Lets see if we can keep this thread a little more civil.

I found this interview very interesting.  A lot of soft balls thrown at Trump, he explained his back pedalling on his more extreme issues as a lot of his claims as opening bids for negotiation purposes.  Which .. whatever .. I still think that those are insincere claims he used to get elected.

He does now come across way more presidential then he did prior to the election.  A lot of his noise, yelling, and rhetoric has been scaled back.

Do respect this one though:

Quote

 

Lesley Stahl: Are you gonna take the salary, the president’s salary?

Donald Trump: Well, I’ve never commented on this, but the answer is no. I think I have to by law take $1, so I’ll take $1 a year. But it’s a -- I don’t even know what it is.

Donald Trump: Do you know what the salary is?

Lesley Stahl: $400,000 you’re giving up.

Donald Trump: No, I’m not gonna take the salary. I’m not taking it.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-donald-trump-family-melania-ivanka-lesley-stahl/

The MAGA rubes can square anything, with the Right guidance.

His supporters will say that they knew the Mexicans would never pay directly for the wall but the chants were fun and it made good television.

They didn't think Hillary would get locked up, either

3 minutes ago, do or die said:

They didn't think Hillary would get locked up, either

So trump is going to argue executive privilege to try and keep the mueller report secret. Even from Congress. Unreal. 

I get the feeling that the Mueller report will never see the light of day.

Just now, The Unknown Poster said:

So trump is going to argue executive privilege to try and keep the mueller report secret. Even from Congress. Unreal. 

No collusion or obstruction he is innocent and Mueller's report will says as much but no you can not see it.

Democratic House can subpoena the report.   They can also have Mueller testify under oath up on the Hill.  Also, in this particular administration.....the odds of somebody leaking the report to the Post or the Times is pretty high

9 minutes ago, do or die said:

Democratic House can subpoena the report.   They can also have Mueller testify under oath up on the Hill.  Also, in this particular administration.....the odds of somebody leaking the report to the Post or the Times is pretty high

Frankly, with all the convictions and all the tell-all books that are coming, we don't need the report. 

GOP Rep Mo Brooks carrying the water for trump by saying there is a real emergency. Out and out lying about crime stats. And cnn puts up stats and studies and the guy just says it’s wrong. 

Racism alive in American politics. 

Trump team should be allowed to ‘correct’ final Mueller report, says Giuliani

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/424871-exclusive-trump-team-should-be-allowed-to-correct-final-mueller

🙄

Yes, any indication, in that report .....that Trump was involved in any criminal activity..... would be an OUTRAGE

Bet John Gotti wished he had a lawyer like this.  

Apparently according to Trump an Emergency can have a time delay, that's right the Supreme leader will decide when it's an Emergency.

and we have candidate #2

 

Trumps head might explode this weekend

 

another day. Another twitter meltdown by trump 

Chicken asks egg:  "Hey Egg. Which came first? Wheels or Walls?" 

Trump could of shut down a lot of this Russia talk by saying NO!!!!!!!!!!! when interviewed by Pirro, but instead stated that he had never felt so insulted...........................interesting.

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-01-13/what-if-mueller-proves-trump-collusion-and-no-one-cares

Quote

What if Mueller, in his role as special counsel, uncovers meaningful proof that the Trump campaign for president knowingly and actively cooperated with Russian efforts to get Trump elected — and the public treats the news as completely unremarkable? That would mark a radical transformation in the nature of contemporary U.S. politics.

Of course, it’s far from certain that Democratic efforts to draw attention to the shocking facts would fail. But the fizzle outcome now looks genuinely possible, not because Mueller won’t get the goods, but because of a combination of Trump’s talent at changing the subject, his Republican supporters’ ho-hum attitude toward campaign wrongdoing, and public fatigue at the duration of the investigation.

Interesting take with potentially disastrous consequences.

 

I hope that the mid-term results show that Americans are not fatigued by the Trump circus and would not be willing to just brush it off as "meh" news. Dems best hope long term is to wrest control of both houses and the Presidency and then pass bills eliminating the electoral college system. Most polls (at least the ones I've seen, and yes I know polls can be skewed, so I'm happy to be pointed to other sources) show a liberal bent in the U.S. with respect to same sex marriage. abortion rights, gender pay equality, and gun control. Democrats have won 6 of the last 7 popular votes for President.

4 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

 

"More clearly and forcefully" = "at all"

2 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

I hope that the mid-term results show that Americans are not fatigued by the Trump circus and would not be willing to just brush it off as "meh" news. Dems best hope long term is to wrest control of both houses and the Presidency and then pass bills eliminating the electoral college system. Most polls (at least the ones I've seen, and yes I know polls can be skewed, so I'm happy to be pointed to other sources) show a liberal bent in the U.S. with respect to same sex marriage. abortion rights, gender pay equality, and gun control. Democrats have won 6 of the last 7 popular votes for President.

How many months ago was it that the media began pushing the narrative that the public was tired of the Mueller probe and wanted it wrapped up?  I think they do that when there is a lull and THEY want it wrapped up for the newsworthiness of it.  And then time marches on, a new Trump scandal hits and the public is interested.

Certainly, the goalpost has been moved.  If this Mueller probe was released and it was a total surprise, there would likely be near riots all across the US demanding his ouster.  But the media coverage creates a sense among the public of what to expect.  How often have we said "in the past THIS scandal would be insane" and it's like the 9th scandal of the week.

But I think American's are so patriotic about their institutions and if the Mueller report is as damning as it could be, there will be a sense of resignation among many of Trump's supporters.  Not all.  The racist idiots wont care who he conspired with.  But the people, some of them here even, who say "yeah but, the economy" and other nonsense will really have little choice but to finally admit the red line was crossed.  

For everyone else, it would be a tidal wave of condemnation.  And the GOP will know the chickens have come home...it wont be about trying to win in 2020, it will be about trying to save the party from extinction.  And they will jump off the bandwagon.  And they will likely support impeachment in an effort to show a "new way forward" under Pence, who might not escape unscathed either.   

Saw a little twitter war between Trump and Pelosi this morning:

Trump tweet: "Nancy and Cryin' Chuck can end the Shutdown in 15 minutes. At this point it has become their, and the Democrats, fault!"

Pelosi, tweeting in response: "The truth? Republicans started the #TrumpShutdown - and the Democrats are working to end it. @realDonaldTrump, it's time for you to stop standing in the way of re-opening the government. Let the Senate vote! #EndTheShutdown" (complete with the video of Trump telling Schumer that HE will shut down the Government if he doesn't get his way).

Politics in the 21st century. Robert's Rules of Order and Parliamentary procedure be damned.

One interesting tweet from a random citizen as a possible solution that showed up in this thread. The gist of it was: Democrats put up a spending bill to re-open the Government that includes the $5.7 billion for the wall, but also includes full protections for DACA once and for all, and also full protection for the Mueller investigation from any interference, allows it complete control to finish the investigation without the threat of closure or firings, and forces it to be made fully public to the American people with no editing or redactions. Would Trump sign that bill? Would the Dems write such a bill? Should they add the rider that Trump must produce his tax returns in full immediately, or submit to questioning in person from the Mueller investigation? (Too much?)

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by TrueBlue4ever

33 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

Saw a little twitter war between Trump and Pelosi this morning:

Trump tweet: "Nancy and Cryin' Chuck can end the Shutdown in 15 minutes. At this point it has become their, and the Democrats, fault!"

Pelosi, tweeting in response: "The truth? Republicans started the #TrumpShutdown - and the Democrats are working to end it. @realDonaldTrump, it's time for you to stop standing in the way of re-opening the government. Let the Senate vote! #EndTheShutdown" (complete with the video of Trump telling Schumer that HE will shut down the Government if he doesn't get his way).

Politics in the 21st century. Robert's Rules of Order and Parliamentary procedure be damned.

One interesting tweet from a random citizen as a possible solution that showed up in this thread. The gist of it was: Democrats put up a spending bill to re-open the Government that includes the $5.7 billion for the wall, but also includes full protections for DACA once and for all, and also full protection for the Mueller investigation from any interference, allows it complete control to finish the investigation without the threat of closure or firings, and forces it to be made fully public to the American people with no editing or redactions. Would Trump sign that bill? Would the Dems write such a bill? Should they add the rider that Trump must produce his tax returns in full immediately, or submit to questioning in person from the Mueller investigation? (Too much?)

The GOP wouldnt support it and the Dems shouldn't offer up Wall money because it moves them off their "no wall" position.  Trump owns the shutdown.  He claimed it, he said he'd do it proudly.  He's pushing a stupid campaign promise that he broke anyway.  And there are bills the House passed that the Senate supported already.  Just get it done.  Its totally on Trump and the GOP.

They send their people out on the news shows to argue totally absurd facts that the public just isnt buying.  They made their best effort to win the PR war and lost.  Every day it goes on is Trump and the GOP pissing away votes in 2020.