Trump's America

[RoseMorninStar]

I was referring to what was taking place at the border. I was not agreeing or justifying the Trumpster position, just pointing out their reasoning. There are real and valid differences from the Holocaust, but it shouldn't allow for inhumane treatment. Ever.

What is happening in Crimea/Ukraine/Russia, Kurds/Turkey/Syria etc.. is a horrific foreign policy disaster akin to murder. Not standing up for human rights in Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, etc... is truly a fall from the best of America's ideals.

Elengil, how about Trump pardoning soldiers who were accused of murdering civilians in Muslim countries? https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/opin ... rimes.html

I agree. Trump is destroying America's moral compass. I believe it is all part of Putin's plan. The question is why Trump (and the Republican party) are playing into Putin's plan to destroy American credibility, alliances, and moral compass?

[elengil]

Elengil, how about Trump pardoning soldiers who were accused of murdering civilians in Muslim countries? https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/opin ... rimes.html

What these men did was so bad that their OWN TROOPS turned them in!

Yah, that's pretty f-ed up.
Also, Columbus's own men also though his actions were so brutal and unconscionable they also took him back to be tried, but he was pardoned because, hey, he was making the crown rich.

And we turned him into a holiday. yay. Reminds me of the upcoming "holiday" in fact. "Yay, genocide!"

[elengil]

I was referring to what was taking place at the border. I was not agreeing or justifying the Trumpster position, just pointing out their reasoning. There are real and valid differences from the Holocaust, but it shouldn't allow for inhumane treatment. Ever.

Honestly, the only difference I see is it hasn't progressed as far yet. But it is definitely heading that directly, so I don't really see the benefit of trying to differentiate, only point out that we haven't traveled as far along yet.

As for why the Republican party is doing what it's doing, honestly, I think it comes down to money and power. They want money, they want to keep their power, they will seemingly do whatever it takes to ensure that. Of course, it could in fact be more insidious than that, but that's skewing into conspiracy theory territory.

[Sunsilver]

As for why the Republican party is doing what it's doing, honestly, I think it comes down to money and power. They want money, they want to keep their power, they will seemingly do whatever it takes to ensure that. Of course, it could in fact be more insidious than that, but that's skewing into conspiracy theory territory.

And of course, we know where the policies are coming from - the narcissist in chief!

I looked up the characteristics of a narcissist before posting this, and oh boy, it fits Trump to a T!

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ment ... sorder.htm

Especially this part:

Sense of entitlement
Because they consider themselves special, narcissists expect favorable treatment as their due. They truly believe that whatever they want, they should get. They also expect the people around them to automatically comply with their every wish and whim. That is their only value. If you don’t anticipate and meet their every need, then you’re useless. And if you have the nerve to defy their will or “selfishly” ask for something in return, prepare yourself for aggression, outrage, or the cold shoulder.

Exploits others without guilt or shame
Narcissists never develop the ability to identify with the feelings of others—to put themselves in other people’s shoes. In other words, they lack empathy. In many ways, they view the people in their lives as objects—there to serve their needs. As a consequence, they don’t think twice about taking advantage of others to achieve their own ends. Sometimes this interpersonal exploitation is malicious, but often it is simply oblivious. Narcissists simply don’t think about how their behavior affects others. And if you point it out, they still won’t truly get it. The only thing they understand is their own needs.

Frequently demeans, intimidates, bullies, or belittles others
Narcissists feel threatened whenever they encounter someone who appears to have something they lack—especially those who are confident and popular. They’re also threatened by people who don’t kowtow to them or who challenge them in any way. Their defense mechanism is contempt. The only way to neutralize the threat and prop up their own sagging ego is to put those people down. They may do it in a patronizing or dismissive way as if to demonstrate how little the other person means to them. Or they may go on the attack with insults, name-calling, bullying, and threats to force the other person back into line.

[RoseMorninStar]

I was referring to what was taking place at the border. I was not agreeing or justifying the Trumpster position, just pointing out their reasoning. There are real and valid differences from the Holocaust, but it shouldn't allow for inhumane treatment. Ever.

Honestly, the only difference I see is it hasn't progressed as far yet. But it is definitely heading that directly, so I don't really see the benefit of trying to differentiate, only point out that we haven't traveled as far along yet.

For those who are already here, I agree. But for those still coming here it is a real difference. Gypsies, Poles, and Jews were not clamoring to enter Germany during Hitler's reign of terror. I think it's important to point out that even though it's NOT the same, it's STILL not OK to treat people inhumanely, because people are using that very real difference to justify their actions.

As for why the Republican party is doing what it's doing, honestly, I think it comes down to money and power. They want money, they want to keep their power, they will seemingly do whatever it takes to ensure that. Of course, it could in fact be more insidious than that, but that's skewing into conspiracy theory territory.

I cannot help but think it's about money (and power). I just can't imagine what else would drive it, but perhaps I lack imagination.

Sunny, I agree. I've said all along Trump is a narcissist. I've dealt with them before. One destroyed our church. They will NEVER give up until everything is destroyed. They will take everything and everyone down with them. It boggled my mind what people supported this person.. people can either 'see' it or are taken in by it. I just don't get it. The only way I can explain it is that it is very similar to what cult leaders do/how they 'inspire' people to do the most awful things for them.

[RoseMorninStar]

Oh... *sigh*
Trump: Why Wasn’t 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage Observed ‘Years Ago?’

Dog-gate is another White House Flummoxed by Sex of Hero Dog Conan
This may seem like a small thing, but checking the gender of a dog is a pretty easy thing to do. But if someone's ego is SO fragile that they can't even accept a tiny correction like that and have to spin & lie.. we're in deep doggie do-do. As with Sharpie/Hurricane map-gate, it's just scary ridiculous, oh divine leader, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Questioned-Under-Any-Circumstance-and-Knows-All-with-His-Great-Brain.

[yovargas]

This poll suggests that a majority of Republicans think Trump is the second-best president of all time, behind only Reagan. Yes, Trump is better than Lincoln.

https://today.yougov.com/topics/politic ... -president

(Technically the poll asks who the best Republican president is so technically non-republicans like Washington could beat Trump or FDR. But I really doubt it.)

[RoseMorninStar]

Ronald Reagan (and Lincoln) must be turning over in their graves.

This is what the lies of FOX news and a narcissist who operates like a mobster has done to this country. BuzzFeed News had a podcast yesterday on how Fox news is shaping what listeners understand of the impeachment hearings called 'Fox on the Run'.

[Sunsilver]

Maybe the outcry over this will finally get some results...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/16- ... h-n1007751


In other news, Tom Kiefer, a former janitor at a border station has made artwork out of some of the items seized and thrown out by border agents. These include water bottles, toothbrushes, combs, Bibles, clothing, and non-perishable food. Even vital medications like insulin have been seized!

Remember the flak a Republican senator got for saying the migrants in detention didn't NEED toothbrushes?? Well, now you know WHY they didn't have any!

Apparently in prisons, toothbrushes and combs can be made into weapons. But these people are refugees, NOT hard-core violent criminals!!

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/tom-k ... ts-1723776

Kiefer sees his images as documents of a dark period of American history, one that he thinks will be remembered with shame.

“One of the things that I want this work to accomplish is just for people to think for themselves, about what is our country becoming?,” he says. “Is this how we want to treat the most vulnerable? I mean, we’re not talking about terrorists, for God’s sake. You take away a Bible and a rosary. How is that protecting the border?”

[RoseMorninStar]

Not even really sure what to say. Pentagon Concerned Russia Cultivating Sympathy Among US Troops I would call this subversion with Trumps blessing. Putin is not a nice guy and his interests are not pro-American. This will not end well.

[Dave_LF]

This is How a Society Dies

Belongs in the Brexit thread too.

[yovargas]

Meeeh. That kind of "the sky is falling" melodrama is extremely unhelpful, imo. You could probably find some pundit prognosticating our eminent demise that just about anytime the last hundred years. I bet some right-wing pundit and has already written the same article but blaming it on the stupidity of the left. Some weird aspect of human nature seems to make some segment of us always ready for it to come crumbling down. Most of the time they are wrong.

Which is not to say we aren't living in some strange, worrying times nor that there aren't some serious problems that need to be addressed.

[Frelga]

What's propping up the sky?

[Túrin Turambar]

Meeeh. That kind of "the sky is falling" melodrama is extremely unhelpful, imo. You could probably find some pundit prognosticating our eminent demise that just about anytime the last hundred years.

I did a search of the State Library of Victoria for titles with some variation of "capitalism in crisis" and found about a dozen titles from the 1920s to the present day. There is quite a bit of survivorship bias in these types of predictions in that we remember the people who got crises rights but not those who predicted crises which didn't end up happening.

[yovargas]

We currently live in a timeline where our billionaire president can admit - not merely be accused of but admit - in court that he used money given to a charity to buy himself stuff and spend on his campaign, and it barely makes news, barely gets talked about, and will have no impact on him politically.


Fox News: Trump ordered to pay $2M in Trump Foundation settlement, admits misuse of funds

[RoseMorninStar]

We currently live in a timeline where our billionaire president can admit - not merely be accused of but admit - in court that he used money given to a charity to buy himself stuff and spend on his campaign, and it barely makes news, barely gets talked about, and will have no impact on him politically.


Fox News: Trump ordered to pay $2M in Trump Foundation settlement, admits misuse of funds

In addition to running a scam 'University' (another $25 Million settlement). Trump has no morals, no integrity, no honor. He's a con-man through & through.

[yovargas]

A really big difference is that in that settlement he did not admit wrong doing. In this one, he had to admit that, yes, he did use the charity funds to buy himself things.

[RoseMorninStar]

A really big difference is that in that settlement he did not admit wrong doing. In this one, he had to admit that, yes, he did use the charity funds to buy himself things.

True, but he did wrong in both. Intentionally so.

[Frelga]

How are they so bad at literally everything?

Screenshot_20191223-100351.jpg (75.74 KiB) Viewed 5892 times

[Sunsilver]

And I'm willing to bet that's not even true. It's like Trump claiming that you weren't allowed to say "Merry Christmas" under Obama's presidency.

Yeah. Advent calendar...duh!

Do you get a menorah shaped piece of chocolate for that day?

Of course, Twitter is having a field day with this: https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/white-h ... -calendar/

“I’m interrupting my Twitterless holiday week to ask why the holy hell Hanukkah is on the White House Advent calendar. And then I remember why, and that it has nothing at all to do with honoring Hanukkah, or Judaism,” CNN analyst Carrie Cordero said.

“Hanukkah and Advent? Say what?” tweeted Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston. “And why, on the first night, are all the Menorah candles lit? Oh, I forgot, the White House is now filled with people who have no idea what they are doing. What’s next? A creche with the baby Rudolph?

Schrödingers' Advent Calendar: I'll check that out as soon as I finish hanging these Easter ornaments on my Halloween tree. It's a tradition the pilgrims brought over from Hawaii.

Edit: I thought the post was implying/bragging that Trump was the first to light the menorah. According to the Advent calendar, it was actually Jimmy Carter. My mistake!