Trump..... (The Sophistry Thread)

johnny

I'll tells ya!
Staff member
The main theory is that it was Pence’s Speechwriter or someone trying to frame Pence due to the use of the word ‘lodestar’.


One of the effects of this presidency is that it has shifted the threshold of crazy/expectations/importance etc. Not only are we being distracted by the daily grind of media shocks and missing bigger-picture and longer-term issues but things that would previously shocked and alarmed us into a response now seem less important compared to a perpetual crisis of legitimacy that surrounds the president.

At least China and Russia are a *little* off balance and not perfectly placed to capitalize. But I fear the constant distractions the president and his team are facing are creating openings for DPRK, Iran, AQ and other actors to advance their interests.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
Per the US congressional budget office (CBO), the federal deficit has boomed 32% over the previous year, after a 7% (!) increase in spending was accompanied by a 1% increase in revenue, not in response to a crisis but because of straight mismanagement. The deficit is now getting on towards a trillion dollars. It's worth noting that while Trump gets all the headlines, the rest of his party have not shown any inclination or ability to manage the economy responsibly.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
Because he appointed corrupt, self serving, and donor serving dickholes.
He didn't appoint Congress, he's just failed to lead them anywhere except into numerous PR holes. This is a party-wide failure of governance, and no doubt they will obstruct what will be essential reforms to recover from this disaster.
 

moorey

call me Mia
He didn’t, no, but they are beholden to donors.
Everyone he has appointed has been either wholly unqualified, inappropriate, or self serving. You do Trump a favour, (or flatter him) he does you one.
 

moorey

call me Mia
I would not put Mattis, McMaster or a few others in that category.
This is true. (2/28765 ain’t bad). Probably the only threads holding the country todether.
That said, Mattis is very pro-war, and we know that the people egging Trump on who to appoint would love more war.
 

johnny

I'll tells ya!
Staff member
I would not classify him as pro-war either.

He is a soldier, he is supposed to be aggressive and capable. However, I have not seen him do or say anything in his current role that would make him a warmonger. From all reports, I'd say that the traditional structure of the soldier being the dog on the civilian's leash has been flipped.
 

moorey

call me Mia
I respect your expertise in these matters, though I have formed a different opinion of him. He is much better and many that could have been appointed, I’ll pay that.
 

moorey

call me Mia
Man, listening to the interviews with Woodward about his book is scary.
‘Fear’ is intended to have a double meaning.

I don’t know if it’s all true.
I suspect most of it is true.
I’m horrified that I’m not horrified that any of it is probably true.
 

Binaural

Eats Squid
Only Trump could make the death of 3000-4000 people all about him and how put upon he is (the higher estimate is from Harvard's public health research group and is higher than the official figure published by Trump's own administration).

As I've seen elsewhere - "would he be talking like this if 3000 white people died?". My answer - probably! Every time you think he's reached a limit, he proves how valuable utter shamelessness and mendacity can be in avoiding consequences for his poor leadership.
 
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