Trump

[Phoebe]

Well, everything is out in the open (or shall I say, far more than enough is out in the open), so it comes down to whether 53 Senators are all useless, unprincipled cowards, and we shall see. Romney seems most likely to flip so good for him. However, we know he has a history of rolling over and humiliating himself and his principles for reasons that were never clear, so I have a very low expectation.

If that fails, then we have an election very likely to be unfair, and of course casting doubt on the fairness of the election is damaging all by itself. Nor can voters be sure what is true and what is a ruse bought and backed by extortion from the US government itself. Sickening to see it happen.

[akiva]

[mimekiller]

I know Im beating this drum all the time but its an absurd notion. the same rumors circled George W, that he would declare MARTIAL LAW or BRING BACK THE DRAFT to get rid of younger voters. Also whacko cons thought this about Obama, that he would do X and go for a third term or SOMETHING. Despite the noise we make arguing we do live in a stable country with hundred years and change of peaceful transitions of power under our belt. Things will be fine no matter who wins

[Mike]

I have no doubt that Congress will certify and uphold the election regardless of the results. As for Trump, he has openly speculated about not leaving office AND about running for a third term. Certainly a lot of that is just trolling, but some of it is surely a "joke" meant to test the waters.

This is a man who sees the end of his immunity coming. He gets consistently crazier in his actions when he feels like the noose is tightening. I think he'll make a show of contesting the election, but I don't think he'll be fomenting armed rebellion or anything.

[Phoebe]

Yep, he is scared. Agreed with all that but actually I don't put fomenting armed rebellion past him. He has already mentioned various oblique references to it, starting in 2016, and in assorted Tweets. It's always presented like, oh, My People won't stand for this, I can't help it if My People defend Murica. It's kind of like the way he encourages the crowds to beat the shit out of protestors, as he'd like them to do to journalists. This is a man who sits easy with the dismemberment of a Washington Post journalist, even when it didn't directly benefit him. I think he would be cool with so much bad stuff if it kept him from any personal suffering. I mean, I fear he would nuke N Korea if he felt it would save his own hide in some way.

[Mike]

[Kyle]

Yeah so as a lawyer I have to say...

...I'm embarrassed to be a lawyer. That's just terrible.

[poorpete]

So they are saying he's basically king for 4 to 8 years (let's say 8 because as King he can cheat his reelection)?

[mimekiller]

I'm not sure how SCARED Trump is...I think Trump in many ways is like a mirror that shows people what they want to see instead of reality itself. SUPER FANS see a handsome confident leader not afraid to tell it like it is(see Ben Garisons slightly homo erotic cartoons for proof of this). People that hate him see a scared man who knows hes on the verge of doing a perp walk out of the oval office and is scrambling for anything that can save him

Reality is prob somewhere in the middle, a big bozo who talks a lot of shit without really thinking.

[akiva]

One of the things I wonder about Trump supporters: do they believe he's infallible (as he himself clearly does)? Because every bad thing is someone else's fault. Anyone who criticizes him is a traitor, or a liar, or part of conspiracy to destroy him. I get that the man himself is unbelievably narcissistic, but do his supporters believe that he does no wrong?

[Mike]

Short answer: no.

At least not for most of them. I live in a very red state. Most people I know voted for Trump. Most of them openly state that he is a terrible person. They can't stand him. But they still agree with his policies, and they think he's done a great job. They instinctively defend him against the libs, even immediately after stating how much they don't like him. They will absolutely vote for him again.

[Phoebe]

I would probably find it extraordinarily depressing to live surrounded by that many extremist Republicans. As it happens, most of my neighborhood and extended family are pro-Trump Republicans, and that's bad enough.

[mimekiller]

Well damn some mormon sect getting greased in Mexico seems like the kind of provocation Trump would need to REALLY get that wall built OR(in a Tom Clancy move) send boots on the ground to MEXICO, you best believe some cartel leaders are looking at those smiling gringos whose corpses are still smoldering and are HUGELY upset, if USA does one thing well is overreact but who knows, maybe this is just my mind spinning this into what will essentially be nothing.

[Phoebe]

It's always a smidge terrifying to read your presentation of the news first and not have any idea what it's about!

[mimekiller]

hahah! I will take this as a compliment, but yea some MORMON sect(or a off shoot of Mormons depending on who you talked to) was ambushed Godfather checkpoint style and burnt up in a whoopsy daisy of what most people are already assume is mistaken identity. Cartels are not to be fucked with but they aint stupid, they know blue eyed grinning white faces lying dead in some circular fan cooled morgue is bad for business.

[Phoebe]

My news must be different because I still haven't heard of this! I haven't deliberately searched for it but I've been listening to the news yesterday, today, etc. Part is Google giving me "stories you might like" and part is NPR and BBC giving me a stabbing in France instead? Fake news! Sad.

[Tahlvin]

You haven't heard anything about the US family killed in a suspected cartel ambush in Mexico? Wow.

[Phoebe]

Now I'm actually looking for coverage and, on at least some msm sites, it's less urgent than the fact that Keanu Reeves is dating a woman who has gray hair despite being a decade younger than he is. Having trouble continuing the search now. People are all aflame over Keanu's silvery girlfriend. General misanthropy is keeping me clacking onward through life at the moment so I shouldn't complain.

[poorpete]

Nikki Haley's sudden all-in on Trumpism is all part of this weird Catch 22 that many GOP politicians are in. They want Trump out, but they also want Trump's fans for 2024. So the most-advantaged politician needs to thread the needle: Get Trump out of office but publicly show unwavering support. Thing is, no one has threaded the needle, and I don't think anyone will, so we're stuck in this purgatory.

[akiva]

Do you think any of them are genuinely positioning themselves for 2020? It wouldn't surprise me if some thought either Trump will be booted, or that he'll be unpopular and could be replaced on the ticket. That's an even trickier needle to thread.