OK...What's Next?

[Padma]

16 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

:shrug:  I'm passionate about things, but sorry, no way I can spend days...weeks, protesting in front of Trump Tower.  I make a nice living, but I'm not independently wealthy.  There are more effective ways at resisting than holding signs anyway, IMHO.  I mean, all of it matters, don't get me wrong.

That's why I expect more of people who are being paid to lead. All those Dems in Congress (and the WH) should be stepping up DAILY to keep people informed and, yes, make them angry.

"Russia sabotaged Clinton and helped elect Trump. Was he in touch with them?"  
"Trump will be in violation of the Constitution on Day 1 if he doesn't divest and set up a blind trust." 
"Trump's picks are crony capitalism at its worst and will destroy the environmental protections and give support for Putin's foreign policy agenda around the world."

Too many? Choose one then. They are all HUGE scandals--or should be, if our leaders could get energized about anything.

[fastiller]

14 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

<snip>

Not nitpicking . . . was Alzheimer's a "thing" in the mid-Eighties?

&

42 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

<snip>

I don't know how much the general population knew but yes, dementia was well known among the medical and scientific community.

In his speeches, Reagan conflated his movies roles with his own life and talked about things he had done which were part of roles he had played.  How can people close to him not have noticed that?

If the person who shared this with me knew I was sharing it -- even anonymously -- she'd be pissed, so: this person worked for one of the "BIG 3" networks (which'll give an indication of when this happened, that it was the "BIG 3") during the Reagan administration.  Among her jobs at the time was going to the airport in the limo to collect the guests (specifically the political guests) on the Sunday morning news shows.  One Sunday, toward the latter half of Reagan's first term) she collected Lee Atwater.  Since she was just a peon he spoke openly to his assistant and said "we just have to keep him* going until he reelected, then we won't have to worry about him**..."

* My friend surmised it was Reagan he was referring to. 
** I surmised that it was Alzheimer's he was referring to.

[izabella]

Meanwhile, this is what our nation's scientists are doing to protect scientific data and knowledge in this age of disinformation and lies:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/scientists-are-frantically-copying-u-s-climate-data-fearing-it-might-vanish-under-trump/?utm_term=.7fb96d383368

Quote

“Something that seemed a little paranoid to me before all of a sudden seems potentially realistic, or at least something you’d want to hedge against,” said Nick Santos, an environmental researcher at the University of California at Davis

[Duke Silver]

Well fine, protesting is important.  Then the people in here decrying the lack of it should consider standing to post, hold a sign & get to Trump Tower.

[AntiBeeSpray]

6 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

Well fine, protesting is important.  Then the people in here decrying the lack of it should consider standing to post, hold a sign & get to Drumpf Tower.

You can pay for the tickets ;) (I kid :p). It costs money to go to New York. So for now, I'll be sticking to my area to do so. People protest in other areas apart from just what Drumpf owns. It still sends a strong message.

[Duke Silver]

^^ Oh, I know...my point was only that if standing in front of Trump Tower is deemed the most valid way of resisting, then rather than complain in here, go to Trump Tower & protest.  While there is value in that, there are multiple ways of resisting.  I choose to focus on preparing for what is coming by donating time, money & what little expertise I have to whatever causes I know will act to slow down the coming autocracy.

Let's be clear about this:  all the hoping & praying, especially for some Hamilton Electors miracle is well & good.  However, pinning all hopes on that, while ignoring the inevitable outcome that Trump will stand on that dais on 1/20, is utterly irresponsible.  ****I'm not saying that is what';s happening in this forum; this is just a thought exercise & a way for me to express my opinion of how to deal w/ Trumpland****   I intend no offense.  I'm just saying, I hope people are preparing.  As always, WTF do I know??  I haven't lived through as much as many others here have, I know.  I'm just going about this the best way that I can.

[partofme]

2 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

^^ Oh, I know...my point was only that if standing in front of Trump Tower is deemed the most valid way of resisting, then rather than complain in here, go to Trump Tower & protest.

I walked up there after work a week after the election and there were 2 protesters there in total and they were across the street since his side of the street is blocked off from the public.  It was a sad and depressing site.  I can't walk up there every day after work but I would on occasion if there were more protesters around.

[Cupid Stunt]

Quote

President-elect Hair Gropenführer

3 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I don't refer to him as that, because Gary Trudeau tagged Ah-nuld with that label when he became governor. He was represented by a giant hand. Seriously hoping Gary doesn't go away, even though Doonesbury is weekly these days, and he hasn't addressed what happened.

For history, I suggest we dub November 8, 2016, as "The Day America Crapped The Bed." It's not September 11, December 7, or the day of the Boston bombing, but I think it's a tragedy in its own right. Of course, if You Know Who winds up getting denied his prize, I'll have to revise my thinking.

 

You should be honoring Steve Lopez, of the L.A. Times, for labeling Governor-elect Schwarzenegger "Der Gropenführer," neatly linking Arnold’s problem with grabbing women's breasts and keisters ("being playful" is what Arnold called it) and his alleged youthful enthusiasm for Adolf Hitler in 2003.  Garry Trudeau made Lopez's term famous in his "Doonesbury" cartoons. It's a pun on a German term for a group leader, "gruppenführer." Governor Schwarzenegger was often called Governator Gropenführer in the California alternate press, an honorarium which continues to this day.

[MulletorHater]

1 hour ago, Padma said:

That's why I expect more of people who are being paid to lead. All those Dems in Congress (and the WH) should be stepping up DAILY to keep people informed and, yes, make them angry.

"Russia sabotaged Clinton and helped elect Trump. Was he in touch with them?"  
"Trump will be in violation of the Constitution on Day 1 if he doesn't divest and set up a blind trust." 
"Trump's picks are crony capitalism at its worst and will destroy the environmental protections and give support for Putin's foreign policy agenda around the world."

Too many? Choose one then. They are all HUGE scandals--or should be, if our leaders could get energized about anything.

Padma, you were the first person I thought of this morning when I read this op-ed piece in The New York Times.  Dems Need to Grow a Fucking Backbone

I nodded and murmured so loudly several times that my Uber driver must have thought I was crazy.  I know that you and several others here have been quite vocal about the Democrats' disappearing act and need to always be so bloody honorable.  A lot of us (even us Independents and NeverTrumpers) are out here fighting the good fight while the leadership has been MIA.  Instead, there seems to be some infighting about the Obama and Sanders wings of the party.  To which I respond, "Oh, who the fuck CARES?!  Are you fucking kidding me with this shit right now?  Man up, nut up, sack up, ball up--whatever the terminology is--and start standing for what you claim are Democratic principles!"

To hell with the deal making, compromises, photo-ops, etc.  Americans should be out in the streets en masse outraged that the Tangerine Turd had this election handed to him by a foreign enemy.  Americans should also be outraged that some electors are set to hand him the White House despite knowing that he and his cabinet picks are a clear and present danger to the Republic and the rest of the world.

And, because I have been besieged with requests for donations from the DNC, I have to ask the question that I wish someone over there could answer:  Does the ACA cover backbone replacement or sack surgery?

[Lantern7]

Looked in Facebook. Apparently, the president-elect talked to Jim Brown and Ray Lewis. I guess he got all the security stuff memorized without using notes. Seriously, why? The only reason I can think of is that YKW wanted to honor the city that held his greatest rally. And Ray Lewis was a member of the Baltimore Ravens, which had been the first Cleveland Browns. Other than that, I am flummoxed by the epitome of badness and his actions. Again. Also: did Lewis teach him the Dirty Bird? On January 20, will he be dancing like a fool before taking the oath?

[fireice13]

The Democrats are doing what they've always done. I feel it's best summed up by Bruno Gianelli from the West Wing in an episode that aired 15 years ago:

[ruby24]

Dems need to be outraged at every moment. If we learn anything from the Republicans learn that.

You know why? Because it keeps people angry and ready to vote when we need them to. Being the nice guy, being the better person, it doesn't work as a party. It might work for someone specific like Obama, but in mid-terms, as a party overall, we've got to be streetfighters. We've got to get people to the polls. And for congressional elections I think it's about anger on a national level. So that's why they need to keep it up.

They all need to be Harry Reid to keep people engaged. Otherwise, all this crap just makes them feel hopeless and defeated and tuned out. We need the impression that these guys are fighting, and not in a normal way. That they're outraged and do not accept this monster who got in on a fluke. Forget Obama's peaceful transition. We don't ACCEPT it. He's not legitimate. He gets no chance. He gets no benefit of the doubt. He is an absolutely unacceptable aberration who does not have democratic consent to govern.

The system put him there against the will of the voters. Jesus, how hard a message is that to get across. It's pretty fucking easy, if you ask me. And that will sink in and that will infuriate people.

I don't understand why they roll over for this when they have the easiest message in the world to push. He is not the public's choice. And you can bet your ass this is what Republicans would do in the same position (they'd probably be suing to get her removed from office). So do it. Do what they would do. Fire up your own people (because there's more of us than them anyway).

Let Obama take the high road, but the Democrats won't lie down and take this. He's a fraud and a false president with no legitimacy from an election where he came in SECOND.

Edited December 14, 2016 by ruby24

[Bastet]

That dialogue from Bruno Gianneli has been in my Quotes file ever since that episode aired, fireice13.

"I'm tired of getting them elected! We all need some therapy. Because somebody came along and said 'liberal' means 'soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on Communism, soft on defense and we're gonna tax you back to the Stone Age because people shouldn't have to go to work if they don't want to.' And instead of saying, 'Well, excuse me, you right-wing, reactionary, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-education, anti-choice, pro-gun, Leave it to Beaver trip back to the '50s,' we cowered in the corner and said, 'Please don't hurt me.' No more. I really don't care who's right, who's wrong. We're both right. We're both wrong. Let's have two parties, huh?  What do you say?"

[Lantern7]

My basic take on a revolt would be "Fuck him as he would fuck us." Suppose the Democrats try and fail. How much more shit can he foist upon them? Not like he can order Pelosi and Schumer to fight to the death for his amusement, right? Right?!?

[Keepitmoving]

Quote

They all need to be Harry Reid to keep people engaged. Otherwise, all this crap just makes them feel hopeless and defeated and tuned out. We need the impression that these guys are fighting, and not in a normal way. 

Which is exactly why I'm paying attention to Harry Reid and Michael Moore, the rest of them, I'm totally tuning out. 

 

47 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

Dems need to be outraged at every moment. If we learn anything from the Republicans learn that.

You know why? Because it keeps people angry and ready to vote when we need them to. Being the nice guy, being the better person, it doesn't work as a party. It might work for someone specific like Obama, but in mid-terms, as a party overall, we've got to be streetfighters. We've got to get people to the polls. And for congressional elections I think it's about anger on a national level. So that's why they need to keep it up.

They all need to be Harry Reid to keep people engaged. Otherwise, all this crap just makes them feel hopeless and defeated and tuned out. We need the impression that these guys are fighting, and not in a normal way. That they're outraged and do not accept this monster who got in on a fluke. Forget Obama's peaceful transition. We don't ACCEPT it. He's not legitimate. He gets no chance. He gets no benefit of the doubt. He is an absolutely unacceptable aberration who does not have democratic consent to govern.

The system put him there against the will of the voters. Jesus, how hard a message is that to get across. It's pretty fucking easy, if you ask me. And that will sink in and that will infuriate people.

I don't understand why they roll over for this when they have the easiest message in the world to push. He is not the public's choice. And you ca bet your ass this is what Republicans would do in the same position (they'd probably be suing to get her removed from office). So do it. Do what they would do. Fire up your own people (because there's more of us than them anyway).

YES!, to this entire post. This is why Michael Moore and Harry Reid are about the only two I've been able to stomach. The rest I've tuned out, are they saying anything? I don't know. 

I feel abandoned the party. So much so, that now I can't wait for the inevitable, which is Obama to leave because I'm hoping that's when the true democratic party will show it's face and fight. But right now, I don't see them projecting much to hope for. For starters, Bernie can cut out his let's find out what happened tour, because republicans got here without changing one racist note. They would never go on a tour to pacify voters outside of their base and say we are here now and we are listening. Bernie should have taken his ass to fucking New York, go there and dig into your based. Republicans never  did an autopsy, bullshit, they kept to their hateful, exclude the "other" message. Meanwhile, weak ass democrats are going around blaming themselves, fuck that. 

Edited December 14, 2016 by Keepitmoving

[izabella]

Yes, I need to see Pelosi and Schumer and Feinstein and Boxer being loudmouths on tv and in the papers every single day, giving interviews to everyone and getting people angry about Russia hacking the election to get Putin's boy Trump in there - the one thing Trump has been consistent about during and after his campaign is his love and appreciation of and admiration for Putin, and his desire to BE LIKE PUTIN!  

I cannot understand why there are so many Republicans out there talk, talk, talking in support of Trump, his Cabinet picks, and poo-pooing the Russian election hack, but the Dems are what?  Getting ready for Christmas?

I also need to see Al Gore giving interviews about how his ass-kiss meeting with Trump went and how fucked we are because of Trump's Cabinet picks.  He's not running for anything and he has nothing to lose by making the rounds of all the talk shows and explaining that Trump simply doesn't give a shit about the environment.  He can get any interview he wants, especially if he promises to feed them tidbits of things Trump said during their meeting.  That's how you stay front page news - keep talking about it!

Edited December 14, 2016 by izabella

[sistermagpie]

Honestly it seems almost like the Dems' reaction to every loss is to try to be more like Republicans. So actual Dems don't like them and actual Republicans don't either because they've got the real thing. Hell they call John McCain a RINO. You think they want you out there with the commercials where you shoot a gun to impress them?

[Keepitmoving]

6 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

Honestly it seems almost like the Dems' reaction to every loss is to try to be more like Republicans. So actual Dems don't like them and actual Republicans don't either because they've got the real thing. Hell they call John McCain a RINO. You think they want you out there with the commercials where you shoot a gun to impress them?

And this is why they have that elitist, fake persona that they can't shake.

Just who the fuck are you really? Democratic party.

Because since I was an eight year old kid,  I damn well knew that republicans were about big money/business first and foremost, sticking up their noses and acting like God when it came to social issues, and now they have officially become the party of the Klan and the Neo-Nazis. But they never really hid who they are, I'll  give them that. 

Edited December 14, 2016 by Keepitmoving

[NewDigs]

52 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

My basic take on a revolt would be "Fuck him as he would fuck us." Suppose the Democrats try and fail. How much more shit can he foist upon them? Not like he can order Pelosi and Schumer to fight to the death for his amusement, right? Right?!?

Celebrity Deathmatch!

[callmebetty]

Where are the fucking hackers who can get that RNC shit? That needs to be exposed ASAP. There have got to be some that can be bought. Why is fucking Julian Assange the only one who gets to reek havoc. I don't give a shit who pays for 'em. Really Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg you don't know ANYONE who can hack? REALLY???? 

The Dems need to get there head out of their asses and start fighting and we need some dirty nasty shit to get uncovered and go down.

NOW!!!!

On 12/13/2016 at 4:33 PM, candall said:

 

Savings your spots, V, Betty!  (May I call you that?)  Rally back when you're able.

Ha I saw what you did there? See it only took a day for my brain to process.  I think I'm getting the fighting spirit back. 

[Duke Silver]

14 minutes ago, callmebetty said:

Where are the fucking hackers who can get that RNC shit? That needs to be exposed ASAP. There have got to be some that can be bought. Why is fucking Julian Assange the only one who gets to reek havoc. I don't give a shit who pays for 'em. Really Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg you don't know ANYONE who can hack? REALLY???? 

The Dems need to get there head out of their asses and start fighting and we need some dirty nasty shit to get uncovered and go down.

NOW!!!!

Hell, Bill Gates is already comparing Trump to JFK.  Methinks he has co-opted the people in tech (Peter Thiel, the POS who also resides on the Facebook Board, was sitting next to Trump today at the tech summit, and is a big time Trump supporter).  Only the 400 pound guy sitting on his bed will be available to us, it seems.

[callmebetty]

1 minute ago, Duke Silver said:

Hell, Bill Gates is already comparing Trump to JFK.  Methinks he has co-opted the people in tech (Peter Thiel, the POS who also resides on the Facebook Board, was sitting next to Trump today at the tech summit, and is a big time Trump supporter).  Only the 400 pound guy sitting on his bed will be available to us, it seems.

FUCK!!!

Well someone get his number he's got some hacking to do. Well and truly fucked. 

[izabella]

1 minute ago, callmebetty said:

FUCK!!!

Well someone get his number he's got some hacking to do. Well and truly fucked. 

I promise to send him some Redbull, Mountain Dew, and Cheetohs.

[Padma]

3 hours ago, Duke Silver said:

^^ Oh, I know...my point was only that if standing in front of Trump Tower is deemed the most valid way of resisting, then rather than complain in here, go to Trump Tower & protest.  While there is value in that, there are multiple ways of resisting.  I choose to focus on preparing for what is coming by donating time, money & what little expertise I have to whatever causes I know will act to slow down the coming autocracy.

Let's be clear about this:  all the hoping & praying, especially for some Hamilton Electors miracle is well & good.  However, pinning all hopes on that, while ignoring the inevitable outcome that Trump will stand on that dais on 1/20, is utterly irresponsible.  ****I'm not saying that is what';s happening in this forum; this is just a thought exercise & a way for me to express my opinion of how to deal w/ Trumpland****   I intend no offense.  I'm just saying, I hope people are preparing.  As always, WTF do I know??  I haven't lived through as much as many others here have, I know.  I'm just going about this the best way that I can.

All true. I hope we'll all do that--think of what is realistic for us individually and collectively to do to oppose this man and what he is going to do.  As long as people fight being depressed and giving up--at least keep staying informed and trying to do something regularly--it has to help. The worst thing would be to "give him a chance" and then look back a year later at the wreckage and say, "Oh, if only I hadn't trusted him ...!!!"

The good thing about Trump is we  already absolutely know who he is and what kinds of things he will do. We are lucky to know it now, not just "catching on to him" a couple of years down the line. (As good a conartist as I think he is, I guess he's not THAT good!  We know. Thansfully.)

Quote

Hell, Bill Gates is already comparing Trump to JFK.  Methinks he has co-opted the people in tech (Peter Thiel, the POS who also resides on the Facebook Board, was sitting next to Trump today at the tech summit, and is a big time Trump supporter).  Only the 400 pound guy sitting on his bed will be available to us, it seems.

I think Gates said, "potential to be as inspiring as JFK" or something. Not actually comparing them NOW, thank God.

Even so, that comment made me sick.  I can't think of two men with LESS in common as leaders than Donald Trump and John Kennedy. What on earth was Gates (whom I admire generally) thinking?  Even the idea of Trump sitting at the Resolute desk that Kennedy used is enough to make you sick. (Fortunately, I'm sure he'll send that "old furniture" off to the basement and he'll have a replica of his Trump Tower office instead, I'm sure. And then get rid of all the priceless and historic art in the room, too, so he has space to bring over some of those framed cover photos of himself.).  Unlike JFK, Trump is a selfserving  phony who doesn't care about anything but money and flattery. NOTHING he says can genuinely inspire anyone, imo.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Padma

[AntiBeeSpray]

1 hour ago, Duke Silver said:

Hell, Bill Gates is already comparing Drumpf to JFK.  Methinks he has co-opted the people in tech (Peter Thiel, the POS who also resides on the Facebook Board, was sitting next to Drumpf today at the tech summit, and is a big time Drumpf supporter).  Only the 400 pound guy sitting on his bed will be available to us, it seems.

Just saw that. Seriously man?! (And what he said made me want to grab a hammer and smash my computer to bits as it's a Windows one... not that I would since it's not its fault that Microsoft did something beyond stupid.)

O_O

He's nowhere in hell anything like JFK nor will he EVER be anything like him. He's only out for himself and his buddies. He doesn't give a damn about anyone.

[Ocean Chick]

Quote

I think Gates said, "potential to be as inspiring as JFK" or something. Not actually comparing them NOW, thank God.

Well, they both cheated on their wives, so there's that....

[PatsyandEddie]

I almost spit my coffee out when CBC reported Gates' remark. Cold day in helll Bill! 

[Padma]

2 hours ago, MulletorHater said:

Padma, you were the first person I thought of this morning when I read this op-ed piece in The New York Times.  Dems Need to Grow a Fucking Backbone

I nodded and murmured so loudly several times that my Uber driver must have thought I was crazy.  I know that you and several others here have been quite vocal about the Democrats' disappearing act and need to always be so bloody honorable.  A lot of us (even us Independents and NeverTrumpers) are out here fighting the good fight while the leadership has been MIA.  Instead, there seems to be some infighting about the Obama and Sanders wings of the party.  To which I respond, "Oh, who the fuck CARES?!  Are you fucking kidding me with this shit right now?  Man up, nut up, sack up, ball up--whatever the terminology is--and start standing for what you claim are Democratic principles!"

To hell with the deal making, compromises, photo-ops, etc.  Americans should be out in the streets en masse outraged that the Tangerine Turd had this election handed to him by a foreign enemy.  Americans should also be outraged that some electors are set to hand him the White House despite knowing that he and his cabinet picks are a clear and present danger to the Republic and the rest of the world.

And, because I have been besieged with requests for donations from the DNC, I have to ask the question that I wish someone over there could answer:  Does the ACA cover backbone replacement or sack surgery?

Thank you so much, Mulletorhater!  That is a great op-ed, perfectly expressing the frustration and criticism so well-deserved by our weak-kneed "leaders". (And thanks again to PTV for this forum and to people here who are still so engaged. I really appreciate it especially because in my daily life there's not much "get up and go". People mostly seem disspirited and trying not to pay attention anymore.  Which I understand, but it's still sad. I DON'T understand it from national leaders who are supposed to, you know, step up, see injustice and FIGHT it!)

There are a few people out there, but SO few. I was so happy to just see congressman Don Beyer from Virginia today.  He is speaking up about the hacking and urging for the EC vote to be postponed until electors can be briefed by the CIA. But no one has ever heard of Beyers (a polite and pleasant-seeming man) and he, predictably, seems to be getting no support from the big shots.  What is wrong with these people?  Anyway, I want to call his office to say thank you. That's the least I can do because I'm sure the Trumpers are quick with the threats and hateful calls. The "good job!" ones are probably rare.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Padma

[Broderbits]

44 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

Hell, Bill Gates is already comparing Trump to JFK.

I haven't been this scared for the country since Bay of Pigs, so that seems appropriate to me.

[AntiBeeSpray]

2 hours ago, Padma said:

All true. I hope we'll all do that--think of what is realistic for us individually and collectively to do to oppose this man and what he is going to do.  As long as people fight being depressed and giving up--at least keep staying informed and trying to do something regularly--it has to help. The worst thing would be to "give him a chance" and then look back a year later at the wreckage and say, "Oh, if only I hadn't trusted him ...!!!"

The good thing about Drumpf is we  already absolutely know who he is and what kinds of things he will do. We are lucky to know it now, not just "catching on to him" a couple of years down the line. (As good a conartist as I think he is, I guess he's not THAT good!  We know. Thansfully.)

I think Gates said, "potential to be as inspiring as JFK" or something. Not actually comparing them NOW, thank God.

Even so, that comment made me sick.  I can't think of two men with LESS in common as leaders than Donald Drumpf and John Kennedy. What on earth was Gates (whom I admire generally) thinking?  Even the idea of Drumpf sitting at the Resolute desk that Kennedy used is enough to make you sick. (Fortunately, I'm sure he'll send that "old furniture" off to the basement and he'll have a replica of his instead, I'm sure. And then get rid of all the art in the room, too, so he has space to bring over some of those framed cover photos of himself.).  Unlike JFK, Drumpf is a selfserving  phony who doesn't care about anything but money and flattery. NOTHING he says can genuinely inspire anyone, imo.

Exactly. He'll never be as inspiring as him, he's a sociopathic narcissist. He doesn't care for anyone but himself. Word. It makes me scratch my head. You hit the nail on the head. He's the antithesis of him.

 

1 hour ago, Broderbits said:

I haven't been this scared for the country since Bay of Pigs, so that seems appropriate to me.

Well that I can agree on too. But the country was at risk via Cuba. So I wonder if Drumpf would be more like Castro here in some ways. But yet Putin could be as well. Talk about one f'd up situation to even think about.

[Duke Silver]

Watching Chris Matthews on msnbc....sure seems like everyone totally expects Tillerson to get through confirmation.

:shrug:  said it this past weekend: this Russia stuff is gonna become a footnote; it's being buried & Putin is getting his preferred people in power here.  And there's nothing anyone is gonna do about it.

[AntiBeeSpray]

Just now, Duke Silver said:

Watching Chris Matthews on msnbc....sure seems like everyone totally expects Tillerson to get through confirmation.

:shrug:  said it this past weekend: this Russia stuff is gonna become a footnote; it's being buried & Putin is getting his preferred people in power here.  And there's nothing anyone is gonna do about it.

Yep and it's just the usual way of operation. If it's something very important (unless it's on the R's side), it gets buried. We got hit over the head for years by the R's with Monica Lewinsky scandal, Bengazi, Emails, Hillary is evil, etc. The R's just are better at keeping things in front. And it shows.

[Padma]

Re: Bay of Pigs.  JFK (and RFK) saved our country--probably the world. JFK was so smart and so calm and independent under pressure and had such a "big picture" approach to everything (also, having been in war--and, of course, genuinely heroic--he knew what war was in a way that Donald "I know more than the generals" Trump doesn't.)  Most historians agree that JFK's decision to blockade, his refusal to go along with the military and Cabinet recommendations to bomb Cuba and his backdoor communications with Khrushchev saved us from WWIII.

Imagining Trump faced with a crisis like that? It's terrifying. The decision will be someone else's, but whose? Tillerson? Flynn? Mattis? Kushner? Ivanka?  You just don't know, but none of them make you feel any better.

[EyewatchTV211]

Was it in here that someone wished photos/videos of rump would be replaced by something, like his name does with that one app? http://www.teenvogue.com/story/chrome-extension-replace-donald-trump-photos-kittens?mbid=social_twitter

[izabella]

6 minutes ago, Padma said:

Imagining Trump faced with a crisis like that? It's terrifying. The decision will be someone else's, but whose? Tillerson? Flynn? Mattis? Kushner? Ivanka?  You just don't know, but none of them make you feel any better.

Those decisions are there already...which he'd know if he took his daily briefing.  He should be thinking about Syria and ISIS and spending his time learning as much as he can because those decisions are already there, needing to be made .  Putin is very eager to meet with Trump, and loves him some Rex Tillerson.  I'm guessing our new special relationship with Russia means Putin will be guiding our foreign policy now.

[Padma]

So what will Tubby do when China moves its military into Tibet?

[NewDigs]

"Where's Tibet?"

[EyewatchTV211]

Oh look, Republicans don't think Putin is THAT bad anymore

[AntiBeeSpray]

54 minutes ago, VMepicgrl said:

Was it in here that someone wished photos/videos of rump would be replaced by something, like his name does with that one app? http://www.teenvogue.com/story/chrome-extension-replace-donald-trump-photos-kittens?mbid=social_twitter

Yay! Wished it worked better but it's a start.

[fastiller]

2 hours ago, izabella said:

Yes, I need to see Pelosi and Schumer and Feinstein and Boxer being loudmouths on tv and in the papers every single day, giving interviews to everyone and getting people angry about Russia hacking the election to get Putin's boy Trump in there - the one thing Trump has been consistent about during and after his campaign is his love and appreciation of and admiration for Putin, and his desire to BE LIKE PUTIN!  

I cannot understand why there are so many Republicans out there talk, talk, talking in support of Trump, his Cabinet picks, and poo-pooing the Russian election hack, but the Dems are what?  Getting ready for Christmas?

I also need to see Al Gore giving interviews about how his ass-kiss meeting with Trump went and how fucked we are because of Trump's Cabinet picks.  He's not running for anything and he has nothing to lose by making the rounds of all the talk shows and explaining that Trump simply doesn't give a shit about the environment.  He can get any interview he wants, especially if he promises to feed them tidbits of things Trump said during their meeting.  That's how you stay front page news - keep talking about it!

I want the Dems, at every possible opportunity, to remind the world of the nearly 3M more votes that HRC got, & of the itty-bitty electoral differential.

39 minutes ago, izabella said:

Those decisions are there already...which he'd know if he took his daily briefing.  He should be thinking about Syria and ISIS and spending his time learning as much as he can because those decisions are already there, needing to be made .  Putin is very eager to meet with Trump, and loves him some Rex Tillerson.  I'm guessing our new special relationship with Russia means Putin will be guiding our foreign policy now.

I know that the track record the US government has w/r/t keeping the rest of the world safe is sketchyour, but DJT will just let 'em all die.

[Duke Silver]

[Duke Silver]

Kurt is on it tonight...and it's especially hilarious for me because I had to make the same points about Flynn's son & the continued weirdness of Team Trump hating on U.S. intel services in favor of fucking Russia today to a couple different idiots:

[sistermagpie]

3 hours ago, Keepitmoving said:

Because since I was an eight year old kid,  I damn well knew that republicans were about big money/business first and foremost, sticking up their noses and acting like God when it came to social issues, and now they have officially become the party of the Klan and the Neo-Nazis. But they never really hid who they are, I'll  give them that. 

Yeah, I never understand this whole need to be able to perform some blue collar or Southern dance to be president. Yes, it's great that Bill Clinton was actually from there and people liked that, but why should everybody have to act like they like NASCAR or guns or whatever to be president? Why can't the person just honestly say, "Yeah, I can't shoot a gun. I'm a geek from Vermont who spent my time studying instead of playing sports. But I can appreciate you all the same!"

Although of course I mean more than that stuff. I also mean the whole running away from Obama and adjusting policies to be more Republican as if that's going to push them over.

[Duke Silver]

[Duke Silver]

[galaxygirl76]

5 hours ago, fireice13 said:

The Democrats are doing what they've always done. I feel it's best summed up by Bruno Gianelli from the West Wing in an episode that aired 15 years ago:

 

I got done with my most recent rewatch of TWW a few days ago and it's amazing how relevant some of it still is in the light of current events.

[Padma]

25 minutes ago, Duke Silver said:

 

I commend them all for a very noble effort.

It's only because I'm hopelessly critical, but I wish (1) the message was shorter and better (i.e. less personal for most of it and more a reminder of WHY Trump is unfit--and has shown it even more than ever during the transition and (2) it's great that these caring celebrities are trying to send this message to the electoral college.   But... but....  (sounding like broken record)....

.....Where the Hell are our elected Democratic leaders!!!!   Why aren't THEY on all the networks every night? Why aren't THEY making Youtube videos?  Why (as said above) aren't Al Gore and others (even Romney who once was SO critical) talking about how the (would be) emperor has no clothes?

Why doesn't the president get on in primetime television and address the nation from the Oval Office--mae the point about the importance and danger of Russian hacking to affect our elections and how it cannot be allowed to ever happen again?

[Bastet]

Also, was it necessary to repeat "I'm not asking you to vote for Hillary Clinton" three times, as if voting for the most-qualified person currently existing on this planet (when the whole point behind asking them not to vote for Trump is that he's supremely unqualified) and the person who won the popular vote by a significant margin would be so much to ask we have to make triple clear they can vote for their Uncle Eddie if he's eligible and their conscience tells them he's more qualified than Trump?  So then, what - the Republican-controlled House gets to choose our next president, undoubtedly selecting someone of whom the best we could say would be, "Well, better than Trump"?

[callmebetty]

And why cant everyday people make the same kind of plea? I could pull a handful of posters from here who would make beautiful impassioned speeches to the electoral college and because your not celebrities it would be lost in the weeds. And as the average American we are the ones going to be most affected by this new administration, celebrities are still protected with status and money. 

[Padma]

Great points!  Why -not- say something positive about Hillary?  And ITA that "ordinary people" would probably have had something -better- to say, heartfelt and about affecting real life. Why not mix'em in? Dems aren't elitists!

And tonight Trump is saying Comey "recently" called him and basically said the CIA were lying about the Russian hacking--that it didn't happen, didn't have an effect--to help the Dems and Obama! (This, after his telling Chris Wallace on Sunday that "I don't think it's the CIA that's saying it. It's the Democrats because they just had one of the greatest political defeats in history.")

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/comey-fbi-russia-trump/2016/12/14/id/764008/

We will soon find out what having a pathological liar as president really means--beginning with a continuing discrediting of American institutions so people only trust Trump--and a complete assault on facts.  He lies. Lies and lies and lies. Lies big and lies little.  Its so scary.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Padma