American Politics Thread: Orange is the new POTUS

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

So Trump handed out a Purple Heart today to a soldier injured in Afghanistan. He said 'congratulations'.

Just me or is that......odd? Wouldn't 'thank you for your service' or something be more appropriate?

He's the most inarticulate buffoon to ever hold office.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by wittynickname

While you are accurate, I find it hilarious that the Anti-PC crowd who is always worried about the "snowflakes" can't handle a few insults lobbed their own way. Hell, they freak out over being wished "Happy Holidays." Sensitive snowflakes indeed.

Don't disagree...just don't want to shoot ourselves in the foot.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by New Era

Wait, you're all concerned about someone calling Trump supporters dumb, after the lengths a certain select few posters have gone to, unabated, while promoting completely asinine positions meant to inflame? This is like the whole alt-right fake news garbage during the election. Allow the lies to be promulgated through a false equivalency, suggesting their twisted perspective is on the same level as others, regardless of support in what the rest of us refer to as "facts."

Yes...I am concerned about calling all Trump supporters dumb because it is counter productive to getting them to change their position. The goal is not to abuse those that hold different positions but to move towards discussion and a common understanding. If Trumpers feel teased and belittled they will be less likely to feel welcome in the other camp.

It's not complicated.

[photon]

He also seems a bit behind in the job filling department.

Of the 554 positions requiring confirmation, as of Saturday, 473 have no nominee, 35 have been announced but not formally nominated, 24 have been nominated, and just 22 have been confirmed thus far, according to a database put together by the Washington Post and the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service.

By this point in his first term, former president Barack Obama had 120 people nominated and just 54 confirmed, according to data provided to Business Insider by the Partnership for Public Service.

Having a high number of unfilled positions across federal agencies is not a catastrophic risk in the short term, experts say, because while political appointees await Senate confirmation, the administration has the power to appoint acting individuals to executive agency roles.

In other words, while the positions are unfilled, they are not vacant and are almost always occupied by career people who are chosen by the president from a narrowly-defined pool of individuals, while the president’s nominee is vetted by the Senate.

But experts warn the greatest risk in unfilled roles lies in handling crisis situations or enacting long-term policies.

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/w...sitions-2017-4

Spoiler!

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

Yes...I am concerned about calling all Trump supporters dumb because it is counter productive to getting them to change their position

If they can't figure it out on their own by now, it just may be hopeless, anyways.

[direwolf]

Haha, wow.

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account
@realDonaldTrump

Today on Earth Day, we celebrate our beautiful forests, lakes and land. We stand committed to preserving the natural beauty of our nation.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

He must just sit back and laugh when he tweets stuff like that. The president is trolling his people. Fascinating.

[direwolf]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

He must just sit back and laugh when he tweets stuff like that. The president is trolling his people. Fascinating.

Yeah, there's no way he typed that with a straight face. Come to think of it, you could say that about pretty much all of his tweets.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by photon

great find...

some other signage gems in this article: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slate...h_all_dt_tw_ru

[direwolf]

This one is great.

[oldschoolcalgary]

or can you?!

[octothorp]

I'm concerned that all those signs at the science marches are too clever! Stupid Trump supporters aren't going to get the jokes but they'll realize there are jokes they aren't getting. Then they'll be even less likely to change their stupid minds. We need to show them racist cartoon frogs and when they laugh, we need to laugh along with them... then we can change their minds!

[Cecil Terwilliger]

[jammies]

The idea that society is trending to the left is due to social acceptance of previously marginalized groups and power structures being increasingly open to non-traditional individuals. Economics is just a convenience with which to try to argue the old ways were better ways - with "old ways" being the rule of white males.

It is pointless arguing with neo-cons and libertarians with facts such as noting the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, the lowering of taxes on the well-off, the entrenchment of corporate interests and their ascendance over the rights of mere humans (look at copyrights for just one example), and the vast inflation of executive salaries. The "freedom" they want is not really the freedom of the market, but the freedom to elevate the market above democracy. Trump is in a position to do exactly that.

This is why he appeals, he is one of "them", he is a rich white guy whose dubious business practices are seen as clever instead of morally unacceptable, and who proves that being smart is far less important than successfully marketing yourself as smart. He makes greed and bullying great again. That he is an empty buffoon makes all the other empty buffoons happy, because it proves being such is no obstacle ot success - all you need is the right parents, school, and skin colour.

Historically, he reminds me more of Napoleon III than any other figure - a stupid vain imbecile whose qualifications for becoming emperor consisted solely of being Napoleon I's nephew at a time when the French tired of democracy and all its attendant quibbles and difficulties. He, too, was unable to handle criticism, relied overmuch on his connections and his family, and thought foreign policy was a penis-measuring contest where diplomacy just delays the inevitable dropping of pants.

All of which eventually worked out very poorly for the French.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Great post jammies! Well, great post with one exception. You can't call Trump or his followers buffoons, or anything negative, for that matter. "This narrative (while generally true) is counter-productive...Trump voters were/are economically hurting and Trump sounded like he understood that. The Dems need to empathize and stop with the 'holier than thou' crap. Liberals tease Trump voters at their peril."

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by jammies

It is pointless arguing with neo-cons and libertarians with facts such as noting the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, the lowering of taxes on the well-off, the entrenchment of corporate interests and their ascendance over the rights of mere humans (look at copyrights for just one example), and the vast inflation of executive salaries. The "freedom" they want is not really the freedom of the market, but the freedom to elevate the market above democracy. Trump is in a position to do exactly that.

Couple of questions about this.

First, are the "neo-cons" and "libertarians" you're arguing with unmoved by the increasing concentration of wealth in fewer hands and lowering top marginal tax rates because they're dumb and don't understand the issue, or because they don't consider those problems as important and pressing as you do? Is it just a values / priorities mismatch?

Second, I don't know what you mean by "the entrenchment of corporate interests and their ascendance over the rights of mere humans"? Corporations don't really have many rights, compared with private individuals.

Third, what do you mean by "look at copyrights as one example"?

I have other questions about what you're saying but those are the ones that jump out at me most.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by New Era

Great post jammies! Well, great post with one exception. You can't call Trump or his followers buffoons, or anything negative, for that matter. "This narrative (while generally true) is counter-productive...Trump voters were/are economically hurting and Trump sounded like he understood that. The Dems need to empathize and stop with the 'holier than thou' crap. Liberals tease Trump voters at their peril."

You can call them buffoons all you want, you can tease them, mock them, tell them they suck. I'm just not sure what you think it's going to do...

I think it's counterproductive

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

You can call them buffoons all you want, you can tease them, mock them, tell them they suck. I'm just not sure what you think it's going to do...

I think it's counterproductive

Truth hurts , but they need to hear it.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Truth hurts , but they need to hear it.

And this is why..if Trump runs in 2020...he will get more support than he deserves. Attitudes like this make the very people who might consider changing their POV avoid changing their sides...

Demeaning people as a way of getting them to join you? Ineffective and borderline moronic.

[DuffMan]

Look, if they are going to vote for Trump because liberals are being mean to them, against their own better interests, than they are beyond help anyways.