That strategy was to block, by whatever means necessary, any form of effective government during the tenure of a Democrat president

Yup dont get me wrong I am not a fan and possibly I should have changed “semi-sensible” to “can see sensible from there” but it is something which could be recovered from once the turtle sods off but with the current cult unless things change extremely quickly I am not sure how it can.

Yeah, you can almost see the Obama era as ‘politics as usual’, until you look back with hindsight from the batshit moment we’re in, with potentially millions subscribing to absolute lunatic conspiracy theories, and you can see the progression of tiny steps that led to the edge of the cliff.

Just read Trump’s fond and dignified tribute to Colin Powell. The man is a walking tumour.

I was going to disagree wth the reference to tumour, possibly suggesting ‘cyst’ or ‘polyp’, but you can get rid of those, excise them, whereas tumours have a sense of systemic evil,can come back, contain functionally immortal cells.

It fits him. He and his core support are a cancer that is eating away at the core of the world.

He and his core support and others like him are a cancer that is eating away at the core of the world.

It’s not just an American problem, sadly

Talking to a friend in the US yesterday and he thinks there’s a very real (and for him, very scary) possibility that Trump will run and win in 2024 . . .

Without doubt. Tbh I’d put money on him. His grip on the republican party is near total. Best we can hope for is he shuffles off I’m afraid.

Trump will not be able to run IMO because of his legal difficulties. He is mired so deep – its 50/50 IMO that he will be in jail by then but he will certainly be so deep inl egal trouble he will not / cannot run

also the Democrats will not make the same mistake of putting a weak candidate against him if he does try to run

Trump will not be able to run IMO because of his legal difficulties.

Don’t underestimate his ability to distance himself from, or delay any proceedings until the point at which pursuing them could be claimed to be ‘interfering with the election’. Remember that primary campaigning, if Trump announces a bid, starts way earlier than the actual presidential campaign. The wheels of criminal justice grind very slowly in the US – there still seems to be only the SDNY case pressing on with any sort of urgency, I very much doubt we’ll see anything that could arise from Jan 6 in time.

Looking at it another way, Trump may actually need to run because of, rather in spite of, his legal problems. Both for using the impending election as a way of deflecting/delaying any legal proceedings, civil and criminal, and so he can grift millions in fundraising to help pay for his defence.

also the Democrats will not make the same mistake of putting a weak candidate against him if he does try to run

Well, Biden would have to agree a one-term presidency, as he has first dibs on the nomination. If he drops out, who do we have?

Kamala Harris – would be great in my view, but I’m not sure she will do well enough in the swing states. Pete Buttgieg – another fantastic performer, but again, they will weaponise his sexuality against him.

Amy Klobuchar? Elizabeth Warren again? The Democrats are not in great shape if Biden and Harris aren’t performing well.

Remember that primary campaigning, if Trump announces a bid, starts way earlier than the actual presidential campaign

Also remember that if you fundraise for a campaign for election – then don’t or can’t participate in that election…. you don’t have to pay any of the money back.

Whether he can run or whether he wants to run has nothing to do with whether he wants people to believe he intends to run.

The democrats are just as much owned by the oligarchs as the republicans. Republicism is a cancer but the democrats are not the cure, they are a distraction to keep society from actually seeking out a real cure.

Well, Biden would have to agree a one-term presidency, as he has first dibs on the nomination. If he drops out, who do we have?

I think a lot of that will depend on how the mid-terms turn out

An interesting article in the Grauniad today re populism and its impact on right wing politicians who embrace it. Splits and schisms apply to Trump too and would impact on him as a candidate..

https://www.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2021/oct/20/populist-right-covid-conspiracists-moderate-culture-wars

Also remember that if you fundraise for a campaign for election

I believe the rules change once a campaign is officially declared. Before then you have a lot more freedom what to spend it on.

Anyone catch Four Hours at the Capitol on TV tonight? The footage is chilling.

Essential viewing : http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0010tff

Absolutely shocking. I’m surprised only one ‘protester’ was shot dead.

The protesters where white. thats why only one was shot

Still amazed now restrained the police were.

Only 5mins in and seeing that corn syrup raised proud boy film maker at the start of the documentary can only bode well for my initial preconceptions regarding the capital hill coup.

In other news, anyone going to be signing up for a ‘Truth Social’ account when it comes along?

Still amazed now restrained the police were.

IIRC the police that were defending the actual building are a small separate force that only guards the building so my guess is they are not as cynical and ready to open fire as the police who routinely police the streets?

In other news, anyone going to be signing up for a ‘Truth Social’ account when it comes along?

Having recommended them to my daughter, I’ve just re-read 1984 and Animal Farm for the first time since I was her age. I guess the fascist MO hasn’t changed much through the years.

anyone going to be signing up for a ‘Truth Social’ account when it comes along?

Like most right wing grifts at “free speech media” it’s failed already. Hackers have gained access to the Beta test site, got control of Trumps personal acct and posted a picture of a pig shitting on it’s own giant testicles. You literally couldn’t make it up.

I wonder how the folks over at QAnon central square this away with their view that he’s running a nine-dimensional game of chess with his opponents?

In other news, anyone going to be signing up for a ‘Truth Social’ account when it comes along?

Absolutely yes. As abhorrent and unhinged as he is, he still impacts on world politics and its important to see what he is up to. I also get a twisted kick out of seeing him unravel.

Anyone catch Four Hours at the Capitol on TV tonight? The footage is chilling.

Will watch this later, thanks for the head ups, some goods doc on BBC2 recently, really enjoying Brown and Blair, the 9/11 docs were well made and good viewing.

the 9/11 docs were well made and good viewing.

9/11: Inside the President’s War Room was superb and well worth watching.

There was a bit when they were talking about concerns that Air Force One would be a target. It is commonly accepted that it is one of the most secure places in the world. Yet the Captain placed armed guards at bottom of the stairs up to the cockpit. This was a layer of security beyond Secret Service. Unreal.

Anyone catch Four Hours at the Capitol on TV tonight? The footage is chilling.

I just watched it, wow. I had no idea that was so violent. The police were outstanding dealing with a terrifying situation with real restraint.

Jimmy and Mike the coppers was seriously badass. I got the impression they would have stood their ground even if it was just the two of them against the mob. If I ever get a fight, I’d want them on my side.

Bannon has been found in contempt so he is going to jail or is going to have to shop Trump

LOL federal Jail time is hard jail time, will Bannon go for the supermax cell next door to “El Chapo” or shop the guy who sacked him ?

tjagain
Full Member
Bannon has been found in contempt so he is going to jail or is going to have to shop Trump

I hope so!

That said a CNN article I read said it’s notoriously difficult for the House to pursue a conviction. Words to that effect anyway.

Sadly, there’s many legal hurdles or steps before the verminous get sees the inside of a jail cell.

In other news, anyone going to be signing up for a ‘Truth Social’ account when it comes along?

I’m in. That site is going to be troll-central. If you see anyone posting as BabyFaceEatingNelson, that’ll be me.

What are the chances people get cancelled by truth social for not being on board with the “correct truth” …

What are the chances people get cancelled by truth social for not being on board with the “correct truth” …

Pretty high I’d imagine!

Whatever happened to the pillow pillocks social media enterprise? I know technically it sucked early doors, but did it ever launch properly? I imagine Trumps effort will be similarly shonky.

Looking at it another way, Trump may actually need to run because of, rather in spite of, his legal problems. Both for using the impending election as a way of deflecting/delaying any legal proceedings, civil and criminal, and so he can grift millions in fundraising to help pay for his defence.

Yep he’s got to keep spinning the plates or he’s screwed but tbh that’s alway been his game professional plate spinner, as soon as the plates stop spinning the con is exposed.

How much is his latest venture valued…

The planned merger values Trump Media & Technology Group “at an initial enterprise value of $875 Million, with a potential additional earnout of $825 Million in additional shares (at the valuation they are granted) for a cumulative valuation of up to $1.7 Billion depending on the performance of the stock price post-business combination

He’s a dangerous man with a fair few people covering his back if you see how well the insurrection has been attempted to be downplayed/denied.

But you’ve seen how close the Americans were to getting their very own dictator and he’s not gone yet.

What are the chances people get cancelled by truth social for not being on board with the “correct truth” …

It’s going to be a shitshow.

Trump's social network TRUTH Social has a rule banning "excessive use of capital letters": https://t.co/oeKykENxV7

— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) October 21, 2021

Was just able to setup an account using the handle @donaldtrump on 'Truth Social,' former President Donald Trump's new social media website.

Although the site is not officially open, a URL was discovered allowing users to sign up anyway. pic.twitter.com/MRMQzjNhma

— Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) October 21, 2021

Pig poop balls (mildly offensive content).

Fools and their money…

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-10-21/matt-levine-s-money-stuff-donald-trump-does-a-spac

On the other hand if Donald Trump launched a company that was like “I am going to start a social media platform for Trump fans,” could he get people to buy the stock? I think that two fundamental lessons of the last few years are:

You can get people to buy any stock; and
Donald Trump can get people to buy anything.

So if Donald Trump announced “hey I’m gonna do a social media company, buy some stock,” people would buy some stock. And then he’d get a lot of money. 1 And then if the social media platform did not end up being profitable — as I cannot imagine it would be! — then he would, uh, still have that money? And if the social media platform did not end up being launched — if Trump and his crack team of technologists just couldn’t actually build a well-functioning online social network — then he would, uh, still have that money? And if there was no crack team of technologists at all, if nobody even tried to build the social media platform — then you see where I am going with this right?

TBH the Trumpbook stuff is all very funny but at the same time it seems like a pretty effective way to scam his supporters again, some of the figures floating around for the finances are crazy.

I wonder if the handle ” Orange faced shitgibbon” is still available?

I wonder what his next grift is going to be?

His supporters are a cash cow, remember the grift for donations to support the ‘stop the steal’ challenge through the courts and how donors were hoodwinked into near bankruptcy by the small print,