The Political Junkie Thread

[OPK]

Wait . . . Who took over Ron DeSantis’ body?!? Taking it to the heart of Trump country unexpectedly:

https://twitter.com/rexchapman/status/1 ... wGhgPAPS7A

I guess the sharks strike when there’s blood in the water.

[Phredd3]

And no, Hillary isn't "innocent" in any reasonable use of the word. Nor is she equivalent to Trump in any way that truly matters. I hope we can agree on that as a reasonable starting point.

No, that honestly sounds like a pretty dumb fucking starting point to me. I have no idea what any reasonable person thinks Hillary Clinton is guilty of in a criminal sense (note that I am not saying one needs to like her or agree with her political views or want to vote for her).

First off, I didn't say she was criminally guilty. She wasn't. That does not make her "innocent".

Direct excerpts from a statement by Jim Comey on July 5th, 2016 regarding Hillary's e-mails, taken as a whole, pretty convincingly make the case that, while Hillary may not have been criminally chargeable for mishandling classified information, she was also not "innocent" in the sense that similar people in similar situations but with less power would almost certainly have faced sanctions for doing what she did, and further more, she should have known that.

Reasonable minds can differ, of course. If the word "innocent" triggers you, perhaps "irresponsible and entitled" would be a phrase more to your liking. With that in mind, here are the excerpts in question:

FBI investigators have also read all of the approximately 30,000 e-mails provided by Secretary Clinton to the State Department in December 2014. ...

From the group of 30,000 e-mails returned to the State Department, 110 e-mails in 52 e-mail chains have been determined by the owning agency to contain classified information at the time they were sent or received. Eight of those chains contained information that was Top Secret at the time they were sent; 36 chains contained Secret information at the time; and eight contained Confidential information, which is the lowest level of classification. Separate from those, about 2,000 additional e-mails were “up-classified” to make them Confidential; the information in those had not been classified at the time the e-mails were sent. ...

[W]e have done extensive work to understand what indications there might be of compromise by hostile actors in connection with the personal e-mail operation.

That’s what we have done. Now let me tell you what we found:

Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information. ...

For example, seven e-mail chains concern matters that were classified at the Top Secret/Special Access Program level when they were sent and received. These chains involved Secretary Clinton both sending e-mails about those matters and receiving e-mails from others about the same matters. There is evidence to support a conclusion that any reasonable person in Secretary Clinton’s position, or in the position of those government employees with whom she was corresponding about these matters, should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation. ...

In looking back at our investigations into mishandling or removal of classified information, we cannot find a case that would support bringing criminal charges on these facts. All the cases prosecuted involved some combination of: clearly intentional and willful mishandling of classified information; or vast quantities of materials exposed in such a way as to support an inference of intentional misconduct; or indications of disloyalty to the United States; or efforts to obstruct justice. We do not see those things here.

To be clear, this is not to suggest that in similar circumstances, a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences. To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions. ...

(emphasis mine throughout)

QED.

And I apologize for the length of this post. I freely admit that the phrase "dumb fucking idea" triggers me.

[dudog]

Please stop with the false equivalence, that's how we got here. I'm no Hillary fan, but that's bullshit.

My post was 90% tongue-in-cheek but Hillary isn’t innocent. I’ll return to the sports threads and let y’all continue on with your Republican bashing. I used to be a dedicated Republican but I no longer recognize the party.

I don't bash Republicans, I bash Trumpists. Oh wait, all Republicans (save a very, very few like Cheney & Kinzinger) are Trumpists. And if you vote for any Republican that hasn't condemned him, you're just as responsible as if you voted for Trump himself. Y'all are responsible for him, not us, and only you can get rid of him. And anyone who didn't see what Trump was in 2016 is lying to themselves.

[dudog]

I don't see how anyone (except that old fart Weisselberg, and he's been dragging out the case because he knows he'll be dead in a few years anyways) is going to go to jail for Trump. There's no way these shitbirds (I originally wrote weasels but weasels are comparatively cute) don't start turning on each other. While the Archives might not have teeth, the Espionage Act does.

Countdown to Trump saying he doesn't know his lawyers 5, 4, 3...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... li=BBnb7Kz

[Furniture]

Wait . . . Who took over Ron DeSantis’ body?!? Taking it to the heart of Trump country unexpectedly:

https://twitter.com/rexchapman/status/1 ... wGhgPAPS7A

I guess the sharks strike when there’s blood in the water.

I suppose you do know that this is all cut from an actual DeSantis press conference after firing COVID whistleblower Rebekah Jones and then executing a search warrant of her home in 2020….

https://twitter.com/EvanDonovan/status/ ... 2396230656

[OPK]

Wait . . . Who took over Ron DeSantis’ body?!? Taking it to the heart of Trump country unexpectedly:

https://twitter.com/rexchapman/status/1 ... wGhgPAPS7A

I guess the sharks strike when there’s blood in the water.

I suppose you do know that this is all cut from an actual DeSantis press conference after firing COVID whistleblower Rebekah Jones and then executing a search warrant of her home in 2020….

https://twitter.com/EvanDonovan/status/ ... 2396230656

Yeah, seemed too good to be true.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Well now I'm just totally curious about the background of this exchange between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and a reporter, and the info discussed.

The exchange about Biden began when Randolph asked Maloney whether Biden should run for a second term. "Off the record, he's not running again," Maloney said. She did not specify how she knew Biden would not seek a second term in 2024.

"Not off the record. On the record," journalist Jyoti Thottam insisted. According to the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, journalistic ethics stipulate that a source cannot unilaterally go off the record. The reporter must agree.

"On the record? No, he should not run again," Maloney said in response to Thottam's prompting.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-r ... 39607.html

[dudog]

Well now I'm just totally curious about the background of this exchange between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and a reporter, and the info discussed.

The exchange about Biden began when Randolph asked Maloney whether Biden should run for a second term. "Off the record, he's not running again," Maloney said. She did not specify how she knew Biden would not seek a second term in 2024.

"Not off the record. On the record," journalist Jyoti Thottam insisted. According to the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, journalistic ethics stipulate that a source cannot unilaterally go off the record. The reporter must agree.

"On the record? No, he should not run again," Maloney said in response to Thottam's prompting.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-r ... 39607.html

Don't you think this navel-gazing by nobody Democrats about an election over 2 years away is annoying?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Well now I'm just totally curious about the background of this exchange between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and a reporter, and the info discussed.

The exchange about Biden began when Randolph asked Maloney whether Biden should run for a second term. "Off the record, he's not running again," Maloney said. She did not specify how she knew Biden would not seek a second term in 2024.

"Not off the record. On the record," journalist Jyoti Thottam insisted. According to the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, journalistic ethics stipulate that a source cannot unilaterally go off the record. The reporter must agree.

"On the record? No, he should not run again," Maloney said in response to Thottam's prompting.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-r ... 39607.html

Don't you think this navel-gazing by nobody Democrats about an election over 2 years away is annoying?

Not really. I'd love for him to announce sooner than later that he's not. There are of course pros and cons to it. The moment he does, he makes himself a lame duck, but he scored a big win this week for the climate/health package and I don't expect him to top that.
The GOP is already running their races, even if unannounced. If the Dems want to put up a worthy challenger, it would be helpful if they are able to do the same now as well.
IF Trump announces before the mid-terms, then ALL of those races become about the White House. (Which is why the GOP can't decide if it's a smart idea for him to jump early or not.) I think Biden announcing would do the same thing, and could very well spark the Democratic base.
If Trump announces, the mid-terms will probably see the largest turnout ever for a non POTUS race. If Biden also jumps in before November to say that he's not seeking a 2nd term, then it will definitely be the largest turnout.

[dudog]

Well now I'm just totally curious about the background of this exchange between Rep. Carolyn Maloney and a reporter, and the info discussed.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/democratic-r ... 39607.html

Don't you think this navel-gazing by nobody Democrats about an election over 2 years away is annoying?

Not really. I'd love for him to announce sooner than later that he's not. There are of course pros and cons to it. The moment he does, he makes himself a lame duck, but he scored a big win this week for the climate/health package and I don't expect him to top that.
The GOP is already running their races, even if unannounced. If the Dems want to put up a worthy challenger, it would be helpful if they are able to do the same now as well.
IF Trump announces before the mid-terms, then ALL of those races become about the White House. (Which is why the GOP can't decide if it's a smart idea for him to jump early or not.) I think Biden announcing would do the same thing, and could very well spark the Democratic base.
If Trump announces, the mid-terms will probably see the largest turnout ever for a non POTUS race. If Biden also jumps in before November to say that he's not seeking a 2nd term, then it will definitely be the largest turnout.

I just wish the nobody Ds would shut up about it. Let the Rs tear each other apart.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Don't you think this navel-gazing by nobody Democrats about an election over 2 years away is annoying?

Not really. I'd love for him to announce sooner than later that he's not. There are of course pros and cons to it. The moment he does, he makes himself a lame duck, but he scored a big win this week for the climate/health package and I don't expect him to top that.
The GOP is already running their races, even if unannounced. If the Dems want to put up a worthy challenger, it would be helpful if they are able to do the same now as well.
IF Trump announces before the mid-terms, then ALL of those races become about the White House. (Which is why the GOP can't decide if it's a smart idea for him to jump early or not.) I think Biden announcing would do the same thing, and could very well spark the Democratic base.
If Trump announces, the mid-terms will probably see the largest turnout ever for a non POTUS race. If Biden also jumps in before November to say that he's not seeking a 2nd term, then it will definitely be the largest turnout.

I just wish the nobody Ds would shut up about it. Let the Rs tear each other apart.

There are so many issues that this country is facing right now and so many major election races coming to a head in under 3 months that I really wish the discussion of a Biden second term was forbidden. The Times has been running a large number of articles and Op/Eds on the topic and it really pisses me off. Once the midterms are over, then it moves up the list in terms of priority. Though I am usually fascinated by political horse race discussions, when I see this topic come up, I have lately started to just tune out.

On the other topic under discussion here, it seems to me like at this point, there is a pretty clear dichotomy - support Trump or support America. The Trump supporters claim to be patriots but they are the they are pretty much the opposite. They have had numerous chances to distance themselves from him, but so many of the elected officials are just opportunists. To their defense, they are largely doing what their constituents are telling them to do. But at some point, they need to rise up. Perhaps he will run in 2024 and the Republicans will reject him in the primary, but I think the damage has already been done.

[Furniture]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIARMMt ... ER&index=1


^Many of you will get a kick of of this…Some will not…I have no clue about Hillary’s email scandal but this is funny…

[Furniture]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIARMMt ... ER&index=1


^Many of you will get a kick of of this…Some will not…I have no clue about Hillary’s email scandal but this is funny…

Reminds me of this guy. Max..

https://youtu.be/6epzmRZk6UU

[dudog]

What a bunch of whiny losers.

“This is truly a battle between those who want to save America and those who want to destroy her,” Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for the governor of Arizona, told the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas in early August. “That’s where we are at the moment. My question to you is: Are you in this fight with us?”

After the search of Mr. Trump’s residence, Ms. Lake declared: “Our government is rotten to the core. These tyrants will stop at nothing to silence the patriots who are working hard to save America.”

“If we accept it,” she added, “America is dead.”

Yeah, this isn't going to lead to violence.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... li=BBnb7Kz

[Furniture]

What a bunch of whiny losers.

“This is truly a battle between those who want to save America and those who want to destroy her,” Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for the governor of Arizona, told the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas in early August. “That’s where we are at the moment. My question to you is: Are you in this fight with us?”

After the search of Mr. Trump’s residence, Ms. Lake declared: “Our government is rotten to the core. These tyrants will stop at nothing to silence the patriots who are working hard to save America.”

“If we accept it,” she added, “America is dead.”

Yeah, this isn't going to lead to violence.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... li=BBnb7Kz

Scary shit. Is there a tipping point for when republican politicians come out and say this has gone too far?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Scary shit. Is there a tipping point for when republican politicians come out and say this has gone too far?

Just like on Jan 7th, they won't say it's gone too far until it went to far, like it did the day before. (And of course they've forgotten they ever said that.)

And of course, he's fanning the flames again.

"People are so angry at what is taking place," Trump told Fox News Digital on Monday. "Whatever we can do to help— because the temperature has to be brought down in the country. If it isn't, terrible things are going to happen."

The New York Times reported that a person close to him reached out to a Justice Department official because Trump wanted to convey a message to Attorney General Merrick Garland: "The country is on fire. What can I do to reduce the heat?" Some social media users interpreted the message as a veiled threat.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-warns- ... 45060.html

[CrazyNotCrazie]

Scary shit. Is there a tipping point for when republican politicians come out and say this has gone too far?

Just like on Jan 7th, they won't say it's gone too far until it went to far, like it did the day before. (And of course they've forgotten they ever said that.)

And of course, he's fanning the flames again.

"People are so angry at what is taking place," Trump told Fox News Digital on Monday. "Whatever we can do to help— because the temperature has to be brought down in the country. If it isn't, terrible things are going to happen."

The New York Times reported that a person close to him reached out to a Justice Department official because Trump wanted to convey a message to Attorney General Merrick Garland: "The country is on fire. What can I do to reduce the heat?" Some social media users interpreted the message as a veiled threat.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-warns- ... 45060.html

I pledge allegiance to Donald Trump, not the United States of America. And to the Republicans for whom he stands, one narcissist, with no concern for God, a nation divided, with liberty and Justice for Trump.

No matter what they find and how much proof they show, a lot of people will find something wrong with it. I'm guessing Garland dotted his I's and crossed his T's countless times before doing this, but there will still be something. Trump will claim the materials were planted, or something of the sort. These people have lost all ability to think rationally and realize they have been completely bamboozled by a huckster.

[Phredd3]

No matter what they find and how much proof they show, a lot of people will find something wrong with it. I'm guessing Garland dotted his I's and crossed his T's countless times before doing this, but there will still be something. Trump will claim the materials were planted, or something of the sort. These people have lost all ability to think rationally and realize they have been completely bamboozled by a huckster.

This is a human trait. All of us have a very hard time admitting when we are wrong, especially about a topic that is part of our core. Trump expertly tapped into that deep sense of commitment that people have (prompted mostly by feeling disaffected), and that is damage that is very, very hard to undo. The odd part is that the feeling of being disaffected is largely being driven by wage stagnation and a sliding standard of living, and Trump is just about the least likely person to attempt to repair that imbalance. I still marvel at how a billionaire managed to convince many millions of low-wage workers that he could possibly have their interests at heart. That'll be something for academicians to study for years (as long as we don't end up with an authoritarian regime first).

[dudog]

No matter what they find and how much proof they show, a lot of people will find something wrong with it. I'm guessing Garland dotted his I's and crossed his T's countless times before doing this, but there will still be something. Trump will claim the materials were planted, or something of the sort. These people have lost all ability to think rationally and realize they have been completely bamboozled by a huckster.

This is a human trait. All of us have a very hard time admitting when we are wrong, especially about a topic that is part of our core. Trump expertly tapped into that deep sense of commitment that people have (prompted mostly by feeling disaffected), and that is damage that is very, very hard to undo. The odd part is that the feeling of being disaffected is largely being driven by wage stagnation and a sliding standard of living, and Trump is just about the least likely person to attempt to repair that imbalance. I still marvel at how a billionaire managed to convince many millions of low-wage workers that he could possibly have their interests at heart. That'll be something for academicians to study for years (as long as we don't end up with an authoritarian regime first).

There are some good universities in Canada.

[dudog]

I've often wondered what is the stupidest state in the Union. I think Kentucky "wins", electing and re-electing Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell. Is there any worse combination of Senators from 1 state?

"Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul wants Espionage Act repealed". Yeah, that will solve everything. Protect the pussy-grabbing traitor at all costs!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... li=BBnb7Kz

Be sure to watch the short imbedded clip of Paul arguing for Russia against Secretary of State Blinken.