of that [IM-ever-so-personalOpinion] racist, sexist, privileged, narrow-minded chauvinist pig taking office as POTUS is a horror to give me nightmares that would wake me, screaming & sweating.
EDIT: forgot to include 'ignorant, crude...'
.
please pray to any divinity U honor for a Clinton presidency, if only so that the Donald doesn't unleash a nuclear backpack-bomb on some business rival in retribution for a slight. 
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

I'm dreading Wednesday morning and geting up and finding he has won, I fear for world peace if he does.


----------



## Zaros

Happy Paws said:


> I'm dreading Wednesday morning and geting up and finding he has won, I fear for world peace if he does.


If people were less willing to swallow the first lie that came out of the mouths of powerful men, pick up a gun and fire it at a fictitious enemy, we wouldn't have to worry about world peace at all HP.
But it seems, in this age of endless illegal, unnecessary warfare, infants are born to become infantry.


----------



## Happy Paws2

Zaros said:


> If people were less willing to swallow the first lie that came out of the mouths of powerful men, pick up a gun and fire it at a fictitious enemy, we wouldn't have to worry about world peace at all HP.
> But it seems, in this age of endless illegal, unnecessary warfare, infants are born to be infantry.


Very true, but it's never going to happen, to many people want to believe the rubbish these people say.


----------



## 1290423

Lurcherlad said:


> The idea that DT could ever become your president is very scary!
> 
> How can any right minded person think he is a good candidate? Very worrying.


erm excuse me


----------



## 1290423

Happy Paws said:


> I agree with you, but but if Trump gets in he's likely to push the red button, that's the war I was talking about.


I actually think he would be the least likely to push the button actually, if there is even a shread of hope that the USA and Russia could get along then I think that hope has to be in those small hands belonging to trump.


----------



## 1290423

Happy Paws said:


> Stil it's rather worrying that someone like that could become president when he's a racist, sexual bigot.


And the alternative is not only married to a sexual predictor she doesn't appear to even be repelled at that.


----------



## Jamesgoeswalkies

In his own head Trump will never loose ....he'll just say it was all rigged against him. 

It's a mucky campaign but seriously .....I would rather never vote again rather than vote for someone like Trump.

J


----------



## Satori

Well I would like to see both of them disappear mysteriously and the whole thing started again. Best of a bad job, imo, would be Trump but that's not going to happen. Clinton is ahead in the polls by miles, projected to win 352 votes or thereabouts (and that's before the latest FBI announcement). She can afford to lose FL even and still be miles ahead. There's is simply no realistic path to the Whitehouse for Trump unless these are the worst polls in recorded history. He has no chance.


----------



## 1290423

My views are personally is that if those two candidates are the best the USA can produce then they have problems that humongous that even God would have problems sorting them out let alone either of those two mere mortals.

But on the otherhand if the USA is that badly broken then perhaps it needs a mad person to attempt to fix it


----------



## Catharinem

DT said:


> And the alternative is not only married to a sexual predictor she doesn't appear to even be repelled at that.


I'm sure in private she gives him hell about it. But since when is it a bad thing for a woman with children to take the bad with the good and ride a rocky bit of the marriage out?

Plenty of PFers all gooey over Paul Hollywood from Bake Off. So it still seems a man can have sex outside the marriage and be attractive, but a loyal wife ( or just a damn good mother who puts her children first) has it held against her? Wow!

Not saying Hilary is great, but having stuck to a marriage shouldn't be a negative. In fact, why are we even discusding her husband at all, a woman is more than who she's married to.


----------



## Guest

Catharinem said:


> I'm sure in private she gives him hell about it. But since when is it a bad thing for a woman with children to take the bad with the good and ride a rocky bit of the marriage out?
> 
> Plenty of PFers all gooey over Paul Hollywood from Bake Off. So it still seems a man can have sex outside the marriage and be attractive, but a loyal wife ( or just a damn good mother who puts her children first) has it held against her? Wow!
> 
> Not saying Hilary is great, but having stuck to a marriage shouldn't be a negative. In fact, why are we even discusding her husband at all, a woman is more than who she's married to.


This. Why are we even discussing who Hillary is married to?

And what a perfect example of yet again a woman running for office being held to completely different standards than a man. It makes me crazy.

When Donald Trump is caught on tape bragging about being able to grab women by the pussy without repercussions because he's famous, you don't respond with "yeah, well Hillary Clinton is married to a sexual predator." It's called a false equivalence people.

Hillary Clinton is NOT a sexual predator and why does who her husband is all of a sudden matter but who Donald Trump's wives (yes, the plural) are doesn't? When have we ever scrutinized a male candidate's choice of wife other than a few comments on what they wear? But a female candidate's husband we treat almost as if it's him running for office not her.


----------



## kimthecat

Well said @ouesi


----------



## Guest

I’m actually surprised anyone outside of the US would find anything appealing about Donald Trump. He is the epitome of the “Ugly American.” Brash, boastful, ignorant, inarticulate, loud, obnoxious, insults anyone who disagrees with him... I wouldn’t think anyone outside the US would fall for his schtick.


----------



## Zaros

DT said:


> But on the otherhand if the USA is that badly broken then perhaps it needs a mad person to attempt to fix it


Or break the rest of the world trying.:Nailbiting


----------



## 1290423

Zaros said:


> Or break the rest of the world trying.:Nailbiting


I think we are heading swiftly in that direction irrespective of who's at the wheel.


----------



## Zaros

DT said:


> I think we are heading swiftly in that direction irrespective of who's at the wheel.


Well, whatever they might be driving DT, one can only hope we're all going in style.


----------



## catz4m8z

ouesi said:


> Hillary Clinton is NOT a sexual predator and why does who her husband is all of a sudden matter but who Donald Trump's wives (yes, the plural) are doesn't? When have we ever scrutinized a male candidate's choice of wife other than a few comments on what they wear? But a female candidate's husband we treat almost as if it's him running for office not her.


TBF though Trumps kids seem to be in the news alot and he is being blamed for their views. I think its just politics to smear and badmouth the opposition for whatever you possibly can!

I was discussing this with BFF yesterday and we both came to the same 2 conclusions.
1. Poor Americans. It must suck having to choose between 'awful' and 'really awful'!:Bag
2. Has produced some quality SNL sketches though!LOL


----------



## kimthecat

Not long to go now! According to BBC , the polls put Clinton at 46% and Trump at 43%.


----------



## picaresque

I am feeling quite apprehensive and it's not even my country. Not that it won't affect us all.


----------



## 1290423

kimthecat said:


> Not long to go now! According to BBC , the polls put Clinton at 46% and Trump at 43%.


A bit like the polls put the chances of brexit then .


----------



## canuckjill

I really feel for all my American Friends, vote wisely but Please vote...Maybe Canada will get a wall too although in my area alot of the border is on Native land


----------



## Dogloverlou

If both are terrible choices one way or the other, why bother voting at all?

Sorry late to the party. Just wondering why it's considered such a necessary thing to do? Coming from someone who has never voted myself.


----------



## Guest

Dogloverlou said:


> If both are terrible choices one way or the other, why bother voting at all?
> 
> Sorry late to the party. Just wondering why it's considered such a necessary thing to do? Coming from someone who has never voted myself.


Both aren't terrible choices. 
One is a terrible choice. The other is a career politician who has shown very poor judgment in key areas.

The thought of this country being run by an unhinged racist, misogynistic, predatory, xenophobic, narcissistic bigot who hasn't apologized for any of the horrible things he has said to opponents - real or even perceived, and who doesn't respect the democratic process, doesn't respect the freedom of the press, and thinks Vladimir Putin is a "strong" leader, is quite frankly, terrifying.


----------



## rona

Dogloverlou said:


> If both are terrible choices one way or the other, why bother voting at all?
> 
> Sorry late to the party. Just wondering why it's considered such a necessary thing to do? Coming from someone who has never voted myself.


If the BNP had someone in the running as PM against another candidate you didn't really like and they were the only ones with any real chance, what would you do? Would you take the chance that the BNP would get in or vote for the not so good opposition to make quite sure they didn't?


----------



## Dogloverlou

ouesi said:


> Both aren't terrible choices.
> One is a terrible choice. The other is a career politician who has shown very poor judgment in key areas.
> 
> The thought of this country being run by an unhinged racist, misogynistic, predatory, xenophobic, narcissistic bigot who hasn't apologized for any of the horrible things he has said to opponents - real or even perceived, and who doesn't respect the democratic process, doesn't respect the freedom of the press, and thinks Vladimir Putin is a "strong" leader, is quite frankly, terrifying.


All I've heard surrounding them both is that neither are good choices, but Clinton is the best of a bad situation. I don't claim to know anything about either candidate other than what is being said/printed in the media but neither come across that well in the debates I've briefly seen, although Hilary does have more professionalism to her and I personally find Trump very disrespectful. But I don't think I'd feel passionately enough to uphold either one as the next President.


----------



## Guest

Dogloverlou said:


> All I've heard surrounding them both is that neither are good choices, but Clinton is the best of a bad situation. I don't claim to know anything about either candidate other than what is being said/printed in the media but neither come across that well in the debates I've briefly seen, although Hilary does have more professionalism to her and I personally find Trump very disrespectful. But I don't think I'd feel passionately enough to uphold either one as the next President.


The thing is, one of them *will* be president.

All you have to do is listen to Donald Trump's own words. 
"Very disrespectful" is a huge understatement. It's not just a question of no filter. He is truly a racist. In the realest sense of the word, he claimed a federal judge couldn't do his job because the judge's parent's were Mexican. He says Mexicans are rapists and criminals. He called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the US. Think about that for a second. He targeted an entire religion from entering a country founded on the principles of religious freedom! It's so warped, if someone had tried to sell this as a book or movie script no one would believe it!

He interrupted Hillary Clinton mid debate to call her a "nasty woman". That's after he claimed the leaked audio of him talking about sexually assaulting women was "locker room" talk. And he *still* doesn't seem to understand that the issue is not that he used the word "pussy" but the forcing himself on women without their consent. But you would think after that fiasco, he would be more measured. Nope, calls Clinton a "nasty woman" like he can't even help himself.

His attitude towards the press is also very scary. If you have a moment, look up NBC's Katie Tur who was assigned to Trump's campaign and had to have secret service protection because of the way Trump called her out in his rallies. He doesn't believe in freedom of the press and he doesn't believe in our democratic process. That alone is disqualifying.


----------



## Dogloverlou

ouesi said:


> The thing is, one of them *will* be president.
> 
> All you have to do is listen to Donald Trump's own words.
> "Very disrespectful" is a huge understatement. It's not just a question of no filter. He is truly a racist. In the realest sense of the word, he claimed a federal judge couldn't do his job because the judge's parent's were Mexican. He says Mexicans are rapists and criminals. He called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the US. Think about that for a second. He targeted an entire religion from entering a country founded on the principles of religious freedom! It's so warped, if someone had tried to sell this as a book or movie script no one would believe it!
> 
> He interrupted Hillary Clinton mid debate to call her a "nasty woman". That's after he claimed the leaked audio of him talking about sexually assaulting women was "locker room" talk. And he *still* doesn't seem to understand that the issue is not that he used the word "pussy" but the forcing himself on women without their consent. But you would think after that fiasco, he would be more measured. Nope, calls Clinton a "nasty woman" like he can't even help himself.
> 
> His attitude towards the press is also very scary. If you have a moment, look up NBC's Katie Tur who was assigned to Trump's campaign and had to have secret service protection because of the way Trump called her out in his rallies. He doesn't believe in freedom of the press and he doesn't believe in our democratic process. That alone is disqualifying.


Which makes it all the more embarrassing he is still considered a serious candidate!


----------



## Guest

Dogloverlou said:


> Which makes it all the more embarrassing he is still considered a serious candidate!


The word is not embarrassing anymore. 
It's terrifying.

Which is why not voting is not an option.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Ms Clinton worked extremely hard as a NY state rep, & did a commendable job as Sec of State.
She has considerable experience in politics *and* diplomacy, here & abroad. She understands compromise when it's needed, & can be tactful -
.
meanwhile, her opponent has zero political experience, touts his very-mixed business history & unethical dealings as "brilliant", & is an unvarnished bigot with nationalistic 'white is right' bias.
??? - how in all the seven Hells can such a man lead a polyglot nation with a 400-year history of immigration from every country on the globe?
.
I work in Boston, MA - on the street or in the subway, i hear French, Russian, Swedish, Farsi, Hungarian, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Swahili, & more.
Nobody bats an eyelash. Everybody sits or stands side by side in public transit - ppl are generally helpful, like the Russian lady who helped me hump my rollaway case up a long flight of steps on the Green line, or the young black man who stood to let a Latino woman, heavily pregnant, sit on a crowded bus.
It's not perfect - there was also the screaming match between 2 young back men, thick with obscenties & cursing, across Central Square yesterday.
But i *do* think the arson of a black church in Mississippi with "Vote Trump!" spray-painted on the smoking ruin is an instance of the hatred he foments.
The KKK has endorsed him - so have numerous neo-Nazi, militia breakaways, & other hate-groups.
.
.
Bill Clinton is a "sexual preDICTor"?... I think U meant 'predator'. I also think U're wrong - his liasons with Lewinsky were consensual, not rapacious, altho God knows it would be nice to have political leaders who could keep their dam*ed flies zipped. 
.
in strong contrast, Trump *Is* a sexual predator, & an unrepentant molester with a long & glorious history of groping & harassing women - including underage girls as young as 15, when he was emcee, judge, or otherwise involved in running or sponsoring beauty contests.
U can hear him brag about it in numerous interviews, explaining that he made a practice of invading the dressing rooms to see "these amazing bodies", & claiming moreover that "they expect it".
Bull. He simply & arrogantly intruded, because he feels entitled.
He grabs women's crotches for the same reason.
.
.
As for his "brilliant businessman", he built that rep in part by cutting costs in the simplest & most-brutal way possible, by NOT * PAYING * HIS * CONTRACTORS for work completed. That makes a big difference in the final cost of that golf-course clubhouse, hotel, casino, what-have-U.
.
.
The current Mrs Trump had better begin looking for a new address, as her shelf-life has expired - her loving spouse has repeatedly said that "35 is too old" for a woman. Hello?... he's a 70-YO man, & in my opinion, was externally ugly even in his youth. He hasn't improved with age -
but his internal ugliness has been revealed to the world during this long, grotesque travesty of a campaign.
The man lies, on average, every 5-minutes --- according to professional fact-checkers.
He aggressively slobbers over any atttractive woman who gets within 3-feet of him, or runs a hand up the skirts of women so foolish as to sit beside him in a public bar. He's an unregenerate hog, IMO, & that's bad-mouthing innocent swine around the planet. Sorry, piggies.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

I might be wrong, but I'm sure years ago I read he had his yacht fitted out with elephant shin.


----------



## picaresque

He is repulsive looking. Wouldn't normally comment like that about someone's looks but he's asking for it the way he speaks about others. 
And to think he has the nerve to slur all Mexicans as rapists. Hmm.


----------



## noushka05

I see our very own racist demagogue,Nigel Farage, tweeting his support for Trump. Good to see Americans trolling the creep.

*Nigel FarageVerified account‏@
*

*Is this Brexit day in the US? I hope so.

*

The worlds going mad.


----------



## westie~ma

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/08/trum...lth-vote-commentary.html#.WCI_nOTnNhI.twitter

Was wondering about this myself, voters too chicken to say who they were actually voting for. Stealth voters oooo-errrr missus


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Happy Paws, post: 
...I might be wrong, but I'm sure years ago I read he had his yacht fitted out with elephant shin. 
/QUOTE
.
wouldn't surprise me in the least - his whole adult life has been a paean to conspicuous consumption, i mean this man literally had gold taps installed in [at least 1, possibly more of the many homes he's owned] his bathroom.
Ridiculous, yes - also a comment on just how precious he thinks he himself is, & how inordinately wasteful he is.
.
This is the guy who claims to be able to 'understand' poor working class folks, who struggle to stay fed, clothed, & sheltered, who work 2 & 3 part-time jobs to cobble together enuf income for the bills, who get food stamps & Aid to Families With Dependent Children?...
he hasn't any more comprehension of blue-collar or minimum-wage life than Queen Elizabeth's favorite Corgi has of the lives led by street-dogs. Trump & the working poor live on what might as well be different planets.
.
AT * HIS * LOWEST * POINT financially, his brokers put Trumpster on an austerity budget of over $250K per year. IIRC, it was $265,000 - if that's "austerity", what does "free spending" look like, over a 12-month?!
The man lives in a fairy-tale; reality is outside his experience, let alone his paltry imagination or his apparently nonexistent empathy.
[Remember this is the same candidate who, far from kissing babies, evicted one crying infant & the baby's parents from a Trump-rally, mocking the child's genuine sobs over the microphone, "aww, boo-hoo!... Shut up", before his minions escorted the family out.
In Sunday's NYX, here's the Donald dangling an infant in front of a crowd, saying he's "cute".
The incongruities & fractures extend to his personal life - he thinks pregnant women look "disgusting" but has nonetheless "ruined" his trophy wives' figures by breeding them.
He's sired 3 children; if he hated the sight of gravid women, he should have spent some of his money on surrogate pregnancies, implanting the precious Trumplings into non-wives - then he wouldn't have to live with the disgusting process, but could just pick up the newborn when all the messy labor was over, & take the fruit of his loins home to his stretch-mark-free wife.]
.
I wonder if he ever told his mother that pregnant women are disgusting? -- I can't help but wonder if she was sorry or glad she gave birth to a world-class misogynist. Poor woman. 
.
.
.


----------



## Colliebarmy

Clinton slagged of Trumps supporters

well that didnt go well did it


----------



## 1290423

Colliebarmy said:


> Clinton slagged of Trumps supporters
> 
> well that didnt go well did it


Could have been the turning point CB who knows ?
Not unlike the remarks made by some politicians against the brexit voters! 
Now you would have thought that the Clinton camp with all their ,experience, would have learnt by that!


----------



## Guest

Colliebarmy said:


> Clinton slagged of Trumps supporters
> 
> well that didnt go well did it


She was referring to his endorsements by white supremacist groups. Which yes, I would hope a legitimate politician would denounce. 
Meanwhile Trump calls women disgusting pigs, mocks a disabled reporter, says McCain isn't a war hero, and brags about sexually assaulting women.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
with much trepidation, i left the thread & googled "2016 election results".
I'm sick, literally feeling nauseous; i'm officially living in an asylum, IMO, & one of the loudest and most dangerously-erratic lunatics has just been given control.
.
I don't want to live in this country. Seriously - my parents lived thru the Great Depression, WW-2, the atom-bomb; I grew up in a post-nuke world, saw a chunk of the Cold War era, watched the Middle East implode repeatedly, the USSR fragment, Africa's tribal wars re-erupt, climate change begin to decimate our only home, & the post-antibiotic rise of resistant microbes.
The only event that made me feel this sick with physical dread was Katrina hitting New Orleans - when the mayor told residents to "go to your attic" if the water rose into the house, & to "take a hatchet" with them IN * CASE * THEY * NEEDED * TO * CHOP * THRU * THE * ROOF, i turned off the TV, sick at heart, & told my mother that thousands would die - many live in apt-bldgs, wouldn't know what a hatchet was if it fell in their laps, & could no more "chop their way out" thru the roof than they could fly, unaided.
.
this is another of those "sick at heart" moments. All the progress we've made in progressive legislation can be washed away as if by a tsunami. Wealth will only be more concentrated, & the chasm between privilege & poverty will be deeper than ever.
Our natural resources will be mined, felled, burned & pillaged as fast as the consortiums can divvy them up.
.
I haven't even had breakfast yet, & now i'm not sure i can
swallow it.
Everything from reproductive rights to campaign reform, environmental responsibility to racial tolerance, just walked the plank & fell into an abyss.
This is a political calamity that dwarfs any before it - Nixon, Ronnie Raygun the atomic cowboy who set up the 2008 Great Recession with his endless deregulations, Dubya & his well-schooled ignorance.
.
His supporters have no idea what they've done - God help us.
.
.
.


----------



## 1290423

ouesi said:


> Meanwhile Trump calls women disgusting pigs, mocks a disabled reporter, says McCain isn't a war hero, and brags about sexually assaulting women.


Well it obviously did the trick!
I don't think there is a politician been born who has not regretted something they have said or done,. I'd sooner see it all come out prior to the election rather then after,. The USA saw and heard his faults they elected him all the same, bloke must have done something right.


----------



## Guest

leashedForLife said:


> .
> with much trepidation, i left the thread & googled "2016 election results".
> I'm sick, literally feeling nauseous; i'm officially living in an asylum, IMO, & one of the loudest and most dangerously-erratic lunatics has just been given control.
> .
> I don't want to live in this country. Seriously - my parents lived thru the Great Depression, WW-2, the atom-bomb; I grew up in a post-nuke world, saw a chunk of the Cold War era, watched the Middle East implode repeatedly, the USSR fragment, Africa's tribal wars re-erupt, climate change begin to decimate our only home, & the post-antibiotic rise of resistant microbes.
> The only event that made me feel this sick with physical dread was Katrina hitting New Orleans - when the mayor told residents to "go to your attic" if the water rose into the house, & to "take a hatchet" with them IN * CASE * THEY * NEEDED * TO * CHOP * THRU * THE * ROOF, i turned off the TV, sick at heart, & told my mother that thousands would die - many live in apt-bldgs, wouldn't know what a hatchet was if it fell in their laps, & could no more "chop their way out" thru the roof than they could fly, unaided.
> .
> this is another of those "sick at heart" moments. All the progress we've made in progressive legislation can be washed away as if by a tsunami. Wealth will only be more concentrated, & the chasm between privilege & poverty will be deeper than ever.
> Our natural resources will be mined, felled, burned & pillaged as fast as the consortiums can divvy them up.
> .
> I haven't even had breakfast yet, & now i'm not sure i can
> swallow it.
> Everything from reproductive rights to campaign reform, environmental responsibility to racial tolerance, just walked the plank & fell into an abyss.
> This is a political calamity that dwarfs any before it - Nixon, Ronnie Raygun the atomic cowboy who set up the 2008 Great Recession with his endless deregulations, Dubya & his well-schooled ignorance.
> .
> His supporters have no idea what they've done - God help us.
> .
> .
> .


God help us indeed.

I said this on the other thread, I'll say it again here. 
I don't think Trump has any intention of fighting for all the things he promised in his campaign. I really don't. He made all sorts of promises that he not only can't keep, but really, has no intention of keeping. 
He has shown no loyalty to any of his wives, he has a long history of not paying his contractors, not paying his investors, using bankruptcy to get out of his responsibilities to others, he's not going to do a damn thing for American workers. 
And they will be angry when they figure it out. They've been duped. We've all been duped.


----------



## Guest

DT said:


> Well it obviously did the trick!
> I don't think there is a politician been born who has not regretted something they have said or done,. I'd sooner see it all come out prior to the election rather then after,. The USA saw and heard his faults they elected him all the same, bloke must have done something right.


But that's the thing. He doesn't regret anything he has said or done. He is a true psychopath, he just flat doesn't care. And he duped all of his followers, now we all have to live with the result of putting someone like him in power.


----------



## 1290423

ouesi said:


> But that's the thing. He doesn't regret anything he has said or done. He is a true psychopath, he just flat doesn't care. And he duped all of his followers, now we all have to live with the result of putting someone like him in power.


Perhaps he will surprise you all, I guess all we can do is just wait and see


----------



## cheekyscrip

ouesi said:


> God help us indeed.
> 
> I said this on the other thread, I'll say it again here.
> I don't think Trump has any intention of fighting for all the things he promised in his campaign. I really don't. He made all sorts of promises that he not only can't keep, but really, has no intention of keeping.
> He has shown no loyalty to any of his wives, he has a long history of not paying his contractors, not paying his investors, using bankruptcy to get out of his responsibilities to others, he's not going to do a damn thing for American workers.
> And they will be angry when they figure it out. They've been duped. We've all been duped.


Sorry to agree with you.

Must say though that I would have voted for Clinton but she would not have been my choice for Democrats.

She was very much overexposed to public.
Nothing new, nothing exciting. Bit like spinach for lunch. You eat it because it is good for you , or spit it out and get that doughnut.


----------



## Colliebarmy

ouesi said:


> She was referring to his endorsements by white supremacist groups. Which yes, I would hope a legitimate politician would denounce.
> Meanwhile Trump calls women disgusting pigs, mocks a disabled reporter, says McCain isn't a war hero, and brags about sexually assaulting women.


so hes not perfect, but he is upfront about it

enjoy


----------



## Colliebarmy




----------



## Zaros

Colliebarmy said:


> so hes not perfect, but he is upfront about it
> 
> enjoy


I have a few very deep suspicions that you and Trump are related in some way.:Wacky


----------



## leashedForLife

.
DT, are U actually claiming this loudmouthed, arrogant, crude, bigoted, sexist travesty is a "good prospect" as POTUS? 
.
that he pushed all the right buttons for gun-toting militias, anti-Federal states-rights yahoos, neo-Nazi skinheads, & other violent right-wing 'deplorables' doesn't bother U?
.
.
Let's just list a few of the things Madame Gaza sees in her crystal ball today -
Election reform? - not gonna happen.
Tax reform to bring back the trillions of dollars sequestered overseas by U-S corporations? - not gonna happen.
Tax reforms to ensure the wealthy *Pay* taxes, vs pay accountants to avoid taxes? - not gonna happen.
Rise in minimum wage? - not gonna happen.
Lessening the gap between the entrenched wealthy & the 90% of the country that squabbles over the remaining 10%? - not gonna happen.
Legislation to force Big Oil to leave its "assets" in the ground, vs extract every bl**dy drop no matter the cost to the environs of that extraction, & despite the known knock-on effects of actually BURNING those buried fossil fuels? - not gonna happen
Legislation to encourage renewable energy development? - not gonna happen.
A rollback of the incredibly torturous laws that put access to contraception & other reproductive health services, let alone [horrors!...] actual *abortions* out of reach for millions of Americans, male & female? - not gonna happen.
.
More, Madame Gaza sees what *will* happen.
Racism will be revived & publicly touted.
Ethnic tolerance will plummet.
Far-right agendas supported by a fraction of the popn will be supported as legislation.
Progressive legislation will be stillborn or smothered in the crib.
The Supreme Court will take a sharp right turn.
"White male entitlement" will slide back up the priapic flagpole.
Water quality & air quality will degrade.
The dead-zones in every US-estuary will increase.
Gun violence will escalate.
Foreign policy will mimic the worst of every strong-man demagogue.
Miscarriages will become reportable crimes.
.
.
there's more, but it's too depressing to continue.
I'm going to force myself to eat something & drink a cup of coffee - even with the Apocolypse on the doorstep, i'll have to eat, bathe, dress, & go to work. 
I'm heartsick.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

Not a bright future for America or for the rest of us, the only people who seem happy at the moment are the Russians, now thats what I call worrying


----------



## leashedForLife

.
I'm sure Comrade Putin will throw a party for his nearest & dearest 1,000 from the former KGB, secret police, & the wealthy oligarchs.
No doubt caviar from endangered Beluga sturgeon will be served, probly in elephany-ivory bowls - his sense of style is much like Trump's, nothing is too good, too rare, or too critical to sacrifice for his pleasure or use for his own grandiose image.
.
The Kremlin should have a fireworks display to celebrate, so the peons can enjoy the spectacle after getting home from standing in line to buy toilet tissue & food, prescriptions & clothing.
[The oligarchs have their own shops, they & their families don't need to qeue.]
.
.
.


----------



## Satori

Apparently the Donald just does get it. When you're in hole, keep digging, That tunnel might lead all the way to the Oval Office.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
not laughing, Satori -
all of us, the world & all, will have to live with this decision, barring divine intervention or an untimely demise [possibly while shtupping his latest arm-candy].
It wasn't Donald's idiot antics that got him the vote - it was his appeal to the lowest common-denominator.
.
Did U notice how little talk there was about POLICIES? - issues? - actual plans, vs pie-in-the-sky campaign promises?
["I create *jobs*..." yeah, like the jobs U gave illegal Polish emigres' knocking down the existing building on Ur lot in NYC. How long did those last, Don?...].
.
The damage already done by an incredibly divisive campaign of scuttlebutt & inuendo is huge; the damage yet to come will be greater.
Feel free to come back on Nov-9, 2018, & see how many of my predictions were accurate.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Mother Jones magazine published a good editorial, "Hate trumps history: reality-TV star wins White House, a divided America".
As i'm perforce on my mobile [my laptop died several weeks ago, & i can't afford to rplc it yet], i can't copy & paste the link, but copy / paste the title i quoted in a Google search & the article will pop up.
.
Could some helpful person please post the link, if U have a spare moment? - i don't know if i'll get to a 'puter B4 Friday night [at my client's house].
Thank you kindly,
- terry
.
.
.


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Sorry to agree with you.
> 
> Must say though that I would have voted for Clinton but she would not have been my choice for Democrats.
> 
> She was very much overexposed to public.
> Nothing new, nothing exciting. Bit like spinach for lunch. You eat doughnut.





leashedForLife said:


> .
> DT, are U actually claiming this loudmouthed, arrogant, crude, bigoted, sexist travesty is a "good prospect" as POTUS?
> .
> that he pushed all the right buttons for gun-toting militias, anti-Federal states-rights yahoos, neo-Nazi skinheads, & other violent right-wing 'deplorables' doesn't bother U?
> .
> .
> Let's just list a few of the things Madame Gaza sees in her crystal ball today -
> Election reform? - not gonna happen.
> Tax reform to bring back the trillions of dollars sequestered overseas by U-S corporations? - not gonna happen.
> Tax reforms to ensure the wealthy *Pay* taxes, vs pay accountants to avoid taxes? - not gonna happen.
> Rise in minimum wage? - not gonna happen.
> Lessening the gap between the entrenched wealthy & the 90% of the country that squabbles over the remaining 10%? - not gonna happen.
> Legislation to force Big Oil to leave its "assets" in the ground, vs extract every bl**dy drop no matter the cost to the environs of that extraction, & despite the known knock-on effects of actually BURNING those buried fossil fuels? - not gonna happen
> Legislation to encourage renewable energy development? - not gonna happen.
> A rollback of the incredibly torturous laws that put access to contraception & other reproductive health services, let alone [horrors!...] actual *abortions* out of reach for millions of Americans, male & female? - not gonna happen.
> .
> More, Madame Gaza sees what *will* happen.
> Racism will be revived & publicly touted.
> Ethnic tolerance will plummet.
> Far-right agendas supported by a fraction of the popn will be supported as legislation.
> Progressive legislation will be stillborn or smothered in the crib.
> The Supreme Court will take a sharp right turn.
> "White male entitlement" will slide back up the priapic flagpole.
> Water quality & air quality will degrade.
> The dead-zones in every US-estuary will increase.
> Gun violence will escalate.
> Foreign policy will mimic the worst of every strong-man demagogue.
> Miscarriages will become reportable crimes.
> .
> .
> there's more, but it's too depressing to continue.
> I'm going to force myself to eat something & drink a cup of coffee - even with the Apocolypse on the doorstep, i'll have to eat, bathe, dress, & go to work.
> I'm heartsick.
> .
> .
> .


No in not! What I'm saying is he's been voted in,. So unless something out of control happens or he resigns then guess you are stuck with him for the next four years . So perhaps as Hilary says it's time to pull together and get on with the job! I for one , and doubt I'm alone thinks that DT will do everything he has said for starters,. At his speech he'd already started peddling backwards. There might be flaws in the man there might be holes in the country, but the way things are going and how folk are talking they,ll be damd great craters in the world before long!
Now I'm having a day off, nothing you said, and great to see you by the way  but someone already rattled my cage this morning so not really trusting myself to reply to other posts in a civil manner at the moment xxxxx. Seriously hope the USA is made great again was I do the UK


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Sorry to agree with you.
> 
> Must say though that I would have voted for Clinton but she would not have been my choice for Democrats.
> 
> She was very much overexposed to public.
> Nothing new, nothing exciting. Bit like spinach for lunch. You eat doughnut.


Sorry cheeky, re about and my other quote, both were in error x


----------



## Jonescat

Link to the article L4L mentions:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics...ality-tv-star-wins-white-house-broken-america


----------



## Happy Paws2

I just hope if he digs America into a big hole, that the rest of the world leave him dig himself back out of it.


----------



## 1290423

Happy Paws said:


> I just hope if he digs America into a big hole, that the rest of the world leave him dig himself back out of it.


I have deleted my harsh words as I think perhaps they were uncalled for, sorry happy paws xxx


----------



## leashedForLife

.
thanks very much, Jonescat - i appreciate the help. 
.
I think there are more than "flaws" in Mr Trump; IMO, he's as fill of voids as a Swiss cheese, & a lot less tasteful.
His lacks are massive - zero political experience, zero patience, his attention-span resembles a gnat's, zero empathy, virtually zero knowledge of current US-policies abroad, & his grasp of history - ours or anyone else's, as a nation or a people - could probably be printed on 2 sides of an 8.5 x 11 page.
.
What he *has* in stupefying quantity is ego, a massive sense of entitlement, a history of refusing to pay employees, contractors, or bills [knowing that those he ripped-off couldn't afford to take him to court], & an unquenchable habit of hemorrhagic personal spending... see 'entitlement', as in, "I want it, I'm getting it."
.
He makes no bones about despising immigrants - he's very democratic in his bigotry, it's anyone who's not white nor born well-to-do.
This nation will shortly be over-50% *non-white* -- how will this racist bigot deal with that incontrovertible fact?
To say nothing of the other uncomfortable fact, that 51% of the popn is *female* - & unless we're under 30-YO with an "amazing body" he can grope or at the very least, ogle, Trumpster has no other use for us women. We're ornaments or playthings, not individuals with minds & rights, not fully human, not fully adult - as if he is? Adult, that is - sadly, he's undeniably human.
This is a 70-YO man who still throws temper tantrums like a 5-YO when he's stressed, angered, or denied something he wants.
.
.
Yes, barring celestial lightning bolts or cardiac arrest, we're stuck with him - but make no mistake, his lacks are dangerous, & what he has isn't helpful.
To quote a hand-printed T-shirt i saw on a Boston-Univ college student yesterday, "HE'S NOT =MY= PRESIDENT."
[for the record, Mr Trump, she was white & under 30.]
.
.
Scared white men elected the "fear" candidate. We've all got to live with their choice.
.
.


----------



## cheekyscrip

leashedForLife said:


> .
> thanks very much, Jonescat - i appreciate the help.
> .
> I think there are more than "flaws" in Mr Trump; IMO, he's as fill of voids as a Swiss cheese, & a lot less tasteful.
> His lacks are massive - zero political experience, zero patience, his attention-span resembles a gnat's, zero empathy, virtually zero knowledge of current US-policies abroad, & his grasp of history - ours or anyone else's, as a nation or a people - could probably be printed on 2 sides of an 8.5 x 11 page.
> .
> What he *has* in stupefying quantity is ego, a massive sense of entitlement, a history of refusing to pay employees, contractors, or bills [knowing that those he ripped-off couldn't afford to take him to court], & an unquenchable habit of hemorrhagic personal spending... see 'entitlement', as in, "I want it, I'm getting it."
> .
> He makes no bones about despising immigrants - he's very democratic in his bigotry, it's anyone who's not white nor born well-to-do.
> This nation will shortly be over-50% *non-white* -- how will this racist bigot deal with that incontrovertible fact?
> To say nothing of the other uncomfortable fact, that 51% of the popn is *female* - & unless we're under 30-YO with an "amazing body" he can grope or at the very least, ogle, Trumpster has no other use for us women. We're ornaments or playthings, not individuals with minds & rights, not fully human, not fully adult - as if he is? Adult, that is - sadly, he's undeniably human.
> This is a 70-YO man who still throws temper tantrums like a 5-YO when he's stressed, angered, or denied something he wants.
> .
> .
> Yes, barring celestial lightning bolts or cardiac arrest, we're stuck with him - but make no mistake, his lacks are dangerous, & what he has isn't helpful.
> To quote a hand-printed T-shirt i saw on a Boston-Univ college student yesterday, "HE'S NOT =MY= PRESIDENT."
> [for the record, Mr Trump, she was white & under 30.]
> .
> .
> Scared white men elected the "fear" candidate. We've all got to live with their choice.
> .
> .


But in four years you can.get out of that pit and hopefully repair the damage.
You survived WBush! ( though he had son help from his family.)

@DT ...seems we are at the back of the queue again. DT ( not you..him called all other leaders Ireland included before he got to call TM.

Till now it did not dawn on me you have the same initials ( though bet you have better hair!).


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> But in four years you can.get out of that pit and hopefully repair the damage.
> You survived WBush! ( though he had son help from his family.)
> 
> @DT ...seems we are at the back of the queue again. DT ( not you..him called all other leaders Ireland included before he got to call TM.
> 
> Till now it did not dawn on me you have the same initials ( though bet you have better hair!).


----------



## 1290423

Well cheeky I have been astonished at some of the hurtful things members said to me,. I was beginning to wonder why
:Android


----------



## 1290423

Did it occur to anyone that he may have used the 24hr clock? I have been in different states of the USA on many occasions,, I've unintentionally called home as the oddest of times .
That said, ok he called Ireland first,. A bit miffed at that
But thank God he never rang wee nicola cranky before TM else I'd really be chucking my dummy out xxxxx


----------



## 1290423

Sorry for typo above I meant nicola sturgeon,. So so sorry if I offended anyone,. But if I did check out my signature xxxxx


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> Well cheeky I have been astonished at some of the hurtful things members said to me,. I was beginning to wonder why
> :Android


At least in your case you might claim mistaken identity!!!

Lol!!!
How could anyone take you for that foul mouthed maverick?


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> At least in your case you might claim mistaken identity!!!
> 
> Lol!!!
> How could anyone take you for that foul mouthed maverick?


I may have taught the real DT everything they know
Now will the real DT please stand up


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> I may have taught the real DT everything they know
> Now will the real DT please stand up


But...YOU are the REAL DT...not that shmuck impostor.

They even copied your living room wallpaper..or got hold of the discarded one!

Ever thought about running for PM?
I am sure you have better shoes than her!


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> But...YOU are the REAL DT...not that shmuck impostor.
> 
> They even copied your living room wallpaper..or got hold of the discarded one!
> 
> Ever thought about running for PM?
> I am sure you have better shoes than her!


Lol you nutter! I don't have kitten heels

I have killer heels!


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> View attachment 289998
> 
> Lol you nutter! I don't have kitten heels
> 
> I have killer heels!


I was right. Yours are better.

So keep them ready when next election comes along...
Neither kitten heels or Corbyn's sandals would stand a chance.
Those shoes are meant for walking!!!


----------



## leashedForLife

.
nay, sisters -
those 'killer heels' are meant for SITTING, on a barstool, at a high counter, or otherwise elevated, or even better, for LOUNGING, on a chaise longue, a sofa, draped on a velvet covered "fainting couch", leaning back in a desk-chair with the 'killer heels' up on the desk, or similar.
.
.
Walking while wearing them ia bad for one's back & causes chronic forefoot pain; heels like those are only good for stomping the insteps of the man whose hands wander onto Ur person without express permission --- men like the aforesaid Mr Trump & his ilk.
'Killer heels' can also be helpful when stomping cockroaches, who, now that i think of it, may be behaviorally similiar to Trumpster & his fellow molesters: all of them are invasive, uninvited, unwelcome, & dam*ed difficult to get rid of, once they invade Ur space (or Ur person).
.
.
The pointy toes of 'killer heels' can also be useful for killing roaches in tight corners, or kicking molesters who are apparently deaf to "Leave me ALONE! - & get yer paws OFF me!..." // A pointy toe in the right spot can be a memorable deterrent to similar invasions of personal space, in the future.
.
.
.


----------



## CuddleMonster

Happy Paws said:


> Not a bright future for America or for the rest of us,* the only people who seem happy at the moment are the Russians*, now thats what I call worrying


Islamic State are also celebrating his election. (Which is even more worrying)


----------



## stockwellcat.

So a US business man is President Elect.

The UK should follow suit:
Lord Alan Sugar should be next PM


----------



## leashedForLife

.
the Hair-Don't's divisive campaign & bigoted labeling feed right into Isis' desire to infect more young men to wage a holy war & establish a new Caliphate -
good grief, Trump's hate speech & calumny of Muslims are a wet dream for extreme Islamists.
.
He could only have provided better material for seeding new Islamic fighters if they'd written the speeches *for* him, & he'd been able to stick to the script.

.
Mr Trump, in case U haven't noticed, has a very hard time staying on topic, or even finishing a thought - his speechs are full of fragments, illogical detours, & impulsive leaps.
Even with a TelePrompter, he wanders & veers, peters out & switches topics.
.
.
I'm sure an ISIS speechwriter would be just as frustrated by this hardwired quirk as his campaign staff were.
.
.
.


----------



## FeelTheBern

I think we should give Donald Trump a chance. Who knows? Maybe he will 'make America great again'...


----------



## 1290423

FeelTheBern said:


> I think we should give Donald Trump a chance. Who knows? Maybe he will 'make America great again'...


Best post I've read on this subject in 24 hours!


----------



## 1290423

stockwellcat said:


> So a US business man is President Elect.
> 
> The UK should follow suit:
> Lord Alan Sugar should be next PM
> View attachment 290041


 I think I am going to be sick! you bring that moron out stockwellcat and I'll have to call my mate Katy x


----------



## stockwellcat.

DT said:


> Best post I've read on this subject in 24 hours!


I agree with you, but not many people agree with me.


----------



## stockwellcat.

DT said:


> I think I am going to be sick! you bring that moron out stockwellcat and I'll have to call my mate Katy x


I couldn't think of any other successful British business man. He just jumped in my head


----------



## 1290423

stockwellcat said:


> So a US business man is President Elect.
> 
> The UK should follow suit:
> Lord Alan Sugar should be next PM
> View attachment 290041


besides numpty! He were a remainer.!


----------



## stockwellcat.

DT said:


> besides numpty! He were a remainer.!


Oh forgot about that 
But May is a remainer as well.


----------



## 1290423

Opps sorry for the typo lol I meant Stockwell cat xxxx


----------



## FeelTheBern

stockwellcat said:


> So a US business man is President Elect.
> 
> The UK should follow suit:
> Lord Alan Sugar should be next PM
> View attachment 290041


You're fired, Theresa May.


----------



## stockwellcat.

FeelTheBern said:


> You're fired, Theresa May.


*Lord Sugar Tells EU*


----------



## KittenKong

I understand Lord Sugar supported remain!


----------



## leashedForLife

.
I don't know 'Lord Sugar' from any other male stranger - to return to the topic, hate crimes, violence, & threats have [as i expected they would, sadly] escalated.
.
in Texas, always laggard in addressing racism in public or private life, flyers were posted on college campuses, depicting men in camo with weapons & encouraging readers to help them attack "leftist liberals spreading diversity claptrap".
.
Latino, black, & Asian students at universities & colleges across the U-S have reported terroristic threats, being told "U don't belong here anymore', spat on, shoved, or bluntly told to leave - or else.
.
threatening graffiti incorporating a swastika as the stem of the T in Trump's name has been popping up on walls & buildings.
Arson & violence in hate crimes are up - & it's only Day 3. 
None of this augers well.
.
.
Prez-elect Hair-Don't has already stated he will disassemble Obama's legislation on climate change, & gut the Federal health-care act.
For many citizens [including myself] insurance via the Federal program is all we've got. If it's taken away, i - & millions of others - will have zero insurance, & my next allergic reactio


----------



## leashedForLife

.
sorry, mobile lost contact -
to continue, my next allergic reaction or other serious health issue may be my last, because hospitals can refuse to treat uninsured persons.
.
uninsured patients have been evicted from hospital beds, put into taxis, & unceremoniously dumped on the sidewalk somewhere far-enuf away that they cannot walk back - as a matter of fact, many of these patients are unable to walk or even stand.
Videos taken by CC-TV cameras on the street have captured cab drivers rolling ppl unable to walk or stand, out of their cabs & into the street or onto the sidewalk like human barrels, into whatever weather, getting back in their taxis, & driving off - leaving helpless ppl to an unknown fate.
These hospitals are not charged, administrators & discharging Drs are not prosecuted... Nothing is done.
.
.
The Nat'l Health Care Act was the 1st attempt to close the gap between health security & insecurity for the working poor, unemployed, & anyone who has to depend on SSI - such as the many Americans who are disabled, elderly, have chronic mental issues [often untreated & even undiagnosed], & others.
.
This is the reality we are living with - like looking into the barrel of a loaded gun aimed at U, it is a very dark prospect.
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros

.?


leashedForLife said:


> .
> uninsured patients have been evicted from hospital beds, put into taxis, & unceremoniously dumped on the sidewalk somewhere far-enuf away that they cannot walk back - as a matter of fact, many of these patients are unable to walk or even stand.
> Videos taken by CC-TV cameras on the street have captured cab drivers rolling ppl unable to walk or stand, out of their cabs & into the street or onto the sidewalk like human barrels, into whatever weather, getting back in their taxis, & driving off - leaving helpless ppl to an unknown fate.
> 
> .


Wait a minute. Incidents such as these ^^^ were taking place long before Trump appeared on the scene and yet you've woven your little distress tale to the reader as though they were recent events. 
I believe Kaiser Permanente was responsible for such deplorable conduct. Not Trump.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
like the young woman i saw on the Green line wearing her hand-lettered T-shirt done with a Sharpie marker [all in CAPS, the letters carefully block-printed & filled in, so it could be read from a distance] reading, "HE'S NOT *MY* PRESIDENT!". there are a huge number of Americans who are outraged at the idea of this man "representing" them as POTUS.
Demonstrations by thousands of ppl have filled the streets in NYC, Boston, San Fran, Seattle, Philthy, & other major cities. Most have been peaceful, but vocal - i've heard of just 2 that became violent, in Portland, Ore., & Atlanta, Ga.
.
in Portland, baseball bats smashed storefronts & looting began.
I didn't hear the details of Atlanta's turmoil. If anyone else has, please add a comment or a link? - Thanks in advance.
.
.
meanwhile, the candidate blusters that these are, Quote, "professional protesters" who've been "paid" --- gee, if i'd only known i could be **paid!** for exercising my rights of free speech & assembly to say what i think of this man's ethics & lack thereof, his immoral & illegal business practices, his sexist & bigoted attitudes, his egregious & multiple sexual assaults & voyeurism, & his backward beliefs in the unassailable superiority of white skin & male gender, i might have quit both of my under-$15-an-hour jobs, 6 days out of 7, & become a full-time "professional protester"!
.
who knew? --- What do they get per hour, to carry a pasteboard placard & chant in the street?... I could do that! 
.
.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, Trump has now announced he wants to keep 'some' provisions of the Nat'l Health Care Act, instead of repealing it immediately - the parts he likes?
- participating insurers *must* agree to cover pre-existing conditions... Which means, Mr Trump, U **MUST** keep the other bit U want to trash: mandatory insurance, as the payments made by generally-healthful members help defray the co$t of chronically-ill members of the insured pool. Can't have the one without the other, sorry. 
.
Another bit he wants to keep?
Allowing young adults to continue on their parents' insurance plans to age 26. Good idea - but Mr Trump, the insured young adult NEED * NOT "live with their parents" to qualify.
.
Suggestion, Prez-elect Donnie:
Try reading the legislation before U actually comment on it, that would save beaucoup time spent on damage-control & corrections --- not only by Ur own staff, but by wire reps, journalists, columnists, TV hosts, & other media pros, who would appreciate any reduction whatever in the ongoing torrent of misstatements, twisted statistics, minor & major errors of facts, & outright blatant lies.
.
.
I'm sorry to break the bad news to our prez-elect, but to retain the 2 key bits he wants of Obamacare, he will be forced to keep virtually =all= of it, as other chunks depend on these key links. Bummer, eh? - maybe the folks who wrote the original bill & collaborated with medicos and insurance experts to craft it actually knew what they were doing. Ya think?...
.
.
.


----------



## cheekyscrip

FeelTheBern said:


> I think we should give Donald Trump a chance. Who knows? Maybe he will 'make America great again'...


Lol.

@DT @stockwellcat..I have distinct suspicion that this post was meant as ironic...

Lol.


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Lol.
> 
> @DT @stockwellcat..I have distinct suspicion that this post was meant as ironic...
> 
> Lol.


Yes


----------



## Rafa

Amazing how many 'Protestors' end up looting.

Standing up for what they believe in, being seen to protest against what they don't believe in, oh, and if you can grab a big television or a few handsful of jewellery whilst you're at it, so what?


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Lol.
> 
> @DT @stockwellcat..I have distinct suspicion that this post was meant as ironic...
> 
> Lol.


 Do I look like I'm joking lol!


----------



## 1290423

Sweety said:


> Amazing how many 'Protestors' end up looting.
> 
> Standing up for what they believe in, being seen to protest against what they don't believe in, oh, and if you can grab a big television or a few handsful of jewellery whilst you're at it, so what?


You got it in one sweetly, it wouldn't be quiet so bad if they had donated a penny I to the system, half of em are still in diapers.


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> Do I look like I'm joking lol!


Predominantly yes...
And I saw your frilly knickers!


----------



## 1290423

Sweety said:


> Amazing how many 'Protestors' end up looting.
> 
> Standing up for what they believe in, being seen to protest against what they don't believe in, oh, and if you can grab a big television or a few handsful of jewellery whilst you're at it, so what?


Professional rioters sweetly, the looting is a bonus! Wake up America, you are being scammed


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Predominantly yes...
> And I saw your frilly knickers!


 They weren't knickers, that was my swimsuit do you really need to query why I'm flawed:Cat


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> They weren't knickers, that was my swimsuit do you really need to query why I'm flawed:Cat


You mean you blame your affiliation with the likes of Nige on tragic incident of those knickers...
I am sure therapy is avaible now and Samaritans are there to help.

Honestly never thought there could be a link between childhood trauma and frontal lobotomy.


----------



## Guest

To be clear, the United States Constitution protect’s the people’s right to assemble and the people’s right to speak freely. Peaceful protests (which many of them were) are indeed an important part of our democracy. 

And as Trevor Noah eloquently put it, I think the protest are important, because I think it’s important for the rest of the world to see that how many Americans feel about our president-elect. 
I also agree with Trevor Noah that the protests should remain peaceful and that burning things and throwing rocks and bottles at the police is not the way to go about it. Do not become the monster you fight. 

I also think the media yet again is playing us and making things appear differently than they really are. I know many people involved in the *peaceful* protests happening nationwide and it is nothing like what the media is reporting. But I guess people standing in solidarity, doing nothing violent or destructive doesn’t make for good TV.


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> You mean you blame your affiliation with the likes of Nige on tragic incident of those knickers...
> I am sure therapy is avaible now and Samaritans are there to help.
> 
> Honestly never thought there could be a link between childhood trauma and frontal lobotomy.


Hey! Them knickers made me the woman i am today today ...shudder to think what I would be without them x


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> Hey! Them knickers made me the woman i am today today ...shudder to think what I would be without them x


I shudder too..thinking what would you be without kickers!!!

:\


----------



## 1290423

Nickolas x


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Sweety:

Amazing how many 'Protestors' end up looting.
Standing up for what they believe in, being seen to protest... what they don't believe in, oh, and if you can grab a big television or a few handsful of jewellery whilst you're at it, so what?

/QUOTE
.
errmmm - let's look at how many ppl, total, were in the streets to protest, & just what subset of that large total engaged in looting, shall we?... Along with the flat assumption that PROTESTERS were the folks who swung the baseball bats, to shatter storefront windows & take whatever; nothing prevents other folk from seeing an opportunity, while police are busy directing traffic & monitoring the crowds, then phoning their friends to say, _'Hey, let's get some stuff in a smash-&-grab, the cops are all tied up with this protest sh!t..."_
_._
_._
QUOTE, DT:

Got it in one, Sweety, it wouldn't be (sp, 'quite') so bad if they'd donated a penny to the system, *half of 'em are still in dia**p**ers*.

/QUOTE
.
interestingly, DT, i was watching live footage of the protests in Los Angeles on MSNBC news [not my choice - my client's], & the *mayor* of that city was asked on air if he believed, as Trump had tweeted, that 'professionals' were being paid to demonstrate; he replied, & i quote him, _"The overwhelming majority (of protestors in L.A.) have never protested before... they're high-school & college students, this is the voice of the new generation."_
Meanwhile, i watched the ppl walk by or toward the cameras at street level, & noticed how many protestors had *grey hair*, in the case of women, &* grey beards*, in the case of men - obviously neither 'high-school students', nor typical-age 'college students', & probly not novice protestors, either. Some were my age-group peers; we've protested pretty regularly for a few decades, now - *while* we "donated our pennies to the system", thanks for that, DT. :Rage
.
I'll politely inform U that i "donate" 25% of my gross earnings before they ever reach my checking-acct, in Federal, state & local taxes, plus unemployment & health insurance - a deduction rate typical for a single adult with no children. Compare that to the Donald, who hasn't paid Federal taxes in decades due to the many loopholes in tax law that he pays his accountants to find & utilize; at his LOWEST point, his financial team put him on a stringent annual budget of $265,000-usa. That's a bit over a quarter-million, as personal spending for 12-months.
.
Now let's look at my financial year - the agency that employs me charges clients $26 / hr, pays me $10, & pockets $16. Of that 10, i get $7.50 net.
If i'm lucky enuf to work every day that i'm scheduled - never sick, hurt, have zero lost time, & work all 52 weeks of the year - that's 36 hrs / wk X $7.5 / hr X 4.3 wks / mo = $1,161 / mo X 12 mos = $13,932 annually.
So when Donnie was down to a mere pittance, the poor man struggled to survive on 19 times what i make - WHILE i pay taxes. I have a hard time squeezing out a tear for him. 
Perhaps that gives U some idea of the deep resentment & the financial Great Canyon yawning between the Haves & the Have-Nots in the USA, currently - also why billionaire Warren Buffet has repeatedly demanded tax reform, saying that _"... my secretary shouldn't pay higher taxes than I do." _I wholeheartedly agree with him.
.
.

QUOTE, DT:

Professional rioters, Sweety -- the looting is a bonus! 
Wake up, America, you're being scammed.

/QUOTE
.
.
a sample of the "professional protestors"  as covered by the left-wing biased media, all part of the vast conspiracy against poor downtrodden Trumpster.
.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=anti-trump+protests+in+which+cities
.
Wed:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/anti-trump-protesters-take-to-streets-in-cities-nationwide/
.
Th:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-us-trump-protests-20161111-story.html
.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/12/us/protests-elections-trump/index.html
.
Portland, Ore:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/anti-trump...-night-portland-experiences/story?id=43479936
.
.
Note Trump's tweet early Friday AM about, quote, _"small groups of protesters last night..." - _hundreds of thousands of ppl, in dozens of large cities, is not "small groups", & during the week, many ppl are not able to hit the street for a couple of hours; they work, or must be in classes; lectures are not cancelled so that the student body can engage in civic action, ya know. Teachers & profs take a dim view of students who miss class for something as petty as a historic election resulting in the 1st-ever political nincompoop & reality-TV muppet as POTUS.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Harry Reid, the departing Senate minority leader, can call a spade a spade - & not a shovel. [They're not identical.]
I think his observations here are accurate, re our Prez-elect -- QUOTE,
.

_
"I have personally been on the ballot in Nevada for 26 elections and I have never seen anything like the reaction to the election completed last Tuesday.
The election of Donald Trump has emboldened the forces of hate and bigotry in America.White nationalists, Vladimir Putin and ISIS are celebrating Donald Trump's victory, while innocent, law-abiding Americans are wracked with fear-especially African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Muslim Americans, LGBT Americans & Asian Americans. Watching white nationalists celebrate, while innocent Americans cry tears of fear, does not feel like America.

"I have heard more stories in the past 48 hours of Americans living in fear of their own government and their fellow Americans than I can remember hearing in five decades in politics. Hispanic Americans who fear their families will be torn apart, African Americans being heckled on the street, Muslim Americans afraid to wear a headscarf, gay and lesbian couples having slurs hurled at them and feeling afraid to walk down the street holding hands. American children waking up in the middle of the night crying, terrified that Trump will take their parents away. Young girls unable to understand why a man who brags about sexually assaulting women has been elected president."

"I have a large family. I have one daughter and twelve granddaughters. The texts, emails and phone calls I have received from them have been filled with fear - fear for themselves, fear for their Hispanic and African American friends, for their Muslim and Jewish friends, for their LBGT friends, for their Asian friends. I've felt their tears and I've felt their fear.

"We as a nation must find a way to move forward without consigning those who Trump has threatened to the shadows. Their fear is entirely rational, because Donald Trump has talked openly about doing terrible things to them. Every news piece that breathlessly obsesses over inauguration preparations compounds their fear by normalizing a man who has threatened to tear families apart, who has bragged about sexually assaulting women and who has directed crowds of thousands to intimidate reporters and assault African Americans. Their fear is legitimate and we must refuse to let it fall through the cracks between the fluff pieces.

"If this is going to be a time of healing, we must first put the responsibility for healing where it belongs: at the feet of Donald Trump, a sexual predator who lost the popular vote and fueled his campaign with bigotry and hate. Winning the electoral college does not absolve Trump of the grave sins he committed against millions of Americans. 
Donald Trump may not possess the capacity to assuage those fears, but he owes it to this nation to try.

"If Trump wants to roll back the tide of hate he unleashed, he has a tremendous amount of work to do, and he must begin immediately."
.
.
._
For the 2nd time in the recent past, the Electoral College has snatched the office of POTUS away from the winner of the popular vote; 1st Gore, now Clinton. We need to dump the Electoral college - it only gets between the people & their express desires during elections.
.
.
.


----------



## Guest

And now with the appointment of Steve Bannon.... God help us....


----------



## FeelTheBern

I don't really like Hillary but she did win the majority vote. The reason she didn't win was because of the electoral college, something I don't completely understand.


----------



## Satori

FeelTheBern said:


> I don't really like Hillary but she did win the majority vote. The reason she didn't win was because of the electoral college, something I don't completely understand.


The electoral college system has both positive and negative aspects. It is not dissimilar to the system we have in the UK for all practical intents and purposes.

Ultimately though, the candidates campaign according to the extant system. In a regional 'first-past-the-post' system, candidates will expend more energy in swing-States (or marginal constituencies as we might call them), whereas with a legislature that is proportionally represented the candidates will campaign more at a national level.

Either way, Clinton and Trump faced the same system and one of them campaigned better and, as a result, won fair and square.


----------



## Guest

FeelTheBern said:


> I don't really like Hillary but she did win the majority vote. The reason she didn't win was because of the electoral college, something I don't completely understand.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
_*"Why the Electoral College is the absolute worst, explained"*_
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...college-explained-presidential-elections-2016
.
.
*"Does my vote count? Understanding the electoral college"*
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/lessons/davidwalbert7232004-02/electoralcollege.html
.
.
QUOTE,
_"...__as everyone learned or was reminded in 2000, the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide does not necessarily become president. There is no national election for president, only separate *state* elections. For a candidate to become president, s/he must win enough state elections to garner a majority of electoral votes. Presidential campaigns, therefore, focus on winning states, not on winning a national majority._

_It also means that - at least in theory - electors can thwart the popular will and vote for a candidate not supported by the voters of their state."_
_._
IOW, we have simultaneous "state elections" for POTUS - not a national election. And yes, unfortunately, the Electoral College's tally need not match the 'popular vote' outcome. Hence my feeling that the EC is outdated, asinine, & cumbersome.
.
_._
_._


----------



## Satori

FeelTheBern said:


> the electoral college, something I don't completely understand.


Seems that you are not alone in this regard.....



leashedForLife said:


> .
> And yes, unfortunately, the Electoral College's tally need not match the 'popular vote' outcome. Hence my feeling that the EC is outdated, asinine, & cumbersome.


@leashedForLife please try to replace you 'feeling' with some actual knowledge. You are fortunate to be represented by one off the most equitable democratic systems in the world.


----------



## noushka05

Spotted this the other day on the electoral college.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Some voters are more equal than others.


----------



## 1290423

noushka05 said:


> Spotted this the other day on the electoral college.
> 
> View attachment 290472


What's the excuse for the UK then?


----------



## MollySmith

I wanted to share this, it's a interesting reminder that social media plays such a huge part in what we believe. Def worth a read

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...le-us-election-conservative-liberal-news-feed


----------



## canuckjill

I was sad to see the outcome of the USA election, but now I just pray that all goes well..


----------



## cheekyscrip

canuckjill said:


> I was sad to see the outcome of the USA election, but now I just pray that all goes well..


We need to pray a lot.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Noushka,
thank U for that link, yes - that's precisely the problem.
*Some votes are weighted more-highly than others, state by state.*
And yes, this is just another of the many tools built into law, intended to disempower certain groups - whether it's slave states vs free states pre-Civil War or post-CW, black voters after the amendment assured them poll rights, or any other discriminatory legislation.
.
some of those tools still in use [besides the dam*ed Electoral College fiasco] include gerrymandering voting districts, voter-ID laws which disproportionatley impact poor, minority / ppl of color, the elderly, & the unemployed, as well as young voters.
Ppl of color will soon become the MAJORITY of the US-popn, & that has some voters - & some state & national citizens' representatives, such as Senators, Congress reps, & state-senate delegates - extremely nervous.
.
.
"Weighting" votes so that some are devalued & others enhanced is not democratic.
Any citizen has the right to vote, & her or his vote shouldn't be categorically worth less - nor worth more! - based on which of the 50 states s/he is registered in. That cripples the whole voting process.
And it's specific to the office of POTUS - no Senator who wins the popular vote of their constituency is denied office, because another layer of bureaucracy claims that this ==> candidate over here, who received fewer votes, is the legitimate office-holder by fiat.
.
.
It's outdated, cumbersome, discriminatory, & profoundly UN-democratic.
It's just another cog in the political machine, getting between voters & the candidate of their choice.
We need to scrap the E-C & simply have direct voting for POTUS by each citizen.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
as for "prayer", Cheeky, we don't need prayers so much as miracles.
the Hair-Don't hasn't even taken office yet, & he's having his kids as part of his transition team - i'm sure they know a lot about installing a new national Admin (/sarcasm),
& he's named his EPA-head, a man who doesn't believe 'climate change' exists, & claims that pesticides & herbicides "aren't bad for U".
.
.
if this damfool head of the Environmental Protection Agency, who's both anti-science & abysmally ignorant, is anything at all, he's a prime example of the industry toadies who will be installed in the new cabinet.
"Resource extraction" to the last drop of oil, in tar-sands, shale, or under 2-miles of open sea, getting the last gasp of natural gas, the last harvest-size tree, the last Atlantic bluefin, the very last of anything that can be sold at a profit, will be the operational goal of this administration, which isn't so much "business-friendly" as co-opted by business interests.
We will have the best government money can buy, for the next 4-years - Trump's money, all those donations that bough his office will be paid back as favors, via legislative de-regulation, tax cuts, & more.
.
.
trillions of dollars that American businesses keep untaxed overseas will stay there; irksome Frank-Dodds financial oversight will be gone; environmental planning or impact assessments will become unnecessary.
.
Did U know Trumpster wants to open U-S wilderness areas & national parks to mineral & oil "development"? --- soon we'll have postcards of Old Faithful erupting, with an oil-pump bobbing nearby - how fitting.
.
.
the last great rape & pillage of America's natural resources will begin in late Spring, as new legislation weakens, repeals, or overrides environmental protections imposed beginning in the late-60s & early 70s, & mining, timber cutting, & fossil fuel extraction kick into overdrive.
Prayers at this point are kindly & well-meant, but we need a miraculous intervention - something far more concrete, & anything less than a Road to Damascus epiphany for the Trumpling will fall short.
.
.
.


----------



## DogLover1981

Senators (including John McCain) are now demanding an investigation into the hack of the DNC. I do wonder about what knowledge Trump had of the hacks and what contact he had with the Russians. I think it's possible the Russians have successful interfered with the USA elections and got the candidate they wanted. It'd be easy to do with how polarized American politics is. Trump could be easier to manipulate because of his lack of experience with it all too.


----------



## FeelTheBern

I suppose people have a right to be annoyed by Trump's unexpected victory. He's not a traditional Republican-when the party was established about 150 years ago, the Republicans aimed to achieve freedom and rights for ALL citizens. What ever happened to their principles?


----------



## leashedForLife

.
my original post VANISHED when i took down the dupe! -  Drabbit.
.
i'll recap as best i can; sorry, all. 
.
Noushka,
thank U for that link, & yes, that's precisely the problem - that votes are weighted more, or count for less, depending solely on where the voter is registered. That's UN-democratic, in the extreme.
.
the Electoral College is an outdated tool, left over from the era of slave states vs free states, & specifically intended to put a thumb on the electoral scales. It's a deliberate imbalance.
Other discriminatory tools are also still in use, including gerrymandering districts, voter-ID laws (which have been proven to impact poor, elderly, young, & ppl of color disproportionately), cutting poll hours, reducing the time-frame for early voting, limiting mail-in votes for residents who are out of town, & more.
.
None of these are 'democratic', as they were never meant to be - they're designed to be discriminatory, & the tools once used to keep blacks from voting are now turned against poor whites, Asian & Latino citizens, elderly voters, & working-class of all colors & ethnic origins.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
when he moves into the White House, BTW, the Donald will be slumming.
Here's his penthouse in NYC:
https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/tak...d-trumps-100-million-penthouse-201953466.html
.
.
Donnie's 1st planned meeting with another national leader, the PM of Japan, is a complete screw-up:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/ea062915-1b00-394d-8f8b-9450265260fd/ss_trump&#39;s-first-planned.html
.
"confusion" is the excuse given by his aides:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/e7d6c091-c6b7-3fd5-8240-7cb77f450a08/'there-has-been-a-lot-of.html
.
.
another tweetstorm as Donnie insists the transition is going "so smoothly" -
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-rages-press-early-morning-141422700.html
.
.
a Forbes finance-columnist says "other Repugnants" are the most-likely barriers for our POTUS-elect:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stancol...could-stop-trump-cold-next-year/#7e062feb1597
.
.
DJT's win is a "dream come true" for white nationalists (ooh, goody):
https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/6b644486-5116-345f-8a8c-f6bc3bb27ef3/trump&#39;s-rise-&#39;the.html
.
.
& a cautionary note for the Hair-Don't, gutting the EPA "may be harder than he thinks":
http://www.forbes.com/sites/edfener...nd-more-perilous-than-you-think/#77a8b1522d92
.
here's a bio on his EPA-dismantler-in-chief, Ebell - whose think-tank work is largely funded by, surprise!, major polluters -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-symons/meet-trumps-pick-to-disma_b_12832350.html
.
.
today's ugly environmental news:
https://gma.yahoo.com/thousands-dea...ronmental-180204685--abc-news-topstories.html
...
...& IMO, there will be much-more of that in the next 4-years; perhaps the Ohio River will catch fire again, or Lake Erie will be declared dead again, or, oh joy, kids in L-A, Calif, will miss so much school due to bad-air days during fall, winter, & spring that they'll be forced to attend all summer long - since bad-air days are far-more likely in the summer heat.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Trumpian minions spozedly told aides to Japan's PM "not to take Trump's statements literally" -
http://theweek.com/speedreads/66279...umps-team-not-take-future-president-literally
.
probly good advice - since he'll contradict himself, often within the same sentence.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
nice to know:
82% of core eco-services are already affected by climate change.
STUDY
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/50138
.
.
.


----------



## noushka05

DT said:


> What's the excuse for the UK then?


I daren't say:Hilarious



leashedForLife said:


> .
> my original post VANISHED when i took down the dupe! -  Drabbit.
> .
> i'll recap as best i can; sorry, all.
> .
> Noushka,
> thank U for that link, & yes, that's precisely the problem - that votes are weighted more, or count for less, depending solely on where the voter is registered. That's UN-democratic, in the extreme.
> .
> the Electoral College is an outdated tool, left over from the era of slave states vs free states, & specifically intended to put a thumb on the electoral scales. It's a deliberate imbalance.
> Other discriminatory tools are also still in use, including gerrymandering districts, voter-ID laws (which have been proven to impact poor, elderly, young, & ppl of color disproportionately), cutting poll hours, reducing the time-frame for early voting, limiting mail-in votes for residents who are out of town, & more.
> .
> None of these are 'democratic', as they were never meant to be - they're designed to be discriminatory, & the tools once used to keep blacks from voting are now turned against poor whites, Asian & Latino citizens, elderly voters, & working-class of all colors & ethnic origins.
> .
> .
> .


No your first post hasn't vanished LFL - have a look, its there! lol I don't know much about the American political system, but it does seem an extremely unfair system. Our government has also been busy gerrymandering too, they've pretty much locked themselves in power. We'll soon be a one party state here!


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Noushka, i'm sorry to hear that gerrymandered voting-districts are creating a virtual single-party UK.  That's a scary prospect.
I couldn't bring myself to 'like' the post, but i sincerely appreciate that tidbit of fact, thank U.
.
.
meanwhile, students & faculty at one of Boston's many universities walked-out in protest over threats to deport some students;
many foreign students are seriously debating whether they want to enroll in a U-S college / univ.
.
that's a serious concern for higher-ed:
when i was in college, over 80% of Penn State's grad-students were foreign students, prepping for Masters' degrees. Grad-students are also crucial to profs, as the vast majority of teaching-assts are grad-students, helping to tutor, grade, etc.
.
.
.


----------



## 1290423

I think you are all jealous of the Donald
Lol


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> I think you are all jealous of the Donald
> Lol


Tronald Dump? Yes. Wish had that power...


----------



## leashedForLife

.
"jealous"? - interesting that ppl made the same (unjustified) ASSumption / accusation some yrs ago, when trainers, DVMs, vet-behaviorists, CAABs, & other dog-professionals criticized Mr Millan, AKA the 'Dawg Wrassler' of National Geographic Channel tv-fame. 
.
.
i'm guessing that by 'jealous' ] actually meant to say *envious*, as in wishing we had what the object of our envy has, yes?...
.
.
I for one don't want an elaborate hair-weave combover.
Nor do i want a beer-belly, no matter how costly or well-tailored the suits are that minimize & camouflage it.
Nor do i want a trophy wife who is a bit over 1/2 my age at 70-YO, & is actually past her expiration-date per my personal taste.
.
also, i don't want to be a pale-skinned redhead who appears to be orange-skinned due to chronic overuse of poor quality "tanning" products.
.
.
well beyond anything physical, i certainly don't want to think that white men are the measure of all that's good in humans, & that all women are either decorative, sexual toys, baby-making breeders, or useless parasites if they don't fall into 1 of those 4 categories.
It goes without saying that i do not feel, as Donnie does, that no woman deserves the same wages as a man - even if she has the same experience, schooling, & skills.
.
I also have zero interest in becoming a racist xenophobe who sees every [male] Mexican immigrant as a career criminal & / or a rapist, in his spare time from "taking jobs from American workers".
Nor do i want to see every Muslim immigrant or 1st-generation Muslim-Americans as 'terrorists', & lumping many African immigrants, students, or tourists into the same category of 'terrorists' / political radicals.
.
.
I certainly don't want to become a privileged man, born to wealth, who firmly believes that super-wealthy ppl as "job makers" should pay even-lower taxes than they already do - which in many instances, is less than 1/2 the rate that i pay personally, & often is "zero" Federal taxes. 
.
.
I don't want to join the Repugnant ranks who want to disassemble regulations - on everything from air pollution to water quality, financial institutions to corporate stock transactions, environmental impact studies, construction standards, corporation tax rates, & more.
.
.
I *definitely!* don't "envy" Trumpling his years as a media star, groping women in bars & kissing femme greeters without permission, eyeballing underage girls in beauty-contest dressing rooms [where he claims they "expect it", yeah, sure they do...].
I also don't envy him his "star status" which he believes allows him to "grab them by the pu**y" because "they'll let U do anything".
.
.
As a woman & much-more important, as an adult citizen, i find him not enviable, but grotesque.
I have known other extremely-wealthy ppl personally; all of them were the virtual antithesis of Trumpster, they were gracious to strangers, kind to the needy, worked diligently to support the arts / charitable organizations / environmental efforts, & were above all else, CIVIL.
They had manners - & morals, both of which he seems to lack.
Trump is schooled, yet stunningly ignorant; the wealthy ppl i've known personally were not merely schooled, but profited by their schooling & became educated. Plus, they wanted to offer better educations to those less wealthy than themselves - which doesn't even seem to be on Donnie's radar.
.
.
In sum - no, i don't want to "be" him, i don't want to think, act, feel, or behave like him, i don't want to live like him - heedless of my own conspicuous, excessive consumption.
He's not a role-model i want to emulate in any way. Capisce?

.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

DT said:


> I think you are all jealous of the Donald
> Lol


Why the Hell would we be, there is nothing I like about the man, his family, or his way of life.


----------



## FeelTheBern

DT said:


> I think you are all jealous of the Donald
> Lol


I've been thinking...does DT stand for Donald Trump? Are you the president elect?


----------



## Zaros

DT said:


> I think you are all jealous of the Donald
> Lol


Donald is America's very own Sir Les Patterson.

Only difference being, Trump's not funny at all.


----------



## 1290423

By


Happy Paws said:


> Why the Hell would we be, there is nothing I like about the man, his family, or his way of life.





FeelTheBern said:


> I've been thinking...does DT stand for Donald Trump? Are you the president elect?


ompus Grrh my smilies never worked xxxx


----------



## 1290423

I'm hiding









You can't seeeeee meeeeeeee lol


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
640-milion acres of national parks, Federal wilderness, & conservation areas are on the table as prospective timber, mining, oil, gas, & other "extractive industry" sites.
.
some ppl see this as an enormous JOB CREATING potential; sorry, the days of hundreds of men sawing down trees at woods camps are gone, & won't return - 'harvesting' trees is extremely mechanical now, & huge equipment that resembles track-mounted scissors cut down many trees. The number of ppl who'd get lasting jobs is very few; the *damage done*, OTOH, would be enormous & last for decades - in the case of old-growth forest, it would be forever. Old-growth is a complex, permanent stage of habitat, & once gone, it will not be re-created; the plants, microbes, fauna who depend upon it are irreplaceable.
.
A 60-year battle in the courts was just settled by the shutting down of an oil-lease covering 6,000 acres of Glacier National Park in Montana; believe me, they're going to appeal, & under a Trumpling administration, the magick wand may open the park gates to oil-rigs & pumping stations, fracking & 'injection'.
.
.
Oil isn't a big job-creator, either. Pumps & pipelines only need maintenance & remote sensors do the inspecting, most of the time. Once built, the hardware does its own thing aside from now & again attn from a few techs.
.
mining also uses massive equipment, not massive manpower, & the pollution created is also massive.
The gold mining consortium that wants access to Yellowstone Natl Park is still angry over the legal denial, about 10-yrs ago, of their cyanide-extraction process.
.
Fossil fuels are running out - & leaving most of them IN THE GROUND is the easiest & cheapest way to avoid catastrophic climate change, but BP, Exxon-Mobil, & all the rest don't want to hear it, let alone -do- it. They'll fight for every pound of high-sulfur coal, every drop of shale oil or tar-sands... meanwhile, the gas-plumes burning off tons of 'unwanted' natural gas burn 24 / 7, every day of every year.
.
.
.


----------



## 1290423

Please form an orderly queue, I see there are a couple of you in urgent need of one of these lol


----------



## 1290423

leashedForLife said:


> .
> .
> 640-milion acres of national parks, Federal wilderness, & conservation areas are on the table as prospective timber, mining, oil, gas, & other "extractive industry" sites.
> .
> some ppl see this as an enormous JOB CREATING potential; sorry, the days of hundreds of men sawing down trees at woods camps are gone, & won't return - 'harvesting' trees is extremely mechanical now, & huge equipment that resembles track-mounted scissors cut down many trees. The number of ppl who'd get lasting jobs is very few; the *damage done*, OTOH, would be enormous & last for decades - in the case of old-growth forest, it would be forever. Old-growth is a complex, permanent stage of habitat, & once gone, it will not be re-created; the plants, microbes, fauna who depend upon it are irreplaceable.
> .
> A 60-year battle in the courts was just settled by the shutting down of an oil-lease covering 6,000 acres of Glacier National Park in Montana; believe me, they're going to appeal, & under a Trumpling administration, the magick wand may open the park gates to oil-rigs & pumping stations, fracking & 'injection'.
> .
> .
> Oil isn't a big job-creator, either. Pumps & pipelines only need maintenance & remote sensors do the inspecting, most of the time. Once built, the hardware does its own thing aside from now & again attn from a few techs.
> .
> mining also uses massive equipment, not massive manpower, & the pollution created is also massive.
> The gold mining consortium that wants access to Yellowstone Natl Park is still angry over the legal denial, about 10-yrs ago, of their cyanide-extraction process.
> .
> Fossil fuels are running out - & leaving most of them IN THE GROUND is the easiest & cheapest way to avoid catastrophic climate change, but BP, Exxon-Mobil, & all the rest don't want to hear it, let alone -do- it. They'll fight for every pound of high-sulfur coal, every drop of shale oil or tar-sands... meanwhile, the gas-plumes burning off tons of 'unwanted' natural gas burn 24 / 7, every day of every year.
> .
> .
> .


Sorry l for l my feather wasn't a reply to your post opps bad timing


----------



## Satori

noushka05 said:


> I daren't say:Hilarious
> 
> No your first post hasn't vanished LFL - have a look, its there! lol I don't know much about the American political system, but it does seem an extremely unfair system. Our government has also been busy gerrymandering too, they've pretty much locked themselves in power. We'll soon be a one party state here!


There is nothing at all unfair about the American system. Nothing. It is actually quite brilliant. Just in case you are willing to step outside of the echo chamber for a minute  .........

*Why We Use Electoral College, Not Popular Vote*
The Electoral College remains in place over two centuries after the framers of the Constitution empowered it to select presidents. Though occasionally maligned, this system of electing a chief executive has been incredibly successful for the American people.

Many modern voters might be surprised to learn that when they step into a ballot box to select their candidate for president, they actually are casting a vote for fellow Americans called electors. These electors, appointed by the states, are pledged to support the presidential candidate the voters have supported. The Electoral College holds its vote the Monday after the second Wednesday in December following the election.

The Founding Fathers created the Electoral College after much debate and compromise, but it has provided stability to the process of picking presidents. Though the winner of the national popular vote typically takes the presidency, that vote failed to determine the winner in four elections: 1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000.

Some see the Electoral College as a peculiar and mystifying institution that ensures only a few, select individuals will ever cast a direct vote for president in the United States. Others complain that the system rewards smaller states with more proportional power than the large ones.

Every four years, around election time, there are murmurs about revamping the system and moving toward a direct, national popular vote.

*The Founders' College *

As one of The Heritage Foundations legal experts, Hans von Spakovsky, noted in a paper on the Electoral College: "In creating the basic architecture of the American government, the Founders struggled to satisfy each state's demand for greater representation while attempting to balance popular sovereignty against the risk posed to the minority from majoritarian rule."

Some elements of the Electoral College, such as the indirect vote through intermediaries, were hotly debated at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. It was eventually justified in part as a stopgap to potentially reverse the vote if the people elected a criminal, traitor, or similar kind of heinous person. The Founders wanted to empower democratic elements in the American system, but they feared a kind of pure, unrestrained democracy that had brought down great republics of the past.

The product of the Founders' compromise has been well balanced and enduring, and we would be wise to leave it intact.

Alexander Hamilton defended the Electoral College in Federalist 68. He argued that it was important for the people as a whole to have a great deal of power in choosing their president, but it was also "desirable" that "the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice."

Hamilton also wrote that this system of intermediaries would produce a greater amount of stability, and that an " … intermediate body of electors will be much less apt to convulse the community with any extraordinary or violent movements, than the choice of one who was himself to be the final object of the public wishes."

As students of ancient history, the Founders feared the destructive passions of direct democracy, and as recent subjects of an overreaching monarch, they equally feared the rule of an elite unresponsive to the will of the people. The Electoral College was a compromise, neither fully democratic nor aristocratic.

The Constitution states:

Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the Congress.

In addition to balancing the protection of individual rights and majority rule, the Founding Fathers attempted to create a "federalist" system that would keep most of policymaking power reserved to states and localities. America's presidential election system also was designed to empower the states, not just the American people as an undifferentiated mass.

The total number of electors and thus electoral votes across all states and the District of Columbia-included after the passage of the 23rd Amendment-adds up to 538. The winner must receive a majority, or 270, of these votes to become president.

The system empowers states, especially smaller ones, because it incentivizes presidential candidates to appeal to places that may be far away from population centers. Farmers in Iowa may have very different concerns than bankers in New York. A more federalist system of electing presidents takes that into account.

The states are free to select the method in which they choose their electors. In the early days of the republic, most states chose to have their legislatures pick electors, rather than the people. But, over time, the states shifted to choosing electors via the state's popular vote instead. Every state has opted for popular election at least since the Civil War.

*Calls to Abolish*

Modern opponents of the Electoral College argue against what they call antidemocratic aspects of the institution, criticizing both the intermediary electors and the state-by-state system of voting.

Calls to fundamentally change the Electoral College reached a peak after Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore in the tightly contested 2000 election. Gore narrowly won the national popular vote, and many of his supporters howled that the system-even without the Supreme Court stepping in-was unfair.

One organization, National Popular Vote, has worked toward eliminating the Electoral College through an amendment to the Constitution or a state compact. National Popular Vote argues that the current system encourages presidential candidates to spend most of their time in "swing states" rather than campaigning for votes across the entire country.

This plan for a national popular vote has received a moderate level of support, but Heritage's von Spakovsky has called it bad policy, based on mistaken assumptions. Swing states, he wrote, "can change from election to election, and many states that are today considered to be reliably 'blue' or 'red' in the presidential race were recently unpredictable."

Many states have signed on to a bill that essentially would tie a state's electoral votes to the national popular vote. Those states will pledge to swing all of their electoral votes to the winner of the national vote.

But this is because the incentives would be to appeal only to the biggest population centers. Swing states change over time, and the 2016 election could be a prime example of swing-state unpredictability and erosion of the traditional partisan political map.

Additionally, if the president were elected by unfiltered national vote, small and rural states would become irrelevant, and campaigns would spend their time in large, populous districts.

*Over 200 Years of Success*

Unneeded tinkering with a process that is over two centuries old could destabilize one on the steadiest political systems in the world.

As author and Texas lawyer Tara Ross wrote in a Heritage Foundation memorandum:

America's election systems have operated smoothly for more than 200 years because the Electoral College accomplishes its intended purposes. America's presidential election process preserves federalism, prevents chaos, grants definitive electoral outcomes, and prevents tyrannical or unreasonable rule. The Founding Fathers created a stable, well-planned, and carefully designed system-and it works.

On Election Day, Americans should appreciate the great and long-lasting constitutional tradition bequeathed to them-including the quirky Electoral College system created by the nation's Founders.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
...& i quote from the article cited above,
_'Modern opponents of the Electoral College argue against what they call antidemocratic aspects of the institution, criticizing both the intermediary electors and the state-by-state system of voting.

Calls to fundamentally change the Electoral College reached a peak after Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore in the tightly contested 2000 election. Gore narrowly won the national popular vote, and many of his supporters howled that the system-even without the Supreme Court stepping in-was unfair.

One organization, National Popular Vote, has worked toward eliminating the Electoral College through an amendment to the Constitution or a state compact. National Popular Vote argues that the current system *encourages presidential candidates to spend most of their time in "swing states"* rather than campaigning for votes across the entire country.'_
_._
_._
i'm not alone in thinking it's cumbersome, outmoded, & gets between the electorates' wishes & the eventual outcome. I stand by my statement - a popular vote is more transparent, more democratic, & far-more direct.
.
.
.
_._


----------



## 1290423




----------



## cheekyscrip

Just dip


----------



## FeelTheBern

DT said:


> ompus Grrh my smilies never worked xxxx


Good. Smilies are highly irritating.


----------



## 1290423

FeelTheBern said:


> Good. Smilies are highly irritating.


I know


----------



## FeelTheBern

DT said:


> I know
> View attachment 290849


Humorous photographs are a suitable alternative to those dastardly smilies! Good job! Why doesn't PF just ban the use of smilies so other members can post funny pictures as a substitute like you have?


----------



## 1290423

Sends in the Weimaraner to help DT dig that hole x


----------



## Jesthar

I wonder how long it will be before someone thinks to take Trumps twitter account out of his control...

VP Elect Mike Pence went to see the musical 'Hamilton' last night, a multi-award winning musical about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton which has a pretty diverse cast. At the curtain call one of the cast addressed him with a pre-written statement (apparently curtain call speeches are more of a 'thing' in the US):

“We have a guest in the audience this evening. Vice President-elect Pence I see you walking out, but I hope you will hear us just a few more moments. There’s nothing to boo here ladies and gentlemen. We have a message for you sir. We hope that you will hear us out. I encourage everyone to pull out your phones and tweet because this message needs to be spread far and wide.

Vice President-elect Pence we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton, an American Musical. We really do. We sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, out children, our parents or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us. We truly thank you for sharing in this show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men, women of different colors, creeds and orientations and we truly hope that you heard our message sir, because you all represent all of us."

Pence did leave the theatre before the speech was delivered, but apparently listened to it from the corridor.The actor also added

"We don't have to fight one another. The beautiful part of this country is ... we don't have to agree, but we gotta live here, baby, and share with one another" 

Trump took to twitter to respond:

"Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing.This should not happen!"

followed by

"The Theater must always be a safe and special place.The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!"

Oh dear... That would be a perfect opportunity for some bridge building and general reassurance torpedoed, then!

Also, he might want to check with a certain A. Lincoln about theatres being safe spaces...


----------



## cheekyscrip

Jesthar said:


> I wonder how long it will be before someone thinks to take Trumps twitter account out of his control...
> 
> VP Elect Mike Pence went to see the musical 'Hamilton' last night, a multi-award winning musical about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton which has a pretty diverse cast. At the curtain call one of the cast addressed him with a pre-written statement (apparently curtain call speeches are more of a 'thing' in the US):
> 
> "We have a guest in the audience this evening. Vice President-elect Pence I see you walking out, but I hope you will hear us just a few more moments. There's nothing to boo here ladies and gentlemen. We have a message for you sir. We hope that you will hear us out. I encourage everyone to pull out your phones and tweet because this message needs to be spread far and wide.
> 
> Vice President-elect Pence we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton, an American Musical. We really do. We sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, out children, our parents or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us. We truly thank you for sharing in this show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men, women of different colors, creeds and orientations and we truly hope that you heard our message sir, because you all represent all of us."
> 
> Pence did leave the theatre before the speech was delivered, but apparently listened to it from the corridor.The actor also added
> 
> "We don't have to fight one another. The beautiful part of this country is ... we don't have to agree, but we gotta live here, baby, and share with one another"
> 
> Trump took to twitter to respond:
> 
> "Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing.This should not happen!"
> 
> followed by
> 
> "The Theater must always be a safe and special place.The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!"
> 
> Oh dear... That would be a perfect opportunity for some bridge building and general reassurance torpedoed, then!
> 
> Also, he might want to check with a certain A. Lincoln about theatres being safe spaces...


I am afraid DT is a very touchy man and first thing he might get away with is freedom of speech.


----------



## noushka05

leashedForLife said:


> .
> Noushka, i'm sorry to hear that gerrymandered voting-districts are creating a virtual single-party UK.  That's a scary prospect.
> I couldn't bring myself to 'like' the post, but i sincerely appreciate that tidbit of fact, thank U.
> .
> .
> meanwhile, students & faculty at one of Boston's many universities walked-out in protest over threats to deport some students;
> many foreign students are seriously debating whether they want to enroll in a U-S college / univ.
> .
> that's a serious concern for higher-ed:
> when i was in college, over 80% of Penn State's grad-students were foreign students, prepping for Masters' degrees. Grad-students are also crucial to profs, as the vast majority of teaching-assts are grad-students, helping to tutor, grade, etc.
> .
> .
> .


You're very welcome - theres more info here - https://www.theguardian.com/comment...undary-changes-tories-ruthless-gerrymandering We're going down the same path as you are over there with a hard right government & right wing media stoking fear & demonising minorities. I fear nothing more than I fear my own government (& yours!).

This is their latest attack on our liberties. Phase 2 of the 'snoopers charter' has just been slipped though.

According to Edward Snowden we have just legalized the most extreme surveillance in the history of western democracy. It goes farther than many autocracies.

Here is what UNs privacy chief thinks - UK surveillance bill is 'worse than scary'. http://www.wired.co.uk/article/surveillance-investigatory-powers-scary-joseph-cannataci

We've 'taken our country back' alright



Satori said:


> There is nothing at all unfair about the American system. Nothing. It is actually quite brilliant. Just in case you are willing to step outside of the echo chamber for a minute  .........
> 
> *Why We Use Electoral College, Not Popular Vote*
> The Electoral College remains in place over two centuries after the framers of the Constitution empowered it to select presidents. Though occasionally maligned, this system of electing a chief executive has been incredibly successful for the American people.
> 
> Many modern voters might be surprised to learn that when they step into a ballot box to select their candidate for president, they actually are casting a vote for fellow Americans called electors. These electors, appointed by the states, are pledged to support the presidential candidate the voters have supported. The Electoral College holds its vote the Monday after the second Wednesday in December following the election.
> 
> The Founding Fathers created the Electoral College after much debate and compromise, but it has provided stability to the process of picking presidents. Though the winner of the national popular vote typically takes the presidency, that vote failed to determine the winner in four elections: 1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000.
> 
> Some see the Electoral College as a peculiar and mystifying institution that ensures only a few, select individuals will ever cast a direct vote for president in the United States. Others complain that the system rewards smaller states with more proportional power than the large ones.
> 
> Every four years, around election time, there are murmurs about revamping the system and moving toward a direct, national popular vote.
> 
> *The Founders' College *
> 
> As one of The Heritage Foundations legal experts, Hans von Spakovsky, noted in a paper on the Electoral College: "In creating the basic architecture of the American government, the Founders struggled to satisfy each state's demand for greater representation while attempting to balance popular sovereignty against the risk posed to the minority from majoritarian rule."
> 
> Some elements of the Electoral College, such as the indirect vote through intermediaries, were hotly debated at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. It was eventually justified in part as a stopgap to potentially reverse the vote if the people elected a criminal, traitor, or similar kind of heinous person. The Founders wanted to empower democratic elements in the American system, but they feared a kind of pure, unrestrained democracy that had brought down great republics of the past.
> 
> The product of the Founders' compromise has been well balanced and enduring, and we would be wise to leave it intact.
> 
> Alexander Hamilton defended the Electoral College in Federalist 68. He argued that it was important for the people as a whole to have a great deal of power in choosing their president, but it was also "desirable" that "the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice."
> 
> Hamilton also wrote that this system of intermediaries would produce a greater amount of stability, and that an " … intermediate body of electors will be much less apt to convulse the community with any extraordinary or violent movements, than the choice of one who was himself to be the final object of the public wishes."
> 
> As students of ancient history, the Founders feared the destructive passions of direct democracy, and as recent subjects of an overreaching monarch, they equally feared the rule of an elite unresponsive to the will of the people. The Electoral College was a compromise, neither fully democratic nor aristocratic.
> 
> The Constitution states:
> 
> Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the Congress.
> 
> In addition to balancing the protection of individual rights and majority rule, the Founding Fathers attempted to create a "federalist" system that would keep most of policymaking power reserved to states and localities. America's presidential election system also was designed to empower the states, not just the American people as an undifferentiated mass.
> 
> The total number of electors and thus electoral votes across all states and the District of Columbia-included after the passage of the 23rd Amendment-adds up to 538. The winner must receive a majority, or 270, of these votes to become president.
> 
> The system empowers states, especially smaller ones, because it incentivizes presidential candidates to appeal to places that may be far away from population centers. Farmers in Iowa may have very different concerns than bankers in New York. A more federalist system of electing presidents takes that into account.
> 
> The states are free to select the method in which they choose their electors. In the early days of the republic, most states chose to have their legislatures pick electors, rather than the people. But, over time, the states shifted to choosing electors via the state's popular vote instead. Every state has opted for popular election at least since the Civil War.
> 
> *Calls to Abolish*
> 
> Modern opponents of the Electoral College argue against what they call antidemocratic aspects of the institution, criticizing both the intermediary electors and the state-by-state system of voting.
> 
> Calls to fundamentally change the Electoral College reached a peak after Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore in the tightly contested 2000 election. Gore narrowly won the national popular vote, and many of his supporters howled that the system-even without the Supreme Court stepping in-was unfair.
> 
> One organization, National Popular Vote, has worked toward eliminating the Electoral College through an amendment to the Constitution or a state compact. National Popular Vote argues that the current system encourages presidential candidates to spend most of their time in "swing states" rather than campaigning for votes across the entire country.
> 
> This plan for a national popular vote has received a moderate level of support, but Heritage's von Spakovsky has called it bad policy, based on mistaken assumptions. Swing states, he wrote, "can change from election to election, and many states that are today considered to be reliably 'blue' or 'red' in the presidential race were recently unpredictable."
> 
> Many states have signed on to a bill that essentially would tie a state's electoral votes to the national popular vote. Those states will pledge to swing all of their electoral votes to the winner of the national vote.
> 
> But this is because the incentives would be to appeal only to the biggest population centers. Swing states change over time, and the 2016 election could be a prime example of swing-state unpredictability and erosion of the traditional partisan political map.
> 
> Additionally, if the president were elected by unfiltered national vote, small and rural states would become irrelevant, and campaigns would spend their time in large, populous districts.
> 
> *Over 200 Years of Success*
> 
> Unneeded tinkering with a process that is over two centuries old could destabilize one on the steadiest political systems in the world.
> 
> As author and Texas lawyer Tara Ross wrote in a Heritage Foundation memorandum:
> 
> America's election systems have operated smoothly for more than 200 years because the Electoral College accomplishes its intended purposes. America's presidential election process preserves federalism, prevents chaos, grants definitive electoral outcomes, and prevents tyrannical or unreasonable rule. The Founding Fathers created a stable, well-planned, and carefully designed system-and it works.
> 
> On Election Day, Americans should appreciate the great and long-lasting constitutional tradition bequeathed to them-including the quirky Electoral College system created by the nation's Founders.


Step outside my echo chamber into yours to see an article which is published in ultra right wing sites including this TEA PARTY blog lol - I should have known. http://americanlibertypac.com/2016/11/use-electoral-college-not-popular-vote/ The billionaire donor to that website is also on the board of directors of the flaming Koch brothers Cato institute http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Cato_Institute The Koch brothers are completely & utterly morally bankrupt. I'd like to bet the Koch brothers toxic influence is behind others sources where this article is referenced too. The Koch's are two of the most dangerous people on this planet, they have pumped billions into astroturfing groups which attack climate science, policy & regulation & now they have access to the heart of the most powerful country on the planet. Trumps pick for CIA Director is Mike Pompeo - who is bankrolled by the Koch brothers! https://www.thenation.com/article/t...ite-congressman-will-be-in-charge-of-the-cia/

Talking of echo chambers it reminds me of this important message from Obama -










In this post-truth era I try to fact check everything - its the only way.

...


----------



## noushka05

cheekyscrip said:


> I am afraid DT is a very touchy man and first thing he might get away with is freedom of speech.


A very touchy man who in 61 days will have the nuclear codes.


----------



## rona

https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/terrorism-immigration-risk-analysis
"Foreign-born terrorism is a hazard to American life, liberty, and private property, but it is manageable given the huge economic benefits of immigration and the small costs of terrorism. The United States government should continue to devote resources to screening immigrants and foreigners for terrorism or other threats, but large policy changes like an immigration or tourist moratorium would impose far greater costs than benefits."

I've never looked at their site before and haven't much time now but seems they aren't anti climate change regulations either


----------



## leashedForLife

.
the Trumpling has a well-established pattern of retaliation, revenge, & good old-fashioned grudge carrying, in both his business & personal lives.
He also has a habit of exacerbating any disagreement whatever into a flame-war; petty differences are blwn-up into name-calling, screaming diatribes.
That should improve U-S diplomacy worldwide // Not. 
.
.
the man *adores* drama, as much as any parrot that ever lived; the more ear-splitting shrieks, whether of joy or fury, the better, in his itsy-bitsy brain.
.
Fasten Ur seat-belts, folks - it's gonna be a very rough 4-years, & it'll be 20-years or more of bad legacy-leftovers, just like Ronnie Raygun's time-bomb of deregulation that detonated as the Great Recession globally.
There **will be** decades of repair post-Trumpster, & some of the damage - such as accelerated atmospheric gases from fossil-fuels & extractive industries - will be both irreparable, & catastrophic.
The world will pay the bill, & our great-grandchildren will curse his name, & his supporters, for generations to come... as they struggle to cope with an overheated planet, rising oceans, changed rainfall patters, & many-more extreme weather events annually.
.
.
just one example:
wildfires are affecting areas previously well-watered by rain.
Massachusetts could not send firefighting crews to Western wildfires because the sTATE as a whole was in drought, anything from severe to extreme, & every firefighter was needed *here*.
'Severe' drought is "better" than 'extreme', in the ratings scale.
.
so California, Utah, Arizona, et al, had to make do with the firefighters they had, plus contingents from states other than MA.
.
.
More bad news:
insurance rates & insurer bankruptcies are both rising, as wildfires, floods, droughts, tornadoes, wind-shear, Snowmageddons, & other 'century' events become annual rites.
Stormwater systems are maxed-out already, all along the densely-developed east coast of the U-S.
.
.
Trumpster thinks climate-change is a hoax? - the blowhard will still be saying that when half of Florida is submarine acreage.
.
there's gonna be H*** to pay - & he's not gonna cover the bill, he'll just run it higher.
Madame Gaza sees all... 
.
.
.
.
.


----------



## cinnamontoast

Bloody terrifying that the President-elect merrily takes to Twitter to voice his opinion. His advisers are ridiculous not to have deleted this account, but then again, Trump does just what the heck he likes, such as meeting the Japanese premie (?) with zero organisation this week. Bonkers bloke, truly worrying that he will soon be in charge.


----------



## 1290423

noushka05 said:


> A very touchy man who in 61 days will have the nuclear codes.


We,d best be nice to him then noush


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> We,d best be nice to him then noush


Thought we were teacher's pet already?
Nigel promised us that very special relations?

And as I understand you have something going there with Nige. So I hope you will play it very nicely.

Remember the shoes!


----------



## 1290423

Well! We are all helping to dig that hole!
I've sent the spaniel in now


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Thought we were teacher's pet already?
> Nigel promised us that very special relations?
> 
> And as I understand you have something going there with Nige. So I hope you will play it very nicely.
> 
> Remember the shoes!


You mean these killers lol


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> You mean these killers lol
> View attachment 290933


In case Nige needs some prompting...or T Dump tries to grab the cat...


----------



## Jesthar

Ah, now I understand why Trump wanted to divert attention yesterday - he settled out of court for $25 million over the Trump University swindle scam.

This after bragging he never settles out of court out of principle...


----------



## FeelTheBern

DT said:


> We,d best be nice to him then noush


Yes, make sure you don't send The Donald any nasty tweets otherwise he could get angry...


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
DJT gets ticked-off when someone on his staff gets more limelight than he does; his jealousy of the fickle public's attn is probly what cost Giuliani the Sec of State post he coveted, now possibly to be filled by Mittens, AKA Mitt Romney - who has never been famous for his knowledge of anything beyond how to comport himself at a linen-tablecloth dinner, & how to order a bespoke suit, & get thru the preliminary & final fittings thereof. 
Brilliant, he's not. Mittens is the dimwit who infamously put the family DOG on the car's roof, while they drove off to begin a lovely family vacation. :Bag Then he wondered why ppl were so _*upset*_ with him?...
.
West High School in Iowa City, Iowa, is currently unsettled & emotionally fraught, while its 40% minorities student body react variously to Trumpster's pending status - one 15-YO girl, who is American-born & Muslim, wears a hijab. The Wed after the election, she was 'bumped into' roughly, sworn at, & told to _"Go back home." _Other hijab-wearing girls were surrounded & heckled; passersby chanted, _'Trump, Trump, Trump...'_, when passing black students; a Latina clasmate was out of school one day, & a white classmate wondered aloud 'if she'd been deported'.
.
.
here in Boston, Cambridge is a bastion of college-educated liberals of every color or blend, from all over the globe - many of them faculty members.
A delivery-driver for UPS made an unwelcome kind of history by verbally abusing a complete stranger in the parking lot of a gas-station, cussing, using obscenities, & telling him, _'This is Trump-land...' _-- the man, who appeared to be Latino, went into the convenience store, made some purchases, & came back out - only to be abused AGAIN by the same UPS rep. A resident happened to witness it, reported it to UPS national headquarters, & the driver is suspended while an investigation is running.
.
This isn't the country i went to sleep in, on Tuesday night Nov-8th. This is a new geography.
.
.
.


----------



## 1290423

Jesthar said:


> Ah, now I understand why Trump wanted to divert attention yesterday - he settled out of court for $25 million over the Trump University swindle scam.
> 
> This after bragging he never settles out of court out of principle...


I didn't see that as a scam, three students didn't make a fortune from property, that's not what I can a scam


----------



## Guest

DT said:


> I didn't see that as a scam, three students didn't make a fortune from property, that's not what I can a scam


Clearly you haven't bothered to look up anything about Trump University....


----------



## 1290423

Maybe I can sue my school because I didn't end up being the wizz kid I wanted to be?


----------



## 1290423

ouesi said:


> Clearly you haven't bothered to look up anything about Trump University....


Well I did actually, well some of it,. We have a saying
If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is!


----------



## Guest

DT said:


> Maybe I can sue my school because I didn't end up being the wizz kid I wanted to be?


Seriously, the case against Trump University was/is a serious violation of state laws and specifically targeted senior citizens and in some cases scammed them of their life savings. I don't find that joke-worthy.


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> Well I did actually, well some of it,. We have a saying
> If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is!


Which does not make it legal. 
Anything you buy as bargain to find out you were scammed does not justify scamming just because you were naive.


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Which does not make it legal.
> Anything you buy as bargain to find out you were scammed does not justify scamming just because you were naive.


Just trawl the internet for the current get rich quick schemes today,. Don't know who these are at the moment, aloe Vera, Avon, some magic stay young forever formula, perfumes, diets, they all make extravagant claims, people go into them day after day after day believing they have made a life changing decision,. Do we see the results of these failures in the headlines? 
No scam is justified,. Are you telling me a small scam doesn't matter .
Time to go DT time to go


----------



## Guest

DT said:


> Do we see the results of these failures in the headlines?


When they are illegal, yes.


----------



## 1290423

ouesi said:


> When they are illegal, yes.


Tell that to the young girl who paid out seventy quid for her demonstration pack based on the claims the company made that her returns would be substantial


----------



## Jesthar

DT said:


> Tell that to the young girl who paid out seventy quid for her demonstration pack based on the claims the company made that her returns would be substantial


I think the Trump University victims would be overjoyed to only have lost $70! Trump University employees were basically hard sell salesmen, not tutors, and their training was all geared to selling people the most expensive 'package' they could. Like high pressure timeshare salesmen.


----------



## FeelTheBern

Trump University may or may not have been a scam (I don't know much about it), but the example I'm about to give is most certainly a scam.
I remember reading an article that said Trump charged some people $100 each to stand next to him and have their pictures taken. When they arrived at the required location, they discovered that it was merely a lifesize cardboard cutout of The Donald that they were to be photographed with. May I also add that if these unfortunate people had known what they were going to be photographed with, they could have bought their own Trump cutout from Amazon for about $20. If this wasn't a scam, then I don't know what is.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
DJT also (in)famously invited the press corps to a supposed 'practice session' for his upcoming debate w/ Ms Clinton.
.
instead of hearing him answer Qs re policy or criticism posed by his staff, they arrived to find Donnie sitting with 3? - or was it 4? - women, each of whom accused Bill Clinton (who wasn't a candidate) of inapropos sexual behavior, & one of them, a minor at the time, accused HILLARY - her then-lawyer -- of "abusing" her by laughing at her... when in fact, Ms Clinton ridiculed the judicial process, not her client. 
.
.
Trumpster often bamboozles, promising then not delivering, signing contracts & not paying for work completed, pulling out when it's not as profitable & leaving others jobless, & the community holding the bag --
as he did repeatedly in Atlantic City, opening with fanfare & shuttering with no comment. 
.
.
somebody else always cleans up the messes - if he owned a dog, he'd pay someone to pick-up the dog-poo, or more likely, pay them for awhile & then 'forget' conveniently. 
.
He's not a man to be relied upon, & he's not a mensch.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
BTW, possibly the reason so many U-S immigrants are nervous abt Trumpster taking office hasn't gotten much press in the UK -
Trumplind said one of his 1st acts as POTUS would be deporting 3-million immigrants, *but* he didn't say ==which== immigrants.
.
undocumented adults?
minors born here of paperless parents?
adults who were born here, of undocumented parents?
the virtual slaves who work harvesting fruit & veg?
students who were not born here, but arrived as pre-school children & are now in college?
.
.
no one knows how far-back the deportation wants to go.
No one knows what category is targeted; parents fear abandoning their children, young adults fear their education will be interrupted or entirely blocked. Spouses worry their partner will vanish.
Adult children are afraid to take children to visit grandparents in their native / ancestral country, for fear they won't be able to return - their U-S job, their house [rented or mortgaged], their car, friends, neighborhood, bank account, savings, Social Security payments / deductions, could all be lost behind the U-S border.
.
.
anxiety & stress are running high among immigrants of every age, from every country - including the many illegals from Poland & other central Euro countries.
They may be white, but they're just as undocumented as brown-skinned Latinos, red-brown tribal ppl from Central America, yellow ppl from Asia, purple-black ppl from Ethiopia,light brown Arabs from North Africa.
.
.
Czechs or Poles or Lithuanians are just as scared as Mexicanos & Liberians & Haitians.
.
.
.


----------



## FeelTheBern

noushka05 said:


> A very touchy man who in 61 days will have the nuclear codes.


I don't know how much we can trust the Donald with the red button. I would have trusted good ol' Bernie, who would have negotiated with other countries rather than getting into Twitter fights with their leaders.


----------



## noushka05

rona said:


> https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/terrorism-immigration-risk-analysis
> "Foreign-born terrorism is a hazard to American life, liberty, and private property, but it is manageable given the huge economic benefits of immigration and the small costs of terrorism. The United States government should continue to devote resources to screening immigrants and foreigners for terrorism or other threats, but large policy changes like an immigration or tourist moratorium would impose far greater costs than benefits."
> 
> I've never looked at their *site before and haven't much time now but seems they aren't anti climate change regulations either*


I accept that we should judge the article rather than the source. And although Cato is a right wing think tank set up to push freemarket ideology it also debates issues on public policy & it does invite a wide range of speakers to participate. Even lefties lol.

But when it comes to climate change, by your response, just shows how dangerous sites like CATO are. They appear to be a credible source of information because they don't deny climate change isn't an issue, but they play down the seriousness by misrepresenting science & using their own bogus 'science' - what they are doing is muddying the waters.

The don't deny CC - they are climate 'lukewarmers'. Their in house 'scientists' even have this book out  https://store.cato.org/book/lukewarming The Kochs and their ilk know they'll never win the debate on climate change so their strategy is to draw out the debate so they can carry on with business as usual - & then it will be too late!

And they are anti climate change regulation as you put it. In this message to the Trump administration, they advise pulling out of the Paris Agreement! Our only hope of mitigating the worst effects of climate change - https://www.cato.org/blog/some-climate-realities-incoming-administration-consider

There is loads on the Koch's but this is a really good article.
http://www.campaigncc.org/climate_change/sceptics/funders

*The funders of climate disinformation*

*Koch Brothers*









Brothers Charles and David Koch own the controlling shares (84%) of Koch Industries, a massive conglomerate ranked as the second largest, privately owned company in America. This wealth is based mainly on fossil fuels. For instance the conglomerate operates oil refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, and controls some four thousand miles of pipeline - although it also owns other products and brands such as Lycra. As a result of its huge involvement in fossil fuels it has been called "one of the primary sources of carbon pollution in the United States".

This vast conglomerate has a deplorable record for breaking environmental regulations and illegal pollution. A Koch Industries subsidiary paid a landmark $35 million penalty in January 2000 for its three hundred oil spills in Texas and five other states. There is a catalogue of other fines paid by Koch industries for assorted environmental violations and, for instance, stealing oil from Federal and Indian land. The Koch brother have not held back from using their political influence to evade such penalties: in April 2001 after Koch helped to elect George Bush in 2000, the Bush Justice Department abruptly settled a criminal case with $350 million in penalties that Koch faced for discharging toxic chemicals from a refinery in Corpus Cristi, Texas.

It might come as no surprise then that the Koch brothers devote a considerable portion of their enormous income to funding a political campaign against every kind of environmental or other regulation that might get in the way of their huge profits. In fact the Koch brothers disguise this with a smokescreen of philanthropic donation to prestige institutions like the Smithsonian but they have also used their money to create an extensive network of think tanks, foundations, lobbyists and tame politicians which has been called "the Kochtopus".

In fact alongside this crude use of political influence to inflate their personal fortune the Koch brothers have a strand of ideological fanaticism that they may have inherited from their father, Fred C Koch a virulent anti-communist. In 1980 David H. Koch was a vice-presidential candidate for the extremist Libertarian party. Since then the brothers have given up overt politics but doggedly supported Libertarian causes - which just happen to coincide with the interests of their industrial empire in pushing back regulations - by more covert means.

The list of right wing and free market groups they have used their vast fortune to support is endless but it includes the Cato Institute which Charles cofounded in 1977, the American Enterprise Institute, the George C Marshall Institute, the Reason Foundation, the Heritage Foundation, the Manhattan Institute and Americans for Prosperity, founded by David Koch himself and which spent $40million for the 2010 Congressional elections alone.

The "Kochtopus" has been involved in undermining every kind of environmental progress but in particular it has opposed climate change legislation, for instance in New Hampshire. and in California where it backed the infamous Prop 23 which threatened (but failed) to push back climate change legislation In fact a Greenpeace report in 2010 (_Koch Industries: Secretly Funding the Climate Denial Machine_) found that they are now the leading funder of climate change disinformation, outdoing even ExxonMobil. A follow-up report in 2011 found that the Kochs are still spending vast amounts of money opposing bills to control pollution, most notably supporting Proposition 23 - a move to abolish laws controlling greenhouse gas emissions until unemployment fell below a certain level.

Rolling Stone magazine places them second on a list of politicians and execs blocking progress on climate change, exposing David Koch's claims that global warming is good: "The Earth will be able to support enormously more people," he says, "because a far greater land area will be available to produce food."

Describing their political activities in support of their corporate agenda and right wing causes Charles Lewis, founder of the Center of Public Integrity - a watchdog group was quoted as saying: "There's no one else who has spent this much money. The sheer dimension of it is what sets apart. They have a pattern of lawbreaking, political manipulation, and obfuscation. [...] They are the Standard Oil of our times."

Jane Mayer, meanwhile, has written a landmark article for New Yorker magazine which describes the critical role they have played instigating and funding the Tea Party movement, especially through their front group 'Americans for Progress'  George Monbiot describes  the Tea Party as the way the Koch brothers have found to "persuade the people harmed by [their] agenda that it's good for them."











DT said:


> We,d best be nice to him then noush


I'd rather go up in a puff of smoke than suck up to that deranged moron


----------



## noushka05

FeelTheBern said:


> I don't know how much we can trust the Donald with the red button. I would have trusted good ol' Bernie, who would have negotiated with other countries rather than getting into Twitter fights with their leaders.


Absolutely. And Bernie is very courageously standing up to Trump now. I'm actually worried for Bernie's safety.


----------



## rona

I tend to agree with David when he says the biggest threat to the world is overpopulation, but then, suggesting people don't breed is a taboo subject.


----------



## Happy Paws2

rona said:


> I tend to agree with David when he says the biggest threat to the world is overpopulation, but then, suggesting people don't breed is a taboo subject.


but something has got to be done, we can't go on having large families they way some are doing, surely 2 children is enough why do they have to go on and have 4,5 and 6 it's just crazy, plus the fact that other people have to help pay for them.


----------



## noushka05

I don't think its a taboo subject, its an important issue , but you cant ignore the fact that industrialised societies use up vastly more resources then societies in the developing world which have high birth rates. We cant simply pass the blame on those populations which are growing fastest when they are barely consumers. Consumption & economic growth are rising faster than population, it up to us to change our ways - but we need the political will.

David Attenborough video from 2007. Terrifyingly we are now on the precipice of' catastrophic climate change. We have never seen anything like what's happening in the Arctic & Antarctic right now. Arctic & Antarctic ice is in freefall - https://climatecrocks.com/2016/11/20/arctic-antarctic-ice-in-free-fall/


----------



## noushka05

God I love Green day (especially Billy Joe lol ) Last night at the AMAs

NO TRUMP, NO KKK, NO FASCIST USA, NO TRUMP, NO KKK, NO FASCIST USA.....


----------



## leashedForLife

.
yes, Noushka, the Kochs are reprehensible. 
.
.
returning to our UNdemocratic voting process, i would direct Ur attn to an article in today's NYX, "As American as apple pie? The rural vote's disproportionate slice of power"
.
.
it explains not only E-C but the 1790 Connecticut Compromise, & why a mere 17% of U-S voters, a historic low, can theoretically elect a Senate majority [Reps or Dems], per Prof Frances Lee of Govt & Politics @ Univ of Maryland.
.
.
anyone who would be so kind as to post a link?
I'm perforce on my mobile.  Thank U kindly.
.
.
.


----------



## FeelTheBern

noushka05 said:


> Absolutely. And Bernie is very courageously standing up to Trump now. I'm actually worried for Bernie's safety.


Some Republicans will be backing Bernie when he stands up to Trump, including myself. I actually think that despite being a Democrat, Bernie stands more for traditional Republicans than Trump does. The party was founded on the belief that America is the land of the free and no race is superior to another. Trump does not support this vision at all, in fact he is the radical opposite of it. However, Bernie supports freedom and racial equality.
Good luck, Bernie.


----------



## Happy Paws2

FeelTheBern said:


> Some Republicans will be backing Bernie when he stands up to Trump, including myself. I actually think that despite being a Democrat, Bernie stands more for traditional Republicans than Trump does. The party was founded on the belief that *America is the land of the free and no race is superior to another.* Trump does not support this vision at all, in fact he is the radical opposite of it. However, Bernie supports freedom and racial equality.
> Good luck, Bernie.


and does that include the Native Indians who country it is anyway, I doubt it.


----------



## FeelTheBern

Happy Paws said:


> and does that include the Native Indians who country it is anyway, I doubt it.


The original Republicans weren't particularly against Native Americans, were they?


----------



## Happy Paws2

FeelTheBern said:


> The original Republicans weren't particularly against Native Americans, were they?


How times change


----------



## Satori

Gotta love the guy.


----------



## Arnie83

Satori said:


> Gotta love the guy.


You really don't, you know.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
if the Dow-Jones average also rose when a terrifying dictator took over a teetering African 'democracy' in a former colony, would U also ascribe the stock-boost to the dictator's credit, or merely to coincidence?
.
.
stock-values & market-values are at least as much superstition & a shared delusion, as they are 'money'.
Anything, including insider-info & a sudden sell-off in one small sector, can trigger a stampede of selling, or a manic buying-spree.
.
.
Trumpster isn't an anointed divinity of financial soundness; he's a gambler, playing with INHERITED wealth, in a high-capital sector: real estate & development.
Without his Daddy's millions, he'd have been a small-time contractor, even smaller than the poor schlubs he has repeatedly failed to pay for jobs completed. He wouldn't be bidding on jobs the size of his golf-courses & 4-star hotels.
.
.
As it stands, he inherited millions, yet he's been "bankrupt" 4 times in 26-years. Obviously, he's a financial genius & a tycoon of "job creation" -- until the house of cards falls down.
Then he walks off, pockets jingling, & his former employees are left jobless.
.
.
.


----------



## cheekyscrip

I really love that guy nominating his puppet Muppet as British ambassador and by the use of Tweeter.

Can TM tweet back whom we choose for American
ambassadors ?

Personally think our answer to Nigel Farage should be Jerry Springer...
We can trade one for the other..

On the other hand...TM nominated BJ as FS......so why not?


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> I really love that guy nominating his puppet Muppet as British ambassador and by the use of Tweeter.
> 
> Can TM tweet back whom we choose for American
> ambassadors ?
> 
> Personally think our answer to Nigel Farage should be Jerry Springer...
> We can trade one for the other..


Sorry quoted I. Error


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> Sorry quoted I. Error


Then sleep you would need.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
sleep U must, DT - Grasshopper learns much, not quickly, but with pain. 
Sadness we share - sorrow for the dreams dead, the dawns that will not come, the promises hoped-for, now deferred; perhaps never to be. Great sorrow, but anger, too - at hurts given needlessly, at the dreams of others denied, at vicious speech & even-more vicious acts.
.
Justice, we will have - if not now, soon.
But sleep, Grasshopper - weary eyes close, weary mind rest. Tomorrow is thoughts of justice, freedom, & dreams deferred; tonight is rest, peace. Perhaps, new dreams...
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
meanwhile, back at the Ranch...
thank Goddess for Maura Healey! -
the Mass. state Atty-General has opened a new hotline for reports of harassment or intimidation based on bias.
Threats, hate speech, & violence directed at immigrants, religious or ethnic minorities, women, & LGBTQ folk can be phoned in on a dedicated hotline, to document them & begin investigation / prosecution. Go, Maura! 
.
quoting A-G Healey,
"In Massachusetts, we will protect people's rights, fight dicrimination, & keep people safe. There are reports [across the nation, since] the election, that people have been targeted & subjected to conduct that imperils safety & civil rights.
Today, I am establishing a hotline for residents to report bias-motivated threats, harassment, & violence. Such conduct has no place in Massachusetts."
.
potential hate crimes, including assault, battery, & property damage, should also be reported to local police, & anyone who fears for their immediate safety should call 911.
.
.
not all reports will be prosecutable, but incidents will be tracked & referred to local law enforcement for follow-up, or to the AG's Criminal Bureau.
.
Civil prosecution, instead of or in addition to criminal proceedings, can be filed under the MCRA / Mass. Civil Rights Act, which protects residents & visitors from bias-motivated threats, coercion, & intimidation. MCRA protects rights of use [public transit, parks, etc], access [public sidewalk, medical care, housing], & activity [association, voting, peaceful protest].
A perpetrator who threatens, intimidates, or coerces another based on their membership in a protected group (e-g, race, nat'l origin, age, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity) can be prosecuted under the MCRA.
.
.
potential hate crimes, wage theft, housing discrimination, & other issues can be reported via the hotline WITHOUT fears of reprisal due to immigration status.
.
.
in other news:
First Lady Michelle Obama gave the 2016 National Arts & Humanities' Youth Program Award to "True Colors: Out Youth Theater", a program founded by The Theater Offensive; 'Out Youth' is the largest & longest-running LBGTQ youth theater program in the U-S.
Ms Obama said,
"We believe every single child has boundless promise, no matter who they are, where they come from, or how much money their parents have. And it is important to see these kids as 'ours' - not as 'them', not as 'other', but as 'ours'... that's really the power of programs like these. That's the message they send to our young people every single day."
.
.
True Colors has been running for 22-years; the $10K that arrives with the award will help them continue their work.
.
.
.


----------



## DogLover1981

A part of me was hoping Trump would win this election. Both of the candidates have truckloads of the dirty laundry and tons of problems. People get so entrenched with their preferred party's candidate that they don't think about how disastrous their preferred candidate could be for their preferred party in the future. I would not be surprised to see Democratic supermajorities in the house and senate and a Democrat such as Elizabeth Warren in the white house in 2021. Her actions over the past week have me wondering if she's positioning herself for 2020. Already congressmen and congresswomen of both parties are distancing themselves from Trump, his rhetoric and said policies. The senate and house are seeking to block Trump's friendliness towards Russia for example.


----------



## DogLover1981

On the other hand, I'm surprised that enough people voted for him that he won. Presidents do have some amount of power regarding legislation and foreign policy but mostly they are basically diplomats that represent the USA. Technically congress can pass laws and do many other things without any say from the president. The reverse isn't true. He's certainly not the kind of person I'd want representing the country I live in.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
dreams of 2020 don't do much for the here-&-now threat of the many proposed policies for 2017.
Rollbacks on environmental safeguards, worker safety, financial regulations, Social Security to be *PRIVATIZED?!*, health care & insurance at all levels from children to working poor to elderly citizens,
a spending-spree for the military [Chrysler will be delighted - more tanks!], & more.
.
.
2020 is after the fact; my pressing worry is the coming years of Trumpdom - or praps Trumpdum would be more apropos.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
DogLover'81, he *lost* the poular vote; once again, the Electoral College denied the winner of the popular vote the office of POTUS, just as they did in 2000 with Gore; instead, with the help of the 9 Supremes [justices of the Supreme Court], they installed Dubya in the White House - AKA Gge W. Bush.
We all know how well that worked out... 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Along with Myron Ebell as E.P.A. head - a former paid shill for Big Oil, running a conservative think-tank to convince Merikans that "global climate-change is a hoax" --
Trumpster has appointed Steve Bannon, former chief of Breitbart News, as his chief advisor.
.
Breitbart is referred to as "an on-line haven for white nationalists", & Bannon is right of right, politically.
He, too, denies the reality of climate-instability, & refers to environmentalists as "greentards".
.
.
Ebell still must be confirmed by the Senate; there is dim hope he'll be shut out because of his fundamental anti-science stance.
.
but Bannon's post needs no outside approval; a neo-Nazi, basically, will have the ear of POTUS Trumpling.
.
I'm white, female, & was born in the U-S, with enuf generations here that i could join the Daughters of the American Republic (not that i'd want to).
My relatives have fought in every war from the Civil War on to the present - & i'm frankly scared of the incoming Admin, not just the windbag at the top, Tweeter in Chief, but of the entourage he's empowering.
I can't imagine how much-more frightened i'd be, if i were Muslim, black, brown, yellow, red, a recent immigrant of any color (legal or not), or a 1st-generation American-born citizen of immigrant parents.
.
beyond the worry of ultra-right whackjobs, is the distinctly anti-science bias; Dubya had the 1st U-S admin to *force* scientists to edit their findings, or even to censor findings & edit FOR the authors before publication, to bring the "science" in line with their preferences.
Apparently, that won't be the last such Admin - because Madame Gaza predicts Trumpster minions will do the same: demand alterations, bury findings, or simply alter papers before publication.
Science will be tailored to suit their taste.
.
.
.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Satori said:


> View attachment 291106
> 
> 
> Gotta love the guy.


Yes...








Pound crashes.Again.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
U don't have to be non-white or Muslim in America to be very worried about the incoming Admin -
LBGTQ folks have plenty of reasons to be scared.
Veep-elect Pence is a rabid homophobe.
Ken Blackwell & Kay Cole James on the 'transition team' are also virulently anti-gay.
.
the Repugnant national platform was the most anti-LBGT in history; it supported "conversion therapy", medication & psychotherapy to shunt homosexual feelings or gender-identity into what They think is "correct" form, e-g, heterosexual bonds & the gender of birth -- or the one the plastic surgeon assigned to U, if U were born intersex.
.
.
sex & gender in humans are not binary, nor are they decided at birth by a physician; who we are & who we love is what we BECOME, at least as much as what we're born.
Male / female hormones are in every one of us, & i'm sure the Trumpling would be horrified to learn that Female is the human default, & Male is a jury-rigged afterthought to the fetus.
.
A penis is a clitoris with delusions of grandeur...
& the human mind is the ultimate sexual organ of our species, far-more potent than genitalia.
.
non-standard folks of any type have sound reasons for anxiety; marriage equality is just a newborn, all the survivor's benefits & spousal benefits & wills & children's guardianship & all the rest are still moiling their way thru the underbrush of the legal thickets.
.
I don't want to see homophobia reinstated as the Law of the Land. I want it dead & buried deep, unmourned, with a stake thru its itty-bitty hard heart.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
mayor Elorza of Providence, R.I., has joined the many other mayors [of larger cities] & some state governors, who have pledged to resist wholesale deportations & protect their residents - documented or not.
.
Prov's city police fingerprint only ppl who are arrested, & if immigration officials want to pursue a resident, they must do it themselves -
only actual criminals are detained by Prov police. Minor infractions that do not earn jail-time such as midemeanor traffic violations do not get detained for any reason.
.
.
approx 30% of Prov residents were foreign-born; about 38% are Latino.
.
Elorza also plans to introduce legislation protecting religious minorities, LBGTQ, & other marginalized persons - such as the disabled & illegal immigrants.
He wore asafety-pin, emblematic of a person who is safe for those fearing hate crimes or disempowerment.
.
.
in 2014, Pew Research Ctr estimated 30K illegal immigrants lived in Rhode Island statewide; the largest fraction is Guatamalan, Cape Verde, & Dominican Republic.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
funny, how precisely what was viciously attacked during Trumpster's campaign as unethical, illegal, immoral, shocking, etc, when done by DEMOCRATS is business-as-usual when done by Trumpling, post-election. >:--\
It's fine when *he* does it; it's criminal behavior when The Other Side does it. 
.
.
some recent examples:
- Trump accused Clinton of "destroying e-mails". The Feds wasted thousands of $$ investigating 'e-Gate', they can reconstruct deleted items & the user's history from the hard-drive;THERE * WERE * NO "destroyed" e-mails on Clinton's private server... as in 'zero', nada, zip.
Meanwhile...
multiple Trump companies actually DID destroy e-mails during active investigations, QUOTE, "in defiance of court orders". But i guess that's O.K., as it's Mr Trump's doing?...
see Newsweek for last week, for a full report.
.
to be continued...
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
more prize examples of Trumpling hypocrisy:
.
- slammed Clinton for "conflicts of interest".
Trumpster's not taken office, yet, & he's had more ACTUAL conflicts of interest than Clinton had ALLEGED ones. =:--O
.
Examples:
Trump already announced he intends to meet with business partners in the White House. [not permitted]
He doesn't comprehend WTH 'blind trust' means; he wants his own kids or his S-I-L to run his businesses for his term of office.
[illegal]
.
His daughter Ivanka, one of his proposed biz-CEOs, attended his meeting with Japan's P.M., & was on the line with him when he phoned Prez Macri of Argentina.
[not permitted]
.
Trumpling met with investors from India post-election; they'd previously licensed his name for use on a real-estate project in Pune, & after the win, wanted to splash his name on multiple developments across the subcontinent.
[direct conflict of his financial interest with U-S national policies toward India, & preferential treatment of individual firms / unfair competition]
.
Tuesday the 22nd Nov:
Trump admitted he "might" have asked Farage to oppose a planned offshore wind-project, to be built near one of his golf-courses in Scotland.
A, Trump's a NIMBY.
B, a favor now for DJT could mean quid-pro-quo for the U-K in future trade-agreements, post-Brexit.
[not allowed]
.
Foreign diplomats hoping to win points with the incoming Admin are staying at the Trump Int'l Hotel in NYC & / or spending big moolah there on food, drink, show tickets, catered events, etc.
[direct conflict]
.
Trump Org opened new businesses in Saudi Arabia during the campaign; looks like they're going into Saudi real-estate.
Obv, any Trumpster companies would be handy for the Saudi govt as manipulative tools, aiding a Saudi to-do list in Wash., D.C.
.
the Emoluments Clause prohibits American officials from accepting gifts or income [money, property, stock, etc] from foreign govts **unless** Congress approves same.
Also, bribery laws forbid U-S officials from receiving 'anything of value' in exchange for official acts [ex, "approve our trade-deal & U get a 1% cut of the national profits for 10-years", hypothetically].
Of course, enforcing these will be bl**dy awkward, as Congress is the arbiter, & that legislature is Repugnant-controlled. They won't want to embarrass their POTUS, nor their party, & will turn a blind eye or drag their feet when any violations arise - & they *Will*, as the Prez-elect has no scruples whatever when he sees a money-making possibility.
.
Trumpling STILL has not released his past Federal tax-records; the audit ended months ago.
We - as in "we the people" AKA the U-S citizenry - need a clear list of Trumpster's companies, past & present, & his investments, here & abroad.
We need to know what business deals he's already made overseas, AND what deals he's making now, AND details of deals he'll make when he's POTUS - so we're assured nobody's pulling business strings to influence national policy.
.
.
"Blind faith" in Trumpling's integrity or personal ethics, after a brief survey of his past dealings, would be as asinine as believing that his daughters or son-in-law could run his businesses for him while he's serving, & never breathe a word of what's going on.
 Yeah, sure... like that's really possible?... it'd make a cat laugh. What a maroon.
.
Trumpster alleged all sorts of bribery & influence-peddling by the Clinton Foundation; oddly, in 2015 the TRUMP FOUNDATION was paid $150,000-usa after DJT made a speech, via video, to a conference in Ukraine. [BuzzFeed report]
What was that, Donnie, about "paid speeches" & "conflicts of interest"?... Hmmm.
well, sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, buddy-boy.
.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

He really has no idea what been the President of USA means does he, I think he think it's just like running one of his business, well his got that one wrong. 

The more he says the more worried I get.


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Yes...
> View attachment 291213
> 
> Pound crashes.Again.


At least it keeps recovering from these temporary glitches. The pound isn't worthless yet.

Regarding Trump, no one liked Obama or Bush when they got in power as ex-presidents. Yes I know he's not a politician but he got enough votes to be voted in.

It will be interesting to see what happens in Holland on 15th March 2017 as Geert Wilders the far right politician in Holland has a very good chance of winning. If that happens that will be the end of the EU because he wants the Netherlands/Holland to have a Nexit Referendum vote.

Here are the stats as of 5 hours ago:








https://mobile.twitter.com/geertwilderspvv

Geert Wilders party the PVV is ahead in the polls at the moment.









*Why the 2017 Dutch election will be watched very closely.*

The rise of extreme right-wing political parties has become unstoppable in Europe, not only in big powers such as Britain and France but also in smaller countries like the Netherlands.

For example, the extreme rightist party PVV quickly rose to prominence in the Netherlands since it was founded in 2005. In a parliamentary election in 2010, the PVV gained 24 seats, making it the third largest political party in the country. In 2012, it lost a few seats but remained the number three party.

Thanks to the European refugee crisis that broke out last year, the popularity of the anti-immigrant and Euroskeptic PVV has soared, and it is now a very popular political party in the Netherlands. It is believed that if the country was to hold a general election right now, the PVV could win as many as 41 seats out of a total of 150.

Xenophobic sentiment has been gaining ground in Dutch society in recent years. The influx of Syrian refugees since last year and the recent terrorist attacks in Belgium, France and Germany have prompted nationalists to step up their rhetoric, including on the issue of "imported terrorism". A recent poll showed that 80 percent of the Dutch people are convinced that many Islamic terrorists posing as refugees have already infiltrated into Europe.

And many Dutch people are also deeply frustrated with the EU's inability to deal with the refugee crisis. All these factors have added together and resulted in a surge in public support for the PVV.
In fact after the British voted to leave the EU, many Dutch believe their country should also hold a referendum to decide whether they should remain in the EU, a supranational union they believe is taking away their autonomy bit by bit. As Geert Wilders, chairman of the PVV has put it, after the Brexit vote, now's the time for a "Nexit".

The next general election of the Netherlands is scheduled for March 2017. The whole of Europe will be watching the outcome. If the PVV becomes the majority party, it is almost certain that it will launch a referendum on the issue of nation's membership of the EU. Once that happens, it will put the unity of the EU another rigorous test.

If the Dutch people also vote to leave the EU, it will not only have far-reaching implications for the Dutch themselves, but also for the British. It is because by that time Britain would no longer be alone in negotiating with Brussels its terms for leaving the EU, and the whole exit negotiation could turn into a square-off between the EU and a Euroskeptic coalition.

As such, both the British government and the British people will definitely keep a close eye on the results of the Dutch election next year.

http://www.ejinsight.com/20160804-why-the-2017-dutch-election-will-be-watched-very-closely/

Next year might well be difficult for Brussels having to negotiate a Brexit, Nexit (Netherlands EU Exit) and Frexit (French EU Exit) (Three countries leaving at once - yes it looks like we may well have friends at the negotiations after all if Wilders and Le Penn win there countries elections on 15th March 2017 - Dutch Elections and 23rd April 2017 - French Presidential Elections. You can never say this will not happen, look what happened on 23rd June 2016 the UK voted to leave the EU and on 8th November 2016 Donald Trump was elected as the next US President).


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> At least it keeps recovering from these temporary glitches. The pound isn't worthless yet.
> 
> Regarding Trump, no one liked Obama or Bush when they got in power as ex-presidents. Yes I know he's not a politician but he got enough votes to be voted in.
> 
> It will be interesting to see what happens in Holland on 15th March 2017 as Geert Wilders the far right politician in Holland has a very good chance of winning. If that happens that will be the end of the EU because he wants the Netherlands/Holland to have a Nexit Referendum vote.
> 
> Here are the stats as of 5 hours ago:
> View attachment 291461
> 
> https://mobile.twitter.com/geertwilderspvv
> 
> Geert Wilders party the PVV is ahead in the polls at the moment.
> 
> View attachment 291459
> 
> *Why the 2017 Dutch election will be watched very closely.*
> 
> The rise of extreme right-wing political parties has become unstoppable in Europe, not only in big powers such as Britain and France but also in smaller countries like the Netherlands.
> 
> For example, the extreme rightist party PVV quickly rose to prominence in the Netherlands since it was founded in 2005. In a parliamentary election in 2010, the PVV gained 24 seats, making it the third largest political party in the country. In 2012, it lost a few seats but remained the number three party.
> 
> Thanks to the European refugee crisis that broke out last year, the popularity of the anti-immigrant and Euroskeptic PVV has soared, and it is now a very popular political party in the Netherlands. It is believed that if the country was to hold a general election right now, the PVV could win as many as 41 seats out of a total of 150.
> 
> Xenophobic sentiment has been gaining ground in Dutch society in recent years. The influx of Syrian refugees since last year and the recent terrorist attacks in Belgium, France and Germany have prompted nationalists to step up their rhetoric, including on the issue of "imported terrorism". A recent poll showed that 80 percent of the Dutch people are convinced that many Islamic terrorists posing as refugees have already infiltrated into Europe.
> 
> And many Dutch people are also deeply frustrated with the EU's inability to deal with the refugee crisis. All these factors have added together and resulted in a surge in public support for the PVV.
> In fact after the British voted to leave the EU, many Dutch believe their country should also hold a referendum to decide whether they should remain in the EU, a supranational union they believe is taking away their autonomy bit by bit. As Geert Wilders, chairman of the PVV has put it, after the Brexit vote, now's the time for a "Nexit".
> 
> The next general election of the Netherlands is scheduled for March 2017. The whole of Europe will be watching the outcome. If the PVV becomes the majority party, it is almost certain that it will launch a referendum on the issue of nation's membership of the EU. Once that happens, it will put the unity of the EU another rigorous test.
> 
> If the Dutch people also vote to leave the EU, it will not only have far-reaching implications for the Dutch themselves, but also for the British. It is because by that time Britain would no longer be alone in negotiating with Brussels its terms for leaving the EU, and the whole exit negotiation could turn into a square-off between the EU and a Euroskeptic coalition.
> 
> As such, both the British government and the British people will definitely keep a close eye on the results of the Dutch election next year.
> 
> http://www.ejinsight.com/20160804-why-the-2017-dutch-election-will-be-watched-very-closely/
> 
> Next year might well be difficult for Brussels having to negotiate a Brexit, Nexit (Netherlands EU Exit) and Frexit (French EU Exit) (Three countries leaving at once - yes it looks like we may well have friends at the negotiations after all if Wilders and Le Penn win there countries elections on 15th March 2017 - Dutch Elections and 23rd April 2017 - French Presidential Elections. You can never say this will not happen, look what happened on 23rd June 2016 the UK voted to leave the EU and on 8th November 2016 Donald Trump was elected as the next US President).


Why rise of far right anywhere , be it Poland, France, Germany or Holland should be a good news at all?

I totally disagree with all that far right stands for .
Like xenophobia. Discrimination.Walls.


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Why rise of far right anywhere , be it Poland, France, Germany or Holland should be a good news at all?
> 
> I totally disagree with all that far right stands for .
> Like xenophobia. Discrimination.Walls.


The point is its on the rise to the point that 2 countries maybe 3 may well have far right Governments next year (France, Netherlands and maybe Germany). How will Brussels cope with 3 countries maybe 4 wanting to leave (Britain, Netherlands, France and maybe Germany)? With Trump in power in America as well shows that people want change and perhaps the EU isn't what it has made itself out to be and instead will be labeled a failure.


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> The point is its on the rise to the point that 2 countries maybe 3 may well have far right Governments next year (France, Netherlands and maybe Germany). How will Brussels cope with 3 countries maybe 4 wanting to leave (Britain, Netherlands, France and maybe Germany)? With Trump in power in America as well shows that people want change and perhaps the EU isn't what it has made itself out to be and instead will be labeled a failure.


EU has lots to change. Loosen up. Cut down on stupid regulations of everything, red tape and plugging holes in corrupt politicians pockets.
But with no EU how to weather pressure from giants like China? Russia? India?
United we stand...


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> EU has lots to change. Loosen up. Cut down on stupid regulations of everything, red tape and *plugging holes in corrupt politicians pockets.*
> But with no EU how to weather pressure from giants like China? Russia? India?
> United we stand...


I'd love to see them achieve that as most politicians are corrupt to a certain extent and pay themselves alot of money from public funds so we believe them.

Didn't you know that the EU has a trading arrangement with China to a certain extent, have a read for yourself:
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/china/index_en.htm and have a bilateral trade agreement with India as well: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/india/index_en.htm so from what you are saying this must make the EU corrupt as well as you have labeled these countries corrupt. Oh I forgot the EU has a trade partnership with Russia and has had since Russia joined the WTO in 1997: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/russia/index_en.htm


----------



## picaresque

stockwellcat said:


> people want change


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> I'd love to see them achieve that as most politicians are corrupt to a certain extent and pay themselves alot of money from public funds so we believe them.
> 
> Didn't you know that the EU has a trading arrangement with China to a certain extent, have a read for yourself:
> http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/china/index_en.htm and have a bilateral trade agreement with India as well: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/india/index_en.htm so that from what you are saying this must make the EU corrupt as well as you have labeled these countries corrupt.


Did not call any country corrupt?
Yes ..obviously EU has trade deals with China etc ...
But if it collapses and every man for themselves? Do not think we stand such good chance for equally good trade deals done separately ..now EU means we do nor compete against each other! Imagine when Italy, Greece, Spain and France compete to sell more wine or olives?
EU is very important for all Europe to pull together.

Else Asia will squash us. Probably will anyhow but why to bring on on ourselves sooner?


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Did not call any country corrupt?
> Yes ..obviously EU has trade deals with China etc ...
> But if it collapses and every man for themselves? Do not think we stand such good chance for equally good trade deals done separately ..now EU means we do nor compete against each other! Imagine when Italy, Greece, Spain and France compete to sell more wine or olives?
> EU is very important for all Europe to pull together.
> 
> Else Asia will squash us. Probably will anyhow but why to bring on on ourselves sooner?


Yes but we did used to trade individually as separate countries, long before the EUs existence and it worked quite well . What's wrong with a bit of healthy competition and having a competitive world market place?

A prime example of the EUs greed, we only need to look across the pond to the North American Trade Deal (NAFTA). Most of the industry is gone from Canada because it went across the border to America and now in America the trade has gone across the border to Mexico because it's cheaper to operate from there. Result: certain areas of America and Canada there is very high unemployment, no jobs and ghost towns and states that are almost bankrupt. Look what's happened in Spain and Greece, boom to bust economies and Italy is teetering on requesting a bail out from the EU.


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, stockwellcat:

...What's wrong with a bit [of] *healthy competition* & ... a competitive world market place?

/QUOTE
.
because the world has changed; markets have changed, economies have changed, demographics have changed.
.
the countries with the FASTEST-falling birthrates have been developing nations for several decades now; over-popn is still an issue, but we can't blame it simply on Africa & Asia "breeding like flies". The developed nations can't keep adding billions, either - we simply haven't got the global, let alone local, resources to feed, clothe, house, employ, provide potable water, etc, for EVERY person who is deliberately or accidentally, casually conceived & born.
.
for more info on changing markets, etc, see the recent book on interconnectivity & economies. I'll post the title later, in an edit - can't think of it now, sorry.
.
.
.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Just to add: European nations spent well over thousand years fighting each other. The latest being carnage in former Yugoslavia. Just 20 plus years ago.
EU stops Spain from attacking Gibraltar for example..
EU stands up to Russia.
Dismantling EU would plunge Europe into chaos with tragic results.
While Asia has cheap labour and all the latest technology on tap...plus much younger population and much less spent on social welfare.
If EU crumples...we all do.
It has to evolve and my best hope is that it does.
UK is in Europe. Not on South hemisphere .


----------



## rona

stockwellcat said:


> Yes but we did used to trade individually as separate countries, long before the EUs existence and it worked quite well . What's wrong with a bit of healthy competition and having a competitive world market place?


Because we actually produce very little now and most of our wealth is virtual


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Just to add: European nations spent well over thousand years fighting each other. The latest being carnage in former Yugoslavia. Just 20 plus years ago.
> EU stops Spain from attacking Gibraltar for example..
> EU stands up to Russia.
> Dismantling EU would plunge Europe into chaos with tragic results.
> While Asia has cheap labour and all the latest technology on tap...plus much younger population and much less spent on social welfare.
> If EU crumples...we all do.
> It has to evolve and my best hope is that it does.
> UK is in Europe. Not on South hemisphere .


EU may well stand up to Russia but they still trade with Russia through the WTO.

Yugoslavia used to be part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia a member of the Baltic States 20 years ago and wasn't part of Europe or the EU so that wasn't a European war. They still aren't in the EU and were expelled from the UN on the 19th September 1992.


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> EU may well stand up to Russia but they still trade with Russia through the WTO.
> 
> Yugoslavia used to be part of the USSR 20 years ago and wasn't part of Europe or the EU so that wasn't a European war.


Got your facts wrong. It is part of Europe. Never part of Soviet Union, though communist federation under Broz Tito.
Then you may Sa what happened between Greece and Cyprus does not matter? Not Europe?

If USA and EU lose their leading role and Asia takes over how do you think that will affect:
human rights
Animal rights
Climate change..

Those issues matter to me most.
One world. One planet.
Our lives.


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Got your facts wrong. It is part of Europe. Never part of Soviet Union, though communist federation under Broz Tito.
> Then you may Sa what happened between Greece and Cyprus does not matter? Not Europe?
> 
> If USA and EU lose their leading role and Asia takes over how do you think that will affect:
> human rights
> Animal rights
> Climate change..
> 
> Those issues matter to me most.
> One world. One planet.
> Our lives.


Asia won't take over. Get real.
Yes we are one world one planet but it's a shame we can't all agree on that and live in peace (Wars raging in Middle East - Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the world run by gangs, drug lords and dictatorships etc).


----------



## Guest

stockwellcat said:


> people want change


----------



## DogLover1981

After absorbing this election more, I don't even want to live in the states anymore. Get me out of here. A small island please.  I have never felt this way about an election before.

I've had relatives say some pretty racist things with which I won't repeat.


----------



## DogLover1981

Happy Paws said:


> He really has no idea what been the President of USA means does he, I think he think it's just like running one of his business, well his got that one wrong.
> 
> The more he says the more worried I get.


He has behaved in ways that show little concern for his own health and personal safety. He continues to do so and he'll be president soon. He's a lunatic. O.O


----------



## stockwellcat.

DogLover1981 said:


> After absorbing this election more, I don't even want to live in the states anymore. Get me out of here. *A small island please.*  I have never felt this way about an election before.
> 
> I've had relatives say some pretty racist things with which I won't repeat.


That sounds nice (what I have highlighted in bold) but did you know that all the islands around the world are governed by the closest continent and country, so for example you buy an island near Spain, it will be governed by EU and Spanish laws  or if you like an Island near the Caribbean it would be governed by Caribbean and US laws. I looked into it but the island I like is in the highlands of Scotland so I'd still have to abide by UK and EU laws 

Just in case you have spare cash to buy an island this is the best website as it is up to date unlike the others online: http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/en/home/


----------



## DogLover1981

I'm a little indifferent to free trade agreements. I will say that such agreements can lead to a "race to the bottom" unless the countries involved agree to maintain similar tax rates, worker protection laws and environmental regulations. This can lead to less jobs in some places. A related situation happens even within the states as a state with lower taxes can cannibalize a state with higher taxes. No matter what state you live in you should be paying a similar tax rate, IMO.


----------



## DogLover1981

I'm actually a little uneasy about countries wanting to leave the EU. That's especially true with the election of Trump. I hope it stays mostly intact and the UK changes it's mind. Well, I hope it at least stays intact until after Trump leaves office. Too much change in the world at one time.


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> Asia won't take over. Get real.
> Yes we are one world one planet but it's a shame we can't all agree on that and live in peace (Wars raging in Middle East - Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the world run by gangs, drug lords and dictatorships etc).


As leading world power? Sooner or later. Most of Russia is Asia! Plus China, India, Japan, South Korea and so on?
Singapore and Hong Kong already poised to take over financial services..
Young, very productive nations...
Get real.
Matter of time.
Especially if Europe splits. And USA get into mess with T.Dump.
Empires rise and fall...
Asia is rising and they are working very hard ...and haggle well.
Europe got lazy and complacent.
Winds of change.
This is no longer third world we compete against. Yes..we traded with them...before EU..but then they were sort of before industrial revolution?
Now we are no longer the Empire.


----------



## stockwellcat.

DogLover1981 said:


> I'm actually a little uneasy about countries wanting to leave the EU. That's especially true with the election of Trump. I hope it stays mostly intact and the UK changes it's mind. Well, I hope it at least stays intact until after Trump leaves office. Too much change in the world at one time.


The UK won't change its mind especially with the pending elections in Europe, eg Netherlands, France and then Germany whose people are also calling to leave the EU organisation. The problem started last year when the EU failed to tackle the migrant problem, but there where also deep rooted problems well before this with the EU. I am afraid to tell you the UK was the first country to express it's desire to leave the EU and it will be like a domino effect next year as more and more people in European countries express there fears of what has happened with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of migrants freely walking into countries unchecked with no ID and this is the major issue at the moment which ever way you look at things or refuse to acknowledge what is going on. That isn't a racist comment I am just relaying what is being published on media sources throughout Europe.

It is also the problem that cultures clash, always have done always will especially when cultures are forced on other cultures at such rapid rates like they have done in the last 24 months or so. Not so long ago the Irish where unwelcome in the UK because of certain terrorist groups but nobody batted an eyelid then.

Trump is the next President of the USA and he has promised change as well. Don't you think there are deep rooted problems in the World if people are voting for change so rapidly like this? Perhaps the irony of it all is the majority of people in countries that are expressing desires to leave aren't as welcoming as there Governments make them out to be and that may well be the truth of everything that is going on or about to happen.

You are right about the UK staying together, the Government seems to want to split the UK up Northern Power House, Midlands now being giving devolved powers, Scotland has Devolved Powers, Northern Ireland has Devolved Powers, that only leaves the south to break away now and get its own devolved powers. The UK may be totally devolved by the time the UK leaves the EU (Split up).


----------



## cheekyscrip

P


stockwellcat said:


> The UK won't change its mind especially with the pending elections in Europe, eg Netherlands, France and then Germany whose people are also calling to leave the EU organisation. The problem started last year when the EU failed to tackle the migrant problem, but there where also deep rooted problems well before this with the EU. I am afraid to tell you the UK was the first country to express it's desire to leave the EU and it will be like a domino effect next year as more and more people in European countries express there fears of what has happened with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of migrants freely walking into countries unchecked with no ID and this is the major issue at the moment which ever way you look at things or refuse to acknowledge what is going on. That isn't a racist comment I am just relaying what is being published on media sources throughout Europe.
> 
> It is also the problem that cultures clash, always have done always will especially when cultures are forced on other cultures at such rapid rates like they have done in the last 24 months or so. Not so long ago the Irish where unwelcome in the UK because of certain terrorist groups but nobody batted an eyelid then.
> 
> Trump is the next President of the USA and he has promised change as well. Don't you think there are deep rooted problems in the World if people are voting for change so rapidly like this? Perhaps the irony of it all is the majority of people in countries that are expressing desires to leave aren't as welcoming as there Governments make them out to be.


People voted for Hitler too..because of problems and wanted the change...
And change they had got.
So much for far right in power.
Far right is in power in Poland.
Have you heard how much mess and damage they achieved in just one year?
Purge in medias, judiciary under control of one party, broken constitution...mass demis everywhere...destroying all that was built from the fall of Iron Curtain...
That is far right. Not much respect for democracy or human rights there...
Thos are things you do not know you need until you lose them. And then it is too late.


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> P
> People voted for Hitler too..because of problems and wanted the change...
> And change they had got.
> Si much for far right in power.


History repeating itself then with regards to the rise of the far right parties coming to power across developed 1st world countries. Proves something is wrong with the current leaders and Governments me thinks.


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> P
> People voted for Hitler too..because of problems and wanted the change...
> And change they had got.
> So much for far right in power.
> Far right is in power in Poland.
> Have you heard how much mess and damage they achieved in just one year?
> Purge in medias, judiciary under control of one party, broken constitution...mass demis everywhere...destroying all that was built from the fall of Iron Curtain...
> That is far right. Not much respect for democracy or human rights there...
> Thos are things you do not know you need until you lose them. And then it is too late.


Didn't you hear that Hungry want to deport all migrants, refugees this was in the press this week. They have made it clear they aren't welcome.

What is so special about the EU? The project is in failure mode. The leaders at Brussels can't agree to disagree and are so slow at doing anything. What happens if it does fail? There will be a deep depression across Europe and soring debt. Why do you think the UK never adopted the Euro and kept the Pound Sterling?


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> History repeating itself then with regards to the rise of the far right parties coming to power across developed 1st world countries. Proves something is wrong with the current leaders and Governments me thinks.


Proves that globalisation hits the working classes and that the work is changing putting more pressure on our productivity if we have to compete against not so third world..
Sadly Merkel's decision proved how little she is connected to what people feel and how difficult it is to integrate huge amount of people from completely different culture coming with no social ties and high hopes..
But to mess up your own economy just to punish Mama Merkel?
Talk about cutting your nose to spite your face...


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> Didn't you hear that Hungry want to deport all migrants, refugees this was in the press this week. They have made it clear they aren't welcome.


For long time. They.have fairly far right in power...quelle surprise!


----------



## stockwellcat.

cheekyscrip said:


> Proves that globalisation hits the working classes and that the work is changing putting more pressure on our productivity if we have to compete against not so third world..
> Sadly Merkel's decision proved how little she is connected to what people feel and how difficult it is to integrate huge amount of people from completely different culture coming with no social ties and high hopes..
> But to mess up your own economy just to punish Mama Merkel?
> Talk about cutting your nose to spite your face...


It's not just Merkel though, it is the whole EU issue of open borders, well what happened there speaks for itself just look at the migrant crisis. The EU leaders could have stopped this but didn't and instead forced quoter's on countries within the EU and forced countries to accept them.

It's time for a change and it's going to happen even in America. It just proves the paths the EU and America where on weren't working. What is happening in the EU and America would be classed as a modern day revolution for change.


----------



## cheekyscrip

stockwellcat said:


> It's not just Merkel though, it is the whole EU issue of open borders, well what happened there speaks for itself just look at the migrant crisis. The EU leaders could have stopped this but didn't and instead forced quoter's on countries within the EU and forced countries to accept them.
> 
> It's time for a change and it's going to happen even in America. It just proves the paths the EU and America where on weren't working. What is happening in the EU and America would be classed as a modern day revolution for change.


Will that change be for the better?
Wish it was. But I am really worried it looks like it might actually make things much worse.

It will push business and money out of Europe for a start and make us all much poorer. And vulnerable. Stability will be lost.
The working masses would be the most affected.
I have nothing against Republicans as such but Trump?
No way.


----------



## DogLover1981

If countries are going to separate from the EU, I'd at least hope they can do so without electing lunatics like Trump. lol


----------



## rona

cheekyscrip said:


> But to mess up your own economy just to punish Mama Merkel?


If that were the case that would be rather stupid, however it goes far deeper than just migrants and until those in charge start to understand that, the revolution will continue.

Mrs May will get her comeuppance in 2020 or before if she doesn't start talking and understanding. It's all very well to say the words, but if she doesn't understand the route cause then she's no hope of staying. 
We will be having a loony left government next 

These politicians are so far removed from most citizens reality


----------



## stockwellcat.

Well the stage is set in France's Presidential Elections. You have the Centre-Right (Francois Fillon) and Far Right (Marine Le Penn) battling it out to become the next president of France. So France is heading towards having a right wing President who want to crack down on immigration and Islam in there country among a long list of other things.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/27/...ht-nomination-for-french-presidency.amp.html?


----------



## noushka05

stockwellcat said:


> Well the stage is set in France's Presidential Elections. You have the Centre-Right (Francois Fillon) and Far Right (Marine Le Penn) battling it out to become the next president of France. So France is heading towards having a right wing President who want to crack down on Muslims in there country among a long list of other things.
> 
> https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/27/...ht-nomination-for-french-presidency.amp.html?


How utterly horrifying.


----------



## noushka05

This is brilliant by Owen Jones -


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, stockwellcat:

...
*[change voted in]* just *proves the paths* the EU and America [were] on *weren't working*. 
What's happening in the EU & America would be classed as a modern day revolution for change.

/QUOTE
.
.
it's not a "revolution", just a swing of the pendulum - & it's not a MANDATE FROM THE PPL "for" Trumpster in any way, as Clinton got 64-million more votes - 
& despite Trumpling's tweets, "millions of votes" were NOT fraudulent.
.
Trump is unhappy abt the recount demand, but the popular vote (not Electoral College cr*pola) clearly shows Clinton won.
U can bet yer life that had Trumpster LOST, he'd be screaming for a recount in every state. 
.
I say again: Trump in the White House is a fluke result, caused by the E-C & their undue weighting of rural vs the far-more populous cities.
He's NOT "the popular winner" & does *not* represent the majority of the US popn's opinions, attitudes, feelings, thoughts, or behavior.
He's an outlier who got into office on a technicality. 
.
As for the "path" the USA was on, i thought we were going in precisely the direction we needed to go - more open Govt, more progressive, more regulation of polluting industries & extraction, more taxes on the uber-rich, a higher minimum wage, etc.
.
.
.


----------



## DogLover1981

It's amusing and rather ironic that Trump is now questioning the legitimacy of the election he supposedly won. lol I make a point of ignoring his twitter antics but I did find out about that. Someone needs to ban him from twitter.


----------



## cheekyscrip

DogLover1981 said:


> It's amusing and rather ironic that Trump is now questioning the legitimacy of the election he supposedly won. lol I make a point of ignoring his twitter antics but I did find out about that. Someone needs to ban him from twitter.


Now US of A would be run by tweeterati...
O tempora! O mores!

How Putin must be laughing...


----------



## DogLover1981

On the topic of Trump, I do wonder if and when any scandals will appear about him abusing women while president. He'll technically be somewhat immune to prosecution as president and he most likely knows that. No such scandals may occur but I do wonder... *Cringe*


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, DogLover1981:

... I do wonder if... any scandals will [occur, should he sexually-assault any] women while President.
He'll* technically be somewhat immune to prosecution as President* ... No such scandals may occur, but I do wonder... *Cringe*

/QUOTE
.
actually, the Prez is *not* immune to prosecution; i'm sure U recall the furor over Bill Clinton when POTUS & his sexual fling with Monica?... that wasn't illegal in the sense that they're both adults, it was clearly consensual, & altho extremely unethical [boss, employee, sex? --- Don't go there], it was more a blow to his image of squeaky-clean than a "crime".
It did have a whopping impact on his popularity - which was seriously dented. Merikans think sex outside one's marriage is rude, immoral, unethical, etc, & in a politician, it shows poor self-restraint --- the voting public expects their Commander in Chief to be capable of keeping his bl**dy fly zipped, & confining his attns to his wife, at least as long as he's in office.
.
.
The days when the press-corps would politely turn a blind eye & print / say nothing [e-g, Prez Kennedy, who had "a chambermaid in every closet" per rumor] are long, long past; nowadays, Kennedy would be pilloried, by both the press & the public, for acting like a randy 15-YO in a brothel.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
so far, Trumpling's "mahogany cabinet" is composed of billionaires, bankers, & generals.  What happened to "drain the swamp"...?
Goldman-Sachs was the target of curses during his campaign; now, current & former G-S hotshots will be his highest-level advisors.
.
he's already got a neo-Fascist ideologue as his right-hand #1; General Mattis is being touted as the incoming "exterminator" of Muslims, per a FaceBook page that was removed only after it accrued 30K likes & was shared over 50K times - such knee-jerk, mindless applause is itself horrifying, for such blatant hate-speech. 
.
.
.


----------



## DogLover1981

Is he trying to make himself disliked by animal lovers now? He picked an advocate of puppy mills for the transition of the USDA. This article exaggerates a little but anyways...

https://mic.com/articles/162185/tru...puppy-mills-an-industry-of-torture#.bUxxz7Jmu


----------



## leashedForLife

.

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) will head the Dept of the Interior.
Zinke is a fervent supporter of coal, oil, & gas exploration. He's voted for Congressional measures to gut the Endangered Species Act, & is a strong backer of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Rick Perry will run the Dept of Energy - 
which agency he once said he'd like to eliminate. Perry, another climate-change denier, is on the board of directors of *Energy Transfer Partners*, the very company that's building the *Dakota Access Pipeline*. [Conflict of interest, or convenient connection?]
.

Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobile, will lead the State Department. 
Tillerson has used his position at Exxon Mobil, responsible for the devastating Exxon-Valdez oil spill in Alaska, to promote fossil fuel development -- both here in the USA, and around the world.

Scott Pruitt, known climate change denier, will head the Environmental Protection Agency. 
Pruitt is notorious for suing the agency he will now lead; he's worked to dismantle basic protections for our nation's air and water, attempting to undermine or weaken basic tenets of the Clean Air / Clean Water acts from the 1970s to "give industry more freedom" ["...to pollute", is the unspoken clause of that sentence].

.
things are so desperate that the Wildlife Defense Campaign, just begun by Defenders of Wildlife, has a deep-pocketed supporter who is DOUBLING on any donation up to $1.5K -- IOW, if U donate $5, it becomes $15 for DoW's legislative & lobbying & legal efforts. DoW has repeatedly sued the Federal govt to force them to either prosecute offenders, or live up to their legal obligations under the Endangered Spp Act or other laws, such as long-term pollution from known sources that was ignored entirely, or lightly fined - so that "fixing the problem" was more expensive than paying the petty fines. 
DoW does brilliant work; but in any given Admin, they are always struggling to cover the cost of the legal help, filing fees, lobbying, handing out packets of info to legislators, etc. This incoming Admin may very well break the bank. 
.
.
.

.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
from the *Center for Biological Diversity *- QUOTE,
_"...Trump [is] establishing a government that will do everything it can to reward oil & gas corporations, halt any action on the climate crisis, sell off our public lands, and put wildlife & the planet last.

It's no accident that he's picked ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, for Secretary of State; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who's taken $11 million in oil-money donations & sits on the board of the company pushing the Dakota Access Pipeline, to lead the Department of Energy; & Scott Pruitt -- a climate-denier and relentless oil-industry advocate -- to run the Environmental Protection Agency."_
_._
_._
the only GOOD news i've seen recently?... A new jaguar was captured by a game-camera in Arizona, so El Jefe has some company on this side of the U-S / Mex border. It's about time. 
.
Also from CBD, *quote:*

_"At a recent House [of Representatives] hearing, Rep. Rob Bishop (Republican, rep of Utah) admitted, "I would be happy to *invalidate the Endangered Species Act*." This came during the debate over yet another bill to weaken the Act, this time by rolling back protections for endangered salmon and the Delta smelt. 
The Center has been fighting back Bishop's unprecedented attack on endangered species since he became* chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee* two years ago. 
"All Bishop has ever wanted is to let our precious wildlife disappear for the sake of profit," said the [CBD]'s Brett Hartl._
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
re the 2 jaguars, here's a link to the CBD's Facebook page, showing the left sides of both cats - the young dispersing male, & the adult established male - on trail camera photos.
.



__ https://www.facebook.com/CenterforBioDiv/posts/10154655135360460


.
ETA:
this is El Jefe on UTube -




.
he's no longer "the only" - & that's a Good Thing.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
no species under the ESA has [yet] gone extinct, in fact, many have moved from endangered to threatened status, or even been de-listed entirely as RECOVERED.
The ESA is a powerful & effective law that has saved Bald Eagles, many other raptors, & far less-glorious but no less important species - plants, amphibians, small mammals, insects.
But the Trumpling admin is not friendly to environmental concerns.
QUOTE,
_'
"Study: *Endangered Species Short-changed by Congress*

A new Center study revealed this week that the amount of money the U.S. Congress gives the Fish & Wildlife Service for recovery of endangered species is just *3.5%* of what is needed. Our analysis of federal recovery plans shows that the agency needs *28 times* what it currently gets, if species are going to be fully recovered. 
The new report also urges a $125 million infusion into emergency *"extinction prevention programs" *for Hawaiian plants; snails, butterflies, & mussels in the Southeast [48 states]; and fish in the Southwest [mainland].

'The Endangered Species Act has saved more than 99% of species under its protection,' said Noah Greenwald, the Center's endangered species director. 'Tragically, the Trump administration will doubtless move to cut funds for endangered species even further.'_
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
the Center for Biological Diversity recently won a court decision vs the Federal Fish & Wildlife Dept, & this is an early result - 
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/...16/california-tiger-salamander-12-13-2016.php
.
the just-released F&W plan calls for permanent protection of 34K acres of breeding ponds & adjacent uplands. 
.
_QUOTE,_
_The California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) is a large, stocky, terrestrial salamander with a broad, rounded snout and gorgeous black-and-yellow body. These amphibians are restricted to vernal pools and seasonal ponds in grassland and oak savannah communities in central California. The primary cause of their decline is the loss and fragmentation of habitat through human activities and encroachment of nonnative predators.

The Santa Barbara population of California tiger salamanders was listed as an endangered species in 2000. This species is endemic to the northern portion of Santa Barbara County, Calif., and is genetically and geographically distinct from other California tiger salamanders. Only 60 breeding ponds, distributed across six metapopulations, remain in Santa Barbara County.

For more information about the Center's campaign to curb the amphibian and reptile extinction crisis, please visit http://BiologicalDiversity.org/herps.

​
Photo courtesy USFWS. This image is available for media use.
_
.
.


----------



## noushka05

Trump on his first day in office.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Trumpster's "bait & switch": the sudden swap pulled on white working-class / lower-income workers.
_______________________
.
Trumpling promised he'd keep Medicare & Social Security intact, & that he'd replace the ACA / Affordable Care Act a.k.a. 'Obamacare' with "something terrific".
His emerging agenda is quite different.
.
We're looking at windfalls for uberwealthy, deep slashes to public programs not only for poor / unemployed / disabled ppl, but working & even middle-class.
The white working class, comprising the majority of his votes, will lose the most.
.
- his Budget Dir *&* his Health/Human Svcs appointee want to junk the ACA. They also want to privatize Medicare - a large chunk of Medicare funds would then be sucked-up by overhead costs & profits, away from patient care.
.
Trumpster's Sec of Labor is a fast-food tycoon; he's a loud voice against the ACA *&* any increase in the min-wage.
.
- House of Reps repugnants have already submitted plans to cut Soc-Sec benefits, plus they want to sharply increase current **retirement age**.
.
the Urban Institute [a nonpartisan nonprofit] guesstimates an ACA repeal would mean 30M citizens - over 1/2 of them non-Hispanic whites - will lose their health insurance.
.
- Repugnant health-plans are not "terrific"; they cover only a fraction of the ppl currently enrolled, so many would be without med-ins, & those who would be covered under the alternate plans are younger, healthier, & *richer*.
=hose left-out would be older, less healthy, & poorer.
Which group most-desperately needs guaranteed coverage?...
.
Raising RETIREMENT AGE for receiving Soc-Sec bennies would hit disproportionately among those groups whose life-expectancy has stalled or shrunk, or disabled workers who will struggle to keep working.
Many of those very ppl were his voting constituency.
.
.
.


----------



## Satori

leashedForLife said:


> .
> Trumpster's "bait & switch": the sudden swap pulled on white working-class / lower-income workers.
> _______________________
> .
> Trumpling promised he'd keep Medicare & Social Security intact, & that he'd replace the ACA / Affordable Care Act a.k.a. 'Obamacare' with "something terrific".
> His emerging agenda is quite different.
> .
> We're looking at windfalls for uberwealthy, deep slashes to public programs not only for poor / unemployed / disabled ppl, but working & even middle-class.
> The white working class, comprising the majority of his votes, will lose the most.
> .
> - his Budget Dir *&* his Health/Human Svcs appointee want to junk the ACA. They also want to privatize Medicare - a large chunk of Medicare funds would then be sucked-up by overhead costs & profits, away from patient care.
> .
> Trumpster's Sec of Labor is a fast-food tycoon; he's a loud voice against the ACA *&* any increase in the min-wage.
> .
> - House of Reps repugnants have already submitted plans to cut Soc-Sec benefits, plus they want to sharply increase current **retirement age**.
> .
> the Urban Institute [a nonpartisan nonprofit] guesstimates an ACA repeal would mean 30M citizens - over 1/2 of them non-Hispanic whites - will lose their health insurance.
> .
> - Repugnant health-plans are not "terrific"; they cover only a fraction of the ppl currently enrolled, so many would be without med-ins, & those who would be covered under the alternate plans are younger, healthier, & *richer*.
> =hose left-out would be older, less healthy, & poorer.
> Which group most-desperately needs guaranteed coverage?...
> .
> Raising RETIREMENT AGE for receiving Soc-Sec bennies would hit disproportionately among those groups whose life-expectancy has stalled or shrunk, or disabled workers who will struggle to keep working.
> Many of those very ppl were his voting constituency.
> .
> .
> .


Say what you like about the Donald; he's able to get things done.


----------



## Guest

Satori said:


> Say what you like about the Donald; he's able to get things done.


I think the concern is the *things* he will get done....


----------



## Goblin

Satori said:


> Say what you like about the Donald; he's able to get things done.


Like actually declaring how he's going to separate his personal business from his time in office so there is no conflict of interest?


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Satori:
Say what you like about the Donald; he's able to get things done.
/QUOTE
.
.
Really? -
what would U say he actually accomplished by boasting we could out-produce & outlast Russia, in a nuclear-arms race?
.
& just what laudable goals were achieved when he tried to interfere in the U.N. deliberations on a resolution condemning Israeli settlements spring up like mushrooms all over occupied areas?
.
the U-S has *one* Prez at a time. He doesn't take office till the 3rd week of January, & expressing an opinion is very different from actively interfering in ongoing policy talks.
.
as for his asinine combative posturing, the nuclear powers all over the world have spent DECADES reducing the number of nuke-weapons.
Many years of hard work & dedication could be undone by this thoughtless twit & his big mouth.
.
from my point of view, all he succeeded in doing was embarrassing himself on the world stage, when he tried to shut Egypt up; then he threw gasoline on a fire by blustering at Putin, playing into his hands by stirring up defensive & pugilistic feelings.
This isn't a recess yard, & Trumpster isn't a pre-teen boy, engaged in a shoving match that might end with a bloody nose.
.
He's a loose cannon with no impulse-control & no concept of the potential consequences of his actions - IMconsideredO.
.
.
.


----------



## Guest

Goblin said:


> Like actually declaring how he's going to separate his personal business from his time in office so there is no conflict of interest?


I really hope you're not holding your breath on the no conflict of interest thing....


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Repugnants keep claiming the ACA / 'Obamacare' is in crisis, or will collapse.
In fact, new subscribers for 2017 broke previous records of participation.
Almost 6.4M ppl had signed-up by this past Monday, nearly 400K more than at this time in 2015.
That doesn't include those whose policies will automatically renew, nor are Calif, NY, Minnesota, & other citizens included who have state-run markets rather than the Federal registry.
.
the Dept of Health & Human Svcs estimates 13.8M will be signed-up nationwide; the % of uncovered citizens continues to drop.
Last yr was the lowest yet, at only 9.1% of all residents.
.
The ACA also expanded Medicaid to cover 14M more low-income & Federally-qualified poverty-level citizens.
.
The proportion of ppl who *skipped* needed medical care b/c they couldn't afford it, or who delay care, has also continued to drop.
.
.
Repugnants made a lot of noise abt the increase in mid-level plan premiums, a rise of approx 25%.
However, *most ppl* won't pay any more than B4, since Federal subsidies will cover the increase for them.
Plus the rise was due to private insurers CHARGING more - not the Feds, the insurance companies.
77% of those eligible for coverage on Federal exchanges can find a plan for $100/mo or less.
.
this is not to claim that everybody can easily afford it - particularly middle-class folks who earn too much to qualify for subsidies, yet need help with deductibles, co-pays, or premiums.
THE * SOLUTION * ISN'T * TO REPEAL * THE * A.C.A. - it's to expand it, open it to more subscribers, enroll a larger pool of ppl with higher incomes & more healthy, younger citizens, who will spread the risk & reduce the overall co$t.
.
The number of ppl who avoided health-care they needed b/c they couldn't afford it fell by 2% between 2013 & 2015, across 38 states & the Dist of Columbia [-ash., D.C.].
.
the Kaiser Foundation estimates $5.2B-usa in Fed subsidies had gone to Florida residents for health insurance by March 2015, more than in any other state [a direct reflection on the # of retirees who live there].
Over 600K ppl in Ohio were enrolled under Medicaid via the A.C.A. [Ohio is a RustBelt state with a shrinking economy & aging popn.]
In Texas, 4.5M ppl living with pre-existing conditions now have medical insurance; they cannot be denied coverage, nor charged higher rates than enrollees WITHOUT pre-existing conditions.
.
the A.C.A. is a public good; it's working well for most members, & while it can be improved by opening it to more ppl & getting a larger pool, it's not fragile, largely unaffordable, or about to go under.
It's successful & a huge help to working-poor & lower-earning or retired / disabled citizens.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
oops - that's spozed to be "Wash., D.C."
Sorry.
.
.


----------



## white_shadow

noushka05 said:


> Trump on his first day in office.....
> 
> .


*Priceless !*

*noushka05*, I would dearly love to 'show' this to some friends "elsewhere" (where pets are cherished). BUT...I can't see any way to send you a message about that....any suggestions/solution ?

-WS


----------



## leashedForLife

.
"They knew who Trump was.
They knew he was spectacularly unqualified. They knew he was thin-skinned. They knew he was unstable... egotistical... vengeful... dangerous.
But they supported him, anyway."
--- Kevin Drum
.
.
some of Trump's most-fervent supporters & many of his donors were businessmen [& i say "-men" deliberately; they were & are overwhelmingly male, not F].
They may deeply regret their choices.
.
.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/business-community-shocked-trump-might-impose-tariffs
.
.
nominee Chief of Staff, Preibus, said that a 5% tariff on all imports is under discussion.
Trade wars, angry allies, & a sharp blow to domestic economic growth are all possible / likely.
.
Wilbur Ross, nominee Sec of Commerce, is a strong advocate of the import tariff.
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros

Has he not worn that bleedin' shovel out yet?


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Trumpster continues to stun, anger, outrage, & appall - frequently, those are the emotions of his still-current & ex-supporters.
His opponents are more-likely to feel despondent & sick at heart.
.
we still have 26 days B4 his official inauguration, but he's far-too impatient to *wait* for his official empowerment; he'll continue, i'm sure, trying to usurp the rights & privileges of our outgoing POTUS, a man far-more fit for the office, & who will be sorely missed -- not only by the U-S citizenry, but by foreign leaders & i'm sure, many global citizens.

.
.
.


----------



## FeelTheBern

Zaros said:


> Has he not worn that bleedin' shovel out yet?


I think it's a giant fracking drill rather than a shovel. The Donald is extracting his beloved fossil fuels while he gets himself even deeper into his giant hole.


----------



## Zaros

FeelTheBern said:


> I think it's a giant fracking drill rather than a shovel. The Donald is extracting his beloved fossil fuels while he gets himself even deeper into his giant hole.


I would have thought that the Clintons might have orchestrated some strange and mystifying demise for him if they really wanted to be in the Whitehouse.
I mean, what difference would one more make to the body count?

A death, I might add, that could easily be ruled 'Accidental' after him being suffocated or even strangled by that out of control hair piece. :Wacky


----------



## noushka05

white_shadow said:


> *Priceless !*
> 
> *noushka05*, I would dearly love to 'show' this to some friends "elsewhere" (where pets are cherished). BUT...I can't see any way to send you a message about that....any suggestions/solution ?
> 
> -WS


I wish I was clever enough to photo-shop them in sequence but I'm not sure how. So all I did was copy each pic individually & paste them in order. Sorry I can't be more helpful than that @white_shadow x


----------



## DogLover1981

Since this whole thread is of everyone freaking out about Trump being the next president, I thought I'd post a couple of links. I do think some (OK, lots of) concern is definitely correct and legitimate about Trump here. These links contain information about how to stop much of what Trump is planning. I'd recommend taking the time to read the whole article/paper. It's generally only applicable if you live in the states. I'm predicting many protests down the road.

Indivisible Guide in PDF form. It's a downloadable and printable file.
https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...2508344874/IndivisibleGuide_2016-12-23_v1.pdf

This is an older google docs version.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/...5UsN7Lj8X8/mobilebasic#heading=h.he8mndfdfxw9


----------



## lostbear

Happy Paws said:


> Stil it's rather worrying that someone like that could become president when he's a racist, sexual bigot.


Well, Kennedy was a sexist (though as far as I am aware, not a racist) - he treated women like muck. It was just kept a lot quieter (and he had the sense not to publicise his prejudices.

It's both sad and terrifying that one of the most powerful nations on earth can elect such an immature, narcissistic idiot.


----------



## DogLover1981

lostbear said:


> Well, Kennedy was a sexist (though as far as I am aware, not a racist) - he treated women like muck. It was just kept a lot quieter (and he had the sense not to publicise his prejudices.


Supposedly the Trump administration has already inquired about women's rights data at the state department leaving many such as myself to speculate. This is ought to be interesting and he's playing with fire if he goes after women's rights related stuff. O.O


----------



## DogLover1981

I'm actually half hoping Trump triggers a major intentional incident with his tweets as it'd hopefully teach him to stop running his mouth on twitter. Then again, he's an idiot so maybe he wouldn't learn anything. If all else fails, I hope he gets banned from twitter.


----------



## DogLover1981

The year 2020 would be perfect if it ending up being Donald Trump vs. Eddie Murphy. lol   Got one celebrity, might as well elect another. Poor Trump would be the butt of many jokes too. lol


----------



## leashedForLife

.
thanks for the links, DogLover. 
.
meantime, Planned Parenthood is seeing a massive increase in donations, inquiries, & appts - for some asinine reason, *men* -- or at least the M subset who are in political office - seem to FORGET that humans reproduce sexually, & that it takes both sexes to produce a pregnancy.
Planned Parenthood also provides **male** reproductive & sexual-health services, such as STD Dx & Tx, HIV-testing, M contraceptives & barriers to protect against STDs, genetic tests & counseling, etc, etc.
.
the general public forgets that PP helps keep preg women & their developing fetuses healthy, too - perinatal exams, nutrition advice, & more are among their services.
"Right to life" // anti-abortion yahoos seem to believe PP does nothing but abort healthy fetuses, 24/7. 
No - their mission is to try to ensure that pregnancies are PLANNED, neither accidental nor unwanted, & that if the preg is an accident, at least it should be both a happy accident *&* a healthy outcome for both mother-to-be & baby-to-be.
.
anti-abortion twits utterly ignore the facts, among them that over 90% of PP's annual services are =Not= abortions; the vast majority are contraception for M & F clients, STD prevention / Dx / Tx, infertility help, healthy preg svcs, & tubal ligations - for women AND men.
.
.
PP provides clinics in many severely-underserved areas, often minority neighborhoods where medical care is hard or impossible to find, even if U can afford it.
God knows, the last thing a woman living in poverty needs is an unexpected, unwanted, & unaffordable pregnancy. 
It's entirely different if she *wants* that child; but if she does not, I am all too aware that the same "God-fearing Christians" who would judge & condemn her for having sex, even within marriage if she doesn't 'intend to breed', are the same self-righteous barstewards who would deny her the right to end that pregnancy -
in some cases, even if it might kill her, kill the fetus, or kill them both, or result in an infant with profound disabilities or a fatal disorder [Tay-Sachs, anyone?...]
.
.
my older sister, who discovered she was infertile when she was 28-YO, is among those who would forbid anyone to get an abortion, period - the sole exception being if the woman will die if the pregnancy continues.
Were it up to her, even women carrying their rapist's progeny would go to term.
An underage girl carrying her M relative's progeny would only be permitted to end the pregnancy if it would literally kill her to go to term; "difficult labor & delivery", C-section, incestuous genetic damage to the infant, or the obvious emotional trauma wouldn't count, in her mind. 
.
.
needless to say, i don't agree with her.
No one but the woman carrying that pregnancy gets to decide if she continues it - God knows, the anti-abortion minions howling for the blood of Doctors who provide them, will never give a dime to help provide for that unwanted, unplanned, & very-likely unaffordable child AFTER * S/HE * IS * BORN.
Then, Mama, it's suddenly "all Ur problem" & no longer their concern.

.
.
.


----------



## KittenKong

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/29/barack-obama-sanctions-russia-election-hack


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, DogLover1981:

Supposedly the Trump administration has already inquired about women's rights data at the state department leaving many such as myself to speculate.
This is ought to be interesting... and he's playing with fire, if he goes after women's-rights related stuff. O.O

/QUOTE
.
.
this was the NYX column re the inquiry from his "transition team" -
.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/us/politics/state-department-gender-equality-trump-transition.html
.
.
...& this was the previous eyebrow-raiser, asking abt climate-change & Energy Dept [DOE] employees:
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...es-of-employees-involved-in-climate-meetings/
.

ADDED:
*q**uote *from article #2, above -
_"The transition team questionnaire also asked how to keep open aging nuclear power plants, restart the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site shelved by Obama, & support the licensing of small modular reactors."_
_._
.
.


----------



## Guest

lostbear said:


> It's both sad and terrifying that one of the most powerful nations on earth can elect such an immature, narcissistic idiot.


I agree about how sad and terrifying it is that Trump's rhetoric spoke to so many Americans. 
However, I do think it's important to clarify that the majority of Americans voted against Trump. Yes, he won the Electoral College, but HRC got nearly 3 million more individual votes than Trump. Add in the independent party candidates and write-ins and it totals to significantly more Americans voting against Trump than voted for him.


----------



## DogLover1981

You know, what I'm thinking is hilarious about it all is that the country I live in will soon have a reality star president that lives up to every worst stereotype of it's inhabitants and this dude will soon be representing the country internationally for at least the next four years. He engages in twitter fights and he publicly portrays himself as obnoxious, loudmouthed, superficial (obsessed with money), sexist, racist, impulsive, belligerent and extremely arrogant. I can only imagine what foreign diplomats are saying behind closed doors. Oh to be a fly on the wall. lol


----------



## Jonescat

And now this:
*Donald Trump appoints vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert Kennedy Jr to lead vaccine committee*
Both Mr Kennedy and Mr Trump share a belief that vaccines can lead to autism

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ittee-sceptic-autism-conspiracy-a7520351.html


----------



## kimthecat

One can but hope he is impeached for some offence and doesn't last four years in office.


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, DogLover1981

You know, what I'm thinking is hilarious about it all is that the country I live in will soon have a reality star president that lives up to every worst stereotype of it's inhabitants and this dude will soon be representing the country internationally for at least the next four years. He engages in twitter fights and he publicly portrays himself as obnoxious, loudmouthed, superficial (obsessed with money), sexist, racist, impulsive, belligerent and extremely arrogant. I can only imagine what foreign diplomats are saying behind closed doors. Oh to be a fly on the wall. lol   

/QUOTE
.
.
i really can't laugh; the man nauseates me, he's repellent. 
.
.
.


----------



## DogLover1981

DogLover1981 said:


> You know, what I'm thinking is hilarious about it all is that the country I live in will soon have a reality star president that lives up to every worst stereotype of it's inhabitants and this dude will soon be representing the country internationally for at least the next four years. He engages in twitter fights and he publicly portrays himself as obnoxious, loudmouthed, superficial (obsessed with money), sexist, racist, impulsive, belligerent and extremely arrogant. I can only imagine what foreign diplomats are saying behind closed doors. Oh to be a fly on the wall. lol


I forgot to mention his many feuds with celebrities too. He has said he hopes his daughter has a good pair of *ahem* when she is older. He's bragged about having affairs with various women and bragged about being able grab women by the *ahem* without consequences because he's wealthy. I should add he portrays himself as a man with absolutely no values or ethics.

About the obsessed with money statement, I will say he's bragged more than once about how wealthy he is. I don't know if he realizes it or not but in doing that, he's basically waving all the money he has and rubbing it in the faces of people who less lucky/fortunate than he himself is. It's actually rather nasty in a way. The karma of him suddenly finding himself living on the street and being unable to find food would be amusing. I don't remember at any point Bill Gates bragging about how much money he has despite him being much more wealthier than Trump.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
very true - & Bill Gates has, moreover, accomplished Great Things with his fortune, helping to provide solar stoves, clean water, education, & more, to many ppl living in dire circs.
.
meanwhile, The Donald uses his fortune [or what's left of it] to install gold fittings in his bathroom.
Feckless git. :thumbsDown:
.
Not only is he foulmouthed, ignorant, vengeful, bigoted, untrustworthy, sexist, obsessed with his own size [hands, penis, ego, etc], incredibly sensitive to possible affronts, crude, & pigheaded, he's SELFISH, too.
.
his "legacy" won't be what he has left to us, as a nation or as individuals; it will be what he bl**dy well took, including in the sense of 'ripping off' / robbing --- as in our natural resources, the future for our many-times removed descendents, the integrity of our ecosystems, the beauty of our national wildernesses / state parks / national parks / heritage sites, & our national sense of our nation as a defender of certain ideals: individual liberty, honest dealing, integrity, ethics, the rights of individuals, & so on.
.
Trumpster champions only his OWN interests; no one else matters. In fact, other than his immediate family, he really has no deep ties; he has admirers, coat-tail riders, & acquaintances.
.
.
.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Lets see how much Republicans can control him....
Else after four years ...if no major disaster...they would be out for decades....


----------



## noushka05

Its hilarious on twitter at the moment, Trump is in complete meltdown over #watersportsgate accusations:Hilarious So thin skinned.


----------



## Happy Paws2

He's an immigrant anyway, his mother comes from Scotland.


----------



## Jesthar

noushka05 said:


> Its hilarious on twitter at the moment, Trump is in complete meltdown over #watersportsgate accusations:Hilarious So thin skinned.


Have you heard the clip of Mark Hamill reading out the future Commander In Tweet's new Year tweet in the voice of the Joker (whom he voices for the Batman animated series - my favourite Joker of all time)?  It's epic!

Honestly, we could have an ongoing competition - Joker Quote or Trump Tweet? Ban the use of Google, and it's be a close run thing!


----------



## cheekyscrip

Basically DT came to arrangement with Putin. US will allow restoration of Soviet Union ( Ukraine and Baltic States)...
Putin will give him a leg up.
But obviously makes sure that once DT is a president cannot go back on his promises.
Thus getting enough comprising materials. With DT and his attitude to women easy task anyhow....

Surely Tory fat cats who visited Russia might fund themselves in similar position...there is nothing like free lunch..and Big Brother is always watching....









I am quite sure the hacking was done in collusion with DT.
He wanted to save his a bit shaky family business..
Putin had rouble that lost 28% and sanctions were bleeding him dry...

Oh why Democrats did not choose Ophra Winfrey ?

The difference is that UK and USA have illusion of democracy...while Russia has no illusions.

Ironic.


----------



## Goblin

Just for a laugh.. almost

http://newsthump.com/2016/08/06/don...tution-with-the-ferengi-rules-of-acquisition/


----------



## DogLover1981

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...-mccain-alleging-secret-trump-russia-contacts

I want more confirmation of it all before I believe any of this. I do think it's possible more information and confirmation will come and I have been suspicious about Trump and Russia. I do know the Russians have publicly admitted to being in contact with Trump during the campaign. It'll be interesting to see what transpires over the next few days and the next few weeks.


----------



## Mirandashell

But if it is true that the Russians set this up to hold over Trump, it's now useless as it's in the public domain. TBH, there is little short of murder live on TV that Trump can do that anyone will take notice of. He was a proven racist, misogynistic, tax-avoiding, criminal who has publically admitted to sexual assault before the election and he still got elected. I think it's impossible to blackmail him to do anything. 

Fooling him? That's another story.


----------



## DogLover1981

Mirandashell said:


> But if it is true that the Russians set this up to hold over Trump, it's now useless as it's in the public domain. TBH, there is little short of murder live on TV that Trump can do that anyone will take notice of. He was a proven racist, misogynistic, tax-avoiding, criminal who has publically admitted to sexual assault before the election and he still got elected. I think it's impossible to blackmail him to do anything.
> 
> Fooling him? That's another story.


Given Trump's public behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if he's done far worse in private. I wouldn't say it's impossible for him to be blackmailed but it'd definitely have to be something pretty major and illegal. I personally think it's a little more likely he "just" has lots of connections and shady dealings with the Russians and he may possibly have been working with the Russians throughout the campaign. Who knows.


----------



## Goblin

So for how long does he think that when asked a question he doesn't want to answer "Hillary did...." will be accepted as an answer?


----------



## cheekyscrip

Would anyone publish such accusations unfounded....and wouldn't anyone sue them if it was all lies?
Of course Putin wants to split and destabilise USA...

Would there be enough evidence to stop DT from being sworn?

We know DT trying it on heavily with unwilling ladies...
I could believe he would into no good and gross with willing ones, for example generously supplied by his Russian friend.

It seems quite a standard in Russia and only to receive business partners with offers of party and much more to sweeten the deal and of course where possible to gather useful blackmail material....


You are always offered plenty to drink with utmost hospitality and things you might not do.or say while sober....
If you got yourself into comprising position they would let you go...but may resurface if you can be useful..
Even little people.

There everyone has a file..
It is a police state with former KGB in charge.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
today, the green line was running slow, so i jumped @ Kenmore station to catch the shuttle.
There was a massive building / demolition? / repair project going on at the hotel curbside, with incredible noise, & contractors' dually trucks were double-parked in the right lane with emergency signals flashing - right where the shuttle is spozed to stop.
.
my client was going to a dental appt & gets anxious if anything is delayed / goes pear-shaped, so after waiting 10 solid minutes for a bus that didn't arrive, i flagged a passing taxi & rode the last leg.
*The cabdriver was a Trumpster fan[atic]*, just my luck, & his idol was talking on the radio.  I said 'that man hasn't even taken office, & I'm sick of hearing him'. The cabbie replied, "I feel the same way about Hillary." [I didn't point out that the popular vote would have her coming into office as POTUS.]
.
then i discovered just how much a 'Trump supporter / voter' *does not know: *he wasn't aware that at least 6 appointees, so far, are expected to head agencies that they've spent their CAREERS trying to dismantle or disempower. He asked, "Why would Trump do that?...', & I said, "because he's a dingbat."
He didn't know that those "jobs" Donnie supposedly "saved" - such as the air-conditioner plant, or "created", such as the Chrysler car-factory -- were either token numbers [AC maker] or already planned before he even declared his candidacy [Chrysler].
.
he didn't know that Donnie had threatened Toyota with a 35% import tariff on "foreign-made cars taking jobs from Merikans", despite Toyota having multiple auto-plants in the USA employing 100s of 1,000s of workers... nor that Donnie put the soon-to-be-built auto-plant in BAJA - where Toyota already has a plant - when it's in another Mexican state altogether, because he - Trumpling - persists in ignoring & avoiding his info-feed from the various experts in favor of scooping trash off the social network that seems to fit his pre-conceived notions.
So he makes wild misstatements of 'facts' that are outright wrong, then refuses to admit he was wrong, or that his "facts" weren't facts, ... in fact.
Such as the asinine "birther" non-controversy, when he insisted Obama had been born in Africa, not Hawaii, & thus was ineligible as a Prez candidate.
.
he didn't know that Trump has publicly averred that he intends to open state & national parks to timber cutting, mining [coal, oil, uranium, gold in the Yellowstone, etc], gas, & fracking - plus any other extractive industries he thinks are being "prevented from doing business".
.
.
the sheer extent & depth of this [approx 45-YO, while, male, American-born] Trump-voter was nothing short of astonishing. 
Most of what he* "knew" about Trumpling* came from 'The Apprentice' or social-media scuttlebutt, not The Wash. Post, the NYX, or even CNN; his sources were mostly Trumpster or his spin-specialists & 'handlers'.
.
It was incredibly depressing, to think that this man & others like him, afraid of the erosion of the American Dream for the towering white-male privilege, afraid of immigrants, afraid of the color ratio changing across the nation, put an ignorant, opinionated, privileged white yahoo in the Oval Office --- to "save" them & their status.
.
Trump doesn't give a hot dam* about a cabdriver, a plumber, a factory line-worker, a nurse, a hotel maid [altho i can see him molesting her before handing over a tip, if she's "beautiful", since he "can't help himself"].
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the Trump / Putin / Russian mess:
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/fbi-investigating-allegations-russia-compromised-trump
.
Oct-31st, David Corn:
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics...ging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump
.
Jamison Foser on Twitter:
.

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/818948909766557696.
.
Dec-12th: Trumpster's overseas investments, debts, foreign conflicts of interest, etc.
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/12/guide-donald-trump-debt
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.



*A Guide to Donald Trump's Huge Debts-and the Conflicts They Present*
*Here's what we know he owes.*
RUSS CHOMADEC. 12, 2016 9:21 AM










Jonathan Ernst/Reuters via ZUMA

Donald Trump has announced that on December 15 he will hold a press conference to reveal to the world his plan to address the many conflicts of interest between his vast business empire and his new role as president. Trump has indicated that he will remove himself from the daily "business operations" of the Trump Organization-but not sell off his holdings or create a truly blind trust.

Ethics experts have criticized this approach because Trump would continue to own his properties, benefiting from their success and suffering from their losses. He would know when his policy decisions and actions-or those of others (including corporations and foreign governments)-could affect his assets. Consequently, he would not be separating his presidential decision-making from his own personal financial circumstances. Yet, arguably, the biggest conflicts he faces aren't related to what he owns. Rather, they relate to what he _owes_.

*Who does Donald Trump owe money to?*
The president-elect has a lot of debt.

_____________________________________
BAR GRAPH - see posts below 
_____________________________________

Get the data










All of Trump's top properties-including Trump Tower, the Trump National Doral golf course, and his brand new luxury hotel in Washington, DC-are heavily mortgaged. That means Trump maintains critical financial relationships with his creditors. These interactions pose a significant set of potential conflicts because his creditors are large financial institutions (domestic and foreign) with their own interests and policy needs. Each one could be greatly affected by presidential decisions, and Trump certainly has a financial interest in their well-being.

Below is a list of all the financial players that Trump owes money to and how much Trump directly has borrowed from each one. This roster is based on publicly available loan documents. According to his own public disclosure, Trump, as of May, was on the hook for 16 loans worth at least $713 million. This list does not include an estimated $2 billion in debt amassed by real estate partnerships that include Trump. One of those loans is a $950 million deal that was cobbled together by Goldman Sachs and the state-owned Bank of China-an arrangement that ethics experts believe violates the Constitution's emolument clause, which prohibits foreign governments from providing financial benefits to federal officials.

*Deutsche Bank: $364 million*
The troubled German bank is Trump's top lender and has been for years. When the rest of Wall Street essentially abandoned Trump years ago, apparently frustrated by his business tactics, Deutsche Bank stuck by the celebrity developer. Well, not all of Deutsche Bank. In 2005, Trump borrowed $640 million from a group of banks, including Deutsche Bank, to build his Chicago tower. But by 2008, the real estate market had gone bad, and Trump was in financial trouble. Shortly before he was due to pay Deutsche Bank $40 million for a portion of the loan he had personally guaranteed, Trump filed a lawsuit against the German bank, demanding $3 billion to compensate him for the international economic turmoil that Trump claimed the bank had helped cause and that Trump now said was hurting his investment in Chicago.

The dispute was eventually settled, but Trump's relationship with the division of the bank handling big commercial loans was done. Instead, he began working with what's known as the "private bank" side of Deutsche Bank-the division that caters to high-net-worth individuals and that has significantly more leeway to lend money. His various corporations now have four outstanding loans from that part of Deutsche Bank, worth a combined $364 million.

Trump's Deutsche Bank loans include:


$125 million for two mortgages on his Trump National Doral golf course in Miami. Both were taken out in 2012.
$69 million for a 2014 loan tied to the Chicago tower that Trump and Deutsche previously bickered over. This loan is listed within Cook County property records. Trump's personal financial disclosure form lists a loan that appears similar but doesn't match the official record. That document notes he has a 2012 loan for the Chicago tower valued at between $25 million and $50 million.
$170 million for a loan related to the Trump's hotel in the Old Post Office in Washington, DC. Trump doesn't own the building-he leases it from the federal government-but he borrowed the money to finance the building's extensive renovation. It's not clear when Trump borrowed the money, but it was likely after he announced his bid for the presidency.
Trump has an enormous conflict of interest on his hands with Deutsche Bank. As Trump himself noted in his 2008 lawsuit against the bank, Deutsche played a prominent role in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis. The Obama administration has targeted Deutsche Bank and other banks for creating and repackaging bad mortgage products, and earlier this fall the Justice Department announced it was seeking to settle claims against the bank for about $14 billion. That was much more than Deutsche Bank was expecting to pay, and the news sent the bank into a tailspin. Its stock price plummeted amid speculation that it could not remain afloat if the Justice Department pressed the bank for such a big settlement.

Negotiations between the bank and the Justice Department over the size of the settlement are underway. But if they are not resolved by January 20, Trump's administration will be in charge of handling this case. So a federal government run by Trump will have to decide how hard to push the bank that Trump owes so much to and that has been critical to Trump's personal fortunes.

*Ladder Capital: $282 million*
Ladder Capital is not a traditional bank or a big name on Wall Street, but in the last several years it has joined Deutsche Bank as a main source of financing for Trump. In fact, since 2012, these two outfits have been the only ones to lend Trump money. Ladder Capital is a small Wall Street firm that specializes in loaning money for commercial real estate projects and, with the help of the big Wall Street banks, combining pieces of these loans into bigger packages that it then sells to investors.

One big issue with Trump's loans from Ladder Capital is that he appears to be personally liable for at least $26 million of the debt. So if a problem with the loan emerges, Ladder Capital could ask Trump, not his business, to cover this amount personally. Even if Trump does remove himself from the operations of the Trump Organization and lets his adult children run the business, this conflict of interest would not be addressed. The man in the Oval Office would still be in hock to this financial institution.

There's another major issue with the Ladder Capital loans. As was reported last week, Ladder Capital has hired Citibank to help organize a possible sale. Sources at the firm told Reuters that new federal regulations covering the repackaging of loans were making the company's core business more complicated.

It's possible, then, that if the firm does go on the block, Trump's loans could end up being bought by another party. It could be an investor or a financial institution based in the United States or overseas. Imagine, say, a Russian bank owning the debt of an American president. In any event, another troubling conflict of interest could exist-and the public might not even know about this at first, because Trump would be under no obligation to update the personal financial disclosure until it was time to file his annual disclosure report.

Trump's loans with Ladder Capital include:


$160 million for a loan related to Trump's 40 Wall Street office tower. Trump took out the mortgage in 2015 to replace a similar loan he had from Capital One with a higher interest rate.
$100 million for a mortgage on Trump Tower. This is Trump's most prized possession and the possible "White House North," but he only owns a small portion of the property. (Most of the condo units were sold years ago.) This mortgage provides Trump a line of credit secured by the building.
$7 million for a mortgage on several commercial condo units in the Trump International Hotel Tower on New York City's Columbus Circle. This loan doesn't appear on Trump's most recent personal financial disclosure. He filed that document in May, and he borrowed this money in July. The loan replaced an earlier one of the same amount that Trump had obtained from Swiss bank UBS Capital.
$15 million for a mortgage on three condo units in the Trump Plaza apartment building on New York's Upper East Side.
*Investors Savings Bank: $23 million*
In 2010, Trump combined an earlier mortgage on his Westchester County, New York, golf course into a much larger $23 million mortgage that also leveraged his ownership of condo units in the Trump Park Avenue building in New York City.

*Amboy Bank: $16 million*
In 2010, Trump took out a mortgage on his Trump National Golf Club-Colts Neckin Monmouth County, New Jersey, for $16 million from Amboy Bank, a tiny New Jersey bank.

*Chevy Chase Trust Holdings: $10 million*
In 2009, Trump purchased a golf course in Loudon County, Virginia, for $13 million. To make the deal happen, he borrowed $10 million from the land development company that previously owned the property.

*Bank of New York Mellon Trust: $9.25 million*
Trump's personal financial disclosure lists bonds, first issued in 1996, against a commercial property on New York's East 56th Street. Paperwork filed with the state of New York shows the due date on the bonds has been extended to 2020.

*Royal Bank of Pennsylvania: $8 million*
In 1995, Trump purchased a lavish estate in Westchester County, New York, and in 2000 he refinanced that purchase with an $8 million mortgage from the Royal Bank of Pennsylvania. Trump originally planned to turn the large estate into a golf course, but opposition from local residents blocked the project. The property has been used as a family retreat and a playground for Trump's two oldest sons. Trump has long had a personal relationship with the bank's founder, and he allowed the banker's 10-year-old grandson to perform magic tricks at Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

*Merrill Lynch: Less than $750,000*
In the early 1990s, Trump purchased two houses next to his Mar-A-Lago estate, borrowing about $2 million from Merrill Lynch for these purchases. The loans, which were taken out in 1993 and 1994 and come due in 2019, are now worth between $350,000 and $750,000.









RUSS CHOMA
Russ Choma is a reporter in the Washington bureau of _Mother Jones_ covering money in politics and influence.

Mother Jones is a nonprofit, and stories like this are made possible by readers like you. Donate or subscribe to help fund independent journalism.

*RELATED*


*Bipartisan Group Raises Red Flags About Trump's Conflicts of Interest*
RUSS CHOMA

*Top Republican Won't Respond to Call to Probe Trump's Conflicts of Interest*
RUSS CHOMA
=============================================================================

there's a hot-button under the bar graph to obtain the data directly, for those who want to see the sources.
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## leashedForLife




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## Satori

leashedForLife said:


> .
> today, the green line was running slow, so i jumped @ Kenmore station to catch the shuttle.
> There was a massive building / demolition? / repair project going on at the hotel curbside, with incredible noise, & contractors' dually trucks were double-parked in the right lane with emergency signals flashing - right where the shuttle is spozed to stop.
> .
> my client was going to a dental appt & gets anxious if anything is delayed / goes pear-shaped, so after waiting 10 solid minutes for a bus that didn't arrive, i flagged a passing taxi & rode the last leg.
> *The cabdriver was a Trumpster fan[atic]*, just my luck, & his idol was talking on the radio.  I said 'that man hasn't even taken office, & I'm sick of hearing him'. The cabbie replied, "I feel the same way about Hillary." [I didn't point out that the popular vote would have her coming into office as POTUS.]
> .
> then i discovered just how much a 'Trump supporter / voter' *does not know: *he wasn't aware that at least 6 appointees, so far, are expected to head agencies that they've spent their CAREERS trying to dismantle or disempower. He asked, "Why would Trump do that?...', & I said, "because he's a dingbat."
> He didn't know that those "jobs" Donnie supposedly "saved" - such as the air-conditioner plant, or "created", such as the Chrysler car-factory -- were either token numbers [AC maker] or already planned before he even declared his candidacy [Chrysler].
> .
> he didn't know that Donnie had threatened Toyota with a 35% import tariff on "foreign-made cars taking jobs from Merikans", despite Toyota having multiple auto-plants in the USA employing 100s of 1,000s of workers... nor that Donnie put the soon-to-be-built auto-plant in BAJA - where Toyota already has a plant - when it's in another Mexican state altogether, because he - Trumpling - persists in ignoring & avoiding his info-feed from the various experts in favor of scooping trash off the social network that seems to fit his pre-conceived notions.
> So he makes wild misstatements of 'facts' that are outright wrong, then refuses to admit he was wrong, or that his "facts" weren't facts, ... in fact.
> Such as the asinine "birther" non-controversy, when he insisted Obama had been born in Africa, not Hawaii, & thus was ineligible as a Prez candidate.
> .
> he didn't know that Trump has publicly averred that he intends to open state & national parks to timber cutting, mining [coal, oil, uranium, gold in the Yellowstone, etc], gas, & fracking - plus any other extractive industries he thinks are being "prevented from doing business".
> .
> .
> the sheer extent & depth of this [approx 45-YO, while, male, American-born] Trump-voter was nothing short of astonishing.
> Most of what he* "knew" about Trumpling* came from 'The Apprentice' or social-media scuttlebutt, not The Wash. Post, the NYX, or even CNN; his sources were mostly Trumpster or his spin-specialists & 'handlers'.
> .
> It was incredibly depressing, to think that this man & others like him, afraid of the erosion of the American Dream for the towering white-male privilege, afraid of immigrants, afraid of the color ratio changing across the nation, put an ignorant, opinionated, privileged white yahoo in the Oval Office --- to "save" them & their status.
> .
> Trump doesn't give a hot dam* about a cabdriver, a plumber, a factory line-worker, a nurse, a hotel maid [altho i can see him molesting her before handing over a tip, if she's "beautiful", since he "can't help himself"].
> .
> .
> .


But Trump speaks for the common man, not for folks like you who ride around in taxis everywhere.


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## cheekyscrip

Satori said:


> But Trump speaks for the common man, not for folks like you who ride around in taxis everywhere.


Absolutely lol.
As to his dossier I wish to separate his conduct with hookas ,which is his private life, he was just a businessman then representing himself, from colluding with Russia to win election in return for allowing them to restore former Soviet Union aka get back Ukraine and Baltic States.

The latter will be a tragedy for hundred million people.
Might bring the world into war....
The former I am not interested in. Voters knew he is sleazy. Did not bother them them so why now?

But being a traitor and collude with country hostile to USA means should not be sworn.


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## Guest

Satori said:


> But Trump speaks for the common man, not for folks like you who ride around in taxis everywhere.


The "common man" who voted for Trump are in for a rude awakening. Trump is not out to take care of anyone but himself.


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## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Satori:

But Trump speaks for the common man, not folks like you who ride around in taxis everywhere.

/QUOTE
.
well, there's a pig-ignorant assumption for ya. 
.
as it happens, i VERY RARELY use taxis, for the extremely-good reason that i cannot afford them.
That particular morning [yesterday] i walked 3/4 mile, took a bus to the Green line tramway, it was slow [heavy traffic & signals stopping us at intersections - the Green lines are street level], so i departed to catch the BU shuttle at Kenmore, which is free, for the final leg of under a mile.
.
the shuttle didn't arrive, & i was going to be late.
My client has anxiety issues along with her disability, & today would be stressful w/o my being late -
so i sprung $6 for a cab ride, & got there on time.
.
By the way, i work 6 days of 7, & i've now been homeless since mid-October of 2015.
Keeping a roof over my head, & myself fed, is a daily worry.
.
so much for my "privileged, wealthy" lifestyle - U egregious birhinous mesomorph. 
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## sandy68

Curiously will the old statement (I don't give a donald duck ) in future be shortened to just
I DON'T GIVE A DONALD?????


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## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Sandy68:

Curiously will the old (I don't give a Donald Duck) in future become "I DON'T GIVE A DONALD"...?

/QUOTE
.
I certainly hope not. He doesn't deserve the honor.

I hope that after his death, the only things named for him are his bedam*ed hotels, golf courses, casinos, apt-bldgs, & other random real-estate holdings.
.
I also most-sincerely hope that his tenure as POTUS is significantly shortened - by his own muleheaded insistence on continuing to run his development deals & investments himself [rather than divest or hand them over to an ACTUAL blind-trust, as required by law], or by scandal, conflict of interest, treason, illness, or a medical finding that he's not compos mentis.
I'll take any of the above, if a celestial power is listening - i'm not picky.

Anything to abbreviate his Reign of Error - with minimal damage to the nation & the world.
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## leashedForLife

.
Senator Jeff Sessions was shredded by Sen. Al Franken, during what was spozed to be a quick, simple approval of Sessions as Trump's attorney-general.
.
Sessions claimed there'd be no inflation or misleading "improvements" on candidate's qualifications or past history, then whitewashed his own checkered past as a well-known racist, & padded his legal career with "20 or 30" civil-rights cases HE claimed to have filed or run as primary counsel.
.
Sessions was forced to admit the actual number of his civil-rights cases "was lower", & in 4 cases he specifically claimed as 'his', his total involvement was signing his signature on the filing document.
.
Way to go, Franken! 
Video of the dressing-down is on UTube.
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## cheekyscrip

Interesting in the light of new revelations by British spy how special our relationship with Mr President will be?


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## noushka05

Jesthar said:


> Have you heard the clip of Mark Hamill reading out the future Commander In Tweet's new Year tweet in the voice of the Joker (whom he voices for the Batman animated series - my favourite Joker of all time)?  It's epic!
> 
> Honestly, we could have an ongoing competition - Joker Quote or Trump Tweet? Ban the use of Google, and it's be a close run thing!


No, I haven't seen it lol I'm going to try and find now though

He's being mocked all over social media. This cartoon tickled me lol










And how scarily accurate was cartoon from a month ago? It predicted Trumps press conference almost verbatim










ETA Just listened it - he's so good Listen out for trumpster tweet no 2, he's apparently doing another today lol


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## Goblin

noushka05 said:


> He's being mocked all over social media.


Not just social media. This from switzerland:


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## leashedForLife

.
the Repugnant majority in the House of Reps has already passed a bill of intent, opening a path to trash the Affordable Care Act / 'Obamacare'.
Naturally, they have no comparable alternative, neither in draft nor as a bill; nor are the various Reps offering to give-up their *own* medical coverage, paid for by citizens' taxes - despite earning more than enuf to be well-able to afford to buy their own, individually paid-for, medical coverage for themselves & their families. They & their spouses, children, domestic partners, or other family members do not need to worry about being without medical insurance, & in sudden acute need of care.
Nor need they worry about how to pay for their care, as they earn very-comfortable salaries, indeed.

.
the ppl who *cannot* afford individually purchased medical insurance, or who have chronic pre-existing conditions, or whose jobs don't provide medical, dental, or vision coverage, are the ppl who truly NEED the A.C.A., which may not be perfect, but it's doggone good.
Those working poor, pre-existing condition, uninsured millions will not appreciate the political party that cruelly condemns them to once again going without care, unless it's a life-threatening crisis.

.
Ppl who delay or avoid needed medical care when they are trying to "save money" end up sicker - by the time it's a crisis, they may be untreatable, as in many cancers that are survivable when caught early, but much-more lethal when diagnosed later, when they've advanced or metasticized.
.
Or consider the cost of Rx meds to uninsured ppl: I paid $3.65 for the same Rx when i was insured, vs $12 to $25 depending on where i bought it, when i had no medical insurance.
Same maker, dosage, # of pills; the only difference was Insured vs Un-insured. 
.
for parents who aren't middle-class & have 1 or more dependent children, LOSING * AFFORDABLE * MEDICAL * INSURANCE is not very different, in terms of lost income, than one of the couple becoming permanently unemployed, with no unemployment compensation to help bandage the gaping wound dealt to their household income.
It's an unmitigated disaster that leaves the uninsured desperately [& futilely] hoping, praying, that nobody gets hurt or sick.
That's a Godawful position to be left in, helpless & constantly worried.
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## noushka05

Goblin said:


> Not just social media. This from switzerland:


That made me laugh I know we're probably facing nuclear Armageddon but some of the jokes are really funny lol


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## cheekyscrip

noushka05 said:


> That made me laugh I know we're probably facing nuclear Armageddon but some of the jokes are really funny lol


Putin electing US president and splitting EU are very dark jokes...
So much for " democracy"...he uses both to show in his country the superiority of police state to " freedom" or " power for the people" who are happy to believe any tales as long as it promises more without any checks what lies under the sheep clothing...
Russians laugh...and open more champagne...

Meanwhile Trump deemed NATO obsolete and wants to take USA out..


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## DogLover1981

It'll be hilarious if Trump invites Hugh Hefner to the white house. I didn't realize that Trump is somewhat friends with him. O.O


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## 1290423

Lurcherlad said:


> The idea that DT could ever become your president is very scary!
> 
> How can any right minded person think he is a good candidate? Very worrying.


Why on earth not?
I could perhaps do a good job


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## 1290423

Happy Paws said:


> He's an immigrant anyway, his mother comes from Scotland.


And his father Germany I believe, or is that his grandfather, seem to remember reading dt went to the USA when he was 4 years old , a penniless immigrant. Or am I confusing him with someone else


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## 1290423

wow! You are a happy lot on here aren't you!
Has no one got anything positive to say?


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## Guest

DT said:


> wow! You are a happy lot on here aren't you!
> Has no one got anything positive to say?


I can be positive. 
I am positive Donald Trump is a misogynistic, racist, bigot who has alarming ties to Russia, massive conflicts of interest and is unfit to be president of the US.


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## Happy Paws2

ouesi said:


> I can be positive.
> I am positive Donald Trump is a misogynistic, racist, bigot who has alarming ties to Russia, massive conflicts of interest and is unfit to be president of the US.


I can be positive as well.

I agree with everything "_ouesi" _says.


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## Rafa

I'm extremely positive too and agree with Ouesi's post.

Trump is a racist, ageist, sexist bigot and would actually be a joke if the whole thing weren't so potentially dangerous.


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## DogLover1981

I'm truly disgusted with Trump's department of education pick. Betsy Devos and her family should be behind bars for running one of the world's largest multi level marketing schemes (Amway). She has absolutely no values duping people of their money and should be right next to Bernie Madoff in the history books, IMO. I don't understand why that didn't get any attention at the hearings on the senate floor and I hope people force someone to bring that up. She may withdraw if questioned to avoid the negative publicly for their money maker.

The Health and Human Services pick is getting attention for possible insider trading as well.


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## Guest

DogLover1981 said:


> I'm truly disgusted with Trump's department of education pick. Betsy Devos and her family should be behind bars for running one of the world's largest multi level marketing schemes (Amway). She has absolutely no values duping people of their money and should be right next to Bernie Madoff in the history books, IMO. I don't understand why that didn't get any attention at the hearings on the senate floor and I hope people force someone to bring that up. She may withdraw if questioned to avoid the negative publicly for their money maker.
> 
> The Health and Human Services pick is getting attention for possible insider trading as well.


Did you see what she said about guns in schools? She couldn't even commit to making schools gun-free zones. Unfreakingbelievable!!
And she didn't even know the difference between measuring for proficiency vs. growth, or that the IDEA is a federal program... Beyond unqualified.


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## DogLover1981

I did have a family member that was heavily involved with Amway for many years. The best I could describe it is that it's a creepy christian business cult that's Scientology-like. Using religion to hide one's unethical and disgusting behavior is appalling. People really should be protesting her and making a big fuss about her as the department of education pick.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/st...amily-amway-michigan-politics-religion-214631


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## leashedForLife

.
it's official -
Duh...tilla the Hun took the oath of office, & is officially POTUS.
He gave what i think can be charitably described as the Worst Inauguration Speech Ever, chockablock with nationalistic fervor, insular thinking, casual bigotry by ommission ["black, brown, or white..." -- WTH happened to red skin? Yellow skin?... Various blends?], & threats of military aggression.

.
The speech is depressing instead of inspiring, divisive instead of inclusive, & will be a great recruiting tool for ISIS -
since he pledged to "wipe radical Islam off the face of the earth".
Oh, goody - play right into the plans of the ultra-radical Islamists, good idea.
.
.
Horse's butt.
.
.
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## white_shadow

leashedForLife said:


> Horse's butt.


Ah.........how about plain old........... *'Rump*


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## catz4m8z

*sigh* how did this even happen!?:Facepalm
It kinda feels like you are watching an episode of The Simpsons or a really bad Adam Sandler movie with a 'comedy President'.....and yet there he is:Bored


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## leashedForLife

.
he *Is!* a "comedy Prezident" -- sadly, he's also the real-life successor to a much-respected, well-spoken, intelligent, reasoned & reasonable man, our 1st black [male] POTUS & a genuinely presidential presence -
how this braying jacka$$, a lousy businessman & a reality-TV show personage, can be the legitimate POTUS is hard to fathom.
He's a loudmouthed, abrasive, tactless, thoughtless, careless man, who acts on his worst impulses & is insulated by his wealth, so that no one brings him to account for his actions.

He actually said, "when U're a star, U can do ANYthing [to women]" & get away with it - but having money, political power, & a bully pulpit certainly helps.
.
Grabbing women's crotches or slobbering on "beautiful women" when he "just can't help [him]self" but "has to kiss them"... blecchh.
.
.
as the 1st Couple, Barack & Michelle were gracious, warm, inclusive, hard-working, & wonderful ambassadors for our nation.
.
last night, Trumpling & his current [soon-to-be ex-]wife could not even successfully PRETEND to be a couple, at the inaugural Ball - he danced with her, yes, but spent his time "dancing" waving to the crowd, wasting no attn on his perforce partner.
.
his veep, on the other hand, made an obvious couple with his wife -
who unfortunately is one of those women Trumpster would make cutting remarks about, as she's not a young svelte trophy wife.
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
the Women's March in Wash., D.C. was loudly echoed by women's rallies for rights across the U-S & around the world -
the formal "march" in D.C. was cancelled b/c the city had prepared for 500K, & it was thought numbers had reached 750K -
too many to be thought "safe".
Certainly the women's march in the national capitol completely overwhelmed the pathetic turnout for Trump's inauguration, yesterday.

.
It's now 5:30-pm Eastern time & in NYC, 5th Avenue is *still!* wall-to-wall, curb to curb ppl - women of all ages & every skin hue, men, children from babes in arms to strollers & on to pre-teens & teens, gay, straight, every imaginable sector & class, all concerned with rights:
civil rights, reproductive freedom, equal pay, marriage equality, national health care, contraceptive & abortion access, clean water / clean air, education funding, & more.
.
.
I'm very proud of my adopted hometown:
1 in 5 Boston residents turned out for the women's rally, here.
.
Boise, Idaho - out in bitter cold & falling snow.
Denver, Colo. - huge crowds.
Chicago, Ill. - incredible crowds.
.
Paris, France - citizens carried signs reading "France hates Trump".
.
London, England - huge turnout, altho i couldn't read the signs anyone held, the aerial photos were too far off.
.
it's 5:40-pm, & Trumpster's press-sec is claiming that "inauguration attendance was underestimated" & that the Women's March was OVERestimated by the "media".
LOL - I've seen photos of Obama's 2009 inaug ceremony vs Trump's, there's no comparison in turnout. :--D)
.
Train, bus, & plane tickets to D.C. were simply unavailable yesterday, due to ppl coming in not for the Trumpling's investing but for the anti-Trump rally today.
Charter buses were in high demand.
.
.
.


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## 1290423

leashedForLife said:


> .
> the Women's March in Wash., D.C. was loudly echoed by women's rallies for rights across the U-S & around the world -
> the formal "march" in D.C. was cancelled b/c
> 
> .
> It's now 5:30-pm Eastern time & in NYC, 5th Avenue is *still!* wall-to-wall, curb to curb ppl - women of all ages & every skin hue, men, children from babes in arms to strollers & on to pre-teens & teens, gay, straight, every imaginable
> .
> Paris, France - citizens carried signs reading "France hates Trump".
> .
> London, England - huge turnout, altho i couldn't read the signs anyone held, the aerial photos were too far off.
> .
> 
> .
> .
> .


Wouldn't worry too much about not being able to read the signs half of Londoners can neither read nor right


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## Guest

DT said:


> half of Londoners can neither read nor right


Is this some sort of inside joke about Londoners, or was your typo that ironically funny?


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## SpringDance

catz4m8z said:


> *sigh* how did this even happen!?:Facepalm
> It kinda feels like you are watching an episode of The Simpsons or a really bad Adam Sandler movie with a 'comedy President'.....and yet there he is:Bored


It keeps reminding me of those Star Trek episides where they look at an alternate history / mirror universe where the bad guys got voted in instead of the ones that should have (or that Hitler won etc,) and all that followed


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## 1290423

ouesi said:


> Is this some sort of inside joke about Londoners, or was your typo that ironically funny?


Just checking to make sure my posts were being read throughly


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## leashedForLife

.
yeah, write, DT. :eyeroll: Sure - whatever U, errm, right.
.
.
.


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## leashedForLife

.
charter-bus parking permits for:
Obama inaug, 2009 - 3K
Women's March today - 1,200
Trumpling inaug [yest] - 393
.
whoopee. ;--D)
.
to see city by city turnout estimates, see usuncut.com & look for Women's March.
NYC: 600K
D.C.: over 1/2M
Chicago: 250K
.
thousands formed a human chain across the Golden Gate Bridge in SanFran, & hundreds of thousands marched in L.A.
NYC's march began on 1st Ave near the Trump Tower there, & ran from 1-pm to 7:30-pm to the midtown Manhattan Trump Tower, filling the street curb to curb nonstop.
The crowd was being diverted down 2 side-streets off 5th by 5-pm, but still reached midtown for another 2-hours plus. Traffic on the empty 5th Ave at 8:30 was sparse, with 2 or 3 cars per block vs the surging mass of humans earlier.
.
.
.


----------



## Dogloverlou

I think the protests are a bit OTT personally. If people hate him, fair enough, but what's done is done. What is protesting hoping to achieve?


----------



## DogLover1981

Dogloverlou said:


> I think the protests are a bit OTT personally. If people hate him, fair enough, but what's done is done. What is protesting hoping to achieve?


You make an interesting point. I don't actually completely understand the protests myself but then I didn't really understand some of the protests of Obama in years past. I think it's the USA's forever crazy culture and politics meets the era of social media and 24/7 TV news. Though, the women's march is suppose to be some kind of protest against some of the attitudes displayed towards women during the election cycle and other groups of people have enter into the mix as well such as immigrants. I think it has also become a protest of some of the things Trump and others have said and done. There's actually some stuff going on in the background too such as the stuff in relation to the Indivisible Guide. If people turn the energy of this protest into actually contacting and pestering their congressmen and congresswomen in different ways, they could potentially block some of stuff Trump may try to do or block some of his cabinet picks. Protesters outside the states are unlikely to have much impact on congress in the states. I do hope these protests morph into something positive for the world and actually accomplish something. Wherever people are, If people don't do anything to pester their politicians and don't do anything else in the coming days, weeks and months, these protests will be pointless.


----------



## DogLover1981

The massive protests right after the inauguration are unusual but then Trump is an unusual and unpopular newly elected president. The size of the protests *may* send a message to Trump as well as congress. Who knows.


----------



## noushka05

Dogloverlou said:


> I think the protests are a bit OTT personally. If people hate him, fair enough, but what's done is done. What is protesting hoping to achieve?


He should never be normalised. The man is a dangerous, unhinged racist. What we saw yesterday was democracy in action. I felt proud 

Reports this crowd in London were 100,000 strong


----------



## 1290423

Dogloverlou said:


> I think the protests are a bit OTT personally. If people hate him, fair enough, but what's done is done. What is protesting hoping to achieve?


Totally agree,


----------



## 1290423

noushka05 said:


> He should never be normalised. The man is a dangerous, unhinged racist. What we saw yesterday was democracy in action. I felt proud
> 
> Reports this crowd in London were 100,000 strong


Well noush, if certainly got the great unwashed outta bed


----------



## noushka05

DT said:


> Well noush, if certainly got the great unwashed outta bed


Not only here & in the US, but right across the globe. Expect another 100 days of this Sue lol The great unwashed are rising!

Women marches on every continent. - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/21/world/womens-march-pictures.html?_r=0








*Bernie Sanders* ‏@*SenSanders* 10h10 hours ago

President Trump, you made a big mistake. By trying to divide us up by race, religion, gender and nationality you actually brought us closer.pic.twitter.com/U7deCCTFx9










6,777 replies 271,862 retweets 539,092 likes


----------



## cheekyscrip

I think protests should remind him that he and Republicans have to take under consideration the other half of America.
Wonder if Republicans would manage to keep him on leash?
I do no care what he tweets ..but what will happen to NATO.


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> I think protests should remind him that he and Republicans have to take under consideration the other half of America.
> Wonder if Republicans would manage to keep him on leash?
> I do no care what he tweets ..but what will happen to NATO.


But who is paying what into nato cheeky, I understand we are paying our fair share, but who isnt?


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> But who is paying what into nato cheeky, I understand we are paying our fair share, but who isnt?


Shall then Baltic States with economies just emerging after 70 years of slavery for Soviets be abandoned to Russia again as Putin wants and Trump promised?
They did not ask for it...it is the Allies: USA, France, Britain who gave them to Stalin?
And Ukraine?
So you want to repeat it?
Who gave Poland, Hungary , Czechs Slovaks to Stalin?

Then complain if they are poorer after maintaining Soviet Union till 1990 and beyond...

Polish and Czech pilots were vital in Battle of Britain..then Sikorski git blown up in Gibraltar and those countries were betrayed.

By USA, France, Britain.

Utterly ruined as a consequence with millions in prison. My own grandfather.

So if they are struggling to rebuild their economy you tell me that it is fine, cannot pay should go to Russia again...


----------



## Dogloverlou

noushka05 said:


> He should never be normalised. The man is a dangerous, unhinged racist. What we saw yesterday was democracy in action. I felt proud
> 
> Reports this crowd in London were 100,000 strong


But America voted for him  so in light of that the protests don't really fit the vast majority.

Meh, I don't feel strongly enough about it either way, but what's done is done, he is now president and what he does next remains to be seen.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
the point of the protests was to remind the egomaniac now in the Oval Office that women are 51% of the U-S popn,
& moreover 51% of the global popn;
that women's concerns & issues are also largely HUMAN concerns & issues, family issues - wage equality lifts whole families from poverty; access to contraception & reproductive control prevent many unwanted births, with all the personal & social costs that are fallout from those births.
No child should be unwanted; nor should low-income women, precisely the group most-vulnerable to job loss, catastrophic medical bills, etc, be left dangling unsupported to try covering their own reproductive health costs & contraceptive care.
.
Women think more about future generations, while men often think about this month, this year, my earnings, potential profit.
Trumpster's call to unleash "business" & remove all environmental or governmental reguation is IMO insane; Ronnie RayGun as POTUS already gave us the poisoned 'present' of deregulation & when we unwrapped it in 2008, the world economy came close to collapse.
The Great Recession was a direct result of unleashing the Federal oversight on financial institutions: major banks, Wall St powers, investment funds & mortgage brokers.
Prez Ronnie announced that they were "too ethical" to do things that would undermine the economy or damage investors' holdings / decrease their customers' invested values.
Well, we had a crystal-clear object lesson in just how little "ethics" means when there are potentially huge profits to be made - at the cost of investors & mortgagees.
And now, Goldman-Sachs - whose string-pulling cost many, many ppl their life saving, their mortgaged homes, their credit ratings & employability, their retirement security - is about half of Trumpling's 'mahogany cabinet'.
.
The pink 'pussy hats' with cat-ears, hand-knitted & worn by many in Wash., D.C. & across the U.S, were to remind us all of the incredible crudities the Donald spouted, on multiple occasions - in his "locker room talk" interview on the bus, on shock/hate radio, & in public appearances over more than TEN YEARS.
His misogynist, sexist, belittling devaluations of women - who after all, *give birth to* all children, male & female - are incredibly backward.
.
I seriously wonder if his own mother did not regret bring him into the world, given what a slimeball he grew into.

.
.
Women as a group have more in common worldwide than they have differences; we are the Discriminated Majority.
Education, environment, reproductive freedom & control, health care, wage equality, living wages, marriage equality, they are not "just" women's issues, they are human issues.
.
and yes -
in the U-S, we need to hold our elected reps feet to the fire, & do our level best to prevent the announced intentions of Trumpster from coming to pass.
Going backward on abortion access, health care, real earnings, contraceptive access, disassembling species protection & environmental protection, deregulating financial institutions & pollution controls, & on & on, would be - WILL be - disastrous.
We cannot allow him to hijack the hard-fought recognition of climate instability, doom marriage equality, let Wall St off the leash, & set the extractive industries loose to rape our public lands of resources.
These are all things he's vowed to do.
.
72% of the U-S popn thinks abortion is the individual woman's decision.
Almost 70% support marriage equality - same sex, spousal rights, child guardianship, survivor's rights to property, medical proxy for same-sex spouses, insurance benefits for cohabiting couples, & more.
These aren't "just women's issues", & LGBTQ rights are being whittled away by the hard-right across the U-S, just like abortion access - one state at a time.
We need Federal action, & national resistance to the right-wing agenda.
.
I'm proud of my sisters - here & abroad.
.
.
.


----------



## Guest

Dogloverlou said:


> But America voted for him  so in light of that the protests don't really fit the vast majority.
> 
> Meh, I don't feel strongly enough about it either way, but what's done is done, he is now president and what he does next remains to be seen.


No, the electoral college voted for him. America voted by a 3 million vote margin for Hillary Clinton. (Who, BTW, showed incredible dignity and class by showing up to his inauguration.)

The march was not just a protest against Trump. In was so much more than that. It was a show of solidarity among women from all parts of the country and the world. It was amazing, peaceful, hopeful, and I'm so proud to have witnessed this history in the making


----------



## DogLover1981

Dogloverlou said:


> But America voted for him  so in light of that the protests don't really fit the vast majority.
> 
> Meh, I don't feel strongly enough about it either way, but what's done is done, he is now president and what he does next remains to be seen.


Protests and harassing congresspeople to do or not to do whatever can potentially achieve goals as politicians forever live in fear of future elections.  Protests a day after he became president could *potentially* send a strong message. Though, that's generally only true if you actually live in the states. This election year was unusual in that both candidates were unpopular, lots of people didn't vote or regret their vote and technically the winner was sort of the loser. He said and did many things that should be completely off limits for politicians, IMO.


----------



## 1290423

cheekyscrip said:


> Shall then Baltic States with economies just emerging after 70 years of slavery for Soviets be abandoned to Russia again as Putin wants and Trump promised?
> They did not ask for it...it is the Allies: USA, France, Britain who gave them to Stalin?
> And Ukraine?
> So you want to repeat it?
> Who gave Poland, Hungary , Czechs Slovaks to Stalin?
> 
> Then complain if they are poorer after maintaining Soviet Union till 1990 and beyond...
> 
> Polish and Czech pilots were vital in Battle of Britain..then Sikorski git blown up in Gibraltar and those countries were betrayed.
> 
> By USA, France, Britain.
> 
> Utterly ruined as a consequence with millions in prison. My own grandfather.
> 
> So if they are struggling to rebuild their economy you tell me that it is fine, cannot pay should go to Russia again...


I asked the question cheeky purely because I was interested to learn who paid what I don't actually know. Yes Polish pilots were vital in the war, but can you remind me why we actually went to war in the first place please. Only my history is not too good but something's ringing bells here and I seem to remember reading that we joined the war because Germany invaded Poland is this incorrect?


----------



## Happy Paws2

DT said:


> I asked the question cheeky purely because I was interested to learn who paid what I don't actually know. Yes Polish pilots were vital in the war, but can you remind me why we actually went to war in the first place please. Only my history is not too good but something's ringing bells here and I seem to remember reading that we joined the war because Germany invaded Poland is this incorrect?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/3/newsid_3493000/3493279.stm


----------



## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> I asked the question cheeky purely because I was interested to learn who paid what I don't actually know. Yes Polish pilots were vital in the war, but can you remind me why we actually went to war in the first place please.


Because you were attacked? Till then you did nothing at all except moral support?
Hitler decided to make Global Germany and first took over Austria, then Czechs, then attacked Poland, then France....
The alternative was to join them and yes...even some Royals had pro Hitler sympathy...

But then you would go to war with Hitler?

Britain was attacked because decided to join Hitler like Austria.

Hitler had plans to attack Britain for many years....
If Britain and France actively responded to Germany in early September 1939 Stalin would have nit attacked Poland. He waited till 17 September.

Then there would not be bombing of London and so on...Many millions of lives also British might have been saved.
Americans did not think it is their war either...till Pearl Harbour...

Trump obviously does not know history.
Just to remind you : Treaty of Versailles did not permit Germany to build an army, or navy , or air force. Britain was among those who should have kept them to that treaty, but dud not bother.

Poland warned many times but had no power to stop it...
Therefore if Hitler wanted Global Germany and decided to conquer the Europe and carry on further...then who is responsible?
First WW did not teach you enough ?


----------



## Goblin

DT said:


> Only my history is not too good but something's ringing bells here and I seem to remember reading that we joined the war because Germany invaded Poland is this incorrect?


So why did Germany invade Poland? Rise of the Nazi party had a lot to do with it. Why did the Nazi party gain so much power so quickly and what lessons have been learned. Not a lot it appears. How easy is it to call for nationalism, to promise things will be better and scapegoat minorities to get into power even now.

Interesting fact from a German who lived at the time but is no longer with us. Did you know that before the war the Polish frequently shot at German border guards who couldn't return fire before the war. Not an excuse but something I've never read about.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Goblin said:


> So why did Germany invade Poland? Rise of the Nazi party had a lot to do with it. Why did the Nazi party gain so much power so quickly and what lessons have been learned. Not a lot it appears. How easy is it to call for nationalism, to promise things will be better and scapegoat minorities to get into power even now.
> 
> Interesting fact from a German who lived at the time but is no longer with us. Did you know that before the war the Polish frequently shot at German border guards who couldn't return fire before the war. Not an excuse but something I've never read about.


That was a part of German propaganda used to justify invasion.
Same as invading Czechs to " protect" Sudeten German minority....

Polish historians claim it was a Provocation staged by Germany as soldiers at frontier could not open unauthorized fire without most serious consequences unless stopping smugglers etc...
German press under Hitler reported many staged incidents and obviously blamed Poland for the war that Hitler was preparing for six years...








So Russia and Germany in August 1939 already decided in division of Poland after successful invasion...

Before reported frontier incident...that deal took some preparation time too...
Their intelligence already told them that France and Britain would not stir beyond paper protests ..


----------



## DogLover1981

DogLover1981 said:


> Protests and harassing congresspeople to do or not to do whatever can potentially achieve goals as politicians forever live in fear of future elections.  Protests a day after he became president could *potentially* send a strong message. Though, that's generally only true if you actually live in the states. This election year was unusual in that both candidates were unpopular, lots of people didn't vote or regret their vote and technically the winner was sort of the loser. He said and did many things that should be completely off limits for politicians, IMO.


I forgot to mention that there are some elections this year and in 2018. The next presidential election is in 2020.


----------



## Goblin

cheekyscrip said:


> That was a part of German propaganda used to justify invasion.


Polish historians claim... Do not doubt plans were in progress but anti-german feelings were running high. Can you be sure it didn't happen? Person I knew was pretty certain and far from gullible.

One lesson which was learned through WWII was the need to work together regardless of nationalities. That's why Churcill pushed for a european union. Find it ironic papers like the DM and people like Farage are making a big deal out of his bust in the oval office considering. Even that they cannot tell the trurth about though.


----------



## 1290423

leashedForLife said:


> .
> the point of the protests was to remind the egomaniac now in the Oval Office that women are 51% of the U-S popn,
> & moreover 51% of the global popn;
> that women's concerns & issues are also largely HUMAN concerns & issues, family issues - wage equality lifts whole families from poverty; access to contraception & reproductive control prevent many unwanted births, with all the personal & social costs that are fallout from those births.
> No child should be unwanted; nor should low-income women, precisely the group most-vulnerable to job loss, catastrophic medical bills, etc, be left dangling unsupported to try covering their own reproductive health costs & contraceptive care.
> .
> Women think more about future generations, while men often think about this month, this year, my earnings, potential profit.
> Trumpster's call to unleash "business" & remove all environmental or governmental reguation is IMO insane; Ronnie RayGun as POTUS already gave us the poisoned 'present' of deregulation & when we unwrapped it in 2008, the world economy came close to collapse.
> The Great Recession was a direct result of unleashing the Federal oversight on financial institutions: major banks, Wall St powers, investment funds & mortgage brokers.
> Prez Ronnie announced that they were "too ethical" to do things that would undermine the economy or damage investors' holdings / decrease their customers' invested values.
> Well, we had a crystal-clear object lesson in just how little "ethics" means when there are potentially huge profits to be made - at the cost of investors & mortgagees.
> And now, Goldman-Sachs - whose string-pulling cost many, many ppl their life saving, their mortgaged homes, their credit ratings & employability, their retirement security - is about half of Trumpling's 'mahogany cabinet'.
> .
> The pink 'pussy hats' with cat-ears, hand-knitted & worn by many in Wash., D.C. & across the U.S, were to remind us all of the incredible crudities the Donald spouted, on multiple occasions - in his "locker room talk" interview on the bus, on shock/hate radio, & in public appearances over more than TEN YEARS.
> His misogynist, sexist, belittling devaluations of women - who after all, *give birth to* all children, male & female - are incredibly backward.
> .
> I seriously wonder if his own mother did not regret bring him into the world, given what a slimeball he grew into.
> 
> .
> .
> Women as a group have more in common worldwide than they have differences; we are the Discriminated Majority.
> Education, environment, reproductive freedom & control, health care, wage equality, living wages, marriage equality, they are not "just" women's issues, they are human issues.
> .
> and yes -
> in the U-S, we need to hold our elected reps feet to the fire, & do our level best to prevent the announced intentions of Trumpster from coming to pass.
> Going backward on abortion access, health care, real earnings, contraceptive access, disassembling species protection & environmental protection, deregulating financial institutions & pollution controls, & on & on, would be - WILL be - disastrous.
> We cannot allow him to hijack the hard-fought recognition of climate instability, doom marriage equality, let Wall St off the leash, & set the extractive industries loose to rape our public lands of resources.
> These are all things he's vowed to do.
> .
> 72% of the U-S popn thinks abortion is the individual woman's decision.
> Almost 70% support marriage equality - same sex, spousal rights, child guardianship, survivor's rights to property, medical proxy for same-sex spouses, insurance benefits for cohabiting couples, & more.
> These aren't "just women's issues", & LGBTQ rights are being whittled away by the hard-right across the U-S, just like abortion access - one state at a time.
> We need Federal action, & national resistance to the right-wing agenda.
> .
> I'm proud of my sisters - here & abroad.
> .
> .
> .





Happy Paws said:


> http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/3/newsid_3493000/3493279.stm


Thank you


----------



## KittenKong

Deleted - posted in the wrong thread!


----------



## Goblin

The whitehouse press secretary now has something called "alternative facts" when it's not what Trump wants. Dread to think what the media will have to go through when they cannot trust anything coming through the whitehouse press office.


----------



## Mirandashell

Can't believe the media, can't believe the Prez.... all a bit of a bugger really.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Goblin said:


> The whitehouse press secretary now has something called "alternative facts" when it's not what Trump wants. Dread to think what the media will have to go through when they cannot trust anything coming through the whitehouse press office.


Are USA heading for police state to emulate their new best friends? Think Trump would love that..press not allowed to publish anything that is not government approved. Think TM would also love that...

They will #take control.

They blame press for bad press already!!!


----------



## Guest

cheekyscrip said:


> Think Trump would love that..press not allowed to publish anything that is not government approved.


It's actually a huge concern for many of us. Yes, Trump would LOVE to control what information gets out, and he would love to control the press. Scary really. 
And the things he gets upset about are really strange. Like the size of the crowd. I mean, he could have said something about the tweets about his son (completely distasteful I agree) or you know, policy and how he's going to improve the country, but instead he chose to get so offended by the reports on crowd size that he sent his press secretary in to his first press conference to outright lie. And lie about something that most of us saw with our own eyes and is demonstrably false. It's so weird...


----------



## Jesthar

ouesi said:


> It's actually a huge concern for many of us. Yes, Trump would LOVE to control what information gets out, and he would love to control the press. Scary really.
> And the things he gets upset about are really strange. Like the size of the crowd. I mean, he could have said something about the tweets about his son (completely distasteful I agree) or you know, policy and how he's going to improve the country, but instead he chose to get so offended by the reports on crowd size that he sent his press secretary in to his first press conference to outright lie. And lie about something that most of us saw with our own eyes and is demonstrably false. It's so weird...


Yeah, but it distracts people from the women's marches, doesn't it? He's a master of redirection - it's the only way he's kept people fooled so far...


----------



## cheekyscrip

Jesthar said:


> Yeah, but it distracts people from the women's marches, doesn't it? He's a master of redirection - it's the only way he's kept people fooled so far...


Old Russian school of misinformation....used by so many..in Spain it is always Gibraltar...whatever news they do not like to hear....


----------



## noushka05

This is brilliant & apparently from someone who worked in a past administration. Whatever happened to critical thinking?


----------



## cheekyscrip

I truly expect a Putin model of democracy . Group of oligarchs united with army and opposition falling out of the window..accidentally...
Then I also suspect it will not end in USA....
There were already calls for resignations of everyone not in agreement with Brexit , executives threaten to be fired? 
Press told they should not criticise...
BoE already changing the tune ...Judges were threatened...

But do not worry both USA and UK will get best possible....
Or so you will be duly informed


----------



## noushka05

Dogloverlou said:


> But America voted for him  so in light of that the protests don't really fit the vast majority.
> 
> Meh, I don't feel strongly enough about it either way, but what's done is done, he is now president and what he does next remains to be seen.


Basically protesters are this man. Resisting tyranny.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
after Trumpster's 1st sennight as POTUS, i'm convinced we're living in an asylum for mental illness, & an erratic confidence man suffering from delusions of grandeur & neuroticism is now 'the Director' of the asylum.

*** not joking ***
.
there are multiple lists of Prez Hair-Don't's actions over his 1st week. I'll append an official one later - for now, here are a few of my personal highlights, in no particular order.
.
He told the insurers who cover ACA consumers that violations won't be prosecuted.
[IOW, an insurer who, say, refuses to insure someone with a pre-existing condition won't be punished.]
So... who's covered, & for what?
If U've already paid that premium, are U or aren't U covered?
Must the insurer live up to the contract they offered?... or can they ignore their own policy?
.
more insanity:
Health & Human Welfare was gagged; no information to be released to ANYone, including Congress or the Senate.
.
2 controversial & pointless oil-pipelines were resuscitated.
.
the E.P.A. & US Dept of Ag were next gagged:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/...cations-as-trump-administration-moves-in.html
.
no press releases, research papers, website publications, responses to queries, social-media posts, UNLESS they are pre-approved by a political appointee.
Huh?...
THE * TAXPAYERS * PAY * THEIR * WAGES, pay for the research, buy the supplies, paid for the buildings, lab equpment, the janitors, the dining facility & kitchen, cooks & servers...
but we can't KNOW * WHAT * THEY'VE * LEARNED?
what the flaming H*** kinda crapola is this?!
.
.
Trumpling also forced all the senior Admin of the State Dept to "resign".
... these are not political employees; they are lifetime, career civil-servants.
.
this was just shortly after Trumpster sent messages to ALL * OUR * OVERSEAS embassies, telling =everybody= to come back to the U-S, immediately.
Again, many were career diplomats, not political appointees but lifetime CS specialists with decades of experience.
These were ppl who'd lived overseas for years on end, with their families - suddenly told to yank the kids outta school, get out of their homes, pack-up & get out.

WTH?... many were forced to split, the wife & kids staying, the hubby back to the States.
These are key posts, & personnel to fill them are few & far between. It can take *months* to fill these posts, & YEARS to become fluent in the local culture, get a level of trust, make connections with their compatriots in the host Govt, etc, etc.
Insane.
.
.
His press-Sec & POTUS Trump are still furious over the Evull Media **lying!** about how many ppl came to witness Trumpster's investiture.
Yeah, well -- guess what? // Obama out-drew Trump, even at his 2nd inauguration.
The Women's March on Sat swamped even Obama's FIRST inauguration for sheer participation.
.
Suck on that, Donny. I hope it really puckers ya. >:--\
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
forgot one:
Trumpling in his infinite idiocy SHUT-OFF the grants & contracts that are / were funding already-running research & programs of the E.P.A.
.

.
guess what, cizzens?
That includes the Federal funds for the Superfund sites, & the money going to Flint, Mich., to try to fix the lead-contamination in that city... among all the other research projects, contracted jobs, construction, decontamination, data collection, surveys, toxicology tests, & on... & on... & on.
.
Many of these projects will be impossible to continue after this interruption; the cultured plates in the incubator will be dead, the hired staff will find other jobs, the lab won't pay the rent & loses their lease...
Donnie doesn't care. Donnie has no grasp of the consequences of his actions, & really doesn't care if it means PAYING * ALL * OVER * AGAIN at a higher future price, to do the same bl**dy dam*ed job.
That's not his problem.
.
It's *our* problem - the taxpayers', the agencies', the citizens' problem.
He doesn't grok it, & doesn't care if it's a massive waste of the money already spent, plus the future money that will be spent, again.

.
DJT also threated our #2 trade-partner, Mexico, with a "20% border tariff".
This would decimate the Mexican economy, & seriously cripple the U-S manufacture sector.
.
.
the "Mexico rule" that cuts-off funding to foreign public health organizations if they so much as *breathe* the word 'abortion' as a possibility, has enormously INCREASED * ABORTIONS * WORLDWIDE.
Duh-oh!... No access to contraception? - UN-intended pregs rise.
Women who can't afford contraceptives or can't provide for another mouth, another body in the house, another school fee, *must* find a way to stop that inevitable new set of unfillable needs.
Hence, anothr abortion - legal, illegal, medical or back-street, home induced or drug, safe or septic, lethal or not.
.
.
"Govt by impulse" does not work out well. 
.
.
.
.
.


----------



## KittenKong

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...d-john-f-kennedy-airport-kicked-a7548651.html

Not unexpected sadly. Deja vu after the UK Brexit victory....


----------



## leashedForLife

.
def, KK -
the surge in hate-speech & hate crimes since the morning of Nov-10th has been nothing short of stunning.
White nationalists / neo-Nazis / skinheads / KKK / homophobic & other bigots feel empowered by our Bigot in Chief.

Swastikas have sprouted on church & school walls, anonymous threats are delivered to doorsteps & mailboxes, & innocent ppl are terrorized.
Beatings, assaults, & terroristic threats [ex, "We're gonna kill U..." from a passerby on the street] have soared.
.
It's grotesque.
The cockroaches are coming out into the light.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

leashedForLife said:


> .
> def, KK -
> the surge in hate-speech & hate crimes since the morning of Nov-10th has been nothing short of stunning.
> White nationalists / neo-Nazis / skinheads / KKK / homophobic & other bigots feel empowered by our Bigot in Chief.
> 
> Swastikas have sprouted on church & school walls, anonymous threats are delivered to doorsteps & mailboxes, & innocent ppl are terrorized.
> Beatings, assaults, & terroristic threats [ex, "We're gonna kill U..." from a passerby on the street] have soared.
> .
> It's grotesque.
> The cockroaches are coming out into the light.
> .
> .
> .


It's very worrying.

_Edited for spelling_


----------



## leashedForLife

.
pretty sure U meant, "...isn't it?", HappyPaws?

.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

leashedForLife said:


> .
> pretty sure *U* meant, "...isn't it?", HappyPaws?
> 
> .
> .
> .


Sorry,

did you mean *you*


----------



## leashedForLife

.
oh, piffle - i already *liked* Ur comment, i only wanted to confirm Ur intention, as it clearly reads,
".. very worrying IT ISN'T", which i don't believe U meant to write.
.
I've explained multiple times that English unlike Fr, Deutsche, Span, etc, lacks a 'polite form' to address or refer to persons we don't know well, or employers, experts, & others to whom we defer.
Hence w/o Sie, auf Deutsche, or Thee / thou, i use U as a polite form of address.
.
i wasn't being critical - simply confirming.
Feel free to add me to 'ignore' if i'm so unbearable. 
.
.
.


----------



## catz4m8z

Happy Paws said:


> It's very worrying it isn't.


Im pretty sure Happypaws is direct quoting Yoda here...
'very worried I am over Darth Trump'


----------



## leashedForLife

.
meanwhile, back at the ranch...
the Pres exec-order had airport personnel stopping arriving persons with valid visas, even US-citizens, merely b/c they came from the 7 'banned' Muslim nations [not one terrorist attack in the U-S has been committed by anyone from those 7 countries, but logic be dam*ed, Trump banned any immigrants from all 7, innocent tho they have been or are].
.
.
thousands of ppl were detained in airports, & many-thousands more *went* to airports to protest loudly.
.
.
a late-light STAY was issued by a Federal judge in NY last night, clarifying that anyone who already *has* a visa must be admitted.
.
there will be further legal clarification after a daylight hearing in Federal court, probly on Monday or Tues.
.
the insanity of the various orders & the confusion created is huge; insurers are lost, insured citizens are uncertain & worried, the legal status of the 2 pipelines is vague & will, once again, be in court.
The only ppl delighted by Trumpling's investiture are on Wall St, where business is brisk & stocks are rising - based solely on the happy prospect of DEregulation & the unfettered pursuit of profit at any co$t, ethical, environmental, safety hazards, pollution, outright theft, who gives a dam*.
.
A bit over a week, & chaos reigns; DJT insists he didn't do / say / write what he oh-so-clearly & provably *did*, & goes on to deny yet more provably true acts of his own, & of his minions.
.
.
Nutz.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
even ppl carrying already-issued GREEN CARDS were sent back to their origin points, which is incredible -
to say nothing of the additional ban on ALL * REFUGEES, which has left many already en route in limbo.
Lady Liberty in NYC's harbor has doused her torch; no more "tempest-tossed" or "yearning poor", thank U, we want billionnaires with significant investment portfolios.

An Iranian scientist hired by a Mass laboratory, a Syrian refugee family headed to Ohio for a new life, a family adopted by the congregation of a Jewish temple in Manhattan -
all trapped in limbo.
.
Businesses who use foreign labor regularly are stunned & worried.
Colleges & universities are anxious about their international students; many have directed foreign nationals not to leave the state, let alone the U-S, until all this mess is legally hashed-out in court, which could be months away.
No visits home, & no visitors *from* home, for some.

.
.
.


----------



## stockwellcat.

Petition to stop Donald Trump from making a state visit later this year to UK due to the travel bans he has put in place:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928/


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Iran has decided on a tit-for-tat response, they may block all U-S visitors.
Obviously, other countries may follow suit - business interests, mutual defense, disaster response, & more, can all be catastrophically affected.
.
Imagine if there were an Ebola outbreak, or the serious respiratory illness [similar to SARS] found in North Africa, erupts in one of those 7 nations, & U-S physicians & nurses or U-S personnel from the U.N. disaster team, cannot enter the country / ies where the disease is raging.
We would have a very different outcome from the recent Ebola outbreak in W Africa, which cost thousands of lives & millions of dollars, even *with* co-operative borders & customs controls.
.
DJT never thinks of consequences - only his knee-jerk prejudices, whether pro or con.
Pro-business [but pro-tariff?!]
Pro-petroleum, pro- fossil fuels.
Anti-environmental.
Anti-science.
.
He thinks he can *declare* his own facts, & reality will magickally comply with his desires.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

stockwellcat said:


> Petition to stop Donald Trump from making a state visit later this year to UK due to the travel bans he has put in place:
> 
> https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928/[/QUOTE)
> 
> I don't think they can stop a state visit, now he has publicly been invited.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
watch Bernie Sanders question Sec of Education nominee DeVos...




.
_"Would You Be Here If You Weren't A Multi-Billionaire?..." _-- good Q.
.
.
further, 
http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...ry-confirmation-hearing-gop-donations-sot.cnn
.
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics...on-hearing-bernie-sanders-al-franken-real-bad
.
_"...committee Democrats barraged DeVos with specific, pointed questions about her attempts to privatize public education, even pleading with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the HELP chairman, for the opportunity to ask more questions as the three-and-a-half-hour hearing boiled over._
_DeVos reaffirmed her support for an education system beyond a "one size fits all" approach that opened up choices - "whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, religious, or any combination thereof." But when pushed beyond her talking points, she was stiff and often thrown off her game."_
_._
_"









Carolyn Kaster/AP

Betsy DeVos' confirmation hearing to become President-elect Donald Trump's education secretary was originally scheduled for last Wednesday but ultimately postponed until late Tuesday afternoon. With an extra week to get ready, Senate Democrats came prepared-and DeVos, oddly enough, did not.


*Our latest investigation: Betsy DeVos Wants to Use America's Schools to Build "God's Kingdom" *
While Republicans on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions lauded the billionaire philanthropist-and prominent GOP donor-for her commitment to expanding charter schools and voucher programs, committee Democrats barraged DeVos with specific, pointed questions about her attempts to privatize public education, even pleading with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the HELP chairman, for the opportunity to ask more questions as the three-and-a-half-hour hearing boiled over.

DeVos reaffirmed her support for an education system beyond a "one size fits all" approach that opened up choices-"whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, religious, or any combination thereof." But when pushed beyond her talking points, she was stiff and often thrown off her game:

*"If you were not a multibillionaire…"*
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) didn't shy away from challenging DeVos on her family's large contributions to the Republican Party. "Do you think that if you were not a multibillionaire, if your family had not made hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions, that you would be sitting here today?" Sanders followed up by grilling DeVos on free college education and tax cuts on the richest Americans.

*"Do you not want to answer my question?"*
During a tense exchange, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) challenged DeVos on whether schools that receive federal funding should meet the same accountability standards, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, and report the same information on instances of bullying, discipline, and harassment.
DeVos was…less than forthcoming."
.
._
.


----------



## Mirandashell

The petition is now over 400,000 signatures.


----------



## Mirandashell

I don't think it matters if the State Visit *has* to go ahead. We should make our feelings known. We should protest it. The American government has to know what other countries feel. Because maybe then they will do something about that ridiculous Electoral College and, hopefully, impeach this disgusting racist sexist narcisistic bastard as soon as possible.


----------



## stockwellcat.

Mirandashell said:


> I don't think it matters if the State Visit *has* to go ahead. We should make our feelings known. We should protest it. The American government has to know what other countries feel. Because maybe then they will do something about that ridiculous Electoral College and, hopefully, impeach this disgusting racist sexist narcisistic bastard as soon as possible.


The petition is a form of protesting.
The petition will be debated in Westminster Hall but is non-binding so nothing comes of it.
This type of protest is a voice of opinion and less disruptive than marching on the streets.


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, stockwellcat:

This type of protest [an on-line petition] is a voice of opinion, and *less disruptive than marching on the streets.*

/QUOTE
.
.
it's also exceptionally easy to do... so doesn't show much investment by the parties who sign it.
Actually assembling in the streets - or showing up at a news conference, or sending a HAND-WRITTEN LETTER, or other things that require doing something besides click, or SHOWING UP in person - have far more impact. 
.
.
.


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> i use U as a polite form of address


@leashedForLife: thank you for the unnecessary explanation; though I fail to see why you (or ''U'') would use text-speak as a polite form of address. Is that for both singular and plural? Or don't you know?


----------



## stockwellcat.

leashedForLife said:


> QUOTE, stockwellcat:
> 
> This type of protest [an on-line petition] is a voice of opinion, and *less disruptive than marching on the streets.*
> 
> /QUOTE
> .
> .
> it's also exceptionally easy to do... so doesn't show much investment by the parties who sign it.
> Actually assembling in the streets - or showing up at a news conference, or sending a HAND-WRITTEN LETTER, or other things that require doing something besides click, or SHOWING UP in person - have far more impact.
> .
> .
> .


And what does standing or marching in the streets shouting achieve apart from a sore throat?

Governments around the world do very well with ignoring these protests like in the UK there was a mass riot in the streets and David Cameron was on holiday, other protests in the UK have fallen on deaf ears.

So again what does mass gatherings achieve that a petition can't?

Both make news headlines I agree on that.


----------



## Mirandashell

Do you know what the most effective protest in the UK was? The Poll Tax protest. And I don't mean the riots. I mean the collective decision to not pay it. It was quiet and underground and not much talked about in the media. But it lead to the removal of the Poll Tax and downfall of Margaret Thatcher. 

I agree that this petition will be ignored. But we have to make our feelings felt. And yes, we should totally back it up with letters to MPs, with discussion on social media, with whatever we feel able to do. 

Protest is important.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
who sez U automatically *shout* during a street protest?
I have yet to yell, tho i've participated in many. I've chanted, sung, talked to ppl around me, spoken to passersby or observers or news-reporters, or simply walked, with or w/o a sign or banner.
.
SHOUTING is not required.
.
meanwhile, Stockwell, if U don't want to show up for a march or public demontration, there are plenty of more impactful ways to register protest than clicking on an on-line petition - which is cheap, easy & fast, thus low-impact.
I've listed a number of them above - i'll add boycott businesses, write Ur own letter to an elected rep [don't send off a form letter or a mass-produced postcard], write a letter to the editor, organize an educational event, visit an elected rep, send an educational packet, etc.
.
"shouting" is needless & often counter-productive.
Talking is imperative.
Doing something that requires more than a click will have more impact, & the more in-person & individual, the greater the impact.
.
.
form-letters are low impact; actual written petitions with signatures AND printed legible names AND one's voting town or city carry far-more weight.
.
if U can't be arsed to do more than click an on-line petition, so be it.
But don't expect massive kudos for a minimal-effort, & don't expect much impact from that petition, either.
.
.
.


----------



## stockwellcat.

What did the protests achieve on the 20th January 2017 in Washington? Oh yeah that's right, violence, riots, arrests, damaged shops and someone's limo got burnt out. So you call this protesting in the UK we call it rioting.


----------



## Guest

stockwellcat said:


> What did the protests achieve on the 20th January 2017 in Washington? Oh yeah that's right, violence, riots, arrests, damaged shops and someone's limo got burnt out. So you call this protesting in the UK we call it rioting.


Do you ever read anything other than headlines stockwellcat?


----------



## stockwellcat.

ouesi said:


> Do you ever read anything other than headlines stockwellcat?


Didn't need to read anything it was all over TV @ouesi on the news.


----------



## Guest

stockwellcat said:


> Didn't need to read anything it was all over TV. @ousei


LOL you don't even realize that sounds even worse


----------



## leashedForLife

.
there was no widespread "rioting" in D.C., Seattle, San Fran, Boston, or anywhere else -
D.C. police were criticized for launching tear-gas when nothing had happened, & a few individuals does not constitute a "riot".
.
IIRC, the only protest that had significant numbers of violent protestors was in Seattle, Wash - the state, not the national capitol.
Very few incidents of any violence whatever, in hundreds of cities, in the U-S & abroad; very few incidents of damage, very few arrests.
Literally millions of ppl turned out on Sat, 1/21, & in L-A, Calif, alone, an estimated 700K persons were protesting.
Over 1/2 million were in D.C.; inevitably some a$$wipes & hotheads will show up, but that doesn't mean the entire crowd is lawless, violent hooligans!
.
.
there was a rumor that some of the D.C. violence was paid actors; it's possible, but the fraction involved was so small i can't get exercised about it.
.
.
.


----------



## Jonescat

Protest doesn't usually achieve anything in a day. Protestors are playing a longer game on the whole, and ONE of the things that protest achieved was to remind the world that it was a close vote, and not all Americans want what is happening now.


----------



## Guest

I'll be sure to tell all the civil rights protestors and marchers in the 60's that they achieved nothing... The women who marched for the right for women to vote, the students who marched for voter rights... 

Oh, but wait, they did.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
precisely, Jonesy -
in fact, had the popular vote been the sole deciding vote, Hilary would be in the White House, Trumpster would demand a recount, & the U-S wouldn't be embarrassed by a flood of repressive, backward, ethnically & religiously bigoted Prez edicts.
>:-\
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
right *now*, there's a massive protest going on in Boston, MA -
very angry over the latest kink in immigration bans, detaining, deporting, & blocking ppl.
.
when i saw the size of the crowd, i assumed it was D.C. / the nat'l capitol.
THIRTY-FOUR THOUSAND PPL are being held under Federal detention.
.
similar protests are all over the U-S, thousands in L.A., Calif, plus Philthy, Penna, Atlanta, Ga, & more.
.
very proud of my fellow Bostonians - i'd be there, if i could.
A live-in job is not flex-time, sadly.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
re the inability or unwillingness of ppl to speak the dread words, _"climate change"..._
even while dealing with its FX every day, which is pretty doggone asinine -
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/28/...ing-climate-change-in-americas-heartland.html
.
Farmers in the U-S breadbasket won't admit there IS such a thing - but they're forced to farm differently, to cope with the new reality.
.
QUOTE,
_"...an editor for a closely followed agriculture magazine, Successful Farming, recently made a controversial move, drawing a flurry of angry letters: He broke with longstanding policy to address climate change head-on._
_Photo









The October 2014 cover of Successful Farming that addressed the science of climate change. Credit Meredith Corporation

"Some readers thanked us," the editor Gil Gullickson said. "But some wondered whether we'd been hijacked by avid environmentalists."

The climate has not always been such a partisan issue. *Richard Nixon, a Republican president*, set up the Environmental Protection Agency & signed the Clean Air Act. *Ronald Reagan* ushered in the Montreal Protocol, the first global treaty to protect the global atmosphere.

Much of that consensus has broken down, in no small part because of a well-financed push by fossil-fuel interests, together with influential Republican allies, to attack well-established research on topics like global warming and push back on environmental regulation. That push began in earnest during the George W. Bush administration as attempts to undercut the Clean Air Act, and since then, the divide has widened."_

.
.


----------



## Jonescat

People are signing that petition so fast that the total is going up as you watch it - never seen that before.

Here is a small but brave protest against Saudi bombing in the Yemen



__ https://www.facebook.com/QuakersinBritain/posts/1589740954376385



Yemen is the place where the Disasters Emergency Committee are desparately trying to save 7 million people from starving. And Saudi is a country that we stand shoulder to shoulder with in the name of trade deals.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
protests over the immigration ban, now in 30 cities -
.
http://heavy.com/news/2017/01/airpo...igns-refugee-detained-dallas-executive-order/
.
http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gal...utive-order-spawns-protests-rallies/97168132/
.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...s-stay-has-little-impact-travel-ban/97211720/
.
multiple nat'l & state reps have also JOINED PROTESTS around the U-S - Senators, Congress, etc.
Elizabeth Warren is my hero - on many issues.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...tend-trump-immigration-ban-protests/97207200/
.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/29/politics/us-immigration-protests/index.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
re the gag-orders issued by the White House / DJT to various Federal agencies:
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/...cations-as-trump-administration-moves-in.html
.
.
no press releases, no media posts, no website alterations / updates, NO talking to reporters, consumers, citizens, or even to Congress without prior vetting of every statement by a Trumpling appointee.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Christian leaders take to their pulpits to denounce the [illegal] favoring of Christian refugees, while Muslim refugees are blocked -
*"discriminatory, misguided and inhumane."*
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/...rumps-plan-to-favor-christian-immigrants.html
.
.
top Repugnants also criticize the new immigration / travel bans & rules:
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/us/politics/republicans-congress-trump-refugees.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the actual immigration order, with annotations:
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/28/us/politics/annotating-trump-immigration-refugee-order.html
.
FULL TEXT here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/us/politics/refugee-muslim-executive-order-trump.html
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, stockwellcat:

What did the protests achieve on the _*20th January 2017 in Washington?*_
Oh yeah that's right, *violence, riots, arrests, damaged shops* and someone's *limo got burnt out*.

So you call this protesting -- in the UK(,) we call it rioting.

/QUOTE
.
.
'tis the season for fact-checking -
D.C. cops & other sources:
.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=429...t-police-say-no-arrests-at-womens-march-in-dc
.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...arch-on-washington-yields-zero-arrests-report
.
http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/womens-march-led-to-zero-arrests-official-says/
.
St Paul, Minn:
1 _counter-protestor _arrested, no Women's March participants.
http://www.onenewspage.com/video/20170123/6615050/Counter-Protester-Arrested-At-St-Paul-Women.htm
.
.
http://www.onenewspage.com/n/Entertainment/75e21jpg9/VIDEO-Can-Keep-Quiet.htm
.
http://www.onenewspage.com/n/US/75e21jepz/He-only-Putin-b*tch!-Gays.htm
.
*"The Women's March Taught Me To Get Offline And Show Up*"
http://www.onenewspage.com/n/Politics/75e21l375/The-Women-March-Taught-Me-To-Get.htm
.
.
http://laist.com/2017/01/22/la_womens_march_no_arrests.php
.
_"On Saturday, between 500,000 & 750,000 people marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles during the L.A. Women's March. And *though the event was the largest of its kind outside the Women's March on Washington, D.C., not one single arrest was made.* Let that sink in for a moment."_
_._
_._
Chicago:
250K on the street, 0 arrests.
http://chicagoist.com/2017/01/23/the_police_decide_which_black.php
.
.
Got any links for all that spozed "explosions of violence", @stockwellcat ?
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Denver, Colo:
ww.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2017/01/21/9news-big-crowds-gather-in-denver-for-womens-march.html
.
I liked the "Toddler Trump" dude in D.C.; he wore diapers & dyed himself orange, carrying a nude Barbie doll. 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
just a brief note about the speed & intensity of today's protests re the immigration Prez edict -
there was an online appeal last night about 10-pm for VOLUNTEER LAWYERS to represent immigrants, visitors, workers, etc, trapped in this morass.
.
by midnight, over THREE THOUSaND attorneys had volunteered.
I worked in a 4-partner law office in Norfolk, Va., where my elder sis, a paralegal, was the Exec Secretary.
Believe me, lawyers don't leap to offer discounts, let alone 'free' services.
Then, the average plug atty charged $300 / hr, including travel time, discovery / telephone, precedent research, etc - *every minute* is billable.
.
Now, the average plug atty wants a minimum of $600 / hr.
3K volunteers in a couple hours is stunning response.
.
.
.


----------



## Mirandashell

That's amazing. American lawyers, amazing stuff.

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2017...ed-on-floor-of-us-airports-to-help-detainees/


----------



## leashedForLife

.
aside from his $$, Donny cares deeply abt how he's seen by the public / portrayed by the media; his "brand image".
.
the UK petition to cancel his State visit has already passed 1M signatures & is still going strong;
it refers to his racist & misogynist attitude, & bigoted behavior.
It may not get his photo-opp @ Downing st cancelled, but it *might* make him more circumspect, in future.
Fewer blatant displays of narrow-minded braying jacka$$ery would certainly be an improvement.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
what a lying barsteward, even with easily-verified or readily debunked FACTS -
Trumpling blamed all the chaos at Int'l airports on Fri nite thru Sat & Sun, on "Delta Airlines" b/c their computers were down...
for a *small part* of those 48 to 72-hrs.
He seems to be a compulsive liar, even over petty details [like the # of ppl who attended his inauguration - even including every person who was required to attend, such as the POTUS Marine Band who performed, or the judges who swore DJT & Pence in, or the D.C. cops on crowd control, it still wouldn't approach the attendance @ Obama's inaugurals, #1 or even #2].
.
Blessedly, the Boston judge who will preside over a hearing re the immigration / visitors edict is a well-known, fearless adjudicator who is both nonpartisan & not threatened by Authority - even when it's vested in a shouting bully.
:eyeroll:
Judge Burroughs may have already scheduled the docket, but i don't get any newspaper -
I'll check the Globe's front page on my way to work.
.
.
The vast majority of arriving persons trapped by the bans were students returning to universities, their visiting families, new hires for U-S companies, & visiting scholars / specialists.
A smaller fraction were refugees coming to promised new lives; the smallest subset was tourists.
.
.
It's incredible that Trumpling can't see that *banning* ppl who come from majority-Muslim countries, & even worse, banning ALL refugees for an endless 4-mos, only gives ammo to ISIS / ISIL / Al Qeada & other radical Islamists.
Giving *Christian refugees* priority status when they come from Muslim-majority nations is salt rubbed in an open wound - it can only inflame & outrage, even apolitical spectators will be angered to see cherry-picking among the desperate simply based on their claimed faith.

This cannot end well - our national reputation has been badly smirched in the past, when we refused entry to Chinese immigrants in the Gold Rush era, denied voting rights to black ppl, refused entry to Jews fleeing the genocide of the 30s, but this is the most-blatant misuse of power in 70-years, & directed at those least able to defend themselves:
individuals cannot fight a massive Federal bureaucracy.
.
.
Trumpster still insists we "need this" to protect ourselves; his paranoia knows no bounds, as not 1 citizen or refugee from those 7 countries has ever committed a terrorist act on U-S soil.
Nations whose citizens HAVE committed terrorist acts, are too enmeshed in the U-S economy, international obligations, shared military or political goals, or otherwise entangled - so they can't be targeted for such insults.
These 7 are a test-case, nations we can - or so he thinks - impugn without repercussions.
.
.
What a fool.
He has given ISIS a beautiful present, many many eager volunteers for their fighting ranks, & even worse, plenty of fodder for propaganda.
.
.
.


----------



## Mirandashell

I bet my bottom dollar the next terrorist attack on US soil will be by Americans.


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Mirandashell:

I bet my bottom dollar, the next terrorist attack on US soil will be by Americans.

/QUOTE
.
.
I'm afraid i agree. 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
'*Several Trump appointees shared unflattering views of minorities & women on social media'*
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-appointees-minorities-women-234315
.
.
*"Republicans aggressively push approval of Trump Cabinet nominees" -*
'Republicans ... suspended the rules to approve two nominees *(while Democrats were not present)*, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) for Secretary of Health & Human Services, & Steven T. Mnuchin to lead the Treasury.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powe...2b5458-e87f-11e6-b82f-687d6e6a3e7c_story.html
quote,
_*"Current HHS nominee, Rep Tom Price (R-GA) is already under scrutiny for stock purchases in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry."*_
.
.
*"Trump's Supreme Court pick marks end of one battle, starts new one"*
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/31/politics/supreme-court-nominee-preview-donald-trump/
.
.
"*Billionaire Trump appointee attempting to purchase airline receiving millions in government contracts: report"*
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/bil...ving-millions-in-government-contracts-report/
_"...Trump's nominee to be Army Secretary is in the process of selling off his stake in one airline with the intent of reinvesting in a charter airline that is the recipient in millions in government sub-contracts._
_
According to a report in the New York Times, billionaire Wall Street trader Vincent Viola is *selling his stake in Eastern Airlines* and may be attempting to purchase charter line Swift Air.

Viola, who is co-owner of the NHL's Florida Panthers and worth an estimated $1.8 billion, may be selling off *Eastern* which* is subject to heavy regulation* by the federal government in order to stay in the industry - but at a level that receives less scrutiny.

According to anonymous sources who revealed Viola's interest in purchasing the smaller line, *Swift's deals with the government are mostly via sub-contract, making it harder to follow the dollars*.

As Army Secretary, Viola risks being viewed as violating conflict of interest laws when he is confirmed as part of Trump's cabinet."_
.
.
Apparently Donnie has forgotton his original intent was to 'drain the swamp', not to throw raw meat to the gators in the water.  
.
.
*"Trump fires acting AG after she declines to defend travel ban"*
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/politics/donald-trump-immigration-order-department-of-justice/
.
Donnie was miffed when Yates told Justice Department lawyers not to make legal arguments defending Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees.
Could it be b/c it's both illegal & unconstitutional?... IOW, indefensible.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
_"*Why Trump's Firing of [Atty-general] Sally Yates Should Worry You"*_
_http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/trump-firing-sally-yates-should-worry-214716_
.
.
_QUOTE,_
_"
At her Senate confirmation hearing [in 2015], Yates was asked by, of all people, *current Attorney General-designee Jeff Sessions *whether she was capable of standing up to the president if she ever believed his actions to be unlawful.
Yates answered unhesitatingly that she would do just that.

"I believe the attorney general or the deputy attorney general *has an obligation to the law and the Constitution, & to give their independent legal advice to the president*," Yates said._
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
*Trump security's use of force questioned*
Testimony shows confusion, lack of procedures among Trump security aides.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-securitys-use-of-force-questioned-234396
.
.
*DeVos nomination stands at 50-50*
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/susan-collins-betsy-devos-confirmation-234497
.
.
*Trump launches media attack during Black History Month listening session*
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-black-history-month-media-attack-234487
_"... so much of the media is opposition party. And *knowingly saying incorrect things*," Trump said."_
_Pot, kettle - black?..._
.
.
*White House ices out CNN*
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-cnn-press-234455
_"Trump administration refuses to put officials on air on the network the president called 'fake news'."_
.
FWIW, Trumpster's fave news-channel is FOX-tv, which is sarcastically dubbed "Faux News" in the U.S.A. 
Of course, this is the man who thinks that FaceBook is a "more reliable source" than his daily security briefing. Need i say more?
.
.
.


----------



## Jesthar

leashedForLife said:


> .*White House ices out CNN*
> http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-cnn-press-234455
> _"Trump administration refuses to put officials on air on the network the president called 'fake news'."_
> .
> FWIW, Trumpster's fave news-channel is FOX-tv, which is sarcastically dubbed "Faux News" in the U.S.A.
> Of course, this is the man who thinks that FaceBook is a "more reliable source" than his daily security briefing. Need i say more?


I wonder how long it will be before he bans UK journalists after the questions they dared to ask 

This popped up on FB tonight, looks like Disney have some re-writing to do:


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/01/trials-for-a-global-university/
.
.
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-these...oppose-trump-s-executive-order-on-immigration
.
"WORKING PAPER | HBS WORKING PAPER SERIES | 2016
*Immigrant Entrepreneurship"*
by Sari Pekkala Kerr and William R. Kerr
http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication Files/17-011_da2c1cf4-a999-4159-ab95-457c783e3fff.pdf
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

Just been watching the news and I'm sorry but every time Trump opens his mouth I'd like to shove a sock in it, he turns my stomach over.


----------



## SpringDance

I watched that speech - awful. The most dangerous country in the world: America. Maybe I read too much into it, but his speeches seem to be building up to something.


----------



## Jesthar

Current news reports are saying that Trump has given the Aussie PM an earful over the phone accusing him of seeking to export illegal immigrants and the "next Boston bombers" to the US (referring to a deal made with the Obama administration to take 1,000 or so refugees currently in Aussie camps, which the Aus PM asked him to update on whether or not the Trump administration intended to honour), boasted about how big his win was, called the phonecall the worst he'd had, then hung up abruptly after 25 minutes of a scheduled 1 hour call.

Australia is regarded as one of the USAs closest allies, and this was excepted to be a 'friendly' call...


----------



## kimthecat

Happy Paws said:


> Just been watching the news and I'm sorry but every time Trump opens his mouth I'd like to shove a sock in it, he turns my stomach over.


 or a grenade !


----------



## Jesthar

kimthecat said:


> or a grenade !


Nah, no way do we want *him *becoming a martyr! 

Besides, if he carries on like this his mouth will be the end of him anyway...

EDIT: and as if to underline that, here's one of his most recent Tweets:

"Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!"


----------



## kimthecat

@Jesthar Good points 
Any way I wouldn't want to make the cat on his head homeless


----------



## Happy Paws2

Everyday i listen to what his said, the more I think I should started digging a bunker in the garden.


----------



## Jesthar

Uh oh, here we go...

The US military has launched an investigation into the scale of civilian casualties in a botched special forces raid against a suspected al-Qaida base in Yemen, the first such mission to be approved by Donald Trump, as questions mount over the operation.

After initially denying there had been any civilian casualties in Sunday's raid, US Central Command (Centcom), which is responsible for military operations in the Middle East and central Asia, acknowledged some of the dead may have included women and children, though they also claimed some of the women were armed.

US military officials told Reuters tha Donald Trump approved his first covert counter-terrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations.

A US Navy SEAL also died when the raid went badly wrong.


----------



## SpringDance

Anger

Sadness

Bunker :Bag


----------



## DogLover1981

Jesthar said:


> Current news reports are saying that Trump has given the Aussie PM an earful over the phone accusing him of seeking to export illegal immigrants and the "next Boston bombers" to the US (referring to a deal made with the Obama administration to take 1,000 or so refugees currently in Aussie camps, which the Aus PM asked him to update on whether or not the Trump administration intended to honour), boasted about how big his win was, called the phonecall the worst he'd had, then hung up abruptly after 25 minutes of a scheduled 1 hour call.
> 
> Australia is regarded as one of the USAs closest allies, and this was excepted to be a 'friendly' call...


If he continues to act like this he may eventually get impeached or something. If this is really how it all went, I'm sure the Australian government will be looking for connections elsewhere in the US government and possibly even phone US congresspeople. John McCain might be a good contact. This is a time where I'm thankful for the huge bureaucracy that the USA has.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
I can't bring myself to "like" a post about needless deaths, military screw-ups, & denied responsibility -

I feel ill.
.
nonetheless, thanks for posting it, Jesthar.
.
I'm wishing my family still owned our farm in Bucks Co, Penna -
i'd be digging with a pickaxe, right now.
I'd have a spring for water, game to eat, a huge garden, & wild & domestic fruit.
.
as it is, i'm in a huge city dependent on delivered food, with a vulnerable transit system & mass inequality.
I don't even have an apt of my own - i spend an average of $200 / wk to put a roof over my head, via a B&B for 4 nites.
A garden, let alone a bunker, is out of the realm of possibility.
.
.
Who's left that we can seriously p*ss off? - lessee, Canada, Mexico, Aussies...
we're playing nice for the camera with the UK, but only while we can make a buck off them B4 they go tits-up & become unprofitable.
Maybe getting into bed with China on the Spratley isles would turn a profit - of course, it'll tick off the Phillipines, but that's business, ya can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.
We could argue with Canada & Russia over petroleum & gas in the High Arctic...
or re-open the uranium mines on the rez, in the 4 Corners.
They're gonna start construction of the pipelines soon, there's bound to be a photo-opp there sometime.
How about breaking ground for a new golf-course in Yellowstone national park?! - great scenery for background shots, we'll have to get rid of the goddam grizzlies, tho.
Can't have all that bear-proof trash container nonsense when U want to run concession stands for drinks & food, & a couple of low-entry cafes would be nice - that Depression-era lodge is an outdated eyesore, a 40-story tower with a water-park would be GREAT, there!...
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

That this moment I wish the USA wasn't there at all, how could they have voted this insane man into the White House, Oh hang on, it's the same here we voted for Brexit, well some people did.


----------



## 1290423

Happy Paws said:


> That this moment I wish the USA wasn't there at all, how could they have voted this insane man into the White House, Oh hang on, it's the same here we voted for Brexit, well some people did.


Maybe those people foresaw a better future out of the eu.
Or perhaps they didnt like what the UK was becoming.
Just because people have different views of the eu doesnt mean they are wrong


----------



## Happy Paws2

DT said:


> Maybe those people foresaw a better future out of the eu.
> Or perhaps they didnt like what the UK was becoming.
> Just because people have different views of the eu doesnt mean they are wrong


We'll just have to wait and see, but I doubt I'll be around to find out the mess we'll be in.


----------



## 1290423

Thats pretty much what ive been saying from the start.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
a Federal judge in Seattle, Wash., shut down the immigration edict nationwide.
It's no longer in effect & cannot be enforced.
.
.
however, an atty explained that no one knows *who* is detained, nor *where* each of those individuals is being held -
there are lawyers ready & waiting to offer counsel, but they can't get into the secure holding areas of the airports to talk to detainees.
.
the Feds have said they'll "try to have a list by Monday" - these ppl have already been held illegally for a WEEK, & must be stuck there incommunicado for another 72-hrs?!...
this is not the America of my parents & grandparents.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
BTW, it wasn't "only 109 ppl out of over 325,000" who were detained -
.
OVER * ONE * HUNDRED * THOUSAND * ALREADY-APPROVED * VISAS * WERE * ==REVOKED== BY * THE FEDRAL * GOV'T.
.
.
that's a few more than "109 ppl".
In fact, it's a couple powers of 10 more. 
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros

_'What the world needs now is love sweet love,
Its the only thing that there's just to little of,
What the world needs now is love sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone_,'


----------



## Happy Paws2

Zaros said:


> _'What the world needs now is love sweet love,
> Its the only thing that there's just to little of,
> What the world needs now is love sweet love,
> No, not just for some but for everyone_,'


If only.

but I think, not a snowballs chance in hell, I'm sorry to say.


----------



## Jesthar

leashedForLife said:


> .
> BTW, it wasn't "only 109 ppl out of over 325,000" who were detained -
> .
> OVER * ONE * HUNDRED * THOUSAND * ALREADY-APPROVED * VISAS * WERE * ==REVOKED== BY * THE FEDRAL * GOV'T


Oh, this gets better:

"State Department officials announced that fewer than 60,000 visas had been revoked under the travel ban. The officials revealed the number after a government lawyer in a Virginia courthouse claimed that 100,000 visas had been rescinded."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...er-donald-trump-immigration-ban-a7562406.html

Looks like the government were trying to exaggerate their own 'success' - more 'alternate facts' I suppose?


----------



## leashedForLife

.
God knows what's actual fact, the 100K came directly from a Federal lawyer during the VA hearing over the legality of the exec-order.
.
as many ppl were immediately sent out of the U-S, not merely 'detained', getting a total will be a complex task.
.
as just 1 example, a Dr who went to Sudan on vacay to visit family, returned on a valid visa - only to be DEPORTED * TO * SAUDI * ARABIA while a judge was considering her case!...
customs agents utterly ignored her lawyer's explanation that the decision was pending in under an hour, escorted her flanked like a violent criminal, & bundled her onto a plane.
Her home, car, all her personal possessions, her JOB, are in Columbus, Ohio... as is her fiance', another Dr.
She's employed under a valid H-1B foreign-worker visa as a resident @ Cleveland Clinic.
[correction, can't EDIT on my retarded mobile: her job & home are in Cleveland, not Columbus].
.
.
.


----------



## white_shadow

​From The Minneapolis Star Tribune January 20.....and, posted on....TheCatSite (_quelle surprise!_)....where a number of 'discussions' continue


----------



## Satori

leashedForLife said:


> .
> BTW, it wasn't "only 109 ppl out of over 325,000" who were detained -
> .
> OVER * ONE * HUNDRED * THOUSAND * ALREADY-APPROVED * VISAS * WERE * ==REVOKED== BY * THE FEDRAL * GOV'T.
> .
> .
> that's a few more than "109 ppl".
> In fact, it's a couple powers of 10 more.
> .
> .
> .


109 raised to the power of 10'twice would be a number with 203 zeros after it. Even raised to the power of 2 twice you get 141 million. #exaggeration much.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
stuff it, Satori. 
.
109 is pretty god-blest close to 100.
100 THOUSAND is ONE THOUSAND TIMES 100.
.
Got it, now?... 100 times ***10-cubed***
I can't write superscripts, so the triple asterisks are to add *emphasis* -
ergo, the Trumpian admin mouthpiece was 'off' by a power of 3.
.
That's a fairly significant "rounding error", doncha think?
.
.
I hope my explanation clarifies the complex math required, LOL.
:-D
.
.
.


----------



## 3dogs2cats

I am not one for conspiracies at all but I have to say, Donald Trump declaring the people of USA should blame the judges ` if anything happens` makes me very, very uneasy.


----------



## cheekyscrip

I think DT announcing the travel ban right after TM's visit chose that very moment to look like Britain was supporting him and this orders.

No consideration for British people and their opinions at all.
John Bercow was right to ban DT from our parliament.

Britain cannot be perceived as supporting the violation of American Constitution, American values, attacks on judiciary and racism as such.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Trumpling is now working on the disassembly of Dodd-Frank, a bill meant to *prevent* any future repetitions of the catastrophic 2008 economic meltdown which began in our U-S housing bubble & quickly went global,
& deconstructing the consumer-protection bureau which helps prevent & redress financial fraud, seeded by Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Trumpster claims his distaste for the conumer-protection legislation is because "friends of mine can't get *loans*."
One wonders just what those multibilllionaire friends planned to =do= with those loans, if Warren's consumer-protection disallowed them?...
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Veep Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to approve billionaire DeVos as Sec'y of Education.
This is the woman who thinks public education, the only education available for the majority of elementary & secondary students, & long the pride of the U-S... 'free schooling for all' -- is dead & should be dismantled.
She wants taxpayer money to fund vouchers, so that public schools will be competing with charter & especially her favorite, RELIGIOUS schools, which will cherry-pick the most promising students & leave the public schools to educate only the dyslexic, distractable, rowdy, needy, ADHD, & other high-demand / low-payback students.
.
DeVos wants no separation of church & state in education; she wants religious schools to "establish the Kingdom of God on earth".
Ducky - which God did U have in mind, Betsy?
Mine's female with 3 faces; Her most-common symbol is the moon, waxing, full, or waning.
I'd bet Ur version is a Protestant patriarch on a throne of judgement -
where does that leave atheists, agnostics, Buddhists, Muslims, Baptists, snake-handlers, Catholics [Roman or Greek Orthodox], Lutherans, LDS/ Mormons, Santeria, pagans, & all the rest?... 
.
.
- in other news:
the Army Corps of Engineers has reneged on their announced plan to find "an alternate route" for the Dakota pipeline.
Apparently Trumpling's "alternate facts" literally trump any prior agreement they made to local residents or concerned citizens. 
So much for democracy - or transparency, ethics, or environmental stewardship.
.
.
- Alaska has introduced legislation to legalize aerial hunting of predators, including the Spring & Summer denning & nursing seasons when bear cubs & wolf pups are entirely dependent on their dams for breastmilk & care.
It will legalize aerial hunting in national parks & even WILDLIFE * REFUGES, plus allow *snares* to be used for bears -
which will inevitably result in deaths & torture of non-target species, as a snare traps any animal that steps into it, & 3-legged animals don't do well in the wild, even assuming they've got the teeth to gnaw off their own trapped limb.
Obv, a moose, caribou, deer, or other non-predator can't sever their tendons & bones, & hope to escape; they will simply die, slowly of starvation or thirst, quickly of hypothermia, or if they're lucky & the trapper returns speedily, of a bullet at close range.
.
Alaska is the sole remaining habitat where wolves & grizzlies & Ursus marinus / polar bears still exist over much of their original range; in the lower-48, wolves were extirpated & only recently re-introduced to less than 2% of their original range.
Grizzlies are found in just 4 states.
Polar bears outside of Alaska are captives in zoos.
.
in TrumpWorld where environmental stewardship is a waste of money & "hampers business", this legislation may well pass.
God help the predators of Alaska, if it does - every ex-logger is going to hire a bush pilot & start advertising "guided wolf hunts" for upper-income executives, to get out of their bespoke suits & "into the wilderness".
 A sickening prospect - but very possible.
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros




----------



## leashedForLife

.
there's an excellent article in today's NYX 'Sunday Business' section,
"A Watchdog Too Good At Its Job" -
discussing why the Repugnants have targeted the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
.
apparently it's worked well-enuf that it's causing problems for some big banking & financial corporations, they're p!ssed, & they're squeezing Congress & the House to get rid of it ... [& the troublesome controls of the Dodd-Frank Act, too].

.
.
.


----------



## Zaros




----------



## leashedForLife

.
Flynn quit as head of Security, setting a new record of only 24 days in office -
he assured the Russian ambassador [in a recorded phone call] they needn't worry abt sanctions imposed by the outgoing Obama admin, as retribution for Russian meddling in the POTUS election... as soon as Trumpling took office, the new sanctions would evaporate.
Unfortunately, acting against the policies of a current Admin is treason - so much for his new job.
It won't look good on his resume', either.
.
meanwhile, Trumpster intends to strip the wildlife reserve protections on 100M acres of offshore Arctic, in order to open it to drilling - for gas & oil.

Since fossil fuels & their atmospheric FX are the primary cause of the sea-ice meltdown, that's insult heaped on injury.
Needless to say, endangered polar bears & their equally threatened ice seal prey are not a consideration in DJT's thinking [or what passes for thinking in Trumpling's impulse-governed brain].
.
yes, U read it correctly: "100 Million acres" of offshore habitat.
Any spills would be devastating, as the cold temps preclude bacteria breaking down the crude; plus, with the "closest" Coast Guard station 1,000 miles away, spills would continue for weeks or months before they were detected.
Let's not forget that BP's first response to the massive Gulf of Mexico leak wasn't to shut it off, but to DISPERSE * THE * FLOATING * EVIDENCE as quickly as possible, to reduce any potential fines & spread the slick around - thus rendering much of the oil impossible to capture, & making it far-more toxic.
That'll improve the Arctic ecosystem. :eyeroll:
.
the Exxon Valdez tanker spill was how many years ago? -
Exxon fought in the courts for decades to avoid paying any damages to ppl whose livelihoods were destroyed, & Prince Edward Sound has yet to "recover" - its fisheries, shellfish, otters, birds, & even the plankton & algae are still a fraction of the pre-spill popns.
.
many Alaskans bankrupted by Exxon Valdez died of old age without getting a dime - just the way Exxon hoped they would.
.
if U think any spill that devastates the Arctic will compensate native ppls, think again.
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros




----------



## cheekyscrip

Interesting...who lend the money through bank most embroiled in laundering Russian dirty money?
To him, hos daughter, his son in law and his mother?

Trump empire was in trouble. Money for campaign needed.
It is much more than Trump...his advisers, his allies....very interesting indeed.


----------



## Happy Paws2

Oh Zaros, that's made me laugh.


----------



## cheekyscrip

Happy Paws said:


> Oh Zaros, that's made me laugh.


Do not encourage him!!!! ;O)


----------



## cheekyscrip




----------



## Zaros

cheekyscrip said:


> Do not encourage him!!!! ;O)


Bloody 'ell Scrippy!:Jawdrop

When did I ever need a personal trainer?


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
After a weekend shift that included a nasty fall [my client's], a trip to hospital by ambulance [ditto], & half the day spent in the E-R [self, client, & family], I'm too doggone tired to compose a whole new post... *so I will copy & paste my update from the other running thread on our Tweet-in-Chief. *
.
.
.
his financial & policy conflicts-of-interest continue to breed like blackflies:
fast, multiplying astronomically, & capable of biting.
.
.
for a mere 200K membership fee, U, too, can join his Florida golf-club ---- & have potential casual access to POTUS' shell-like ear.
(Since he tends to base his opinions on whoever last spoke to him, that's a chance to be highly influential.)
.
.
his overseas entanglements are also increasingly problematic -
"name" rights to hotels, casinos, apt-bldgs, hospitals, etc, are spreading like cultures in a Petri dish.
Foreign real-estate development partnerships in S Korea, India, the Philippines, other Asian & western Pacific nations, Africa... it's like watching fungus spread in time-capture video, with the footage sped up.
.
His investments, banking, business, & holding interests *STILL* have not been released - let alone his tax records, a previously S.O.P. step for all POTUS candidates when they declared their intent to run.
.
his daughter's clothing line was dropped by Neiman-Marcus, & he had a public snit-fit.
His wife sued a UK newspaper for daring to mention that her former modeling career also included stints as an 'escort' which is generally a cover for prostitution. Melana alleges she had a chance to make megabucks as the high-profile wife of the POTUS, wearing outfits that could then be marketed ["...get the Look for $X at ____ ..."],
& the paper's smirch of her rep damaged her 'brand'.
.
.
Ye gods ... any day now, i expect to see sponsors' logos on Trumpling's suits, & self-stick bus-sized decals on the White House facade, promoting his latest & greatest-ever realty opportunity.
"The Selling of the President" is normally a campaign process; once the candidate is in office, it normally *stops*... they've bought him.
But this Prez is being sold daily, hourly, in an ongoing flood of sales pitches, misinformation, disinformation, pure propaganda, & crass commercialism.
.
.
he has all the class of a late-night infomercial, but no possible practical use whatever; just another dust-catcher.
.
.
.

.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
I am going to tell someone else's story, direct - this parody of a certain White House staffer...




will enlighten the viewer as to whom I refer in the current Admin of the Comb-over "all too white" House.
.
This person attended high-school with a friend's relative --- he was already something of an anal-retentive PITA as an under-18-YO, & in an article about his objections to the actions of some fellow students, he was referred to as S*** Sphincter.  The typo was supposed to be removed before publication, but thru some strange oversight, it was still in the story when the school-paper went to press.
Recently, a certain UK newspaper discovered this long-lost article on-line, & Mr Sphincter was reminded of his, errrmmm, nickname.  It still seems peculiarly apt.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
full text transcript of Donwald's "press conference" courtesy of the NYX -
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/us/politics/donald-trump-press-conference-transcript.html
.
It includes the full video version [for those who like to watch car-crashes & train-wrecks].
.
FACT CHECKS on that 'press conference' a-k-a press bashing:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/us/politics/trump-fact-check.html
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros

_'Every beaten down, nameless, forgotten working stiff who used to be part of what they call the middle class, loves Trump. He is the human Molotov cocktail that they had been waiting for. The human hand grenade that they could legally throw into the system that stole their lives from them.'_

Michael Moore.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
hazards to the EPA / Environmental Protection Act -
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/02/trump-executive-orders-epa
.
.
Dems may use the courts to block any ESA / Endangered Species Act 'exec orders' -
http://dailycaller.com/2017/01/26/d...gered-species-act-suits-to-block-trumps-wall/
.
some of the potential harmful impacts of "a wall between the USA & Mexico" -
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/border-wall-01-25-2017.php
.
an on-line petition to keep the ESA's teeth -
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/263/711/826/defend-endangered-species-dont-defang-the-esa/
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros

_ Cries she with silent lips.
'Just look at the tired, the poor,
The huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of this teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to......
I cast down my lamp in despair'_​


----------



## MilleD

Happy Paws said:


> Oh Zaros, that's made me laugh.


Why is Trump spitting out Weetabix funny?


----------



## Zaros

MilleD said:


> Why is Trump spitting out Weetabix funny?


Trump, talking sh1t, obviously has a diet high in fibre.:Singing


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
new head of EPA makes his 1st speech - 11 minutes of condescension & no mention of policies:
.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/02/pruitt-speech-epa
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Who's the moneybags?...
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/02/does-trump-have-mystery-creditor
.
QUOTE,
_"Trump never kept his campaign promise to reveal all his creditors and obligations._
_The financial disclosure form he filed last year did note more than a dozen loans totaling at least $713 million. But the full amount could be more. And buried in the paperwork is a puzzling debt that ethics experts say could suggest that Trump has a major creditor he has not publicly identified._

_According to the disclosure, in 2012, Trump borrowed more than $50 million from a company called Chicago Unit Acquisition LLC. (The true value of the loan could be much higher; the form requires Trump only to *state the range of the loan's value*, & he selected the top range, "over $50,000,000".) Elsewhere in the same document, Trump notes that he owns this LLC. That is, he made the loan to himself. There's nothing necessarily unusual about that._

_Here's where the situation gets odd. With Trump owning the Chicago Unit Acquisition LLC - and the LLC being owed $50M or more by Trump - this company should be listed on Trump's disclosure as worth at least that much, unless it has debt offsetting this amount. Yet on Trump's latest disclosure form, *Chicago Unit Acquisition is not listed at all.* The disclosure rules say that any asset worth more than $1,000 must be noted. So this is the mystery: *Why is this Trump-owned firm that holds a $50M-plus note from Trump "not worth anything"?*_

_Buried in the paperwork is a puzzling debt that ethics experts say could mean Trump has a major creditor he has not publicly revealed._
_The answer could be that *Chicago Unit Acquisition has its own debts that cancel out its value*, says Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, who specializes in government & corporate ethics. In other words, Trump's LLC could owe $50M & possibly much more to one or more creditors who have not been disclosed to the public. Though the president essentially could be on the hook to some entity or some person for over $50 million, the financial disclosure rules do not require Trump to list the loans and liabilities of companies he owns. (He only has to reveal his personal loans.)_

_"I think the American people are at risk because *we don't know know with whom Donald Trump is entangled financially*," Clark says. "If I owe a lot of money to someone, I will probably want to do what I can to keep that person or institution happy. We don't know the terms of this debt and we don't know whether Donald Trump will be tempted to look out for his own financial interest in addressing the concerns of his creditor, whoever that is."_

_A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that *Trump pays a minimum of $4.4 million a year in interest in connection with his loan from Chicago Unit Acquisition LLC*. His disclosure form states he pays the *prime interest rate plus 5%* for this loan. (Consequently, Chicago Unit Acquisition would have at least that much in annual revenue, though none is reported.) And the WSJ report deepened the mystery, noting *two research firms were paid to search for paperwork connected to this loan, but both came up empty-handed*."_
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/02/justice-department-thomas-wheeler-presentations
.
QUOTE,
_"When the Trump administration rescinded the Obama-era guidance *outlining protections for transgender students* on Wednesday, the signature at the bottom of the letter wasn't that of Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. *The directive came* instead *from the man currently running the department's civil rights division, Thomas E. Wheeler.* (The letter was also signed by Sandra Battle, who's heading the civil rights division of the Department of Education.)_
_... Wheeler is responsible for enforcing federal law on voting rights, LGBT protections, employment discrimination, police misconduct, & other civil rights issues. Wheeler, who previously worked for Vice President Mike Pence & served as a top official at Republican National Lawyers Association, has a history of supporting strict voter ID laws. His stances on some other issues are less clear, but he has given a number of presentations with rather intriguing titles._

_Here's a selection of Wheeler's speeches that were once listed on the website of Frost Brown Todd, a prominent Midwestern law firm where he used to work:_

"*Student Diversity Issues*," Green River Regional Educational Cooperative's Annual School Law Institute, August 2014
_
"*Armed Teachers in Schools, a Legislative Overview*," National School Board Association's Annual School Law Seminar, October 2013

"*Ethics in Campaigns, an Oxymoron?*" Republican National Lawyers Association's Election Law School, August 2013

"*Arming Teachers to Prevent Tragedies, Responding to Sandy Hook*," Liberty Mutual Insurance National Webinar, January 2013

"*Litigation Over Indiana's Photo ID Law*," Republican National Lawyers Association's Election Law School, August 2012

"*Indiana's Photo ID Law & ACORN Voter Fraud*," Republican National Lawyers Association's Election Law School, August 2009

"*Same Day Voting & Voter Registration*," Republican National Lawyers Association's Election Law School, August 2004





_
_Wheeler doesn't appear to be eager to share the content of these talks. Through a DoJ spokesperson, he declined to make audio, video, transcripts, or any other versions of these presentations available. Many of the groups that sponsored Wheeler's presentations, such as the Republican National Lawyers Assoc & the National School Boards Assoc (where Wheeler served on the board of directors) also declined to release the presentations."_
_._
_._
_._


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> the Repugnants


.

As @Zaros: suggested in another thread I seem to recall, name-calling (remoaners was the name he rightly objected to) gets us totally nowhere (one of the things he and I agree on). I know Ms Clinton called them the ''deplorables'' but tbh many of them simply did not want another Clinton in the White House.


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> .
> 
> As @Zaros: suggested in another thread I seem to recall, name-calling (remoaners was the name he rightly objected to) gets us totally nowhere (one of the things he and I agree on).


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
courtesy of the _*New Yorker *_magazine - I love the extra-long tie, LOL, he was never shown how to properly tie one, & always has it crumpled, with the inner length too short & twisted, & the knot at his collar cockeyed.
.
.








.
on more serious notes,
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...ers-struggle-to-make-sense-of-trump-speeches/
.
Japanese translators bemoan the difficulty of making logical translations of Trump's illogical [& often crude] statements.
.
QUOTE,
_"__Trumpese" --as his phraseology is called - is by & large simple, characterized by repetition, easy grammar, & elementary-level vocabulary._
_A "readability analysis" of presidential campaign speeches by researchers at Carnegie-Mellon University's Language Technologies Institute (LTI) revealed last March that Trump's lexical richness was the lowest - at seventh-grade level - of his rival candidates & past U.S. presidents._
_The study also described [Trump's] grammatical level as grade 5.7, the second-worst after George W. Bush, who barely topped the fifth-grade level."_
_._
.
figuring out what's up with the bizarre handshake is equally puzzling -
http://www.avclub.com/article/donald-trumps-nonsense-cant-be-translated-japanese-250852
.
.
Trumpster's budget-cutting to eliminate the arts will save less than *0.1% *of the Federal budget -
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...ts-funding-cuts-nea-neh-pbs-npr-a7590356.html
.
OTOH, his weekends at Mar-a-Lago cost taxpayers $3M - let's keep NPR, & ditch the golf-club getaways, shall we?
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
DeVos appointment as Sec Of Education was a distinct jolt, but this is the real shocker:
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/...surprise-researchers-as-devos-era-begins.html
.
QUOTE,
_"*The first results came in late 2015*. Researchers examined *an Indiana voucher program* that *had quickly grown to serve tens of thousands of students under Mike Pence*, then the state's governor. "*In mathematics*," they found, "*voucher students who transfer to private schools experienced significant losses in achievement*." They also saw *no improvement in reading.*_

_The next results came *a few months later, in February 2016*, when researchers published a major study of Louisiana's voucher program. Students in the program were *predominantly black & from low-income families; they came from public schools that had received poor ratings from the state department of education,* based on test scores. For private schools receiving more applicants than they could enroll, the law required that they admit students via lottery, which *allowed the researchers to compare lottery winners with those who stayed in public school.*
They found *large negative results in both reading & math*. Public elementary school students *who started at the 50th percentile in math* & then used a voucher to transfer to a private school *dropped to the 26th percentile in a single year*. *Results were somewhat better in the second year*, but were *still well below the starting point.*_

_This is very unusual. When people try to improve education, sometimes they succeed & sometimes they fail. The *successes usually register as modest improvements, while the failures generally have no effect at all. It's rare to see efforts to improve test scores having the opposite result.*_
_Martin West, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, calls the negative effects in Louisiana "as large as any I've seen in the literature" - not just compared with other voucher studies, but in the history of American education research."_
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
something Trumpling really can't seem to grasp: the USA will never again be the #1 producer of steel, as just one instance.
He keeps promising jobs, but the jobs he promises are either gone forever, or WILL * BE gone, soon. Automation is not stopping; more & more jobs go to bots, & this process is nowhere near an end; it has decades to go, yet.
.
These are some of the jobs Merikans do, now - which can't be easily shipped overseas to cheaper markets, & can't be easily done by bots.
But they don't pay well; they often have no bennies whatever, not insurance, not paid holidays, not paid sick-time, nada; they have no pension plan or investment fund. They're just jobs... in service.
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/magazine/the-new-working-class.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
A Texas Repugnant has introduced 2 bills intended to hobble the ESA / Endangered Species Act -
.
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/endangered-species-act-02-16-2017.php
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the NRA / Nat'l Rifle Assoc would like their campaign dollars to pay off, now -
.
https://medium.com/center-for-biolo...angerous-addiction-to-lead-ammo-cf81e3cf5c10#
.
They want the Trumpster's admin folks to back off on the plan to get the lead out of our National Refuges - lead shot, lead sinkers on fishing gear, lead bullets, etc.
Of course, the damage done by lead isn't their concern - only the economics of changing materials. 
.
.
QUOTE,
_"Every year in the United States, over 4,000 tons of lead are shot into the environment by hunting, resulting in the poisoning deaths of an estimated 20 million birds & other animals.

U.S. Geological Survey researchers have found that many of the nation's popular hunting areas are polluted with up to 400,000 pieces of lead shot per acre.

A group of top U.S. scientists, doctors and public health experts has concluded that lead ammunition is likely the single largest remaining source of lead added to the environment each year."
.
.
.









Shotgun shells. (Credit: Frank Heinz/Creative Commons)
_
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

Now his banned the BBC from a press meeting.


----------



## Mirandashell

The BBC? Really? Dearie me.


----------



## Guest

Happy Paws said:


> Now his banned the BBC from a press meeting.


Not just the BBC, NYT and CNN too.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-ca...social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=facebook
Guess he's taking more cues from Russia... State controlled press. Report what I like or you lose access.


----------



## DogLover1981

I think Trump could only be hurting himself denying access to certain media outlets. If not his press conferences, there's more time to research or report about his various scandals and dirty laundry. lol


----------



## leashedForLife

.
CombOver's press minion, Sean Sphincter, didn't only ban the BBC -
he also forbade NYX & WashPost reporters, plus several others.
.
.
his constant carping abt "fake news" would be ridiculous if he wasn't the source of so much -misstatements, opinion said as fact, wishful thinking, & outright lies.
.
yes, there's plenty of 'fake news', but it's not created by the NYX or D-C Post; it's all over the interweb, but often bloggers, talking heads, conspiracy whisperers, & wannabe insiders are the ultimate sources.
Ppl who don't know about 'confirming sources' pass the unsubstantiated dreck on.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

He really knows how to throw his toys out the pram..........

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39093434


----------



## KittenKong

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39095783


----------



## Happy Paws2

One idiot with another, you have got feel sorry for the other guests.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Trumpster gave his minions a new task: to find ways to evade WTO rules in order to make new deals, renegotiate established deals, & / or punish individual nations *outside of* WTO auspices [e-g, smack China's grasping hands for what Trumpling perceives as excessively advantageous trade deals].
.
Donnie is big on grudges & retribution, but has a poor record of loyalty or even complying with contractual terms that he signed - he wants to end-run the WTO policies.
.
let's see, how many agreements & organizations would he like us to rescind or resign from? -
we helped found the WTO, he wants out; ditto the UN, NATO, S.A.L.T. treaties, nuclear non-proliferation as a general concept, peace talks in the mideast [the 2-state solution is a key essential], ...
If he could 'resign' from North Amerika & move to a single-nation continent of our very own, i think he would.

problem is, isolationism doesn't work; alliances, friendships, trade, & mutual interests are too important for nationalistic bombast.
We all need one another - now, more than ever.

The timing of Trumpling's arrival on the world stage really couldn't have been much worse.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
thanks to @cheekyscrip for this news -
a "mutual friend" helped sell Trumpster to the U-S... & Brexit to the U-K.

.


----------



## noushka05




----------



## noushka05

leashedForLife said:


> .
> .
> thanks to @cheekyscrip for this news -
> a "mutual friend" helped sell Trumpster to the U-S... & Brexit to the U-K.
> 
> .


Just as Russia interfered in US elections, Trumps billionaire backers interfered in brexit campaign.


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, Happy Paws:

He really knows how to throw his toys out the pram...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39093434

/QUOTE
.
.
Thanks, HappyPaws -
further to that article,
*"Trump blames Obama for town hall protests and security leaks"*
there's a fact-check below it:
*quote,*
_*"Analysis - Anthony Zurcher, BBC News North America Reporter*_

_Keeping both of his campaign promises - boosting the military *and* protecting welfare - will put the president in a tough bind._

_If he wants to boost the defense budget by $54-Bn-usa *without adding to the deficit*, that money will have to come from somewhere - and *mandatory spending* on welfare and debt interest *takes nearly 70% of the budget off the table*. Early reports are that the Environmental Protection Agency is facing sharp cuts, but its *total annual budget is just over $8-Bn* - a drop in the bucket. The State Department has also been singled out as a source for the needed funds, and i*ts $50-Bn annually (including $22-Bn in direct aid) makes it a fatter target.*_
_The lion's share of humanitarian assistance [overseas] goes to *rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan, & HIV-AIDS treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa*, however, which will be difficult to touch. *Also unlikely to get the axe is military support, dominated by $3.1-Bn annually to Israel.*_

_There's a reason the Trump administration announced the military budget number before revealing where the money will come from. *Spending is easy; cutting is hard.*_


_The White House sent Mr Trump's 2018 budget blueprint, which begins on 1 October, to federal agencies on Monday._
_The agencies will then review the plan and propose changes to the cuts as the White House prepares for negotiations with Congress. _
_The Republican-controlled Congress must approve any Federal spending._
_Mr Trump's plan is expected to face backlash from Democrats & some Republicans over the planned cuts to domestic programmes._

_







_

_===== End _*quote *========
.
.
Shades of Ronnie Ray-gun! - we're gonna spend, spend, spend to make our military mighty, & thus cripple our domestic economy.  I don't think Trumpling has read, let alone comprehended, any history whatever; he seems utterly unaware that we've done this dance before, & paid heavily for it.
A *tractor *once manufactured goes on to make other things - plant & harvest crops, improve productivity, haul heavy stuff, provide PTO power in remote areas, pull stumps from the ground & cars out of ditches, etc.
A *tank *once manufactured does not "make" anything - it CONSUMES things: time, for maintenance, operation, training, storage; space; petrochemicals, for fuel, lubrication, paint, & more; ammo, which must be made for its specs; parts, when it needs repairs... A military item does nothing to PRODUCE any goods; it sucks them up.
.
our Teflon Prezident, *Reagan*, oversaw the single biggest increase & largest defense budget in U-S peacetime history.  He wasted billions - which cost us severely, & caused a major recession that began in 1981 - I was among its millions of victims, being laid off when it finally hit the cable-TV industry after a 2-year lag. I was on unemployment for 2 weeks short of a YEAR, & would have lost my pathetic 40%-of-my-wages unemployment income on that anniversary.
I was extremely lucky, & found work before those 14-days ran out - & i'd been hunting like a madwoman for the previous 11 months, without success. it was frightening.
.
*At the depth of that "recession", the proportion of unemployed men between 18 & 30-YO in some towns & cities reached 25% ---- 1 in 4 men in their prime earning years, unable to find any work whatever. *It was truly desperate.
.
Trumpster announced the other day that **he* will spend the biggest amount in American history* to "improve" our military - will I be able to find work? --- Will the U-S economy, still recovering from the 2008 Great Global 'Recession', continue to stagger forward, or collapse again?
_Tune in tomorrow - &... what about Naomi?..._ [haunting music plays] 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the father of a Navy SEAL who died during a badly-botched raid in Yemen refused to meet Prez Trumpling, when his son's body arrived in the U-S -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/26/...do-killed-in-yemen-refused-to-meet-trump.html
.
He felt the raid was a power-play during CombOver's 1st week as POTUS, done primarily as a show of force, to gain points in the public eye.
Several civilians* were also killed in the crossfire, & a multi-million dollar air-transport was deliberately destroyed to keep it from enemy hands.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/01/world/middleeast/donald-trump-yemen-commando-raid-questions.html
.
*ETA:*
several *dozen* civilians died, I just discovered - newly added detail. 
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
fact-checking Trumpster's 1st speech to Congress -
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/02/28/us/politics/fact-check-trump-congress-address.html
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the miraculous budget, which will explode defense / military spending into the stratosphere, cut social support & other non-military funding to the bone, & NOT raise taxes - in fact, the wealthiest 5% of the citizens can confidently expect a tax-*cut*.
Must be nice - living in a fantasy, for our POTUS, & living very-comfortably cushioned from real life, for the 5%. 
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/26/us/politics/trump-budget.html
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
breaking news:
Trumpling appears to want to use "food safety" as a limiting tool on imports, or as a punitive one in a tit-for-tat.
.
leaked audio, Prez CombOver on the phone:
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/02/trump-just-dropped-food-safety-bombshell-leaked-audio
.
.
.


----------



## Satori

:Cigar:Cigar:Cigar


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
approx 20% of all U-S restaurant employees [cooks, waitrons, dishwashers, cleaners, barkeeps, etc] are either foreign-born U-S citizens [over 5%] or are _*actual *_*gasp!* _*undocumented immigrants. *_Thus restaurants literally have a lot to lose, with the threatened & actual ongoing "tough measures" on immigrants & anyone foreign-born, since demands for documentation can come at any time. Harassment is a significant weapon, & can mean staff may quit, rather than face the barrage.
.
Sanctuary restaurants pledge _"not to allow any harassment of any individual based on *immigrant/ refugee status, race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation* to occur in their restaurant."_

They also pledge to hang a "*Sanctuary Restaurant*" sign in their door. By last week, more than 100 eateries had signed on.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the subset of US-popn owning publicly traded stock: 3 pertinent articles.
.
*Changes in US Family Finances from 2010 to 2013: Evidence from the ...*
https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/bulletin/2014/pdf/scf14.pdf
by J Bricker - ‎2014 - ‎Cited by 517 - ‎Related articles
Oct 24, 2014 - 
The decrease in stock ownership rates was most ..... 
14. Each quintile represents 20% of the population. ...... 
20. See box 6, "Direct and Indirect Holdings of Publicly Traded Stock," for more details on patterns in stock.
.
.
.
http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/10/investing/investing-*52-percent-americans-have-no-money-in-stocks*/
.
.
.
http://www.mybudget360.com/stock-market-sham-most-americans-own-no-stocks-who-owns-us-wealth/
QUOTE,
_*"53% of Americans have no money in the stock market, including retirement accounts. *_
_*62% of all US-wealth is owned by the top 5%.*_

_

Posted by mybudget360 in banks, government, income, wall street, wealth preservation
_
_The growing wealth divide in this country is devouring every piece of the middle class that is currently left. The stock market is largely a sham for most Americans. _
_Why? _
_Many hedge funds and other large Wall Street firms are in the business of making quick profits, even if it means destabilizing the underlying economy. Many large companies have made larger profits since the recession ended, by slashing wages and benefits. _
_More importantly however, is that this dramatic bull market in stocks since 2009 has been one big sideshow for most Americans. A Pew Research survey found that 53% of Americans own no stocks, including in their retirement accounts. And the fact that *only 10 percent of Americans have pensions*, many *(most) will rely on Social Security as they enter old age*. _
_Why is the stock market a sham for working- & middle-class Americans?_

_*A decade of no real gains*_
_The buy and hold idea hasn't really worked for nearly 14 years. Take a look at S&P 500 returns going back to 2000:..."_
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
"Sanctuary Restaurants" member dining-establishments passed 300 this week, & word is spreading rapidly.
.
http://sanctuaryrestaurants.org/resources/
.
I'm going to stop in at some eating places, & tell them about it, today. 
.
.
.


----------



## FeelTheBern

Let's just say that if Marine le Pen wins, at least she'll get on with Trump.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
don't remind me, Bern - please.
I can only cope with *one* right-of-right, pig-ignorant, privileged fool at a time.
The 1 my country is cursed with plans to undo over 70-years of progressive legislation, & that is more than enuf to worry about, for now.
France & Holland will have to fend for themselves, for a bit - but having witnessed OUR unfolding catastrophe, perhaps - we can hope -- they will take heed.

.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
_Yo, Donnie! - didja see this?... Ya still think "climate change" is just a Chinese myth, some kinda conspiracy?! _
_Check it out - this sucker's *growing* 30 to 100-feet in width each year, as permafrost turns to slush in Siberia._
_It's already 275-ft deep, & a half-mile wide. [That's 2,640 feet; I know math isn't Ur forte.]_
_._
_http://nypost.com/2017/02/28/climate-change-unfreezes-200000-year-old-doorway-to-hell/_
_._
_more on the problem - especially METHANE releases:_
_https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...berian-crater-mystery-and-the-news-isnt-good/_
_._
_QUOTE,_
_"Pound for pound, the comparative impact of [methane gas] on climate change is over 20 times greater than [carbon dioxide] over a 100-year period," reported the Environmental Protection Agency._
_As the Associated Press put it in 2010, the melting of Siberia's permafrost is "a climate time bomb waiting to explode if released into the atmosphere."_

_Researchers with Stockholm University's Department of Applied Environmental Science recently witnessed methane releases in the East Siberian Arctic Ocean. They found 'elevated methane levels [were] about 10 times higher than in background seawater', wrote scientist Orjan Gustafsson on his blog last week. _
_He added: 'This was somewhat of a surprise … This is information that is crucial, if we are to be able to provide scientific estimations of how these methane releases may develop in the future.'_
_._
_"... climate change is deepening the thaw & speeding up the destruction, at the same time that Russia establishes new military bases & oil-drilling infrastructure across the Arctic. Greenpeace has warned that *permafrost thawing has caused thousands of oil and gas pipeline breaks*._

_'There were problems there before, but climate change exacerbates them', says Ali Kerimov, an engineer at Foundation Research & Production in Norilsk. 'We need to study each case separately to understand what awaits us with climate change.'_

_Global warming has been tied to more frequent forest fires & *flooding across Russia*, but its impact on permafrost, which covers two-thirds of the country's territory, is also beginning to be felt. At least seven giant craters have been discovered in Siberia - reportedly caused by *thawing permafrost allowing methane to explode out of the ground* - & *a 12-year-old boy in Salekhard died from anthrax in August after* thawing released bacteria._

_Arctic *islands & the northern coastline - & scientific outposts there* - are disappearing into the sea as permafrost thaws, sea-ice melts, & wave action increases._
_Valery Grebenets of Moscow State University's department of cryolithology & glaciology teaches his students 13 "horror stories" about thawing permafrost, including _*buckling roads & railways*_, _*soil runoff killing fish*_, & _*the release of toxic & radioactive pollutants contained by frozen dams*.'
==================
.
_._
_http://www.livescience.com/47115-weird-siberian-holes-explained.html_
_._
_the devastation wrought on Arctic buildings -_
_https://www.theguardian.com/cities/...frost-destroying-arctic-cities-norilsk-russia_
_._
_QUOTE,_
_"...almost 60% of all buildings in Norilsk have been deformed as a result of climate change shrinking the permafrost zone. Local engineers said more than 100 residential buildings, or one-tenth of the housing fund, have been vacated here due to damage from thawing permafrost."._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
more on the Anthrax outbreak in Siberia -
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/01/anthrax-outbreak-climate-change-arctic-circle-russia
.
gee, maybe there's something to this climate-change hoohah, ya think?...
72 locals were hospitalized, including 41 children - very luckily, only one died [the 12-YO, mentioned above]. 
.
QUOTE,
_[besides the 72 patients above,] *'5 adults & 2 other children* have been diagnosed with the disease, known as 'Siberian plague' in Russian & *last seen in the region in 1941*._

_*More than 2,300 reindeer have died*, & *at least 63 people have been evacuated* from a quarantine area around the site of the outbreak.'_
_========================_
_._
_._



.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
methane bubbling to the surface, causing the ground to ripple under the feet of researchers -




.
Whaddaya think, Donnie? --- did they fake the video? 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
OK, so it's not real - but it made me laugh, which ATM is very valuable. I needed it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...-what-happened-at-donald-trumps-inauguration/
.
Quote from the comments -
==============

_lorenabbey_
_2/7/2017 1:18 PM EST_

_We now have a President who, by his own admission, doesn't read books, gets his Daily News Briefings by watching FoxNews, communicates with the world through Twitter, surrounds himself with 'yes' men & women (and other political hacks), has not a clue about world affairs, & to top it off - again, by his own admission -- there's not a single person on this planet that he can truthfully claim is a close friend.

We see now what can happen - as a consequence of an "Electoral College" system gone berserk - when enough 'Low-Caliber' voters go to the polls to elect one of their own. We get a mentally unstable, vulgar, incompetent, abysmally uninformed, poorly educated, low-life ignoramus who brags publicly about his habit of grabbing womens' genitals without their permission - for President!

He is, in fact, one of the most wretched human beings on Earth . . . and yet, thanks in large part to a 'poorly educated' electorate, he holds the exalted title of 'President of the United States'!

To paraphrase a famous Abe Lincoln quote: "God must love stupid people - He made so many of them."
.
============== End quote ========_
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
a comment below the LiveScience article on "methane & melting permafrost" remarked on the silliness, in hindsight, of tying the hopes of Brexit to Russia - & how clearly that's no longer a happy prospect.
Another comment asked how melting permafrost connected to Brexit? [b/c Russia, let alone Siberian villages & towns, cannot afford the building codes that would *prevent* cracks, foundation failures, collapses, roof ruptures, exploding windows, etc - yet Putin, like Trumpling, thinks "climate change" is a fiction.].
.
.
here's another pertinent comment from beneath the same article -
=================================
QUOTE,
_Dave Harding  ---> moneyallgone _
_14 Oct 2016 5:34_
_comment #34

[ETA: connecting Brexit to collapsing permafrost / Russian economic woes / methane threats] is pointing out the ludicrous nonsense that passes for economic policy.

A couple of years ago, plenty of Exit supporters banged on about how the EU was full of failing economies, & the future would be the BRICS.
Brazil : Corrupt, & in economic free-fall.
Russia : Like Brazil, but colder.
India : Doing OK, but slowing.
China : Growing fast -- on the back of an enormous credit bubble.
South Africa : Corrupt, & struggling with falling commodity prices.

The Exiters have all gone very quiet about the BRICS, & now bang on about Australia & Canada.
As for Russia, let's check how likely it is they'll do anything about climate change, or even fix the buildings.

Corrupt from top to bottom: Check.
Economic basket-case: Check
'Strong' leader: Check

Chances of doing anything : Nil.
C'mon Putinbots, you know you want to."
_
========= . END Quote . ==========
.
.
.
_
_


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Trumpling was much lauded for 'honoring' the widow of the Navy SEAL who died in a bungled special-ops sortie, 5 days into his Prezidency - but his handling of that death & the attention he drew to it were, so far, "the most cynical" of his tenure -
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...e-ryan-owens-affair-was-contemptibly-cynical/
.
QUOTE,
_"We all know that *if it had been Hillary Clinton who ordered the Yemen raid, there would already be multiple congressional investigations underway & subpoenas would be falling like rain*. That's one thing the White House doesn't have to worry about.
But they decided that the way to handle questions about the botched raid was to use Ryan Owens as a shield. *The raid was a terrific success*, said spokesman Sean Spicer, and *'anyone that would suggest it's not a success does a disservice to the life of Chief Ryan Owens.'*

But the questions, and the criticisms, kept coming, most pointedly from Owens' father, himself a veteran. *"Don't hide behind my son's death"*, Bill Owens told the Miami Herald, after refusing to meet with President Trump at Dover Air Force Base.

That brings us to the day of Trump's speech to Congress. With Carryn Owens invited to the speech and the tribute to her husband being written, the President went on "Fox & Friends" that morning and passed the buck for the raid, blaming it on the Obama administration & the military. '*This was a mission that was started before I got here. This was something they wanted to do', he said. 'They came to see me, they explained what they wanted to do - the generals - who are very respected, my generals are the most respected that we've had in many decades, I believe. And they lost Ryan.'*

Once again, imagine if Hillary Clinton were president, had ordered an operation that went terribly wrong, and then tried to blame it on the military. Republicans would have absolutely lost their minds with rage, and they would have been right. When you're president, you don't get to send American servicemembers into harm's way in an operation you obviously didn't understand, and then when it all goes wrong and one of those servicemembers is killed, claim that it was somebody else's fault.

Then that very night, Trump went before the country, looked Owens' widow in the face, & presented a tribute to her husband's undeniable service & courage. As the applause went on & Carryn Owens stood weeping, Trump offered what in the tiny, narcissistic world he exists in, is the highest form of praise: "And Ryan is looking down, right now, you know that. And he's very happy, because I think he just broke a record", referring to the length of the ovation.

What exactly is that supposed to mean? -- *Owens set the 'Longest Applause for Dead Servicemember In Joint Speech to Congress' record?* -- What kind of person could possibly think that would matter to anyone? Oh, right - Donald Trump would."_

.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
another of those "inconvenient truths" - the Antarctic continent set a new record-high temp in 2015 of *63.5' F / 17.5 degrees Celsius.*
.
http://www.livescience.com/58078-record-breaking-antarctica-temperatures.html
.
.
that's a far, far cry from "normal" -- recent years have the Antarctic Peninsula among the fastest-warming regions of the planet; it's warmed by almost 5.4 degrees F (3 degrees C) over the past 50 years [per the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a division of the United Nations].
QUOTE,
_'*In addition, about 87% of glaciers along the Antarctic Peninsula's west coast have retreated over the past 50 years, especially in the past 12 years*, the WMO added.'
.
.
._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
a conservative / right-wing cartoonist ignited a firestorm on social media & in news comment, by inserting poor, picked-upon, billionaire appointee DeVos [now Sec of Educ] into an iconic Civil Rights image - depicting her in place of a young black girl being escorted by men, as she enters a newly-desegregated school.
DeVos is similarly depicted as tiny & threatened, with _"CONSERVATiVE"_ taking the place of '******' as the epithet on the wall behind her, & four enormous bodyguards surrounding her - the acronym of the National Education Assoc is also graffitied.
.
http://fusion.net/story/386858/glenn-mccoy-betsy-devos-cartoon/
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trying_to_Trash_Betsy_DeVos
.
QUOTE,
_"Jillian Steinhauer asserted that McCoy's work is an example of false equivalence , saying, *"Glenn McCoy appropriated Norman Rockwell's The Problem We All Live With, replacing the six-year-old black girl who desegregated a public school with the billionaire Secretary of Education."*[2] _
_USA Today highlighted a comment from a reader who responded to the image by claiming it represents an example of white privilege.[3]_
_A representative for the National Education Association offered no comment on the political cartoon.[3]_
.
_McCoy responded to criticism via e-mail saying, *"I regret if anyone was offended by my choice of *metaphors", & noted that he wanted to draw attention to & start public discussion *on the behavior of protesters.*[3] "_
________________________________________________
_._
so... he thinks protestors who didn't want DeVos to enter a public school were simply "hating on her"? - How about accurately seeing her as a tool to destroy the American public school system, which while hardly perfect, is at least free to all residents to age 18? DeVos wants religious schools to be publicly funded, sees no separation between the [Christian] church & the U-S or state governments, & wants religious education to _"found the Kingdom of God on earth". _If she was Muslim, I believe conservatives would be drawing lots for the privilege of helping to lynch her, & burn her house - & her local temple - to the ground.
.
.
____________________________________
QUOTE,
_"In a statement on the Belleville News-Democrat website, [the cartoonist] also expressed disappointment that, *"...decades beyond the civil rights protests... people are still being denied the right to speak freely or do their jobs or enter public buildings because others disagree with who they are, or how they think."* _
.
apparently McCoy feels Ms DeVos was denied the right to speak in her appointee hearings? - The problem was, the woman doesn't KNOW enough about public education, other than that she despises it, to speak *about* it knowledgeably. That's *her* problem - it's not lack of opportunity, nor any oppression from without! 
.
.
__________________________________
QUOTE,
_"Faced with accusations that the image is hateful, McCoy defended his work, saying, "*I thought I was speaking out against hate..*. You may disagree with her on issues, but *I didn't see any hate coming from her. I did, however see hate going in the other direction*, which is what made me think of the Rockwell image. *That was the only comparison I was drawing."*_
.
.
"Poor little rich lady"? - gimme a break. DeVos is an adult, privileged, born to wealth, white in a white stronghold, wealthy in her own right, with a lot of political & personal power, & she's deeply enmeshed in her local & state political machine. If anybody actually threatened her, she's got more than enuf money, pull, & powerful friends to knock them flat.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
a young Argentinian, who arrived in the U-S as a child & whose father & brother were taken by ICE agents while she hid, spoke out at a public protest - & was arrested and taken into custody by ICE agents on the way home.
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...nt-after-she-speaks-out-at-a-news-conference/
.
She & many other immigrants who arrived here as minors were given special appeals status under Obama admin regs; it's now feared that their very appeal status is giving them priority as targets by the Trumpster admin & ICE under the "tough new rules" regimen. 
.
QUOTE,
_"She had been granted the two-year protection under DACA twice before, in Dec 2012 & Nov 2014, Abigail Peterson, one of her attorneys, told the Associated Press. But *her DACA status expired in November 2016*, & *it was mid-February* [*when*] *she was able to come up with the* *$495 application fee to renew it.*_
_Vargas was 7 years old when she came to the U-S from Cordova, Argentina, with her father, mother & brother, on a three-month visitor's visa in 2001. Their visa expired, but the family stayed, establishing a life in Mississippi. Her mother eventually moved out of the state after her parents divorced._
_._
_Atty Peterson said she told ICE agents by phone that Vargas had a pending DACA case... the agents responded that Vargas was a 'visa overstay' & would be detained, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
Her lawyers expect she will be detained in Louisiana, where they will try to get her released on her own recognizance, according to the Associated Press. A federal immigration judge will decide whether she is eligible for immigration relief.
"_
_._
_._
Advocates are telling DACA immigrants to lie low until they have solid information on legal status -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...83abaa-f1fd-11e6-b9c9-e83fce42fb61_story.html
or 
http://tinyurl.com/jt3vle2
.
.
.
in another case
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ly-detain-obama-program-dreamer-lawsuit-says/
.
a 23-YO Mexican-born man, who has lived in the U-S since he was 7-YO, *is legal under DACA, with a work-visa good for another year.*
He has an American-born 3-YO son he is helping to provide for, yet he was taken into custody by ICE agents & is being detained - the agents claim he's "a gang member", yet he has no criminal history whatever.
.
.
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----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
looking at all of this - the hate-speech, demeaning language & dehumanizing behavior, threats to our air, water, & land, the wholesale devastation of resources & parks, crippling the future of our descendants, & even our planet -- reminds me of something Carl Sagan said -
_"There is no one coming to rescue us. This (Earth) is where we make our final stand."_
.
The American people have to stand up, & stand firm; we can't let a petty demagogue trash our environs & wreck citizens' lives, dismantle consumer protections, deregulate the multinational corporations, & make the uberwealthy even richer on our labor.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the Repugnant bill to spozedly "replace" the ACA healthcare bill can't be seen by Democrats - yet it's to be voted on next week, & is spozed to be ENACTED within 3-weeks' time - IOW, it will be the current law within 21-days.
Given that it took months on end, working with insurance companies, HMOs, the AMA, & other heavily-interested parties to even draft the ACA, how will they "replace" an extremely-complex piece of legislation in less than 30-days, with no public discussion of its contents or effects?!
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/obamacare-aca-repeal-replace.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Donnie admits forging a new healthcare law is "complex" - well, duh...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/27/...lth-law-overhaul-is-unbelievably-complex.html
.
.
proposed repeal of the ACA is gathering more resistance -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/us/politics/obamacare-affordable-care-act-house-republicans.html
.
.
Fixing what they perceive as "wrong" with the ACA is surely more intelligent & less cumbersome than a whole new structure; however, that doesn't mean the Repugs won't scrap the whole thing, & start over with Legos to rebuild it.  Just because they can.
.
.
.


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## leashedForLife

.
.
it would take FOUR YEARS to unilaterally withdraw from the Paris accords on climate-change - but Trumpling wants to begin the process.
What a maroon...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/climate-change-trump.html
.
.
.


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## Happy Paws2

The man's lossing the plot 

_The director of national intelligence at the time of the US election has denied there was any wire-tapping of Donald Trump or his campaign.

James Clapper also told NBC that he knew of no court order to allow monitoring of Trump Tower in New York.

Mr Trump had accused President Barack Obama of ordering the wire-tap, but offered no evidence._


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## leashedForLife

.
.
he'd lost it, IMO, long before the POTUS campaign, let alone his installment.
.
he gets his "news" via Twitter, Breitbart, & Faux News - hardly reputable sources. He's a pompous twit with a finger on the football nuke.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
2 economists have published an estimate of the CO$T to the U.S.A., should Trumpling's plans for a *"wall between the U-S & Mexico" & an absolute barrier to Mexican* [& in lesser numbers, C. Am. / S. Am.] *immigration*, come to pass -
they estimate it will cost us *$1.4-million* in the immediate future, *$2.6-million within 2-years*, & an incredible *$7.6-Trillion U-S dollars over a 10-year period, lost to the Gross Domestic Product of the U.S.A.*
*.*
*.*
sounds great, doesn't it?... // End sarcasm.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
*'**free trade**' *is just another way of shoring up wage & asset inequity - Corporate mouthpieces talk about how many jobs will be created, how much trade, claim we'll prosper, etc, but it's all smoke & mirrors... & a helluva lot of hot air.

See this PDF for an education on the ways of the suits.
http://policyalternatives.ca/sites/...s/National_Office_Pubs/lessons_from_nafta.pdf
.
QUOTE,
_'In fact, *the impact of NAFTA on most of the people in all three countries has been devastating*. _
_The agreement has *destroyed more jobs than it has created, depressed wages, worsened poverty & inequality, eroded social programs, undermined democracy, enfeebled governments, and greatly increased the rights & power of corporations, investors, & property holders*.'_
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
watching live debates, twitter stream, announcements, etc, via C-SPAN2 on TV; it's depressing. 
.
they were pushing the proposal to alter BLM / Bureau of Land-Mgmt rules, return PUBLIC lands to PRIVATE hands, & justified it by saying that, _"some counties have 90% of their lands managed by the BLM..." _ - [shock & awe from crowd!...]. Notice he did not say *'how Many counties'* have _"90% of their land managed by the BLM...", _because it's goddam few, possibly as few as ONE county in the entire 48 contiguous states. :Muted Thinking very bad words, about that man.
.
just as a casual stat, *81% of Nevada - *4/5th of the state - is Federal land, & the vast majority of that is *military property.* I do not think the Army, etc, will be handing their deeds over "to the people" any time soon. 
In contrast, *66.5% of Utah *is Federal land - a good chunk of that is *under BLM control,* & _*that's*_ their target: to strip the BLM of both funding ["it *costs* too much"] & assets ["we need to *develop* this idle land..."], so that the extractive industries can get to business... cutting trees, mining minerals, extracting coal / oil / gas, & trashing the environment in the process, now that they don't have to PREVENT pollution, nor CLEAN IT UP if they 'litter' the air, water, & soil.
.
.
13 western states include *93% of Federal lands - *a complex mix of national parks [Yosemite, Redwoods, Yellowstone, Pike's Peak, Zion, etc, etc, etc], wildlife reserves, wilderness lands, military bases, conservation acreage, & more. Of the *2.27 billion acres* of land in the U-S, the Federal govt owns around *640 million acres* (~28%).
A big chunk is national parks, wilderness, & reserves - that's the bit the Repugs want to "develop", IOW, make money from & devastate irreparably.
.
It's our children - our future - that they steal from, & they will dirty our present.
.
.


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## leashedForLife

.
a Washington-Post article on the give-back demands of the Western states -
notice they aren't agitating to 'give it back' to the native residents, the various tribes!, oh, no - "give it back" to current-day FOR PROFIT businesses, that never owned it, bought it, or paid much toward it; it's national land, owned by the entire U-S popn, supposedly in perpetuity.
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...y-owned-now-some-states-want-their-land-back/
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
per the Wash-Post, the Repugs of the House of Reps are "flying blind" in their repeal of the ACA / ObamaCare.
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog...-house-republicans-breathtaking-recklessness/
.
QUOTE,
_"...that House Republicans would vote to end legislation on which tens of millions of people depend for health-care coverage without knowing critical facts about their bill arguably is *the most irresponsible display of governance in my lifetime*. _
_House Minority Leader *Nancy Pelosi* (D-Calif.) was berated for saying members would have to vote for the Affordable Care Act to find out what was in it, but members knew far more about what was in that bill than Republicans now know about the American Health Care Act (AHCA) - and Republicans are *taking coverage away*."_
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
Tom Price, Sec of Health / Human Svcs, just said that the construction of the AHCA [Repug version of health-care] was, quote, _"open & transparent", _& that moreover, ppl were _"invited to offer their ideas", _& that _"*tens if not hundreds of"... people contributed to the bill, or were present during its development.*_
.
now, don't U feel better? --- *"tens, if not HUNDREDS"* of people offered their oh-so-valuable input, to a national bill affecting *millions upon millions of citizens*, including children, elderly, disabled persons, the unemployed, & those in poverty.
.
'Poverty' BTW includes me - I earn min-wage or a little more, luckily have 2 jobs, & yet despite my over 60-hr work week, i need food-stamps to eat, & i've been homeless for more than a year.
No-one invited _*me*_ to Washington to ask what my needs were, if the ACA met them [yes], what i'd do without it [have no health care, or go for care only in crisis], & how the Repugnant version will help me [it won't - I don't qualify, as i'm not yet "poor enuf" for coverage].
.
.
Thanks, guys - good to know my interests & welfare are a top priority, along with those of the other 90% of the U-S popn who aren't white, aren't wealthy, & don't have political pull.
.
.
.


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## leashedForLife

.
.
this was -_*then*_- ...
*Affordable Health Care Act is great news for women | The CT Mirror*
https://ctmirror.org/2012/07/08/affordable-health-care-act-great-news-women/
.
.
yesterday, much of the debate in the Longworth Bldg in Wash., D-C, concerned the massive TAKE BACK of basic health coverage for women of all ages - it appears that once again, when the 'AHCA' of the Repugnants *replaces *the Affordable Care Act of the Obama admin, "being female" will become a pre-existing condition which insurers need not cover. :Rage
.
.
Everything from Pap-smears to breast screening, contraception [covered for *men*!...], pelvic exams, prenatal care for pregnancy, post-natal check ups for mother & infant, herpes-vax to prevent cervical cancer for pre-teens, etc, is suddenly "not covered".
.
Even more catastrophic, *Planned Parenthood *will be totally de-funded; no more Federal contribution whatever, despite the fact that not ONE Federal dollar goes to "pay for abortions". PP is often the sole source for healthcare in the underserved & poor neighborhoods where they have their clinics; ONE in THREE women have no other local option for healthcare than PP clinics, across the USA.
97% of PP's services every year, on average, are 'not abortions' - it's repro health, annual exams, breast exams, STD tests, healthy preg / healthy infant & child, general health care, nutrition, contraception [*including *services for men: condoms, tubal ligation, spermicidal foam, etc], venereal disease Tx, & more. Pelvic exams for pre-teen & teen women are a big part of PP services; girls need help with menstruation issues, cramping, proper fitting for bras, & so on, & their mothers are often not able to answer their Qs or provide the help they need.
The PP clinics charge on a sliding scale, & are affordable for anyone - which is key. Without them, many women will have no care whatever. :Jawdrop WTH is wrong with our so-called "representatives"?!?! ----- doesn't MY taxpayer's contribution, along with the other 51% of the U-S popn, *count for anything?!*
.
I'm beyond disgusted. I'm devastated. Women & girls, from birth to old age, are now being abandoned to the vagaries of 'emergency rooms' & will get no ongoing care UNLESS each of them can afford to pay the bill, in toto, themselves.
[and that leaves me out, too.] ------------ Men, OTOH, can get cut-rate *Viagra prescriptions, *& have their *'erectile dysfunction' *treated, & it's all covered unquestioningly by their ACHA insurer. It must be nice - & after all, 'ED' is life-threatening, isn't it? // end sarcasm
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
TrumpCare -
2 committees just SLASHED $300-billion from the safety-net for disabled, elderly, poor, children, etc.
Then they APPROVED enormous *bonuses *for insurance execs who earn over $500-K-us - folks who get a half-million a year.
.
the Oregon senator has pointed out that those BONUSES, alone, would _*themselves *__*pay for the shortfall in rural & emergency health care, *_which the committee just CAUSED thru their radical defunding, _*2 to 3 times over. *_IOW, take the bonuses from the executives -- who already GET $500-K per year, and they can afford to pay their own dam* medical insurance, thanks -- & the needy citizens' health care is now fully funded.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
among the vulnerable who will be hard-hit by the new "health CARE bill"? - Autistic children & adults.
.
http://www.livescience.com/58185-autism-research-threatened-by-new-policies.html
.
.
.


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## leashedForLife

.
.
why repealing the "lead bullet ban" is such a bad idea - Hint: it's *lead*.
.
.
http://www.livescience.com/58151-trump-administration-overturns-lead-bullet-ban.html
.
Throwing tons of long-lived toxins around our living space isn't a bright idea. :Meh Especially as, once it's free in the environment, it MOVES.
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----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the NYX newsletter for today has these cheerful updates:

• Push to repeal Obamacare gains momentum.
President Trump heads into the weekend hoping to win over conservatives and senators unhappy with the House Republican health plan. He is expected to hold rallies around the country in the coming weeks to build support for the bill.
On Thursday, two important House committees approved the legislation, which would *undo the Affordable Care Act* and *roll back the expansion of Medicaid. *

• "No comment."
...a Justice Department official's response when asked if Mr. Trump was the subject of an investigation. The official added that the White House press secretary had not relied on any information from the department when he denied the existence of such an inquiry. Last weekend, the president accused his predecessor of tapping his phones, but he provided no evidence.

• South Korean leader is ousted.
In a first in the nation, a court removed the president, Park Geun-hye, today for committing "acts that violated the Constitution and laws."
The downfall of Ms. Park, who has pressed for a hard line against North Korea's nuclear provocations, is expected to shift power to the opposition, whose leaders want more engagement with Pyongyang.

• Troubles for the C.I.A.
Julian Assange, whose WikiLeaks organization released documents this week that appeared to reveal cyberweapons used by the C.I.A., says he is prepared to share leaked computer code with companies like Apple and Google, to help them fix security flaws.
The C.I.A. is also facing an attempt by the Trump administration to block the testimony of top officials in a federal lawsuit against two psychologists who helped run the agency's harsh interrogation program.
.
.
.


----------



## Goblin

Found this tweet quite amusing. Not sure of who the person is, status, political leaning, prejuduce or anything but regardless:


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> I can only cope with *one* right-of-right, pig-ignorant, privileged fool at a time.


As far as I am aware, pigs are extremely intelligent, sentient creatures. Your attempt to insult President Trump needs rephrasing. And insulting, rather infantile nicknames, such as ''Trumpster'', Trumpling'', Prez Combover and ''repugnants'' do nothing to further your credibility as a poster. It puts me off giving you a ''like'' even if I think your comment warrants one. We all know to whom you refer without the ridicule.


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## leashedForLife

.
.
great timing! - This *drug-resistant pathogen* arrived betw June & Nov of 2016:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...octors-have-been-fearing-now-reported-in-u-s/
.
Approx 60% of those infected, have died - outside the US; this _Candida _species is drug-resistant to ALL THREE anti-fungal drug families.

.
...& now, our *"new, improved" health care* *GUTS Federal funding* *for research on new or emerging/ moving diseases*:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...care-repeal-guts-crucial-public-health-funds/
.
.
Way to go, Repugnants! - No foreign power needs to waste money & lives invading us, just stop critical medical research in this post-antibiotic world.
Brilliant. // end sarcasm
.
QUOTE,
_"The latest Republican health-care bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act would eliminate funds for fundamental public health programs, including for the prevention of bioterrorism & disease outbreaks, as well as money to provide immunizations and heart-disease screenings._

_As part of the ACA, or Obamacare, the *Prevention & Public Health Fund* provides almost $1 billion annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2010, the fund has been an increasingly important source of money for *core CDC programs*, *today accounting for about 12 percent of the CDC's total budget.*_

_*The GOP bill would* eliminate the Prevention & Public Health Fund *starting in October of next year.* No clear replacement has been proposed."_

.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
enviro-activists vandalized a Trumpster golf-course in California with a hand-dug protest in the turf:
*"No more tigers. No more woods."*
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...activists-defacing-popular-trump-golf-course/
.
.
the White House changed their tune re the "wiretapping" allegations & hopes nobody noticed:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...e-on-wire-tapping-and-hoping-you-dont-notice/
.
.
K Conway thinks Trump Tower could have been surveiled by 'microwaves' -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ve-been-monitored-through-tvs-and-microwaves/
.
.
simultaneously, "evidence isn't her [Conway's] job" -
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...illance-im-not-in-the-job-of-having-evidence/
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
another nasty infectious outbreak - *Yellow Fever outbreak in Brazil*
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ver-outbreak-in-brazil-worries-u-s-officials/
.
.
Yellow fever caused a number of epidemics in U-S cities before WW-I; a large swath of our local parish cemetery in Bucks Co, PA, was gravestones of families, especially children, dead of yellow-fever. Philadelphia was hit at least 3 times before the Civil War. 
And this is yet another health threat that our CDC may not have the resources to forestall or control, should it return.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
QUOTE,
_"On Friday, state *Rep. Jessica Farrar* (D - Houston) filed Texas House bill 4260, titled *"Man's Right to Know Act"*, which would *require men to wait 24 hours after an "initial health care consultation" to receive an elective vasectomy, colonoscopy or Viagra prescription.*_

_The bill, in case it's not clear yet, is a send-up on antiabortion legislation, particularly in Texas. Farrar told the Texas Tribune she knows the "proposed satirical regulations" will not be enacted. That isn't their purpose. [Antiabortion bills forcing doctors to push 'junk science' spread across country]_

_"What I'd like to see is this [bill] *make people stop and think*," Farrar told the newspaper. *"Maybe my colleagues aren't capable of that*, but the people who voted for them, or the people that didn't vote at all, *I hope that it changes their mind, & helps them to decide what the priorities are."*_
_*.*_
_*.*_
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...l-turns-language-of-antiabortion-laws-on-men/
.
.
Maybe satire will work better than earnest PSAs - which vanishingly few ppl ever read. 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
someone made this comment, reacting to the horror of Trumpling's turf being ... vandalized!  *shock & awe*
.
QUOTE,

CedarHermit
3/13/2017 11:11 PM EDT
_These four heartless psychopaths (plus one camera operator) accurately represent the tens of millions of people who simply won't accept that *the electoral college vote means that President Trump can do whatever he wants for the next four years.* Sure, the green will recover - but *who thinks of the tens of golfers whose games were delayed that day? *_
_I look forward to the day when country clubs across the country can stop catering to environmentalists & members who only belong because welfare - *welfare paid out of tax dollars contributed by some people* - supplements their initial membership fees & annual dues._

_The outrage in these posts is justified. We may not know brown people or immigrants or the unwell, but we sure as hell know golf, & this will not stand!"_
.
.
I love it - imagine, TENS of golfers milling helplessly, their games heartlessly delayed! - Awww. Poor dears. Tsk! :Hilarious
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
HeadlineNews cable channel [HCN] latest announcement:
_"*India *has better maternity leave than the *U.S.A.*" _
.
.
Now, there's something to brag about, at last! - the United States has shorter maternity leaves for new mothers, plus more penny-pinching coverage, when compared to maternity leaves in India.
New-moms across Amerika must be simply ... thrilled. :Meh
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://www.livescience.com/58291-how-trump-budget-would-impact-science.html
.
How will the new budget affect science? --- disastrously.
Trumpster's budget plan will slash the EPA budget by 31%.
.
QUOTE,
_"The budget would:_
_ - *Eliminate more than 50 EPA programs*, such as *Energy Star* (which supports energy-efficient products and buildings), *Targeted Air Shed Grants* (a program that assists in controlling air pollution at the local level); and the program that *screens for endocrine disruptors*, such as mercury & BPA that impact humans' hormone systems. [10 Ways the EPA Has Protected Earth and You]_
_ - *Stop funding the Clean Power Plan*, which was signed by President Barack Obama in 2015 to cut carbon emissions from current power plants._

_ - Impact climate change science - *discontinue funding for international programs, research, partnership programs & climate change efforts*. (President Trump has said he'd pull out of international agreements to curb greenhouse gas emissions, including the Paris Agreement, which aims to combat climate change in an international effort - so far 134 countries have signed the treaty.)_

_ - *Reduce funding to the Hazardous Substance Superfund Account *aimed at cleaning-up toxic waste Superfund sites; the EPA would have to use existing settlement money to clean up these hazardous waste sites._

_ - *Eliminate funding to some regional environmental efforts*, such as funds for the *Great Lakes restoration* initiative and one for the *Chesapeake Bay*, among other geographic programs._
_._
_._
*Department of the Interior (DOI)*
_...manages & protects US' lands & waters, provides scientific information about its natural resources, & ensures the nation meets its responsibilities toward native peoples._

_Trump's budget proposal requests that the DOI cut $1.5 billion - 12% from its overall budget._

_The budget would:_
_ - *Expand spending for energy development programs that* drill for gas and oil *on public lands -* also streamline the permitting processes, *giving industry faster access* to energy resources. [[The Oil & Gas Industry's Fractured Fairy Tales (Op-Ed)]_

_ - *Cut $120-M from a program that buys new Federal lands*, & spend discretionary money to maintain existing national parks, refuges, & public lands._

_ - *Eliminate Federal funding* for National Heritage Areas & the National Wildlife Refuge System. (The NWRS employs more than 3,000 staff, re their website.)_

_ - *Invest over $1-B* in "safe, reliable & efficient management of water resources" in the western United States._

*National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)*
_NASA runs the civilian space program, & funds aerospace and astrophysics research. Its focus includes better understanding the Earth through observation systems, understanding the physics of the sun, exploring space, & insight into the origins of the universe._

_Trump's budget proposal requests $19.1-B for the agency - a small cut, relative to previous years._

_The new budget would:_
_ - Eliminate the Asteroid Redirect Mission, a proposal to land on a large near-Earth asteroid, mine a boulder from it, & redirect it into stable orbit around the moon, as part of a larger project exploring how to gain resources for a trip to Mars. [[How It Works: NASA Asteroid-Capture Mission in Pictures]_

_ - Increase planetary science research to levels higher than under President Obama._

_ - Continue the Europa Clipper Mission, a mission to fly by Jupiter's moon Europa; the lander designed to gather samples has not been budgeted for._

_ - The new budget does not weigh in on whether the next big mission should focus on going to Mars or the moon; unlike Obama's budget, it does not focus on Mars. Trump has previously expressed interest in another manned mission to the moon._


_Earth Science gets a substantial cut, particularly programs focused on climate change:_

_ - On the chopping block is PACE, the *Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem*, using satellites to monitor the color of the oceans as a proxy for their health, & gain new insight into aerosols and clouds._

_ - *The Orbiting Carbon Observatory, the Deep Space Climate Observatory, & the CLARREO Pathfinder*, which measures atmospheric heat to test climate models and predictions, *are all to be canceled*. All focus on better understanding climate change._

_ - *The Office of Education*, which provides summer camps, enrichment programs, & STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs for kids, *is being cut*._


*Department of Energy (DOE)*
_The DOE oversees energy policies & research, including nuclear energy, & the environmental impacts of energy production and consumption. All national laboratories in the U.S. are overseen by the DOE, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colo. & Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois. Together, 17 national labs form one of the world's largest scientific research institutions._

_Trump's 2018 budget proposal requests $28-B for the agency - a $1.7 billion cut, about 6%, re the previous year._

_The new budget would:_

_ - Restart the Yucca Mountain project, a controversial *storage facility for nuclear power plant waste*, with $120-M to restart licensing operations._

_ - Cut $900-M from the DOE's Office of Science, which supports 10 of the national labs & scientific research at over 300 universities & institutions of higher learning across the U-S._

_ - Eliminate programs focused on* lowering carbon emissions*, including the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program, which supports low-carbon energy projects, & the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program._

_ - Eliminate the *Weatherization Assistance Program*, used by states & some Native American tribes *to assist low-income families in improving the energy efficiency of their homes.*_


*The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)*
_The HHS includes two major health & medical arms: Center for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC], & the National Institutes of Health [NIH]._

_Trump's budget proposal requests a nearly *18% cut* from the previous year, *about $15-B*._

_Here's how the HHS could be affected._

*The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)*
_The budget proposal does not include a specific figure for the CDC; the current core budget is about $7-B - nor does the preliminary request list programs to be cut, The Washington Post reported._

_The proposed budget would:_
_ - Increase spending by $500 million to help fight opioid abuse and provide access to treatment._
_ - Create a new Federal Emergency Response Fund for public health outbreaks [e-g, Zika]. Per the Washington Post, it is unclear how much money this fund would receive or if any (or all) money would come from other CDC programs._

*National Institutes of Health (NIH)*
_NIH is a large funder of scientific research; there'd be a $5.8-B cut in its budget under Trump's proposal, a 19% decrease. This could prove disruptive to researchers who rely on NIH grants to carry out studies over several years, per the Washington Post. To implement these cuts, it proposes a "major reorganization" of the NIH's 27 institutes & centers._

_The proposed budget would:_
_ - Eliminate the NIH's Fogarty International Center, which supports global health research & builds partnerships between research institutions in the US & abroad. _
_ - Make the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality part of the NIH. Previously its own agency within HHS, it focuses on improving safety & quality in U.S. health care._
_ - Initiate "consolidations & structural changes across NIH organizations & activities". The budget proposal offers few specifics about what will change; it would also reduce administrative costs & "rebalance Federal contributions to research funding"._

*National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)*
_NOAA oversees research & programs to forecast weather and storms, monitor climate, & manage marine and freshwater communities and ecosystems, to better understand the processes that drive our dynamic planet, and help predict changes in a warming world._

_NOAA operates within the Dept of Commerce, placed there in 1970 by former President, Richard Nixon. Nixon allegedly made this unorthodox choice - vs designate NOAA as part of the Interior Dept - as a reprimand of Interior Secretary Wally Hickel, for criticizing his policies in Vietnam, President Barack Obama recounted on Jan. 13, 2012._

_Trump's budget proposal would *cut more than $250-M from NOAA programs & grants* to support marine & coastal research, management & education._

_The new budget would:_
_ - *Eliminate *Sea Grant, *employing thousands of scientists, engineers & outreach experts in U.S. coastal communities*, managing resources & fueling sustainable economic growth. Funded in 2015 at $67.3-M, *Sea Grant's economic impact in 2015 was estimated at $575M --- a 854% return* --- per  a January 2017 report._
_ - *Continue NOAA's weather satellites*, which contribute critical weather data to the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) & Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) programs, though *the amount of money for these programs was not specified.*_

_Also unspecified was the amount of 'annual savings' expected from NOAA's Polar Follow On (PFO) satellite program. The administration will re-evaluate the risks of incomplete polar coverage by satellites, & 'examine the possibility of bolstering weather models with commercially-sourced data', per the budget description."_


----------



## Happy Paws2

leashedForLife, some of your posts are so long, you are giving me a headache, with all all these facts I've had to stop reading them.


----------



## Zaros

Happy Paws said:


> leashedForLife, *your posts* *are giving me a headache*, with all all these facts I've had to stop reading them.


*Th4*t's b€*cau*S*€
.
.
TH*ey'R€ alw*4*y*z* *$¤* 
.
.
.di*ff*i_cult_ to r€4D HP.:Hilarious


----------



## Jesthar

Oh, this gets better! Now Trump and the White House Wailers have accused the Brits - specifically GCHQ - of wiretapping for Obama, only to get comprehensively shot down in flames:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/16/gchq-denies-wiretap-claim-trump-obama

GCHQ usually has a 'no statement' policy, so to get them to break radio silence at all, let alone in such strong terms, is quite an achievement!

Got them a full climbdown and formal apology, too:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...britain-white-house-accuses-gchq-wiretapping/


----------



## Mirandashell

I wonder what sneaky piece of legislation they are trying to distract our attention from this time?


----------



## Happy Paws2

Who does he think he is, why would we want to spy on such a self centred, big mouthed, orange looking man.


----------



## Calvine

Happy Paws said:


> leashedForLife, some of your posts are so long, you are giving me a headache, with all all these facts I've had to stop reading them.


@Happy Paws: it's turned into a personal blog as far as I can see, punctuated with nicknames for President Trump..


----------



## Jesthar

Mirandashell said:


> I wonder what sneaky piece of legislation they are trying to distract our attention from this time?


The Indy and Guardian are more likely to confuse rather than distract your average Trump voter, though - too much fact based content. Wait till it appears on Fox News, with appropriate spin...


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> @Happy Paws: it's turned into a personal blog as far as I can see, punctuated with nicknames for President Trump..


*Per*s¤n*4L*....D3*finit3ly*.

*u*P *c**L*osE*?*.....*On*ly if $*h3* d€*sir€s* #2 h4ve A *part*icul4r *part* of her 4n4tomy gra*88*ed.

4*nd* I _v3ry_ *much* d¤u8t....................................(s)he'd *w*4*n*t 2.:Facepalm


----------



## Satori

Happy Paws said:


> leashedForLife, some of your posts are so long, you are giving me a headache, with all all these facts I've had to stop reading them.


Those are posts? Phew. I though my browser kept crashing and dumping Java Script.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
here ya go, Satori - just for U! ... An investment tip. 
.
QUOTE,
_"The new budget would:_
_- *Eliminate *Sea Grant, *employing thousands of scientists, engineers & outreach experts in U.S. coastal communities*, managing resources & fueling sustainable economic growth. Funded in 2015 at $67.3-M, *Sea Grant's economic impact in 2015 was estimated at $575M --- a 854% return* --- per a January 2017 report."_
_._
_._
A return of over 800% - i thought that might excite U.  Except that U can't invest in it - as A, it's not an IPO, & B, Trumpling killled the program.
.
gee, think of that - our "brilliant businessman" POTUS, at least in his own opinion, *cancelled a grant program that generated more than 8X what it cost.*
Yeah, sounds like OrangeMan really is an eejit, despite the personal hype from His gold-plated wannabe Majesty.
.
.
.


----------



## KittenKong

Looks like the UK are already adopting the policies of Trump...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39343971


----------



## Mirandashell

Oh dear god...... if bombs can be carried in laptops and tablets, then everyone should be barred from carrying them. EVERYBODY.


----------



## KittenKong

Mirandashell said:


> Oh dear god...... if bombs can be carried in laptops and tablets, then everyone should be barred from carrying them. EVERYBODY.


Exactly. Just like Trump they're targeting certain countries only.

I would have thought the XRay scanners used at airports would be able to detect anything untoward within laptops and tablets.

If they honestly believe bombs can be carried in laptops and tablets the ban should indeed apply to everyone.


----------



## Calvine

They are only banned in the cabin; not the hold. _That's what I heard anyway_. I'd have thought if they were clever enough they could still detonate them? But I'm not a genius with explosives so unsure.


----------



## Zaros

KittenKong said:


> Looks like the UK are already adopting the policies of Trump...
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39343971
> 
> View attachment 303926
> View attachment 303927
> View attachment 303928
> View attachment 303928


More 8ull5h1t to make us feel safe and secure................or afraid, and to keep the hatred alive.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
See? -- Donnie *does*, *too* have friends!  Nyah-nyah! 
.
.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4336112/FBI-wiretapped-Russian-crime-ring-Trump-Tower.html
.
Quote,
_*"There WAS 'wiretapping at Trump Tower': FBI eavesdropped on Russian money-laundering ring that operated out of iconic skyscraper for two years"*_

_*FBI had a court-approved warrant to monitor a Russian money-laundering ring operating out of unit 63A in Trump Tower between 2011-2013*_
_*Suspected mastermind of the $50-M crime syndicate was notorious Russian mob boss, Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov*_
_*Tokhtakhunov, 68, is best known for allegedly trying to fix 2002 Winter Olympics in favor of Russian figure skating teams *_
_*FBI's operation resulted in multiple arrests and convictions, but Tokhtakhunov managed to slip away*_
_*He resurfaced months later in VIP section at Miss Universe in Moscow, not far from Donald Trump*._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
*Biggest plus of leaving Number 10? ...*
*"I don't have to listen to wiretaps of Trump's conversations any more", jokes Cameron*

*Former British PM joked as he addressed 2K at Brown Univ. in Rhode Island*
*During his speech to students, spoke of 'shared values between the UK & US'*
*Mr Cameron also drew laughter from the room with jokes about Vladimir Putin*
*Revealed he rejected the Russian president's invitation to hunt on horseback*

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4333508/Cameron-jokes-doesnt-hear-Trump-wiretaps-anymore.html


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Below is why, in the USA, we're legally BANNED from studying gun-violence as a medical or public safety problem.
No medical research on the causes, effects, numbers, etc, in U-S gun-violence is allowed --- *by Federal law.*
The Nat'l Rifle Assoc lobbied intensively to pass that legislation, & continues to lobby to enforce it. 
.
Congress passed the 'no research' law in 1996; no Federal funding is allowed for firearms research.
Past studies have looked into the total costs of firearm injuries both medically and socially.
A 2012 Mother Jones investigation estimated the annual cost of gun violence in America exceeds $2.29 billion, possibly up to $3.4 billion if emergency services, police investigations, & long-term health care costs are included.
The actual cost of hospital visits are difficult to determine from these figures, and it is unclear who actually ends up paying for them. [The most-recent study concludes that approx 40% of those costs were paid by the govt, via Medicaid or Medicare.]
.
.
*Gun violence costs healthcare system around $3 BILLION a year, study reveals *





*hospital treatment of gunshot victims alone costs $734 million, each year.*

*didn't account for homicides, emergency services, or long-term healthcare costs.*

*Those added factors balloon the cost to $3.1 billion / year.*

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4336424/Gun-violence-costs-healthcare-3-BILLION-year.html


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
QUOTE,
_"Jennifer Sisk, a former student of Judge Neil Gorsuch, informed the Senate Judiciary Committee about a class discussion in which the Federal judge & law professor argued that '*companies can & should ask women interviewing for jobs about their pregnancy plans*'._
_Gorsuch 'implied that women intentionally manipulate companies & plan to disadvantage' them, Sisk said in a letter to lawmakers last week."_
.
Pertinent Questions:
- How old is Gorsuch' wife?
- is she currently pregnant, or planning to become pregnant? // Are they a sexually active couple?
- What contraceptive methods do they use, if any? // How effective are they, & what is the risk of an unplanned pregnancy while using them?
- Do they ever have unprotected sex? // Is this only within their committed relationship, or are either or both sexually active outside their marriage?
- What are the risks of an unplanned pregnancy outside of their own marriage, with other partners?
.
.
________________________________________________________
*SCOTUS nominee said last year, "women manipulate maternity leave" and "they should tell employers if they might be pregnant"*

*Judge Neil Gorsuch told a group of students that "companies need to protect themselves from women looking to take advantage of maternity benefits".*
*The charge was levied by a former student - Jennifer Sisk, a graduate of the University of Colorado, & now licensed to practice law.*
*Gorsuch 'implied that women intentionally manipulate companies and plan to disadvantage' them, Sisk said, in a letter to lawmakers last week.*
*Senate Judiciary Committee begins hearings today into Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court.*

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4331432/SCOTUS-nominee-said-women-manipulate-maternity-leave.html


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
more on _Gorsuch vs Female Employees_ :
.
QUOTE,
_"At least one student told the judge that *employers are barred from asking women about pregnancy*. *'However, Judge Gorsuch informed the class that that was wrong,'* Sisk claims. 
*Employers can and must ask 'in order to protect themselves against female employees', she says that Gorsuch argued.  
*
The Wellesley grad repeatedly notes in her letter to judiciary senators that *Gorsuch directed his comments at women - not men planning families.*

*He made it 'very clear' that this was a question 'that only women had to answer for,' *Sisk tells them. 
Sisk said she brought her concerns to the attention of the Univ of Colorado School of Law immediately after the discussion & shared her frustration in a Facebook group for female lawyers.

'It concerned me that *a man educating female lawyers would be discounting their worth publicly'* , Sisk, a former Senate staffer, said in her letter. *'Now it concerns me that a man who is being considered for our highest court holds views that discounts the worth of working females.'*

The Senate Judiciary Committee begins its hearings today on Gorsuch's nomination to the high court. The conservative judge is opposed by liberals, specifically their expectations of how he'll rule on social issues - like abortion.

A justice on the US Court of Appeals for the 10th, Gorsuch ruled *in favor of craft store Hobby Lobby when it challenged the contraception mandate* in Obamacare *on religious grounds.* 

Gorsuch has not participated in a major ruling on abortion, but Democrats are aiming to cast his views on that issue and others as outside the mainstream.

Sisk, a registered Democrat living in Colorado, asked senators to consider the incident that took place in her April 2016 ethics class during their deliberations, as well.

*'His values shared during that class were concerning and should be explored further during his confirmation hearings for the United States Supreme Court'*, she wrote.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4331432/SCOTUS-nominee-said-women-manipulate-maternity-leave.html_
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
women workers were asked to strike for a day on Int'l Women's Day [Wed, March 8th] -
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...ked-to-join-in-a-day-without-a-woman-protests
.
.
QUOTE,
_"...76% of public school teachers in the U.S. are women. Faced with large numbers of staffers planning to take the day off for the strike, school systems in Alexandria, Va., Prince Georges County, Md., Chapel Hill, N.C., & others told students to stay home. The decision to close schools put some parents in a bind for child care._

_Per the U.S. Census, women make up more than 47% of the U-S workforce & dominate as registered nurses, dental assistants, cashiers, accountants, & pharmacists._
_At least a third of physicians & surgeons, as well as lawyers & judges, are women. 55% of college students are female._
_American women continue to be paid less than men, earning *80 cents for every dollar a man makes*. The median income for women was *$40,742 in 2015,* compared with *$51,212 for men*, according to census data."_
_._
_._
in Boston,
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/03/08/women/cwLhp3BlDKBYoeayqDvdVO/story.html
.
QUOTE,
_"When I told my principal about it", said Lowell middle-school teacher Bridget McNulty, "she said, *'Well, if we all did that, then the country would shut down.'* I said, '*Yeah. That's the point.'* Still, McNulty, 29, a Somerville resident, attended the Downtown Crossing rally with her two sisters. *Since teaching staffs are overwhelmingly female*, she noted, *a walkout can have a huge impact on people's understanding of women's impact on their lives. *"That's the kind of disruption that causes change," she said._
.
Many of the women at rallies around metro-Boston wore their pussy-hats [see the Women's March on Feb 21st in D.C. & around the nation] & 'resist' buttons, or carried placards for Planned Parenthood, migrant rights, equal wages, child care, elder care, & other shared concerns. 
_._
https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/na...emale-power/48ci5LggbnOVdWY0g9LPoJ/story.html
.
Actually, WHAT PERCENTAGE of a man's worth U have as a woman, varies - by state or region, Ur age, Ur skin-color or ethnic background, & Ur employment classification. "Pink ghetto" jobs pay the least: pre-school, nanny, nail salon, secretary, & other jobs that men have no interest in, partly because the pay is lousy, society undervalues these jobs, & there's no chance of advancement. Pre-school minders don't become school principals; they move to another job, or stagnate at the same pay-grade.
.
White women in Boston are worth 77-cents for every dollar a man earns - with the same education & job experience.
Black women are worth 61-cents to the man's dollar.
Latino women are worth 50-cents to a man's dollar.
Over the course of a working lifetime, these disparities in income add up - to millions. // Any woman is likely to outlive her male peers.
That simple statistic, & our fractional wages, *make women FOUR TIMES as likely as men to live - & die - in poverty, in old age.*
A 401-k based on 3/4ths of one's male counterparts' earnings or less, which must be spread over an extra 20 or more years after retirement, means senior women struggle - to pay for utilities, Rx, food, bills, housing, transit, & basically any want or need.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://baystatebanner.com/news/2017/mar/15/bostons-day-without-woman-focuses-economics/
.
http://baystatebanner.com/photos/2017/mar/15/234721/
.
http://baystatebanner.com/photos/2017/mar/15/234722/
.
.
http://baystatebanner.com/news/2017/mar/15/boston-teachers-union-holds-walk-protest-stalled-c/

http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2017/03/boston_teachers_union_plan_wal.html
QUOTE,
*Boston Teacher's Union plans 'walk-in' to recognize International Women's Day*
_... _
_the walk-in on Friday will symbolize the failed contract negotiations between the teacher's union and School Department._
_'The bargaining unit is about 80% women, & has been treated unfairly', Stutman said over the phone. 'In honor of International Women's Day, we are protesting.' __In a statement, the union asks members to wear blue, sport new stickers, & hold signs before entering their schools together on Friday to demonstrate their demand for a new contract."
.
._

https://flipboard.com/topic/genderpaygap
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...h-care-plan/Esizh7sSRwMqArFVlGb49L/story.html
.
QUOTE,
*"GOP health plan would cost Mass. $2 billion, *[state Governor] *Baker says"*
 ...
_"Health and Human Services Secretary, Marylou Sudders, was more succinct. "The bill, as currently presented, is not good for us," she said after testifying to the Legislature's budget-writing committee. _
_..._
_In a few years, Massachusetts could lose between $1.1-B & $1.9-B per year of Federal revenue for Medicaid, the joint federal-state health care program for the poor & disabled, she warned. That program is known as MassHealth. Sudders said 300,000 people who are on MassHealth currently could be at risk of losing coverage, & 195,000 people who get insurance via the MassHealth Connector might lose subsidies that help them pay for insurance, meaning they could lose their insurance altogether. And those numbers don't include the untold number of Massachusetts residents who get insurance through their employers, but might lose it if the GOP bill passes, she said.

Sudders, who oversees a $23-B office, ticked through a series of other potential consequences of the GOP bill:
■ It's "quite possible" the state could lose up to $475-M a year in payments to hospitals that serve a large number of Medicaid patients, she said. Those payments are important for facilities that see some of the state's poorest & sickest people._

_■ The technical language would force Massachusetts to lower the asset test it uses to see if a resident is eligible for Medicaid for a nursing home or the like. Currently the person has to meet certain income requirements & have an equity interest in their home under $840-K. But the law would force the state to lower it to $560-K. Sudders said she does not know how many people that might impact.

■ The legislation gets rid of $19-M in grants to the Dept of Public Health, which address issues ranging from family planning to sexual assault prevention."_
_._
_._
to read Gov Baker's letter in its entirety, click on the "view story" button beside the letterhead *'Baker's letter'*
*.*
*.*


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## leashedForLife

.
.
.
• A new study finds men who move into traditionally female jobs "tend to be *disadvantaged in the labor market in terms of race & class*". 
.
.
• Dozens of Fortune 500 US-companies *avoided paying taxes* at least once in an 8-year period, per an analysis citing an array of loopholes. 
.
.
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## samuelsmiles

*Donald Trump Will Resign Soon.*


----------



## leashedForLife

QUOTE, samuelsmiles:
*
Donald Trump Will Resign Soon.*

/QUOTE
.
.
from Senator Feinstein's lips to God's ear... thanks, Sam. 
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
Coal-fueled power plants are filthy, inefficient, produce huge amounts of CO2, particulates, & *sulfur - which becomes ACID RAIN when it falls to the ground, killing trees, damaging ecosystems, killing fish & other water-dwellers -* & mining the stuff is itself a filthy, land-wrecking, water-polluting, air-dirtying process.
Then we have to ship the stuff, once it's blasted out of the ground & the mountaintops are lying in the streams of the surrounding valleys - it's shipped by rail-car, which at least is a decently efficient way to transport it, but everything on both sides of that - mining, burning, electrical generation, over the wires & thru the transformers to step it down to household or commercial current - is DIRTY, wasteful, & unsustainable.
.
so of course, POTUS CombOver wants to not just keep it --- but *e-x-p-a-n-d* coal... More mining, more miners, less regulation of safety, less regulation of pollution, less recovery of lands from massive mining damage, MORE coal-fired power plants! --- *new ones*. // We're going back to the 1940s, which isn't the future. :Meh
.
.
*Largest coal-fired power plant is shutting down. What will Trump do ...*
boingboing.net/2017/02/15/largest-coal-fired-power-plant.html
Feb 15, 2017 - 
Trump made a big deal about saving the dying coal industry. "[We're] bringing back jobs, big league. We're bringing them back at the plant ...


*Will Trump Make This $7 Billion Clean-Coal Plant Irrelevant ...*
https://www.bloomberg.com/.../after-2-6-billion-writedown-clean-coal-giant-set-for-o...
Jan 27, 2017 - 
Trump has offered contradictory opinions on how to deal with coal-plant emissions. He's vowed to kill the Obama administration's Clean Power ...


*This nifty map shows why coal power is struggling, Trump ... - Science*
www.sciencemag.org/.../nifty-map-shows-why-coal-power-struggling-trump-notwiths...
Dec 16, 2016 - 
To boost coal power, Trump has promised to dismantle the centerpiece of ... Tack on the CPP (middle map), which would require coal plants to ...


*Donald Trump's promise to revive coal industry will be tough to keep ...*
www.washingtontimes.com/.../donald-trumps-promise-to-revive-coal-industry-will/
Dec 29, 2016 - 
In that respect, Mr. Obama has made good on his 2008 promise that those who try to build coal-fired power plants in the U.S. would bankrupt ...


*Aging Coal-Fired Power Plants In The Trump Era - Law360*
https://www.law360.com/articles/.../aging-coal-fired-power-plants-in-the-trump-era
Feb 10, 2017 - 
While President Donald J. Trump has declared that he will 'bring the coal industry back 100%', he likely cannot make the coal industry ...

*Manchester, Ohio: Small town counts on Trump to stave off plant ...*
www.cnn.com/2017/02/24/politics/manchester-ohio-power-plants-closing-trump/
Feb 24, 2017 - 
If two nearby coal-powered power plants close, residents say Manchester, Ohio, will become a ghost town. They're hoping that Donald Trump ...
____________________________________

*Especially informative*
*Trump's Energy Policy: 10 Big Changes - Forbes*
www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2016/12/.../trumps-energy-policy-10-big-changes/
Dec 26, 2016 - 
President-elect Donald Trump intends to hit the ground running on energy and ...

Watch On Forbes: A Cleaner Power Plant For The Warming Climate ... 
Restrictions on coal production & coal-power have reached ...


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## leashedForLife

.
.




.
*billy barr *[his preference for small-case letters] has spent 40-yrs living solo, off the grid, in Colorado.
Every winter, he's recorded snowfall, wind-speed, general weather, temp, etc, 2 X daily. EVERY day.
.
recently his data-stash was discovered, & research scientists are very interested.
He says the general trend is a *later date for permanent snowpack*, & *much earlier melting* - even when it's deeper, *it gets so much warmer*, the snow-pack melts early.
.
He also notes that *airborne dust is now a frequent event, & dust - even a thin layer - accelerates melting of the snow-pack enormously.*
.
Of course, we know climate change is a Commie plot from China [per Trumpling]; Mr Barr's data must be... 40-years of Commie conspiracy? 
.
.
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----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...aster-it-s-a-disaster-for-women-s-health.html
.
QUOTE,
_"Capitol Hill Republicans were involved in two embarrassing photo ops today. Most photo ops are embarrassing ... but these two were particularly gaudy._

_Both involved *rooms full of male politicians with strong opinions on women's health* - save Kellyanne Conway, the Official Female Friend of rooms full of male politicians with strong opinions on women's health. 
In one, men stood up and applauded President Donald Trump as he conceded that *perhaps maternity benefits did not need to be included in insurance plans*. The second photo included Vice President Mike Pence, explaining to a room full of men *why maternity benefits should not count as essential care*. The men in both photos were going bananas over this very bad idea._

_The American Health Care Act (or Trumpcare, or Ryancare, or, perhaps more aptly, *TheyDontCare*) already included a provision that required women who were interested in receiving insurance coverage for abortion to purchase an additional rider. It already defunded Planned Parenthood, an organization that serves as an entry point to healthcare for millions of women. It already gutted Medicaid, a program that helps low-income women and children access care. But that old bill didn't go far enough to please the most conservative of the conservative party. This new, shinier version of the bill also eliminated_ _*other types of health care, including maternity care.*_

_Which left me, a woman, with some pressing questions._

_First, how many types of insurance must women purchase?
One type for being a human being (like a man, sort of), one type for perhaps one day wanting to have children (maternity care), another for one day perhaps not wanting to remain pregnant (abortion). That's three.
Women who need mental health care would need a fourth kind of insurance, unless they've got deep pockets or generous shrinks. Women with *pre-existing medical conditions* may need to purchase additional coverage *or *invent a very popular app, and then use the money they make by cashing out on that app to pay for their own medical care. [ * Joke]
*_
_Second, who will pay for childbirth under the Republican plan? _
_If women can't afford maternity insurance or abortion insurance & wind up pregnant anyway, will they have to pay for prenatal care out-of-pocket until they drain their personal savings? -- What then? Will they be outfitted with a government time machine they can use to go back and make sure their birth control un-fails? Will they go on Medicaid? Isn't that being gutted? What about the women's husbands, who ostensibly don't personally need maternity care but probably would appreciate it if their wives had it? Will they chip in or what?_

_Third, have Republicans thought any of this through? Any of it at all? _
_I thought Paul Ryan was a policy wonk. *His whole brand is smartest-dude-at-the-keg-party, patiently explaining to his bros why Jesus would have wanted poor people to have the freedom to buy whatever insurance they want.* This bill and its witless tune-up make it seem as though nobody has thought any of this through, past the photo op._

_To seek answers to my burning questions, I reached out to a Democratic Senate staffer. "*These are questions I don't have answers to"*, the staffer said, laughing._
_"I think Republicans, including Paul Ryan, have been making this promise for seven years -- that they're going to repeal it -- and now that they have the opportunity, they don't know what to do. They were not expecting to be in this position."_

_But what about women?_

_*"I just don't think they care"*, the staffer added. *"All they care about is saying they repealed Obamacare."*_
.
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----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
all about Repugs & health care, starting back in February -
.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/...-chaos-to-Republican-Obamacare-repeal-efforts
.
The COMMENTS below that article are very illuminating; a number of healthcare pros explain & opine.
.
Yesterday...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/...heir-plan-to-strip-maternity-and-newborn-care
.
great sense of humor! ...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/...e-about-losing-mammogram-coverage-will-enrage
.
"60 days to get a new job, post-delivery" - or else.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/...60-days-to-find-a-job-or-risk-losing-coverage
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/polit...ssociates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians/
.
.
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----------



## Zaros

Go on admit it.

You're not happy with Mr Trump because he didn't grab you where it makes you swoon.

Oh Donald​


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
update on the Repugnant healthcare bill:
- Trumpster's version of 'wooing support' was to threaten ["don't vote for this, & we'll remember U..."].
- the House postponed the vote
- there weren't enuf votes to pass it, even among Repugs.
- rather than be embarrassed, Trumpling pulled the bill; no vote.
.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ryan-pulls-gop-health-care-bill-call-trump/story?id=46346773
.
His announcement to the press in the Oval Office was incoherent & often nonsensical; among other mysterious things, he said, _"The average monthly rate _[for insurance via ACA] _went up by whatever it went up by." _
Ooookayyy... moving on. 
He also repeatedly claimed that _"Obamacare will _*explode*_." --- _whatever the H*** that means. *shrug*
.
.
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----------



## Mirandashell

Well... maybe it's a good sign. Maybe a few more Reps will start standing up to him and maybe limit the damage he could do.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
He's now announced he's "moving on" to TAX REFORM. Oh, joy. :Meh
He's completely ignorant of history & has no clue that his plans to *massively increase spending on the military, DEregulate industry - extractive, such as timber, mining of all kinds, oil / gas, etc, & all other industries - & corporations of all kinds, & cut taxes on the uber-wealthy & corporations -*
is a carbon-copy plan of Ronnie Ray-gun's from the 1980s. // As Trumpling doesn't remember, it resulted in massive unemployment, a huge swelling of the national DEBT - which Carter had greatly reduced! - & eventually, after Ronnie had died, his DEREGULATION bore fruit - in the form of the 2008 meltdown / global Great Recession, which we are only beginning to recover from.
It's been EIGHT years - many individuals will never recover what they lost; many nations are still, like the U-S, slow growing or on shaky financial ground.
.
So... DJT intends to do it all over again, "but better" this time. // :Grumpy I can't wait.
.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/325607-mnuchin-white-house-tax-reform-plan-coming-pretty-soon
.
.
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----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://www.livescience.com/58430-trump-to-scrap-clean-power-plan.html
.
QUOTE,
_"The Clean Power Plan requires that, by 2030, the power sector's CO2 emissions be brought down to 32% below their 2005 levels._
_...without the mandate to lower CO2 emissions, ... the industry's current CO2 emissions [are] 30% of the annual CO2 emissions for the country, & higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are linked to climate change... *The Clean Power Plan was the nation's first limit on CO2 from power plants*, Ken Kimmell told Live Science. 
 
EPA officials ... expected the plan to help the country meet its goals as outlined in the Paris Agreement... 
*the new administration doesn't appear to have a replacement for the Clean Power Plan*, Kimmell said. 
"*They're just going to repeal it*, so that's a big problem," Kimmell said.

*CO2 consequences*
...outdoor air pollution is also tied to a number of maladies, including death. In the United States, *the plan was projected to prevent 3,600 premature deaths; 1,700 heart attacks; 90,000 asthma attacks; & 300,000 missed workdays and school days, per the EPA.*

The plan would have helped the nation move away from burning coal and toward "cleaner sources, like [natural] gas, and even really clean sources, like renewable energy, such as wind and solar," Kimmell said. "There are significant health benefits when you switch from a dirty resource like coal to cleaner resources." [8 Ways Global Warming Is Already Changing the World]

*During the second presidential debate in the 2016 campaign, Trump mentioned the use of "clean coal" technology. This technology doesn't yet exist*, experts have told Live Science.
The idea... is to find a way to capture CO2 & other pollutants from power plants *before those materials enter the atmosphere*. But *developing this technology costs money, meaning power plants likely won't do it unless the government motivates them*, said Edward Rubin, professor of engineering & public policy at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA."_
_._
_._
_._


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## leashedForLife

.
.
Before & after - photos of glacier melt, a series of snapshots
http://www.livescience.com/11283-glaciers.html
.
Of course, these are all Chinese photos & they doctored them, it's all fake.  'Climate change' is a conspiracy. // End sarcasm.
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
*Trump wants to boost defense spending by 10% and cut social spending*
MARCH 24, 2017, 11:17 A.M.
A look at President Trump's administration and the rest of Washington:


*Trump* wants to boost defense spending by $54 billion, a 10% jump
*Justice Department *shifts course in controversial Texas voting rights case
*Trump *says "nobody knew healthcare could be this complicated."
Trump says *Hollywood*'s obsession with him led to Oscar snafu
Trump's nominee for Navy secretary withdraws over financial conflicts
*Democrats *pick Tom Perez to lead them from the political wilderness


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## leashedForLife

.
.
A Trump advisor, like the CombOver POTUS, also has massive *conflicts of interest - *Icahn is a majority investor in CVR Energy, *an oil refiner* based in Sugar Land, Tex., *that would have saved* $205.9 million *last year [2016], had the regulatory fix he's pushing been in place.*
.
QUOTE,
_"Since Mr. Trump was elected (with Mr. Icahn's very-vocal support & nearly $200-K in political contributions to Republican causes), *the stock price of CVR Energy has soared.* By late December, *it had doubled.* It is still *up 50% from the pre-election level*, generating a windfall, at least on paper, of *$455M-usa, as of Friday*._
_*The merging of private business interest with government affairs* - aspects previously reported by Bloomberg, but which The New York Times has found further evidence of - *has generated protests from ethics experts in Washington*, as well as certain Senate Democrats. *They consider Mr. Icahn's dual roles perhaps the most troubling conflict of interest to emerge so far, in the new administration.*_
_...said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island... "Were the shoe on the other foot, Republicans would be having fits about any Obama relationship like this."_

_Mr. Icahn, 81-YO, was unapologetic in a series of interviews in the last week. He said he's not subject to conflict of interest rules *because he is an informal, unpaid adviser to Mr. Trump, not an official government employee. *"I'm not making any policy... I am only giving my opinion."_

_... But *CVR Energy*, of which Mr. Icahn owns 82 percent, *is just one entry on a growing list of potential conflicts that have surfaced since his December appointment.*_

_Mr. Icahn has provided input... on the *selection of the new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission*. *He is a major investor in companies ... recently... targeted for enforcement action or investigation by the S.E.C.*, including CVR Energy & Herbalife, the nutritional beverage company, of which [URL='https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/HLF/holders?p=HLF']he owned about 24 percent at the end of last year.[/URL]"_
.
.


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## leashedForLife

.
.
_Public Citizen_, an advocacy group, has filed a formal complaint re Icahn & his fellow "advisers", stating they should be registered as lobbyists.
.
QUOTE,
_"The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (2 USC § 1603) requires non-governmental entities to register their lobbying activities with the U.S. Congress upon passing each of three thresholds: (i) *receiving compensation of more than $3,000 or making expenditures in excess of $13,000 per quarter for a lobbying effort*; (ii) *making more than one lobbying contact with a covered official*; and (iii) *an individual employed by the entity spends more than 20% of his or her work time on preparation, research, writing, & other activities to facilitate a lobbying contact."*_
.
.
PDF -
http://www.citizen.org/documents/Icahn-complaint-march-2017.pdf
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
the EU is about to *ban* neonicotinoids - the oh-so-popular pesticide that's killing bees, among other non-target species. 
.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...oised-for-total-ban-on-bee-harming-pesticides
.
.
What's the U-S doing about these damaging chemicals? - *Not a g**d***** thing.  Bee-pocalypse *continues.
Brought to U by those trusty ag-industry & household-chemical manufacturers who gave us DDT, DDE, PCBs, PDEs, Teflon, fire-retardants, Freon, & all the rest of the chemical arsenal that continues to poison the planet, & the flora & fauna who try to survive here - alongside & around the humans.
.
general info:
.
*Neonicotinoid - Wikipedia*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonicotinoid
Jump to *United States* - 
The neonicotinoid family includes acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, nithiazine, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam. *Imidacloprid is the most widely-used insecticide in the world. *Compared to organophosphate & carbamate insecticides, neonicotinoids cause less toxicity in birds & mammals than in insects.
.
.
Specific to U-S - note the use of _"could" _ -
*'US government says widely used pesticide could harm honeybees'*
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...sticides-united-states-epa-study-imidacloprid
.
The EPA is considering REGULATION of ONE neonicotinoid out of 7 currently in production & use. // One apiarist remarked that "the fox is guarding the henhouse", & another pointed out that Bayer's own research, included over *10 years ago *in their application for approval to the EPA, stated that imidacloprid can *persist in clay soils for 20 years or more.*
Neonicotinoids are *systemic - *once taken up by the plant, or if the seed is coated with them, *they are present in every cell - *leaf, stem, root, fruit, seed, sap, branch... All.
Hence they are in pollen, nectar, the plant ovary, the seeds formed for the next year's sowing, everything.
.
If they PERSIST for 20-years in soil, then we have *decades of neonic-contaminated plants ahead* - for ourselves, & all the pollinators, including domestic honeybees, native wild bees, hawk moths, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, & bats, as well as various other species / families.
.
.
.


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## Sairy




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## Happy Paws2

That's brillaint


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## leashedForLife

.
.
SOmeone - no doubt, a Chinese someone...  probly transported this _Ursus marinus_ specimen.
.
https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/polar-bear-sighted-scottish-island
.
.
QUOTE,
_" WWF's polar bear tracker has been recording the unusual movements of one of the polar bears over the last few months with data suggesting this phenomenon is set to become the new norm as species adapt to the effects of climate change. *This polar bear has been sighted on a beach on the island of North Uist, *[Scotland], *where an abundance of their favorite prey, seals, is found.*_

_The polar bear (ID: 1APRF1S), has been tracked from Svalbard, in the Norwegian Arctic since January, across the 2,000 km of sea to the Outer Hebrides._

_The Arctic is warming at a rate of twice the global average with sea ice projected to almost disappear in the summer within a generation. Polar bears are uniquely adapted to live on sea ice and are dependent on it to hunt seals, travel, & find mates, to breed."_
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
*Rare, endangered shrimp found in Costa Mesa, thanks to recent rains ...*
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/.../california/la-me-rare-shrimp-20170327-story.htm...
_5 days ago - 
Rare, endangered shrimp found in Costa Mesa, thanks to heavy rains. ... Officials said Riverside fairy shrimp, invigorated by recent rainy ... He said "there are very few concentrations of these shrimp" in Southern California, ...
._
.
Quick, stomp 'em out! ---  Feckin' rain... shoulda just kept the drought going. These goddam 'rare species' always make trouble.  Just get *rid* of 'em.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
4 'critical' NASA missions have been de-funded.
http://www.livescience.com/58490-critical-nasa-climate-missions-budget-cuts.html
.
.
QUOTE,
_"__In his most recent_ _weekly address, President Trump praised NASA's 'mission of exploration & discovery' and its ability to allow mankind to 'look to the heavens with wonder and curiosity' --- left out of his statements was the work NASA does to peer back at our home planet and unravel its many remaining mysteries - a mission targeted for cuts in his administration's budget outline released earlier this month._
_In a budget otherwise scant on specifics, *four climate-related NASA satellite missions were proposed for termination*, including *one already in orbit.*_

_Those missions are aimed not only at helping scientists learn more about key parts of the climate system & how global warming is changing them, but also at practical matters such as *monitoring the health of the nation's coastal waters* & providing *earlier warnings of drought stress in crops.*"
...
While the budget outline is not the final say, as Congress ultimately controls the purse strings, *the proposed cuts are indicative of an "undeclared war on climate"*, as David Titley, director of the Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk at Penn State and a retired rear admiral in the Navy, put it. *Eliminating the proposed missions and other climate science funding to save even a few hundred million dollars is short-sighted, given the long tails of climate change's expected impacts in the U.S. and around the world*, several scientists said."
.
.
._



.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
more on the 4 cancelled NASA programs, from the article cited above -
QUOTE,
_"PACE - the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud & ocean Ecosystem mission - & the other three missions singled out, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3, the Climate Absolute Radiance & Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO), & the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) - cover different aspects of the climate system, & are in differing stages of planning and readiness. 
But all four are missions that scientists have been trying to get off the ground for many years, to plug gaps in our understanding of Earth's complex climate & how it is changing."
.








.
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._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Putin is making noises about how "unfair" it was for the USA to take Alaska - piffle. 
.
Russia was staggering under debts from the Crimean war, they'd already virtually exterminated the sea-otters that were the primary fur-bearer, they were no longer making money from their 'colony', & they couldn't support their settlements - it was too bl**dy far to ship food, medicines, clothing, & all the other needs that the Russian colonists couldn't grow, make, or source elsewhere. They were too isolated, & very dependent on Mother Russia for *every*thing.
.
Plus, the Russians were not "kindly" rulers; they were cruel, enslaving the local indigines just as the Spanish did in Mexico, C America, S America, & Calif / Texas.
They worked the native ppl brutally & paid them nothing - thousands & thousands died, especially in the Aleutian islands - which were devastated, the popn fell from 17K to 1500 persons. 
.
The U-S was not a huge improvement re the native ppls at 1st; the Indian wars were still going on in the western states, & native ppls were seen as potential adversaries. Ulysses Grant actually declared it a military district; Alaskan tribal persons did not have full rights as citizens, to property, to vote, in law, etc, until *1924, *& native tribes were not recognized as govt entities until *1936.*
Still - they were no longer literal slaves, & they weren't being murdered. Small steps. // Today, native tribes are vigorous, land rights are acknowledged, & life is much better [altho like tribes in the 48-states, Alaskan natives have a high risk of obesity, diabetes, alcoholism, etc, as soon as they begin eating a 'Western' / 'American' diet.
Heart disease & other inflammatory illnesses are common.
.
http://www.livescience.com/58475-why-russia-gave-up-alaska.html
.
It's hard to "celebrate" the cession of Alaska, but it was better for the native ppls than staying under Russia's crushing rule.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
something to look forward to: Tax reform a'la Trumpling. 
.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/325607-mnuchin-white-house-tax-reform-plan-coming-pretty-soon
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

I really dread to think what his going to do!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39475178


----------



## leashedForLife

.
some links from the NYT -
.
The number of undocumented immigrants caught along the border with Mexico fell significantly in February, Customs and Border Protection said. The Trump administration said it's a sign the new immigration policies were working.
.
.
...officials said on Wed 3/8 that the president was not under investigation, the latest twist after Mr. Trump's claim, without evidence, that his predecessor had ordered wiretaps at Trump Tower.
.
Russia has deployed a prohibited cruise missile, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told Congress (3/8/17), the first public confirmation by the U.S. that the Kremlin violated a landmark arms control agreement.
.
Separately, many European countries regard RT, the network formerly called Russia Today, as spreading a disinformation campaign intended to destabilize the West. The company says it offers "alternative views" to the Western-dominated news media.
.
International Women's Day [also March 8th] included a strike in France, starting at 3:40 p.m. - symbolically the time Frenchwomen stop being paid, because of wage inequality.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
The ouster of South Korea's president is reshaping the geopolitical map of East Asia.
Stability and North Korea's recent missile tests will be high-profile concerns in that region.
.
Some global allies fear Trump's harsh language toward minorities, the news media, migrants, & the European Union, plus praise for authoritarian leaders, is eroding Washington's moral authority. 
.
Hawaii sued to block Mr. Trump's revised travel ban.
.
.
.


----------



## Calvine

Does anyone else post on this blog? Like ever?


----------



## Guest

Calvine said:


> Does anyone else post on this blog? LIke ever?


Some of us have tried, or did initially, but only one voice counts here 

I am as opposed to Trump as anyone, as disappointed and frustrated that he is our president as the next guy. And yup there are issues that need to be discussed and addressed. But the key word here is *discussed*. There is no discussion for some. And that's not productive either.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
The F.B.I. is hunting the source of WikiLeaks huge cache of documents that revealed tools & techniques used by the C.I.A. to break into smartphones, computers, & even smart TVs. The likeliest culprit is a disaffected insider.
.
Here's a handy guide from the NYX on protecting your devices & data.
One scholar says the documents actually show that the C.I.A. finds encrypted communications apps very difficult to crack.
.
.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
some good news:
- Chance the Rapper contributed $1 million to Chicago's public school system *;

- the cast of "Hamilton" donated their salaries from an evening performance to support low-income women;

- an 86-year-old man who's been collecting paper & aluminum for decades gave $400,000 to a children's home in Georgia.
.
.
* from a 1970s poster:
_'I hope for the day when the Air Force holds a bake-sale to fund a new bomber, & our schools have all the money they need.'_
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.

the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that the Repugnant plan, meant to replace the Affordable Care Act, would:
 -- increase the number of citizens without health insurance by *24 million* by 2026, &
 -- cut just $337 billion from Federal budget deficits.
.
The Trump administration immediately denounced the budget office's conclusions. [Surprise!  ]
.
The NY Times studied the report's key findings, looked at how the plan could affect citizens, & checked the facts behind Trumpling's critique of Obamacare.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Wed, March 15, was  World Consumer Rights Day. Started in 1983, it was inspired by an address President Kennedy gave 55 years ago, in August 1962. Many of the passages still resonate today.

_"The march of technology - affecting, for example, the foods we eat, the medicines we take, & the many appliances we use in our homes - has increased the difficulties of the consumer, along with his opportunities"_, Kennedy said. He went on to say that the government should protect the consumers' rights to safety, to being informed, to choice, & to being heard.
Activists like Ralph Nader & his push for vehicle safety followed in the footsteps of Upton Sinclair, whose 1906 novel "The Jungle" depicted the deplorable standards in the meatpacking industry, prompting legislative action.

The consumer-protection movement is often cast in the role of underdog. The publisher of Consumer Reports wrote in 2012, _"There are a lot of powerful interests trying to tilt the scales against consumers. But there is one important asset that they don't have, & we do. That asset is people power."
.
.
._


----------



## Happy Paws2

Calvine said:


> Does anyone else post on this blog? LIke ever?





ouesi said:


> Some of us have tried, or did initially, but only one voice counts here


Yes, we don't seem to be debating anything anymore, we just seem to get very long and boring posts about facts and figers that you can't really answer, and to be honest I don't read anymore, they just fo my head in.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
"debate", @Happy Paws ?
what debate? - the POTUS is a man with zero political experience & worse, zero political *acumen*; he has some sort of hero-worship for authoritarian thugs, & wants to emulate them.
.
He had an incredibly privileged childhood & adulthood, inherited massive wealth, was given a million bucks to play with before he was 22-YO - yet he claims to speak for the underemployed, those technology & change have left behind, & the working poor. He's never done a physical job in his life. he has no idea what it means to earn his bread by the sweat of his body. He also has no idea of the terror of running out of money before U run out of month.
.
He's never known a lack in his life of anything that can be bought. He can't comprehend or even empathize with those who live in constant fear of WANT - want of food, of shelter, of decent clothing, of medicine or medical care - or clean water. He has no understanding of any of that.
.
There is no debate, here. There's nothing to discuss - i'm simply recording the cataclysm that is the abomination in the Oval Office, & anyone who's disinterested can easily ignore me.
We, the citizens of the globe, are spectators - while an egocentric windbag with a limited vocabulary deconstructs 60 years & more of progressive legislation in a democracy, with the help of wealthy sponsors [the Kochtopus, among others], a political party full of vested interests & expensively-bought politicians, & corporations, all intent on business & profit.
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

No because you have taken over thread with so many quotes about this and that, I don't think anyone bothers anymore.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
originally, @Happy Paws , this thread was about the very idiocy of such a man running as candidate.
Now, thanks to our asinine do-nothing Electoral College, who rubber-stamped the results, the loser has the office; discussion is *over. *The inmate has taken charge of the asylum that is Washington; the nation - & the globe - will have to live with the consequences.
.
This isn't a "debate". Since His Orangeness took office in January, it's simply a catalogue of the ongoing train wreck. // Nobody has to "bother". If the readers are U-S citizens, perhaps they can find ways to mitigate the effects - or find legislators who will work to minimize the damage.
If they are not U-S citizens but care about the fate of those living here & the part of the planet we call home, perhaps it will provoke them to work in their own countries to prevent such a disaster - legislative, environmental, economic disasters.
.
If they think of themselves as citizens of the globe, *the rise of the Far Right* should already be a serious worry. Also, the increasing power of multinational corporations puts them outside the control of any government - & the corporate world's only duty & focus is on profit, turning everything into commodities & sending dividends to shareholders.
Slicing the living planet into sellable bits is no different than dissecting a frog to "understand" it - once it's taken apart, it's not only dead, it's impossible to put back together.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Having finally taken action after mouthing platitudes & threats, Trumpster needs to do a bunch of stuff he doesn't know how to do - he's capable of deciding to fire missiles, but *diplomacy* is not in his skill-set. // We'd better hope he has minions who can cover his glaring lacks.
.
This is an OPINION piece from the New York Times - which unlike Faux News, labels opinions as separate from facts.
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/opinion/after-the-missiles-we-need-smart-diplomacy.html
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

:Bored


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> There is no debate, here. There's nothing to discuss


Your quote says it all to be honest. That's the point I and others are making. It's a personal blog; it should be in your diary and not on a forum. A forum is a place or medium where people discuss/debate various subjects...No debate, no discussion here. Plus of course the text-speak and the nicknames are irritating.


----------



## Zaros

leashedForLife said:


> There is no debate, here. There's nothing to discuss


Now where have I read that before.

Oh, I know...

The gospel according to leashedForLife.:Wacky


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> His Orangeness


Q.E.D.: Like I said: the text-speak and tediously unfunny nicknames are beyond irritating. So is the purple font. Maybe we should call this poster ''His/Her Purpleness''? I see the purple font and I run for cover.


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> discussion is *over.*


So why do you insist on continuing your epic blog? (Just wondered.)


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> Q.E.D.: Like I said: the text-speak and tediously unfunny nicknames are beyond irritating. So is the purple font. Maybe we should call this poster ''His/Her Purpleness''? I see the purple font and I run for cover.


It might be worth your while remembering that this member can, if rattled, make certain trouble for you, even if it means applying a lie or two.

Yours Sincerely

Experienced.:Cigar


----------



## Calvine

Zaros said:


> It might be worth your while remembering that this member can, if rattled, make certain trouble for you, even if it means applying a lie or two.
> 
> Yours Sincerely
> 
> Experienced.:Cigar


 Dear Experienced of Finland

Thank you for the warning. Last I heard, I was on his/her ''ignore'' list (at least that was promised). Time will tell!


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> Dear Experienced of Finland
> 
> Thank you for the warning.* Last I heard, I was on his/her* ''*ignore'' list* (at least that was promised). Time will tell!


Minä myös








No niin!​


----------



## Guest

leashedForLife said:


> There is no debate, here. There's nothing to discuss - i'm simply recording the cataclysm that is the abomination in the Oval Office, & anyone who's disinterested can easily ignore me.


This is where the extreme left has gone wrong IMHO. And to be fair, the extreme right as well... This idea that "I'm right, the rest of you shut up and listen" is getting us no where good.

There is a lot to discuss, for one, the huge divide in this country that has led to the election of Trump. And no, it wasn't because a bunch of racist, uneducated ******** showed up at the polls. I know plenty of good, intelligent, compassionate people who felt like they had no choice but to vote for Trump. 
Unless we start talking to each other, really listening and trying to understand the other side, we will simply continue to divide as a country and that's not productive either.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Russia has cut-off co-operation in Syria -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/world/middleeast/russia-iran-us-strikes-syria.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
March 28:
*Trump border wall ask: $1B for 62 miles - CNNPolitics.com - CNN.com*
www.cnn.com/2017/03/27/politics/trump-border-wall-cost-distance/
Mar 28, 2017 - 
_"The Trump administration wants the first $1 billion of border wall funding to cover 62 miles... ... a border fence could have advantages over a concrete wall, because agents could ..."_
_._
_._
Today - W 4/12
*Lawsuit Targets Trump's Border Wall, Enforcement Program*
www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2017/border-wall-04-12-2017.php
9 hours ago - 
_"Lawsuit Targets Trump's Border Wall, Enforcement Program ... today sued the Trump administration over the proposed border wall and other ..."_
_._
_._
*The Center for Biological Diversity* is an excellent grass-roots & science-based partnership, they've won a number of environmental legal cases & do a great job of educating laypersons on the importance & function of intact ecosystems, the intrinsic value of ecological services [pollination, dunes & wetlands which protect coasts & provide nurseries, water purification via plants & soil microbes], etc.
.
I certainly hope they win this round. The cross-border travel of animals & even plants is vital to maintain a viable gene pool.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Wed update from the NYX:
.
Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution Condemning Syria Chemical Attack 

_._
_"U.S. accuses Russia of a Syria cover-up. _
_*The White House asserted* on Tuesday that Moscow had released "false narratives" to mislead the world about the chemical attack in Syria last week. _
_A *report by the National Security Council* said U.S. intelligence had confirmed that the government of President Bashar al-Assad had used sarin gas on its own people; Russia blamed insurgents for the attack."_
.
.
_"White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, drew outrage by suggesting that the Syrian president was guilty of acts worse than Hitler's & *saying that the Nazi leader had not used chemical weapons*, ignoring the use of gas chambers during the Holocaust."_
.
.
_"Prez Trump spoke with Prez Jinping of China re* escalating tensions* over North Korea's nuclear weapons program; Trump *opened the door on Tuesday* to possible trade concessions, if China helps to pressure Pyongyang."_
.
.
Click on hyperlinks to go direct to the source for full copy.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Wed's audio-cast of "The Daily" discusses the growing perception that Stephen Bannon's fortunes at the White House are fading.
Listen on *a computer*, an* iOS device* , or an *Android device*.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
yesterday afternoon, Trumpling announced _U-S / Russia relations "may be at an all-time low"._
__
The man's 70-YO; how in H*** did he miss over 30-years of the Cold War?! - the MAD doctrine? -- the Cuban missile crisis?
the Bay of Pigs? -- the CIA attempt to assassinate Castro with a literal poison pen?!
.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/donald-trump-us-russia-relationship-low-237170
.
He has never listened to, nor learned anything from, history.  IMO, he's the Most-Ignorant POTUS Ever.
This, unfortunately, makes him the Most-Dangerous POTUS Ever.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
the American University professor of political history who predicted Trumpster's installation as POTUS in September of 2016, also predicted that he'd be impeached -
.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/trump-impeachment-professor-allan-lichtman-237181
.
quote,
_"Lichtman's list of possible offenses [include] *charges of treason* with Russia, *abuse of power*, & *emoluments* violations. 
Lichtman also cites now-Atty Gen Jeff Sessions, then a senator, who argued that a president could be impeached for offenses committed before he took office. Among those, Lichtman lists Trump's *housing violations*, *charity problems*, potential *violations of the Cuba embargo*, & *Trump University*.

It's all part of a brief ... tour through Trump's history. ... It eventually leads Lichtman to the conclusion that Trump might serve himself up for impeachment: "Trump's *disregard for lying in sworn testimony*, examined in the context of the Bill Clinton precedent, shows how Trump's opponents could set an impeachment trap for him through a civil lawsuit."
.
._
We live in hope. 
.
.
.


----------



## Calvine

And the personal blog goes on...and on...and on.


----------



## Smuge

To be honest I don't give a crap. America hasn't had a good president in my lifetime.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
How old are U, Smuge? 
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

Calvine said:


> And the personal blog goes on...and on...and on.


and on, and on and on, it's getting really borings :Bored


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
@Happy Paws , the solution is simple - unsub from the thread, notification updates stop, & ignore any new comments under "new posts".

Anyone who doesn't give a rat's patoot about the dimwit in D-C can easily avoid the topic. // For myself & many others, this is an ongoing crisis - for US-citizens, a crisis for our country, & for citizens abroad, for the world as a whole.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
MOAB just dropped on ISIS in Afghanistan -
http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-mother-of-all-bombs-moab-2017-4
.
.
MOAB / massive ordinance / Mother of All Bombs is the largest non-nuke bomb in the U-S arsenal.
.
.
.


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> How old are U, Smuge?


Male, 26, apparently.


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> this is an ongoing crisis


It's an ongoing blog, more like.


----------



## DogLover1981

If you (and that's a general "you") look back at all my criticisms of Trump from long ago in this thread you will see I only use the official names of politicians and such. tRump, trumpster and all the other crazy nicknames are really just childish name calling. With a touchy subject such as politics any sort of name calling is ill-advised, IMO.


----------



## DogLover1981

ouesi said:


> I know plenty of good, intelligent, compassionate people who felt like they had no choice but to vote for Trump.
> Unless we start talking to each other, really listening and trying to understand the other side, we will simply continue to divide as a country and that's not productive either.


The whole election last year was a mess. I doubt I'll ever be able understand it all and make complete sense out of it. I think some people followed the voting strategy of "I'd prefer the disaster to happen on the Republican side". A small part of Trump becoming president is due to the fact that the DNC picked about the only candidate that could lose to Trump, IMO. I also think lots of cynicism was driving Trump's campaign and there were people that voted for him purely because they thought he was funny.


----------



## Calvine

DogLover1981 said:


> If you (and that's a general "you") look back at all my criticisms of Trump from long ago in this thread you will see I only use the official names of politicians and such. tRump, trumpster and all the other crazy nicknames are really just childish name calling. With a touchy subject such as politics any sort of name calling is ill-advised, IMO.


@DogLover1981: I (and others) have posted the same...more than once, in fact, but it is never taken on board. We know who is being discussed, without the Trumpster/Trumpling/Prez Combover/His Orangeness or Repugnants. Agree, it is unnecessary and juvenile and results in this ''thread'' (blog) only receiving criticism as opposed to any debate. Whether anyone likes or hates him is irrelevant, he has a name. I seem to recall Mrs Clinton talking about the ''deplorables'' when she was describing the Democrats.


----------



## Smuge

Calvine said:


> Male, 26, apparently.


And I have heard great things about the bloke they had just before I was born. If anyone cares to do the math 

But Bush, Bush, Clinton, Obama, Trump? Yuck


----------



## Dr Pepper

Smuge said:


> And I have heard great things about the bloke they had just before I was born. If anyone cares to do the math
> 
> But Bush, Bush, Clinton, Obama, Trump? Yuck


Mr Regan, I liked him. He was once asked what his dog's name was and he said "Lassie", then realised his mistake and laughed. In hindsight it was the sad start of what is Alzheimer's. Another media personality who knew how to appeal to the public though.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
I liked Obama very much - 
the Bushes, nah. :Meh Son worse than Pops, tho! - Lord, that frat-brat in the White House was another constant embarrassment, every time he said, "nookler", i cringed.  OTOH, Prez CombOver makes Bush-Jr look almost brilliant, by comparison. 
.
Clinton was OK - not horrible, not great.
.
Ronnie RayGun was the slow-burning fuse that caused a global catastrophe long after he left office, it was HIS gutting of regulations that pulled the trigger on the 2008 Great Recession; it was HIS overspending on the biggest military build-up during peacetime in U-S history that contributed to the '81 recession in the U-S, which at least wasn't world-wide, but at one point, many cities had a 25% unemployment rate among men between 18 & 25-YO... prime earning years! 
Those men will be in their 50s & up now, & their retirement & Social Security will have been gouged deeply, by that lost time. 
There's no "do-over".
.
Jimmy Carter started out badly, but improved as time went on - history will value him more than his constituency did, at the time.  Madame Gaza sees all, LOL.
.
Ford was a space-holder - well-intentioned, but his strings were pulled from off-stage. // Nixon was a paranoid, foul-mouthed, corrupt, machine politico with a massive ego. He DID do some very good things - Clean Air & Clean Water Acts, diplomatic overtures to China, etc --- but in himself, he was corroded & corrosive.
.
.
.


----------



## Zaros

leashedForLife said:


> I liked Obama


Why?

He was just another phuqin warmonger...............

https://www.thebureauinvestigates.c...r-in-numbers-ten-times-more-strikes-than-bush.

Question: How does the American President tell the difference between an Iraqi hospital and a terrorist training camp?
.
.
.
.
.
.
He doesn't. 
.
.
.
He just orders the drones!


----------



## DogLover1981

You know what's funny about this for me personally? I'm more concerned about Europe, the EU, Syria and such than I am about Trump. Brexit will be at least be semi-permanent, the Trump presidency will be over within 4 to 8 years. Possibly sooner if he does something stupid.

I did sort of like Obama when he won in 2008 but I was "blah" about him through his last term. I didn't like or dislike him at that point, really. People idolize and vilify politicians too much, IMO.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Trumpling keeps whining about how "terrible" the economy is, & that it's not his problem, he inherited it - making the spozedly-awful economy Obama's fault.

If he thinks the economy is bad *now*, does he genuinely believe it was *in great shape, just tooling along at 3% annual growth, *when Obama entered office?
.
Prez Obama came into office with a dozen different major problems, all clamoring for immediate attn. Trumpster entered office in a far-more stable period, economically & politically. And he has his predecessor to thank for a good part of that - tho he never will.  Ingrate. 
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Erdogan's legalized dictatorship won - voted yes by 51%. 
.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-politics-idUSKBN17J0PY
.
Reuters, M 4/17/17, 2:28-pm
*Monitors criticize Turkey referendum; Erdogan denounces 'crusader mentality'*
.
QUOTE,
_"Erdogan says [EDIT: claims that] concentrating power in the president is vital to prevent instability. But the narrow victory could have the opposite effect: *added volatility in a country that has lately survived an attempted coup, attacks by Islamists, a Kurdish insurgency, civil unrest, & war across its Syrian border.*_

_The result bares the *deep divide between urban middle classes, who see their future as part of a European mainstream, & pious rural poor, who favor Erdogan's strong hand.* Erdogan repeated his readiness to restore the death penalty at several appearances on Monday, which would effectively end Turkey's decades-long quest to join the EU._
_... Erdogan told a crowd ... at Ankara airport, *"This country has carried out the most democratic elections*, not seen anywhere in the West."_

_Observers from the Council of Europe, a leading human rights body, said the referendum was an uneven contest. Support for 'Yes' dominated campaign coverage, & arrests of journalists & shuttered media outlets silenced other views."_
_._
_Madame Gaza predicts:_
Some PF-uk folks are about to tell me that Turkey's election has diddly to do with Trumpster as POTUS -
it has everything to do with his prezidency & his blustering threats. Erdogan is another loudmouth, but he's on *their* side - threatened folks want a big man to threaten outsiders, in their turn. 
.
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
oh, goody. More chest-beating by the gorillas of N Korea & Amerika.
.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/in...e_n_korea_trade_barbs_as_tensions_keep_rising
.
The problem with this partikler p!ssing contest, boys, is that - as Bush-Jr would say - nookler weapons could be involved.
Deeply uncool.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
If he can't even organize & host the White House egg-roll - a public party to celebrate spring & Easter with children -- how in God's name do we trust him to do anything, ya know, like, complex - or even hard to do, like fix the tax code so that 75% of the Fortune-500 honor roll don't pay $0 in Federal taxes every dam* year?
.
http://www.gq.com/story/white-house-easter-egg-roll-fever-dream
.
besides, he's a rude jerk -
http://addictinginfo.org/2017/04/17...t-egg-roll-trump-throws-hat-into-crowd-video/
.
kid-asks-trump-to-sign-his-hat-at-egg-roll----*trump-throws-hat-into-crowd*
.
QUOTE,
_"Even setting aside this awful moment, Trump's Easter-egg roll was a shoddily run event._

_Trump didn't come out of the White House right away - because *he was still watching (& tweeting about) Fox & Friends.*_
_Trump forgot how to stand for the National Anthem. *His wife had to nudge him to place his hand over his heart.*_
_Trump held *a separate egg roll for rich families* at Mar-a-Lago the night before, signaling the way he sees people._
_The egg roll appeared to have been attended by *a lot fewer people than* had been the case* in recent years.*_
_Trump did not read to the children, *making his wife do it *instead._
_Other than that, everything was perfect."_

.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
these 2 comments are priceless. :Hilarious Thank God for laughter, b/c the whack-job in the White House is no laughing matter.
.
Longwood, Florida
_"Trump has the grace of a baboon & the intelligence of a rock. Poor kid. Hope he got his hat back."_
9 hrs ago


Debi Pierce
_"Don't insult baboons and rocks."_
3 hrs ago
.
.
.


----------



## Happy Paws2

and your point is?????


----------



## Calvine

Happy Paws said:


> and your point is?????


OP seems not to notice that the posts receive practically no replies; apart from a few cynical ones like yours and mine, .


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
the CombOver King just had to phone Erdogan - to congratulate him, personally. :Meh What a stroke of diplomacy.
.
https://www.thenation.com/article/trump-to-erdogan-congrats-on-your-dictatorship/
.
.
QUOTE,
 _"...Trump undermined the US Dept of State's efforts to encourage respect for democracy & human rights [after] __the controversial referendum vote that dramatically extended the powers of strongman President Erdogan. Noting complaints about how the referendum was conducted, & concerns over threats to civil liberties in Turkey, State Department acting spokesman Mark Toner announced: "*We look to the government of Turkey to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all its citizens."*_

_... Erdogan's penchant for jailing journalists & dissenters, purging the judiciary & civil service of those who question his authoritarian reach, & abusing the powers of government to achieve his political ends, all argued for caution & concern on the part of US officials. ... Toner carefully explained that "commitment to the rule of law & a diverse and free media remain essential" to the development of Turkish democracy._

_Unfortunately, what the rest of the world ... & Erdogan in particular, heard - was an entirely different message... The official announcement from the White House began: "President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Erdogan of Turkey to *congratulate him* on his recent referendum victory…"_
_The White House statement neglected mounting concerns about human rights abuses... [&] the perilous state of Turkish democracy."_
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
despite Donnie reiterating, *"move along, folks - there's nothing to see here, move on..."* -- there's actually a lot of important info in a POTUS candidate's tax returns.
Among the valuable bytes, who he owes - & how much. How deeply he's invested in a foreign country, & how that could affect his policy making. Who holds his leash - or his purse-strings. What effects his business interests can have on his regulatory decisions. Reveal conflicts of interest. Show how specific legislation might specifically profit *him*. --- Among other gems.
.
http://www.factcheck.org/2016/05/trumps-tax-returns/
.
.
Demonstations -
*President Trump Has Not Released His Tax Returns, Sparking ... - NPR*
www.npr.org/2017/04/15/.../protesters-use-april-15-to-demand-trumps-tax-returns
3 days ago - 
_Protests across the country, including in D.C. and near Trump's private club in Florida, focused on the president's decision to keep his tax ..._

Educated speculation -
*7 things I think I know about Donald Trump's tax returns - CNNPolitics ...*
www.cnn.com/2017/04/18/politics/trump-taxes-tax-returns/
4 hours ago - (CNN) 
_On Monday at his daily briefing, White House press secretary Sean Spicer was asked whether it was safe to assume President Trump ..._

Growing mistrust -
*The Great Trump Tax Mysteries: Is He Hiding Loopholes, Errors, or ...*
www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/06/the-great-trump-tax-mysteries
_Why won't Donald Trump release his taxes? An investigation into the G.O.P. candidate's finances-the extensive deductions he could claim, the F.E.C. filings ...
.
.
._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Back in August, the very day he resigned from Trumpling's campaign, *Paul Manafort formed a shell company* -
which entity soon received $13-M-usa in loans, from two businesses with ties to DJT.
The transactions raise a number of questions.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
U-S Dept of Here-We-Go-Again:
tightening screws on immigration & migrant laborers from outside the USA has farmers deeply worried - again:
http://content.jwplatform.com/previews/Lscmg2Yg-vGBh7FrZ
.
U-S Ag heavily depends upon legal and illegal immigrants as their labor force: picking crops - especially tender fruits, planting, milking cows, & more. The state of GEORGIA lost millions & millions of dollars' worth of fruit & veg, unharvested & rotting in the fields & orchards, in 2011 - when that state had their own personal "crackdown on illegal immigrants" a few years back -
*Georgia is an agricultural state: it's their largest industry.* Now, the former GA governor who presided over that poorly-thought-out campaign, is in charge of the U.S. Dept of Ag. 
.
Do ya think he learned anything from it? [I don't.]
.
*The Law Of Unintended Consequences: Georgia's Immigration Law ...*
www.forbes.com/.../the-law-of-unintended-consequences-georgias-immigration-law-b...
*May 17, 2012* -
By Benjamin Powell. _To forgo a repeat of last year, when labor shortages triggered an estimated $140 million in agricultural losses, as crops ..._


*Crops Rot While Trump-Led Immigration Backlash Idles Farm Work ...*
https://www.bloomberg.com/.../crops-rot-while-trump-led-immigration-backlash-idles...
Jun 6, 2016 - 
_... and legal status for current migrants would keep those losses in revenue ... Local crackdowns on migrant labor, including in Alabama and Georgia, have ..._


*Georgia's Harsh Immigration Law Costs Millions in Unharvested Crops ...*
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/.../06/georgias...immigration...crops/240774/
*Jun 21, 2011* - 
_If you're not going to let illegal immigrants work, farmers will have to raise ... some unsurprising news about Georgia's illegal immigration crackdown: there ... of a panic at the damage they've done to Georgia's largest industry._

*Farmers face huge losses over migrant worker delays - MyAJC.com*
www.myajc.com/news/state.../losses...georgia.../qEax1odfXFG3w1RO3mSh6L/
May 3, 2016 - 
_Georgia farmers face the loss of millions of dollars in crops as federal delays in approving migrant workers worsens._

*Alabama Illegal Immigrant Crackdown Destroys Farm Business - Mic*
https://mic.com/articles/.../alabama-illegal-immigrant-crackdown-destroys-farm-busin...
*May 14, 2012* - 
_Few locals will perform the grueling work of picking crops, and farmers stuck in a ...Georgia passed a similar immigration law in 2011._
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
"*Gave up* his billionaire lifestyle"?!?! - WTH did he GIVE UP? - the man's on track to outspend Obama's total travel expenditures of his 1st 4 years, in his own FIRST 12 MONTHS.

.
Diplomats & Govts seeking to curry favor either stay at, eat & drink at, or both, the Trump hotel just down the street from the White House - in flagrant violation of its own lease clause with the GSA of Wash, DC, as well as the emoluments act. Their bar now sells a $100 cocktail - & they're coining money. :Meh
.
What's he "saving" the American ppl *from*? - IMO, the nation needs to be rescued from himself.  He's a bombastic ignorant privileged bully, a racist sexist homophobic pig, & has the diplomatic skillz of a 9th-grade graduate strike-breaker with a baseball bat.
.
.
.


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> grok


Can OP (which I totally doubt) or anyone else tell me what this means? What is ''grok'' anyone? Altho' this is (presumably?) an international forum it would be useful ro have posts which are in readable English. I have studied French, English, German, Latin and Russian to a high standard and have no idea what he/she is saying. Also, the text-speak is abominable.


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> Can OP (which I totally doubt) or anyone else tell me what this means? What is* ''grok''* anyone? Altho' this is (presumably?) an international forum it would be useful to have posts which are in readable English. I have studied French, English, German, Latin and Russian to a high standard and have no idea what he/she is saying. Also, the text-speak is abominable.


Apparently 'Grok' is an informal U.S. term

Robert A. Heinlein 1907-1988 was an American science-fiction writer, and coined the word in his 1961 science-fiction novel '_Stranger in a Strange Land'_

Definition of Grok; _To understand something or someone intuitively or by empathy._

_To develop/establish a rapport or close and harmonious relationship in which the people or the groups concerned understand each other's feelings/ideas and communicate well.

World leaders appear to grok concepts fairly quickly or instantly.
_
Incidentally, if you consider yourself to be a stranger in a strange nightmarish land of endless illegible purple print, fear not.....well, fear not yet.....for I've seen this member use the term 'Thunk' as in 'That's what I thunk'.....

The word is 'Think'....'Thunk' is that terrible noise made when cousin Bubba finally loses his patience and hits his tormentor's head very hard with a baseball bat.....:Wacky

It's impossible to 'Thunk' something.... .....unless, of course, you are cousin Bubba.


----------



## Calvine

@Zaros: many thanks, or whatever thanks are in Grokese. I would never have guessed; nor had the patience to attempt to find out.



leashedForLife said:


> has the diplomatic skillz of a 9th-grade graduate strike-breaker with a baseball bat


I ''spoze'' this is the _very same_ baseball bat which might, in fact, have been used by cousin Bubba ?


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> *I ''spoze'' this is the very same baseball bat* which might, in fact, have been *used by cousin Bubba*?


*Oh my God! I do so despise these missed opportunities!*


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
U couldn't possibly make this stuff up.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...house-fbi-avoid-press-questions-a7727611.html
.
Spicer, AKA 'Sphincter' (his high-school nickname, per his anal-retentive persona), *hid in the shrubbery *to avoid Qs from the press re Comey's firing, Trumpster's contacts & any beholdens in Russia, & other thorny issues.
Much as i despise the man, i do feel sorry for him in this particular: he has to create some sort of rationalization for his Chief Exec's often bizarre decisions.
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
there have been plenty of political missteps & personal errors since DJT took office - but the chair in the Oval Office is fast becoming a hot-seat for Donnie.
.
His overseas businesses, conflicts of interest between his office as POTUS & his business interests, inapropos profiting from domestic businesses he owns [such as the former Post Office-turned-hotel, down the street from the White House], & so on, were big - but compared to KremlinGate, they're the tip of a monster iceberg.
That 'berg, a veritable mountain, is slowly being revealed.
.
.
*Inside Trump's financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of ...*
https://www.washingtonpost.com/...trumps...russia...putin/.../dbdcaac8-31a6-11e6-8ff7-...
Jun 17, 2016 - 
_Agalarov said he and Trump signed an agreement to build a Trump Tower in the heart of ... Trump's relationship with Putin & his warm views toward Russia, which began in the 1980s ... We should be friends', " Emin Agalarov recalled. ... "It is a question of who knows who, whose brother is paying off who._


*Vladimir Putin 'can provide record' of Donald Trump's ... - The Telegraph*
www.telegraph.co.uk › News
14 hours ago - 
_*Putin pay claim 'a joke'* ... "I accept this responsibility, & will discharge it to the best of my ability", Mr Mueller said in a statement. ... Mr Trump said he looked forward to a quick resolution of the matter. ..... If Donald Trump is looking for friends in the media - apart from the ultra-loyal Fox News - then the ..._


*Trump, Putin, and the New Cold War - The New Yorker*
www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/06/trump-putin-and-the-new-cold-war
Mar 6, 2017 - 
_It used cash payments, propaganda, and sometimes violent measures to ... tweet, if he would meet Putin, and, "if so, will he become my new best friend? ... In the end, he grudgingly accepted the finding, but insisted that Russian .... The 35-page dossier, which included claims about Trump's behavior ..._


*The Long, Twisted, and Bizarre History of the Trump-Russia Scandal ...*
www.motherjones.com/.../03/exhaustive-history-donald-trump-russia-scandal-timeline
Mar 24, 2017 - 
_Though Trump later claims he would not recognize Sater, Sater has a Trump ... will attend the pageant, and if Putin might "become my new best friend?" ...... an investigation into Michael Flynn for accepting payments from a ..._

*Donald Trump's Many, Many, Many, Many Ties to Russia - Time*
time.com/4433880/donald-trump-ties-to-russia/
Aug 2, 2016 - 
_Trump's dodge - that he has no businesses in Russia, so there is no ... *in Ukraine contained references to $12.7 million in payments earmarked* for him. ... While its initial claim absolved Trump of knowledge of those activities, Trump ... 'and in some cases, I believe they were friends of Mr. Arif', Mr.Trump said._


*Trump's Russian connections span 30 years from Gorbachev to Putin ...*
https://ig.ft.com/sites/trumps-russian-connections/
Dec 13, 2016 - 
_Pressure on Donald Trump over his ties with Russia has grown after ... It ended up in Puerto Rico after several US cities refused to accept it. ... tweeting that the Kremlin chief would be his "new best friend" if he came ... *Ukrainian authorities found a ledger showing $12.7m in off-book payments to Manafort* by ..._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
The Wash. Post has the tapes of HML McCarthy saying that _"...Putin pays Trump" - _it's being belittled as 'a failed joke'.
(I don't buy it.)
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...5f6f8a-3aff-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
in-*cred*-i-bull -- :Jawdrop
I'd no idea Trumpster's whine that he's _"the most persecuted politician in history..." _was part of a COMMENCEMENT speech.
That's what he wants to send the college-grads off with, ringing in their ears?... Yow. A fine message of aspiration. 
.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-alternative-fact-20170518-story.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
BTW, I find the verb "grok" a handy term, as it means *to understand completely*, in the same sense as the Other's understanding; it doesn't refer to empathy or sympathy, but total comprehension.
.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grok
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
Trumpling just placed the biggest bet of his brief political career -
.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/19/politics/donald-trump-comey-denial/
.
.
A mere 4 words, to prop up his entire Presidency & all its pomp, [limited] power, & prestige. With those 4 words, he's trapped himself in a corner of a wall he's just built... as he's now lost any hope of *plausible deniability*. He can't alter them, can't take them back, & they will have consequences far-beyond their small scale.
.
_"No. *No.* Next question."_
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
*Comey, Unsettled by Trump, Is Said to Have Wanted Him Kept at a ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/us/politics/james-comey-memo-fbi-trump.html
12 hours ago - 
_... on reports in the news media that Mr. Trump's associates had been in ..._


*Trump's Israel Visit: Major Security in Jerusalem, Bethlehem - NBC News*
www.nbcnews.com/.../trumps.../trump-s-israel-visit-major-security-jerusalem-bethlehe...
45 mins ago - 
JERUSALEM - You've heard of armored vehicles for world leaders and A-list celebrities. Now President Donald Trump is about to get an ...


*Trump tracker: How much has the president achieved so far? - BBC ...*
www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38663043
_Donald Trump says his administration has made "incredible progress". ... House press secretary Sean Spicer said it was "great news for American workers".
.
.
._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
bookies are *thrilled! * by the latest twist in the weirdest POTUS Admin ever - many bets are being placed.
.
*Sources: White House lawyers research impeachment - CNNPolitics ...*
www.cnn.com/2017/05/.../donald-trump-white-house-lawyers-research-impeachment/
21 hours ago - 
White House lawyers have begun researching impeachment ... is a distant possibility that President Donald Trump could have to fend off ...

*Can Trump be impeached? What would it take? - Business Insider*
www.businessinsider.com/can-trump-be-impeached-comey-memo-classified-info-russ...
9 hours ago - 
_President Donald Trump hasn't crossed the line yet, experts say, but he's getting ... Experts:Trump is edging closer to 'impeachment territory'._


*Democratic Leaders Try to Slow Calls to Impeach Trump - The New ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/us/politics/democrats-trump-impeachment.html
2 days ago - 
_House Democrats arrived for a news conference about President Trump and Russia on Wednesday. ...Credit Al Drago/The New York Times._


*Trump Impeachment Odds: President Not Likely to Serve Four Years ...*
www.newsweek.com/trump-impeachment-odds-impeach-comey-611015
3 days ago - 
_The latest revelations concerning the president have led to a flood of money being placed on his impeachment._
_._
.
*There's even this special-interest website* -
.
*Impeach Trump Now*
https://impeachdonaldtrumpnow.org/
_From the moment he assumed the office, President Donald Trump has been in direct violation of the US Constitution. *The President is not above the law.*_
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
Trump asked the head of nat'l intelligence & the Director of the NSA / Nat'l Security Agency, to DENY "any evidence of collusion" with Russia during the POTUS election -
.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...4933bc-3f10-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html
.
QUOTE,
_"Trump made separate appeals to the director of national intelligence, Daniel Coats, and to Adm. Michael S. Rogers, director of the National Security Agency, *urging them to publicly deny the existence of any evidence of collusion during the 2016 election.*_
_*Coats and Rogers refused to comply* with the requests, which *they both deemed... inappropriate*, according to two current and two former officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private communications with the president._

_Trump sought the assistance of Coats and Rogers after FBI Director James B. Comey told the House Intelligence Committee on March 20 that the FBI was investigating 'the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts.'_

_Trump's *conversation with Rogers was documented* contemporaneously *in an internal memo written by a senior NSA official*, according to the officials. It is unclear if a similar memo was prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to document Trump's conversation with Coats. _
_Officials said such memos could be made available to both the special counsel now overseeing the Russia investigation and congressional investigators, who might explore whether Trump sought to impede the FBI's work."_
_._
_._
_._


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
_meanwhile, back at the Ranch..._
let's see, where were we, & where are we now?... Hmmm.

Well, my personal nominee for _*The Most-Ignurunt POTUS Ever*_ has now held office for 5 whole months. Only 3 years & 7 months to go, folks! 

the current state of affairs:
- The FBI is investigating ties between Trumpster's campaign & a hostile foreign power [i-e, Russia]. 
- Ditto re ex- National-Security-Adviser, Flynn.
While he was Nat'lSecAdv, Flynn had a 2nd job - advocating for Turkey, for which he was handsomely paid. // He may be prosecuted under the Emoluments Act.
[He retroactively registered as a lobbyist for Turkey, a few months... more like a year! -- too late.]

- FBI director Comey was fired by DJT, for refusing to kill the Flynn investigation. 
- The U-S attorney general has recused himself.
- U-S deputy attorney general has appointed a special counsel: Robt Mueller. 
Mr Mueller is very very busy, hiring experts in money laundering, to track all the ca$h changing hands, here & abroad.

- A few days ago, Dept-AG Mueller widened his inquiry. The new wrinkle?... a criminal investigation of POTUS Trumpling. 
- Bipartisan congressional committees are holding hearings, questioning everybody who might have heard / seen / done / said anything.
- POTUS Donald has lawyered up.
- Veep Pence has lawyered up.
.
Any bets on how long TrumpleThinSkin will hold office, before he has a stroke / quits in high dudgeon / is impeached / is arrested?...
Stay tuned...
.
.
BTW, Donny still claims "climate change" is a Chinese hoax, *but...*
he got a local variance *to construct a sea-wall* to protect the golf course at Mar-e-Lago --- it seems that "nonexistent" sea rise was causing chunks of the greens to be either flooded & killed by salt water, or outright chewed away by higher surf. // Funny, when his own ox is being gored, it's worth filing for a variance, but when the entire world is at risk, it's "a hoax". :Meh
.
.
.


----------



## catz4m8z

Have to admit that I find politics deadly dull and never usually know whats going on but I am fascinated by Trump and his gang! 
Its like BigBrotherstyle car crash telly, just watching the orange buffoon and his clown troupe is strangely addictive.


----------



## Calvine

leashedForLife said:


> Any bets on how long TrumpleThinSkin will hold office, before he has a stroke / quits in high dudgeon / is impeached / is arrested?...
> Stay tuned...
> .


No: no bets at all.


----------



## Zaros

Calvine said:


> No: no bets at all.


Not even a small wager? 

Like, I'll wager you a tenner this post gets removed long before Mr Trump is removed from office.:Watching


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
comic take -
Samantha Bee announces "*the death of language*", after she tries to understand the blather spewing from D.C. 
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/arts/television/samantha-bee-donald-trump-language-words.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
10 health-insurance industry execs wrote about their concerns re Repugnant cuts to Medicaid - -
.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive...ocument-Medicaid-HPs-Letter-to-McConnell.html
.
.
And once again, abortion becomes a dam in the legislative stream -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/us/politics/abortion-republicans-health-bill.html
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
The Trumpster admin has cancelled an Obama-era proposal to limit the number of imperiled whales, dolphins, & sea turtles that can be injured or killed by swordfish gill-nets off the coasts of California, Oregon, & Washington.
.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-trump-marine-mammals-20170612-story.html
.
endangered fin, humpback, & sperm whales; endangered leatherback, loggerhead, olive Ridley, & green sea turtles; short-finned pilot whales, & bottlenose dolphins, are among the species impacted by this new legal void.
.
.
.


----------



## catz4m8z

God, he really should be a Disney villain not a human being.......:Shifty:Banghead


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics...trump-acted-as-an-unwitting-agent-for-russia/
.
Congressional hearings continue -
asked on Wed. if DJT had been "an unwitting agent" for Russia, 
QUOTE,
_"Bill Priestap, assistant director of the FBI's counterintelligence division, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that Moscow '*employed a multifaceted approach intended to undermine confidence in our democratic process*', including efforts to '*discredit'* Hillary Clinton & help elect Trump._

_Citing Priestap's description of Russian efforts to '*sow discord*' in the USA, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) asked Priestap about the term '*unwitting agent*', meaning an official duped into doing the bidding of a foreign power._

_'Did Donald Trump become an unwitting agent of the Russians?', Heinrich asked. Priestap paused for several seconds, with the hearing room silent._
_'I can't really comment on that', he said._
_'I don't blame you for not answering that question', Heinrich replied, to laughter._

_The exchange recalled an August 2016 op-ed by *former CIA Director, Michael Morell,* endorsing Clinton._
_'Mr. Trump has also taken policy positions consistent with Russian, not American, interests - endorsing Russian espionage against the U-S, supporting Russia's annexation of Crimea, & giving a green light to a possible Russian invasion of the Baltic States', Morrell wrote. *'In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.'*_
.
.
.


----------



## Elles

This all sounds a bit conspiracy theorist from people who want to get rid of Trump. Americans have always been scared of the Russians and there's no proof of any of this. I thought a lot of Americans didn't like Hillary Clinton anyway. They didn't need the Russians to discredit her.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
In October 2016, 
David Corn of Mother Jones mag was the only journalist to report that an ex- *British counter-intelligence officer* possessed memos from Russia, which alleged that Moscow had tried to co-opt & compromise Trump; further, the FBI was investigating.
.
in Nov-2016,
*A Muted Alarm Bell Over Russian Election Hacking - The New York ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/.../a-muted-alarm-bell-over-russian-election-hacking.htm...
_Nov 6, 2016 - _
_With aliases like Guccifer 2.0 and Fancy Bear, Russian hackers were ... been the also-ran of media coverage, including at The New York Times. ... Liz Spayd, the sixth public editor, is at the..._
.
.
Trump fended off the Russian-memo story during the campaign as a he-said-she-said story. He painted an actual scandal as partisan mudslinging, & he also suggested that pursuing it was not journalism, but campaigning - for Clinton. 
The Obama administration feared accusations of bias. *So did James Comey*. So did most of the press. // So it was not reported widely until AFTER the election.
.
.
 those Russian memos - or any word about them - were not covered by any other news-source until January-2017. _New York Times_' public editor, Liz Spayd, wrote a column -- the _Times_ *had known about the memos before the election,* & even *drafted a piece* - but then killed it.
.
*Trump, Russia, and the News Story That Wasn't - The New York Times*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/20/.../trump-russia-fbi-liz-spayd-public-editor.html
Jan 20, 2017 - Liz Spayd ... 
_The most damning claim was that Trump was aware of Russia's efforts to hack Democratic computers, an .... intelligence agencies apparently took the memos seriously enough to open their own investigations._
.
.
Flynn, the short-lived Nat'l Security Advisor, also had multiple off-the-record convos with various Russian figures - & denied it, then discovered there were tapes of those phone convos. Oops. // Thus his firing.
.
Multiple other campaign & Admin officials also have various business & political connections in Russia. // I'll append some, later. 
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
these are in no particular order, & deal with the POTUS campaign period, Trumpling's staff, & Russia ties:
.
*House Inquiry Turns Attention to Trump Campaign Worker With Russia ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/.../michael-caputo-house-committee-russia-trump.htm...
May 20, 2017 - 
The House Intelligence Committee, which is examining possible collusion between theTrump campaign and Russian officials, made its ...


*Ex-C.I.A. Chief Reveals Mounting Concern Over Trump Campaign and ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/us/.../john-brennan-russia-trump-campaign-cia.ht...
May 23, 2017 - 
Mr. Brennan acknowledged that he did not know whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian operatives and said the contacts might ...


*Top Russian Officials Discussed How to Influence Trump Aides Last ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/us/politics/russia-trump-manafort-flynn.html
May 24, 2017 - 
He said he saw intelligence suggesting that Russia wanted to use Trump campaign officials, wittingly or not, to help in that effort. He spoke ...


*Trump's business network reached alleged Russian mobsters*
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/.../trump...russian.../98321252/
Mar 28, 2017 - 
Trump's Russian connections are of heightened interest because of an ... betweenTrump's presidential campaign and Russian operatives to ...


*Trump campaign had at least 18 undisclosed conversations with ...*
www.businessinsider.com/r-exclusive-trump-campaign-had-at-least-18-undisclosed-c...
May 18, 2017 - 
WASHINGTON - Michael Flynn & other advisers to Donald Trump's campaign were in contact with Russian officials and others with Kremlin ...
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
... while these deal with Russian connections to his APPOINTEES:
.
.
*The web of relationships between Team Trump and Russia - The ...*
https://www.washingtonpost.com/.../the-web-of-relationships-between-team-trump-and-r...
Mar 3, 2017 - 
In the most abstract sense, there is nothing noteworthy about a government official meeting with an ambassador from a foreign country.

*One of Trump's newest appointees once suggested Russia should ...*
www.businessinsider.com/trump-appointees-suggested-russia-hack-clinton-emails-201...
Dec 16, 2016 - 
Monica Crowley, who was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to be National Security Council communications director, once advocated ...

*Part I of Compilation of Trump's Russian Connections - Daily Kos*
www.dailykos.com/.../-Evidence-of-Trump-s-Connections-with-Kremlin-Expanded-N...
Mar 3, 2017 - 
Part I of Compilation of Trump's Russian Connections ..... had planned to gradually replace other Obama US attorneys with Trump appointees. ...... of the Russian mafia repeatedly purchased space in the NYC Trump Tower.

*Your Guide to the Russia Investigations - Bloomberg*
https://www.bloomberg.com/.../unwinding-the-twists-turns-in-trump-russia-probe-qui...
May 9, 2017 - Trump has dismissed talk of collusion as "a total hoax," and thus far his ... As a former military officer and one of Trump's earliest appointees, ...

*Trump Attacks Rosenstein in Latest Rebuke of Justice Department ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/us/.../trump-investigation-comey-russia.html
Jun 16, 2017 - 
Mr. Rosenstein appointed a special counsel last month to conduct the ... to recuse himself from the Russia case in March enraged Mr. Trump.

*Trump Told Russians That Firing 'Nut Job' Comey Eased Pressure ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/19/us/politics/trump-russia-comey.html
May 19, 2017 - 
WASHINGTON - President Trump told Russian officials in the Oval .... The Justice Department's newly appointed special counsel, Robert S.

*Russia Is Reportedly Delighted at Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks ...*
fortune.com/2016/12/13/donald-trump-cabinet-picks-russia/
Dec 12, 2016 - 
Russia Is Reportedly Delighted at Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks ... According to Markov, the appointments of Flynn and Tillerson, alongside ...
Missing: nyx

*What last week revealed about the President, Putin and Russia - NY ...*
www.nydailynews.com/opinion/week-revealed-president-putin-russia-article-1.2975915
Feb 19, 2017 - 
Oddly, Trump did not seem angry with Flynn over the snafu, as you might expect if one of your top appointees went rogue by having secret ...

*Why Russia honored Trump's secretary of state pick - CBS News*
www.cbsnews.com/.../what-did-russia-give-to-trumps-secretary-of-state-pick-rex-tiller...
Dec 13, 2016 -
Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded president-elect Donald Trump's secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson with the Order of ...
.
.
.


----------



## leashedForLife

.
.
... & these deal with Trumpster's own business dealings which have Russian ties -
BTW, they do not include the alleged money-laundering done by Trumpling businesses for Russian admin & oligarchs whose accounts Stateside have been frozen, & are inaccessible to them, nor investments allegedly brokered by DJT / his companies for those Russian folks who can't conduct their business in daylight.
.
.
*Trump's business network reached alleged Russian mobsters*
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/.../trump-business...russian.../98321252/
Mar 28, 2017 - 
Trump's Russian connections are of heightened interest because of an FBI investigation into possible collusion between Trump's presidential ...


*Trump's Been Talking About His Business Interests in Russia for 30 ...*
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/05/trump...up...interest/526185/
May 10, 2017 - 
The president's enlisting "a leading law firm" to insist he has no connections to the country-something he could prove if he just released his tax returns. ... President Donald Trump would like to move on from the investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia.

*Donald Trump and Russia: What ties does the Trump Organization ...*
https://qz.com/.../all-the-times-donald-trump-and-his-sons-touted-the-trump-organizat...
May 12, 2017 - Because his taxes don't identify Russian buyers of Trump properties or ... Trump and his sons touted the Trump Organization's Russian business ties .... business ties with Russia represent a presidential conflict of interest.

*Donald Trump's Many, Many Business Dealings in 1 Map | Time.com*
time.com/4629308/donald-trump-business-deals-world-map/
Jan 10, 2017 - 
Trump has a range of business interests in the world's most ... "Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets," ...


*James Clapper testimony on Trump business ties to Russia - Business ...*
www.businessinsider.com/james-clapper-trump-business-ties-russia-2017-5
May 9, 2017 - 
"But Trump has said he never did business with the Russians." ... Trump Entertainment Resorts missed a $53.1 million bond interest payment.


*Russian Vnesheconombank helped finance Trump's Toronto hotel ...*
www.businessinsider.com/russian-vnesheconombank-trump-toronto-hotel-2017-5
May 17, 2017 - 
The Trump Organization has distanced itself from the Toronto project ... ever found "a situation where a Trump business interest in Russia" gave ...


*Inside Trump's financial ties to Russia and his unusual flattery of ...*
https://www.washingtonpost.com/...trumps...russia.../dbdcaac8-31a6-11e6-8ff7-7b6c199...
Jun 17, 2016 - 
This account of Trump's 30-year history of business with Russia - and ... Russia has signaled a deep interest in the U.S. election and in Trump ...


*The web of relationships between Team Trump and Russia - The ...*
https://www.washingtonpost.com/.../the-web-of-relationships-between-team-trump-and-r...
Mar 3, 2017 -
Donald Trump, president. Trump's connections to Russian business interests are murky, thanks to his decision not to release his tax returns ...


*For Trump, Three Decades of Chasing Deals in Russia - The New ...*
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/us/politics/donald-trump-russia-business.html
Jan 16, 2017 - 
Mr. Trump repeatedly sought business in Russia as far back as 1987, when .... Mr.Trump's interest in Russia, he said, was no different from his ...
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Trumpster's decision NOT to release his tax-returns, a standard requirement of every POTUS candidate for decades, means no one knows precisely where he has businesses, how much they are worth, how much he OWES, & TO WHOM. // Obviously, a sitting POTUS with interests in, say, the Phillipines - where he intends to partner with one of the wealthiest Filipino citizens in a massive development - might have a few personal conflicts with legislative or policy decisions pertinent to such nations, the interests of the U.S.A., & the sitting POTUS' own business interests.
Not, of course, that The Donald would *ever* do anything that would advance his own profits thru information or power connected to his political status as POTUS, nor would he *ever* engage in trading leverage with foreign businessmen in exchange for personal gain or business advantage, or do anything against the interest of the U.S.A. as a whole.
[Would he?...]
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## leashedForLife

.
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/sunday-review/donald-trump-barack-obama.html
.
In the words of a presidential historian, Russell Riley of the Univ. of VA's Miller Center - who has spent his adult lifetime chronicling all the various POTUSes, alive ex-, dead ex-, or then-&-now current,
QUOTE,
_"I've reflected back, & simply cannot find another instance of recent American history where a new administration was so wholly committed to reversing the accomplishments of its predecessor."_
_._
It's in some ways petty, & in others vicious, but DJT seems obsessed with erasing Obama from history, at least insofar as anything he supported or signed as POTUS.
.
The thawing of relations with Cuba [IMO 45 years past due], our national goals to reduce pollution, carbon footprint, resource consumption, damage to our soil, water, & air... the crying need to change the intrinsic & growing economic inequality in the U-S, to eliminate gender & racial inequity in both hiring & wages, to support research & development of RENEWABLE energy sources & RENEWABLE resources...
these have all been outright killed, or drastically curbed. 
.
Anything that makes the wealthy & privileged more-wealthy & more-privileged is either being propped up, or passed as new legislation.
It's horrendous. *crying* Progressive legislation that dates to the 1930s is being gutted or re-written - the entire social-safety net is being slashed. *Forget Obama's legacy - what about Roosevelt's?* -- What about all the hard lessons of the Great Depression, financial chicanery, & the underpinnings of the economy?
Apparently DJT was absent from school, the day that they covered all that boring stuff. :Rage
Ignurunt, ignurunt man.
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## leashedForLife

.
.
Scaramucci is a Trumpling ally, & he's in some trouble -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/business/dealbook/anthony-scaramucci-skybridge-capital-trump.html
.
.
some CNN journalists screwed up, & resigned - unfortunately giving DJT fodder for his 'fake news' shinola -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/26/...sign-after-retracted-story-on-trump-ally.html
.
.
& the White House briefing is becoming a bad joke -
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/...ts-unhappy-with-limits-on-news-briefings.html
.
After cameras were banned from the briefing, one news outlet hired a courtroom artist to authenticate Spicer's / Sphincter's appearance. 
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## cheekyscrip

Satori said:


> It's all a bit academic. Trump doesn't win. He has pushed the rhetoric too far. Clinton is 7-9% ahead nationally and also ahead in every realistic battleground state. Polsters get it wrong, of course, but not this wrong.


Just saying....:Banghead


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## cheekyscrip

DT said:


> I actually think he would be the least likely to push the button actually, if there is even a shread of hope that the USA and Russia could get along then I think that hope has to be in those small hands belonging to trump.


:Banghead


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