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Obama isn't pulling any punches in his eulogy to John Lewis. Maybe this is why Trump's been trying to get press attention all day. He pulled the White House press core together for no reason just as Obama started his speech.
I think he's just lined up the 'I lost the election because it's a fraudulent election' excuse.
Obama's basically addressing the nation at the moment on every US TV channel. Trump must be fuming.
Who has stopped him tear gassing peaceful protesters, who has stopped him running goon squads snatching innocent citizens from the streets.
Well, I answered that a couple of pages ago.
Trump frequently says he will do dramatic things, and is rightly pulled back and put back in his box because he just doesn't have the power he thinks he does.
Even the Reps are saying it's cobblers; the Dems are just laughing at him.
And it looks like that is now being said in public:
BBC.COM This might be the start of cracks appearing in the Republican wall, but will it be enough to make him more appealing?
Given he's already trying to kill off the US Postal Service I also wouldn't put it past him sending unidentified federal officers to sorting offices and taking mail. He's already enacted snatching people off the streets and previously they were intercepting and essentially stealing PPE that states and organisations had ordered so it's not exactly a big stretch...
Yeah, this morning it does look like there will be enough republicans to oppose him to prevent him pulling any "state of emergency" bullshit. I still think he will try it, I am more optimistic that he will fail this morning than I was last night, not because of the legality of it but because of political opposition. Lets just hope those republicans who are now speaking out will not disappear when they have to back up their words.
Lets face it in the past 5 years, those in the republican and tory parties that have voiced opposition to the rise of the populist cult leaders, have either given up and left or just fallen in line, either without much of a fight.
Well, I answered that a couple of pages ago.
Trump frequently says he will do dramatic things, and is rightly pulled back and put back in his box because he just doesn’t have the power he thinks he does
Does your answer explain why it is still going on then? Why protests are continuing to be oppressed, why federal forces are still operating beyond their constitutional remit in cities they are uninvited.
It's no good to keep repeating he can't because its against the law/constitution when he keeps proving he doesn't give a **** about that, by action and not just words.
I'm beginning to think that if it was another 6 months to the election, the GOP would be looking to replace Trump. I think he's finally crossed the line for many, but done it too late for them to really do anything about it to save themselves.
I genuinely think he will try/do anything until someone stops him. It's all the stuff that is going on in the shadows that hasnt yet been discovered that's worrying.
I wouldn't want to be a postal worker there right now.
Does your answer explain why it is still going on then? Why protests are continuing to be oppressed, why federal forces are still operating beyond their constitutional remit in cities they are uninvited.
Yes. It does.
It’s no good to keep repeating he can’t because its against the law/constitution when he keeps proving he doesn’t give a **** about that, by action and not just words.
Because something's he can do according to his powers, some he can't.
Already some Reps are saying "it was a joke, how clever" Pompeo and Barr are saying it's a legal question that needs to be considered becasue they haven't the balls to outright contradict the megalomaniac who is there boss.
But even spineless sycophants like Mitch McConnell are trying to put clear air between themselves and this nonsense because they want a life after Trump.
And it's coming. Despite all his bleating and whining, he'll be voted out. The only glimmer he had was the economy and now that's been proven to be a busted flush.
Even Florida, the most red-necked of states, thinks he's not a good idea.
Presidential power is defined and limited by the Constitution.
Then you have the checks and balances which apply to the executive, judiciary and legislature.
All well and good but, as trump and his GOP sycophants have shown, it depends on a willingness to be bound by the law and comply with the law.
Already some Reps are saying “it was a joke, how clever” Pompeo and Barr are saying it’s a legal question that needs to be considered becasue they haven’t the balls to outright contradict the megalomaniac who is there boss
Pompeo is a lawyer and and Barr is the AG FFS; they would both have some knowledge of constitutional law - and likely studied it.
FFS are you being deliberately thick.
You really need to control yourself. You have an unfortunate tone on here and now you have sunk all the way down to playground abuse. Get a grip of yourself.
Instead of barking rhetorical questions, read the previous posts.
There are two ways of filling your mind, one is to put new things in it; the other is to heat up what's already in there until it expands. Try doing the former.
I will take that as a yes.
a couple of the supreme court judges are Absolutists. ie they don't interpret the constitution, they read what it says, and insist, as far as is possible, on that as a course of action.
The constitution is very very clear on the limits of the Presidency. While it may be politically expedient for some Republicans to hitch their wagons to Trump, as soon as he start to look like he's going beyond just talking about this stuff, and activity trying to do something, they'll drop him, they're not that stupid.
If only they could have got Attenborough to do the voice over.
Ever seen ‘Vice’? It’s been a while since I’ve seen it but basically...
Dick Cheney discussing getting information from terror suspects via waterboarding.
Assistant: ‘You can’t use water boarding, it’s classed torture’
Cheney: ‘It’s OK. The United States doesn’t torture people’
A: ‘So we we won’t waterboard?’
C: ‘I’m saying the US doesn’t torture people, so if the US does something, it isn’t torture.’
I imagine that kind of logic is currently being applied to lots of things the president can’t do...
That about sums it up perfectly.
Although Trump has 'stacked' the Supreme Court with Gorsuch and Cavanaugh, they owe him nothing and unlike him they don't serve fixed terms. They are imoveable and as usch Suoreme Court Judges are the literal embodiment of the constitution. If Trump thinks they are in his pocket he is mistaken.
He has certain Federal tools at his disposal, has the Police Unions on his side and a few nut jobs with AR-15's and thats about it. I don't think he has tha Army on his side.
With Republican grantees like McConnell ond Graham starting to create a bit of distance between themselves and Trump youncan see that even they are begining to dream of a post Trump world.
I don't think this will end just by voting Trump out.
I think he'll try to delegitimise the result for a start and that will make the US even more divided and dysfunctional.
Then, in another 4 years we could see another candidate running on a similar platform to Trump.
Worryingly, they might be much more clever than him but with the same goals.
It's going to take decades for the US to "heal" after Trump, if it ever does.
This was the crowd at his mini-rally when he landed at Tampa yesterday. While he was speaking the live feed only showed the front couple of rows. Then they zoomed back once he'd gone.
I'm still hoping his non-base voters have deserted him now.
TWITTER.COM It’s going to take decades for the US to “heal” after Trump, if it ever does.
As bad as Trump is, He's still ranked better than James Buchanan, who managed not to prevent that Civil War, and Andrew Johnson (a Southern Republican) who was appointed on the assassination of Lincoln and managed to **** things up monstrously after the Civil War pandering to his mates in Southern Sates, and to whom you could plausibly point the finger of blame with regards to the lack of civil rights for black people in America today. Herbert Hoover gets an (dis) honourable mention for watching the market crash hit in 1929, and then insisting it wasn't any of the govts business to try to intervene in any meaningful way to help regular folk...Helped businesses (of course) but felt that "dole" would make workers lazy (of course) and they should rely on states and charity...
Trump, in comparison to some US presidents is a bit of light relief.
This was the crowd at his mini-rally when he landed at Tampa yesterday.
Encouraged to see his biggest fan in the foreground 🙂
Its like watching a toddler
Also
Dear lord that interview. 😳
Is that real? I started watching convinced it was a well edited parody, but really wasn't sure by the time I got the end.
Ha! Same! Good to see an interviewer actually challenging him appropriately: "what?! Why? Are you saying SK is lying about their virus numbers?" etc etc. The Donald has got absolutely nothing - it's like arguing with a thick, racist uncle about Brexit.
Is that real? I started watching convinced it was a well edited parody, but really wasn’t sure by the time I got the end.
Me too, surprised he even agreed to that interview
I was about to post that one up. I (seriously) had to double check it wasn't a parody. It makes me laugh, but hysterically.
RAWSTORY.COM Prince Andrew must be loving that interview. Look, more of a car crash then me!
I liked him looking at the graphs which seem to be the sort that a 10 year old knocks up in primary school biology to show how much the plants have grown in a week rather than the socio-economic catastrophe of a global pandemic and even then he clearly hasn't got a clue.
BBC.CO.UK 'We're last, meaning we're first'
Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, Saki, or William Burroughs?
He occupies a very parallel universe, at the centre of which is Him.
I thought it was a parody too, was studying the lip syncing and thinking the interviewer was a bit OTT. Then it dawned on me...
I saw a highlight clip and thought it was deep fake to start with before it dawned on me it was an actual interview, will watch the full carcrash later!
It says a lot about American journalism when he's been exposed by an Aussie.
It says a lot about American journalism when he’s been exposed by an Aussie.
Journos know that if they're rude to him / about him they lose all the interview rights, lose the invitations to press conferences, the trips with him on Air Force One or to another golf course.
So even the left-leaning media play nicely in order to keep their access.
Similar but less obvious here to be honest. Boris got away with doing all the easy populist interviews in his election campaign, was deliberately kept away from anything or anyone who might be difficult or controversial.
It would be refreshing nonetheless to have one of them stand up one day and just say, "Mr President, just what in the name of God are you prattling on about?" (Or words to that effect) Whoever did it might get dismissed by the news org they worked for at that moment, but surely they'd not have to wait long for a good job offer from another one.
I liked him looking at the graphs which seem to be the sort that a 10 year old knocks up in primary school biology to show how much the plants have grown in a week rather than the socio-economic catastrophe of a global pandemic and even then he clearly hasn’t got a clue.
That was nuts,and they had him siting on a tiny chair.
It was like a dumb hippo perched on a bucket.
His response when asked about John Lewis surely must make him unsupportable by anybody? Refusing to say anything positive about a civil-rights legend - because he didn't like him.
JL boycotted Bush's inauguration too, but Bush spoke at his funeral.
Bushs speech at the funeral was very good - to paraphrase " we disagreed about many things but he was a man of integrity and disagreements happen in democracies"
It comes to something when we're making comparisons with Bush as something to aspire to.
It comes to something when we’re making comparisons with Bush as something to aspire to.
Remember how stupid we thought he was? Halcyon days...
Refusing to say anything positive about a civil-rights legend – because he didn’t like him.
It’s more than that. He has to signal to his base that civil-rights are a bad thing, and white supremacy is justified. See also…
...it's all about reframing things as "giving them a chance to work", rather than, "allowing them equal status and rights"... and that version of "doing more for the Black community" goes down well both with his white supremacist supporters (getting Black people working hard, they can get behind that) and others who support him and view everything in terms of earning money, and nothing else, including his small but electorally vital base of ecomonically right wing black and hispanic supporters.
I'm increasingly expecting him to win again... despite the medical emergency showing him well out of depth... his base won't care, the states will take the blame.
His response when asked about John Lewis surely must make him unsupportable by anybody?
Unsupportable by anyone that agrees with you? Maybe.