Trump

[Phoebe]

It's not going to be so funny later on if things keep going this way, but for the moment I must say there are certain delights of schadenfreude associated with Republican Congressmen across the Midwest suddenly realizing a trade war with China is really really bad for Ag economies. This is what y'all chose. This is what the farmers themselves voted for in droves, because something something brown people and economic anxiety. How's that working out?

[FlameBlade]

Analysts overlaid the impact of trade wars based on type of business in different regions. Oh yeah, very clear that multiple countries are targeting red states.

[mimekiller]

[Phoebe]

But if you're alone when it happens it won't matter what your maniacal laugh looks like. Unless you want to do it with yourself in the mirror at that time of course. I'm really hoping that I'm obliterated in that first wave and don't even have to see the mushroom cloud horror and figure out what to do next.

[Cazmonster]

Quote from Wargames keeps me from being scared about nuclear war, "I've planned ahead. We're just three miles from a primary target. A millisecond of brilliant light and we're vaporized. Much more fortunate than millions who wander sightless through the smoldering aftermath. We'll be spared the horror of survival."

Growing up, from the age of 12, I knew my home town was the target of multiple city-killing nukes, because of the value of the rail yard. When the Wall came down, there was no good reason to be scared. I live in a state capitol now, so my chances of surviving after the first few hours are next to zero.

[Bonefish]

The Russians arnt going to nuke state capitals just for the sake of it. They are going to nuke the missile silos, Washington DC, major military installations, and any airport long enough for strategic bombers to operate from.

[bralbovsky]

The Russians aren't going to nuke anybody except our allies, carefully. Mostly they'll use their nuke capacity as a threat that allows them to steamroll places more conventionally. Other unconventional weapons will also be used, sonic, toxic, gaslight, but nuclear contamination is most likely to occur by accident or tantrum.

[Bonefish]

Spot on. The frightening thing is just how GOOD they have gotten at their plausible deniability and ability to co-ordinate espionage, sabotage, propaganda and conventional military force. I'd really love to see what their presence in the political activism field in Estonia, Latvia and to a lesser extant, Lithuania, is. I expect they have a lot of effort in those places to push for russian ethno-nationalist agitators to spark an incident that would give them the plausible excuse for stepping in to "protect Russian nationals". Which of course, would push us right into a dangerous area.

See, the balance between the US/NATO and Russia in the "near abroad"(those eastern european countries that have "traditionally" been in the russian sphere of influence) is decidedly in Russia's favor. They have superior numbers, superior equipment, and likely, the ability to either acquire temporary air superiority, or heavily contest NATO air superiority in a way we haven't seen on the national stage. Russia could blitz across Estonia, Latvia and northern Lithuania in a weekend, and the best NATO could do is shake their fists. It would take weeks to months for the appropriate NATO forces to be mobilized and moved the 500km to the frontlines, during which time the best option NATO has is to throw an outnumbered airforce against the absolute best air defense systems in the world. Pre-50s russian equipment shot down stealth fighters(and regular ole NATO air planes) in Serbia, and the current systems deploying in Kalingrad oblast are orders of a magnitude better.

In that time period, Russia could easily push some sort of referendum for annexation similar to Crimea or South Ossetia. It's a shitty, shitty position to be in. Current dictator in power is not really helping us either.

[mimekiller]

If I was a Russian dissident living in the UK I would be nervous about Putin but yea I'm not so those vodka swilling slimeballs aren't making me lose any sleep.

[mimekiller]

Mueller has nothing on Trump so he resorts to having office raided of Michael Cohen, knowing damn well he is likely to get fired for the act. This is designed to make the president look bad and put country in turmoil. Mueller is no patriot; he is a demented fool!

[FlameBlade]

[Mike]

He was trolling. Again.

[FlameBlade]

[mimekiller]

hearing something you dislike=trolling

[Phoebe]

I can sympathize because I too am often considered a troll, and I like disagreeable contrarian type people. But then a lot of times I feel like you are attacking people personally with the aim of being cruel. ??? Do not follow that aspect.

[mimekiller]

Boy, if Trump serves up any more red meat to his base, they're gonna need an angioplasty! Folks...

Trump is going to bomb Syria so liberals will like him again.

[bralbovsky]

His "base" must be completely millionaires, because that's the only group consistently benefiting from actual policy shifts.
His cultish followers get lip service, nothing more, poor sods. I've moved from contempt to pity.
Liberals have either been voyeuristic-ally watching his half century clown show, or detesting his hypocrisy and watching dumbfounded that some garbage contractor hasn't got it together enough to murder him.

None of these positions is likely to change much.
93% of the TARP money went to the top 1%: they couldn't care less if there's another crash, in fact, it might be cool to do it again.
Roughly 30% is entirely ignorant of politics, and impotent, and buys his line (and other BS, mostly red but it's regional) the way they buy lottery tickets. Their agency is entirely co-opted and basically stolen. They would love - that if he's going to be a liar and grifter and loudmouthed bully - that he be THEIR liar and grifter and loudmouthed bully, sadly, not going to happen, despite all the promises.
The other voting bloc, finally, perhaps, awake - is as organized as ever (See Will Rogers) and mostly paralyzed between hang wringing and nay saying. Bernie had the virtue of a constant message, if not entirely consistent, BUT his timing was awful. And where are his folks right now? Pouting, or back to their lives, or waiting around for the guy to be even older next cycle.

We can talk about the Beowulf syndrome later, but until political involvement becomes a habit (against the tide of the disincentives set up by smarmy bureaucratic microbes who want it all for themselves) this will be a permanently frustrating exercise for thinking people, and good people in general. Also Putin will win.

[mimekiller]

Trump should topple the Iranian regime and make Jared Kushner the new Shah

[bralbovsky]

How did you get access to that memo?

[mimekiller]