American Politics Thread: Orange is the new POTUS

[photon]

Hahaha... this is why I'm still not convinced Trump's guilty of anything other than gross incompetence and a howling void in his soul that prevents him from abiding any criticism.

“He doesn’t believe he did anything wrong with the Russians and I tend to believe him,” Graham said on CBS’ Face the Nation. “He can’t collude with his own government. Why do you think he is colluding with the Russians?”

And Megyn Kelly, on NBC, is interviewing Alex Jones? Yeah, THAT'S what you do to try and look better after the Putin interview. I can't believe they're giving him the biggest stage he's ever had. NBC can never again legitimately complain about anything ever said on Fox or Breitbart.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by photon

Hahaha... this is why I'm still not convinced Trump's guilty of anything other than gross incompetence and a howling void in his soul that prevents him from abiding any criticism.

“He doesn’t believe he did anything wrong with the Russians and I tend to believe him,” Graham said on CBS’ Face the Nation. “He can’t collude with his own government. Why do you think he is colluding with the Russians?”

And Megyn Kelly, on NBC, is interviewing Alex Jones? Yeah, THAT'S what you do to try and look better after the Putin interview. I can't believe they're giving him the biggest stage he's ever had. NBC can never again legitimately complain about anything ever said on Fox or Breitbart.

I disagree about Trump. He looks out for himself first, second and third and isn't interested in nuance or complexity. That's why his current dalliance in governance isn't working. That doesn't affect his willingness to cozy to the Russians for dough

[Kjesse]

I just watched the clip from the cabinet meeting. It was a marketing event designed to prop Trump up, and had strange parallels to the Apprentice TV show.

This is the most ####ed up administration in history.

Its like they were paying tribute to the King from centuries gone past. Where the currency for tribute is now praise not gold. So strange. And its pretty scary.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It certainly begs the question as to why, with the total exception of Mattis who didn't praise Trump, and partial exception of Tillerson who looked puzzled by the whole thing, were they so willing to degrade themselves like that? It's certainly not because of loyalty to Trump, he's already thrown some of them under the bus and certainly will throw others under at a later time. Probably more scared of losing their cabinet posts and the backlash from the Mercer's and Koch's that would come from not being to implement their (not Trump's) agenda.

[Snuffleupagus]

Even up in Canada we better hope Trump doesn't get too close with the Russians, Putin could probably convince him that Canada belongs to the USA because the mighty American military beat the British in the revolutionary war.

Putin - Take Canada, it rightfully belongs to the USA

Trump - really? how do you figure

Putin - the British launched their war game from Canada in 1775 and you soundly defeated them. thus, you own Canada.

Trump - Hmm, wouldn't the world go crazy?

Putin - Nah, it's only Canada, give mother Russia the arctic back and maybe those useless northern territories and we'll back you 100%, maybe to keep China happy give them Newfoundland because you know.. they love their fish!.

Trump - I like it, I'll convince my brainless staff but for it to work remember it was my idea huh?

Putin - of course

[Bagor]

[Senator Clay Davis]

Little early for the whine and cheese.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Little early for the whine and cheese.

What a snowflake, and a moron.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

What a snowflake, and a moron.

You forgot hypocrite

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Delgar

Its like they were paying tribute to the King from centuries gone past. Where the currency for tribute is now praise not gold. So strange. And its pretty scary.

The scariest part is that a group of educated, powerful adults got together and thought that charade would be a good idea. You really have to question the judgement of someone who would take part in that. Only the dumbest most willfully ignorant supporters of Trump didn't find the whole thing bizarre and worthy of mockery.

Hopefully they do it in every cabinet meeting. It was certainly entertaining.

[photon]

Russia’s cyberattack on the U.S. electoral system before Donald Trump’s election was far more widespread than has been publicly revealed, including incursions into voter databases and software systems in almost twice as many states as previously reported.

In Illinois, investigators found evidence that cyber intruders tried to delete or alter voter data. The hackers accessed software designed to be used by poll workers on Election Day, and in at least one state accessed a campaign finance database. Details of the wave of attacks, in the summer and fall of 2016, were provided by three people with direct knowledge of the U.S. investigation into the matter. In all, the Russian hackers hit systems in a total of 39 states, one of them said.

The scope and sophistication so concerned Obama administration officials that they took an unprecedented step -- complaining directly to Moscow over a modern-day “red phone.” In October, two of the people said, the White House contacted the Kremlin on the back channel to offer detailed documents of what it said was Russia’s role in election meddling and to warn that the attacks risked setting off a broader conflict.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-u-s-elections

But that's ok, Trump won and Republicans only care about winning and that their guy vomits all over their enemies.

[DuffMan]

Sessions bailed today?

[Thor]

He's coming on later today.

[FlameOn]

Trump's personal lawyer Kasowitz brags about how he got Preet Bhara, NY Attorney General, fired to relieve investigative pressure on Trump finances in that State, particularly around some of the communications going on at Trump Tower.

Marc Kasowitz, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer in the Russia investigation, has boasted to friends and colleagues that he played a central role in the firing of Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, according to four people familiar with the conversations.

Kasowitz told Trump, “This guy is going to get you,” according to a person familiar with Kasowitz’s account.

Those who know Kasowitz say he is sometimes prone to exaggerating when regaling them with his exploits. But if true, his assertion adds to the mystery surrounding the motive and timing of Bharara’s firing.

New presidents typically ask U.S. attorneys to resign and have the power to fire them. But Trump asked Bharara to stay in his job when they met in November at Trump Tower, as Bharara announced after the meeting.

In early March, Trump reversed himself. He asked all the remaining U.S. attorneys to resign, including Bharara. Bharara, a telegenic prosecutor with a history of taking on powerful politicians, refused and was fired March 11.

As ProPublica previously reported, at the time of Bharara’s firing the Southern District was conducting an investigation into Trump’s secretary of health and human services, Tom Price.

https://www.propublica.org/article/t...-bharara-fired

[direwolf]

Another meltdown from Trump early this morning while he was sitting on the toilet. And yes, he's still obsessed with Hillary.

Donald J. Trump‏
@realDonaldTrump

The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty. Purposely incorrect stories and phony sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad!

3:35 AM - 13 Jun 2017

Donald J. Trump‏
@realDonaldTrump

Well, as predicted, the 9th Circuit did it again - Ruled against the TRAVEL BAN at such a dangerous time in the history of our country. S.C.

3:44 AM - 13 Jun 2017

Donald J. Trump‏
@realDonaldTrump

A.G. Lynch made law enforcement decisions for political purposes...gave Hillary Clinton a free pass and protection. Totally illegal!

5:45 AM - 13 Jun 2017

Donald J. Trump‏
@realDonaldTrump

2 million more people just dropped out of ObamaCare. It is in a death spiral. Obstructionist Democrats gave up, have no answer = resist!

6:56 AM - 13 Jun 2017

[DuffMan]

budget hearings he bailed on.

[FlameOn]

McCain echoes the sentiment and actions of most Republicans, he is worried that the GOP will lose the House yet is not worried the possible treason, Russian election interference and incompetent President. Color me shocked.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) expressed deep concern on Tuesday that Republicans are at risk of losing their majority in the House due to a flimsy list of legislative accomplishments so far.

“I’m very worried we’re going to lose the House of Representatives," McCain said at a Wall Street Journal event for chief financial officers. "I don’t think that we’ve accomplished much.”

While the House managed to pass an Obamacare repeal-and-replace plan on its second try, the Senate is now writing its own version of the legislation. The House is also struggling to come up with plans for the budget, tax reform and infrastructure — three other top priorities for the Republican Party and the White House.

McCain on Tuesday also lambasted both the Obama and Trump administrations for not responding effectively enough to Russian cyberattacks. He called for restrictions to join the military to be loosened in order for the Unites States to be able to launch its own cyberattacks with what he called "Troll Team Six."

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/0...e-house-239479

[ernie]

It's amazing how the party that has almost zero power to pass or stop bills from passing are obstructionists. There can't be any way people actually buy the obstructionist narrative...right?

[direwolf]

Meanwhile, Republicans continue to draft their HC bill in secret in the hopes of rushing it to the Senate floor for voting.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/repub...arm-democrats/

SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL, D-Mo.: "We have no idea what’s being proposed. There’s a group of guys in a backroom somewhere that are making these decisions. There were no hearings in the House. I mean, listen, this is hard to take, because I know we made mistakes on the Affordable Health Care Act, Mr. Secretary.

And one of the criticisms we got over and over again, that the vote was partisan. Well, you couldn’t have a more partisan exercise than what you’re engaged in right now. We’re not even going to have a hearing on a bill that impacts one-sixth of our economy."

McCaskill wants something called regular order. What is that? Well, it used to be the normal process. A bill goes through committee hearings, where experts and those affected by an issue ring in.

Then senators on the committee can vote to change the bill with amendments. And then, when a bill gets to the Senate floor, regular order means another chance to change it with amendment votes there too.

In 2009, with the Affordable Care Act, two Senate committees held three months of hearings and went through weeks of voting on amendments.

Instead, this time around, Senate Republicans have indicated they may send their health care bill straight to the Senate floor with little, maybe no chance to amend it. And they have held no hearings on the bill so far.

In the end, it took Democrats 14 months to pass their health care bill in 2009 and 2010. That’s why this moment is critical. The Senate will make or break health care reform. And Senate leaders, including Hatch, have said they want to pass a full health care bill by the end of this month. That’s just nine or 10 legislative days away.

[photon]

I read that calls to the Senate are low as well. Mitch McConnell is no dummy and avoiding the regular norms and processes is intentional to try and minimize the public reaction by having as little public info as possible. He saw how things went for the house. This tactic itself should be generating an uproar, but people are uproar-ed out, so it looks like it's working. Americans really do hate each other.