2024 Presidential Election Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

Not at all. But he bristled at the perceived hypocrisy of all the current Trump bashing. I understand how someone who looks at the posts here would think that. I’m just trying to put context into my/our relentless anti-Trump posting. Bleeding heart liberal that I am, I still think it’s an easy argument to make that Trump is 2 standard deviations away from US political norms. Biden? One standard deviation? Maybe?

That sounds about right.

[falafel]

Not at all. But he bristled at the perceived hypocrisy of all the current Trump bashing. I understand how someone who looks at the posts here would think that. I’m just trying to put context into my/our relentless anti-Trump posting. Bleeding heart liberal that I am, I still think it’s an easy argument to make that Trump is 2 standard deviations away from US political norms. Biden? One standard deviation? Maybe?

Ha, it wasn't even your comment! MBN can speak for himself.

[myboynoah]

Well, he did issue 2,000 unnecessary pardons. But since they were unnecessary, there was no impact.

Yeah, but I have little issue with pardons, other than I don't care for what they have become under presidents of both parties.

I was speaking to the suggestion that Biden fired a bunch of government workers because they didn't agree with him. His actions were no different than his predecessors (even Trump I). Trump II has gone miles beyond any other administration in recent history in the respect.

[frank ryan]

Trump Pardoned not just the J6 rebels but also bad people like Roger Stone and Steve Bannon. They remain part of his circle of trust along Nazi sympathizer snd Unite the Right Organizer, Jack Posebiec.
He also pardoned Gov Blagojevich, the super crooked ex-governor from Illinois. He was a dem, so I'm sure Trump got a handsome donation.

[dabrockster]

Not at all. But he bristled at the perceived hypocrisy of all the current Trump bashing. I understand how someone who looks at the posts here would think that. I’m just trying to put context into my/our relentless anti-Trump posting. Bleeding heart liberal that I am, I still think it’s an easy argument to make that Trump is 2 standard deviations away from US political norms. Biden? One standard deviation? Maybe?

What is interesting is many of you place me in the GOP category when I am far left when it comes to social programs. While I disagree in the current usage of funds, I believe our program need extensive overhaul to get back to the root of who they are supposed to serve. Individuals with disabilities, elderly etc. This also include the priced-out affordability of hiding for these populations. I prefer we increase home and community-based services and reduce the state-owned managed care programs which takes the bulk of the money while those who are most vulnerable deserve more. The mental health population has been discriminated against substantially where we have SPMI-individuals ignored and left on the streets.

What I don’t agree is the method to find everything else that do not fit in the vulnerable population.

As for Biden and firing etc. I did not and do not agree with the firing of IG and appointed positions. Biden fired staff who did not agree. That is my point. Not the ones you stated but again goes to the heart of the crux. I disagree so I MUST agree with all firings. What I don’t agree with is the contempt over firing and removing of civil servants. He has the right and how is it any different than what Clinton did? In fact. I would say he got rid of more than what Trump has tried to do. The Dems fighting every path to be obstructionists is tiresome. They fight every inch. I say fight the important aspects and take the bitter pill for losing the election. Fight the battles of these National Guard crap. That is good. His overly aggressive ICE needs to be checked. But I disagree with their methods and use of their very sophisticated network of protestors to thwart and even support illegals who are in fact criminals. Biden’s abuse on the military for not taking COVID was disgusting. His whole govt-overreach and use a crisis like COVID is another issue.

And you are correct. The level of doom and gloom and pearl-clutching loses is sparkle when that horse is beat to a mush daily. I don’t take anything seriously or find myself rolling my eyes as it’s just a boy blowing his bugle day and night. It get an old. I get there is nothing positive but..

[Northwestcoug]

What is interesting is many of you place me in the GOP category when I am far left when it comes to social programs. While I disagree in the current usage of funds, I believe our program need extensive overhaul to get back to the root of who they are supposed to serve. Individuals with disabilities, elderly etc. This also include the priced-out affordability of hiding for these populations. I prefer we increase home and community-based services and reduce the state-owned managed care programs which takes the bulk of the money while those who are most vulnerable deserve more. The mental health population has been discriminated against substantially where we have SPMI-individuals ignored and left on the streets.

What I don’t agree is the method to find everything else that do not fit in the vulnerable population.

As for Biden and firing etc. I did not and do not agree with the firing of IG and appointed positions. Biden fired staff who did not agree. That is my point. Not the ones you stated but again goes to the heart of the crux. I disagree so I MUST agree with all firings. What I don’t agree with is the contempt over firing and removing of civil servants. He has the right and how is it any different than what Clinton did? In fact. I would say he got rid of more than what Trump has tried to do. The Dems fighting every path to be obstructionists is tiresome. They fight every inch. I say fight the important aspects and take the bitter pill for losing the election. Fight the battles of these National Guard crap. That is good. His overly aggressive ICE needs to be checked. But I disagree with their methods and use of their very sophisticated network of protestors to thwart and even support illegals who are in fact criminals. Biden’s abuse on the military for not taking COVID was disgusting. His whole govt-overreach and use a crisis like COVID is another issue.

And you are correct. The level of doom and gloom and pearl-clutching loses is sparkle when that horse is beat to a mush daily. I don’t take anything seriously or find myself rolling my eyes as it’s just a boy blowing his bugle day and night. It get an old. I get there is nothing positive but..

If you’re just complaining that I and others are not seeing hypocrisy with just the firing of civil servants, you’re not focusing on the glaring difference between Trump and the rest. He fired DAs who wouldn’t go after his political enemies. One is a DA who successfully won a fraud case against him. Another might be a US senator who what, said mean things about him?

can you find any similar instance with any US president in recent history? Because if this echo chamber is unfairly singling out Trump for things that are supposedly done by other presidents we should know.

[BlueK]

What is interesting is many of you place me in the GOP category when I am far left when it comes to social programs. While I disagree in the current usage of funds, I believe our program need extensive overhaul to get back to the root of who they are supposed to serve. Individuals with disabilities, elderly etc. This also include the priced-out affordability of hiding for these populations. I prefer we increase home and community-based services and reduce the state-owned managed care programs which takes the bulk of the money while those who are most vulnerable deserve more. The mental health population has been discriminated against substantially where we have SPMI-individuals ignored and left on the streets.

What I don’t agree is the method to find everything else that do not fit in the vulnerable population.

As for Biden and firing etc. I did not and do not agree with the firing of IG and appointed positions. Biden fired staff who did not agree. That is my point. Not the ones you stated but again goes to the heart of the crux. I disagree so I MUST agree with all firings. What I don’t agree with is the contempt over firing and removing of civil servants. He has the right and how is it any different than what Clinton did? In fact. I would say he got rid of more than what Trump has tried to do. The Dems fighting every path to be obstructionists is tiresome. They fight every inch. I say fight the important aspects and take the bitter pill for losing the election. Fight the battles of these National Guard crap. That is good. His overly aggressive ICE needs to be checked. But I disagree with their methods and use of their very sophisticated network of protestors to thwart and even support illegals who are in fact criminals. Biden’s abuse on the military for not taking COVID was disgusting. His whole govt-overreach and use a crisis like COVID is another issue.

And you are correct. The level of doom and gloom and pearl-clutching loses is sparkle when that horse is beat to a mush daily. I don’t take anything seriously or find myself rolling my eyes as it’s just a boy blowing his bugle day and night. It get an old. I get there is nothing positive but..

Firing career civil servants for political reasons is against the law. If the president wants to do that then he needs to persuade Congress to change it. And no, recent past presidents were not conducting mass firings of non political government positions.

[dabrockster]

Firing career civil servants for political reasons is against the law. If the president wants to do that then he needs to persuade Congress to change it. And no, recent past presidents were not conducting mass firings of non political government positions.

President has autonomy to fire civil servants and what you claim as political reasons is a bit of a misnomer. He does have the ability to fire and if he believes they are not implementing his vision, that is allowable. Any firing or laying-off of civil servants can be construed to political reasons.

Now. Z the manner in which he did it was not due process and that is another subject.

[falafel]

President has autonomy to fire civil servants and what you claim as political reasons is a bit of a misnomer. He does have the ability to fire and if he believes they are not implementing his vision, that is allowable. Any firing or laying-off of civil servants can be construed to political reasons.

Now. Z the manner in which he did it was not due process and that is another subject.

Well, the problem is that there are lots of federal laws that protect civil servants against firing for political reasons. Trump has been very explicit that he is rooting out anyone that supported a democratic cause, even if they were apolitical. It does not seem right (or legal) to fire a civil servant simply for doing their job. The presidency routinely flips between parties. It cannot be a fireable offense for simply having worked for the government during the prior administration. We can't be turning over the entire civil service every 4-8 years.

[Jeff Lebowski]

As you may have seen, bombshell article in the NYT about how the Harris campaign vetted (and ultimately rejected) Shapiro. At one point they asked if he would apologize for speaking out against antisemitism. They also asked if he was an Israeli agent.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/u...core-ios-share

Josh Shapiro Writes That Harris Team Asked if He Had Ever Been an Israeli Agent

In his new memoir, the Pennsylvania governor suggests that when Kamala Harris’s team vetted him to be her running mate, aides focused on Israel to an extent he found offensive.

----

Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, a prominent Democrat who was a top contender to serve as former Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in 2024, offered his most detailed accounting to date of the vice-presidential search process in his new memoir, which was obtained by The New York Times.

In short: He suggests that it was far uglier than is commonly known.

In Mr. Shapiro’s book, “Where We Keep the Light,” the governor is measured in describing his interactions with Ms. Harris herself. But Mr. Shapiro, who is Jewish, details a contentious vetting process in which Ms. Harris’s team focused intensely on his views on Israel — so much so that at one point, he wrote, he was asked if he had ever been an agent of the Israeli government.

“Had I been a double agent for Israel?” wrote Mr. Shapiro, describing his incredulous response to a last-minute question from the vetting team. He responded that the question was offensive, he wrote, and was told, “Well, we have to ask.”

“Have you ever communicated with an undercover agent of Israel?” the questioner, Dana Remus, a former White House counsel, continued, according to Mr. Shapiro, who recounted, “If they were undercover, I responded, how the hell would I know?”

Absolute clown show. Shapiro is lucky he avoided that train wreck.

[myboynoah]

Just so so so stupid.

[YOhio]

I bet he said no which is exactly what he was trained to do by his handlers

[Jeff Lebowski]

I bet he said no which is exactly what he was trained to do by his handlers

"Are you a secret agent for Israel?"

"Why yes. Thank you for asking."

[YOhio]

"Are you a secret agent for Israel?"

"Why yes. Thank you for asking."

I know it was the operatives asking the question, but in my mind it was Harris asking.

"Israel is a country. A country is made up of people. People together. In the significance of of what it means to be in a moment where the conversations are happening and the internet. It's out there, buzzing like bees in a hive that's full of ideas and questions."

"I agree"

"So you are an agent of Israel?"

"What? No! How did you get to that conclusion?"

"Exactly. The burden of unburdening what is to become from what was to become is our becoming. And our upcoming burden."

[Shaka]

I know it was the operatives asking the question, but in my mind it was Harris asking.

"Israel is a country. A country is made up of people. People together. In the significance of of what it means to be in a moment where the conversations are happening and the internet. It's out there, buzzing like bees in a hive that's full of ideas and questions."

"I agree"

"So you are an agent of Israel?"

"What? No! How did you get to that conclusion?"

"Exactly. The burden of unburdening what is to become from what was to become is our becoming. And our upcoming burden."