• Welcome to TalkWeather!
    We see you lurking around TalkWeather! Take the extra step and join us today to view attachments, see less ads and maybe even join the discussion.
    CLICK TO JOIN TALKWEATHER

Archive 2017-2019 Political Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Evan said:
Everyone knows Trump is going to be forced to resign or impeached (potentially not convicted) and politically neutered.
Click to expand...

Is he though? Trump should've never been able to garner even 10% of the votes required to win the election for presidency, but here we are. After nearly two years of incompetency... Trump affiliates and White House staff convicted/fired/quit/charged/investigated ... I feel like we're as far from an impeachment as we were from day one.

What will it actually take to get Trump out of the oval office? He certainly isn't going to resign...
 
Evan said:
I don't really understand what the hold up is. Everyone knows Trump is going to be forced to resign or impeached (potentially not convicted) and politically neutered.

My guess is the GOP wants to get Kavanaugh confirmed and make it through the mid-terms. Then, I believe, the dam is going to burst. Until then, it is going to be a steady drip drip drip of people flipping on Trump, bad news for Trump, more legal activity by Mueller et all, etc.

The big thing to watch for is how quickly does the GOP reach the calculus that Trump is going down no matter what. They can allow the whole party to go down with him (and it may be a fait acompli anyway) or test the waters and buck him on some issue. I belive the latter is more likely, but some will definitely still stick with him until the bitter end. Once they buck him on an issue or two, and it becomes evident his tweets and rants don't impact their political prospects as much as they feared (or as they previously had actually been impacted by), that's when the dam becomes structurally unsound. From that point, it won't take much for it is burst. Obviously, the question is over how long does all this play out? The longer it takes the more it harms the country and the more destructive it ends up being to the GOP. The latter deserve their fate, but the country can't wait much longer before the cumulative irreparable harm ends our Republic as we once knew it.
Click to expand...

Evan, I respect your strong views and feel you and I agree on many, but I think I'd take the odds of Hillary becoming an conservative champion over this happening.

Trump is the perfect president for the current US citizen.
 
ARCC said:
Evan, I respect your strong views and feel you and I agree on many, but I think I'd take the odds of Hillary becoming an conservative champion over this happening.

Trump is the perfect president for the current US citizen.
Click to expand...

Allen Weisselberg, CFO of the Trump Organization, has flipped and gotten immunity.

Some very optimistic people seem to believe Weisselberg is doing so only to get Cohen. That's an extremely dangerous and counter-factual claim as the evidence seized from Cohen's office, and the taxi medallion issues, were already plenty to take Cohen down.

Again, there's a reason why circa two weeks ago Trump started tweeting more frequently and acting more unhinged than usual. Especially over the last 7-10 days. It stands to reason that his attorneys or others were made aware of Cohen & Weisselberg's impending flips.

At this, numerous top Trump campaign figures have been convicted, pled guilty, or there are confirmed reports the grand jury is hearing evidence about them, and that Mueller is clearly attempting to indict them. Now, two top executives from the Trump Organization have pled guilty or flipped for immunity.

As I said, I expect it will be a continual drip drip drip from here. And, we haven't yet seen Mueller's case or evidence on obstruction and conspiracy with Russia. I am 100% certain that Mueller will conclude Trump obstructed justice (or at least tried). As I've said before, I'm less certain he's got the goods, or can get the goods, on Trump as it pertains to Russia, and a conspiracy to defraud the US/influence the election.

It is more damaging to Trump for a constant drip of criminal and illicit behavior to come out about Trump's top executives and campaign management than for one big report to come out.

As always, the question becomes how long can Trump survive. I'm not sure why you are so convinced of his ability to withstand this kind of pressure. The "Teflon Don" adage about Trump has been more bark than bite. He gave in on separating families, he had to go back and claim Russia did meddle after Helsinki, etc. He's showing way less ability to withstand damaging political hits than before. But the most important factor is that I don't think any of us can comprehend, nor have awareness, of how intense the pressure is right now on Trump, and how much it may increase in the coming weeks and months.

Watch the GOP and red-state Dems. The more often they buck him, and the number of them that join others in doing so, will be a key to how damaged Trump's political prospects really are.
 
Believe me, I've been where many of you are. The thought that LOL, nothing matters anymore and Trump could really shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.

Societal pressure is largely a domino effect. Right now Trump has enough GOP and public support that he can maintain his Presidency. But do understand, his numbers don't have to drop from 85-90% Republican support down to 20-30%. A chunk of reliable GOP voters have become Independent, or really only support the GOP on certain policy issues. It isn't a huge number, but estimates show it is around 10% of the previous GOP base. It only takes a few more hits or stories for Trump to see his support drop among the GOP base that is left. Add in a 10-20% drop, and suddenly you are 20-30% less than your peak after 2016 and Inauguration Day. When that happens (it is a matter of when and not if), the GOP members of Congress will start to buck Trump more and more. That will lead to another chunk of lost base for Trump. The societal pressure starts to build as the true believers are under constant siege, and "along for the ride" policy supporters realize they have to jump off the train lest they ruin their reputation with their friends, family, and business associates.

There is a tipping point. I firmly believe that. I don't know how long it will take to reach, and I don't know how many more hits it will take, but it is inevitable at this point.

The only way Trump could survive is if some type of 9/11 calamity befalls the nation and Trump handles it perfectly. But, I think we all know he lacks the humility, discipline, and patience to handle an event like that in the appropriate way.
 
akt1985 said:
Senator John McCain passed away tonight from brain cancer at age 81.
Click to expand...

Incredibly sad. I didn't agree with Senator McCain on everything, but there's no doubting his commitment to this country or his dedication to the American people. We lost one of the greatest Statesman of our time. An immeasurable loss for our country.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KoD
Rest in peace, Senator McCain. He was a great man.

I may have disagreed with his political views, but there's no question that he was an American hero. He is deserving of immense respect and I encourage everyone to take a brief moment of silence to reflect on him and all of the courageous men and women who have served to protect this great nation.
 
It is time for Pope Francis to resign. This continues to get worse and worse for him.



A former Vatican ambassador to the U.S. said Sunday that he told Pope Francis in 2013 about allegations of sexual abuse against a prominent priest — and that Francis took no action. Now he is calling for Francis to step down.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano made the claims in a lengthy statement that concludes with a call for Francis' resignation: "In this extremely dramatic moment for the universal Church, he must acknowledge his mistakes and, in keeping with the proclaimed principle of zero tolerance, Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example to Cardinals and Bishops who covered up McCarrick's abuses and resign along with all of them," he writes.
Click to expand...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-f...s-former-vatican-official-carlo-maria-vigano/
 


By the time Trump is removed from office or resigns, I'd imagine there will be universal agreement for an Executive Order or Bill that ensures no flags are lowered upon his death, and that the day of his death is made into a national holiday to celebrate that he's finally dead.

I'm sure there's a few, but hard to think of many people that are a bigger scumbag than Trump.
 
Evan said:


By the time Trump is removed from office or resigns, I'd imagine there will be universal agreement for an Executive Order or Bill that ensures no flags are lowered upon his death, and that the day of his death is made into a national holiday to celebrate that he's finally dead.

I'm sure there's a few, but hard to think of many people that are a bigger scumbag than Trump.
Click to expand...


Evan... I honestly believe (and I know this is a crude example) that there are people in his base that are so so bought in to him and have drank so much of his MAGA kool-aid, that Trump could literally take a dump on his desk in the Oval Office and wipe up with a copy of the Constitution and they would find a way to justify it somehow.
 
ghost said:
Evan... I honestly believe (and I know this is a crude example) that there are people in his base that are so so bought in to him and have drank so much of his MAGA kool-aid, that Trump could literally take a dump on his desk in the Oval Office and wipe up with a copy of the Constitution and they would find a way to justify it somehow.
Click to expand...

Without question it is a cult. Unlike any we've seen in our lifetime.

But, Trump, being President, is still not immune to public pressure by decent people.

 
akt1985 said:
Senator John McCain passed away tonight from brain cancer at age 81.
Click to expand...

I will pray for the repose of his soul, but am pleased he is no longer in the United States Senate. I am sorry it happened this way. I hoped the people of Arizona would have taken care of that.
 
Matt said:
I will pray for the repose of his soul, but am pleased he is no longer in the United States Senate. I am sorry it happened this way. I hoped the people of Arizona would have taken care of that.
Click to expand...
I bet you have some exciting thanksgiving dinners.

a4zmt3lb51j11.jpg
 
I wonder what Jeff Sessions has on the president. Everyone that has been fired or let go over the last year and Sessions is still there. Trump constantly puts him down and he doesn't back away from the job. It may be me but I just find it odd he hasn't already moved on or been pushed out the door.
 
ghost said:
So if you have gone to school in the state of Alabama, especially if you the University of Alabama, and if you happen to speak in a southern accent, Pres. Trump looks down his nose at you and thinks you're pretty stupid.

https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/08/trump_mocks_sessions_southern.html
Click to expand...
Not surprising really. Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist, mocked the University of Alabama at a rally when attempting to insult Joe Scarborough. Scarborough, by the way, is a University of Alabama graduate.

I hold two undergraduate degrees, and a masters from UA. I'm fiercely loyal to my alma mater. But I let these insults roll off...I've heard every insult in the book, so it takes a unique one to rile me up.
 
Quotes by John Kelly in Bob Woodward's new book "Fear"... On the POTUS.. “He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in Crazytown. I don’t even know why any of us are here. This is the worst job I’ve ever had.” "He's an idiot... unhinged"

Quote attributed to General Mattis... "He (Trump) has the understanding of a fifth or sixth grader"

Top WH economic advisor Gary Cohn saw a draft letter he considered dangerous to national security in Oval Office, fearing it could jeopardize our ability to quickly detect North Korean missile launch. "I stole it off his desk," Cohn told an associate. "I wouldn't let him see it. ... Got to protect the country." He also described the President as a "professional liar"

John Dowd, Trump's personal lawyer, describes Trump as "a f*****g liar," and would end up in "orange jump suit" if he talks to Mueller.

Trump slammed Jeff Sessions, saying while mocking his southern accent, “This guy is mentally retarded. He’s this dumb Southerner. … He couldn’t even be a one-person country lawyer down in Alabama.”

Woodward has always shown credibility in his work... I tend to believe there is truth in all of this.
 
From the NY Times...

"President Trump is facing a test to his presidency unlike any faced by a modern American leader.
It’s not just that the special counsel looms large. Or that the country is bitterly divided over Mr. Trump’s leadership. Or even that his party might well lose the House to an opposition hellbent on his downfall.
The dilemma — which he does not fully grasp — is that many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.

I would know. I am one of them.
To be clear, ours is not the popular “resistance” of the left. We want the administration to succeed and think that many of its policies have already made America safer and more prosperous.
But we believe our first duty is to this country, and the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic.

That is why many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office."
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top