Donald John Trump: 2016 President-Elect

[mojoween]

JFC every time I think the basket of deplorables has reached the end...nope!  It's a false bottom!  Pull that fucker up and someone even MORE heinous falls out.

You know, what that fucknut said shouldn't surprise me.  I mean, Drumpf did say he can grab me by the pussy so I guess that means it's open season on my reproductive organs and these assholes think they can dictate whatever goes on in there.

Like I just can't even use enough curse words to express how utterly devastated I am that the Orange assfucker is going to succeed one of the most beautiful men to ever hold the office of president.

Edited November 30, 2016 by mojoween

[sistermagpie]

5 hours ago, ClareWalks said:

I wish these assholes would stop saying they take Trump's horrific comments "seriously, but not literally." They obviously DIDN'T take the comments "seriously," either, or they wouldn't have voted for a man who talks about women like they're meat with holes for his pleasure and talks about everyone else like they don't matter at ALL.

I don't even get what it means. I guess they listened "seriously" because they took him seriously as a candidate, but it's basically saying that oh, they didn't believe he was literally going to build a wall and get Mexico to pay for it or force store owners to say Merry Christmas whatever...but they believed that he really hated those damn immigrants and those other religions! Like...that's not any better. The issue isn't just that he's never going to be able to build that wall, much less get Mexico to pay for it. Unfocused hatred without practical policies isn't that much better.

 

2 hours ago, Padma said:

Kurt Eichenwald really thought his Newsweek articles would stop Trump.  Probably Washington Post's David Fahrenthold (who did such monumental work on Tubby's financial records and corruption) thought the same.

It's amazing to think about how Watergate would go down today. A big fat nothing. That is, plenty of people would care, but only Washington Post readers, so they'd all be dismissed as libtard sheeple.

1 hour ago, stewedsquash said:

If you show the KY'ers this article, they will see that they were probably going to lose their KYNECT coverage anyway: (two page article)

Forgive me if I'm not getting it, but it seems the article is talking about KYers losing KYNECT in terms of it being a state run exchange instead of a Federal one. 

Iow, it was still Obamacare they were enjoying. If it’s repealed, which they want so much, they’re losing it period. If it was just changing to a Federal exchange it would be different, but they would still have some version of the insurance they actually like using and maybe didn’t realize was Obamacare?

1 hour ago, stewedsquash said:

I look forward to reading about what Price's stance is on healthcare.

Apparently, according to his past statements, it’s that that we should get rid of coverage for pre-existing conditions again, defund Planned Parenthood, not cover birth control and give employers the right to fire women for using birth control or having had an abortion.

Sounds like a terrible pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services but an obvious choice if we just go all the way and hire a Witchfinder General.

[MulletorHater]

2 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

Zero sympathy, sorry.  Yeah, I'm not a "soft-ass liberal" as Trump supporters I know call every non-Trump voter.  I can be a vindictive fuck; I know I need to work on that, but having recently turned 30 y.o., I am MUCH better than I used to be.

https://twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/803725195034955780

I find myself asking, what the fuck did they expect?  The term of "Obamacare" was constantly used as a pejorative and had they not been so obsessed with that, they would have understood that the Kynect program and the ACA are one and the same.  I vaguely recall The Daily Show doing a man-in-the-street segment regarding this very issue.  The people they interviewed hated "Obamacare" but loved the ACA.

It was enough to make me want to bang my head into a wall in frustration.  Now, they got exactly what they voted for, starting with their foolish decision to return Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell back to the Senate.  Even Stevie Wonder could have seen this and told them, "Kentuckians--those two fuckers are NOT your friends!"

[twoods]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

I like the new swipe menu on the iPhone so you get four news stories that the phone thinks you will like.

I DO NOT appreciate that Apple keeps trying to foist FOX News on me.  Quit it, Cook.  I will never link on one of those stories, especially with headlines like "We Suck Drumpf's Cock and Why You Should Too".

Seriously. Makes me hate Apple more than I already do. I don't want to read another article about that fucker Hannity singing Trump's praises and shaming the rest of us for hating Mango Mussolini. That guy is seriously deluded, and I can't seem to block those stupid Fox News articles from my feed. 

[Pixel]

It seriously cracks me up that I see the word "fuck" in some form in his thread more than in all the other threads I frequent combined. That shows you our state of mind!

[Cupid Stunt]

If you hated Hair Gropenführer: The Campaign, you will hate Hair Gropenführer: The Coup, followed by Hair Gropenführer: The Banana Republic With Nukes.

Herr Hairpiece will begin his victory tour of the swing states this week, starting in Nuremberg, Ohio ...

 

silly me ... Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday. This isn’t a normal thing; presidents-elect are usually too busy preparing to take on leadership of one of the largest organizations in the world to bother with staging mass circle-jerks with supporters, but not The Orange One.

The Ein Volk Ein Reich Ein Führer Tour presents an opportunity to show that we’re not all Good Germans. I’m not in Ohio, but if I were, I’d be combing through social media right now to find and/or start discussions about staging demonstrations to counter the Neo-Nazi-scented adulation event. For the moment, we’re still living in a country where the president understands and respects the First Amendment.

Hair Gropenführer is a narcissist who thrives on adulation. But his ego is brittle enough that he is driven to tell embarrassing lies about facts that contradict his self-image, such as his massive popular vote loss and the spontaneous demonstrations that broke out nationwide when he won the Electoral College. It gets under his very thin skin. Herr Hairpiece's takeaway from the RNC was that he is “very well-liked.” Well, he’s not; he will in fact be inaugurated as the most unpopular president-elect in the history of polling, who lost the popular vote by the widest margin ever. He should be reminded frequently that we don’t all love him, via news reports of peaceful demonstrations, if necessary. No honeymoon for you, waste of skin.

I’m sure opinions vary around here on the utility of protests. I think they have their place, and coming out in force to express opposition to a tin-horn Neo-Nazi who’s trying to stage a self-love fest sounds like a good place to start. What say you? Opposing Hair Gropenführer and shoring up democratic institutions will require the ability to multitask. You can call your representatives and senators while you’re waiting for the demonstration to start.

[izabella]

1 hour ago, sistermagpie said:

Apparently, according to his past statements, it’s that that we should get rid of coverage for pre-existing conditions again, defund Planned Parenthood, not cover birth control and give employers the right to fire women for using birth control or having had an abortion.

He also believes that funding for HIV treatment and research should be taken away and diverted to funding for gay conversion therapy.   Oh, wait, that's Pence.  Wonder if Price was one of Pence's picks for Cabinet.

Edited November 30, 2016 by izabella

[Cupid Stunt]

17 minutes ago, Pixel said:

It seriously cracks me up that I see the word "fuck" in some form in his thread more than in all the other threads I frequent combined. That shows you our state of mind!

Fuck.

[Toomuchsoap]

6 hours ago, izabella said:

This is the biggest con Trump and Ryan are pulling.  Yes, let's repeal Obamacare!  And replace Medicare with....guess what?  Obamacare! 

Privatizing Medicare by forcing people to buy it from private insurers using vouchers is the same thing as doing so and getting tax credits.  And the costs will increase, unregulated, just like the private insurers offering Obamacare. 

What's your solution? 

For those that depend  on healthcare coverage, I must tell you that that the very idea that that they might be purged, is terrifying. I'm only an asthmatic, but that is enough to keep me from most healthcare coverage in the USA tonight and going forward.

[izabella]

5 minutes ago, Toomuchsoap said:

What's your solution? 

For those that depend  on healthcare coverage, I must tell you that that the very idea that that they might be purged, is terrifying. I'm only an asthmatic, but that is enough to keep me from most healthcare coverage in the USA tonight and going forward.

My solution?  Leave Medicare alone.  It's working fine and millions of people depend on it.  The ACA should have been modeled that way and run that way.

[Bastet]

30 minutes ago, Cupid Stunt said:

48 minutes ago, Pixel said:

It seriously cracks me up that I see the word "fuck" in some form in his thread more than in all the other threads I frequent combined. That shows you our state of mind!

Fuck.

Fuck the fucking fuckers.

[backformore]

going back to an earlier discussion of celebs on Twitter -   Some of my other favorites are George Takei (brilliantly funny), Judd Apatow, Bette Midler, and Stephen King. 

[Padma]

14 minutes ago, izabella said:

My solution?  Leave Medicare alone.  It's working fine and millions of people depend on it.  The ACA should have been modeled that way and run that way.

Well put.  Ryan keeps saying Medicare is insolvent and it isn't. It's the best run, most cost effective government program we have. They should expand it, not privatize it.
 

Quote

 

silly me ... Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday. This isn’t a normal thing; presidents-elect are usually too busy preparing to take on leadership of one of the largest organizations in the world to bother with staging mass circle-jerks with supporters, but not The Orange One.

The Ein Volk Ein Reich Ein Führer Tour presents an opportunity to show that we’re not all Good Germans. I’m not in Ohio, but if I were, I’d be combing through social media right now to find and/or start discussions about staging demonstrations to counter the Neo-Nazi-scented adulation event. For the moment, we’re still living in a country where the president understands and respects the First Amendment.

 

I like your rally picture. Every time I hear him say, "One people, one flag, one nation" I always think of the German one instead. If he could get away with it, you know he'd rather say, "One people, one nation, one leader !" and then hear thecheers and see the salutes.

I hope there will be -massive- protests in Ohio. Times have changed, and now that we're stuck with him hopefully people will send a message that he's NOT the popular choice..

[suomi]

I hope he hears vociferous public boos and jeers and snide laughter and "Lock Him Up" and "Resistance" at some point during every single day of the rest of his life.

[Toomuchsoap]

47 minutes ago, Cupid Stunt said:

If you hated Hair Gropenführer: The Campaign, you will hate Hair Gropenführer: The Coup, followed by Hair Gropenführer: The Banana Republic With Nukes.

Herr Hairpiece will begin his victory tour of the swing states this week, starting in Nuremberg, Ohio ...

 

silly me ... Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday. This isn’t a normal thing; presidents-elect are usually too busy preparing to take on leadership of one of the largest organizations in the world to bother with staging mass circle-jerks with supporters, but not The Orange One.

The Ein Volk Ein Reich Ein Führer Tour presents an opportunity to show that we’re not all Good Germans. I’m not in Ohio, but if I were, I’d be combing through social media right now to find and/or start discussions about staging demonstrations to counter the Neo-Nazi-scented adulation event. For the moment, we’re still living in a country where the president understands and respects the First Amendment.

Hair Gropenführer is a narcissist who thrives on adulation. But his ego is brittle enough that he is driven to tell embarrassing lies about facts that contradict his self-image, such as his massive popular vote loss and the spontaneous demonstrations that broke out nationwide when he won the Electoral College. It gets under his very thin skin. Herr Hairpiece's takeaway from the RNC was that he is “very well-liked.” Well, he’s not; he will in fact be inaugurated as the most unpopular president-elect in the history of polling, who lost the popular vote by the widest margin ever. He should be reminded frequently that we don’t all love him, via news reports of peaceful demonstrations, if necessary. No honeymoon for you, waste of skin.

I’m sure opinions vary around here on the utility of protests. I think they have their place, and coming out in force to express opposition to a tin-horn Neo-Nazi who’s trying to stage a self-love fest sounds like a good place to start. What say you? Opposing Hair Gropenführer and shoring up democratic institutions will require the ability to multitask. You can call your representatives and senators while you’re waiting for the demonstration to start.

Correct, but the train's left the station. The protest is over. Sorry, but just fact. This is only peripherally about tRump now.  This is only about policy and these sick fuck inbred shits who're running this country now. 

[Bastet]

Quote

Ryan keeps saying Medicare is insolvent and it isn't. It's the best run, most cost effective government program we have. They should expand it, not privatize it.

I had a major and a minor in college, so electives were at a premium, and I wanted to study pretty much everything.  I took classes from a variety of schools, including a Gerontology class on programs and policies affecting the elderly.  It was one of my favorites.  I was about 20 years old, it was the early '90s -- I hadn't given Medicare a lot of thought beyond being generally in favor of social welfare programs and finding it odd we were one of the few industrialized nations not providing universal health care.  Holy crap; getting into the history and the nitty gritty of it made me a forever fan. 

(And when I took charge of handling my grandpa's medical paperwork, it was astounding to me how efficient - and beneficial - the Medicare coverage was compared to the supplemental private insurance he'd purchased [and ultimately dropped because it wasn't cost effective].) 

Privatization of public resources and government programs is almost always a bad thing for society as a whole.  I can't think of a scenario in which this would be more true than turning Medicare and/or Social Security over to the whims of corporations and the stock market.
 

[P2C2E]

3 hours ago, Rapunzel said:

...and, this is the one of the worst things I’ve heard, he thinks that employers should be able to fire employees who use birth control or for having an abortion.

Do you have a quote for this? Was it on Rachel Maddow? That is just such a horrific thing to say that my brain doesn't want to comprehend someone saying that. Out loud! I don't generally consider myself naive but this election is plumbing the depths of my skepticism. 

[Rapunzel]

15 minutes ago, P2C2E said:

Do you have a quote for this? Was it on Rachel Maddow? That is just such a horrific thing to say that my brain doesn't want to comprehend someone saying that. Out loud! I don't generally consider myself naive but this election is plumbing the depths of my skepticism. 

It was on Rachel Maddow's show. She had a fairly in depth discussion about Price and his viewpoints and had a number of clips of things he has said.

Agree that it is horrific and I sincerely hope that most companies would never abide by this. I live in very liberal CA and work as an attorney for a large tech company that I think, along with many other silicon valley companies, will stand up to Trump and not agree to implement these policies. They are publically traded and have shareholders to answer to, first and foremost. Trump can't dictate how they do business - he can try to impose sanctions, but I don't know how successful he would be as those companies tend to stick together. Even though they may compete in some areas, there are many other areas where they have strategic partnerships and won't let a piss ant like Trump walk all over them. If he starts trying to sink our major tech companies, then he's in trouble as our economy will take a huge nose dive. He doesn't have the knowledge, the skills, or the general sense to overcome it.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Rapunzel

[ruby24]

Can blue states protect their healthcare coverage somehow?

[backformore]

Keith olbermann is about as pissed off as I am:

[SyracuseMug]

9 hours ago, Menrva said:

SyracuseMug, I'm sorry if I offended you. I'm just so frustrated by all of this and I have few places to bitch about it…

No offense was taken. I’ve read the replies, and I figure I might as well air my thoughts now and see how they’re received, beginning with my take on the “team mentality” of politicians. I’ve already warned people that I can be a bit long-winded. Also, much of this was written before Trump announced a lot of the picks for his cabinet, so perhaps I can comment on those later. 

 

Humans are hardwired to self-identify as part of a group (or team), and we exist as members of many such groups throughout our lives. It begins with our families, and extends from there to the schools we attend, the places where we work, the cities we live in, the states (or provinces) where we reside, and finally to our various countries. But we also exist in groups based on gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and so on. Some groups give us solidarity, others allow for mutual protection or gain, and some promote a spirit of competition and the desire to win. Just look at any sports team as an example.

And this brings me to the realm of politics, where groups are formed along the lines of ideologies or through varying ways of looking at the world. We develop a belief system and reinforce it by gravitating generally toward newspapers, news channels, websites, and likeminded people who help us to confirm what we’re already thinking and feeling. That’s pretty much the basis for both the Democratic and Republican parties; but the problem with many politicians on both sides of the aisle is they seem not to understand that members of the “other team,” once elected, are not their opponents, but their colleagues. When “party” becomes more important than “country,” then it’s time for them to leave office.

I’ve long wished that every issue or bill in Congress, big or small, could be debated on its own merits, and without partisanship. My frustration has increased with every election cycle, and obviously I’m not alone. Why has our infrastructure been allowed to deteriorate for as long as it has? Why have so many companies found it necessary to move overseas? Why is education so lacking in the inner cities? Why are those cities falling apart? These are only a few of the questions I keep asking myself. Solutions exist, but have not been vigorously sought or implemented, year after year. “First we need to get re-elected, so let’s just keep kicking the can down the road.” That seems to be a politician’s mantra.

I've also lamented the political environment we live in where the cream can't rise to the top. Somewhere out there is a person who could become the greatest president this country has ever seen, but first he or she needs to get elected. Presidential hopefuls are expected to follow a rigid decorum when they seek office, and are immensely vulnerable to fickle public opinion. Let them utter one gaffe, or suffer a "gotcha" moment, and it's all over in a heartbeat. Such barriers have certainly taken down plenty of unfit candidates; but how many good ones have also slipped through the cracks? Or have even been willing to face the gauntlet? And why is it an axiom that presidential contenders must exclusively arise from within only a small pool of career politicians? Is that what the founding fathers intended?

When Trump announced his candidacy, and continued to gain momentum, I viewed him not so much as an agent for change, but as a symbol for change. I realized that if he won, an important precedent would be set: that the path to the presidency was now open to a much wider group of qualified people.

There are only five living individuals who currently have the experience to serve as a U.S. president. Their names are Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. For anyone else, it’s going to be a learning curve, regardless of their history. Donald Trump has over forty years of experience negotiating deals with people here and abroad, including politicians, and he also knows how to delegate. His sister is a federal judge, and his uncle was an esteemed physics professor at M.I.T., which tells me that significant intelligence and drive clearly runs in the family.

A person who wishes to become a competent dancer has to have good balance, flexibility, stamina, and timing. Those who lack these prerequisites are going to have a much more difficult time learning to dance than a gymnast or ice skater who already possesses those skills. By that measure, because of his background, I see Trump as substantially more qualified for the presidency than many of his detractors believe.

In 1987, I was a recent college graduate who came across The Art of the Deal in a bookstore and decided to buy it after browsing a few pages. I had only vaguely heard of Donald Trump, and therefore had no opinion of him one way or the other. But I read his book in just a few hours, admiring his drive toward pursuing huge deals, and the efficiency with which he completed them. I came away with the inspired feeling that I could achieve great things in my own life by likewise daring to think big. 

I also appreciated that he seemed to be progressive in his attitude toward women, based on a couple of quotes from the book:

1) "The person I hired to be my personal representative overseeing the construction (of Trump Tower) was the first woman ever put in charge of a skyscraper in New York." 

2) "I've hired a lot of women for top jobs, and they've been among my best people. Often, in fact, they are far more effective than the men around them." 

Later I read Surviving at the Top and The Art of the Comeback, which offered more stories about his projects, including a chapter describing his involvement with the 1995 New York City Veterans Day Parade. Afterward he was invited to lunch at the Pentagon with the entire Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he talked about that as well.

I mention these things to illustrate how I developed a positive impression of Trump and maintained that admiration for decades. I had an image of a man who was ambitious and undaunted, who respected and revered the veterans, championed the progress of women in the workplace, performed a number of good deeds without fanfare, and clawed his way back from the recession of the early nineties after nearly losing everything. I also felt that I had an intuitive sense of what made him tick, which came not just from reading the lines in his books, but from reading between those lines. 

When he announced his candidacy, and came under fire for his “sexism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and xenophobia,” I wasn’t prepared to accept any of those labels because I first had to shed thirty years of believing very different things about the man. 

I'm one of those who analyzes everything and is always looking below the surface, as it were. When people say or do something controversial, I'll ignore the media spin and judge all words or actions from the source.

Last year on December 7, four days after the massacre in San Bernardino, and less than three weeks after the Paris attacks, Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on.” 

While the media focused on the first half of this statement, I focused on the latter. I agreed fully that Muslims as a whole should not and cannot be singled out for the actions of a few, but I also saw the value of looking deeper into why these attacks are happening (the motivation behind them), and what greater steps we can take toward preventing them. This, I believe, was the actual goal behind Trump’s proposal. The Muslim ban was just one suggestion for achieving it (and admittedly not the best one), yet I don’t believe there was any hatred intended toward the Muslim community.

I apply similar reasoning to Trump’s remarks about Mexicans. I viewed his speech in its entirety as a clumsy attempt to highlight his concerns about undocumented immigrants who come here not seeking a better life, but for more nefarious reasons. Deporting those particular people wouldn’t cause me to lose a wink of sleep at night, but I have complete empathy for the rest. I don’t want to see millions of families uprooted, and in spite of what he has said, I think Trump is too pragmatic to insist upon a deeply unpopular action when easier options are available.

Ten years ago, Trump refused to fire Tara Conner, a Miss USA winner who was in the midst of a drug controversy. I thought it was a kind and charitable act, but Rosie O'Donnell publicly attacked him on "The View" and made some very nasty personal comments. In response, Trump took off the gloves and fired back. Some might argue that he could have taken the high road and ignored her, but considering that O'Donnell’s attack bordered on slander, I’m not certain that his reaction should be universally condemned.

It is also not conclusive whether this and similar incidents were attacks on women, or attacks on specific individuals who happened to be female. More troubling are his comments on the “Access Hollywood” tape, and the number of women who have come forward alleging sexual assault. I feel absolute disgust toward sexual predators whose actions are proven in a court of law. The recent case at Stanford involving Brock Turner comes to mind. But I also believe in the presumption of innocence. So I’m not letting Trump off the hook here. I’m simply choosing to reserve judgment.

Growing up, my best friends were a family of Asian refugees, and we remain very close. One of them works in a grocery store, and was recently told by a customer to “go back to your own country.” I’ve had friends from many ethnic backgrounds, and I’ve always been very interested in learning about their cultures. The cretins who harass these innocent people enrage me as well, but I don’t blame their behavior on Trump. I hold them responsible for their own actions.

On the other hand, there are several criticisms of Trump I do agree with here. He should have deleted his Twitter account the moment he secured the nomination. He needs to leave New York City in January, and move into the White House full time. He should forcefully denounce white supremacy, again and again if necessary, until the media and the public are satisfied. He should reassure all of the minority communities (through actions, not words) that he isn’t against them, and he should eliminate any perception of conflicts of interest by whatever means necessary. He should even consider hiring a few democrats for his cabinet, or for other high positions in his administration.

I’m unsure how many voters there are who accept or embrace every facet of a candidate’s platform, or believe that every promise made should be kept; but I am not one of those voters. I don’t support a wall along the entire southern border. I’m not in favor of banning all Muslims from entering the United States. I don’t want to see a mass deportation of millions of immigrants whether they came here legally or not.

What I would like to see is a streamlining of the Affordable Care Act, and not a complete gutting, unless something better can be devised and implemented which both sides agree on. I would like to see a Supreme Court which remains in the center, rather than leaning far right or far left. I would like our economy to soar, and I would love to see a shiny new infrastructure, with maybe even high speed rail as a bonus. I’d like to see these terrorist threats and attacks become a distant memory. Above all, I would like to see an efficient government where problems are solved and not ignored. 

I’m not naive enough to believe that Trump is a panacea, but I’m also not worried that he represents the apocalypse. I’m more than willing to give him a chance, and see if he might pleasantly surprise us. It’s still early. If he can succeed in uniting the congress and help to facilitate positive results instead of bickering and gridlock, then I can feel reassured of the support which I gave him.

[KIMBERLYANN11]

Thank you - I only really had time to skim here on my way to work, but I appreciate the time and thought you put into it.   I'll have time to come back to it later.  I would like to express how much I appreciate you not dragging out the "But Hillary".   

Edited November 30, 2016 by KIMBERLYANN11

[sleekandchic]

I think Trump is already showing us that he plans to be a figurehead president only, while leaving the 24/7 policy details, negotiations, appointments and  minutaie to Pence.  I haven't forgotten the John Kasich-camp revelation that Trump Jr had offered the VP slot to Kasich, with the promise that K would be the most powerful VP in U.S. history since Trump would allow him to run both foreign and domestic policies.  (Later, DT Jr issued a nebulous denial; but Gov K confirmed the account given by his aide to the press.)

Contrary to the LOOK AT ME! I'M WORKING SO HARD! MAKING DECISIONS! -show we're being fed daily from Trump's lobby, I think DT is doing bare minimum as far as interviewing candidates and mapping out his policies.  Conway is already on public record (WashPo) talking about how easy it is to manipulate Trump's thinking (the "instead of six brownies, maybe eat two"-doctrine).    Now, we see many of the appointees so far are Pence/Ryan friends and loyalists, as well as outdated Republican has-beens, billionaires and Goldman Sachs. People who want to abolish the VA and privatize all veterans' programs.  People who want to privatize Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.      SO many of Trumps appointees  hold opinions and mindsets diametrically opposed to Trump's promises during the campaign. He had depicted himself as the anti-Republican Republican...the "compassionate" Uniter.  Now his appointments show that he really just doesn't care about the nitty gritty or the philosophy of his campaign.  He said what was expedient, but he never cared.   He loves the spotlight and adulation, but that's about the extent of his interest.  Trump is allowing others to mold and to run his administration.

I believe he's already bored with the Office of the Presidency.  Hence, the tweeting-crutch  and the announcement of a victory/thank you tour are front and center.  Trump is like an aging rock star who craves that Farewell Tour just one more time, to see if he's still got "it," and if the groupies will still grovel.  Trouble is, he's a bottomless pit of need, and all he will look forward to are more and more farewell tours.

Oh, he'll still manipulate the occasional stunt to show he's keeping his promises, for ex, the Carrier deal.  But only if the "deals" reflect brightly on his brilliance as the ultimate dealmaker. And the fact that his deals, like Carrier, will be nonpermanent, short-term, bandaid fixes, will not matter.  Out of sight, out of mind.

I'm genuinely scared of where we're headed.  Trump supporters are not getting the Trump they voted for; and the supporters AND we opponents are getting a usurper president in Pence.  That's not supposed to be how my country does it.

As an aside, I've reached the conclusion that President Obama has been scared shitless by his interactions with the President-elect. I can't think of any other reasons for the frequent 45 min/one hour phone convos between the two men.  It's a losing battle, imho, but President Obama is trying to be the Trump-whisperer.

Barack Obama will be a patriot until the end.  

And the gaunt, much-thinner Mitt Romney's newest endorsement of Trump as America's greatest hope ALSO convinces me that MR has also been scared shitless and doing whatever he can to wiggle into the Secy of State spot, to save the planet from Trump.

Wouldn't surprise me to read somebody's memoir in 50 years revealing how Obama and Romney teamed to TRY to save our country and the world.

And  just my opinion of course, but Trump in the WH will be a ticking time bomb.  I think the revolving door of willing sex partners will make Bill Clinton's unforgivable sexcapades look like amateursville.  Trump will have WAY to much time on his hands.

[Hanahope]

I swear I feel like I have to take back every bad thing I ever said about George Bush. He was a great president compared to Trump.

[Rapunzel]

Despite Jill Stein paying $3.5 million for a recount in WI, they are not going to recount by hand. This is a problem since one of the complaints was Russia hacking the voting machines. If they don't recount by hand and use other machines (and I have no idea how these things work), but can Russia hack them again?

Here's the link to the article in USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/11/29/judge-rejects-steins-request-hand-recount-wis/94644538/

Stein may appeal the decision, and her reps are hoping the clerks decide to do a hand recount anyway, especially as the judge even stated that there were good reasons to recount by hand but nothing legal to mandate it. Well, as a judge, they can mandate it, particularly given that one of the key reasons for the recount was potential hacking or interference with the electronic votes, though they claim there isn't enough proof of this. Well, to get the proof, they likely have to recount by hand FFS. Hillary's people are also apparently backing a hand recount.

WI also apparently stated initially that the cost of the recount would be around $1million, then later upped the cost when individual counties started to report that it would cost them more. How on earth does $3.5million, up from the originally estimated $1million, not warrant a hand recount?  They are paying over 3 times what they thought they would have to and now can't even get a hand recount? That's just bullshit. I can't help but wonder, what did Trump and his minions promised them or threatened them with?

ETA: Given that now even Trump himself (however stupidly) is claiming voter fraud, isn't it in everyone's best interests to do this recount properly?

Edited November 30, 2016 by Rapunzel

[Chicken Wing]

Thank you, SyracuseMug, for sharing your perspective. If more Trump supporters were as articulate and reasonable as you are in your logic, my blood pressure wouldn't be as high as it is now. :) I hope you continue to share your opinions. It would be a great change of pace to be able to dialogue with someone whose argument goes beyond "He won, get over it."

[Rapunzel]

According to The Hill, Trump Tweeted that he would be "holding a major news conference on December 15th" with his spawn to "discuss the fact that he would be leaving his great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

He also states that he is not mandated to do this by law, but he feels that it is "visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses.."

Okay, so this comes a bit late, given many of his actions as PE, and also, his wording states that he will "discuss" leaving his business interests behind. He is also quick to point out that he is under no legal obligation to do so, but it is "visually important"(meaning he doesn't believe in it at all and likely won't really do it, just give us an illusion), therefore he is trying to convince the American people that he is doing us a favor and actually focusing on being President (and continuing to Tweet obnoxious, toddler like statements that have nothing to do with running the country). He's left a lot of wiggle room in this series of Tweets - also, why did this come out in Tweets for goodness sakes? Any normal person would have put out a short press release or something. We all know Twitter is his favorite toy and apparently he cannot live without it, but this is going a bit far.

In addition, turning the business over to his demon spawn is not the same as putting it in a blind trust, which he really should do. He will still have access and, since he is giving his kids security clearance, there are still definite conflict of interest issues. I think he is doing this to avoid the lease clause on his new DC hotel that states that a government official cannot be part of lease, however, him turning that over to his children does not really fix that problem. The only thing that would is putting it into a blind trust or selling his interest outright, which he should do with all of his other holdings as well.

He's trying to throw people a bone here, but it's complete bullshit and doesn't mean anything or change anything. He will still be running his companies. The only way to guarantee that he focuses entirely on being President is if he puts everything in a blind trust and doesn't give his kids security clearance.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Rapunzel

[Chicken Wing]

IKR? What good is this "announcement"? Sure, it contradicts what he alluded to in the last week or so with his horrifying remarks about how he could conceivably run his business from the White House and the law is totally on his side, etc., but the alternative that he is proposing, what it was understood he planned to do before, of stepping back and leaving the business to the kids doesn't help matters either. Experts have already discussed ad nauseum that this will not alleviate the conflict of interest issues he faces. Even leaving the company in the hands of a blind trustee rather than his kids won't totally save him, due to the nature of his wealth and holdings -- regardless of who's in charge of managing it, he will still know what he owns and what it's doing. Really, the only way he can completely separate himself is if he liquidated all assets and sold off everything -- something he is not likely to do, and I can't say I blame him too much, but that's pretty much the only way he could avoid any issue. The only way, and it's not gonna happen. He's still going to be involved. Even if he's not managing it anymore and is not involved in the day to day, it's still his business and it still benefits him.

[stormy]

(Supposedly) Ivanka's not allowed to have an official WH position.  This morning on The Bill Press Show, his guest, Nikki Schwab, from The Daily Mail says, oh, too bad, it would be good to have a republican woman's voice coming out out the WH.  WTF?  No matter what else, Ivanka's not a republican and she only goes along with doughy daddy because she doesn't have to worry about any of the things average women have to.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

Privatization of public resources and government programs is almost always a bad thing for society as a whole.  I can't think of a scenario in which this would be more true than turning Medicare and/or Social Security over to the whims of corporations and the stock market.

THIS. Insurance companies are in the business of making money. That's it. Nothing else. They do not care on fuck about their insureds or whether or not they're getting affordable, quality coverage. They want to make money. They don't care you can't afford the premium, they don't care that you can't afford to go to the doctor, they *DON'T CARE*. They have CEOs making multiple millions of dollars who want to keep making multiple millions of dollars more. So long as money is a motivating factor to some greedy, rich white guy, someone is gonna get screwed and that someone is all of us. 

I saw that picture of Romney eating his "working-class billionaire" dinner of frog's legs with Agent Orange last night and nearly threw up. Then I read his fawning statement post dinner and thought, "Wow, is there really no one isn't willing to sell their soul to dance with the devil?" 

 

7 hours ago, SyracuseMug said:

n 1987, I was a recent college graduate who came across The Art of the Deal in a bookstore and decided to buy it after browsing a few pages. I had only vaguely heard of Donald Trump, and therefore had no opinion of him one way or the other. But I read his book in just a few hours, admiring his drive toward pursuing huge deals, and the efficiency with which he completed them. I came away with the inspired feeling that I could achieve great things in my own life by likewise daring to think big. 

Thank you for your thoughtful post...I enjoyed reading it very much. I pulled this paragraph to share Tony Schwartz's recollection of writing that book that you might find interesting: DONALD TRUMP’S GHOSTWRITER TELLS ALL “The Art of the Deal” made America see Trump as a charmer with an unfailing knack for business. Tony Schwartz helped create that myth—and regrets it.

[Rapunzel]

5 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

THIS. Insurance companies are in the business of making money. That's it. Nothing else. They do not care on fuck about their insureds or whether or not they're getting affordable, quality coverage. They want to make money. They don't care you can't afford the premium, they don't care that you can't afford to go to the doctor, they *DON'T CARE*. They have CEOs making multiple millions of dollars who want to keep making multiple millions of dollars more. So long as money is a motivating factor to some greedy, rich white guy, someone is gonna get screwed and that someone is all of us. 

I saw that picture of Romney eating his "working-class billionaire" dinner of frog's legs with Agent Orange last night and nearly threw up. Then I read his fawning statement post dinner and thought, "Wow, is there really no one isn't willing to sell their soul to dance with the devil?" 

In addition to the insurance companies themselves needing to turn a profit, which, since they are a business, goes without saying, many HMOs in particular have an additional conflict of interest to deal with. The doctors themselves are often shareholders. Therefore, it is often in the doctor's best interests to reduce costs as they will see the benefit of that. There have been many suits brought and conflict of interest issues raised around this as it could technically prevent the doctor from recommending certain tests or the best course of treatment because it may be more expensive and cut into the HMO's (meaning the doctor's) profits. HMOs also make it nearly impossible to go "out of network" as you would likely have to pay for that close to, if not entirely, out of pocket even if you just wanted a second opinion.

This is something I think the ACA may have been eventually trying to address, however it hasn't been given enough time to work out all the kinks. If the system is privatized again under the Trump administration and people either cannot get insurance at all or are forced into HMO only plans though their employer as they are almost always cheaper, they risk being subjected to substandard care and not getting all the necessary tests and treatments that would be prescribed under a PPO type plan, for example.

For those that have a choice, my advice is to always pick the PPO option. It may technically cost more, but it is pre-tax income that they are taking out, so in each paycheck you shouldn't notice too much of a difference in your take home pay. Also, set up a health care spending account (it's often an option through your employer and you should probably do this regardless of which type of plan you choose - HMO, PPO, etc.). Set it up for your out of pocket maximum, or whatever you think you will spend on healthcare that year (this includes co-pays). This money is typically set aside from day 1 and the full amount is usually ready for you to use right away even though they spread it out to take a certain amount out of each paycheck pre-tax over the whole year. Once you hit your out of pocket max, under most plans, you don't have to pay anything else - including co-pays.

I have no idea what Trump's suggested nominee will do here, but if you get these things locked in now, I think you'll be covered for at least the upcoming year as I don't know that they can revoke any benefits.

Let's just hope that the asshole (Price) Trump has nominated for Health and Human Services Secretary doesn't go through or, in a typical Trump move, that he changes his mind. Price's whole stance on birth control, as I posted earlier, is absurd. Giving an employer the right to fire someone for using birth control is flat out ridiculous. He can take his tiny, shriveled up, joke of a penis and inflict its beliefs elsewhere. I'm an attorney for one of the largest tech companies in the world and if they were to fire every employee using birth control or prohibit insurance to those with pre-existing conditions, they'd go out of business. What an asinine idea.

[windsprints]

Quote

He's trying to throw people a bone here, but it's complete bullshit and doesn't mean anything or change anything. He will still be running his companies. The only way to guarantee that he focuses entirely on being President is if he puts everything in a blind trust and doesn't give his kids security clearance.

Agreed. Ivanka has already been included on meetings and phone calls with leaders from other countries and I'm sure would be at receptions, etc going forward.  IIRC, Trump was also requesting clearance for his son in law as he is one of his advisers.  His children and their spouses should be completely removed from any government intelligence, functions, meetings. Even if that's done we'd still have to trust that Trump wouldn't tell them what they need to know to benefit his businesses. I don't.  Blind trust with no family involvement until he leaves office is the only way to avoid conflicts.

Quote

Presidential hopefuls are expected to follow a rigid decorum when they seek office, and are immensely vulnerable to fickle public opinion. Let them utter one gaffe, or suffer a "gotcha" moment, and it's all over in a heartbeat.

 I think we call all agree that ship has sailed. Clearly there are no longer any gaffe or gotchas that can keep someone from being elected. 

[KerleyQ]

9 hours ago, backformore said:

going back to an earlier discussion of celebs on Twitter -   Some of my other favorites are George Takei (brilliantly funny), Judd Apatow, Bette Midler, and Stephen King. 

Judd Apatow retweeted me a few weeks ago.  Of course, that led to me getting Trump trolls, but I'm proud to say that I got any who decided to troll me to block me before long.  

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

I had a major and a minor in college, so electives were at a premium, and I wanted to study pretty much everything.  I took classes from a variety of schools, including a Gerontology class on programs and policies affecting the elderly.  It was one of my favorites.  I was about 20 years old, it was the early '90s -- I hadn't given Medicare a lot of thought beyond being generally in favor of social welfare programs and finding it odd we were one of the few industrialized nations not providing universal health care.  Holy crap; getting into the history and the nitty gritty of it made me a forever fan. 

(And when I took charge of handling my grandpa's medical paperwork, it was astounding to me how efficient - and beneficial - the Medicare coverage was compared to the supplemental private insurance he'd purchased [and ultimately dropped because it wasn't cost effective].) 

Privatization of public resources and government programs is almost always a bad thing for society as a whole.  I can't think of a scenario in which this would be more true than turning Medicare and/or Social Security over to the whims of corporations and the stock market.
 

I'm currently on Medicare (I've been disabled since the age of 29, so, as you can imagine, the threats to SS and Medicare are very personal for me).  The differences between it and the employee provided plans I've had in the past, through my own work and my husband's employers, are night and day.  I currently have Medicare as my primary and my husband's employer provided plan as my secondary (he works for a small firm, and if the employer has less than a certain number of employees, I think it's 50, Medicare is the primary), and our son, who is diabetic, is covered under my husband's plan.  I have zero problems with insurance.  No out of pocket co-pays, a very low out of pocket deductible each year, no hassles getting procedures or tests.  No constant requests for more information from the insurance company, etc.  With my son, it's nothing but a pain in the butt.  He had routine blood work done last month for his endocrinologist, and we got requests from the insurance company to provide information as to whether the blood work was the result of an accident (yes, because after an accident, you often have nothing else done but a comprehensive metabolic panel) and to provide information as to whether there is any other insurance he's covered by.  That second request, they send us like 3-4 times per year.  They even send them on me 3-4 times per year when they know I have other coverage and that they're my secondary coverage.  For my son's specialist, I have to pay $60 per office visit, plus, usually, another $10-$15 after they process it because they don't like to pay for A1C tests (because, hey, what diabetic needs to get that done to maintain a grip on their health, right?).  And if he needs to go to the ER?  $500 co-pay.  It's insane.  We both had a really bad flu that turned into pneumonia last year.  And we both ended up in the ER with 104 fevers (and severe dehydration for me, high ketones for him).  I paid nothing out of pocket.  For him, it was the $500 co-pay and then an additional couple hundred after the claim was processed.  

So, yeah, I'm not a big fan of them allowing the insurance companies to handle Medicare.  The level of care will go down (and be harder to navigate), and the cost to us out of pocket will go WAY up.  

35 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

Thank you for your thoughtful post...I enjoyed reading it very much. I pulled this paragraph to share Tony Schwartz's recollection of writing that book that you might find interesting: DONALD TRUMP’S GHOSTWRITER TELLS ALL “The Art of the Deal” made America see Trump as a charmer with an unfailing knack for business. Tony Schwartz helped create that myth—and regrets it.

I was going to respond with exactly this.  The man in the pages of that book was not Trump.  It was a fictionalized glossy version of him made interesting by a determined ghost writer.  Contrast the picture Tony Schwartz painted of him (with little to no input from the man himself) with the things Trump has shown us (like the Access Hollywood tape and his many business failures).   He's not nearly as successful in business as he claims, with numerous failures to his name and an extremely low credit rating with commercial lenders (which is why he has to secure financing from other countries these days).  And the success he does have, the money he does make, is made on the backs of the very people he's out there claiming he'll help - American workers and small businesses.  Despite his pledge to "bring back jobs," his companies have their manufacturing done overseas for cheap labor.  And small businesses?  He gets them to enter into contracts to provide materials and services for his projects, then he shorts them, if he pays them at all, always citing some imagined "defect" in their work or materials.  The country is littered with small business owners who have seen their companies financially damaged and even, in some cases, ruined, by Trump's con artist ways.  He's not going to suddenly start doing the right thing by the people he's been screwing over for his entire career.  

As for whether he's racist - he was charged, multiple times, with refusing to rent to minorities.  As part of his con, he settled "without admitting guilt."  That way he can say, honestly, now "I was never found guilty of that."  He lobbied for the Central Park Five, who were later exonerated, to be executed.  Even after their exoneration (fairly recently, in fact), he said that they were clearly guilty of something, otherwise what were guys like that doing in the park?  He may justify things later, and people who are predisposed to like him may be willing to wave off some of the things he's said on the campaign trail that were racist as hyperbole or misunderstood, but he has a demonstrated history of racism.  He's made multiple racist comments during his career.  He's behaved in a racist manner.  

Oh, and back to the way he does business - he says he's going to deport all the illegal immigrants and not let any more come in (with his big beautiful wall), but who does he employ at his various businesses to do the grunt work manual labor?  Illegal immigrants.  He wants to bring jobs back to American people, and he applies for special visas to bring in thousands of immigrants to work at his properties instead of giving those jobs to the unemployed workers who live here.  And the wall?  He's had numerous opportunities to admit that the wall isn't a thing that happens.  But he kept bragging about that wall, even after the election stating in a live television interview that "I'm in construction, this is what I do."  When we all know that the only way that wall is going up is if his companies get the contract to build it and he gets to brand it with his name.  And that won't be about keeping out immigrants (who will still get in), it will be about lining his pockets at our expense.  

[ari333]

The women being fired for birth control /abortion issue reminded me of something. Back in the old days when I was in high school there was an unmarried teacher who was fired for being pregnant and unmarried. The male teacher who was the father was unscathed and remained employed. Not saying he should have lost his job too,  just that neither should have lost the job.  

They committed the same act of unmarried sex (the horror!) and she was the one punished by  being fired .

The way tubby talks about and treats women, nothing will surprise me and it seems to be getting worse by the day.  I agree with the above poster upthread. Everyone who is not a rich, white, male is fucked. .

I read what they have in store for Medicare. Did they mention Medicaid?

Edited November 30, 2016 by ari333

[Rapunzel]

2 hours ago, stormy said:

(Supposedly) Ivanka's not allowed to have an official WH position.  This morning on The Bill Press Show, his guest, Nikki Schwab, from The Daily Mail says, oh, too bad, it would be good to have a republican woman's voice coming out out the WH.  WTF?  No matter what else, Ivanka's not a republican and she only goes along with doughy daddy because she doesn't have to worry about any of the things average women have to.

Exactly, Ivanka, due to the anti-nepotism laws, cannot hold an official position in her Oompa Loompa father's administration and neither can her husband as in-laws are excluded from holding positions as well.

Trump, however, seems to be ignoring this for the most part, and it became pretty obvious that he was doing so when he tried to get security clearance for his demon spawn and Ivanka's spouse, Jerad (whom he seems to see as his biggest crutch at the moment). We all know Trump isn't up to the job. He has a short attention span, doesn't care about anyone other than himself, cannot even begin to cope with the amount of responsibility that this job has, is completely ignorant as to what the President's role is, doesn't know a thing about the Constitution, refuses to take the daily briefings (meaning he doesn't give a shit about what is going on in this Country or the world or any intelligence, including that which may be related to any potential threats, etc.). Further, he has no diplomatic ability whatsoever, he has his hand down Putin's pants at all times, is looking for anyway to line his own pockets, etc.  Doesn't that make us all sleep better at night? Knowing an incompetent boob (I'm a woman, and apologize to all real boobs out there - including my own for referencing them in relation to this asshat), is out there with a very fragile ego, access to the nuclear codes, prone to temper tantrums, communicates via Twitter in a manner that makes him sound like a 12 year old at best, is trying to suppress the First Amendment as he clearly cannot deal with the real press and a press conference because he has the vocab of a 3rd grader (and I think I'm being generous there), cannot answer unrehearsed questions, and also, deep down, knows he is way out his depth when it comes to being President and is completely incapable of fulfilling all of the duties associated with it. Any person who has to brag about working on Thanksgiving probably shouldn't have a job that most certainly will require it. If you are the President, the job is 24/7. You work on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, the Fourth of July, etc. You work in the middle of the night, you interrupt your Tweets, golf game, your "vacation" at Mar-a-Lago or wherever, you stop pimping your hotels, etc. You drop everything to be President. If you can't live with that, don't take the job. This is not a life of leisure. It is, as many have said, the most stressful job in the world. It is not to be taken lightly. It cannot be done part time. You either commit or you quit. Your choice.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Rapunzel

[windsprints]

In addition to costing NYC 1 million per day because his wife & kid won't move to DC he's now asking his supporters to sign a contract supporting removing federal funding:

 

[fishcakes]

7 hours ago, ruby24 said:

Can blue states protect their healthcare coverage somehow?

There are some things individual states can do, a la Romneycare in Massachusetts, that would mean some people won't lose the coverage they gained under the ACA, but the biggest stumbling block is going to be money. States can become guaranteed issue and have individual mandates, but without subsidies, many people are going to be priced out of the market. At the same time, states likely won't be able to preserve Medicaid for its lowest income citizens; each state administers Medicaid within its own borders, but it's a federal program. The Medicaid expansion will be one of the first things to go when Trump/Ryan/Price start dicking around with Obamacare. Adults without children will almost certainly no longer be able to qualify, and funding will come in the form of block grants to the states, which would remove the matching funds from the feds for state expenditures, but it would also give states complete control over how to fund the program. This will be devastating in red states with governors who are hostile to the program, and would likely encompass more states than just the 19 states that didn't expand when there was additional funding under the ACA. Some of the states that did adopt expansion will have to drop it once the funds dry up.

1 hour ago, Rapunzel said:

According to The Hill, Trump Tweeted that he would be "holding a major news conference on December 15th" with his spawn to "discuss the fact that he would be leaving his great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Perhaps at the same time, Melania can have that long-ago promised news conference explaining her immigration status.

[DollEyes]

17 hours ago, windsprints said:

Gingrich calls Trump tweet about vote fraud a big mistake

 Not that I cared about Gingrich before, but after this election, from now on the only Newts I give a shit about are in Aliens & Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.

Edited November 30, 2016 by DollEyes

[windsprints]

Trump Handing Over His Business to His Children Wouldn't Eliminate Conflicts

I hope every media outlet keeps hammering this point.

[Nidratime]

26 minutes ago, windsprints said:

In addition to costing NYC 1 million per day because his wife & kid won't move to DC he's now asking his supporters to sign a contract supporting removing federal funding:

 

Um, D.C. gets federal funding because the government literally sits in our backyard taking up real estate and inconveniencing us. If they want to stop funding us, than we have to have the ability to tax them and tax our neighbors in Maryland and Virginia who work here, use our infrastructure and pay not a dime to do so. We also have to have full control of our budget, our laws, and no interference by Congress. Furthermore, we should have full representation in Congress. Once all that's accomplished, I'm fine with ending funding.

[Toomuchsoap]

Quote

 HPPA exists for a reason. And as for pre-existing conditions, I guess that would include men with ED or those who have prostate issues, etc. That means that they are going to have to start paying for those things out of pocket now.

If a woman is on any company-underwritten/provided healthcare plan they should know that regardless of HPPA laws, etc., that company is (and probably DOES) obtain information from the insurance company about what their employees are being treated for while on those insurance plans. Bet on it. They know. Or they can by god get the information. The insurance companies aren't bound by those laws, only medical providers.

I'm going to admit something that I haven't done before, but seventeen years ago I had an abortion at the age of 45. Despite having been married previously and, subsequently in a ten-year committed relationship, I had never gotten pregnant before. I more or less assumed that I couldn't. I had been told when I was about 20 that I had a tipped uterus and that would probably make getting pregnant quite difficult. Additionally, I had endometriosis and eventually ended up using birth control to help with symptoms on and off until my early forties. After the ten-year relationship ended, I was single and celibate for several years. I became pregnant after dating my current husband for over two years. He's twelve years older than I am and has two sons, both of whom were ten and twelve at the time, and we agreed that we wouldn't have children of our own. My pregnancy was not planned and when I realized that I was indeed pregnant, I was horrified because at my age, and given the fact that we hadn't planned to conceive, there was no pre-planning (we both imbibe cocktails and wine). I made the choice to have an abortion, but I decided to use the services at a women's clinic in my city because I was very concerned about privacy. The idea of using my company's healthcare insurance to pay for the procedure horrified me. I was concerned about the privacy aspect and I believe I had a right to be paranoid about that. I don't believe anyone should assume that their medical conditions and surgical procedures are ever truly private under the umbrella of any company sponsored health care plan. My husband and I were able to pay for the procedure without hardship, so the privacy was more important than saving the several hundred dollars the procedure cost. I'm not proud of that part of my personal history. I'm saddened when I think about it. It wasn't an easy choice to make, because in my twenties and thirties, I just assumed that when I met the right man and we were married, we'd have children. I didn't meet the "right one" until I turned 42, so children then just didn't seem to be in the cards for me. So judge me if you will, I know there will be those who will, but I didn't make this decision lightly, but I'm not ashamed of it either. It was the right decision for me at that time of mine and my husband's life.

My point in relating this is simply to caution anyone who believes their medical conditions, medications, or any procedures are private. If you're covered by an entity that provides for your insurance, whether it's fully-paid by the company or it's partially-subsidized, you're most likely not.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Toomuchsoap

[khyber]

13 hours ago, Rapunzel said:

I am beyond disgusted at giving employers the right to fire a woman because she uses birth control or has had an abortion. Does that mean they can fire all men who use condoms or has gotten a woman pregnant and that resulted, for whatever reason, in an abortion as well? Whether or not I use birth control is of no concern to my employer. HPPA exists for a reason. And as for pre-existing conditions, I guess that would include men with ED or those who have prostate issues, etc. That means that they are going to have to start paying for those things out of pocket now.

Of course nothing for men would be changed. Won't be use a condom go to jail. Its just the Jezebels he's after.  Also the ED and prostate stuff is usually old geezers. They won't change pre existing for Medicare cuz those geezers vote.

[MulletorHater]

10 hours ago, Cupid Stunt said:

If you hated Hair Gropenführer: The Campaign, you will hate Hair Gropenführer: The Coup, followed by Hair Gropenführer: The Banana Republic With Nukes.

Herr Hairpiece will begin his victory tour of the swing states this week, starting in Nuremberg, Ohio ...

 

silly me ... Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday. This isn’t a normal thing; presidents-elect are usually too busy preparing to take on leadership of one of the largest organizations in the world to bother with staging mass circle-jerks with supporters, but not The Orange One.

The Ein Volk Ein Reich Ein Führer Tour presents an opportunity to show that we’re not all Good Germans. I’m not in Ohio, but if I were, I’d be combing through social media right now to find and/or start discussions about staging demonstrations to counter the Neo-Nazi-scented adulation event. For the moment, we’re still living in a country where the president understands and respects the First Amendment.

Hair Gropenführer is a narcissist who thrives on adulation. But his ego is brittle enough that he is driven to tell embarrassing lies about facts that contradict his self-image, such as his massive popular vote loss and the spontaneous demonstrations that broke out nationwide when he won the Electoral College. It gets under his very thin skin. Herr Hairpiece's takeaway from the RNC was that he is “very well-liked.” Well, he’s not; he will in fact be inaugurated as the most unpopular president-elect in the history of polling, who lost the popular vote by the widest margin ever. He should be reminded frequently that we don’t all love him, via news reports of peaceful demonstrations, if necessary. No honeymoon for you, waste of skin.

I’m sure opinions vary around here on the utility of protests. I think they have their place, and coming out in force to express opposition to a tin-horn Neo-Nazi who’s trying to stage a self-love fest sounds like a good place to start. What say you? Opposing Hair Gropenführer and shoring up democratic institutions will require the ability to multitask. You can call your representatives and senators while you’re waiting for the demonstration to start.

I read this post ironically after I watched Hitler on the American Heroes Channel last night.  It left me chilled and terrified all over again.  I tossed and turned all night long and am exhausted this morning.

I realize that some voters want us to move on, to give the Fanta Führer a chance and to pretend he didn't really, really mean those terrible things he said and only said them for expediency's sake.  I'm sorry--I just can't do it.  I'm not there yet, nor will I ever be.  What particularly struck me in this documentary was Hitler's ability to work a crowd and one of the commentators pointed out that many people had no problem with him being in power.  None.  In fact, they stood for hours waiting for him to arrive for his rallies, and clamored to get his autograph.  That they turned around years later and started acting brand new and lamented how something like Hitler, the SS and the Holocaust could have happened, my disgust turned into a blind rage.  Hitler was also seen as Germany's messiah, and his speeches were great theater.  Plus, he had people around him who were gifted at PR to present him as a strong leader in spite of his messy love life (including a relationship with a favored niece who committed suicide).

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I see parallels between Hitler and the Fanta Führer, both of whom demand capitulation and absolute loyalty--or else.  Their propaganda tactics are identical.  They gave voice to and energized people's grievances--in the case of the Germans, it was the Treaty of Versailles and for many of the Fanta Führer's supporters, it's the loss of jobs, multiculturalism manifested by the election and reelection of Barack Obama, the culture wars and the fear that those who are accustomed to being in power are being left behind.  So, they fed into his "make America great again" rhetoric.  Some of them either don't see, or simply don't care about the manipulations, including outright lies, panaceas and frauds.  Then there's the marginalization and scapegoating of minority and ethnic groups and the easy capitulation of party leaders who know better.  Don't get me started on the bread-and-circus atmosphere, or what some call the "Kardashianization" of the political process. 

That's why I will resist with every fiber of my being the attempt to normalize this vile creature.  As someone stated in a letter to the editor in this week's New Yorker, "[a] politically active society is the biggest threat to an authoritarian government..."

[Duke Silver]

Latest Cabinet Picks Are Proof That Trump Never Intended To ‘Drain The Swamp’

Quote

Despite his campaign rhetoric, Trump is not an outsider with plans to distance himself from the moneyed interests and stand up for the people. If anything, the decisions Trump has made since the election show that he is embracing these powerful influences, first by letting them run his transition team and now by asking them to run his government.

[khyber]

3 hours ago, Rapunzel said:

According to The Hill, Trump Tweeted that he would be "holding a major news conference on December 15th" with his spawn to "discuss the fact that he would be leaving his great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

 

The timing is shortly before the Electoral College votes. This is no accident. He's trying to convince them that he will play by the rules when we all know its bullshit.

[kokapetl]

33 minutes ago, fishcakes said:

Perhaps at the same time, Melania can have that long-ago promised news conference explaining her immigration status.

While she's at it, she should also explain what the hell she had done to her face. 

[Toomuchsoap]

Quote

They won't change pre existing for Medicare cuz those geezers vote.

Medicare's on the chopping block. The rethugs have wanted to gut SS since the New Deal and Medicare since the Great Society. They plan to do both with Trump. They say they're going to do it, and I believe they mean it. Frankly, I don't think they give a single shit whether they can be elected to pick poop off the street  from here on out. They want to destroy the "gubment", they want to "drown it in the bathtub". When people like Trump and Ryan tell you they're going to do something, you'd best believe them. Always assume that when a sociopath tells you what they're going to do, they mean it. They DO. Once they put their god forsaken "plans" to work, they won't have to care whether they could ever stand for reelection again. They won't need to. They will have permanently and irrevocably "Fixed" things to the point there'll never be any going back. This country and it's people are well and truly FUCKED forever. They and the other fat cats will be sunning themselves in some balmy locale with all the peasants fanning them with palm fronds and whisking fruity island cocktails to them and peeling them grapes and sucking on their knobs or bending over to service them. That's the vision of the future these fuckers have for the rest of us.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Toomuchsoap

[stillshimpy]

Quote

 I don’t want to see millions of families uprooted,

and in spite of what he has said, I think Trump is too pragmatic to insist upon a deeply unpopular action when easier options are available.

 

 

Emphasis mine.  Yeah, that's the key for a lot of people, apparently.   Deciding that he didn't mean what he said.  Sweet lords of mercy, it sure feels like the rest of us are boned because Trump supporters don't understand that he's the template of a bad boyfriend.  Charming when he feels like it, an abusive shit a lot of the times, but he has nice gold and he hired a reasonably good ghostwriter (who must be nearly fucking suicidal over the damage that was wrought, I would be) to be his Cyrano. 

Quote

I’m not naive enough to believe that Trump is a panacea, but I’m also not worried that he represents the apocalypse. I’m more than willing to give him a chance, and see if he might pleasantly surprise us. It’s still early. If he can succeed in uniting the congress and help to facilitate positive results instead of bickering and gridlock, then I can feel reassured of the support which I gave him.

 

 

Well, that makes one of us.  Yesterday the emergency broadcast system ran a test.  I assumed it was real for the only time in my entire life.  The only people still breathing easy with these cabinet picks are all people who will not be impacted by things like White Nationalists and screaming misogynists on the cabinet. 

I actually happen to be one of the people who won't be impacted, at least in theory, because he's made great strides in making sure no one is safe.  That's right, I'm an ever dwindling size, losing sleep and longevity and I won't even describe the tax break his tax plan proposes to give to someone like me.  It sure feels like a fucking bribe to look away from the nefarious things that are already going down.   I nearly threw up watching Trevor Noah detail the business conflicts of interest that will actually benefit ....Isis.  Yup, Trump's poised to piss off the Kurds via Turkey.   Want to lose twenty pounds without even trying, or needing to?  Apparently,  I've discovered the secret, stark terror for people who are not oneself, who will desperately need those of us with any remaining power in this world to step the fuck up.

I really do appreciate your taking the time to detail your reasons but the "in spite of what he has said" will always be  the place where any of that logic gains any ground with me.  Now, any politician will make promises they find it impossible to keep.  Hell, it's not unusual for a politician to make a promise, knowing it will sound good and still be impossible to keep.  Just words to curry favor.   

But when those words are racist, misogynistic, xenophobic and really, really dangerous to people that don't happen to be me?  I've heard all I need to hear and I know I must act against it.  

Edited November 30, 2016 by stillshimpy

[MulletorHater]

2 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

I saw that picture of Romney eating his "working-class billionaire" dinner of frog's legs with Agent Orange last night and nearly threw up. Then I read his fawning statement post dinner and thought, "Wow, is there really no one isn't willing to sell their soul to dance with the devil?" 

 

4 hours ago, sleekandchic said:

And the gaunt, much-thinner Mitt Romney's newest endorsement of Trump as America's greatest hope ALSO convinces me that MR has also been scared shitless and doing whatever he can to wiggle into the Secy of State spot, to save the planet from Trump.

I recall that during his failed campaign, Governor Romney was referred to as a weather vane and being like an Etch-a-Sketch.  He will go whichever way the wind blows and his lies and "misstatements" had to constantly be clarified and/or walked back.  Sometimes, he doubled down on his lies.

This is why I watched with very guarded optimism as he navigated his way through this morass called the Drumpf transition period.  And, for what?  All for a SOS position that may not materialize.  My unvoiced concerns were validated unfortunately when I saw Romney's post-dinner commentary last night.  I was deeply saddened to watch yet another detractor bow down.  I can only imagine what the dinner invitation looked like:

You are cordially invited to dine with the future führer at a restaurant of his choosing (i.e., his turf) at one of his hotels on November 29, 2016, at 8 p.m.

Menu:  French cuisine consisting of frog legs, scallops, steak, lamb chops, Crow a l'Orange, sucker souffles, coffee and Tic-Tacs

Attire:  Business attire with designer knee pads*

RSVP, with the understanding that what remains of your dignity should be left at the door; if you have a moral compass, some balls, some principles--just stay home

*If you don't already have knee pads, they can be purchased at one of the Trump Tower of Doom's luxury gift shops.

[stillshimpy]

10 minutes ago, MulletorHater said:

RSVP, with the understanding that what remains of your dignity should be left at the door; if you have a moral compass, some balls, some principles--just stay home

 

Romney has always been a weak man.  What a bunch of weak-willed cowards, cravenly scurrying after the crumbs of power.  

There are exceptions, though, Lindsay Graham has doubled down and in a move I never would have called: a sitting Republican has earned my respect and gratitude....for actually paying attention to his duty to the country.   

Edited November 30, 2016 by stillshimpy