Most of these guys are so dumb that they could easily convince a court that they didn't know it did that and they're not mentally competent enough to be held accountable anyway. Barron Trump had to show them how to use the app--none of your business, Dad!
Trump 2.0
- Thread starter James R
- Start date
Yes.
But again, this statement assumes that that means anything. He's a rapist - he got away with that. He was convicted of 34 felonies - got away with all of them. He has ignored both Congress and the courts. He got away with all that. Not sure why people think "but that's against the law" means anything any more.
So, About Those Other Reasons
The overview, via The Hill↱:
To the one, this is #WhatTheyVotedFor. To the other, 「¡That's not what they voted for, waaah you take that back that's not what they voted for! Just! Leave! Trump! Voters! Alone!」
Okay, okay, fine: What the hell did they think was going to happen? I mean, realistically, not some fantasy like Robert McCabe, a fired IRS employee, explained to a local news reporter↱: "I thought that someone with his business acumen would have come in with a fine-tooth comb … instead of coming in with a wrecking ball and destroying people's lives for no reason." He also forgets that he just voted for the party that wants to destroy the IRS and weaken government to the point that it is easily murdered. For some reason, he thinks the party that believes the most dangerous words in the language are, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help", to actually wants to "help change the things that are wrong in the world, you know?"
Seriously, it's not like Republicans haven't been pretty straightforward about this stuff for a long, long time.
And, sure, it feels a little like kicking them while they're down, but what's the track record on not kicking them? As columnist Matt K. Lewis put it, "as much as it might seem like these personal reckonings should spark some soul-searching, that’s not how the real world works". Or, as poet Shel Silverstein once inquired, "What do you do when the light turns blue with orange and lavender spots?"
Seriously, what did they think was going to happen?
____________________
Notes:
@atrupar. "Fox Biz: 'Whew folks, this is a tough way to end the week.' *cuts to Kudlow* Kudlow: 'So, markets crash over 700 points today after a bad inflation report, more tariff confusion, oh, and by the way -- Republicans really gonna raise taxes?'" X. 28 March 2025. X.com. 28 March 2025. status/1905712615579689307
Hussein, Fatima, David Chang, and Brian Sheehan. "Hundreds of Philly IRS workers laid off on Thursday, union says". NBC 10. 23 February 2025. NBCPhiladelphia.com. 28 March 2025. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/new...ayoffs-firings-union-president-trump/4114738/
Lane, Sylvan. "Stocks plummet after hot inflation report". The Hill. 28 March 2025. TheHill.com. 28 March 2025. https://thehill.com/business/5219986-stocks-slide-federal-data-inflation/
Lewis, Matt K. "Trump voters are starting to get burned by DOGE's chainsaw". The Hill. 19 March 2025. TheHill.com. 28 March 2025. https://thehill.com/opinion/campaig...are-starting-to-get-burned-by-doges-chainsaw/
Silverstein, Shel. "Signals". A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
"So, markets crash over seven hundred points today after a bad inflation report, more tariff confusion, oh, and by the way, Republicans really gonna raise taxes? That coulda done it."
The overview, via The Hill↱:
Stocks ended the week with steep losses after new federal data showed prices rising faster than expected, reigniting inflation fears on Wall Street.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 715 points on the day, falling 1.7 percent. The Nasdaq composite lost 2.7 percent and the S&P 500 index fell 2 percent.
The stock slide began shortly after the Commerce Department released data showing an unexpectedly steep increase in consumer prices.
The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 2.5 percent over the past year, but 2.8 percent without food and energy prices included. On a monthly basis, the PCE index advanced by 0.3 percent while core PCE increased by 0.4 percent.
"We are moving in the wrong direction and the concern is that tariffs threaten higher prices, which mean the inflation prints are going to remain hot. This will constrain the Fed's ability to deliver further interest rate cuts," James Knightley, chief international economist at AIG, said in a Friday analysis.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 715 points on the day, falling 1.7 percent. The Nasdaq composite lost 2.7 percent and the S&P 500 index fell 2 percent.
The stock slide began shortly after the Commerce Department released data showing an unexpectedly steep increase in consumer prices.
The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 2.5 percent over the past year, but 2.8 percent without food and energy prices included. On a monthly basis, the PCE index advanced by 0.3 percent while core PCE increased by 0.4 percent.
"We are moving in the wrong direction and the concern is that tariffs threaten higher prices, which mean the inflation prints are going to remain hot. This will constrain the Fed's ability to deliver further interest rate cuts," James Knightley, chief international economist at AIG, said in a Friday analysis.
To the one, this is #WhatTheyVotedFor. To the other, 「¡That's not what they voted for, waaah you take that back that's not what they voted for! Just! Leave! Trump! Voters! Alone!」
Okay, okay, fine: What the hell did they think was going to happen? I mean, realistically, not some fantasy like Robert McCabe, a fired IRS employee, explained to a local news reporter↱: "I thought that someone with his business acumen would have come in with a fine-tooth comb … instead of coming in with a wrecking ball and destroying people's lives for no reason." He also forgets that he just voted for the party that wants to destroy the IRS and weaken government to the point that it is easily murdered. For some reason, he thinks the party that believes the most dangerous words in the language are, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help", to actually wants to "help change the things that are wrong in the world, you know?"
Seriously, it's not like Republicans haven't been pretty straightforward about this stuff for a long, long time.
Take Bradley Bartell, a Wisconsin man who voted for Trump in 2024 and is now devastated because ICE has detained and may deport his Peruvian wife. He "knew they were cracking down," he says. "I guess I didn't know how it was going down."
Really, Bradley? You voted for the guy who said he was going to round up immigrants, but somehow you didn't get the memo?
Then there's David Pasquino, a vet who worked for Veterans Affairs until Trump's so-called "efficiency" cuts came around. Now he's complaining about the "chainsaw" they used instead of a "scalpel." Now, he feels "betrayed."
Did you think being a veteran would save you from the guy who refers to fallen service members as "losers" and "suckers," David?
(Lewis↱)
Really, Bradley? You voted for the guy who said he was going to round up immigrants, but somehow you didn't get the memo?
Then there's David Pasquino, a vet who worked for Veterans Affairs until Trump's so-called "efficiency" cuts came around. Now he's complaining about the "chainsaw" they used instead of a "scalpel." Now, he feels "betrayed."
Did you think being a veteran would save you from the guy who refers to fallen service members as "losers" and "suckers," David?
(Lewis↱)
And, sure, it feels a little like kicking them while they're down, but what's the track record on not kicking them? As columnist Matt K. Lewis put it, "as much as it might seem like these personal reckonings should spark some soul-searching, that’s not how the real world works". Or, as poet Shel Silverstein once inquired, "What do you do when the light turns blue with orange and lavender spots?"
Seriously, what did they think was going to happen?
____________________
Notes:
@atrupar. "Fox Biz: 'Whew folks, this is a tough way to end the week.' *cuts to Kudlow* Kudlow: 'So, markets crash over 700 points today after a bad inflation report, more tariff confusion, oh, and by the way -- Republicans really gonna raise taxes?'" X. 28 March 2025. X.com. 28 March 2025. status/1905712615579689307
Hussein, Fatima, David Chang, and Brian Sheehan. "Hundreds of Philly IRS workers laid off on Thursday, union says". NBC 10. 23 February 2025. NBCPhiladelphia.com. 28 March 2025. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/new...ayoffs-firings-union-president-trump/4114738/
Lane, Sylvan. "Stocks plummet after hot inflation report". The Hill. 28 March 2025. TheHill.com. 28 March 2025. https://thehill.com/business/5219986-stocks-slide-federal-data-inflation/
Lewis, Matt K. "Trump voters are starting to get burned by DOGE's chainsaw". The Hill. 19 March 2025. TheHill.com. 28 March 2025. https://thehill.com/opinion/campaig...are-starting-to-get-burned-by-doges-chainsaw/
Silverstein, Shel. "Signals". A Light in the Attic. New York: Harper & Row, 1981.
Exactly. What boggles my mind is the fact that so many folks still don't understand who and what we are dealing with. To paraphrase Kyle Reece:
"Listen, and understand! Maga is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or shame, or empathy. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are completely under it's control!"
We must fight fire with fire. If threats and violence are the only things they understand, then that's what we should meet them with. Get in their faces, yell at them, threaten them, bowl them over... they are cowards and will turn tail and run.
"Can't stand it for another day, ain't gonna live my life this way! Cold sweat, my fists are clenching! Stomp, stomp stomp! the Idiot's Convention! Which one of these words don't you understand?"
― Anthrax, "Caught in a Mosh"
It really should be just a dumb joke of mine that a rightist plea of general noncompetency is how this ends. However, as that notion somehow becomes a functional possibility, we should keep two points in mind:
• The conservative argument tends toward a dualism between maximum punishment and scot-free; we are wise to remember the conservative caricature of liberalism by which we would simply let all the criminals run free. That is to say, they expect their noncompetency plea settles the whole question and excuses them from any repercussions or obligations.
• Once upon a time, I tried to make a certain point about violence↗—
—and the thing is, it's not so much the fact of my expectation, but that even now my basic sense of civility and civilization screams at me that they can't possibly intend to take it that far, except now we're to the point of Rowling-style snatchers, and even the disbelief, the dubious credibility of exaggeration, about line↗ like, "We're actually to the point that a sitting Congressman↱ would call for the deportation of actual born Americans for the sake of enforcing conservative Christian politics", is no longer tenable. If it ever was.
• Once upon a time, I tried to make a certain point about violence↗—
But we're also talking about civil war. Think about curbstomping a Nazi. Maybe you would never, and if you wonder whether I would, that's the thing, I don't really know the threshold. The basic quandary is pretty straightforward: It should never come to that. Okay, but curbstomping? Well, it's not like I go around packing heat. Should I? I honestly don't think it should come to that, speak nothing of actually finding reason to shoot at someone. And if my bootheel is what I happen to have at hand when a Nazi crosses that threshold, then ... wait, what threshold?
Well, that's the thing: In the moment when the rightists start shooting, what are you—... well, right. But if the options are to flee, beg, appease, or otherwise hope they don't shoot you, there is also a question of fighting back.
Well, that's the thing: In the moment when the rightists start shooting, what are you—... well, right. But if the options are to flee, beg, appease, or otherwise hope they don't shoot you, there is also a question of fighting back.
—and the thing is, it's not so much the fact of my expectation, but that even now my basic sense of civility and civilization screams at me that they can't possibly intend to take it that far, except now we're to the point of Rowling-style snatchers, and even the disbelief, the dubious credibility of exaggeration, about line↗ like, "We're actually to the point that a sitting Congressman↱ would call for the deportation of actual born Americans for the sake of enforcing conservative Christian politics", is no longer tenable. If it ever was.
We might wonder how many more ways they take it that far, but must also countenance the possibility that, like their pining for revolt↗, they have no intention that the country gets out of this without a ruckus. That is, as many more ways as we let them.
[(cue flashback 2021↗)]:
Yeah, it's not funny, because it's true, we just don't do certain stuff to people, but conservatives will eventually blame liberals for not suppressing them, and some rightist somewhere will come right out and say it, that it's everyone else's fault for not curbstomping them.
One story history will tell ... I mean, c'mon, really? I need there to be some sarcasm left in that kind of dire commentary. Most of these guys are so dumb―
... (¿How dumb are they?) ...
―they're so dumb ....
____________________
Um. Trump had nothing to do with the Signal chat. Which in itself is the most believable statement he or his team have stated about the whole affair. And if he was guilty of anything as a result of it it would undoubtedly be within his core Presidential activity and thus he would be immune from prosecution.
No, the illegal activity in this case would be owned by Hegseth, Waltz, Gabbard, Dunce et al. Sure, Trump would likely pardon them, even if his MAGA-owned DoJ went after then, and certainly before any future impartial DoJ did so. But there are possibly other ways and means of holding them to account.
Or maybe there aren't?
In other news, VP Dunce has again been insulting Greenlanders and Denmark, basically said that Greenland will become part of the USA. Apparently Denmark just haven't been doing enough for the security of Greenlanders. But, as always with this Administration, rather than work behind the scenes with, say, Denmark and Greenland to come up with a defence-bolstering agreement, they just say "this is what we want... so give it to us!" (or words to that effect). With Greenland they are once again not ruling out military action... against a NATO ally. And insulting Denmark.
www.bbc.co.uk
Obama, and even Biden, if they saw the status-quo as an issue, would be engaging respectfully with Denmark to see how a mutually beneficial arrangement could be struck, that guides Greenland toward independence, and that gives the US the security they're looking for - if indeed it is just "security" and not all the mineral wealth that Greenland has. Additional airbases. A naval base, etc. And security guarantees from both US and Denmark for Greenland as an independent nation. All that could be worked out in private between the relevant parties, away from the cameras, and avoiding the mafia-like extortion and bullying going on.
Vance scolds Denmark during Greenland trip as Trump says US must have island- updates
The vice-president says Russia and China have increased footprints in the area and the world cannot "bury our heads in the sand".
www.bbc.co.uk
Obama, and even Biden, if they saw the status-quo as an issue, would be engaging respectfully with Denmark to see how a mutually beneficial arrangement could be struck, that guides Greenland toward independence, and that gives the US the security they're looking for - if indeed it is just "security" and not all the mineral wealth that Greenland has. Additional airbases. A naval base, etc. And security guarantees from both US and Denmark for Greenland as an independent nation. All that could be worked out in private between the relevant parties, away from the cameras, and avoiding the mafia-like extortion and bullying going on.
Pinball1970
Valued Senior Member
Yeah read that this morning. The address speech wording by Trump to Congress on Greenland a few weeks ago was, "we will get it, one way or another."In other news, VP Dunce has again been insulting Greenlanders and Denmark, basically said that Greenland will become part of the USA. Apparently Denmark just haven't been doing enough for the security of Greenlanders. But, as always with this Administration, rather than work behind the scenes with, say, Denmark and Greenland to come up with a defence-bolstering agreement, they just say "this is what we want... so give it to us!" (or words to that effect). With Greenland they are once again not ruling out military action... against a NATO ally. And insulting Denmark.
Vance scolds Denmark during Greenland trip as Trump says US must have island- updates
The vice-president says Russia and China have increased footprints in the area and the world cannot "bury our heads in the sand".
Obama, and even Biden, if they saw the status-quo as an issue, would be engaging respectfully with Denmark to see how a mutually beneficial arrangement could be struck, that guides Greenland toward independence, and that gives the US the security they're looking for - if indeed it is just "security" and not all the mineral wealth that Greenland has. Additional airbases. A naval base, etc. And security guarantees from both US and Denmark for Greenland as an independent nation. All that could be worked out in private between the relevant parties, away from the cameras, and avoiding the mafia-like extortion and bullying going on.
The shit show continues on all fronts.
In some respects, I'm glad he said this--it's good to have actual and plausible threats made against persons or entities on record.
Is Greenland at present protected by NATO?
If the US leaves NATO would that protection continue?
Is US really saying that they will not allow Greenland to form alliances or establish links with anyone they disagree with?
(plus ,of course Trump is just greedy by nature)
Pinball1970
Valued Senior Member
Denmark are part of NATO who own Greenland but the US has a presence there too.
There WAS an agreement between the US and Denmark over security.
All bets are off now though.
Any treaty, agreement, deal we can assume will not be honoured by the US.
Trump is flaunting rule of Law in America with his stream of executive orders, we should assume International law and any agreements made within that since WW2 with the allies, will be now trampled over.
Yes - they're part of Denmark, so while Denmark are in NATO, Greenland is de facto part of NATO.
Protection? Of NATO? Yes. Because Denmark would, presumably, remain within Denmark. So NATO would continue to protect Denmark/Greenland.
Pretty much, yes. If Greenland become independent, as they have long wished for, and as Denmark and they are moving toward in a respectful and collaborative way, then they [Greenland] would, as a sovereign nation in their own right, be free to form alliances with whomever they want. This is the right of any sovereign nation.
But just as Russia don't like that Ukraine want to form closer ties with, if not become a member of, the EU, let alone NATO, the US would not want to see Greenland form alliances or closer ties with the likes of Russia or China. But that's not the case at the moment, nor is it ever likely to be.
This is why I believe the Greenland issue is nothing to do with security (which could be resolved by agreements to have a greater military presence etc) and everything to do with simply grabbing their mineral resources. Any other administration would sign agreements to strengthen the ties and cooperation between Greenland/Denmark and the US over security, and maybe other agreements regarding rights to mine/drill the resources (as many other countries do with foreign investors). But those other administrations wouldn't ever contemplate colonisation, or taking ownership, when the inhabitants want independence and have no desire to be just another part of the US.
TheVat
Registered Senior Member
Hehe. Given that Usha is Hindu and vegetarian, the pillow talk must be interesting.
TheVat
Registered Senior Member
If US stays with NATO this would create the unusual situation of treaty obligations requiring US to send troops to Greenland to protect it from the US. The World Paradox Authority may have to step in.
TheVat
Registered Senior Member
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/federal-funding-cuts-ripple-through-heart-trump-country-2025-03-29/
I didn't realize leopards would eat MY face, sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.
Same reason they get upset when someone talks about who needs a bullet.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1016x304:1018x306)/luigi-mangione-court-nyc-8-22125-010ffe1580a044eab9f17e39985b2d59.jpg)
Luigi Mangione Was Concerned For McDonald's Worker Who Reported Him to Police
Mangione's attorneys claim he apologized for any inconvenience his arrest caused and that he hoped the employee's information would not be released.
Because "terrorists" are always concerned over the welfare of bystanders.
According to the mighty Google (he who must be believed), there are c.250,000 civilian injuries caused by law enforcement each year, with more than 600 killed.
U.S. Data on Police Shootings and Violence | Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project | University of Illinois Chicago
Data on police shootings and violence impacting civilians in the United States, as prepared by the Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project.
policeepi.uic.edu
Maybe they weren't always "bystanders", but, still, the stats are worth noting.
Pinball1970
Valued Senior Member
Yes, it's getting nuts. The intel sharing right now with the UK and US should be considered unsafe.
This is without accidental sharing with Journalists.