A Political Thread pt. 2

[AlRums]

The new UK-EU deal at a glance

A new agreement setting out post-Brexit relations on areas including fishing rights, trade and defence has been reached.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[AlRums]

Does Donald Trump Know He Has Lost His Trade War?

The best case for the American economy would be a swift acknowledgment from the president.

www.huffpost.com

 

[dirty harry]

Not particularly as Dems were outraising Republicans a fair bit across the board, never mind the presidential race. Note Trump isn't about going after supposed mega doners or some other special interest, he's about going after public figures who opposed him.

If there was genuine concern about any sort of financial wrongdoing, why is his ire not targeted at that?

Biden was outraising Trump, Harris wasnt raising at all, until she started, and then spent 1.5b to Trump's 1.6b. My query around this is, Trump campaigned for a lot longer, and his 800 mill advertising was peppering 7 swing states in traditional media, whereas Harris spent 1 Bill on advertising in 4 months, and it isn't clear where. 1 reason would be that she had to spend nationally while playing catch up, and that makes sense.

I mean his ire isn't really about that, otherwise he would have made it priority within 100 days, although that said the amount he's attempted in 100 days would be enough to fill a full term in most presidents times. The **** slinging is typical Trump ego, and bluster, well unless it's not. It may well be carefully directed, and intended as a threat, that I would agree sound menacing, but only if Trump is smart and calculated, and we'll most here think he's an absolute boob.

Trump can't be Schrodingers moron can he?

My point is, I think you and I both would welcome an independent review into campaign spending, whether it's Bidens 90mill, or 300 unspent by Trump, or Harris expenditure on celebrity endorsements.

I went and read what Springsteen said, and I believe it was a beautifully crafted and rehearsed bit to bait Trump into a confrontation, to once again become culturally relevant and promote Tracks 2? I think it's called. Thos part stood out of the really well presented clip (lol):

'They're removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons."

Doesn't this sound like Americans are getting deported, without actually saying they are getting deported. Very clever PR yeam strategy IMHO.

Msnbc wrote a decent peice about it too:

Opinion | Trump took Bruce Springsteen's bait

This week's mini-feud pits two predictable septuagenarians against each other. And the result is a personal gift to the Boss.

www.msnbc.com

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Biden was outraising Trump, Harris wasnt raising at all, until she started, and then spent 1.5b to Trump's 1.6b. My query around this is, Trump campaigned for a lot longer, and his 800 mill advertising was peppering 7 swing states in traditional media, whereas Harris spent 1 Bill on advertising in 4 months, and it isn't clear where. 1 reason would be that she had to spend nationally while playing catch up, and that makes sense.

I mean his ire isn't really about that, otherwise he would have made it priority within 100 days, although that said the amount he's attempted in 100 days would be enough to fill a full term in most presidents times. The **** slinging is typical Trump ego, and bluster, well unless it's not. It may well be carefully directed, and intended as a threat, that I would agree sound menacing, but only if Trump is smart and calculated, and we'll most here think he's an absolute boob.

Trump can't be Schrodingers moron can he?

My point is, I think you and I both would welcome an independent review into campaign spending, whether it's Bidens 90mill, or 300 unspent by Trump, or Harris expenditure on celebrity endorsements.

I went and read what Springsteen said, and I believe it was a beautifully crafted and rehearsed bit to bait Trump into a confrontation, to once again become culturally relevant and promote Tracks 2? I think it's called. Thos part stood out of the really well presented clip (lol):

'They're removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons."

Doesn't this sound like Americans are getting deported, without actually saying they are getting deported. Very clever PR yeam strategy IMHO.

Msnbc wrote a decent peice about it too:

Opinion | Trump took Bruce Springsteen's bait

This week's mini-feud pits two predictable septuagenarians against each other. And the result is a personal gift to the Boss.

www.msnbc.com

The majority of the funding for both campaigns came in at the tail end of the campaigns. There was a big drive to support Harris from Democrats, if nothing than out of desperation. There's probably little push to investigate as Republicans have a fair few campaign finance violation skeletons in their own closet that they probably don't want to establish a precedent that a winning party will carry out an in depth investigation into is, as they could be in the firing line in a years time.

If there was more to it then it would be Harris in the crosshairs, not some celebrities. It can be a threat without Trump having to be smart and calculated at all. The mere threat of investigation is all that's needed. As I said, corrupt police do this all the time, you don't have to have any dirt on someone at all to still make an investigation an threat. You could tie someone up for ages, drag their name through the mud, cost them money, put them under stress, disrupt their lives and even start making false accusations. The threat of an "investigation" is particularly threatening if it appears that the proper course of justice will not be followed.

I would welcome an impartial, non-partisan investigation into campaign finance as the USA has tons of legalised corruption in their campaign finance system. I do not welcome one party carrying out a partisan attack and using that as the basis, I certainly don't welcome one party using that as a basis to target private citizens with limited contribution.

 

[dirty harry]

The majority of the funding for both campaigns came in at the tail end of the campaigns. There was a big drive to support Harris from Democrats, if nothing than out of desperation. There's probably little push to investigate as Republicans have a fair few campaign finance violation skeletons in their own closet that they probably don't want to establish a precedent that a winning party will carry out an in depth investigation into is, as they could be in the firing line in a years time.

If there was more to it then it would be Harris in the crosshairs, not some celebrities. It can be a threat without Trump having to be smart and calculated at all. The mere threat of investigation is all that's needed. As I said, corrupt police do this all the time, you don't have to have any dirt on someone at all to still make an investigation an threat. You could tie someone up for ages, drag their name through the mud, cost them money, put them under stress, disrupt their lives and even start making false accusations. The threat of an "investigation" is particularly threatening if it appears that the proper course of justice will not be followed.

I would welcome an impartial, non-partisan investigation into campaign finance as the USA has tons of legalised corruption in their campaign finance system. I do not welcome one party carrying out a partisan attack and using that as the basis, I certainly don't welcome one party using that as a basis to target private citizens with limited contribution.

Ok I think we are passing each other's points here though, Trump has been talking about investigating Harris campaign spending for a while, and around a week or 2 ago went on about her payments to Beyonce and Eminem, which would indirectly possibly include Springsteen.

The tweet he sent, or the threat he made, was:

"dried out 'prune' of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that's just 'standard fare'. Then we'll all see how it goes for him!"

If this is what you are referring to?

If so, this could be seen as a thinly veiled threat in context of a Harris spending investigation, or more likely a slight to Springsteen to slate Trump and the USA on American soil and see what kind of reception he gets.

Like I said though, either he's a rampant out of order moronic idiot who tweets threats, in which he would be far more overt, or he's a devious dictator who crafts his tweets carefully and thinly veils his threats in double meanings. You can't really have both ways.

Again though, like I said I think this is a big Springsteen win, he baited Trump, he got the headlines and he'll make the money.

I'd be interested to know tour thoughts on RFK? Just finished reading this peice on him:

R.F.K., Jr., Anthony Fauci, and the Revolt Against Expertise

It used to be progressives who distrusted the experts. What happened?

www.newyorker.com

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Ok I think we are passing each other's points here though, Trump has been talking about investigating Harris campaign spending for a while, and around a week or 2 ago went on about her payments to Beyonce and Eminem, which would indirectly possibly include Springsteen.

The tweet he sent, or the threat he made, was:

"dried out 'prune' of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that's just 'standard fare'. Then we'll all see how it goes for him!"

If this is what you are referring to?

If so, this could be seen as a thinly veiled threat in context of a Harris spending investigation, or more likely a slight to Springsteen to slate Trump and the USA on American soil and see what kind of reception he gets.

Like I said though, either he's a rampant out of order moronic idiot who tweets threats, in which he would be far more overt, or he's a devious dictator who crafts his tweets carefully and thinly veils his threats in double meanings. You can't really have both ways.

Again though, like I said I think this is a big Springsteen win, he baited Trump, he got the headlines and he'll make the money.

I'd be interested to know tour thoughts on RFK? Just finished reading this peice on him:

R.F.K., Jr., Anthony Fauci, and the Revolt Against Expertise

It used to be progressives who distrusted the experts. What happened?

www.newyorker.com

I'm not trying to have it both ways, he's a rampant, out of order moronic idiots who tweets threats. Trump has never shown any capacity for thinking beyond throwing his weight around. At no point in his entire life has he actually been associated with any sort of subtlety or long term strategic thinking. He loves to go on about his book "the art of the deal" and yet it was ghost written with the ghostwriter admitting it was more fiction than fact and that Trump was incapable of sitting for interviews long enough to form coherent thoughts. This goes right back to the 90's. Since then numerous other people who have worked with him have repeated this about him, right up to his last presidency. All the way from college to the current day, those close to him have consistently said he is a moron with next to no attention span and zero capacity for strategic thinking.

Trump isn't hard to bait, say anything he can take as remotely insulting and he will respond. He's notorious for having skin as thin as tracing paper.

You keep trying to find some extra level to Trump, I can't understand why you find it so difficult to take him at face value. The brashness, the idiocy, the arrogance, it's not an act, it's who he is. The guy is a narcissistic moron.

Before you point to his wealth and leading a power nation, Charles II of Spain led one of the most powerful empires in history and was one of the wealthiest men to have lived. He was so heavily inbred he couldn't reproduce and so mentally stunted he couldn't talk until he was 7. It's amazing what happens when you inherit power and wealth and are surrounded by advisors put into place by others who cover up your inability to do anything.

 

[Ddanno]

It's about about petty revenge for any slight, real or perceived.

 

[AlRums]

Not particularly as Dems were outraising Republicans a fair bit across the board, never mind the presidential race. Note Trump isn't about going after supposed mega doners or some other special interest, he's about going after public figures who opposed him.

If there was genuine concern about any sort of financial wrongdoing, why is his ire not targeted at that?

Because it might bring up some iffy donations to him. Like how musk got away with donating a quarter of a billion for access.

 

[Ddanno]

Because it might bring up some iffy donations to him. Like how musk got away with donating a quarter of a billion for access.

And that million quid lottery to vote trump wasn't problematic at all, no sir.

 

[dirty harry]

I'm not trying to have it both ways, he's a rampant, out of order moronic idiots who tweets threats. Trump has never shown any capacity for thinking beyond throwing his weight around. At no point in his entire life has he actually been associated with any sort of subtlety or long term strategic thinking. He loves to go on about his book "the art of the deal" and yet it was ghost written with the ghostwriter admitting it was more fiction than fact and that Trump was incapable of sitting for interviews long enough to form coherent thoughts. This goes right back to the 90's. Since then numerous other people who have worked with him have repeated this about him, right up to his last presidency. All the way from college to the current day, those close to him have consistently said he is a moron with next to no attention span and zero capacity for strategic thinking.

Trump isn't hard to bait, say anything he can take as remotely insulting and he will respond. He's notorious for having skin as thin as tracing paper.

You keep trying to find some extra level to Trump, I can't understand why you find it so difficult to take him at face value. The brashness, the idiocy, the arrogance, it's not an act, it's who he is. The guy is a narcissistic moron.

Before you point to his wealth and leading a power nation, Charles II of Spain led one of the most powerful empires in history and was one of the wealthiest men to have lived. He was so heavily inbred he couldn't reproduce and so mentally stunted he couldn't talk until he was 7. It's amazing what happens when you inherit power and wealth and are surrounded by advisors put into place by others who cover up your inability to do anything.

I understand your emotions on Trump, you keep making the same points, but your not convincing me, and I don't want to list the incredible achievements of him again, it makes me feel icky lol.

I'd like to determine though, was the tweet I quoted above the threat you are referring to?

 

[dirty harry]

Because it might bring up some iffy donations to him. Like how musk got away with donating a quarter of a billion for access.

Of course it will, like Future Forward USA no?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I understand your emotions on Trump, you keep making the same points, but your not convincing me, and I don't want to list the incredible achievements of him again, it makes me feel icky lol.

I'd like to determine though, was the tweet I quoted above the threat you are referring to?

As do you, but yours are based on seeing an outcome and working backwards, simply asserting that things must be true for that outcome to have happened. Mine are based on what people who have worked directly with him have said and what is plainly visible for all to see. As I also mentioned previously, I had a family member who worked in the British embassy in Washington DC during the first Trump administration and they confirmed Trump is EXACTLY like I just told you. I'll take first hand accounts over you trying to simply assert something must be true any day.

Your argument hinges on Trump being wealthy and the leader of a powerful country. Tell me how Charles II wasn't a genius given your own reasoning in that case. If being in a position of wealth and power is a sign you must be intelligent, then Charles II clearly must have been supremely intelligent and not an inbred wreck.

Yes that quote is part of it, along with his attacks on others.

Hell literally the world over the right wing are getting pummelled in elections they were due to win because of how **** Trump is.

 

[AlRums]

I'm not trying to have it both ways, he's a rampant, out of order moronic idiots who tweets threats. Trump has never shown any capacity for thinking beyond throwing his weight around. At no point in his entire life has he actually been associated with any sort of subtlety or long term strategic thinking. He loves to go on about his book "the art of the deal" and yet it was ghost written with the ghostwriter admitting it was more fiction than fact and that Trump was incapable of sitting for interviews long enough to form coherent thoughts. This goes right back to the 90's. Since then numerous other people who have worked with him have repeated this about him, right up to his last presidency. All the way from college to the current day, those close to him have consistently said he is a moron with next to no attention span and zero capacity for strategic thinking.

Trump isn't hard to bait, say anything he can take as remotely insulting and he will respond. He's notorious for having skin as thin as tracing paper.

You keep trying to find some extra level to Trump, I can't understand why you find it so difficult to take him at face value. The brashness, the idiocy, the arrogance, it's not an act, it's who he is. The guy is a narcissistic moron.

Before you point to his wealth and leading a power nation, Charles II of Spain led one of the most powerful empires in history and was one of the wealthiest men to have lived. He was so heavily inbred he couldn't reproduce and so mentally stunted he couldn't talk until he was 7. It's amazing what happens when you inherit power and wealth and are surrounded by advisors put into place by others who cover up your inability to do anything.

What always bothers me, and quite frankly ****** me off is his constant need to belittle people by using insults and nicknames designed to make them look small.

Just in Springfield's case 5 highly personal jabs in two paragraphs plus one for Biden, it's pathetic.

As a matter of record check this list from the NYT collating insults, and that's just until he got banned from twitter. Nobody's left out.

The Complete List of Trump’s Twitter Insults (2015-2021) (Published 2021)

This list documents all the verbal attacks Mr. Trump posted on Twitter, from when he declared his candidacy in June 2015 to Jan. 8, when Twitter permanently barred him.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Ddanno]

What always bothers me, and quite frankly ****** me off is his constant need to belittle people by using insults and nicknames designed to make them look small.

Just in Springfield's case 5 highly personal jabs in two paragraphs plus one for Biden, it's pathetic.

As a matter of record check this list from the NYT collating insults, and that's just until he got banned from twitter. Nobody's left out.

The Complete List of Trump’s Twitter Insults (2015-2021) (Published 2021)

This list documents all the verbal attacks Mr. Trump posted on Twitter, from when he declared his candidacy in June 2015 to Jan. 8, when Twitter permanently barred him.

www.nytimes.com

Faintly amusing to note how many people in that list can't get his balls off their chin now. Spineless *****.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Faintly amusing to note how many people in that list can't get his balls off their chin now. Spineless *****.

Like when Trump insulted Ted Cruz wife and, rather than defend his wife and family, the spineless coward bent the knee to Trump and kissed the ring. Even to this day, Cruz has not defended his wife from Trump's insults. The man is a pathetic worm who should have been punched.

 

[dirty harry]

As do you, but yours are based on seeing an outcome and working backwards, simply asserting that things must be true for that outcome to have happened. Mine are based on what people who have worked directly with him have said and what is plainly visible for all to see. As I also mentioned previously, I had a family member who worked in the British embassy in Washington DC during the first Trump administration and they confirmed Trump is EXACTLY like I just told you. I'll take first hand accounts over you trying to simply assert something must be true any day.

Your argument hinges on Trump being wealthy and the leader of a powerful country. Tell me how Charles II wasn't a genius given your own reasoning in that case. If being in a position of wealth and power is a sign you must be intelligent, then Charles II clearly must have been supremely intelligent and not an inbred wreck.

Yes that quote is part of it, along with his attacks on others.

Hell literally the world over the right wing are getting pummelled in elections they were due to win because of how **** Trump is.

Ok so we are going to do this again?!

Firstly, I'm not working backwards from an outcome, I'm basing my conclusion of evidence in front of me, those are 2 very different things.

My hole premise is not based on wealth andnpower, it's based on evidence of intellect and achievements...

Let's start with what I'm saying, you've just thrust genius on me, but my stance is that he's not an idiot.

Idiot = person who is stupid or low intelligence.

So there is unequivocal evidence that Trump has to have at least average IQ, the fact he was eligible for the military (IQ 80+), the fact he has a degree (35% of USA), not to mention his 2 honorary doctorates of law and business.

Then theres the cultural icon he made himself in the 90s, the 20+ TV appearances, the dozen movies, the books, the 50+ rap and hip hop songs mentioning him, the games, art and comics... blwdi Lex Luthor was styled around him hahaha he built a brand around himself. That was not inherited, it was crafted.

Then we can talk about the Apprentice, his property portfolio, oh and his awards:

National Jewish Hospital's Humanitarian Award (1976)[9]
Jewish National Fund's Tree of Life Award (1983)[10]
Ellis Island Medal of Honor (1986)[11][12]
Freedoms Foundation's President's Medal (1995)[13]
Muhammad Ali Entrepreneur Award (2007)[14]
Unicorn Children's Foundation's Shining Star Award (2008)[15]
Palm Beach Police Foundation's Palm Tree Award (2010)[16][17]
Lois Pope LIFE Foundation's Presidential Hero Award (2011)[18]
The Algemeiner's Liberty Award (2015)[19]
Marine Corps–Law Enforcement Foundation's Commandant's Leadership Award (2015)[20]
The Friends of Zion Museum's Friends of Zion Award (2017)[21]
20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center's Bipartisan Justice Award (2019)[22][23][24]

(Apologies for the copy paste).

Then we move on to numerous business dealings, companies, tax evasion etc... I sit down with me accountant regularly, and at least twice a year we have to go through some complex stuff, it isnt easy to understand, and you have to comprehend it, because, and in no way the same scale, my arse is on the chopping block if I take a risk and I **** it up.

Then we can move on to him crafting one of the biggest underdog presidential campaigns in at least modern history, from nowhere to leader of the free world with every person with an audience laughing in his face? To take his fan base from strength to strength over 8 years, culminating in a mandate in 2024!

Fighting and beating impeachments, DOJ attacks, criminal hearings, law suits, while re winning the whitehouse, and starting a media company, merging with another and floating it to make billions on the market?!

Insider trading, bankruptxy, crypto trading, juggling his children's responsibilities and businesses.

My claim, is that this list, of which I've probably missed things, including international and global awards like Times man of the year, is enough evidence that Trump is not a low IQ, stupid idiot. I can call him a lot of things, idiot is not something that is led by logic, that is either emotionally driven, or delusion IMHO.

 

[dirty harry]

Hell literally the world over the right wing are getting pummelled in elections they were due to win because of how **** Trump is.

This is wildly out of touch, ADF, Brothers, NR, Reform, eastern Europe, south America... right wing parties are on an upward curve, there has been what 1 notable loss in Canada. Most governments are now trying to criminalise and ban right wing parties because of their popularity rise.

The Canadian election was a Trump reaction, but the others are proper right wing, Trump is basically a Drmocrat lol, he's the least scary Republican!

 

[Kiwiwomble]

How was Lex Luthor styled around him?

 

[AlRums]

Bruce Springsteen takes another swing at President Trump

Rock legend Bruce Springsteen, 75, has doubled down on his views of President Donald Trump, even after the Commander-in-Chief called him a 'dried out prune.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Boss is taking a swing back.

 

[dirty harry]

How was Lex Luthor styled around him?

Seriously? Lex Luthor, as you know him from the comics was updated/created in the 80's modelled on Trump.

"I built the character as a cross between Donald Trump, Ted Turner, Howard Hughes and maybe Satan himself!"
Byrne

DC themselves created a biography for Luthor, it was printed like the art of the deal lol.

I would never have known, it was pointed out by a coworker a few years ago, he's a collector (of comics, not Trump merch)