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General Trump hilarity free-for-all thread

Started by Mesozoic Mister Nigel, November 22, 2016, 04:26:22 PM

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LMNO

Quote from: Cain on May 17, 2018, 06:56:06 PM
I mean, yes, you're going to need to deal with the fact that a good 35% of your country is absolutely batshit insane sooner or later.

Aside from the obvious reasons for impeaching Trump, I favour that because I think impeaching Trump may send the crazies over the edge, and give you a chance to do just that.  Otherwise, it's just kicking the problem down the road, until you get a President who can run a half competent PR campaign, knows how government works, has the respect of Congress and utterly steamrolls what is left of your republic.

It's probably better to do that now, before the irreversible climate change wrecks the coastline of most of the world and makes anywhere inbetween the tropics almost uninhabitable, sparking resource wars and flows of immigrants that make the current Middle East look minor by comparison.

Good points.

tyrannosaurus vex

As awful as Russian interference in our elections is, the fact is they've done nothing but pour gasoline on the fire that has been burning America from the inside out for 200 years already. Their goal probably is, like Cain suggests, to hamstring America's ability to act effectively to impede Russia's international aims. But at this point, I'm not sure America even has an identity beyond our superpower status. At least not an identity strong enough to keep the country from collapsing. Not only in terms of political and military policy, but as a viable political entity of any kind.

And I have to admit that, besides the inevitable campaign of ethnic and political cleansing that would arise from such a collapse, I'm okay with the end of America. There's nothing about this fundamentally defective experiment in "equality" that's even worth saving anymore.
Evil and Unfeeling Arse-Flenser From The City of the Damned.

Doktor Howl

Quote from: tyrannosaurus vex on May 17, 2018, 09:43:16 PM
As awful as Russian interference in our elections is, the fact is they've done nothing but pour gasoline on the fire that has been burning America from the inside out for 200 years already. Their goal probably is, like Cain suggests, to hamstring America's ability to act effectively to impede Russia's international aims. But at this point, I'm not sure America even has an identity beyond our superpower status. At least not an identity strong enough to keep the country from collapsing. Not only in terms of political and military policy, but as a viable political entity of any kind.

And I have to admit that, besides the inevitable campaign of ethnic and political cleansing that would arise from such a collapse, I'm okay with the end of America. There's nothing about this fundamentally defective experiment in "equality" that's even worth saving anymore.

I've been to actual failed nations way back in the day, and I'm gonna disagree.  This is by no means even in the same ballpark.  You are offended by America's failures on a philosophical level; just wait until you see actual failures on civil structure and infrastructure.

It will allow you to see things in an entirely new prospective, in the same manner that hitting your thumb with a hammer will take your attention off of your backache.
Molon Lube

tyrannosaurus vex

Quote from: Doktor Howl on May 17, 2018, 10:02:50 PM
Quote from: tyrannosaurus vex on May 17, 2018, 09:43:16 PM
As awful as Russian interference in our elections is, the fact is they've done nothing but pour gasoline on the fire that has been burning America from the inside out for 200 years already. Their goal probably is, like Cain suggests, to hamstring America's ability to act effectively to impede Russia's international aims. But at this point, I'm not sure America even has an identity beyond our superpower status. At least not an identity strong enough to keep the country from collapsing. Not only in terms of political and military policy, but as a viable political entity of any kind.

And I have to admit that, besides the inevitable campaign of ethnic and political cleansing that would arise from such a collapse, I'm okay with the end of America. There's nothing about this fundamentally defective experiment in "equality" that's even worth saving anymore.

I've been to actual failed nations way back in the day, and I'm gonna disagree.  This is by no means even in the same ballpark.  You are offended by America's failures on a philosophical level; just wait until you see actual failures on civil structure and infrastructure.

It will allow you to see things in an entirely new prospective, in the same manner that hitting your thumb with a hammer will take your attention off of your backache.

I was being too dramatic. Of course I don't want the actual civil infrastructure to collapse. I meant that "America" as a cohesive union of 50 states that obviously hate each other is nearing the end of its life as a useful concept. The federal government exists to ensure a relatively consistent "citizenship experience" for citizens of all 50 states. But it's clear that its ability to do that is not only failing but being actively sabotaged. Soon, the power it has to enforce sanity will be turned on its head and used to enforce the opposite instead. At that point, a split between 30 batshit crazy neo-feudalist kingdoms and 20 relatively modern and sane mini-republics is preferable to a zombie mega-nation unified by the threats and whims of a tyrannical imperial throne.

I'm just saying I'd rather see (Federal) America collapse and die than see it survive at the cost of everything that justifies its existence (which is a dwindling list, anyway). 50 individual states without any allegiance to each other would be a bad outcome, but the combined endgame of Russia and the GOP would be worse. As I don't have much faith in our ability to avoid both, I'm on the side of the former.
Evil and Unfeeling Arse-Flenser From The City of the Damned.

Doktor Howl

Quote from: tyrannosaurus vex on May 17, 2018, 10:24:22 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on May 17, 2018, 10:02:50 PM
Quote from: tyrannosaurus vex on May 17, 2018, 09:43:16 PM
As awful as Russian interference in our elections is, the fact is they've done nothing but pour gasoline on the fire that has been burning America from the inside out for 200 years already. Their goal probably is, like Cain suggests, to hamstring America's ability to act effectively to impede Russia's international aims. But at this point, I'm not sure America even has an identity beyond our superpower status. At least not an identity strong enough to keep the country from collapsing. Not only in terms of political and military policy, but as a viable political entity of any kind.

And I have to admit that, besides the inevitable campaign of ethnic and political cleansing that would arise from such a collapse, I'm okay with the end of America. There's nothing about this fundamentally defective experiment in "equality" that's even worth saving anymore.

I've been to actual failed nations way back in the day, and I'm gonna disagree.  This is by no means even in the same ballpark.  You are offended by America's failures on a philosophical level; just wait until you see actual failures on civil structure and infrastructure.

It will allow you to see things in an entirely new prospective, in the same manner that hitting your thumb with a hammer will take your attention off of your backache.

I was being too dramatic. Of course I don't want the actual civil infrastructure to collapse. I meant that "America" as a cohesive union of 50 states that obviously hate each other is nearing the end of its life as a useful concept. The federal government exists to ensure a relatively consistent "citizenship experience" for citizens of all 50 states. But it's clear that its ability to do that is not only failing but being actively sabotaged. Soon, the power it has to enforce sanity will be turned on its head and used to enforce the opposite instead. At that point, a split between 30 batshit crazy neo-feudalist kingdoms and 20 relatively modern and sane mini-republics is preferable to a zombie mega-nation unified by the threats and whims of a tyrannical imperial throne.

I'm just saying I'd rather see (Federal) America collapse and die than see it survive at the cost of everything that justifies its existence (which is a dwindling list, anyway). 50 individual states without any allegiance to each other would be a bad outcome, but the combined endgame of Russia and the GOP would be worse. As I don't have much faith in our ability to avoid both, I'm on the side of the former.

Oh, yeah, I'm totally about that.

But it isn't going to happen that way, because unlike 1860, the asshats are evenly distributed.
Molon Lube

Brother Mythos

Quote from: Cain on May 17, 2018, 04:47:18 PM
Because it's all going according to plan.

Honestly, if I was a Russian intelligence operative, you know what I'd be planning right now? Blatantly and obviously supporting the Democrats in 2020, with a very clear crumb trail back to Moscow.

Trump will rage, likely declare the election illegitimate, may refuse to stand down if he loses, will definitely direct the DOJ to go after the Democrats if he somehow still wins.  Meanwhile, 50% of the voting population will think the other 50% are traitor-supporting scum.  Each side will be convinced the other is working with Russia, is illegitimate and unfit to rule.  Throw in a few coordinated protests, maybe encourage a bit of violence and then sit back and watch as the USA rips itself apart.

Russia doesn't care who sits in the White House.  It cares about paralysing the normal function of the US government, giving it a free hand in its near abroad and areas of interest like Syria.  Best way to do that is to take advantage of US hyperpartisanship, and that doesn't mean backing any one player fully.

Brilliant! You've just scared the hell out of me, but your plan is brilliant!
Discordianism is fundamentally mischievous irreverence.

Prelate Diogenes Shandor

Quote from: Cramulus on May 17, 2018, 06:10:26 PM
I've been thinking about that too -- they don't have to knowledgably collude with anybody, they just have to drop some ammo crates for opposition to load into the accusation gun.

That's part of it at any rate.

In any case I think it's likely that Trump didn't collude and that Russia acted on it's own. Not to necessarily undermine confidence in the democratic process, but because Trump by itself represented an unprecedented opportunity to undermine the functioning of the American government, and one unlikely to be repeated if not acted upon. Why would they bother to seek his approval or assistance? He'd just fuck it up. He fucks things up. That's what he does and that's the main point of Russia manipulating things to put him in charge.
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Doktor Howl

Is it just me, or is South Korean President Moon Jae-in starting to sound a bit like Neville Chamberlain?
Molon Lube

Brother Mythos

Trump Gave Up Everything For Nothing With North Korea, And Now What?

From the article/interview:

"O'DONNELL: President Trump has already gone farther than any other American president certainly in stepping toward North Korea in recognizing and saying very, very favorable things about the North Korean leader, the likes of which we've never heard from an American president.

KELLY: Yeah, it's kind of curious, actually, what the president has done. One of the things people are worried about in the analyst community, especially among hawks if you will, is the president gave Kim the summit without really getting anything in return for it. Meeting the American president is, if you're a Korean dictator, it proves North Korea is a real state, it's independent, it's a real country and not sort of a failed socialist cul-de-sac. This is why no American president has ever met a North Korean leader, and Trump gave that up for nothing with which in my opinion was a huge error.

O'DONNELL: Professor Kelly from South Korea, thank you very much for joining us. I really appreciate it."

Here's the link: https://crooksandliars.com/2018/05/trump-gave-everything-nothing-north-korea

So much for Comrade Spanky's negotiating skills.
Discordianism is fundamentally mischievous irreverence.

Cain

"The best deals".  And to be honest, this was inevitable.  Someone who a) has the attention span of a concussed duckling and b) actively goes out of his way to spurn the advice of experts and c) thinks the political world works exactly like the business world was always going to end up giving things away for free.  There's no way it wasn't going to happen.  It's Dunning-Kruger personified, he thinks everything runs like business does, and with enough bluster and intimidation he can barrel on through.

I mean, just look at that "Libya option" shit the other week.  What do I really not want to remind a nuclear armed state about, going into the negotiations?  Probably about that time a long-term adversary of the USA gave up its nukes, the USA backed a rebellion against that leader, and that leader got knifed in the arse to death by a mob.  And then on the other hand offering to make Kim Jong Un "secure" and rich.  Nukes = security, as far as the North Korean regime is concerned.

Brother Mythos

I've, pretty much, given up trying to convince people that government is not a business, and that business skills are not transferable into politics. But, maybe it's time for me to rethink my arguments.

In any case, that "Libya Option" thing is a glaring example of poor management skills. Comrade Spanky can't even manage Pence and Bolton.
Discordianism is fundamentally mischievous irreverence.

LMNO

Quote from: Brother Mythos on May 24, 2018, 02:50:04 PM
I've, pretty much, given up trying to convince people that government is not a business, and that business skills are not transferable into politics.

You think that's fun, try convincing someone that managing government debt and finances best uses an approach diametrically opposite to what works best for individuals and families.

Doktor Howl

Quote from: LMNO on May 24, 2018, 03:05:26 PM
Quote from: Brother Mythos on May 24, 2018, 02:50:04 PM
I've, pretty much, given up trying to convince people that government is not a business, and that business skills are not transferable into politics.

You think that's fun, try convincing someone that managing government debt and finances best uses an approach diametrically opposite to what works best for individuals and families.


You guys just aren't THINKIN' WITH YOUR GUT.
Molon Lube

LMNO

To quote a man, "I've been thinking with my gut for 20 years, and I've come to the conclusion it's got shit for brains."

Cain

Donald thought with his gut today and cancelled the summit.

South Korea wasn't informed either, going by the panic at the Blue House and urgent requests for clarification from the Americans (this would be easier if, say, there were an Ambassador in South Korea to whom the South Koreans could speak with, but of course Trump hasn't appointed one of those yet).