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[Chichikov]

Mattis is right about NATO. If European states were more responsible for their own defense, the American taxpayer would bear a lighter burden and the global structure of power would be more equitable. Stronger European militaries could also check Russian aggression and reduce the necessity for US intervention.

But I don't think Mattis is arguing for this in good faith. He's just serving as a mouthpiece for Donald Trump's apathetic anti-imperialism.

That argument would have some merit if the US was willing to lower its defense spending in response. But this administration wants to increase defense spending regardless, so this is all fucking bullshit.

 

[TiredofWinning]

I skipped class today just to watch Spicey

 

[Manmademan]

That argument would have some merit if the US was willing to lower its defense spending in response. But this administration wants to increase defense spending regardless, so this is all fucking bullshit.

I imagine the republicans want to increase defense spending, but they want to pressure the EU to pay for it.

 

[Nazgul_Hunter]

Oh hey, remember Corey Lewandowski?

Corey Lewandowski’s Potential Clients Say He’s Bragging About Access To Trump’s Twitter Account

Trump’s former campaign manager, who now has a lobbying and consulting shop, has mentioned having access to Trump’s Twitter account as a selling point in pitch meetings with at least two different prospective clients, four sources tell BuzzFeed News. The sources say it’s unclear if he actually has the password, or just Trump’s ear and Lewandowski denies mentioning it.

 

[sazzy]

https://www.buzzfeed.com/tarinipart...agging-about?utm_term=.tokGE4nvKp#.qpZ1P4AQ0J

 

[Wilsongt]

Oh hey, remember Corey Lewandowski?

Corey Lewandowski’s Potential Clients Say He’s Bragging About Access To Trump’s Twitter Account

Uh...............

 

[TiredofWinning]

Oh hey, remember Corey Lewandowski?

Corey Lewandowski’s Potential Clients Say He’s Bragging About Access To Trump’s Twitter Account

P A Y T O P L A Y
A
Y
T
O
P
L
A
Y

 

[nature boy]

The Mattis quote is pretty much the same every SoD has said once they're sworn in.

Good luck telling Canada to double its military spending (buying American equipment amirite)?

http://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2016_07/20160704_160704-pr2016-116.pdf

 

[Plumbob]

What's hilarious is that this prick can't stay off of twitter. He calls the leaks "fake news" but then he confirms they're true in his very next tweet.

Trump trusts his supporters read his tweets individually not in context.

 

[Valhelm]

That argument would have some merit if the US was willing to lower its defense spending in response. But this administration wants to increase defense spending regardless, so this is all fucking bullshit.

Yeah, for sure. Every good idea Trump or his cronies may have is negated by batshit appeasement of the GOP base.

Just look at Syria. Engagement with Russia over this conflict is a good idea, and ending support for Islamist opposition factions is necessary. But it's strategically brainless to buddy-up with Russia while also trying to intimidate their good friend Iran. Trying to compromise with Russia and Syria on one hand, and Turkey and Saudi Arabia on the other, is a confused policy that will probably lead to only more conflict between these two factions.

I agree that he's not doing this in good faith, but honestly. our military is one of the only ones that can check Russia's. Most European militaries would lose a traditional war with the NYPD, let alone the Russian military. We could certainly argue for more from places like Germany and others of that size, but I really think the numbers just add up to the US having to put in more than a fair share.

Think of it like taxing the rich more to cover poor people, except with bullets instead of money. We can contribute a ton where a lot of these places can't, so we should.

I'm interested (and a bit scared?) to see what happens in the region when Russia's banana republic collapses in a few decades (max).

It's not America's job to bail out Europe. If their comfortable consumer economies are so threatened by immigration and a nationalist enemy, these consumer economies might not be sustainable. The US needs to help Europe develop an adequate military framework, but their defense is their responsibility.

 

[Pixieking]

It's not America's job to bail out Europe. If their comfortable consumer economies are so threatened by immigration and a nationalist enemy, these consumer economies might not be sustainable. The US needs to help Europe develop an adequate military framework, but their defense is their responsibility.

There's a difference between "bailing out" and "maintaining the democratic world order". If Pearl Harbor hadn't occurred, it would still have been in the best interests of the US to enter the Second World War, because a rise in fascism, genocide and protectionist economies are not in the best interests of the US, or its people. So it goes with the current Russo-European stand-off.

Related: This is why I would welcome a United States of Europe, because then there's less of a reliance on the US in cases such as Russia.

(also, fyi - thanks for the responses to the Pence/Special Election discussion. Not much I can add, but they did raise things I hadn't thought of. )

 

[jtb]

So what do you guys think about Puzder's chances now, after the Oprah tape?

National Review came out against him. Guess that gives a few maverick Senators cover to vote No if they wanted to.

 

[thepotatoman]

Looks like Congress has passed three more bills yesterday and this morning, bringing their total to 8.

H.R.321 - Telling NASA to send current and retired astronauts, scientists, engineers, and innovators to K-12 schools to encourage women to enter STEM.

H.R.255 - Modifying the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act to include entrepreneurial activity.

H.J.Res.40 - Repealing Obama rule for gun buying background checks on social security recipients who are mentally impared to the point they can't handle their own finances.

So, hey, I guess not everything republicans do is terrible, but for every small good theres a really large bad.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Dementia patients totally should own guns. What could possibly go wrong

 

[Coriolanus]

Sure, but most if not all of those countries didn't have the economic clout of Russia, and they weren't sitting on massive militaries. When oil collapses as a viable product to base an economy on, the collapse of Russia will probably have pretty big consequences.

i mean, brazil's gdp is superior to russia's and we just went through that...

True that we aren't sitting on a massive military tho. And our economy is quite a bit more diversified.

 

[Wilsongt]

So what do you guys think about Puzder's chances now, after the Oprah tape?

National Review came out against him. Guess that gives a few maverick Senators cover to vote No if they wanted to.

He'll get confirmed.

 

[dramatis]

So what do you guys think about Puzder's chances now, after the Oprah tape?

National Review came out against him. Guess that gives a few maverick Senators cover to vote No if they wanted to.

National Review has been expressing unhappiness with the Trump admin for a while, but it's not THE conservative place anymore. I don't think it has all that much influence left with congress people.

The voters weren't voting for conservative ideology anyway.

 

[Emerson]

He'll get confirmed.

Four Republican senators were saying no two days ago.

 

[TiredofWinning]

So what do you guys think about Puzder's chances now, after the Oprah tape?

National Review came out against him. Guess that gives a few maverick Senators cover to vote No if they wanted to.

No one gives a shit about the cuckservatives at the National Review anymore.

 

[Got]

"We will never forget what the Jewish people endured." except that time during Holocaust Rememberance

 

[Crocodile]

Four Republican senators were saying no two days ago.

You mean like when McCain said he wouldn't vote for Tillerson unless pigs flew?

Words are cheap, ESPECIALLY if they come out of Republican mouths

 

[Wilsongt]

Four Republican senators were saying no two days ago.

Let's hope they hold the line

 

[metalslimer]

Lol Trump is so awful at reading

Bibi must think this guy is so fucking dumb

 

[Dan]

Bill Maher has booked for Milo Yiannopoulos for Friday's show, because he sure does love giving despicable people a glossy platform to spew awful things.

 

[nature boy]

Bibi is about to have an orgasm

 

[metalslimer]

Lmao this is already a shit show

Lol Trump just called out bibi

 

[Owzers]

Trump: I dunno, whatever, let's get this peace deal done, okay?

 

[smokeymicpot]

Bill Maher has booked for Milo Yiannopoulos for Friday's show, because he sure does love giving despicable people a glossy platform to spew awful things.

I get why he does so their is an actual debate. Plus it makes for good tv.

 

[Wilsongt]

Reading Evangelical forum posts about this administration is mind boggling.

 

[Coriolanus]

Bill Maher has booked for Milo Yiannopoulos for Friday's show, because he sure does love giving despicable people a glossy platform to spew awful things.

he booked him alongisde Larry WIlmore and Leah Remini, two comedians. His intent is obvious.

Plus he also got Jeremy Scahill. Seems quite clear that the desire is to shit on milo nonstop.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

I see the two-state, one state, red-state, blue-state.

 

[Plinko]

Roger Stone now blaming Priebus for the leaks. They're turning on him. This is going to get interesting.

 

[Wilsongt]

Navarro then began to criticize Trump over his comments on Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Matt Schlapp, a Trump supporter and former George W. Bush staffer, cut her off.

“Stop, stop,” Schalpp said.

“Don’t tell me to stop,” Navarro responded.

“You’re the one yelling at me, Matt,” she said after he complained she was yelling. “You’re the one telling me to stop. You’re talking to the wrong girl, Matt. You’re talking to the wrong girl. You can say stop to somebody else, you’re not going to stop me, baby!”

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58a41c1ae4b03df370dbc1c7?

I don't care if Ana is a Republican.

And those are banana peels, by the way.

 

[Cybit]

This would need to happen:
- Trump impeached/convicted or resigns
- Pence agrees for some reason to choose his new VP by results of a national vote, and to resign afterwards. Senate agrees to approve that person. VP office remains vacant until then.

OR
- Trump impeached/convicted or resigns
- Senate agrees to not confirm a new VP
- House agrees to appoint a new Speaker of the House (who constitutionally doesn't have to be a member of the House) based on the results of a national vote. After this Pence resigns/is impeached, and the Speaker becomes President based off line of succession.

Basically you'd have to have an agreement to select someone to fill in the line of succession based off a popular vote (or even something mimicking the electoral college) and hope that everyone would abide by that as it'd have no legal force.

This is also all extremely unconstitutional, and would basically turn the US into a banana republic every time that Congress was a different party than the president. Also, you guys realize that 90+% of intelligence folks are conservative leaning; meaning that Dem presidents would be extremely fucked.

You guys are advocating for a straight up coup, fuck the laws, fuck the constitution.

Just concentrate on resisting Trump, and taking back Congress in 2018, and taking over state legislatures and governorships as they open up. Write op-eds and start working on messaging for key issues that have consensus and turning those Obama / Trump voters against Trump.

 

[Dan]

he booked him alongisde Larry WIlmore and Leah Remini, two comedians. His intent is obvious.

Plus he also got Jeremy Scahill. Seems quite clear that the desire is to shit on milo nonstop.

I'm not convinced these situations result in net losses for folks like Milo. I don't think Maher's intention is translated into effect.

 

[NeoXChaos]

Hooray. Let's primary Bill Nelson the only successful statewide Democrat in FL since 1994. That will teach the DNC a lesson.

http://www.politico.com/states/flor...lectorate-scott-in-2018-senate-contest-109614

 

[Infinite Stars]

Roger Stone now blaming Priebus for the leaks. They're turning on him. This is going to get interesting.

Oh boy, that's what, one third of the unholy Trinity(who are still better then the Abyss of Horrors known as Bannon) being potentially kicked out, Pence being kept out of the loop, and Ryan continues to be an ineffective idiot.

Lord, are we at the point where the previous evils are so fucking incompetent that they can't stop the Abyss from taking over?

Like, I'd take the unholy Trio over Calamity Bannon.

Fucking Trump's talking about his fucking EC Victory yet again! You hack!

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Hooray. Let's primary Bill Nelson the only successful statewide Democrat in FL since 1994. That will teach the DNC a lesson.

http://www.politico.com/states/flor...lectorate-scott-in-2018-senate-contest-109614

This article has nothing other than Tim Canova complaining.

Canova is a nobody.

 

[Coriolanus]

I'm not convinced these situations result in net losses for folks like Milo. I don't think Maher's intention is translated into effect.

the alternative is to ignore the problem and let it fester elsewhere. Not quite convinced that it would be more effective.

 

[jtb]

You won't impeach both Pence and Trump. And you won't need to. Either he'll be implicated in whatever awfulness Trump is up to or he'll be so tainted by Trump that he'll be a weak incumbent anyways.

This is also all extremely unconstitutional, and would basically turn the US into a banana republic every time that Congress was a different party than the president. Also, you guys realize that 90+% of intelligence folks are conservative leaning; meaning that Dem presidents would be extremely fucked.

You guys are advocating for a straight up coup, fuck the laws, fuck the constitution.

Just concentrate on resisting Trump, and taking back Congress in 2018, and taking over state legislatures and governorships as they open up. Write op-eds and start working on messaging for key issues that have consensus and turning those Obama / Trump voters against Trump.

Eh, it's not like we don't have three historical examples (out of just 44 presidents) of Congress impeaching Presidents. Obviously not to the extreme of a carefully orchestrated succession plan, but there's no reason why it won't be on the cards.

A 2018 house election is a de-facto Speakership election.

 

[You Know Nothing]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58...03df370dbc1c7?

I don't care if Ana is a Republican.

And those are banana peels, by the way.

I love that she always goes all the way in and never hesitates to shit on Trump.

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

This is also all extremely unconstitutional, and would basically turn the US into a banana republic every time that Congress was a different party than the president. Also, you guys realize that 90+% of intelligence folks are conservative leaning; meaning that Dem presidents would be extremely fucked.

You guys are advocating for a straight up coup, fuck the laws, fuck the constitution.

Just concentrate on resisting Trump, and taking back Congress in 2018, and taking over state legislatures and governorships as they open up. Write op-eds and start working on messaging for key issues that have consensus and turning those Obama / Trump voters against Trump.

If we're doing that we might as well just write a better constitution with just a parliament

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Trump on Antisemitism: "I won an electoral landslide."

I don't think Trump likes Jews very much, guys.

 

[UberTag]

Fucking Trump's talking about his fucking EC Victory yet again! You hack!

Isn't that the point of parading these foreign leaders in front of the press in Washington? So Trump can brag about what a big win he had 3 months ago in front of each and every one of them?

Trump on Antisemitism: "I won an electoral landslide."

I don't think Trump likes Jews very much, guys.

That's something else he has in common with Eric Cartman then.

 

[Dan]

the alternative is to ignore the problem and let it fester elsewhere. Not quite convinced that it would be more effective.

Does the problem have to be given an active platform in order for the problem to be tackled?

 

[Plinko]

Katty Kay Verified account
‏@KattyKayBBC

To be clear to viewers around the world, in the last 3 press conferences, Trump has ONLY called on conservative news outlets for questions

Straight from the authoritarian playbook.

 

[studyguy]

Lol looks like Jim really did try to fire a question off and caused Trump to run.

 

[pigeon]

I agree it was good policy. It's just from a purely political/populist standpoint his major reforms didn't seem to resonate with many people. Instead of an extra 5-10 bucks on their weekly paycheck they needed a big check with Obama's face on it to really grasp what he did. People thought he raised taxes in his first year. Yes, those people are dumb. They still vote. (Or don't, as it may be)

So don't say the problem is agenda and cede all the progress Obama made on the progressive agenda (and he did an incredible amount)

Obama's error was assuming too much intelligence and good faith from the American people, sure, but if you are a supporter you should be smarter!

 

[Vixdean]

When does it start making political sense for Republicans to go ahead and impeach Trump themselves? It seems like the more this drags out, the more it looks like they are complicit in it, and the less time they have to actually pass their shitty legislation. Doesn't it become a "rip off the band-aid" situation at some point while they still have time distance themselves from Trump before the midterms?

 

[studyguy]

Whenever they lose enough political capital to not be successful in getting his rubber stamp on their legislation.