Trump

[FlameBlade]

[Cazmonster]

I grew up afraid that we'd go to war with the Soviets. I was afraid until I learned that the town I lived in was specifically targeted for destruction, because of the rail hub there. Once you know that you know you won't even feel the first exchange, the fear fades.

Today, the fear is there again. North Korea doesn't have enough ordnance to do any more than wound us. But that wound will come with radiation poisoning and cancers and birth defects for generations.

[mimekiller]

Have you really let the media/trump drive you to actually experiencing real fear about NORTH KOREA? What is this 1955? I mean if you lived in GUAM maybe but even than probably not.

[FlameBlade]

North Korea is likely baiting Trump into giving away a lot of leverage through his braggicado. And succeeding at it.

Furthermore, if war starts, Seoul is likely going get rain of missiles, and millions will die, and for what?

Point is, all saber rattling raises risks where there shouldn't be any. Trump is just tweeting based on what Fox News is saying.

[poorpete]

I wish the resistance would focus their rage. When Trump posts something crazy, why attack Twitter? They need to stop demanding Twitter ban Trump. It's not going to happen. Name me a public official who has been banned. Name me one dictator that's done far worse that's been banned. It's not going to stop Trump from being dangerous or racist or both. Twitter has already noted why they will not be banning Trump. Why all the wasted rage? Focus it elsewhere. That's all, I love you, resistance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter_suspensions
No elected officials are on this list.

As for Trump's statements, it really narrows us down to one hope:
Everyone is bluffing.

If they aren't bluffing, I can only see disaster averted if there was a Seal Team Six-like takeout of the NK government. Any other military action I can think of would almost assure a nuclear attack retaliation. Insanity.

[Tahlvin]

This is all over my Twitter timeline right now.

[mimekiller]

so wait, is Bannon still a dishonest nazi or does everyone suddenly love and trust him because he said a thing about the president?

There's no consistency or logic, I can't keep up

[poorpete]

I'm enjoying it because of the fighting, the back stabbyness, who's the real leader of the far-right-ness of it.

I am not betting-it-all that Bannon is telling all or some or none of the truth.

[WillyGilligan]

I think Bannon certainly has his own agenda here and should not be completely trusted. BUT, some of the things I've seen reported from this book gibe with my own observations of this administration.

The idea that he didn't really want to win and was not acting like a winner as the election night went on fits with how long it's taken his administration to find it's footing. He never thought too deeply about what he needed in place on day one, because he didn't really think it was going to happen.

The idea that Ivanka is or was considering a run for President fits with issues like her having an office near the President's while not having an official title. It also fits with Kushner having all of the jobs that he's been given with zero credentials.

But Bannon is still a puffed up egomaniac who gloms onto powerful people to pretend that he's behind their success.

[El Jefe]

All the book quotes are REALLY suspect. The author has a pretty long reputation for pulling "actual quotes" out of the thin air that rests between his asscheeks. I'd love for some of this to be credible, but it's really hard to buy that right now.

[Eliahad]

[FlameBlade]

That's what I am worried about. If you muddle things up enough, it's easy for one to accuse others of distortion, and then nothing gets done because nobody can agree on what is said.

[mimekiller]

[Eliahad]

I believe, but do not have sources to back this up, that he was more interested in the promotion of his own brand, of which he has done very well. He is a salesman of himself, and that is a thing he has continued to do /after/ taking office. So all those calories he burned were in service to himself. If he had lost, especially in a close race which it would have been, it would only have put his brand through the roof with his audiences. And he wouldn't have to do the job! Win-win!

[El Jefe]

Campaigning hard to increase your brand value and not wanting to win aren't mutually exclusive. It's been a tactic for a whole slew of candidates over the years, and effectively the only tactic of all third-party or independent candidates since post-WWII.

[mimekiller]

FBI trying to cur favor with el presidente haha

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/05/us/p ... n-fbi.html

And yea I mean you guys are right but now it really speaks to whats in his heart which I think is anyones guess.

[Phoebe]

Wolff has tapes to back up what's in his book. As we know, tapes don't mean that anyone CARES what is on the tape, because when you're a star, you can get away with it. But there are tapes.

[El Jefe]

[FlameBlade]

That reminds me of the time that Trump tried to intimidate Comey. "I have the tapes!" "Oh lordy, I hope so!"

Anyone remember that?

[Phoebe]

It seems like a lifetime ago. I don't know if there are tapes, but if I was writing a book about the most litigious person imaginable who happened to be President, I think I would have tapes, so if he claims to have tapes, it's no surprise. Some person named Janice Min claims the book is accurate on quotes she witnessed firsthand. I have no idea what any of this counts for, but on the one side we have a long, storied track record of bald-faced lies, and on the other we have... some confirmation of truth so far.

Anyway, it's interesting that the book is causing a little splash, because does it report anything we didn't know before voting, other than some details? All the larger conclusions it purportedly supports about the man and his entourage, we knew and had well-demonstrated before the election. People wanted and chose this. I live among people who chose this and who still love it. I can't fathom what the hell is wrong with them, to be honest. I can respect many of their policy views or moral commitments that I don't share, and see the reasons that stack up in their favor even if that's not how I come out in the end. But this? No, if you're for this, you have to account for it somehow. The public exposure of the white supremacy and nationalism that fuels all this has been a blessing, because people can't hide from it anymore. You lie down with dogs... Now we all know. Trump supporters aren't the only fact-optional group, unfortunately, but I am completely astounded by otherwise extremely intelligent, successful people I know who have embraced with two hands the basic principle that facts don't matter and everything contradicting their preferences is a Lie.