President Trump: Making America Great Again...

[myboynoah]

I'm being generous to the Trumpsters, hard as that is for me. Cynical though it is, I'd like to think that if they did, in fact, provide some encouragement, they were smart enough not to have left a paper or electronic trail.

I'm just the opposite. Aside from a couple of generals, Trump has surrounded himself with an amazingly dumb bunch of sorry yayhoos. So dumb in fact that I can easily see them saying "Eff yeah, Russians. Do what you can to get Hillary. We'll remember your loyalty." and thinking that's how things are done in the big leagues of international diplomacy. Bunch of idiots.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I'm just the opposite. Aside from a couple of generals, Trump has surrounded himself with an amazingly dumb bunch of sorry yayhoos. So dumb in fact that I can easily see them saying "Eff yeah, Russians. Do what you can to get Hillary. We'll remember your loyalty." and thinking that's how things are done in the big leagues of international diplomacy. Bunch of idiots.

In truth, your view is almost certainly closer to reality than my own. I'm just such a cockeyed optimist...

[Walter Sobchak]

Based on everything I've read thus far, I believe the following things are correct:

--the Russians did, in fact, attempt to influence the election through hacking
--Trump campaign officials had various contacts with Russians throughout the campaign, but did not overtly cooperate with, or expressly encourage, the Russians
--U.S. intelligence agencies have wiretapped Russian entities, both governmental and private (including Russian mafia), at all times in question
--Americans who get on the phone with such entities are, inevitably, recorded as part of the wiretapped conversations
--such wiretapping occasionally involves Russian residents of Trump Tower
--Neither Obama nor any U.S. intelligence agency issued any order to wiretap Trump or members of his campaign
--Trump's allegation that he and his campaign were wiretapped is the result of a kind of Telephone Game effect (where repeated re-tellings of an original fact always distorts the fact by game's end) that used the foregoing facts to get to Breitbart's false conclusion that Trump was wiretapped
--Within a few minutes after Breitbart published its false conclusion, Trump tweeted away, although his staff believes the tweet is groundless.

Let me know if any of the foregoing (excluding the theory in the penultimate line) is inaccurate.

You got it all wrong. It was the Sanders campaign that had the deep Russian ties and encouraged the Russian "hacking".

Sanders smeared as communist sympathiser as Clinton allies sling mud
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...-election-2016>

Dan Roberts in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Friday 22 January 2016 13.09 EST

Attacks on Bernie Sanders by rival Democrats are likely to turn increasingly to his record on the economy and foreign affairs, according to a new dossier seen by the Guardian that accuses him of sympathising with communists.

[...]

Such characterisations are vigorously rejected by Sanders ... But the attacks are likely to intensify nonetheless in the days leading up to the Iowa caucus according to a new document that delves into affiliations and statements made by the senator dating back decades. The dossier, prepared by opponents of Sanders and passed on to the Guardian by a source who would only agree to be identified as “a Democrat”, alleges that Sanders “sympathized with the USSR during the Cold War” because he went on a trip there to visit a twinned city while he was mayor of Burlington.

Similar “associations with communism” in Cuba are catalogued alongside a list of quotes about countries ranging from China to Nicaragua.

[Northwestcoug]

I am going to withhold judgment until Uncle Ted can find an Obama counterexample for each of these.

UT may be disappointed to read this. He's already done this, in spades. Don't you click on his hyperlinks?

[Jeff Lebowski]

UT may be disappointed to read this. He's already done this, in spades. Don't you click on his hyperlinks?

No.

[Commando]

So the new Executive Order is out and it actually reads like an educated adult wrote it. There are codified exceptions, including green card holders, current visa holders, and those already granted advance parole. There is also a case-by-case exception, and Iraq is excused entirely from the ban; this is extremely reasonable for this administration.


I still think the basis is flimsy horseshit as far as security issues and refugees are concerned, however, since it can only cite 2 near misses on the domestic terrorism front (and no mention of the Bowling Green Massacre! ) I think that stands in stark comparison to the horrible acts committed by White Nationalists during the same period that have actually killed, maimed, and terrorized the populace.

[New Mexican Disaster]

I am going to withhold judgment until Uncle Ted can find an Obama counterexample for each of these.

Although it appears Walter Sobchak is carrying water for Uncle Ted so maybe now you can put forth judgment.

[frank ryan]

So the new Executive Order is out and it actually reads like an educated adult wrote it. There are codified exceptions, including green card holders, current visa holders, and those already granted advance parole. There is also a case-by-case exception, and Iraq is excused entirely from the ban; this is extremely reasonable for this administration.


I still think the basis is flimsy horseshit as far as security issues and refugees are concerned, however, since it can only cite 2 near misses on the domestic terrorism front (and no mention of the Bowling Green Massacre! ) I think that stands in stark comparison to the horrible acts committed by White Nationalists during the same period that have actually killed, maimed, and terrorized the populace.

I believe Sessions has instructed the FBI to curtail or stop monitoring white nationalist groups too.

[Dwight Schr-ute]

It amazes me that Trump has an endless supply of people that will go on camera and embarrass themselves on his behalf.

Embedded Tweet

[Jeff Lebowski]

It amazes me that Trump has an endless supply of people that will go on camera and embarrass themselves on his behalf.

Holy crap. That is a whole 'nother level of stupid.

[BlueK]

I think that stands in stark comparison to the horrible acts committed by White Nationalists during the same period that have actually killed, maimed, and terrorized the populace.

It's more than just a little annoying that this administration doesn't seem to view these incidents as the acts of terrorism they are and are meant to be by the perpetrators.

[Blueintheface]

On another subject, shouldn't the Trump organization reimburse the US for the huuuge cost of providing 24-hour Secret Service protection to Uday and Qusay Eric and Donald when they go on long foreign trips, such as their current junket where they're opening up hotels and golf courses in the Middle East? It's important that a President's family be protected at all times, but where the boys are engaged in a very expensive, and very profitable, business and such trips are optional, the cost ought to be borne by the business and not the American taxpayer, no? Drain the swamp!

[Walter Sobchak]

Although it appears Walter Sobchak is carrying watervodka for Uncle Ted so maybe now you can put forth judgment.

FIFY.

[Flystripper]

unbelievable

[YOhio]

I'm being generous to the Trumpsters, hard as that is for me. Cynical though it is, I'd like to think that if they did, in fact, provide some encouragement, they were smart enough not to have left a paper or electronic trail.

Except for the time Candidate Trump expressly asked Russia to hack into Hillary's emails and give them to Wikileaks. That seemed fairly overt.