Politics - Episode 9: The Lurking Fear

[Hurlshort]

I am a bit surprised, and this isn't just for Trump, that there isn't more oversight and approval needed for travel when it comes to people under the Secret Service umbrella. For example, a business trip that doesn't involve state business should probably be at least partially covered by the business itself, and there should be some sort of cap when it comes to vacation travel, or at least a percentage that is put up by the private party. 

 

I do remember what a hullabaloo was raised over Obama's Hawaii trip. Funny how those sources are probably all pretty quiet now. 

[smjjames]

Obama travelled a heck of a lot less, so, the cost to the Secret Service never became an actual problem.

[Wrath of Dagon]

WoD, I'm curious who you think is in the right here (if the quote is accurate.) Bannon or Trump?

 

I'd probably agree with Bannon myself in this scenario. I'm not sure I'd word it the same way, but the Trump White House does seem to be completely disconnected to the Republican party at this point.

It's not really a question of right, since Trump can have whoever he wants working for him. The problem is Bannon represents what Trump ran on, and now Trump has almost no one who stands for those things in the White House, which is very disconcerting for those who voted for him.

[Gromnir]

 

our President, staring at the eclipse with naked eyes. an aide in the blue room is heard shouting, "don't look!"  the President then dons appropriate safety glasses.

 

...

 

the funny thing is, the 20-30% who admit they will agree with trump regardless o' what he actually says, will somehow see the above image as proof o' trump toughness or independence or something similar.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Agiel]

I know your stance on Seinfeld, but I can't help but note that like George Costanza the Donald is probably the type that stares at Denise Richards' cleavage for too long as well.

 

 

“Looking at the sun is like looking at cleavage! You don’t stare at it, it’s too risky! You get a sense of it then you look away!”

Edited August 21, 2017 by Agiel

[Bartimaeus]

 

our President, staring at the eclipse with naked eyes. an aide in the blue room is heard shouting, "don't look!"  the President then dons appropriate safety glasses.

 

...

 

the funny thing is, the 20-30% who admit they will agree with trump regardless o' what he actually says, will somehow see the above image as proof o' trump toughness or independence or something similar.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Was he actually staring at it for a bit (i.e. more than maybe a second at most), or was it just a quick look? Most people probably took a quick look at it at some point...I think I saw his wife look without the glasses for a couple of seconds, and a bunch of dummies on TV were doing worse than that.

[Gromnir]

 a bunch of dummies on TV were doing worse than that.

 

 

you didn't seriously go there, did you?

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps well, for all the folks who thinks they managed to escape injury, tomorrow is actual when you will know if your eyes is damaged.  

[injurai]

I think Trump's address of the Afghanistan Strategy is his strongest moment yet, and lord knows he hasn't had many. I realize this plan wasn't put together by Trump alone and further he has some great speech writers, but Trump did okay all of it and no doubt had a hand as well. If there was anything I particularly disliked about the Obama administration it was it's foreign policy. Some of it was populist driven and opportunistic coming off of Bush's legacy, but a lot of it was gross and senseless. It will be interesting to see how US foreign policy plays out over the next three and a half years. I hope that this address does not become harrowing in hindsight, but having learned from Iraq I expect complications to come less from our nation and more from geopolitical upheaval in the region that once again pushes us into unknown and unprecedented territory. I think for me a highlight was acknowledging India as a partner in the Democratic world, far too long I feel they have been under-appreciated. Other highlights include moving away from time-tables, and the abandonment of nation building on behalf of another people's.

[smjjames]

If they ask for help on something, we still should give them that help though.

[Hurlshort]

It was a good speech and hopefully the follow-through will be effective. That, of course, is the tough part.

[Bartimaeus]

 

a bunch of dummies on TV were doing worse than that.

 

you didn't seriously go there, did you?

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps well, for all the folks who thinks they managed to escape injury, tomorrow is actual when you will know if your eyes is damaged.

 

Sorry, don't quite get your gist for the "you didn't go there" bit. What, Trump is a dummy on TV?

 

Sadly, I nearly live in Canada, and it was raining, so there was effectively no eclipse of any kind here... Oh well.

[Malcador]

Apparently even a quarter second can be risky. As for Afghanistan, wonder if they'll ever say how they will determine commitment and progress.

[Gromnir]

 

image

 

our President, staring at the eclipse with naked eyes. an aide in the blue room is heard shouting, "don't look!"  the President then dons appropriate safety glasses.

 

...

 

the funny thing is, the 20-30% who admit they will agree with trump regardless o' what he actually says, will somehow see the above image as proof o' trump toughness or independence or something similar.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

LOL, what a bull**** no story.

 

Here is a video of the situation:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/aug/21/donald-trump-look-directly-sun-eclipse-video

 

Only a really dum... oh it's Gromnir, nevermind.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

it were a dumb thing to do.  period. to do such a dumb and potential dangerous (doesn't even take a full second o' naked-eye eclipse viewing to do permanent damage) thing in front o' cameras and reporters and crowds o' people is particular perplexing, though not unexpected from this President. act the buffoon on camera is, after all, part o' his schtick. 

 

your reflexive defense o' the indefensible is similar perplexing but equal expected. 

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps we did have a couple chuckle moments during the trump speech.  the President admitted how his first reaction were to get outta afghanistan, then a few minutes later he pointed out how it were "obvious" a withdrawal from afghanistan would be disastrous on multiple levels. other than a few such blunders, there were nothing noteworthy good or bad to takeaway from the speech.  no real details.  no explanations as to how one helps afghanistan to defend themselves without considerable US infrastructure input and investment. no actual illumination as to what success in afghanistan will look like. etc. converse, no clear faux pas and no clear points o' concern.

 

even so, as with his address to Congress, trump can at least look Presidential when he simple reads the script provided. am suspecting trump approval will get a small boost following his speech and one hopes trump might learn something from the lingering popularity glow he will enjoy in the wake o' a small successes such as his public sharing o' his afghanistan plan.

 

then again, one expects trump to be trump at the upcoming arizona rally.  in a few hours, the valley o' the sun will no doubt be scorched by trump's typical befuddled ranting, incoherent non sequiturs and outright lies... all o' which will impress the heck outta sharp and a bunch o' the "very fine people" who were seen marching with david duke in charlottesville. 

[Malcador]

Trump's speech at the rally is worth a watch.  

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/03/president-donald-j-trump-signs-hjres-69-hjres-83-hr-1228-sjres-34-law

 

On Monday, April 3, 2017, the President signed into law:

 

H.J.Res. 69, which nullifies the Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service's final rule relating to non-subsistence takings of wildlife on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska;

 

H.J.Res. 83, which nullifies the Department of Labor's rule titled Clarification of Employer's Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness; and

 

H.R. 1228, which provides for the appointment of members of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance to replace members whose terms expire during March and May of 2017; and

 

S.J.Res. 34 – which nullifies the Federal Communications Commission’s rule on privacy of customers of broadband and other telecommunications services.

Nothing says freedom like getting spied on by your cable provider. God Bless America.

[Gromnir]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-strange-story-of-that-%E2%80%98blacks-for-trump%E2%80%99-guy-standing-behind-potus-at-his-phoenix-rally/ar-AAqzQon?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

 

...

 

am honest not sure what to say.

[Wrath of Dagon]

American Cultural Revolution: http://thefederalist.com/2017/08/23/american-anarchy-parallels-chinas-cultural-revolution/

 

Although I'd say ours is more of a farce.

[Malcador]

The "tearing down" of the statues is pretty tame in this supposed iteration

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-strange-story-of-that-‘blacks-for-trump’-guy-standing-behind-potus-at-his-phoenix-rally/ar-AAqzQon?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

 

...

 

am honest not sure what to say.

"HA! Good Fun!"?

[Wrath of Dagon]

@Malcador That's only the beginning, the Red Guards feeling their oats.

Edited August 23, 2017 by Wrath of Dagon

[Malcador]

@Malcador That's only the beginning, the Red Guards feeling their oats.

 

Maybe,  not sure it is time to panic about the Red Menace raising its head (well, or what exactly the counter measure would be).  Interestingly I wasn't really aware of what they were going to do with all the statues to Confederate generals/leaders/icons, some are being donated to museums or private owners, others relocated.    Generally it seems they'll all be left intact, but I guess news aren't going to focus on mundane things (well that and I've not the time now to hunt down local articles, etc. )  such as that

[injurai]

Maybe they should be gifted to confederates to tend relations. /s

[smjjames]

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-strange-story-of-that-%E2%80%98blacks-for-trump%E2%80%99-guy-standing-behind-potus-at-his-phoenix-rally/ar-AAqzQon?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

 

...

 

am honest not sure what to say.

I'm speechless. Media are literally starting to target Trump supporters and voters. I'm afraid that if the liberals will regain (by elections or coup) power, then the Trump voter will face the same treaent as japanese americans during WWII.

 

 

It's just curiosity of "Who's that guy we keep seeing at rallys?" than any malevolent reason.

[smjjames]

* pops sharp_ones media bubble with a thumbtack labelled "reason"

 

edit: Boo, the /me tag doesn't work here.

Edited August 24, 2017 by smjjames

[Oerwinde]

I think Trump's address of the Afghanistan Strategy is his strongest moment yet, and lord knows he hasn't had many. I realize this plan wasn't put together by Trump alone and further he has some great speech writers, but Trump did okay all of it and no doubt had a hand as well. If there was anything I particularly disliked about the Obama administration it was it's foreign policy. Some of it was populist driven and opportunistic coming off of Bush's legacy, but a lot of it was gross and senseless. It will be interesting to see how US foreign policy plays out over the next three and a half years. I hope that this address does not become harrowing in hindsight, but having learned from Iraq I expect complications to come less from our nation and more from geopolitical upheaval in the region that once again pushes us into unknown and unprecedented territory. I think for me a highlight was acknowledging India as a partner in the Democratic world, far too long I feel they have been under-appreciated. Other highlights include moving away from time-tables, and the abandonment of nation building on behalf of another people's.

 

Honestly, if Trump stuck to his script and stayed off Twitter, I don't think there would be a lot to complain about.