The Next President is...

[nsplayr]

On 7/23/2017 at 11:04 AM, dream big said:

...neurological experts have given it the name : TDS

Trump Derangement Disorder

You may need to go back to acronym school brother...

[Vertigo]

[tk1313]

Looks like little Debbie and Hillary use the same dumpster. 

[brickhistory]

5 hours ago, Vertigo said:

Still not Hillary.

[brickhistory]

Since Trump gets blamed for, literally, everything in the world, I thought I'd throw this little bit of good news in:

DOW JONES INDU AVERAGE NDX

(Dow Jones Global Indexes:INDU)

 

22,016.24 Delayed Data As of 4:40pm ET

+52.32 / +0.24%

 

Now he may not be responsible for the number, but if he's gonna get the blame for everything, how about a little of the credit as well?

[matmacwc]

Good luck, the leftists in the crowd should know we still don't listen to them or any major news media, cause you got all the polling correct in 2016 and everything.  I'll find the list Prager put together to show all the good he has done, its pretty impressive but you'll never hear of it.

[tk1313]

Russia Russia Russia Russia Awan Brothers Russia Russia Russia Russia

[Jaded]

2 hours ago, brickhistory said:

Since Trump gets blamed for, literally, everything in the world, I thought I'd throw this little bit of good news in:

DOW JONES INDU AVERAGE NDX

(Dow Jones Global Indexes:INDU)

 

22,016.24 Delayed Data As of 4:40pm ET

+52.32 / +0.24%

 

Now he may not be responsible for the number, but if he's gonna get the blame for everything, how about a little of the credit as well?

Yeah, this is great. The stock market is up what, 20% since the election?

 

Just a quick question though - if the stock market were to fall 25%, would you consider that Trump's fault (or does he only get credit when it's a positive thing)?

[brickhistory]

23 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Yeah, this is great. The stock market is up what, 20% since the election?

 

Just a quick question though - if the stock market were to fall 25%, would you consider that Trump's fault (or does he only get credit when it's a positive thing)?

My point wasn't what I thought (more on that below), but rather on the obsession on absolutely everything (real or imagined) negative that is placed on Trump's skull.  So why not the good things as well? (Not being serious, I realize why not)

 

Trump is not a good politician.  Trump is a successful tycoon.

Those facts work both for and against him.

The GOP still isn't comprehending why Trump defeated the other 16 career politicians that ranged from Democrats except for the identification to reasonable but ineffective at getting results Republicans in the primaries.

Both sides of the aisle aren't comprehending why Trump beat the anointed one - Hildebeast.

The heart and soul of the country was signaling that it is getting raped by a government run amuck; a media intent on assisting that rape; and a tidal wave of social ills that it wants fixed or not to progress (Go ahead, pick the nit on my wording...).

Instead of absorbing the lessons learned, both sides, but especially the Republicans are choosing to reject that message.

Instead of reversing those things that were specifically named as anathema to many people - Obamacare, unchecked illegal immigration, social engineering that tramples dissenting views, etc, etc, etc, the GOP postures and does nothing.  Not even slow down the liberal, progressive train.   Seven years to have a strategy and plan in place to repeal Obamacare "if only you'll vote for us" in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016.  Even passing a repeal knowing Obama would veto it.  But come an actual TOT and they whiffed.  Badly.

I have to give kudos to the Democrats.  When they have the power, they use it.  The Republicans are debating themselves as to who is more "mavericky" and standing up to Trump.

McCain/Flake/Sasse, et al.  I will donate money to any and all primary opponents.

Not because I think Trump is the Messiah (however, he is a very naughty boy...). but because he is a means to an end and you refuse to cooperate on the important things while preening for MSNBC.

A pox on both Houses

[Jaded]

brick,

I understand your anger, and I get your post, but ONLY in the context of why you voted for Trump. I was in the "wait and see" camp when Trump got elected, and was excited to see what he and the GOP would do with a unified house, senate, white house, and supreme court. I've been horrified by the last six months. I understand that you are a true believer, and that nothing I say (and nothing Trump does) is going to change your mind. Just please understand that there are people like me, who consider themselves conservative (think WSJ, not Breitbart), who believe that Trump's contempt for things like the rule of law concern me as much as anything that happened during the Obama era. He seems to believe that he is the King of America, and his consistently erratic behavior is not something I value in the person who controls our nuclear arsenal.

[brickhistory]

Negative on the "true believer" stuff unless you are referring to my anti-Hillary stance.

 However, my point holds regarding that I, and enough others, utterly rejected the business as usual candidates, and this is the important part, because it was not and is not working.  He was the means, given the field of choices, to deliver said message.

His run so far has been amusing, quizzical, and very bombastic.  I am reveling in the consternation that he has wrought in the media and in normal political shenanigans.

But I see far less actually ignoring the rule of law than his immediate predecessor.

Which all those "mavericks" in Congress were content to let do so.

Now that they've got a guy notionally on the same side, they suddenly find their "separate but equal branch of government" pants.

 

[HossHarris]

It still bobbles my mind that the republicans, many of whom have been in office for quite a while, didn't have a polished, well thought out, well researched, and ready to go "Obama care repeal" oplan on the shelf. 

I guess I'll continue to vote anti-encumbent ....

[waveshaper]

9 hours ago, Jaded said:

 He seems to believe that he is the King of America, and his consistently erratic behavior is not something I value in the person who controls our nuclear arsenal.

Relax, the only thing getting Nuked by the President are the transgender folks and probably a few flag officers.

[tk1313]

8 hours ago, HossHarris said:

It still bobbles my mind that the republicans, many of whom have been in office for quite a while, didn't have a polished, well thought out, well researched, and ready to go "Obama care repeal" oplan on the shelf. 

I guess I'll continue to vote anti-encumbent ....

I also find it disturbing that the instant Trump threatened to put Congress on the same healthcare as the rest of America, all talk about healthcare went silent and the next thing I heard was "Congress pivots to tax reform"...

Edit to add: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/344847-gop-lawmaker-trump-should-cancel-health-insurance-subsidies-for-congress

My point was merely to say that the mere mention of being on the same healthcare as their constituents made them uncomfortable enough to change the subject.

Edited August 3, 2017 by tk1313

[Prozac]

4 hours ago, tk1313 said:

I also find it disturbing that the instant Trump threatened to put Congress on the same healthcare as the rest of America, all talk about healthcare went silent and the next thing I heard was "Congress pivots to tax reform"...

Pretty sure the President doesn't get to pick the Congressional health plan. 

[nsplayr]

On 8/2/2017 at 6:24 PM, brickhistory said:

Since Trump gets blamed for, literally, everything in the world, I thought I'd throw this little bit of good news in:

(Dow Jones Global Indexes:INDU)

 

22,016.24 Delayed Data As of 4:40pm ET

+52.32 / +0.24%

 

Now he may not be responsible for the number, but if he's gonna get the blame for everything, how about a little of the credit as well?

Here's something I heard from very few on the right when President Obama was in the seat...credit where credit is due. Things I think President Trump has gotten right so far:

• Mattis at DoD
• McMaster as NSA (second time's the charm right?)
• Shulkin at the VA
• The economy is so far continuing to add jobs and the stock market continues to go up despite already being at record highs when he took office
• Signing the new VA reform bill
• Signing the recent Russia sanctions bill

You're right to say that the DJIA number is not something any President has any control over, but if you want to keep score that way I'm good with it.

DJIA closing 23 Jan 2009 (before Obama takes office): 8,077

DJIA closing 31 Jul 2009 (6 month performance): 9,171 (+13.54%)

Overall Obama two-term DJIA performance: 8,077 to 20,094 (+148.78%)

 

DJIA closing 27 Jan 2017 (before Trump takes office): 20,094

DJIA closing 28 Jul 2017 (6 month performance): 21,830 (+8.64%) [-4.9% lower than comparable performance under Obama]

Overall Trump term(s) DJIA performance: TBD. A comparable increase to Obama would see a DJIA close on 20 Jan 2024 of 49,989...let's all hope that is possible.

Edited August 4, 2017 by nsplayr

[Day Man]

keep posting...perspective is good  

[brickhistory]

6 hours ago, nsplayr said:

 

Overall Trump term(s) DJIA performance: TBD. A comparable increase to Obama would see a DJIA close on 20 Jan 2024 of 49,989...let's all hope that is possible.

I don't recall a lack of credit being placed on Obama by the media who were non-stop cheerleaders for him.  Did I miss that?

Did the special counsel investigate the IRS targeting political opponents and the massive destruction of evidence that followed?  Or the extrajudicial killings (no matter how well deserved) of an American citizen?  The cozy Dept of Energy loans to Administration-friendly solar panel companies?  The election line of "Osama's dead and GM's alive" despite the executive action of literally ignoring established bankruptcy law?  Leakers in the Obama administration were identified and prosecuted (in numbers higher than all previous administrations combined) whereas today they are "heroes and resistors."  I don't recall the previous Attornies General recusing themselves from non-existent investigations into Fast and Furious or meeting the husband of a criminal investigation on an airport ramp.  Imagine if Sessions were held in contempt of Congress like Holder was.  Instead of a brief mention in a small paragraph on page C6 of the WaPo, how many days of front page, all of it, it would garner.  Would that merit a newspaper putting a resistance slogan on its masthead?

To name just a few.

(There's a glimmer of hope that the unmasking of American citizens in NSA intercepts for political purposes might see some results, but for all the coverage on it, it might as well be moot as well)

I don't recall debate moderators correcting him during various venues or even debating him instead of being impartial question-askers.

Barry did all good, all the time according to the same press that is saying Trump is all bad, all the time.  When, in fact, both men did some good things and some bad things.  The difference is that one was aided by the legislature on both sides while one is not. 

Finally, and the frustrating thing about conveying ideas in short posts, is the idea that "keeping score" was my intent.  Noting hypocrisy on the other hand...

Which happens on both sides of the aisle.

Shocking, I tell you.  Shocking.

[drewpey]

Hmm...I think I'll poke my head into the politics thread...

On 8/4/2017 at 0:16 AM, brickhistory said:

The difference is that one was aided by the legislature on both sides while one is not. 

LMAO that's enough, I'm leaving now. 

[MooseAg03]

The stock market is a huge bubble, Obama should have never seen numbers like that with the pitiful growth we enjoyed under his leadership combined with an inept Congress. The reason for those numbers is the terrible monetary policies that were executed to keep our economy from sliding back into recession. The Fed now owns $4.5 trillion in US bonds and other securities. It's all smoke and mirrors.

[brickhistory]

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 11:57 PM, drewpey said:

Hmm...I think I'll poke my head into the politics thread...

LMAO that's enough, I'm leaving now. 

Err, what the poster (me) meant to say was...

 

When the Democrats ran the Congress under Obama, they ignored the GOP. 

When the Republicans gained back the House, then the Senate, they did squat all when Obama ignored them and ran riot with his executive actions.

Ignore Congressional subpoenas regarding Fast & Furious?  Not a problem.

Find the Attorney General in contempt over that?  No big deal since it drew a complete yawn from the Democrats and the press.

Actually use those Constitutional powers to hold in check the Executive Branch?  Not a thing done.  Hence my "aiding and abetting" line.

Today, the Democrats are in the minority and they got the Republicans to go with the Special Prosecutor.  So either the Democrats are better at that whole wielding of power thing, or the GOP is colluding with them to get Trump gone.

BTW, Barry, among many things, unilaterally signed the Paris Climate Change agreement.  He never submitted it to the Senate per the Constitution.  And Congress did squat about that.

Ditto with the Iran deal.  Essentially a treaty involving the U.S. and the President ignored the Congress.  And they let him.

And went wild with condemnation when Trump undid at least the Paris agreement with his executive action.

That list of Obama actions that were unprecedented and ran roughshod over the Congress is much more extensive.  But he's not POTUS anymore so no whining when Trump eventually goes that way.  Which, to date, he really hasn't.  He's talked a lot, but not taken likewise unprecedented actions.

Edited August 9, 2017 by brickhistory
spelling

[tac airlifter]

On 5/12/2017 at 9:11 PM, nsplayr said:

Not that you asked me, but this is how: USG intelligence agencies examine the digital forensic evidence, looking for markers commonly used by known Russian state actors, while also making analytic assessments of intent based on open-source and classified communications.

In fact, this very thing you're asking about was in the news yesterday. On 6 January 17, the intelligence community, via the DNI, released a report titled Background to “Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections”: The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution. It's an unclassified version of a classified assessment that obviously isn't fully releasable to the public. To be exact, the report itself says, "This report is a declassified version of a highly classified assessment; its conclusions are identical to those in the highly classified assessment but this version does not include the full supporting information on key elements of the influence campaign."

The report presents the publically releasable evidence leading the IC to jointly conclude, "We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump."

The reason this was in the news yesterday once again was because the following Trump Administration officials testified in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee: Director of National Intelligence, former Republican Senator Dan Coats, Director of Central Intelligence, former Republican Representative Mike Pompeo, acting Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe, and Director of the NSA Adm. Mike Rogers. These officials were nominated and appointed by President Trump, minus McCabe who just got in the seat two days ago and Rogers who remained in place from the last admin.

The IC leaders were asked by Senator Mark Warner if they accepted the conclusions of the 6 Jan 17 report, and all answered yes.

So this conclusion, that it was indeed the Russian government that directed and carried out an influence and hacking campaign against the US during the 2016 election, was unanimously agreed upon by officials at all 17 intel agencies during the final days Obama admin IC officials, and yesterday was once again affirmed by the four top IC agency leaders of the Trump admin.

It’s interesting to reread these posts in light of current events.  Looks like we were all being lied, misdirected and artfully deceived by those in charge.  

[SurelySerious]

Frontline: Putin’s Revenge

Found it pretty interesting; episode two on Wednesday. 

[SurelySerious]

Lawfare: The fabricated news stories and click-bait headlines that dominated social media throughout the 2016 campaign are not a new tactic for the Russians. They are simply the latest iteration of a practice Moscow has used for nearly a century.

[brickhistory]

GDP <3.0% two quarters in a row and a third expected to be at or near 4%

Dow up a gagillion for  the year

Major tax reform passed; corporate rates cut to very competitive in global market with other nations (Germany, et al panicking).

A fair few other things going right, IMO.

Countered by an on-going FBI investigation (which itself seems to have ethical/institutional bias of its own complicating matters)

Loss of a sure-thing Senate seat

National debt still climbing.

Overall, a winning year.

 

edited to add/note:  Politico, never a conservative outlet, published a damning and very long expose of the last Administration interfering, then killing, a high-stakes investigation into Hezbollah's drug trade in order to appease Iran and get that deal done.

Should be a good show to watch associated with that one.

Edited December 22, 2017 by brickhistory