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NEVERENDING ♾️ The NEVERENDING Political Discussion Thread

I always watch the SOTU. I like political science & civics, so I'll gladly sit through things others view as nails on a chalkboard.

Last night was close to being nails on a chalkboard even though I like this stuff.

  • No standing for the President on entry, even though he is a jackass? Sorry, but that is amateurish. The better approach would have been to simply stand facing the front, not turning toward him. That would convey respect for the office and disdain for the current person holding the office.
  • I'm honestly shocked there were not audible protest comments.
  • Okay, seriously... what grown ass man claps for himself? You know who else claps for themselves? 2 year-olds who go pee pee on the potty or find us in a game of peek-a-boo. Self-aware adults don't do that. It was the strangest thing I've seen in a SOTU.
  • Not one uplifting message. Not one attempt to expand his base of support (important given his approval rating). And really no mention of true common core American beliefs. Belief in a flag? Pah-leez.
  • For it being 80 minutes, there was really very little substance. Like incredibly little.
  • Maybe stop insulting other countries constantly if you indeed want them to be friends and engage & any kind of beneficial trade/political relationship
  • Not one mention of home-grown terrorism, which is what our problem has truly been. Well, other than a soft-peddle on the "heroes" of Las Vegas.
  • Lip service to opiods, but again no acknowledgement of supply being the cause. Actually no thought toward actually doing anything. It was basically "Opioids man... helluva drug!"
  • Trump isn't the guy to accomplish real immigration reform, mainly because he is so personally disdainful that no one is willing to work with him. No one can confidently believe his motives are pure--that "is he a bigot/racist" question haunts.
  • Lots of gaslighting and dog whistles
  • Wants to help people coming out of prison... THE OBVIOUS ANSWER IS MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION. PAY ATTENTION TO POLLS, AND PUT THAT SNIVELING LITTLE ELF A.G. IN HIS PLACE
  • You can't just say the words "paid family leave" and "vocational skills" without offering any real idea for how to get there.
  • Immigration has been a critical component to cost effective, amazing infrastructure construction. Italians, Irish, Germans, Chinese, Latin America, etc.
  • More lies than I can count
  • Faith & family bullshit... God, guns and ammo motherf***er... Presidents are not god-ordained, so knock it off.
  • "Americans are Dreamers Too" is one of the most insulting things I've heard at a SOTU

And then the Democrats were nice enough to remind us of why they lost. Where's the new blood & energy?!? Trotting out a f***ing Kennedy?!? Exactly what does that get you? Every one of those forgotten white blue collar folks immediately tuned out a Kennedy, and honestly a lot of minorities probably did as well. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to trot out a legacy democrat from New England?!? Was someone even less relate-able not available?!? You couldn't kind anyone other than an entitled white guy?!? Have you not been paying attention to the race & sexual assault issues for the last year?!?

Some better options off the top of my head (keeping in mind you probably want to avoid 2020 Presidential candidates at this point):

  • Tulsi Gabbard (HI rep) - this lady is just awesome... doesn't seem to be eyeing the "big seat" yet, and has broad respect... great opportunity to talk about sacrifice, service, American principles, etc.
  • Andrew Gillum (Mayor of Tallahassee, FL) - young, well-spoken mayor from a state the Dems need back, and a state that is a significant midterm opportunity
  • Kyrsten Lea Sinema (AZ rep) - young with a problem-solver reputation and history of working well with others, though she doesn't pass some perceived purity tests for Democrats. She is running for Jeff Flake's seat, which would be a notable win at midterm.
  • Beto O'Rourke - he's running a new kind of grassroots campaign that looks like it might legit challenge Ted Cruz. From a border area and can speak with authority on the subject. Extremely charismatic. I mention him because he is running the kind of campaign that Democrats need to be running nationwide
 
Suburb Repairman said:
[*]Maybe stop insulting other countries constantly if you indeed want them to be friends and engage & any kind of beneficial trade/political relationship
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I mean he threatened every country who disagrees with our policies by flatly refusing to provide them any aid. That was one of the craziest things I've ever heard. Basically, if you don't agree with his Jerusalem decision, you're cut off. :r:
 
I've written staff reports longer than four pages on much less complex issues. The fact is, we all have.

From a comment on SFGate:

"I am so prowd of our predisent. He has shown that with hard work and pernistence, once can sucsede. God bles his sole.The grate lessen here is that if we are good, we will all get rich lik are deer Mister Trump. His hily traned staph puts a lump in my throte. I bow too there genus. Lets make amarica grate aguein.

Sined, a loyl sporter."

http://www.sfgate.com/news/politics...n-GOP-memo-help-undercut-Mueller-12548436.php

Hilarious satire!!
 
Now it's Obama's economy. Ahahaha :lmao::lmao::lmao: :-c

Man it is hard to listen to the R's try and make sense of why the D's can't get in the way of everything, when they did that for 8 years. Personally, I didn't like it when they did, nor do I like the D's to do it. But compromise sure seems like it unlikely with a President who childishly calls people names when he doesn't get his way.
 
He didn't clap for my wonderful great bigly SOTU specch & that's treasonous!

Yah Heir pResident tRump!
 
Trump’s ‘marching orders’ to the Pentagon: Plan a grand military parade
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...91602206fb7_story.html?utm_term=.3026cefdf83e

There is no law or regulation preventing Trump from putting on a military parade, but there are plenty of potential complications that military leaders are likely to raise with the president.
One worry is practical: that 70-ton tanks built for the battlefield would chew up Pennsylvania Avenue blacktop.

The military might also want to weigh in on the kind of equipment on parade.
One concern is that big displays of missile launchers might evoke Pyongyang-style nationalism more than American patriotism.
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27459929_10156256601506800_3199042939802884622_n.jpg

Glorious Leader Heir Bone Spurs wants to play with his toys.
 
I am really starting to wonder Trump is trying to push the envelope in an effort to get impeached. Because seriously, a military parade in DC, saying he wants the government to shut down, building a massive wall and claiming that Mexico will pay for it, and about a thousand other things seriously makes me question if all of this is really what he thinks is good for the nation.
 
michaelskis said:
I am really starting to wonder Trump is trying to push the envelope in an effort to get impeached. Because seriously, a military parade in DC, saying he wants the government to shut down, building a massive wall and claiming that Mexico will pay for it, and about a thousand other things seriously makes me question if all of this is really what he thinks is good for the nation.
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Remember what he said during the campaign? It was something to the jest of he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose a single vote.

It's Teflon Don. He can do anything he wants. Plus I don't think he can think long term enough to covfefe a strategy like that.
 
Planit said:
Remember what he said during the campaign? It was something to the jest of he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose a single vote.

It's Teflon Don. He can do anything he wants. Plus I don't think he can think long term enough to covfefe a strategy like that.
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At least not until the 2018 election when the Dems unseat a ton of GOP spots.
 
AG74683 said:
At least not until the 2018 election when the Dems unseat a ton of seats.
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Which may or may not come to pass. If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that one should never underestimate the capability of Dems to mishandle and squander any opportunity that's handed to them on a silver platter.
 
Maister said:
Which may or may not come to pass. If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that one should never underestimate the capability of Dems to mishandle and squander any opportunity that's handed to them on a silver platter.
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They already did a fine job using Joe Kennedy III as their go to for the SOTU rebuttal. Boy what a wasted opportunity.
 
Maister said:
Which may or may not come to pass. If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that one should never underestimate the capability of Dems to mishandle and squander any opportunity that's handed to them on a silver platter.
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Amen. Right now I'd give you even money that Trump wins a second term. Now is the time for the Dems to start pushing someone that people can get behind. I haven't seen that person yet. The "I'm not Donald Trump" candidate is not going to win I'm telling you right now. The Dems don't get it just as much as the R's don't get it.
 
I've always said both parties need to pull their head out and give me someone to vote for. This last election was just a matter of, "I'm not voting for that person." I don't think there was a lot of actual support for either person.
 
If you haven't noticed, there's examples in 3 states where the GOP is solidifying their laws, justices and districts for full dominance one-party control. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina have all seen GOP legislatures change laws reducing a balanced system, gerrymandered districts so tight their state Supreme Courts have ruled them unconstitutional. But alas that does not sit well with the GOP guys so they say its now partisan and judges should be impeached. This is scary stuff we're seeing in this day and age where democracy is being stolen for the good of the party...and these are the guys who are supposed to be the conservative law abiding party, not the liberal anti-government protester party.
 
MD Planner said:
Now is the time for the Dems to start pushing someone that people can get behind. I haven't seen that person yet. The "I'm not Donald Trump" candidate is not going to win I'm telling you right now. The Dems don't get it just as much as the R's don't get it.
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Looking at the early jockeying in the Georgia Governor's race...the state is still going to lean red for state-level elections, although there's a chance for the Dems to make a contest of it this time (our popular moderate R gov is up against his term limit). But, the Ds are going to eat themselves alive with infighting instead of lining up early behind a viable candidate. The Rs will muddle through to the primaries, and then probably walk over the D candidate because the public will have been turned off by the D's disjointed primary slap-fight.
 
dvdneal said:
I've always said both parties need to pull their head out and give me someone to vote for. This last election was just a matter of, "I'm not voting for that person." I don't think there was a lot of actual support for either person.
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Putting Hillary up was probably one of the worst political moves of all time. The D's created Trump. I mean any reasonable candidate would have probably crushed him.

The D's are really good at putting up candidates who are unpalatable to the general rural voter. Elizabeth Warren is not going to win. She is too far left, just like Bernie. Joe Biden is a solid choice, but he will be too old. I don't see that working. Kristen Gillibrand, maybe, but she is a NYer.

I think Sherrod Brown (an Ohioan), or a Democrat CEO who is able to sell fiscal responsibility (Shultz?).

I am hoping for an Independent. I say Mark Cuban. Why not? It can't be worse than what we have now, right? :-c
 
Hink said:
The D's are really good at putting up candidates who are unpalatable to the general rural voter. Elizabeth Warren is not going to win. She is too far left, just like Bernie. Joe Biden is a solid choice, but he will be too old. I don't see that working. Kristen Gillibrand, maybe, but she is a NYer.

I am hoping for an Independent. I say Mark Cuban. Why not? It can't be worse than what we have now, right? :-c
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God 1000x this! I generally identify as democrat although I'm probably more in the middle than anything else. I was pro-Bernie only because he seemed to be the most genuine of all candidates out there during the election. I didn't agree with many of his farther left policies, but I liked his passion above all else, plus most of those things (free college for all, etc.) would never come to fruition anyways.

Independent's won't gain any major traction, at least not yet. There needs to be complete destruction of both parties to give independents a chance at even making the major national televised debates. I'm not sure Cuban is likable enough across all fronts to make a huge impact. I'm leaning more towards someone like Bill Gates or even Elon Musk. That said, I think Trump has proven that while a Washington outsider or businessman can win, it's hardly an easy transition and while a big mouth works well in a business setting, it backfires spectacularly in a political one.
 
AG74683 said:
God 1000x this! I generally identify as democrat although I'm probably more in the middle than anything else. I was pro-Bernie only because he seemed to be the most genuine of all candidates out there during the election. I didn't agree with many of his farther left policies, but I liked his passion above all else, plus most of those things (free college for all, etc.) would never come to fruition anyways.

Independent's won't gain any major traction, at least not yet. There needs to be complete destruction of both parties to give independents a chance at even making the major national televised debates. I'm not sure Cuban is likable enough across all fronts to make a huge impact. I'm leaning more towards someone like Bill Gates or even Elon Musk. That said, I think Trump has proven that while a Washington outsider or businessman can win, it's hardly an easy transition and while a big mouth works well in a business setting, it backfires spectacularly in a political one.
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I also agree, even though I identify as more libertarian.

The difficulty is we keep electing politicians who want power, control, and to get their party elected, whereas we need to start electing statesman who are willing to do the right thing for the people, even if it limits their power or control.



I have said it before and I will say it again... Think about who we have in the White House and all the levels of crazy that this man has shown... and it is no surprise to anyone because we knew what we were getting... and people still chose crazy over Hillary.
 
I should also add, that I think we try too hard to find the "perfect candidate". Looking at the last election, Bernie, Kasich, and Rubio all stood out to me and I would have voted for any of them if they made it to the main show. I don't agree with some of their points, I agree with others, but in general they stood out. Politics should be a compromise, not a one side takes all thing. That's why I HATE the two party system.

Hell, I even like Jeff Flake, and no one likes him.
 
AG74683 said:
I should also add, that I think we try too hard to find the "perfect candidate". Looking at the last election, Bernie, Kasich, and Rubio all stood out to me and I would have voted for any of them if they made it to the main show. I don't agree with some of their points, I agree with others, but in general they stood out. Politics should be a compromise, not a one side takes all thing. That's why I HATE the two party system.

Hell, I even like Jeff Flake, and no one likes him.
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I know he is way too old but Jerry Brown 2.0 would have made a pretty decent candidate. Hell I would even take Michael Bloomberg as an I over any party candidate. I am just not passionate about any of the folks on both sides of the isle.
 
Maister said:
Which may or may not come to pass. If there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that one should never underestimate the capability of Dems to mishandle and squander any opportunity that's handed to them on a silver platter.
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Or, more likely, the Repubicans to secretly pay Putin and is cronies to rig the midterms just like the did in 2016 general election.
 
I think the "cooperation" that is occuring and the "compromise" that is being had by the D's and R's in the Senate is nice.

Too bad the House is still full of a bunch of idiots who only can about politics and getting points. Will the government shut down or not? We shall see!

Ps. Ron Paul and Rand Paul believe in something. I won't say it understand it, but both of them don't care what people think of them. If Rand Paul single handedly shuts down the government because he won't consent to a vote and then gets reelected by Kentuckians, I think we all understand what we have come to as a country.
 
Hink said:
I think the "cooperation" that is occuring and the "compromise" that is being had by the D's and R's in the Senate is nice.

Too bad the House is still full of a bunch of idiots who only can about politics and getting points. Will the government shut down or not? We shall see!

Ps. Ron Paul and Rand Paul believe in something. I won't say it understand it, but both of them don't care what people think of them. If Rand Paul single handedly shuts down the government because he won't consent to a vote and then gets reelected by Kentuckians, I think we all understand what we have come to as a country.
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The House has always been a bunch of partisan whiny babies, no matter who's in control. Mitch McConnell can be a jackass, but at least he can pull a group together and get things done. I agree with you on Ron and Rand. I don't agree with anything those guys stand for but have always been impressed with their stand on what they believe in.
 
Paul Krugman's editorials are always spot on.

Since our paper (The Toledo Blade) has been careening into the pro-Trump camp for more than a year now, there aren't nearly as many Krugman articles as there used to be, having being replaced by Trump apologists (either nationally syndicated or on the local editorial board).

This one is the first one I've seen in a while and one of the most damning yet against the GOP.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/08/...n=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection
 
michaelskis said:
Www.thetrumpybear.com

If you had any doubt in the decline of this nation, that website will eliminate that doubt.
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I saw that commercial on GritTV last month. At first I thought it was a joke. I think it says a lot about the viewership of GritTV these days. Recently they made huge schedule changes and are now exclusively showing Westerns. Mostly dated '50s "Cowboys and Indians" type stuff, with romanticized views of white male historical figures like Wyatt Earp. Not the good westerns that would come late in the next decade like The Wild Bunch or Once Upon A Time In The West.

I wouldn't be surprised if GritTV viewership is over 80% Trump supporters, so in a sick way, the Trumpy Bear ads make sense. But needless to say, I won't be watching GritTV much anymore. Not only because of the "sanitized" Westerns that are on the slate 24-7, but because even the good ones are padded with commercials. For example, FireCreek, an OK western starring Henry Fond and Jimmy Stewart, ran 2.5 hours, even though the actual length of the film is only 1:40 minutes. That make 50 minutes of commercial in that 2.5 hour time slot. Plenty of time to run the Trumpy Bear every other commercial break.
 
FloriDUH

Most likely the stupidest person in Congress.

Fact-checking Matt Gaetz's CNN comments about Immaculate Conception, missing FBI texts

In a fiery interview, CNN host Chris Cuomo challenged U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on his claims about the FBI’s "secret society" and the strength of his analogy comparing missing texts between officials with the Immaculate Conception doctrine.

http://www.politifact.com/florida/a...hecking-matt-gaetzs-cnn-comments-about-immac/
 
Pence has left he Olympics ... & thank goodness. While he was there, he got in a twitter fight with US skater Rippon and refused to stand for the Korean delegation because he did not want to recognize the dictatorship of North Korea. Guess what dummy, South Koreans were marching in that delegation as well and they are one of our strongest Asian allies. What an ignorant f^$k.

You got pissed off and left a football game because a couple of players didn't stand and now pull this trick. Nice!
 
michaelskis said:
Www.thetrumpybear.com

If you had any doubt in the decline of this nation, that website will eliminate that doubt.
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That is just disturbing, but I'll give credit to the company jumping on the band wagon to make a buck. As long as it goes to them and not some campaign.

Planit said:
Pence has left he Olympics ... & thank goodness. While he was there, he got in a twitter fight with US skater Rippon and refused to stand for the Korean delegation because he did not want to recognize the dictatorship of North Korea. Guess what dummy, South Koreans were marching in that delegation as well and they are one of our strongest Asian allies. What an ignorant f^$k.

You got pissed off and left a football game because a couple of players didn't stand and now pull this trick. Nice!
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You always stand for the host country's anthem. Damn idiot leaders.

My wife had a tweet or something and I'm not going to get it right, but it went something like this:
You mean it's acceptable to not stand for an anthem as a form of protest for an unrelated thing?
 
A Washington Post article:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...-of-eliminating-deficit/ar-BBJ0SfO?ocid=ientp

President Trump on Monday will offer a budget plan that falls far short of eliminating the government’s deficit over 10 years, conceding that huge tax cuts and new spending increases make this goal unattainable, three people familiar with the proposal said.




No longer the party of fiscal responsibility. More evidence of working against the sitting president at that time because of party politics.
 
Planit said:
A Washington Post article:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...-of-eliminating-deficit/ar-BBJ0SfO?ocid=ientp

President Trump on Monday will offer a budget plan that falls far short of eliminating the government’s deficit over 10 years, conceding that huge tax cuts and new spending increases make this goal unattainable, three people familiar with the proposal said.




No longer the party of fiscal responsibility. More evidence of working against the sitting president at that time because of party politics.
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The GOP preaches what they refuse to practice.
 
So our state is voting on holding a constitutional congress. Don't start laughing yet. They want to do it because of the rampant spending at the federal level, state funded mandates that keep coming down, and the idea that the feds are no longer properly applying the constitution.
Have I mentioned all the crap mandates and rampant crap going on at the state level?
 
You folks are all wrong. Everybody knows that nobody screwed things up more than William Henry Harrison. What makes it worse is that he was able to do it in a record breaking 31 days!
 
So The Donald's personal attorney reached into his own pocket for $130 Large and gave it to a porn star weeks before the 2016 election. The personal attorney won't say why he did this, but he will say that he is not, nor has he ever been, repaid for this largesse by either The Donnie Boy or his campaign. And it barely raises a peep.

I just don't understand.:not:
 
Gedunker said:
So The Donald's personal attorney reached into his own pocket for $130 Large and gave it to a porn star weeks before the 2016 election. The personal attorney won't say why he did this, but he will say that he is not, nor has he ever been, repaid for this largesse by either The Donnie Boy or his campaign. And it barely raises a peep.

I just don't understand.:not:
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I said during primaries that if Trump ever became President he would become Zaphod Beeblebrox. Those familiar with Douglas Adams 'Hitchhiker' series will know....

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy said:
The President is very much a figurehead - he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.
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