As the oil extraction from the Bakken
has increased so to have the trains hauling oil. They are long and
frequent, shunting aside trains containing other commodities, such as
agricultural products. We are used to seeing them crawling through
our neighborhoods backing up traffic at crossings. It was a
situation in need of a solution.
Thus a pipeline was born.
But there was a problem. A problem
that was not addressed when the project was planned. The pipeline
runs through the Dakotas. Maybe you remember the region from the
movie Dances with Wolves. It is a land of rolling plains. A land of
open spaces where native Americans lived a nomadic life hunting
buffalo. While that life ended many years ago the land is still home
to many whose ancestors roamed the plains. The pipeline was planned
to run under the Missouri River, just upstream from the Standing Rock
Sioux's drinking water supply.
And thus a protest was born.
From a few hundred people it grew to
thousands, despite the onset of winter weather.
I can see both side's point of view.
This pipeline is needed to address bottlenecks in transportation as
well as safety concerns. But as one protester said, “we are
stewards of the Earth”. He is right. We must be careful with our
environment, because it is our home. We destroy it and we destroy
our future.
As of this writing the protesters have
prevailed. The US Army Corps. of Engineers has pulled the permit
until a new route is found and environmental concerns are addressed.
I suspect that this will not be the end.
179 comments:
I didn't want this to get lost.
So, Renzi has lost the referendum in Italy. The first domino has fallen.
Indeed. Renzi to resign.
"I suspect that this will not be the end."
Probably not; Trump has already said he was going to reverse the decision to kill the pipeline. (BBC) And he is known to have a financial investment in the pipeline. (BBC) What's the point of being President if ya can't make any money on the deal?
That's an ‘oops’. The first link was supposed to be to the LATimes
[Lynnette]: "Yet there are those who will invoke religion to cover what are essentially crimes. There are members of Daesh who believe that rape of someone who is considered an apostate is acceptable in Islam."
Agree. However, I could be wrong but the examples of honour killings I've heard of don't fall under that heading. In a recent case of a British woman being abducted and murdered by her own family in Pakistan, the family tried to cover it up. They weren't trying to claim that their actions were sanctioned in any way by Islam. Again, it all convinces me that radical Islam needs to be called out for what it is, while Islam itself should get on with whatever it does without being called to "westernise". I think that's much more likely to be provocative than whatever it is Obama has been afraid to say.
[Lynnette]: "As for "westernizing" Islam, it is more a desire for moderation and compliance to our laws. That is the least that should be expected. And I would expect it of any religious person, not just those who are Muslim."
And not just those who are religious. There are lots of funny (and not so funny) videos on youtube featuring the "Sovereignty" movement, a.k.a. Freemen, who consider that they law doesn't apply to them. I reckon the law's the law whether you are a Muslim, a Christian or a "sovereign citizen".
I reckon the law's the law whether you are a Muslim, a Christian or a "sovereign citizen".
Totally agree. Those "sovereign citizens" are a rather scary bunch.
"Instead, the Corps will be undertaking an environmental impact statement to look at possible alternative routes."
This should have been done in the beginning.
The pipeline is almost done. The impact study should have been done before this.
I believe an impact study was done for this route. Given the expense involved, impact studies for alternative routes are sometimes contra-indicated. Most often, pipeline companies find reasons why pipelines and powerlines and such simply must go through public lands, or, as in this case, through or near Indian lands, when those happen to be available. (This is because the companies much prefer to keep citizens at a serious remove from their easements on account of citizens tend to become nuisances when there are untoward incidents like spills and such; best to keep these things far away from citizens and far away from their view and notice. Not to mention that a few small donations to the appropriate congressmen on the appropriate committees are usually much cheaper than paying actual damages or doing a real, full clean-up should a spill happen. Congressmen desiring campaign donations are just cheaper to deal with than are indignant citizens. So, the companies almost always discover some geological reason why their easements are best put through public lands if such lands are available (Indian lands count). They generally expect that these claims of geological reasons for the location will not receive too close a scrutiny.)
This is because the companies much prefer to keep citizens at a serious remove from their easements on account of citizens tend to become nuisances when there are untoward incidents like spills and such; best to keep these things far away from citizens and far away from their view and notice.
Hmmm...well, maybe someone should have reminded them that Indians are citizens. They might have avoided some of that publicity they seem to be getting now in spades. So, now more money will have to be spent on other impact studies and their pipeline is behind schedule.
"Hmmm...well, maybe someone should have reminded them that Indians
are citizens."
Yeah, well… Indians have the Bureau of Indian Affairs to ‘assist’ them in both granting the necessary permissions and in settling claims for damages if and when such claims might arise. On occasion, however, the Indians reject such assistance, in spite of how forcefully it may be provided to them (hoisted upon them?), and they make nuisances of themselves anyway, and they get publicity and do other such unfortunate and unauthorized things (unfortunate from the perspective of the pipeline companies anyway).
It appears that The Donald's choice for Secretary of Defense is running into some resistance in Congress on account of his embrace of several fairly outlandish conspiracy theories (the sorta stuff that'd have even Marcus scratchin’ his head). (Politico.com) Personally, I think this kind of pushback to be a good thing. I consider this guy every bit as dangerous as John Bolton, and I hope that Trump is forced to nominate somebody generally considered both sane and a full-time resident of the planet Earth.
It seems to me that the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline may be a case of NIMBYism. Without the pipeline that oil will continue to be transported by rail, posing risks to the environment at least as great as the pipeline. The use of rail capacity for oil (up by a factor of fifty in six years of the shale boom) has affected transport of midwest grain. Mind you, plenty of that is being converted to corn ethanol biofuel which would be no great loss if it were to vanish. Nevertheless, it seems pointless to have trains of a hundred railcars and more clogging up your railways for a commodity that could be safely transported underground.
I suspect Obama is just leaving a booby trap for Trump. The latter will bear the brunt of the blame from the Dakota Sioux nimbies and their tree-hugging New Age supporters who are suckers for a bit of tribal drum banging and an excuse to take offence on someone else's behalf. (Not that I've any time either for those goons using firehoses, pepper spray and dogs on protesters, but then that's American style policing for you).
I suspect Obama is just leaving a booby trap for Trump.
Aha! I was kind of wondering if he hadn't rolled over pretty easy on this one.
NIMBY is right. The Sioux don't want a pipeline close to their water supply and people don't want long trains filled with oil constantly going through their neighborhoods.
Both sides have a point, as I mentioned in the post. But perhaps the pipeline people could have found a crossing of the river a littler farther away from the Sioux's homes.
"littler" should be "little"
"But perhaps the pipeline people could have found a crossing of
the river a littler farther away from the Sioux's homes."
The Sioux's homes were likely considered a feature for this location, not a problem. White folks are generally figured to hold up the company for more money than the Sioux can expect to get. On occasion, that expectation goes sour and the Sioux manage to get a ‘cause’ fomented.
That's what happened here. Shit happens.
Lynnette: "There are members of Daesh who believe that rape of someone who is considered an apostate is acceptable in Islam"
"Qur’an 33:50—O Prophet! surely We have made lawful to you your wives whom you have given their dowries, and those whom your right hand possesses out of those whom Allah has given to you as prisoners of war ..."
That's from the actual Quran, which is supposed to be the completely flawless words and seeds of Muhammed, not just the Hadiths where you can find plenty such stuff.
So for Daesh it's easy. They capture female prisoners of war and then they get to rape them, the Quran says so. I think that's one of their easier arguments to make for their cohorts.
‘O Prophet!’ has been dead for a long time. I don't think he's gonna be raping anybody.
I was unaware until this morning, but it turns out that another Indiana employer, name of ‘Rexnord’ has been planning to move its production to Mexico. Trump has been called upon by the soon-to-be abandoned employees of Rexnord to save them from unemployment. Trump has accepted their petition and and has coming rushing to their aid like the cavalry in full gallop tweeting war songs along the way (not quite the cavalry trumpets of the old Westerns--but those movies are terribly out of date). It's The Donald to the rescue. Soon another American employer will be wrestled to the mat by the President-Elect, or so the story's being told in TrumpTown today. Free Market Capitalism has been solidly Trumped, or something like that. The Republican Party has been saved!
Or, maybe not. How long before he runs out of corporate tax cuts to promise?
Lee: "‘O Prophet!’ has been dead for a long time. I don't think he's gonna be raping anybody."
You're being obtuse as usual. You know well enough that Mohammed serves as a model citizen and individual for muslims. Close to a deity in fact. And while HE can't personally rape anyone there are many who believe that it's quite permitted, maybe even a holy task, to follow in his footsteps.
There's of course lots of stuff in the Quran and about Mohammed that isn't mainstream in basically any muslim nation state (although casually permitted in perhaps a few of the more backwater ones). Like child marriage. IF we go by the example of Mohammed he married Aisha age 6 and consumented the marriage when she was 9 or 10.
Now most Islamic nation states would not permit something like that today, not even Iran or Saudi. Yemen might, and Afghanistan might and I'm not clear on Somalia - but most wouldn't.
Still, it remains that the Quran for muslims is different than the Bible for Christians. The Quran is supposedly the infallible example of Mohammed himself who for muslims could do no wrong. The Bible (new testament) was written long after Christ and by second hand sources and is not seen in Christianity as an absolute source of truth, not in the same way as the Quran is for muslims anyway.
So that Daesh will pounce on the most regressive suras in the Quran and claim with some actual authority that they are the "real muslims" out there isn't that far fetched actually. They can point to suras as the one I posted above and claim they are indeed allowed to rape infidel captives of war.
So when Lynnette says:
"There are members of Daesh who believe that rape of someone who is considered an apostate is acceptable in Islam"
She should be aware of the fact that it IS permitted in the Quran, it WAS a feature in the life of the war-lord Mohammed and that only those (thankfully majority) of muslims who are not actually believing in that Islam can't change will agree with her. The literalists have ample cover for their transgressions within Islam itself.
Lee: "It's The Donald to the rescue. Soon another American employer will be wrestled to the mat by the President-Elect, or so the story's being told in TrumpTown today. Free Market Capitalism has been solidly Trumped, or something like that. The Republican Party has been saved!
Or, maybe not. How long before he runs out of corporate tax cuts to promise?"
Why don't you just take a rest for a while from your snarky anti-Trumpism, wait 6 months and then go look up one of those families who still can pay rent and have healthcare and send their kids to university because Trump saved the factory they worked in from being shipped off abroad.
Living in Trumplandia yourself you ought to know a few folks who have previously been shafted by plants moving abroad, so one would think you had some sympathy, not just venom to spew.
And for that matter: that "free market capitalism" in itself also should include globalism, completely free trade and unhindered movement of people is quite a new idea. That's neo-liberalims (to which neo-conservatism is a close cousin), and it's only been tried for a brief period in time, and not without its problems mind you.
Bringing in some America-First politics and a level of sound protectionism isn't the same as doing away with capitalism. Rather it's a return to normal.
New report from Britain about the consequences of mass immmigration:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2327147/british-towns-have-changed-beyond-recognition-as-mass-immigration-turns-communities-into-ghettos-as-report-raps-governments-for-failing-to-deal-with-crisis/
Obviously the consensus at the end is that the fault of all the problems is due to Britain´s inability to successfully integrate all them "new Brits".
I would be of the mind that if you're pouring water into a glass and it starts to overflow then the most logical step is to STOP POURING, not try to fantasise up some super soaking napkin that has never existed before.
PeteS would go for that napkin and hope for the best, while he just helped to keep pouring. I wouldn't. So there - there's a distinct faultline in the reasoning of myself VS PeteS. We just think differently. And while I have the upper hand in actually having a viable solution PereS has the upper hand in him being such a very GOOD person, never mind what comes next.
BTW, hi Bridget! Nice to see you're still around. We've have had out jousts for sure but I always saw you as one of the more sane persons in this here comment section. Maybe a bit war-horny when the neocons ruled but still a relatively sound voice. Anyway, nice to see you're still up and about, walking on your hind legs and stuffing it to bleeding heart libruls!
This just in:
http://www.friatider.se/gruppv-ldt-kten-p-gick-i-ver-en-timme
Five "unaccompanied refugee children" raped a chid here in Sweden.
The lockdown is hard on this one and detalis are hard to get.
But what we have so far:
1. the rape took place over several hours.
2. The 5 rapists have "interpretation needs" in Dari - meaning they're Afghans.
3. the rapists claim to be 16-18 YO (meaning in real terms they could be plus 25 all of 'em)
4. The raped victim was a boy.
Conclusion: This is either a case of a gang of Afghan boy-rapers dragging or luring a swedish kid into their den and then collectively raping him. Or it's (more likely) a question of Afghan men choosing the littelest in their midst to be a dancing boy and then performing some Afghan Culture inspired Bazi Bachi on the poor kid.
In any case... those five fuckers should IMO be just incinerated. Why not?
OK we might say that their homeland is OK with this and send 'em back.
I don't really care, as long as thay are just fucking GONE. Every single one of 'em. Just out! Or we'll have to resort to other measures, measures Europeans excell at in case you don't remember.....
"You know well enough that Mohammed serves as a model citizen and
individual for muslims."
I am aware of the general reverence with which his memory is met. But, I'm not quite as sure as you seem to be that the average Muslim will interpret that clause to authorize raping prisoners in today's day and age. (And, in any case, you needed some prompting to complete your point there past the point of later deniability.)
Petes' average illiterate ‘literal’ Muslim may or may not agree with your point. That is certainly not a literal reading of the Qu‘ran as it quite literally justified that activity specifically to the Profit himself, and he is known to have had nine wives (some say up to 300 wives) but they don't stretch that to include that many wives for his followers, who're capped at four in even the most expansive reading of male rights against women (the first 24 hours of ignoring Petes on the subject of Islamic literalism has long passed--although I probably would have done 48 hours in other circumstances.
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"Why don't you just take a rest for a while from your snarky anti-
Trumpism, wait 6 months…"
I think it is my duty as a good citizen to point out that this is a good deal for Trump himself, but a really bad deal for the country as a whole. (Possibly good for the 1,000 who can have Christmas this year with some feeling of economic security--however false that feeling may be--we still have no signed agreement so Carrier isn't bound, and Trump can't make good on his end of the even the few promises from his side that we know about. Not to mention whatever promises he's made that we don't know about. Or, maybe a false feeling of economic security is actually a bad thing, so maybe it's bad for everybody except Trump. Be that as it may….)
This is a bad deal for the country as a whole. Slate magazine calls it ‘gimmickry’; I would call it governing by stunt. Our economy had been producing on average 181,000 jobs a month since Obama took over, much to the dismay of Donald Trump and other Republicans who've derided that as not near ‘nuff. 1,000 jobs doesn't even qualify as a good morning's work for the Presidency. It's certainly not worth the many bows to applause The Donald's taking. And the cost is too high in any case; it's a bad deal for the country. (It is, nonetheless, popular with population in general, and wildly popular with Trump supporters--but I do think it needs put in perspective.) I can be happy for the 1,000 who currently think their jobs have been saved, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a bad deal for the country, and I think it's my place, if not also my duty, as a good citizen, to point that out.
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"Bringing…a level of sound protectionism isn't the same as doing
away with capitalism. Rather it's a return to normal."
I'll get to that later, whether or not that's a good thing to return to. It's not provably good even it's provably ‘normal’. And just ‘cause it has historical precedent doesn't mean it's either ‘normal’ or a good idea (think slavery and Jim Crow). But, I'll get back to that later.
I've given you enough already for now.
I decided to go for roughly 46 hours… Coulda gone for 48, but Marcus intervened.
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"Hillary won California by 4m votes and New York by 1.5m."
Hillary won California by less than 3.5 million votes (NBCNews But, she won Illinois by almost 1 million votes, so you could also deduct Illinois from her string of wins to make up for your false claim regarding the California vote, and it even gets you another half million votes as a kicker.
In fact, if you throw out all of the states that Hillary won, and not just the top two or top three, then you could credibly make that claim ‘bout how Trump won a huge landslide victory (at least, in the states you deign to count), and you're good to go as a real Trump spokesman.
"…she got soundly whupped everywhere else to the tune of 3m
votes. *** But that won't be acknowledged by the whingers who
blame Hillary's whuppin' on a quirk of the electoral system."
That is bullshit of the first order. I don't know if you're indulging in it because you think you can get away with it, or if you just don't know any better. But, I'm not sure that matters.
In the real world, Trump won 30 states, and one district in Maine. Clinton won 20 states and the District of Columbia. Clinton's 20 wins covered more total population than did Trump's 30 wins (Trump ran up huge majorities across ‘The Old South’, which largely exceeded and offset Clinton's large majorities in California and New York, but which Petes blithely ignores¹).
In the end, Hillary didn't lose because of a ‘quirk’ of the electoral system. The electoral system worked exactly as it was originally designed to work--it give the old slave states an outsized voice in the Presidential election, which is what it was originally designed to do. This is not a quirk; this is a design feature. It is the electoral system itself that is the quirk, a holdover from a long gone day of slaveholding America.
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¹ Columns don't work real well here in the Blogger comments, so…
First number is Trump votes; second number is Clinton votes; third number is population: This is just seven of them, selected because they collectively total 56 electoral votes, comparable to California's 55 electoral votes:
(character limit apples; more to follow)
(Continued from 2:57 pm above)
Alabama 1,306,925 (62.9%) 718,084 (34.6%) 4,858,979
Arkansas 677,904(60.4%) 378,729 (33.8%) 2,978,204
Louisiana 1,178,004 (58.1%) 779,535 (38.4%) 4,670,724
Mississippi 678,457 (58.3%) 462,001 (39.7%) 2,992,333
Oklahoma 947,934 (65.3%) 419,788 (28.9%) 3,911,338
South Carolina 1,143,611 (54.9%) 849,469 (40.8%) 4,896,146
Tennessee 1,517,402 (61.1%) 867,110 (34.9%) 6,600,299
totals 7,450,237 4,474,716 total pop. 30,908,023
56 electoral votes -- 11,924,953 total votes -- Trump ‘wasted’ roughly 3 million ‘excess’ votes in these seven states--roughly equal to California's slant towards Clinton. (California's population is 39,144,818 but Clinton only got 55 electoral votes to Trump's 56 electoral votes against on a population of 8,236,795 fewer citizens.)
This is because there are 14 electoral votes included here based on state's rights--2 per each of 7 states---which leaves 42 electoral votes based on population. California gave Clinton 2 electoral votes for the state against 53 electoral votes based on population. Doesn't take long to figure out the systemic advantage to Trump.
In Petes' fantasy world Trump ‘soundly whupped’ Hillary Clinton, outside of California and New York. In the real world, where Petes' fantasies do not control, Clinton administered a general whuppin’ to Trump outside the heartland of the Old South, which is the region that brought him his electoral college victory. (Along with an assist from the inter-Mountain states.)
*wave at Petes*
See, 48 hours is a piece of cake. You really should learn how to control your impulses. You'd have to do much less lying if you'd just learn a little self-control.
Character count ‘apples’? That doesn't look right, does it? Maybe I oughta mention that's a spelling error. Bad news for Petes usually gets me a spelling lesson. I'll not spell it correctly so's to leave something for Petes to do; maybe prevent him from having a total breakdown.
"He got up there and lied his a__ off"
The devil is in the details.
75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. RIP Navy.
Lee: "Our economy had been producing on average 181,000 jobs a month since Obama took over, much to the dismay of Donald Trump and other Republicans who've derided that as not near ‘nuff."
Obama didn't do that, negative interest rates by the FED did that. And having negative interest rates in a supposedly booming economy means that when the next recession comes (and it will) the interest-weapon is spent already.
Now I don't put that on Obama, he can't control the FED. But by keeping interest rates too low for too long the FED "saved" Obama and his administrtion from tackling real problems.
BTW it's far worse in Sweden than in the US. Our "Riksbanken" (meaning our FED) went even lower to -0.5% interests. In a booming economy. So when we turn into the next inevitable recession it's gona be a severe depression over here.
Trumponomics can't save us from hardships to come, but at least we won't be digging the hole even deeper.
Have ya'll followed the Assange sex-crime debacle? Here's an update:
https://justice4assange.com/assange-testimony.html
Note that Assange was accused of rape by declared swedish "feminists" only after they had had volontary sex with him. Apparently they claimed he slid off the agreed upon condom and therefore raped them.
The main accusor invited Assange to a crayfish-festival and bragged about her famous guest AFTER the alleged rape took place.
IMO these f-i-g communist wh-r-s either framed Assange from the get go or they got jealous when the dude they f-cked for his supposed political anarchism turned out to be just a one night stand.
So they framed an innocent man and since he was also an enemy of high powers he was doomed.
Note to any sane man: "do not f*ck lefty feminists". Find yourself a decent wholehearted and passionate conservative woman instead.
For further info, this is the wh*re accuser of innocent Assange:
https://www.google.se/search?q=anna+ardin&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwimtt_UvuLQAhVE_ywKHXpcDmIQsAQIGQ
Anna Ardin had volontary sex with Assange and after that bragged on Twitter about her dear friend Assange and got him invited to a crayfish party. Once he found and f*cked another woman at that party the "feminist" Anna Ardin cried rape.
That despicable leftist who*e is the only reason Assange has been forced to linger in an embassy in the UK for fear of being renditioned to the USA for torture and indefinite incarceration.
I hope Trump just straight out pardon him. I think he might.
"Obama didn't do that, negative interest rates by the FED did that."
In the interests of ‘I really don't give a damn whether you figure this out or not’, I shall spare everybody the basic education on why the Fed had to step up and try to save the economy after the Republican Congress tried to trash it on ‘Obama's watch’ because they thought they could blame it on Obama. I'll get straight to the ‘Obama didn't do that…’ part.
Obama backed up the Fed, which political backing they sorely needed, and reappointed Ben Bernake in January 2010. He did what he could with a totally recalcitrant Congress. That meant turning to the Fed, working with the Fed to help save the economy after he lost his House majority in the 2010 elections.
But, arguing ‘bout how much credit should go to Obama and how much to Bernake doesn't change the point that the economy added 181,000 jobs per month on average these past almost eight years. 1,000 jobs in Cleveland is peanuts, ain't even a good morning's work. Deal with that if you want to say something actually relevant.
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"Have ya'll followed the Assange sex-crime debacle?"
Not closely; that's not likely to change.
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"I hope Trump just straight out pardon him. I think he might."
Trump is fairly unpredictable, subject to whims and caprice. He might do just about anything on a whim at any given time, so that's not out of the question. (Especially if Putin makes the request.)
I guess those jobs were in Indiana, but that don't make ‘em count for any more than 1,000 (more like 700, and it's not enforceable so they're mostly a wish and not even a promise; it's kinda like the many new ‘Nordstream’ gas pipelines Putin routinely announces but which never come to fruition, joined now by multiple announcements of a new southern pipeline that also never materializes, but that's not the point either)
Speaking of moving on a whim… The Donald's campaign promises to deport illegal aliens has run into a post-campaign Donald whim. He's decided that he doesn't have to send all the illegal immigrants home after all. Specifically, the illegals to whom Obama gave legal status by executive order (denounced by The Donald on a promise that he'd overturn that order his first day in office), it appears they can stay after all. (USAToday) Terms are not yet clear, but they're gonna ‘work somethin’ out’, or so says The Donald.
Is does seem that Trump is having second thoughts on some of those campaign promises. Not that I mind.
"Not that I mind."
You'll mind when he gets to the promises he keeps, and when he get around to that ‘exempt from ethics and conflict of interest’ stuff.
"The devil is in the details."
The devil might be in The Donald's andriod smart phone.
Trump has opened a twitter war against Mr. Chuck Jones, the union leader who delivered that ‘lied his ass off’ quote. (WaPo) It's pretty much a one-sided affair; Mr. Jones has a flip-phone, and doesn't Twitter. He does, however, issue pithy quotes.
"“He needs to worry about getting his Cabinet filled,” he said,
“and leave me the hell alone.”"
ibid.
I notice that Trump has still not picked a Secretary of State.
Trump has spent so much time already trying to get Mitt Romney to publicly express interest in the job that I begin to wonder if maybe Trump wouldn't give it to Romney if only he could get Romney to accept it.
I don't think Trump wants Romney. Trump's not much interested in having somebody of Romney's stature around to upstage him. But he is probably getting pissed that Romney won't play, and it would be much easier to humiliate Romney if Romney were technically working for Trump.
(For the record, I don't think Romney would accept the position--media speculation to the contrary notwithstanding.)
Fella writing in TheAtlantic tells us to not get too optimistic ‘bout that meeting with Al Gore. Fairly straightforward and brief article (brief for ‘The Atlantic’ that is; they tend towards long article--this is not one of the long ones).
You'll mind when he gets to the promises he keeps,...,
You mean like this?
Has anyone else been getting an error message when they try to post? It says something like:
"Bad Request Error 400"
Yeah, I've been getting those--it happens when I've previewed a post and then try to make changes. It began about the time Blogger began tinkering, so I just guessed it was something they'd eventually get around to fixing. (If I don't like a previewed post I have to close the window and do it over again from scratch to get it to take the new version.)
Lee:
"it's kinda like the many new ‘Nordstream’ gas pipelines Putin routinely announces but which never come to fruition, "
I don't know about "many" of them. I really don't know where you're getting your info. What many? There was North Stream which is completed and up and running and now there's North Stream 2 in the making.
The first one was challenged but is operational now. The second one is projected, the tubes are being built and it WILL come to pass. Now the big question here is wether Swedish ports (in Gotland first of all) will allow the russians to work and store supplies in those ports. Opponents say Gotland is a strategic spot against any future Russian attack and therefore allowing Russians in is a security threat. I fail to see why the very same politicians who de-militarized Gotland to save money suddenly are so concerned.
In any case: They will build NorthStream 2, that's decided on and they are allowed to do so. The question now is wether Sweden will facilitate the construcion and earn money from it or be spoilers and not earn money while forcing the Russians to more expencive offshore alternatives.
But Northstream 2 will be built in any case. And your imaginary "several north streams" is just in your mind Lee.
"In any case: They will build NorthStream 2"
Putin keeps sayin’ that.
"You mean like this?"
That one did come to mind. There will likely be more like that.
They ARE building North Stream 2 as we speak Lee. It's not a matter of debate (which you seem to think it is). It's being built right now. Of course an infrastructure project takes some time from start to finish, so it isn't a done deal just yet. But it will be. Bet that.
For that matter "Putin saying that" trumps "Lee C of Appalachia thinking that" by about a gazillion points.
Doctors in Bulgaria sick and tired of having to sew the anuses of young boys together after Afghan migrant gang rapes:
https://youtu.be/XYzv4ZOwbxo
Bazi Bachi - a cultural enrichment!
I didn't say they were never gonna get built. I said Putin routinely makes announcements on where it's gonna be. (And those usually seem to be based on whose ox Putin wants to gore at any particular time, although I didn't think it was necessary to spell that part out. And, now that there's talk of southern pipeline, that seems to get the same treatment. And, I specifically mentioned that this wasn't exactly my point, just a sidebar. There's still the issue of that 1,000 jobs being not even a good morning's worth of work for you to address, and you're wanting instead to fuss ‘bout examples including Putin, anything to get ‘way from the important point I was making)
I've been looking at the extraordinary number of right-winger publications running essays and editorials and op-eds telling us that China is not our friend, and Trump is doing the right thing by pissing them off. (Yeah, that's always a good idea; get your creditors really pissed off just when you're gonna need them to roll over your debt in the near future; good idea; yeah, right…)
Thing I can't figure out though is why Russia is suddenly their friend. Russia's been screwin’ with our friends, nominally friends anyway, in Europe, and to a lesser extent (less extent they can actually be called ‘friends’), also in the Middle East.
Makes absolutely no sense to me.
DetroitNews tells us that Trump branded products made overseas will be exempt from that 35% import tax he's been talkin’ ‘bout imposing on his competitors.
After watching main street America getting so pissed off at the actions of Wall Street and "big money" as embodied by Goldman Sachs or the banks makes it rather mind boggling that they would help elect someone who is so entrenched in that system.
If they thought the Clinton's were bad it seems a little strange that they would let the fox in the henhouse via Donald Trump.
I see that The Donald believes that he can still work on "The Apprentice" in his spare time. lol! A part time President, lovely.
I can see I am not going to enjoy the next four years. *sigh*
If appears that Aleppo has fallen to Assad forces and there is the start of a mass exodus from that city.
"I see that The Donald believes that he can still work on ‘The
Apprentice’ in his spare time."
As incredible as it may sound, there is the possibility that he expects to need the money. Short-term cash flow may get a little tricky for him. (One expects there'd be no end of unsavory characters willing to play loan-shark for him, under-the-table, for a reciprocal under-the-table consideration, so I may not object to him working Hollywood for some ready cash--beats having him working Moscow.)
――――――――――――――――――――
"If appears that Aleppo has fallen to Assad forces…"
I saw that on the early morning news. There seemed to be some question at the time about how many folks still there were gonna make it out alive.
"I can see I am not going to enjoy the next four years."
Try to take it with a grain of salt and a sense of wonder (amusement even). George Will wrote that the Republican Party could survive four years of a Hillary Clinton Presidency, but almost certainly could not survive a Donald Trump Presidency. (George Will also withdrew his voter registration as a Republican--he's officially an independent now.)
I figure he's right about the Republican Party not surviving a Trump Presidency, but I also figure The Republic will survive well enough. Doesn't mean Trump won't do significant damage, but it won't be fatal damage, and George Will was right about the prospects for the survival of the Republican Party. So, we will almost certainly recover. (Hell, Dubya set us back 20 years on foreign policy, but near 15 years of that is spent already.)
I am, at this point, if not amused, then at least bemused. I am certainly not intending to let a Trump Presidency dominate my mood.
And, here's a thought for the short-term. The Republicans now have to fund ObamaCare. It'll take ‘em probably months (could be years) to come up with a replacement, but the budget's not gonna hold off that long. (Damn little attention paid to the Continuing Resolution that just sailed through the Republican Congress on account of they couldn't afford a government shutdown whilst they's still trying to figure out who to be now that Trump's one of them--and the their main-man no less.) Anyway, they just passed a Continuing Resolution without fanfare, but they'd been planning on having a funding fight over ObamaCare and, if they got lucky, they could watch it collapse entirely on Hillary's watch, as the saying goes (that's the way they were gonna say it anyway). Now it's all theirs. If they let it collapse now, that's on them. Now they gotta fund it until they come up with a replacement.
Should be fun to watch the sparks fly over that. And, I don't even havta pretend to not enjoy watchin’ ‘em light each other up; schadenfreude right out in public. Gonna be a fun show.
The hunt for a Secretary of State keeps trackin’ out wider. DetroitFreePress The Donald may have to give it to Guiliani eventually. He doesn't seem to be having any luck gettin’ Mitt Romney to take the bait.
Lee: "Thing I can't figure out though is why Russia is suddenly their friend. Russia's been screwin’ with our friends, nominally friends anyway, in Europe, and to a lesser extent (less extent they can actually be called ‘friends’), also in the Middle East."
Screwing who?
The Ukraine debacle was basically a US coup against a democratrically elected government. The Ukrainans had voted, the US did't like their vote and "fuck the EU"-Nuland got in there and stirred things up. Putin responded in a measured and calculated way - and he won.
In Syria the US ganged up with Qatar and Saudi to support head-chopping Islamist lunatics. Putin sided with the sorta-secular regime of the sane person Assad. Putin won again.
What's screwing ya'll is ya'll pick the very worst bedfellows. You wanna cozy up to Qatar and KSA and make believe they have ANYTHING in common of ya'llls supposed values then ya'll are just idiots!
Thankfully the Great leader Donald J Trump will not continue those follies.
He will Make America Great again and that will include shutting down the jihadi friendships and getting on with the program.
"The Ukraine debacle was basically a US coup against a
democratrically elected government."
I do believe you've been spending too much time listening to Uncle Vladimir and his friends. But, since it's unlikely I'm going to sucessfully disabuse you of that notion, I'll just move along…
‘Who’ you ask -- Well, there's the Georgians, the Poles, and the folks of the three Baltic States just for starters. And that's just for starters, but it'll do for now.
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"Putin sided with the sorta-secular regime of the sane person
Assad"
You might wanna recall that Assad basically cleared his prisons of his Islamist prisoners in order to set up those ‘head-chopping Islamist lunatics’ in the first place. Their first job was to wipe out Assad's ‘sorta-secular opposition’. They preformed that task efficiently. Assad is hardly less brutal than they are, and he's allied up with the Mad Mullahs in Iran, which is definitely a problem. Long as Assad's there the Islamists will keep gatherin’ there--even if (more like when) the current crop gets pushed back underground. So, that's a long-term problem needs fixed. Whereas Da‘esh is a short-term problem in the process of getting fixed.
"You wanna cozy up to Qatar and KSA and make believe they have
ANYTHING in common of ya'llls supposed values then ya'll are just
idiots!"
Well, they do wanna circumscribe Putin's ability to make mischief. That's a goal we share. Although, I grant you it's less an alliance than a tactical, battlfield decision based mostly on the notion that Putin is actively makin’ mischief while they're in a hunkered down, defensive stance both for the time being and the foreseeable future.
It appears that The Donald is not gonna havta settle for Rudy Guiliani after all (as Secretary of State). All indications are that at least one of The Donald's recent interviews has gone well enough that The Donald can reasonably expect to be able to get somebody else to take the job. So, Guiliani has been advised that he withdrew from consideration back in November, and to prepare supporting documents accordingly. (WaPo)
Hint: Ain't gonna be Mitt Romney.
I suppose I'm not the only one noticing that all those guys who joined up with Trump early on, Guiliani, Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie; they've all been left sittin’ in the dust in the road?
Trump and the Secretary of State "brand" decision
The most important job opening that Trump has to fill – at least from a “brand” perspective – is Secretary of State. You can get away with hiring loyal supporters for less-visible cabinet positions, but you need to get the Secretary of State job right because it directly reflects on the brand of the presidency. And Trump knows branding.
The Republicans now have to fund ObamaCare.
Okay, now that is rather amusing.
One of the things that guy cavalierly ignores when going down the list is that Rohrabacher is a known fanboy of Vladimir Putin. That's liable to set off alarm bells for ‘establishment’ Republicans already struggling to reconcile their conservative heritage with Trump's new Chaos Brand of Republican political practice.
"In an extraordinary rebuke of the intelligence agencies he will soon
lead as president, Donald Trump broke with his predecessor on
Friday and rejected the conclusion that Russia had sought to help
him by meddling in the U.S. election.
"These are the same people that said Saddam Hussein had
weapons of mass destruction," the Trump transition team said in a
[sic] unsigned press release."
Politico.com
Apparently the names of Dick Cheney and George Tenet are not known to The Donald.
"The election ended a long time ago in one of the biggest
Electoral College victories in history. It's now time to move on…"
ditto
Apparently the name Barack Obama is likewise unknown to The Donald. (Obama's electoral margins were both larger than Trumps', 365 and 332 respectively)
Gotta wonder why this guy can't stop himself from lying even now that he's won. And, more importantly, gotta wonder how long he can keep it up before it bites him in the ass big time?
There will be many Republicans, many of them long time Russo-phobes, who will deny this vehemently and categorically and without any solid basis (think climate change)
"WASHINGTON — American intelligence agencies have concluded with
“high confidence” that Russia acted covertly in the latter stages of the
presidential campaign to harm Hillary Clinton’s chances and promote
Donald J. Trump, according to senior administration officials.
"They based that conclusion, in part, on another finding — which they
say was also reached with high confidence — that the Russians
hacked the Republican National Committee’s computer systems in
addition to their attacks on Democratic organizations, but did not
release whatever information they gleaned from the Republican
networks."
NYT
Trump had tweeted out that he was gonna hold a major press conference this coming week, on Tuesday the 15th. My best guess would that the press conference ain't gonna happen now.
15th will be Thursday, not Tuesday. (Just in case Petes is lurkin’ and hopin’ to get in a lick.)
Christmas shopping on my lists of tasks today. But in the meantime a little light reading on "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" in relation to impeachment. Just an interesting topic that popped into my head for some reason or another.
I hear now that Putin is sending Chechen crack forces to Syria:
http://www.unz.com/tsaker/putin-sends-chechen-special-operation-forces-to-syria/
To "guard bases" it's being said, although that's just a pretext of course. The Chechens are fierce warriors who never took a Jihadi alive (well they did, but he never left captivity alive) that are seriously feared by boyfucking Jihadi opponents everywhere.
Prolly the last nail in the coffin for the CIA paid Jihadi rapists in Syria. Now Kadmyrovs´boyz are gonna come in and clean house. Chechen style. It won't be pretty, but it'll be effective. Grozny Style!
Lee C´s favourite child raping cohorts are gonna get got. And got hard. That's something to celebrate.
Putin sent in the shock troops just at the right time. He's been playing the long game for a long time and no he goes for the kill. Beautiful! A 4D-chess master against a Hungry Hippo player like Obama. He could not lose.
The Great President (Emperor) Donald J Trump of America is going to get along famously with the great Czar of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovitj Putin and the North shall rise again. Wonderful times ahead!
Trending in Europe right now. Arab men kicking a German woman down some stairs in the subway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G301-OQ972c&feature=youtu.be
Ask yourselves this:
1. IF white Northern Europeans were forced to flee their homelands to the ME say on account of a new ice age or something. Would they behave like this against native ME women?
2. If they did, what would the punishment be like?
Please think on that and try to honestly answer them questions.
Myself I say we need ME or African immirants like we need a broken glass bottle up our asses. You might think otherwise, so let's hear it.
Maybe ya'll can get Uncle Vladimir to come in save ya'll from your mistakes. I don't Uncle Vlad can afford New York City, but he can probably still scratch up Trump's price for Stockholm or Malmö.
By the way, the new front runner for Secretary of State, Exxon's Rex Tillerson, is also a major fanboy of Vladimir Putin. Putin's likely gonna have friends scattered all through the upper echelons of the Trump administration.
Enjoy your diversity and vibrant multiculturalism, Marcus. Still wondering when you weakling cucks are going to take law and order in your own hands. Too afraid of those teenage women pushers or Madam Merkel? tsk, tsk.
In a move I wasn't expecting, Trump is about to go on-air in a morning interview granted to FoxNews Sunday.
Chris Wallace was treading real lightly there on the subject of Russian electoral support for Trump. (They've been caught meddling in the political affairs of several European countries, but apparently we're immune ‘cause The Donald says so, even though the ‘intelligence community’ says otherwise.) It seems to be the FoxNews position for this particular Sunday morning that whatever The Donald says is the last and definitive word on the subject. Wallace wasn't gonna press ‘im on that one. Don't know what their position will be tomorrow, but that's their position for this particular Sunday morning.
Hiya Zeyad! Yeah, I kinda agree we've grown way too soft. The blood of the Viking or the Knights Templar seems long gone. But I still believe it lies there dormant, someplace deep down our collective soul, waiting to be awoken yet again. Perhaps we just need more mischief by the invading hordes first? That that will come is a given, our responce is yet not known. Will it be surrendering in defeat or rising up and pushing back? Time will tell.
BTW Zeyad. Iraq for Iraqis, right? You're with me there, no? I was always in favour of Iraq for Iraqis. Which was one reason I opposed the illegal war on ya'll back in 2003.
Lee, WTF would Vlad want with Malmö? Falafel?
Lee: "Putin's likely gonna have friends scattered all through the upper echelons of the Trump administration."
Yeah, it's turning out real great this. Every day there are wonderful news out of Trumplandia. The Neocons plotted to have Rex steal Iraqi oil and now the Great Leader has done a number on them for sure and 'ol Rex will instead negotiate with Vlad on how to make the North Great Again. Beautiful!
Ya'll got control over the north end of that bridge to Europe doncha? Infrastructure!
So I woke up to a blanket of white this morning and someone ringing the doorbell offering to shovel my driveway. I told him I had a snowblower then felt a little bad about turning him away. He probably could have used the cash. *sigh*
Screw him Lynnette, you've got a snowblower after all. You only got it to have a riot using it. Who is he to rob you of that pleasure and demand cash to boot? Don't feel bad about that. Just go out there and blow!
I hear now that Putin is sending Chechen crack forces to Syria:
Huh? What happened to those crack Russian troops he sent before and then supposedly withdrew because they weren't needed?
Things seem to be going all Assad and Russia's way, aren't they? Aleppo appears to have fallen and Assad and his Russian friends are busy mopping up all of those sneaky men and boys who have been so misguided as to enter government held territory.
Just go out there and blow!
Driveways all done, now it's Christmas cookie time...
Lee: "Ya'll got control over the north end of that bridge to Europe doncha? Infrastructure!"
East end. It goes west from Malmö to Copenhagen.
Maybe Putin would like that bridge. I'll give ya that. Put up a few machine gun turrets on it to strafe the invading hordes and save the North? Could be fun. I'm on board. Trump would be easily persuaded. Gotta protect 'em borders after all, right?
Oh, forgot, hey Zeyad. :) Long time no see.
Lynnette: "Things seem to be going all Assad and Russia's way, aren't they? Aleppo appears to have fallen and Assad and his Russian friends are busy mopping up all of those sneaky men and boys who have been so misguided as to enter government held territory."
Yeah, it's just great!
But there are foes still. Now they lost their stronghold and cannot hold ground with CIA-supplied weaponry they're gonna revert back to terrorist tactics.
That's where the chechens come in. Kadyrov's bouz are real, real good at rooting out jihadists and desposing of 'em properly. Gonna train up the Syrians to near their own standards I imagine. For the long haul, the big win.
What degeneracy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx457T7iWMA&feature=youtu.be
Almost makes one root for the Jihadists. They have some strange shit going on but at least there are basic moral values.
Not that I do though, ya'll know that. But this shit has got to get gone.
You seem to be wanting to get rid of all of your neighbors of Middle Eastern origin, not just the ones who've been up to ‘shit’ of one sort or another.
It would seem that, for Republicans, winning makes ‘em even crazier than losing does. Keep in mind this guy was seriously talked about for the position of Secretary of State, before being passed over in favor of fanboys for Putin….
"Ambassador John Bolton claimed Sunday that hacks [against
Hillary Clinton] during the election season could have been ‘a false
flag’ operation — possibly committed by the Obama administration
itself."
Politico.com
Hillary's lead over The Donald is now up over 2.7 million votes now. Trump is losing by the largest margin ever for a candidate who lost the popular vote but nevertheless managed to squeak out an electoral vote win. (Admittedly that's not a large herd. It's happened only five times in our history, including Trump, and two of those five have been within the last 16 years. Those two elections have given us first George W. Bush, and now Donald Trump, as President.)
Iraq for Iraqis, right?
That ship sailed long ago, thanks to our friends here who still can't seem to figure out their own 'democracy'. Iraq is broken and all the king's men can't put it back together again
I think there was some public disagreement over who were, in fact, ‘Iraqis’. Last I looked the Sunni Iraqi were publicly referring to Shia Iraqi as ‘Iranians’. And, as for the Kurds…. Well….
I don't think you can rightly blame that on ‘your friends here’.
Trump has announced via Twitter that the press conference scheduled for Thursday has been put off until January, or such later time as is required for folks to have forgotten he promised to hold a press conference in the first place.
Aleppo
So many people seemed happy with Russian involvement in Syria. They were going to succeed where America failed. Strange form of success.
That's where the chechens come in. Kadyrov's bouz are real, real good at rooting out jihadists and desposing of 'em properly.
All of those evil jihadists disguised as women and children. Ain't Russia grand?
Iraq is broken and all the king's men can't put it back together again
Maybe a king or his men aren't the answer.
You get the idea, cupcake
Well, it's official, although I think the major news organizations had the word yesterday, but ‘under embargo’ as they call it, forbidden to publish what they already knew under threat of never getting advance warning again. (Although the New York Times jumped ranks and published around midnight.)
Anyway, Rex Tillerson of Exxon-Mobil is now the official the nominee for Secretary of State, as of about 8:00 am Eastern time.
I'd say this constitutes a statement by The Donald, a general, ‘fuck you’ to those Congressmen (and women) who thought they would warn him off of picking someone so tightly tied to Moscow and to Putin himself.
This is The Donald doubling down in the face of resistance and I think it foretells his style of dealing with Congress in the future.
If Paul Ryan still harbors fantasies about The Donald just bein’ the guy who signs Ryan's legislation, then Ryan's got another think comin’, as the sayin’ goes.
Rick Perry is unveiled this morning as The Donald's pick for Secretary of the Department of Energy. Perry famously ran for President himself in 2012 on a platform of eliminating the Department of Energy. Some folks will remember his ‘oops’ moment in the primary debates in 2011 that killed off his chances of getting the nomination. That was the Department of Energy that he'd forgotten was on his list of three (3) federal departments to do away with entirely. Now he's gonna be head of that Department and will be able to choke it down, if not choke it to death.
Final vote counting is still going on in some places. Hillary Clinton's lead in the popular vote is up over 2.8 million votes.
...cupcake.
Cupcake?
Have you been watching one of those old detective movies?
Rick Perry is unveiled this morning as The Donald's pick for Secretary of the Department of Energy.
*sigh*
It just keeps getting worse and worse.
"It just keeps getting worse and worse."
Buck up for a longer ride here Cupcake. It's gonna keep comin’.
The Donald took the opportunity of a rally in Paul Ryan's home state of Wisconsin to issue a warning to Ryan--let him know in no uncertain terms whom The Donald believes to be in charge now. Politico.com So, gird yourself; it's gonna be a while ‘fore this is over.
If ya can't develop a sense of humor ‘bout it, this stuff'll drive ya nuts.
"I spent last week in southeastern Kentucky talking to Obamacare
enrollees, all of whom supported Trump in the election, trying to
understand how the health care law factored into their decisions.
"Many expressed frustration that Obamacare plans cost way too much,
that premiums and deductibles had spiraled out of control. And part of
their anger was wrapped up in the idea that other people were getting
even better, even cheaper benefits — and those other people did not
deserve the help.
"There was a persistent belief that Trump would fix these problems and
make Obamacare work better."
Vox (emphasis added)
"There was a persistent belief that Trump would fix these problems and
make Obamacare work better."
Is this where I am supposed to laugh?
(Have you been hanging out with Zeyad lately?)
Lynnette: "So many people seemed happy with Russian involvement in Syria. They were going to succeed where America failed. Strange form of success."
I said Grozny-style, didn't I? It was always a safe bet that some civilians would get caught in the pinch. What's the alternative though? Give up and let Al-Qaida control Syrias second largest city and see every former regime supporter beheaded? A conflict like this gets bloody and awful no matter which side wins. No way around that.
Also: surely you don't actually buy them twitterers "from inside Aleppo", like the mother and her 7 YO girl saying "goodbuy we're about to die now"? Those tweets are just part of the propaganda war. Hell I could have sent them from here in Sweden and just chosen a doe eyed little girl as a poster child for my propaganda. Them tweets aren't real. They are for propaganda purposes and probably from the Syrian anti Assad exiles in London.
Also, the Russian opened up humanitarian corridors for Civvis in Aleppo and while some made it out of there most were stopped by your "moderate rebels" ,AKA Al Qaeda, who want the civvies to remain as human shields.
Why is it hard for you Lynnette to see that the way the "rebels" in Aleppo run things is just about the same as Daesh in Mosul runs things.
In Mosul you blame Daesh for keeping civvies as shields and you support the attacking force.
In Aleppo you have nothing bad to say for the radical islamist rebels keeping civvies in the line of fire but you deride the attacking force.
Really Lynnette, I can't figure out if you actually have an agenda here or if you're so fundamentally stupid you cannot see the double standards in the MSM.
"Is this where I am supposed to laugh?"
I laughed. And, no, I've not been hangin’ with Zeyad. But, that struck me as the sort of stuff that's only funny once, and I wanted to get in on it before it got completely stale (which will happen fast)
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"Them tweets aren't real. They are for propaganda purposes and
probably from the Syrian anti Assad exiles in London."
Do you have evidence to back this up, or is this some more of that stuff that you insist is true merely because you wish it to be?
The thing was Lynnette, the Russians and Assad got tired of them fake "cease fires". They played along for a while in order to show themselves as willing to actually negotiate.
But those cease-fires were never asked for when Assad was in a pinch. But every time the Syrian Army (backed by Russia) made gains there was this squealing about "cease-fire, cease-fire, negiotiations, negotoations"!
And every time any cease of hostilities only led to the regrouping and re-armament of the "rebels".
So why do cease fires any longer?
Would YOU have advocated a cease fire with the Wehrmacht in WW2 when you had the upper hand only to see them regroup and rearm?
Also: Where do you think the guns and munitions come from? Assad has had control over the majority of the Syrian Army all along. Yet the rebs never run out of materiel. They can't be getting it from within Syria so where does it come from? Who is really at fault for prolonging that war and turning it into the meatgrinder that it now is?
Lee: "Do you have evidence to back this up, or is this some more of that stuff that you insist is true merely because you wish it to be?"
Nope. I just think it very suspicious that suddenly when Aleppo is being re-taken by Assad there turns up tweeters we've never heard about before and they are all over the MSM.
But I can't prove anything.
And you can't prove those tweets didn't originate from my neighbor who is a meth-head Nazi child molestor Marxist, or something.
So, like I was aiming at, we might be careful to get emotianally impacted by tweets alone.
Small business owners (the backbone of the economy) across the USA greets the incoming Trump administration with high hopes for their future:
http://www.nfib.com/surveys/small-business-economic-trends/
#trumpeffect
I think the hysteria on the left wing (where I definetly include close-to-commie Lee C) is that they are afraid that Trump will actually succeed in Making America Great Again.
They are shell-shocked after the HUGE win in the elections by Trump and resort to idiotic stories about the "popular vote" as if that mattered at all.
First of all: if the popular vote was the decider then all political campaigns would have been very different and the result would not have been the same as it came out in this vote. Now it is possible there would have been another winnner but it's by no means certain.
Second: there ARE real reasons for the way the electorate system is in place. You wanna change that you make a solid argument and change it well before an election.
What you don't do is lose outright and then blame the rules and squeal like a little bitch who was helicopter-parented and used to always gettin his or her way.
Like Lee C does, with his constant and equally irrelevant mentioning of the popular vote.
"Like Lee C does, with his constant and equally irrelevant
mentioning of the popular vote."
It really pisses off most Trump supporters. I've assumed it'd irritate you as well.
"I think the hysteria on the left wing (where I definetly include
close-to-commie Lee C) is that they are afraid that Trump will actually
succeed in Making America Great Again."
I'm more amused at Trump's machinations than hysterical. We'll survive Trump. And he's not gonna "Make America Great Again". He's not even gonna build the damn wall. (And you apparently wouldn't know how to spot a commie even if ya had clusters of ‘em chewing on your ankles.)
And, it's worth noting that our think tanks and the like are already considering that, "NATO has no obligation to defend Finland or Sweden at the moment, nor are the Scandinavians under any obligation to assist the Alliance." And that, "Whether NATO members would be willing to welcome new member states into the Alliance is an entirely different question. The North Atlantic Treaties on the Accession of Finland and Sweden have to be approved by parliaments of all NATO member states." Intersection.EU
I figure it might be a good idea to close for the day with this observation…
"Second: there ARE real reasons for the way the electorate system is in place."
You have, as usual, managed to address yourself to the wrong question. There are indeed real reasons the system is the way it is. Real reasons are a wholly different thing than are valid reasons.
In case you think the system is based on invalid reasons just go for what I already suggested Lee:
"You wanna change that you make a solid argument and change it well before an election."
I promise you, it's a better way than baby-squealing after the vote is already in.
[Chumpy]: "the first 24 hours of ignoring Petes on the subject of Islamic literalism has long passed--although I probably would have done 48 hours in other circumstances."
[Chumpy]: "I decided to go for roughly 46 hours… Coulda gone for 48, but Marcus intervened.
[Chumpy]: "*wave at Petes* See, 48 hours is a piece of cake. You really should learn how to control your impulses. You'd have to do much less lying if you'd just learn a little self-control.
LOL. Y'all will forgive me if I don't wave back, on account of that's kinda creepy shit. Just back after more'n a week of lettin' y'all stew in yer own juices. What a sad frickin' obsessive. Those three posts all within fifty minutes of each other. And then several days later:
[Chumpy]: "15th will be Thursday, not Tuesday. (Just in case Petes is lurkin’ and hopin’ to get in a lick.)
Yeah, y'all sure are the master of self control and not remotely whinin' for attention. LOL.
How's that paralysed Googlin' hand of yores? Any improvement after two weeks?
While I'm here, I see the brave US police have been goin' about bidness as usual. Those selfless first responders came to the aid of a 73-year-old dementia sufferer early Monday mornin'. For the crime of actin' kinda demented (as dementia sufferers are wont to do) they shot his firckin' head off.
"…just go for what I already suggested Lee"
If you mean trying to change the system, that's a waste of time. The ancien régime will resist viciously any attempt to strip them of their systemic advantage. Mounting the legal and political challenge will take longer at this point than will simply waiting them out.
As Lindsey Graham (one of theirs) observed just a few years ago, they're not birthing angry old white people in numbers anywhere near what they need to maintain their advantage, even with a system tilted in their direction (unfortunately for them, all the new white people they're birthing are young people, who're, statistically, not on their side politically). Easier to just wait ‘em out. In fact, I thought they'd passed their ‘due by’ date already; I didn't think they'd pull it off this time; but, they did. Trump represents a desperate, ‘last gasp’ of their played-out movement. They managed to actually raise their turnout levels in spite of having a candidate their side didn't like. That surprised me, but they did it. Happily, they're not gonna be able to keep that up for long.
It is, however, not a waste of time to remind them often, even continually, that it was not ‘HUGE win in the elections by Trump’ that they pulled off. They squeaked out a desperate last gasp. They need to be reminded of that, early and often. That's patriotism in action in the face of unexpected challenges, and I shall continue to display it.
"…What a sad frickin' obsessive."
That dropped better than a week ago, and yet you can't let it pass when do you pass by it. I think ‘sad frickin’ obsessive’ sums you up rather well.
The devloping allegations that Russia has worked to support Trump and disadvantage Clinton seem to have dismayed the Kremlin enough for them to have leaned on Julian Assange and had him reverse his long-time policy against revealing his sources, and so, in a highly unusual move, Wikileaks is now claiming to ‘out’ their own source as not Russian at all. (DailyMail) It seems the Russians are perhaps highly disturbed by the prospect that Trump's pro-Russian agenda may be compromised by his many connections to the Kremlin and they're working hard to limit that prospective damage.
[Chumpy]: "Easier to just wait ‘em out. In fact, I thought they'd passed their ‘due by’ date already; I didn't think they'd pull it off this time; but, they did."
Translation: y'all got it just about as wrong as most everyone else. Furthermore, y'all are displayin' the same lack of humility as everyone else who got it wrong, on account of y'all are still workin' on the premise that it was -- to quote y'all -- "a mistake".
[Chumpy]: "Trump represents a desperate, ‘last gasp’ of their played-out movement. They managed to actually raise their turnout levels in spite of having a candidate their side didn't like. That surprised me, but they did it. Happily, they're not gonna be able to keep that up for long."
On the assumption that "they" means Republicans, Trump can hardly be said to be a continuity candidate at all, let alone a last gasp of their movement.
[Chumpy]: "It is, however, not a waste of time to remind them often, even continually, that it was not ‘HUGE win in the elections by Trump’ that they pulled off. They squeaked out a desperate last gasp. They need to be reminded of that, early and often."
Yep, it's a useful reminder of how illiberal yahoos like y'all only like democracy when yore guy wins.
[Chumpy]: "That's patriotism in action in the face of unexpected challenges, and I shall continue to display it."
Clue for y'all: bitchin' and whinin' ain't patriotic.
[Chumpy]: "The devloping allegations that Russia has worked to support Trump and disadvantage Clinton..."
In what way are they "devloping" (sic)? The CIA don't seem to be in a rush to put out any further info, which is kind of strange to say the least. Anyway, regardless of who leaked them, Clinton was not disadvantaged by the mails per se. She was disadvantaged by the fact that the DNC chairperson cheated to get her the primary win and she got found out. She was disadvantaged by the fact that she was a slimeball up to her neck in dirty politics. I realise that's not normally a disadvantage in US politics but, well, this year was different.
"…that it was -- to quote y'all -- ‘a mistake’."
Your referent for the pronoun is unclear, but that's probably something you did on purpose. I'll let that go on the grounds that you don't want anybody to know what you think you're saying, or maybe you don't even know what you're saying. Either one is a good reason to blow that line off entirely, so I'll just let that go for now.
"On the assumption that ‘they’ means Republicans…"
Most of them currently vote Republican, but that's not a good assumption going forward.
"Yep, it's a useful reminder of how illiberal yahoos like y'all only like
democracy when yore guy wins."
I should probably point out that Trump only won because this is a republic and not a democracy. Perhaps you'll catch up eventually. (I ain't holdin’ my breath on that one though.)
"In what way are they "devloping" (sic)?"
You should pay closer attention. The CIA just today declined to testify before Congress on this subject on the grounds that they're still working on the case (get back to ya when we're done type of thing).
It is amusing to see the Catholic reactionary aligned with Putin in support of Trump though. Politics does indeed make for strange bedfellows.
"…just today declined to testify…"
Wait, sun's comin’ up again, this is tomorrow; that was yesterday.
"Clue for y'all: bitchin' and whinin' ain't patriotic."
How the hell would you know? You're an autocrat at heart. Your grasp of democracy is tenuous at best. (I could quote ya Teddy Roosevelt on the subject, but it'd probably go over your head. If ya wanna google it though, look for his editorial in the KC Star in 1917--think it was 1917--definitely the Kansas City Star--that'll find it for ya.)
[Chumpy]: "You should pay closer attention. The CIA just today declined to testify before Congress on this subject on the grounds that they're still working on the case (get back to ya when we're done type of thing)."
How quickly things change when it suits y'all. Back when the FBI were investigatin' Hillary in the week before the election, there was general outrage that they were shootin' their mouths off in advance of havin' any conclusion to announce. Now when it's the CIA investigatin' a Trump-related affair it's all fine and dandy.
t was always a safe bet that some civilians would get caught in the pinch. What's the alternative though? Give up and let Al-Qaida control Syrias second largest city and see every former regime supporter beheaded?
The alternative is to direct your response to those who are actually fighting, not some 5 year old kid who doesn't even know what's going on.
As so many people were wont to say when the US was trying to clear Fallujah, for example, killing civilians will not win you hearts and minds. The Russians and Assad may end up in control, but I doubt it will be smooth sailing.
In Aleppo you have nothing bad to say for the radical islamist rebels keeping civvies in the line of fire but you deride the attacking force.
On the contrary, Marcus, those who use human shields are just as bad as Assad and the Russians. I have always been an equal opportunity critic.
Really Lynnette, I can't figure out if you actually have an agenda here or if you're so fundamentally stupid you cannot see the double standards in the MSM.
I am merely here discussing current events with you and anyone else who wishes to join in, just like you, Marcus.
Assad has had control over the majority of the Syrian Army all along. Yet the rebs never run out of materiel. They can't be getting it from within Syria so where does it come from?
I would assume there are outside suppliers, certainly. But to assume they get none from inside Syria would not be accurate. I believe Daesh stocked up from the Syrian military who fled Palmyra recently.
Also: surely you don't actually buy them twitterers "from inside Aleppo", like the mother and her 7 YO girl saying "goodbuy we're about to die now"?
Do you really believe that to be impossible? You have read "The Diary of Anne Frank" haven't you? Same thing, different medium.
Clue for y'all: bitchin' and whinin' ain't patriotic.
lol! Don't be silly, Petes, of course it is! Being patriotic means caring about your country. If we didn't care we wouldn't be "bitchin' and whinin".
I found the part where he was striving so desperately to stop the opposition from saying things he so obviously, so desperately didn't want to hear as ‘whining’ on the part of the opposition. If there was a laugher in there, that was it.
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"Back when the FBI were investigatin' Hillary in the week before
the election, there was general outrage that they were shootin' their
mouths off in advance of havin' any conclusion to announce. "
You do need to pay closer attention. They apparently already have a conclusion, but it was leaked, not announced. And, in any case, their work is not going to prejudice the election, what with it being over now--in case you hadn't heard--Trump lost the democratic popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, but is going to win the electoral college vote anyway.
Lee: "It is, however, not a waste of time to remind them often, even continually, that it was not ‘HUGE win in the elections by Trump’ that they pulled off."
It WAS a huge win. It was the hugest win in 30 years for the Republicans. The fact that you baby-squeal against it doesn't change facts. It was a Trumpination. And it'll #MakeAmericaGreatAgain. While you're refusing to get with the program and stay at home sucking your socialist thumb. That will not be to your benefit Lee.
So, Lynnette, what's YOUR idea of a good solution in Aleppo?
Maybe that the Al Qaeda rebels and Assads forces throw roses or tulips at one another and then congregate in a mutual love fest? What do you have in mind here?
I see it in Lynnettes mind where an ISIS-bride strides a unicorn and flies into the heavens shedding her burka and saves the world from any further strife. All is roses and rainbows and multisexual identities (with laboraty bred cildren).
Question tough: How realistic is that? How wanted is it?
"It was the hugest win in 30 years for the Republicans."
That doesn't make it objectively huge. But, when you qualify it like that, I can see your point.
It's like the Russian proverb about the dancing bear. The remarkable thing isn't that it dances well, it does not. The remarkable thing is that it dances at all. Still the fact that it manages to stumble out a dance just doesn't make it anything other than pullin’ out a squeaker in the electoral college after losing the popular vote by the largest margin ever for a candidate who nevertheless won the electoral college vote. Last time that happened they gave us Dubya. Ya'll remember him with great affection, do ya not? (Hell of a record you're defending there, first Dubya, now Trump.)
And, of course, if we were just sittin’ ‘round whining then Petes and Marcus wouldn't be whinin’ themselves ‘bout us harshing their buzz. It's because they're so very touchy ‘bout Trump's actual lack of a mandate that they're tryin’ to shut up all opposition.
Kinda final note for the day, and just to complicate matters further…. Trump voters seem already prepped to blame Trump's coming failures on anybody-but-Trump. (Politico.com) They will resist enlightenment when the light shines for them.
Well, maybe I wasn't done for the day after all. Sean Hannity is just now getting off the air on Radio-Right-Wing after a long interview with Julian Assange, whom Sean was just fawning all over. Never woulda thunk it six months ago; Sean Hannity playing nice, more than nice, groveling even, for Julian Assange.
For those among us who missed it…. The House Select Benghazi Committee was quietly disbanded two days ago. USAToday
[Lynnette]: "lol! Don't be silly, Petes, of course it is! Being patriotic means caring about your country. If we didn't care we wouldn't be "bitchin' and whinin"."
[Chumpy]: "And, of course, if we were just sittin’ ‘round whining then Petes and Marcus wouldn't be whinin’ themselves ‘bout us harshing their buzz. It's because they're so very touchy ‘bout Trump's actual lack of a mandate that they're tryin’ to shut up all opposition."
Well first of all, it's not my fault that your electoral system allows a president to be elected on a minority of the vote. Nor am I going to denigrate your electoral system(s) -- there is no perfect one anywhere in the world, nor is one likely possible, given the competing concerns any such system must address. What I do say is that you can't disown your own system only when it suits you.
There's a much bigger point beyond all that though. The "bitchin' and whinin'" seems at best to ignore, and at worst seek to delegitimise, the concerns of the people who elected Trump. I actually don't give a rat's ass about Trump himself and, not being a USian, I might say that your societal problems are your own to do with what you want. But I sense there is something afoot in western society at large, and that your election is just the latest symptom of it. That's something I do care about. I reckon it's an economic crisis, a moral crisis, and an identity crisis all rolled into one. It has already caused a seismic shift across the west. You write it off as a demographic blip, a last gasp, or a mistake, at your peril.
You want first crack at ‘im Lynnette?
You want first crack at ‘im Lynnette?
Sure.
What I do say is that you can't disown your own system only when it suits you.
Well, technically speaking, we have done so in the past. There was that thing with a revolution once long ago. But, in any case, I haven't been speaking out against the Electoral College like many here have. There was a reason it was put in place. Whether that reason is still valid after all these years may be in question, but we haven't really done much to address it. I doubt we will.
But I sense there is something afoot in western society at large, and that your election is just the latest symptom of it. That's something I do care about. I reckon it's an economic crisis, a moral crisis, and an identity crisis all rolled into one. It has already caused a seismic shift across the west. You write it off as a demographic blip, a last gasp, or a mistake, at your peril.
Actually I tend to agree with you, somewhat. I think part of it does have a great deal to do with the globalization that we have experienced so rapidly. One of the reasons I just bought Thomas Friedman's new book, btw. He is delving into this subject. But I also think we are seeing the start of our chickens coming home to roost with our debt, health care, and climate change issues. With the advent of Trump and his team of oil men I fear that there will be few open minds on the possibility of climate change. So, while you may not care about Trump, you may find that he will affect you and everyone else more than you think. You may want to join us whiners eventually.
Marcus, I know I owe you a reply, but I'm out of time for tonight.
" I haven't been speaking out against the Electoral College like
many here have."
If I'm supposed to be the ‘many here’ then I'm gonna hafta object to that characterization. I did describe the electoral system as a holdover from a bygone era (and I hold to that description), but I never suggested it was illegitimate nor that we waste any time on trying to get it abolished. I have not ‘spoken out’ against it.
Other than that… You'll probably have more to say on the subject when you've got more time, and I'm inclined to let you finish before I try to fill in any holes you might leave.
They're gettin’ crazier by the minute. Sean Hannity just had one of his ‘experts’ on his radio show, and they decided to go into the theory of how the Democratic National Committee, or perhaps even the Obama administration had gotten one of their ‘operatives’ into Russia to hack the DNC and the Clinton campaign so that they could then blame it on Putin and the Russians.
I kid you not. (I didn't get the guy's name; wish I had, but I wasn't paying that close enough attention until they actually started laying out their theory. And Sean Hannity played right along. They're gettin’ crazier by the minute.)
"In what way are they ‘devloping’ (sic)?"
One development of note. The FBI has finished their review of the CIA's evidence and have changed their position. A few days ago they were not convinced that Putin was actually trying to get Trump elected (as opposed to perhaps simply sowing chaos). As of today, the FBI is in accord. They've concluded that Putin and the Russians were trying to get Trump elected. (Which makes Comey a ‘useful’ idiot for the Russians at the very least. It also makes it even less likely that Comey will survive the coming of Trump.)
If I'm supposed to be the ‘many here’ then I'm gonna hafta object to that characterization.
Nope. I was referring to the United States when I used the word "here", not the blog. I don't think I'd use the word many when referring to my blog readers. lol!
So, Lynnette, what's YOUR idea of a good solution in Aleppo?
Maybe that everyone stop trying to kill each other?
Question tough: How realistic is that? How wanted is it?
That isn't very realistic as long as the struggle to come out on top continues. And very few people really want it, except maybe the civilians who just want to live in peace and be able to raise their kids.
It seems that Daesh had it's own weapons manufacturing facilities in Iraq.
Lee: "As of today, the FBI is in accord. They've concluded that Putin and the Russians were trying to get Trump elected."
Putin has had a busy year indeed. Hacking and snooping and whatnot. Apparently he's plannning to invade the Baltics, he's bombing civilians in Syria just because, he made Brexit happen, he's behind arabs attacking women in Germany and just recently he got Trump elected. Not to mention he's the mastermind behind "Fake news". He's gonna take down Merkel next I hear.
I don't know if there's any one thing of importance Putin doesn't have his grubby hands all over. Do you?
"…he made Brexit happen, he's behind arabs attacking women in Germany…"
News to me, although I can see why he'd be disappointed in Merkel these days.
I am surprised to see that you're trying to get him off the hook for bombing civilians in Syria. I thought that one was too obvious for even the likes of you to try to pretend away. Ain't much you won't try to pretend away, is there?
Brexit:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/russian-interference-brexit-highly-probable-referendum-hacking-putin-a7472706.html
Having arabs attack German women:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4032432/Pro-EU-think-tank-says-Russia-Syria-orchestrating-migrant-sex-attacks-swing-upcoming-German-elections.html
It's not me doing the "pretending" here Lee. I just relayed the hysteria that's been going around with regards to Putin.
"'s not me doing the ‘pretending’ here Lee."
I believe we were talking about you pretending the Russians weren't bombing civilians in Syria. You should probably address that subject if you have something further to say on the subject. I don't need a list of things other people are pretending about. That's not a valid defense.
I was looking over Obama's last press conference. Basically, Putin's a fascist; he and Trump have that in common (Trump's a bigot and a racist too; I don't know ‘bout Putin. Well, actually, I don't know that Trump is, personally, a bigot and/or a racist, but I do know that he ran for President as a bigot and a racist, and that's ever bit as bad.)
I'm more convinced than ever that history will be kind to Obama. And, history look at that last hour and a half in front of the press corps as the equivalent of Dwight Eisenhower's parting ‘military-industrial complex’ warning to the nation.
Lee: "I believe we were talking about you pretending the Russians weren't bombing civilians in Syria."
I don't think Putin is deliberately targetting civilians in Syria, no. First of all because I see no reason why he would do this, and second because even Putin is a human being and I believe most human beings don't bomb defenceless people just because.
But I am well aware that the Russians have a history of heavy handed tactics when they do decide to go for a goal in war (which was why I was talking about "grozny style" before) So yeah, probably some amount of civilians were bombed along with anti-Assad rebels in Aleppo. That's unfortunate. Not easily avoided though.
That said I am quite convinced ya'll are no better and that in for instant the second assault on Fallujah by ya'lls forces also many civvies got killed off. You might remember those carcasses of humans big and small burned to the bone by "Willy Pete" from ya'lls planes. Bad way to go, that.
You rain white phospourous down on an entire city and you have the galls to bitch and whine about some barrel bombs. The chutzpah.
Zeyad, get in with me on this. I know you probably root for the head-choppers in Syria while I do not, but for Christs sake help me out in explaining to this appalachian wannabe knowitall Lee C that them Yanks aint no saints and that them russkies aren't any worse than his own good ol' boyz in the greater scheme of tings.
Lee: "I'm more amused at Trump's machinations than hysterical. We'll survive Trump. And he's not gonna "Make America Great Again". He's not even gonna build the damn wall."
He's gonna do both. And quickly. Already before he's in office his words alone, greased by some tax deals, saved the livelihood of 800 families depending on their jobs for Carrier. Once he is actually in charge that will multiply annd multiply and America will be made grreater than it ever was. AND it will have a beautiful wall with beautiful gaps in it to let LEAGAL migrants in while keeping illegals out.
Leee: "And you apparently wouldn't know how to spot a commie even if ya had clusters of ‘em chewing on your ankles."
I sometimes just call you a Commie. When I feel like being more precise I call you "communist-minded". The fact is that YOU bow and lick the boot of authority Lee. Authority in your mind can do no wrong and you always defend it. All the time, every time. So you would make a GREAT commie. If you were of the proper age in Russia in 1960 I would pin you down as a party commissar that hounded dissidents and shippped them off to Gulags.
You wouldn't be a Dostojevsky - you'd be the party servant who threw him into an icy jail cell.
That's my opinion of you Lee.
"That's my opinion of you Lee."
You say that as if you think I should care. Your errors are not my problem.
(And, besides, I think you've been hangin’ out with the kind of folks who think that ‘commie’ is an all-purpose, crippling insult, i.e. you've taken to hangin’ with fascists. You've developed the habit from your associations. You just made that last little rant up to cover that up. I ‘spect everybody who pisses you off gets called a commie--‘cept maybe for Petes, and that's only ‘cause you've got other habitual insults for him.)
[Chumpy]: "Basically, Putin's a fascist; he and Trump have that in common (Trump's a bigot and a racist too; I don't know ‘bout Putin. Well, actually, I don't know that Trump is, personally, a bigot and/or a racist, but I do know that he ran for President as a bigot and a racist, and that's ever bit as bad.)"
For someone who claims to understand that random mudslinging and all-purpose insults are ineffectual, you ain't shy of makin' plenty of dumb assertions yerself.
Neither Putin nor Trump are likely to notice my ‘mudslinging and all-purpose insults’ as you misdescribe them. Shall we presume that you intend to take insult on their behalves? Or you just drawing false comparisons for the sake of making foolish noises (having apparently no intelligent noises to contribute)?
Presume what you like - can't stop ya, nor do I care. Jes' checkin' you weren't plannin' to substantiate any of yer stoopid assertions. Silly me. Of course you weren't.
I don't reckon I need to ‘substantiate’ assertions that haven't been challenged. And you're not much on actually having a position or making a real challenge. You like to make deniable noises. Bu, I don't reckon any need to deal with all the positions you never actually take.
Just saw a headline that said that Trump was not ready to ‘accept’ Russian election tampering. My first thought was that had to be bullsh*t; there was no way he wasn't gonna show up to take the Oath of Office--wasn't gonna happen. Then I realized that they meant that he's still pretending to not know ‘bout it.
It appears that most Republicans are deciding not to care about any possible Russian hacking too. That's a mistake. But you can't tell them that. They won.
Obama had it right. They've been working on hating Democrats (him, Hillary, any Democrat who might win the Presidency), working on it so long they've made it part of themselves. They can't let it go because it's part of how they define themselves. That means they have to side with our foreign enemies where necessary to ensure they can defeat the Democrats. (It's not inconceivable they'd make alliance with al-Qaeda or Da‘esh.)
Happily, they're on their last gasp here with Trump. He can do a hell of a lot of damage before he's done, but it turns out Dubya was wrong; he ain't gonna be the last Republican President. That dishonor will likely go to Trump.
[Chumpy]: "That means they have to side with our foreign enemies where necessary to ensure they can defeat the Democrats. (It's not inconceivable they'd make alliance with al-Qaeda or Da‘esh.)"
You plannin' on bein' this stoopid for all of the next four years, or is it just a temporary rage-induced loss of control?
It is not inconceivable. Just last summer they were ragging on Obama for being soft on Putin's Russia. Recent polls show that now almost half of the Trumpkins now believe that Putin's Russia is a ‘friend’ to the United States. Most of the rest of the Trumpkins are choosing to pretend to believe Trump--that Russia is benign and wasn't involved in either hacking the Democrats nor trying to sway the election to Trump.
Give ‘em a few months and let Trump decide that al-Qaeda is at least moral while the Democrats are not (a position Marcus has managed to align himself with already--first part anyway, second part's easy after that), and it is not inconceivable they'd align with al-Qaeda or Da‘esh if necessary to ensure that the Democrats don't retake the White House. The Democrats would, after all, constitute the clearer and more present danger, being already inside the country.
Most Germans wouldn't have believed the Nazis could take over either, until they did, and then most Germans went along with it.
Luckily, we're better than you. There ain't ‘nuff of them to swing taking America fascist; they barely got Trump in the first time. They'll not be able to repeat that performance.
And, you ain't any good at long distance psychiatry. I'm not feeling any rage. Some disappointment; some amusement; some bemusement. No rage.
Swing and a miss for ya there; whiffed it big time.
Lee: "Give ‘em a few months and let Trump decide that al-Qaeda is at least moral while the Democrats are not (a position Marcus has managed to align himself with already--first part anyway, second part's easy after that), and it is not inconceivable they'd align with al-Qaeda or Da‘esh if necessary to ensure that the Democrats don't retake the White House."
Fur f*cks sake Lee, you really believe that? First of all you couldn't tell my jinx about the "morals" of jihadists was tounge in cheek? I hate those fu*ers and you should know that by now. I oppose them at every turn, in every scenario, I even reluctantly approve of a butcher like Kadyrov because the jihadi-plague is worse.
Second: you have a VERY low opinion of your fellow Americans, half of your population almost, if you thing that is true. I wonder if you would dare say that to the face of say Bridget in person. I think not.
I have absolutely no no evidence to suggest that Bridget is among that half of the Trumkins who're beginning to think that Russia is our friend on account of The Donald tells them so, or whether she's among those who think the Russians weren't really involved in trying to influence the election. My guess is she's not in either camp, but is among the smaller remainder who're pissed off enough to want to burn the whole damn thing down and figure Trump for the agent of destruction. But, that's just a guess.
That batch isn't allied with anybody, nor likely to become allied with anybody. They just want the current order destroyed; what comes after isn't much relevant to their wants; certainly isn't the point of their dalliance with Trump, which makes them fairly independent of any and all potential allies. (Most potential allies wouldn't have them.)
"Second: you have a VERY low opinion of your fellow Americans, half
of your population almost…"
The right-crazies are every bit as hysterical as the far left wingers and at least a full order of magnitude more numerous. That makes them much more dangerous.
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