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[ItWasMeantToBe19]

(30-40% of Americans would be in favor of putting Muslims in internment camps right now if no reason was given).

We live in a country with some terrible people.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

(30-40% of Americans would be in favor of putting Muslims in internment camps right now if no reason was given).

We live in a country with some terrible people.

One might call them "deplorable," even.

 

[Mirand]

Nice stream of consciousness article that helped walk me off the ledge just a bit:
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2017/01/31/a-fortnight-of-trump/

 

[kirblar]

This is actually I think a big failure of Democratic messagimg (or, more cynically, a resounding success of moderate Democrats, heh). Hillary didn't really rail against huge monied interests. There was some talk about "an economy that works for everyone" but no messaging about who was to blame, or that the powers that be want you to believe it was immigration so that they weren't held accountable. Immigration was defended as it should be, but there wasn't a satisfying answer to "why is there such absurd income disparity" and instead we said "America is already great".

She didn't give in to trash populist economics. That's a good thing.

If someone's looking for a scapegoat, she was never going to beat the answer Trump was giving them.

 

[Plinko]

Shit like this makes me think I probably actually do live in a liberal bubble. All this hysteria happening and he's still not in the 30s. insane.

He will never drop below 40 unless ACA repeal is a colossal disaster and people start dying because of it.

Our country is irreparably divided.

 

[Jarmel]

Disgusting

Oh can we the people choose? Whoever has more Twitter folllowers by 9 PM EST tomorrow, gets nominated.

 

[sc0la]

I'm disappointed they weren't written in crayon

Too small to grip effectively with his tiny tiny hands. Needs a big sharpie to grab in a clenched fist.

 

[BoboBrazil]

Nice stream of consciousness article that helped walk me off the ledge just a bit:
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2017/01/31/a-fortnight-of-trump/

He will never drop below 40 unless ACA repeal is a colossal disaster and people start dying because of it.

Our country is irreparably divided.

Thanks Fox News.

 

[Plinko]

On CNN's website in the ticker: Survey: 45% of GOP voters believe God helped Trump win

To be quite honest, this is shockingly lower than I expected.

 

[ascii42]

He will never drop below 40 unless ACA repeal is a colossal disaster and people start dying because of it.

At which point they'll be too dead to disapprove of Trump.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Thanks Fox News.

Did Fox News exist in the 1940s when most Americans supported banning people fleeing from the Holocaust and supported Japanese internment camps?

 

[balladofwindfishes]

This is also why I am mildly exasperated at the idea floating about, that the fumbling bullshit nonsense these numpties are up to represents 11-dimensional super-chess political moves. Folks, no. Really, just, no. If they were 11-dimensional super-chess masters, they wouldn’t have had a negative polling rating eight days into their administration; they’d instead have made us delighted to waltz down the path to a comfortable and complacent fascism. But they didn’t, because they can’t, because they’re not that smart. A White House that spends four days litigating the size of an inauguration crowd is not a clutch of masterminds. Masterminds wouldn’t have given a shit about how many people showed up on the goddamn National Mall.

Exactly!

 

[sangreal]

Hardiman has no official opinion on abortion, Gorsuch is against Roe v Wade.

I don't think Gorsuch has ever said a word about his opinion of abortion. His only related legal opinion -- defunding planned parenthood -- was procedural in nature. That said, he is an constructionist so that alone would pretty much make him against Roe v Wade. I mean, really, it's safe to assume the position of anyone the GOP will put forth. Trump plagiarized his list from a conservative think-tank afterall

at least we aren't getting pryor unless trump goes for the swerve

and thankfully Gorsuch isn't catholic. I mean, come on...

 

[davepoobond]

Exactly!

But does it matter when the end result is the same?

 

[Jarmel]

at least we aren't getting pryor unless trump goes for the swerve

Watch it be Pryor.

 

[sangreal]

Watch it be Pryor.

it would be a very trump thing to do

 

[Mario]

At which point they'll be too dead to disapprove of Trump.

The perfect voter suppression strategy.

 

[Teggy]

Chronicle‏ @chronicle

News: Jerry Falwell Jr. will lead a federal task force on higher-ed policy, he said Tuesday:

wat

 

[mo60]

He will never drop below 40 unless ACA repeal is a colossal disaster and people start dying because of it.

Our country is irreparably divided.

He's in the low fourties right now for approval. It will be awhile before we know if his approval ever drops below 40%.

 

[Plinko]

wat

I can't even.

Edit:

Falwell has previously criticized the Department of Education for micromanaging colleges and universities, and accused the department of overreach and intruding into the accreditation process.

I mean, I guess I'm not entirely opposed to that statement. There is truth there. My guess, though, is that the pendulum will swing far, far in the other direction. My guess is we'll see a return of for-profit scam colleges and this will be the start of screwing over the PSLF program enrollees.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

But does it matter when the end result is the same?

Of course it matters. If they made everyone fall in love with them, it would be a lot easier to sneak the fascism in. But the majority of the country now dislikes them, and that's only going to grow. The more people they piss off, the greater the fight is when they start crossing the boundaries that they've started crossing. The end result isn't the same; they don't have majority support. They'll still try, sure, but instead of complacency they are being met by active resistance, and that's a pretty significant difference.

 

[Spoiled Milk]

Basically unchanged from beforehand. So basically we have a permanently divided nation.

He will never drop below 40 unless ACA repeal is a colossal disaster and people start dying because of it.

Our country is irreparably divided.

Odd to frame it this way.

 

[PKrockin]

Starting to think Trump legitimately has early dementia or something.

https://twitter.com/tommyxtopher/status/826521935987298304

Decidedly low energy and sad exclamation point

 

[Plinko]

Odd to frame it this way.

I think it is a different scenario than in previous generations. Today, we have nearly all republicans getting their news from what amounts to be a propaganda television network. That creates a giant wedge between groups of Americans. I think the damage done is actually irreparable.

 

[TestOfTide]

He will never drop below 40 unless ACA repeal is a colossal disaster and people start dying because of it.

Our country is irreparably divided.

If that were true, Bush Jr. wouldn't have dropped to such low approvals.

Trump is only still barely above 40% because there are a substantial number of Trump voters that don't like Trump, but voted for him so they want to "wait and see".

The moment that 10-15% I mentioned are negatively affected in a way that they KNOW is caused by Trump, they'll stop supporting him.

 

[Mirand]

wat

jfc

 

[Plinko]

If that were true, Bush Jr. wouldn't have dropped to such low approvals.

Trump is only still barely above 40% because there are a substantial number of Trump voters that don't like Trump, but voted for him so they want to "wait and see".

The moment that 10-15% I mentioned are negatively affected in a way that they KNOW is caused by Trump, they'll stop supporting him.

The world and media landscape is drastically different from even 9 years ago when Bush left office.

 

[Teggy]

Odd to frame it this way.

I don't follow.

 

[metalslimer]

wat

Mike Pence getting his 2 cents in

 

[Averon]

https://poll.qu.edu/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=2425

New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie is still looking for the bottom as Garden State voters disapprove 78 - 17 percent, including 53 - 39 percent among Republicans, of the job he is doing, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

....

Gov. Christie's disapproval is 3-1 or higher among every party, gender, education, age or racial group except Republicans, who disapprove 53 - 39 percent.

Is Christie the most unpopular Governor in the nation? Who else can beat a 17% approval rating?

 

[shinra-bansho]

Murkowski is publicly non-committal on DeVos. But even if she flipped would need another. And probably another after that because of Manchin.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I don't think Gorsuch has ever said a word about his opinion of abortion. His only related legal opinion -- defunding planned parenthood -- was procedural in nature. That said, he is an constructionist so that alone would pretty much make him against Roe v Wade. I mean, really, it's safe to assume the position of anyone the GOP will put forth. Trump plagiarized his list from a conservative think-tank afterall

at least we aren't getting pryor unless trump goes for the swerve

and thankfully Gorsuch isn't catholic. I mean, come on...

This is good for state level environmental law

Gorsuch has been an opponent of the dormant commerce clause, which allows state laws to be declared unconstitutional if they too greatly burden interstate commerce. In his opinion for the 2015 case of Energy and Environmental Legal Institute v. Joshua Epel, Gorsuch opined that Colorado's mandates for renewable energy did not violate the commerce clause by putting out-of-state coal companies at a disadvantage. Gorsuch wrote that the Colorado renewable energy law "isn't a price-control statute, it doesn't link prices paid in Colorado with those paid out of state, and it does not discriminate against out-of-staters".[22][23]

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Sessions is abstaining from the votes, right?

 

[Cesare Borgia]

Exactly!

I can't help but feel the "here's what's actually going on/this is calculated chaos/etc" stuff is like the worst aspects of smug liberal shit transferred to a minority power level. There is no conspiracy here. This guy has been an unstable narcissistic fascist his entire life. He's been obsessed with punishing or embarrassing his enemies ever since he won. One of the very first things he did was make Mitt Romney grovel for the Sec of State job only to throw him in the bushes. Now he's rewarding his fervent supporters and punishing groups that hate him. But not just minorities/immigrants...he's also shitting on GOP leadership.

And...it's turning out to be a disaster, he's losing support, etc. Being bad at your job is not a strategy, unless you're the Philadelphia 76ers.

 

[shinra-bansho]

Sessions is abstaining from the votes, right?

Normally it wouldn't matter as sitting Senators have garnered bipartisan support and/or passed by voice vote.

This looks different. But it probably still won't make the difference. They still have a majority without him.

Probably Heitkamp or Donnelly will join with Manchin to confirm as well.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

I can't help but feel the "here's what's actually going on/this is calculated chaos/etc" stuff is like the worst aspects of smug liberal shit transferred to a minority power level. There is no conspiracy here. This guy has been an unstable narcissistic fascist his entire life. He's been obsessed with punishing or embarrassing his enemies ever since he won. One of the very first things he did was make Mitt Romney grovel for the Sec of State job only to throw him in the bushes. Now he's rewarding his fervent supporters and punishing groups that hate him. But not just minorities/immigrants...he's also shitting on GOP leadership.

And...it's turning out to be a disaster, he's losing support, etc. Being bad at your job is not a strategy, unless you're the Philadelphia 76ers.

its not smug liberals, its panic liberals. the dis-empowered liberals that have always felt they can't win and conservatives always will.

Its the anthisis of Obama and Bernie-style optimism

 

[kirblar]

its not smug liberals, its panic liberals. the dis-empowered liberals that have always felt they can't win and conservatives always will.

Its the anthisis of Obama and Bernie-style optimism

It's a self-indulgent fantasy because they want to pretend someone smart is in charge instead of the reactive T-Virus abomination they see with their eyes.

 

[metalslimer]

I can't help but feel the "here's what's actually going on/this is calculated chaos/etc" stuff is like the worst aspects of smug liberal shit transferred to a minority power level. There is no conspiracy here. This guy has been an unstable narcissistic fascist his entire life. He's been obsessed with punishing or embarrassing his enemies ever since he won. One of the very first things he did was make Mitt Romney grovel for the Sec of State job only to throw him in the bushes. Now he's rewarding his fervent supporters and punishing groups that hate him. But not just minorities/immigrants...he's also shitting on GOP leadership.

And...it's turning out to be a disaster, he's losing support, etc. Being bad at your job is not a strategy, unless you're the Philadelphia 76ers.

This all assumes he goes quietly out of power when he loses. It also doesn't mean much if the GOP congress doesn't push back

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

8pm prime time news conference to announce the Supreme Court nomination, apparently top two choices are in town for it. Basically a production of an apprentice season finale

 

[shinra-bansho]

NYT:

Several officials said the White House was expected to use the appointment in part to send a message to Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, 80, who holds a swing vote in many Supreme Court cases and has been considering retirement. Nominating Judge Gorsuch, a former clerk to Justice Kennedy who is viewed as a conservative but mainstream choice, might reassure him that he could step down and open a new vacancy on the court.

Choosing a more ideologically extreme candidate, the officials said, could tempt Justice Kennedy to hang on to his seat for several more years, depriving Mr. Trump of another seat to fill.

Okay so maybe it would actually be better if it's someone like Pryor.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

"A cunning fascist is coming to take over this nation and rule it as a dictatorship" is a way more comforting thought than "this incompetent asshole has control of the nuclear arsenal that can end all life on earth."

The conspiracy theories are a delusion to try to preserve mental well-being. People don't want to admit that this guy has no idea what he's doing and will kill the U.S. economy and will have multiple Katrina-level fuckups and will start pointless wars that kill thousands.

 

[Carpe Libertatem]

Normally it wouldn't matter as sitting Senators have garnered bipartisan support and/or passed by voice vote.

This looks different. But it probably still won't make the difference. They still have a majority without him.

Probably Heitkamp or Donnelly will join with Manchin to confirm as well.

Heitkamp already said she's a no on deVos, unless you meant Sessions' vote.

Edit: you did, I can't read :lol

 

[sangreal]

NYT:

Okay so maybe it would actually be better if it's someone like Pryor.

I'm pretty sure Kennedy reads the news though

 

[Doc Holliday]

Greta Van Susteren makes me switch channels so quickly it's not even funny. WTF was MSNBC thinking?

They really think they are going to get Fox news viewers to watch fakenews central?

 

[B-Dubs]

Murkowski is publicly non-committal on DeVos. But even if she flipped would need another. And probably another after that because of Manchin.

I've heard Collins is iffy as well. If Manchin can be kept in line there might be a chance.

 

[metalslimer]

Kennedy retiring would set the court back for a for a long time. God help us if Ginsburg can't make it either. Losing every case would be a foregone conclusion for years

Ginsburg should have retired a couple of years ago

 

[Grexeno]

Greta Van Susteren makes me switch channels so quickly it's not even funny. WTF was MSNBC thinking?

They really think they are going to get Fox news viewers to watch fakenews central?

It's like every shooter since 2008 thinking they can beat Call of Duty by being Call of Duty

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Manchin is like the most comical name possible for a guy who, if he had more charisma, would be running for president with basically the National Socialism platform.

You would be fired if you were a TV writer who gave Manchin his name after describing the policies he supported.

 

[metalslimer]

CNN reporting gorsuch is most likely the pick

And yes Greta on msnbc is awful

 

[Mario]

Trump is only still barely above 40% because there are a substantial number of Trump voters that don't like Trump, but voted for him so they want to "wait and see".

The moment that 10-15% I mentioned are negatively affected in a way that they KNOW is caused by Trump, they'll stop supporting him.

Trump has already disappointed a number of his voters; those who realize he will actually repeal the ACA and they'll be worse off, and those with family caught in the immigration confusion. Even a few who were probably turned off with him focusing on inauguration crowds rather than anything else and congress trying to nerf the ethics committee.

I imagine the bulk are still quite happily in the "hey, look at all this action!" mode.

Once those "wait and see" voters (or their friends or family) lose their healthcare entirely, see their insurance premiums rise or terms change unfavourably, lose access to Planned Parenthood services, don't get their coal job back, see terrorist attacks happen anyway and the country remaining "unsafe", start paying more for Mexican produce, and/or are exposed to ongoing food/water poisoning, I certainly expect he'll lose more favorability. And that only accounts for what Trump has planned, much less whatever hare brained schemes he comes up with along the way (that Bannon feeds him).

Of course, recent history has proved an unfavorable candidate can still be considered "better than the other guy at least", so we'll have to wait and see what kind of candidate Democrats put out there in the face of poor favorables for Trump.