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The Dangerous Case Of Donald Trump

Z Buck McFate

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What's illegal about this? It's definitely unethical and annoying. I mean, it ought to be titled "What To Think: Let's Calibrate Our Willfull Ignorance Because It Gives Our Delusional Conviction a Veneer Of STRENGTH!" I'd hardly rely on someone hardcore left (especially as petty, vapid, and ignorant a little troll as Jr) to provide any kind of worthwhile insight into the right. If anyone wants to actually understand the left (and the hate we have for the orange menace), it's probably best to ask the left. And the fact that RNC is actually sending this out to donors speaks volumes (about their character - anyone interested in this book is clearly more interested in calibrating willful ignorance than understanding the left). But is it illegal?

The only thing I can think of is that maybe it's a violation for any campaign funding to end up in Jr's pocket? Surely it's legal to buy merchandise to incentivize donations, but maybe there's something about emoluments and nepotism in there. Like that mayor who was recently indicted for having all the schools in her district buy her books.
 

ceecee

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What's illegal about this? It's definitely unethical and annoying. I mean, it ought to be titled "What To Think: Let's Calibrate Our Willfull Ignorance Because It Gives Our Delusional Conviction a Veneer Of STRENGTH!" I'd hardly rely on someone hardcore left (especially as petty, vapid, and ignorant a little troll as Jr) to provide any kind of worthwhile insight into the right. If anyone wants to actually understand the left (and the hate we have for the orange menace), it's probably best to ask the left. And the fact that RNC is actually sending this out to donors speaks volumes (about their character - anyone interested in this book is clearly more interested in calibrating willful ignorance than understanding the left). But is it illegal?

The only thing I can think of is that maybe it's a violation for any campaign funding to end up in Jr's pocket? Surely it's legal to buy merchandise to incentivize donations, but maybe there's something about emoluments and nepotism in there. Like that mayor who was recently indicted for having all the schools in her district buy her books.

Right. No one knows what's going in his pocket but I wasn't saying it's illegal. I have heard him bitch several times about Obama and Bernie writing books and Jr is incredibly petty so I assume this is a reason he "wrote" it to begin with. The NYT list is the grift because they immediately flagged it with the bulk purchase icon so anyone knows it doesn't legitimately belong where it's ranked.
 

Z Buck McFate

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On the plus side though? I suspect this book will help history sort out which side was delusional faster than if it didn't exist.
 

Nicodemus

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On the plus side though? I suspect this book will help history sort out which side was delusional faster than if it didn't exist.
History already knows.

Wikipedia said:
Private and public congressional testimony by twelve government witnesses in November 2019 presented a significant body of evidence indicating Trump demanded a quid pro quo of a political favor in exchange for the release of military aid to Ukraine and a White House meeting with Zelensky.
 

Z Buck McFate

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History already knows.

I don't think that part is really even up for debate? While the Republicans did try to deflate the extent to which it was quid pro quo by blowing the "hearsay" defense out of proportion, it really seemed like they were focusing more on the notion that it was legitimate to pursue Ukraine investigations (and trying to 'prove' no one should listen to anything Democrats - or "Never Trumpers", or basically anyone who says something bad about Trump - have to say because it's "really" about reversing the 2016 election results :fullload: ). They're selling it hard, that the Ukraine intervened in the 2016 elections, because that would justify (somehow) Trump's request. It seems like they're trying to make it sound so justified that the base doesn't even really care if there was a quid pro quo (because there was a "good" reason for it).

So the part that will eventually come to light is that the 2016 Ukraine election interference is a fabrication. According to Fiona Hill, and the New York Times, it was actually fabricated by Russia. To cover the fact that Russia interfered. Charges of Ukrainian Meddling? A Russian Operation, U.S. Intelligence Says

In a briefing that closely aligned with Dr. Hill’s testimony, American intelligence officials informed senators and their aides in recent weeks that Russia had engaged in a yearslong campaign to essentially frame Ukraine as responsible for Moscow’s own hacking of the 2016 election, according to three American officials. The briefing came as Republicans stepped up their defenses of Mr. Trump in the Ukraine affair.

The revelations demonstrate Russia’s persistence in trying to sow discord among its adversaries — and show that the Kremlin apparently succeeded, as unfounded claims about Ukrainian interference seeped into Republican talking points. American intelligence agencies believe Moscow is likely to redouble its efforts as the 2020 presidential campaign intensifies. The classified briefing for senators also focused on Russia’s evolving influence tactics, including its growing ability to better disguise operations.

 

Nicodemus

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I don't think that part is really even up for debate? While the Republicans did try to deflate the extent to which it was quid pro quo by blowing the "hearsay" defense out of proportion, it really seemed like they were focusing more on the notion that it was legitimate to pursue Ukraine investigations (and trying to 'prove' no one should listen to anything Democrats - or "Never Trumpers", or basically anyone who says something bad about Trump - have to say because it's "really" about reversing the 2016 election results :fullload: ). They're selling it hard, that the Ukraine intervened in the 2016 elections, because that would justify (somehow) Trump's request. It seems like they're trying to make it sound so justified that the base doesn't even really care if there was a quid pro quo (because there was a "good" reason for it).

So the part that will eventually come to light is that the 2016 Ukraine election interference is a fabrication. According to Fiona Hill, and the New York Times, it was actually fabricated by Russia. To cover the fact that Russia interfered. Charges of Ukrainian Meddling? A Russian Operation, U.S. Intelligence Says

In a briefing that closely aligned with Dr. Hill’s testimony, American intelligence officials informed senators and their aides in recent weeks that Russia had engaged in a yearslong campaign to essentially frame Ukraine as responsible for Moscow’s own hacking of the 2016 election, according to three American officials. The briefing came as Republicans stepped up their defenses of Mr. Trump in the Ukraine affair.

The revelations demonstrate Russia’s persistence in trying to sow discord among its adversaries — and show that the Kremlin apparently succeeded, as unfounded claims about Ukrainian interference seeped into Republican talking points. American intelligence agencies believe Moscow is likely to redouble its efforts as the 2020 presidential campaign intensifies. The classified briefing for senators also focused on Russia’s evolving influence tactics, including its growing ability to better disguise operations.


Trump supporters are lost to humanity.
 

Z Buck McFate

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I saw that^ piece yesterday. It made me sad. (It's funny, and telling, but also kinda mean).
 

Virtual ghost

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However the reasoning behind my posts is exactly that we aren't from that different backgrounds. When you take my war in the terms of death it is more than comparable to guns deaths in USA, ok USA is much bigger country but violence is generally present. In the terms of infrastructure it also isn't different story. Here war and related problems leveled a fair amount of stuff in some parts of the country but in USA moving production overseas, outdated infrastructure and general disrepair have in many many areas created similar social and technical effects as a war. While most of political scene is completely delusional and your foreign enemies are gaining ground all over the map since you have complete mess at home. What overall is a situation in which my place was a number of times and therefore I am simply claiming that this problem can't really be solved with business as usual and "self made people". In the case that there is no foreign factor there would perhaps be some chances to smooth all this but there is just not enough time before world order reaches various turning/tipping points (and don't even get me started on environment). All of my posts were basically about this. In general I know the definition of "self made" however I have severe doubts that this is effective strategy for this "era". Since you are basically where you were in 1941 or 1945, while the house is a complete mess. Therefore I claim that self made paradigm shouldn't be too strictly enforced since there is no time that everyone just wonders around through life, the challenges are too big and imminent.


This is what youtube has "thrown" at me this morning and that reminded me of my post from the other day. (I am not sure if this is really Detroit, but it looks like USA)





What also kinda explains the mindset of why the state went red in 2016 or why many are against the impeachment, since all of this looks as if it is going way longer than 3 years (it is fresh upload). However this isn't first time I see parts of USA looking like this and therefore I claim that business as usual will not be enough. This requires approach as if you just had war on your soil, since the infrastructural and social damage is often of that scale.








I just don't see the fundamental difference between this and what I HAD back at home in certain parts of the country when I was a kid.











While this is the downtown today. (nothing of this is "self-made" and nobody gives a crap that it isn't)





Once you pass certain line "self made" simply isn't enough to keep things going and your people will go crazy. What makes all of this hardly a waste of tax money, especially since this makes new tax revenue that otherwise would not be possible. Not to mention the economic competitiveness factor, how do "fight" countries that have this level of "regeneration" and they aren't afraid to use it.


Food for though.
 

Virtual ghost

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I mean this channel seem to be full of driving through "collapsed neighborhoods" and some uploads are years old. Some places even look okish until you make a "wrong" turn.













ETC. (max 8 videos per post)


In a way it isn't surprising that MAGA sounded so good.
 

ceecee

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I mean this channel seem to be full of driving through "collapsed neighborhoods" and some uploads are years old. Some places even look okish until you make a "wrong" turn.













ETC. (max 8 videos per post)


In a way it isn't surprising that MAGA sounded so good.

True but you will hear Americans, even ones on this site, insist that the reason for all the downturn you posted, is because of the moral decline of the residents. Not lack of jobs. not lack of education, not the fact that many of these places don't have a grocery store, hospital, or church. So keep in mind that at least some of these people that MAGA sounded good to are really not the sharpest tools in the shed.
 

Jaguar

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I mean this channel seem to be full of driving through "collapsed neighborhoods" and some uploads are years old. Some places even look okish until you make a "wrong" turn.



In a way it isn't surprising that MAGA sounded so good.

Who are they kidding? I lived in Buckhead/Atlanta for a few years in the 1980's. Atlanta had shit hole areas like that even back then. What city doesn't? "Collapsed neighborhoods" are not a new development unless someone wants to make it appear that way for purely political reasons, in any given year.
 

Virtual ghost

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True but you will hear Americans, even ones on this site, insist that the reason for all the downturn you posted, is because of the moral decline of the residents. Not lack of jobs. not lack of education, not the fact that many of these places don't have a grocery store, hospital, or church. So keep in mind that at least some of these people that MAGA sounded good to are really not the sharpest tools in the shed.


Well, I openly said many times that in my book Trump is just a guy that grabbed the opportunity that openly presented itself.
While with morals you basically have closed circle with Chicken/Egg dilemma. If people don't have all of that they will probably become immoral to survive in a "shit hole". While if they don't have morals they will be unable to build all of the stuff that you mentioned. Therefore the truth is surely somewhere in between. But none of that changes my bottom line: that this will not solve itself on its own, for too long this is "business as usual". While with the loss of blue collar jobs due to outsourcing and automation it will probably only get worse, what makes "business as usual" dangerous for the overall stability and people will starts to grab themselves for the straws in mass.




Who are they kidding? I lived in Buckhead/Atlanta for a few years in the 1980's. Atlanta had shit hole areas like that even back then. What city doesn't? "Collapsed neighborhoods" are not a new development unless someone wants to make it appear that way for purely political reasons, in any given year.




I am sorry and call it cultural difference but for me none of that was "normal". Here are suburban "slums" in my city, the worst we have to offer that I can think of (and I have seen the place).

Google earth - random spot in "slums"

Google earth - random spot in "slums" 2


"Collapsed neighborhoods" ARE a political topic however you turn it, even if you got used to them.



Just saying.:shrug:
 

Jaguar

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I am sorry and call it cultural difference but for me none of that was "normal".
"Collapsed neighborhoods" ARE a political topic however you turn it, even if you got used to them.

Welcome to America, pal. It's not a matter of getting used to anything, I just don't get bent out of shape about it. I lived in Chicago for many years and when you live there, you see a lot of extremes in living conditions depending on where you are driving. But one thing about Chicago, a lot of shitty areas get revitalized. What was once pure garbage can get gutted and rehabbed. I always enjoyed the transformation of it all.
 

Virtual ghost

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Welcome to America, pal. It's not a matter of getting used to anything, I just don't get bent out of shape about it. I lived in Chicago for many years and when you live there, you see a lot of extremes in living conditions depending on where you are driving. But one thing about Chicago, a lot of shitty areas get revitalized. What was once pure garbage can get gutted and rehabbed. I always enjoyed the transformation of it all.



I am not bent out of shape with this either, but I am generally really annoyed with disfunction and mess. Plenty of American pop culture has stories and stories about poverty but I just find it strange that the country of this power can have "corners" that have fallen this deep. Yeah sure, the world isn't perfect but I find this kinda strange since I am watching from the perspective of an ant. US GDP is 21600 billion dollars and Croatian is 55 billion (just 55). Therefore even if we count in 80 times more people that US has the money is still clearly in favor of US, plus we both get oil more or less by globally set prices and we both import fair amount of stuff from Asia etc. The math simply baffles me since by this my people are "super humans" by what we can do with so little. Therefore it is more logical to presume that there is a "systematic problem" on American side. Which goes much deeper than Trump, since the math just doesn't add up. (I am just thinking out loud)



Enjoying the transformation of environment is good. :)
 

Tellenbach

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I was watching Ancient Aliens last night and there was a segment about the two Swedish millenials who trespassed into Area 51 with a drone to see the aliens. Both were arrested and are now serving 1 year prison terms. I think that's a bit harsh. Since no one was hurt, I think President Trump should pardon both men.
 

Maou

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I am not bent out of shape with this either, but I am generally really annoyed with disfunction and mess. Plenty of American pop culture has stories and stories about poverty but I just find it strange that the country of this power can have "corners" that have fallen this deep. Yeah sure, the world isn't perfect but I find this kinda strange since I am watching from the perspective of an ant. US GDP is 21600 billion dollars and Croatian is 55 billion (just 55). Therefore even if we count in 80 times more people that US has the money is still clearly in favor of US, plus we both get oil more or less by globally set prices and we both import fair amount of stuff from Asia etc. The math simply baffles me since by this my people are "super humans" by what we can do with so little. Therefore it is more logical to presume that there is a "systematic problem" on American side. Which goes much deeper than Trump, since the math just doesn't add up. (I am just thinking out loud)



Enjoying the transformation of environment is good. :)

I would say the decay actually moves around with Gentrification. Places become slums, get bought out by rich young people and revitalized, and restored. Poor people then move to different areas due to rising rent. Then where they end up, usually starts to degrade. Such as areas with a lot of section 8 housing (government subsidized housing). Though they have gotten smart about it and scatter it more, instead of putting it all in the same place. I live about 4 blocks from areas similar to the videos you posted above. There are so many automobile abandoned buildings, mills, and warehouses in my city. As well as half the skyline being dead.

Anyways, its not like it stays like this forever. Its constantly changing, and there is money going into it. I personally seen a slum get revitalized over the last 4 years, and now its become a booming hipster town.
 

Jaguar

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I am not bent out of shape with this either, but I am generally really annoyed with disfunction and mess. Plenty of American pop culture has stories and stories about poverty but I just find it strange that the country of this power can have "corners" that have fallen this deep. Yeah sure, the world isn't perfect but I find this kinda strange since I am watching from the perspective of an ant. US GDP is 21600 billion dollars and Croatian is 55 billion (just 55). Therefore even if we count in 80 times more people that US has the money is still clearly in favor of US, plus we both get oil more or less by globally set prices and we both import fair amount of stuff from Asia etc. The math simply baffles me since by this my people are "super humans" by what we can do with so little. Therefore it is more logical to presume that there is a "systematic problem" on American side. Which goes much deeper than Trump, since the math just doesn't add up. (I am just thinking out loud)

Tell me, what do you believe is so powerful about the USA? I'm an American and my idea of power isn't what is going on here. Other countries spend about half as much per person on healthcare as the U.S. spends and the gap will, no doubt, grow even wider as the years march on. My country is not solving problems, it is creating problems. And if it stays on this drunken course, frankly, I see a nation with an end result of self-destruction. We have people running for president who want to reward failure and penalize success. I do not. We have people who would rather bitch about inequality than actually give a shit about quality. Yes, we have a problem. I call it a cancerous tumor. And I'd like to grab a scalpel and cut it out. When it gets to the point where some don't care whether or not a nation is creating anything of value, but instead cares more about who owns more valuables from what they have created, we have become rudderless. We are lost.

Powerful country? Not to me.
 
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