**** Elections thread *****

[OngBonga]

My blitz rating is closer to 1600, so we'd probably have a decent game over the board. I'll crush you though if I can properly analyse.

[OngBonga]

I just checked, my highest rating was 1920 and my current rating is 1881, which represents 90th percentile.

Best result was a win vs 2048.

[wufwugy]

yea but r u smrtr than paul krugman

[Savy]

yea but r u smrtr than paul krugman

I'm not that smart and I have practically zero knowledge. So probs not.

btw my avatar would be the best movie ever made. rambo and james bond need to team up to rid the world of some bullshit.

I wouldn't watch it.

[wufwugy]

I wouldn't watch it.

Not even if it's filmed in Londonistan?

[Savy]

Not even if it's filmed in Londonistan?

Maybe if it was freeing Birmingham of Sharia law.

[wufwugy]

btw my avatar would be the best movie ever made. rambo and james bond need to team up to rid the world of some bullshit.

[wufwugy]

9.7 on imdb

[OngBonga]

I haven't played IRL for a while, none of my friends will play me because I'll obviously win and then sit there smirking like a smug twat.

I can't remember our games in detail, but I'm sure you played a solid game when you won, that I didn't throw it away with a dumb move, so you're obviously not shit. I do sometimes lose to shit people, but it's usually the result of time pressure.

[Savy]

I haven't played IRL for a while, none of my friends will play me because I'll obviously win and then sit there smirking like a smug twat.

I can't remember our games in detail, but I'm sure you played a solid game when you won, that I didn't throw it away with a dumb move, so you're obviously not shit. I do sometimes lose to shit people, but it's usually the result of time pressure.

https://en.lichess.org/fLhCGJYp/white#65

[Poopadoop]

https://en.lichess.org/fLhCGJYp/white#65

Lol every other move is a blunder.

[Savy]

Lol every other move is a blunder.

Doesn't matter how many mistakes you make as long as you win.

[Poopadoop]

Doesn't matter how many mistakes you make as long as the other guy makes more.

fyp

[Poopadoop]

https://en.lichess.org/fLhCGJYp/white#65

Just realised Ong's nick in this game is captaintugwash. Looool.

[OngBonga]

Just realised Ong's nick in this game is captaintugwash. Looool.

I've used that as my dj name.

[OngBonga]

Oh that's why you beat me, because I didn't play Sicilian. I guess I was being kind.

[OngBonga]

19... Rxf2 is why I lost, I have an easy win if I trade rooks. That's where I lose a lot of blitz games... not taking the simple approach and getting "creative". In a long-game, I wouldn't make that play because I'd have analysed it and realised it's shit.

[Savy]

Should have an easy win from 1... against me mate.

[OngBonga]

Should have an easy win from 1... against me mate.

It's nice that you feel as smug for beating me as I do for beating spoon.

[Savy]

It's nice that you feel as smug for beating me as I do for beating spoon.

It's no big deal really.

[OngBonga]

It's no big deal really.

I don't believe you. Beating spoon was a big deal, just because I didn't really like him. So if it's no big deal that you beat me, I guess that means you like me.

[Jack Sawyer]

Interesting take, and exactly my thoughts. This is the precise impression that the whole situation with Trump gives; that you can't take him or his word seriously. And that is very dangerous IMO

If you behave too much like a child in the eyes of those you have to deal with, they will have to assume you are a child. Remember, literally the eyes of the world are affixed on this at the moment. The POTUS is always a looked upon figure, the one P that everyone around the world knows his (or her) name. Non-Europeans, name 10 other currently in office presidents excluding Canada's and Mexico's, for instance.

So now when we have a child in the room, and that damn kid happens to posses nukes, all bets are off. Maybe this is exactly what the people wanted?

Again, don't shoot the messenger. Opinion piece on the other favorite fake news outlet (MSNBC are partisan bad, and are basically becoming coporate-left-wing FOX, not kidding there, but anyway here it is)




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[Poopadoop]

Interesting take, and exactly my thoughts. This is the precise impression that the whole situation with Trump gives; that you can't take him or his word seriously. And that is very dangerous IMO

If you behave too much like a child in the eyes of those you have to deal with, they will have to assume you are a child. Remember, literally the eyes of the world are affixed on this at the moment. The POTUS is always a looked upon figure, the one P that everyone around the world knows his (or her) name. Non-Europeans, name 10 other currently in office presidents excluding Canada's and Mexico's, for instance.

So now when we have a child in the room, and that damn kid happens to posses nukes, all bets are off. Maybe this is exactly what the people wanted?

Again, don't shoot the messenger. Opinion piece on the other favorite fake news outlet (MSNBC are partisan bad, and are basically becoming coporate-left-wing FOX, not kidding there, but anyway here it is)




<object width="425" height="355">

Obviously he missed the part where Trump checkmates Nieto by giving him an excuse to cancel the trip.

[wufwugy]

Obviously he missed the part where Trump checkmates Nieto by giving him an excuse to cancel the trip.

Serious question: how dumb do you think Trump is?

[Poopadoop]

Serious question: how dumb do you think Trump is?

Not quite sure. Dumb enough to promise Mexico will pay for the Wall, assuming it ever gets built? Yes. Possibly dumb enough to think he can get them to pay for it? Apparently, yes.

[wufwugy]

Not quite sure. Dumb enough to promise Mexico will pay for the Wall, assuming it ever gets built? Yes. Possibly dumb enough to think he can get them to pay for it? Apparently, yes.

Okay so a total fucking retard. On the order of lampshade brilliance. Things are starting to make sense now.

[wufwugy]

Not quite sure. Dumb enough to promise Mexico will pay for the Wall, assuming it ever gets built? Yes. Possibly dumb enough to think he can get them to pay for it? Apparently, yes.

Does this mean that after the wall is built and after Mexico pays for it, you'll have newfound respect for Trump?

[wufwugy]

I wouldn't elect Lawrence O'Donnell to dog catcher.

That was a masterpiece in bullshit though. At least he masters that.

[wufwugy]

I notice a trend

[Savy]

If the US allows Mexicans to build the wall and pays them and then taxes them an extra wall tax is this considered Mexico paying for the wall?

[Poopadoop]

If the US allows Mexicans to build the wall and pays them and then taxes them an extra wall tax is this considered Mexico paying for the wall?

The irony is the only way to build the wall cheaply will be to use illegal immigrant labor.

[wufwugy]

The irony is the only way to build the wall cheaply will be to use illegal immigrant labor.

Or not. Where do you get these wrong ideas?

[wufwugy]

If the US allows Mexicans to build the wall and pays them and then taxes them an extra wall tax is this considered Mexico paying for the wall?

All sorts of things count. This is one of the funnier things that Trump antagonists harp on, because it's actually very very very very easy for Mexico to pay for the wall. A mere renegotiation of NAFTA that doesn't royally fuck the US would more than count. Granted, I think it will be much more visible than that, but I can't say how.

[Savy]

All sorts of things count. This is one of the funnier things that Trump antagonists harp on, because it's actually very very very very easy for Mexico to pay for the wall. A mere renegotiation of NAFTA that doesn't royally fuck the US would more than count. Granted, I think it will be much more visible than that, but I can't say how.

The only thing that counts is if the president of mexico dresses up as an incredibly racist Mexican caricature and hands over a huge blank check to trump in the Oval Office.

[Poopadoop]

The only thing that counts is if the president of mexico dresses up as an incredibly racist Mexican caricature and hands over a huge blank check to trump in the Oval Office.

...on his knees, and with a mariachi band playing.

[Poopadoop]

All sorts of things count. This is one of the funnier things that Trump antagonists harp on, because it's actually very very very very easy for Mexico to pay for the wall. A mere renegotiation of NAFTA that doesn't royally fuck the US would more than count. Granted, I think it will be much more visible than that, but I can't say how.

NAFTA doesn't favor Mexico over the US; it's a free trade agreement. It basically encourages trade by removing barriers to trade like tariffs, which is a good thing for all parties. It's not like it's some shady deal that Mexico and Canada made just for the sake of screwing the US, as much as Trump would like you to believe it.

[wufwugy]

NAFTA doesn't favor Mexico over the US; it's a free trade agreement.

The latter doesn't substantiate the former.

[Poopadoop]

The latter doesn't substantiate the former.

How would you change the agreement to favor the US more?

[wufwugy]

The only thing that counts is if the president of mexico dresses up as an incredibly racist Mexican caricature and hands over a huge blank check to trump in the Oval Office.

lol

i like it

[wufwugy]

On the idea of trade benefiting all parties, it is likely true only in particular circumstances, like when one region has a resource or skill that another does not. Cheap labor is very likely not one of those.

Mexican immigrant labor really just appears to be displacing American labor that was once done by youths and the low skilled. Foreign factory labor appears to also not be creating a benefit for America. Things like clothing are bought more often, but they are of lower quality, there does not appear to a change in utility experienced by consumers, and also there does not appear to be a change in proportion of income spent on clothing. There are also harder to assess costs that could actually be increasing costs for American consumers than otherwise. This includes things like shit Mexican-made pipe being preferred over quality American-made, yet the shit pipe goes bad sooner and ultimately costs more over proportionate lifetimes.

This doesn't begin to get into the other indirect costs, like having a society of people who FEEL like they are getting screwed or like having Detroit-type zones.


Something one of my economics professors told me (who is extremely lefty) is that lots of economists are beginning to think that it is possible that the export model of burgeoning economics is harming their own development via things like not developing other sectors sufficiently. It may be that it is better for countries to trade only specific types and quantities of things instead of trading anything/everything.

[oskar]

Trump does a very good job debasing himself. I was kind of on the fence whether he was actually stupid or just playing to the masses, but no, he's actually that stupid. First press conference: straight up lying about facts and then not taking any questions. First negotiation with a foreign country: tell the other side over twitter to either agree with him beforehand or not even bother, and the other side rightfully saying, well let's not bother then. Complete and utter failure. The most grievous failure being to openly and transparently lie to the press and public, leaving everyone to think: if he's going to openly lie about something as petty and stupid as crowd sizes, what will he not lie about, especially in cases where we won't have the information he does.

The longer this is going on the more confident I'm getting in my prediction of impeachment or assassination by the end of the year.

[BananaStand]

Trump does a very good job debasing himself. I was kind of on the fence whether he was actually stupid or just playing to the masses, but no, he's actually that stupid.

OMG. Yeah, totally stupid people make billions running gigantic corporations, and then go home to one of their many mansions and supermodel wife. Only an idiot could pull that off.

First press conference: straight up lying about facts and then not taking any questions. .

It's not a lie if he believes it. He's a stubborn old man with an ego. He stood in front of that crowd, saw it with his own eyes, and he has his opinion in regards to his size. Trying to start an argument with him about it is called trolling. Trump is not a perfect human being, he has flaws. Stubborness and ego are his, and everyone knew this all along. He still won the election. Nobody gives a fuck if Trump believes his crowd was bigger than it was. So what? Let the old man have a nice memory of an event that's only been experienced by a mere 45 men in the history.

Instead now we're consumed with this narrative that he "lied". It's not a lie if he believes it. If he believes it, it doesn't mean he's stupid. It means he's a human being.

First negotiation with a foreign country: tell the other side over twitter to either agree with him beforehand or not even bother, and the other side rightfully saying, well let's not bother then. Complete and utter failure.

Failure?? The guy called back the next fucking day

[Poopadoop]

It's not a lie if he believes it.

Uh ok, so if he's completely delusional and ends up starting WWIII it won't be his fault if he believed that N. Korea was about to invade the US with help from the martians.

If he believes it, it doesn't mean he's stupid.

Believing things that aren't true is kinda the definition of stupid. Or are we gonna have alternative definitions now like we have alternative facts?

[BananaStand]

Uh ok, so if he's completely delusional and ends up starting WWIII it won't be his fault if he believed that N. Korea was about to invade the US with help from the martians.

So he's stubborn over a crowd count....now he's in kahootz with aliens?

You're protesting your sensational hypothesis. There's really no point in debating this.

if you think it's possible he'll start a war over martians, all I can say is that you should wear less tinfoil.

[Poopadoop]

So he's stubborn over a crowd count....now he's in kahootz with aliens?

You're protesting your sensational hypothesis. There's really no point in debating this.

if you think it's possible he'll start a war over martians, all I can say is that you should wear less tinfoil.

The only point I made you can argue with is the one that was a half-joke. And you picked on the joke part as if I really believed it.

Sad.

[OngBonga]

Believing things that aren't true is kinda the definition of stupid.

Nope.

Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, not a lack of knowledge. The word you're defining is "ignorant", which does not mean the same as "stupid".

For example, let's assume I'm having a conversation with somebody. I ask him what 12*12 is, he thinks about it, and says he doesn't know. We then have a discussion about 9/11, which I think is a crock of shit, but let's say he thinks what we're told is the truth. Let's also assume I'm wrong. Well, I might be able to tell you immediately what 12*12 is, but I'm stupider than the fuckwit who got it wrong because he was right about 9/11. Is that how intelligence works? No, it's not.

We all believe things that aren't true. We just haven't yet realised that we're wrong. If someone believes something that is untrue as a consequence of being unable to comprehend the evidence proving them wrong, well then we can talk about stupidity.

[Poopadoop]

Nope.

Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, not a lack of knowledge. The word you're defining is "ignorant", which does not mean the same as "stupid".

For example, let's assume I'm having a conversation with somebody. I ask him what 12*12 is, he thinks about it, and says he doesn't know. We then have a discussion about 9/11, which I think is a crock of shit, but let's say he thinks what we're told is the truth. Let's also assume I'm wrong. Well, I might be able to tell you immediately what 12*12 is, but I'm stupider than the fuckwit who got it wrong because he was right about 9/11. Is that how intelligence works? No, it's not.

We all believe things that aren't true. We just haven't yet realised that we're wrong. If someone believes something that is untrue as a consequence of being unable to comprehend the evidence proving them wrong, well then we can talk about stupidity.

Lol, troll.

[oskar]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7551521.html

This just in.
I thought he was just retarded, but it turns out he's dangerously retarded.

[wufwugy]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7551521.html

This just in.
I thought he was just retarded, but it turns out he's dangerously retarded.

This is misdirection to ISIS. They already have a plan. Part of the plan is to misdirect ISIS.

[oskar]

How funny is it that a Trump supporters idea of debate is to just tell you to agree with him while completely ignoring the thing he's replying to.

I find it alarming that whenever Trump says something that is clearly against the constitution like wanting to revoke citizenship for flag burning you guys come out of the ground and defend him by saying. He's not THAT stupid, he'll never actually do it. Well what if he actually does do it. The guys idea of diplomacy is calling foreign leaders out on twitter, he wants to "Defeat Isis in 30 days" He's a moron narcissist, and even you will eventually be surprised at how dangerous he can be.

[BananaStand]

How funny is it that a Trump supporters idea of debate is to just tell you to agree with him while completely ignoring the thing he's replying to.

I find it alarming that whenever Trump says something that is clearly against the constitution like wanting to revoke citizenship for flag burning you guys come out of the ground and defend him by saying. He's not THAT stupid, he'll never actually do it. Well what if he actually does do it. The guys idea of diplomacy is calling foreign leaders out on twitter, he wants to "Defeat Isis in 30 days" He's a moron narcissist, and even you will eventually be surprised at how dangerous he can be.

I mean, I wasn't there, but I'm sure once upon a time, Mr Trump telephoned Merv Griffin and said "Hey Merv, Give me the Taj Majal". And I'm sure Merv said "go fuck yourself".

Would you say that was a failed negotiation? Did Trump get the Taj Majal or not?

I think that "negotiation" as a political tactic scares people on the left. I think one of the main reasons that so many of Obama's "accomplishments" are written in sand, is because he believed that the nation should be governed totally by a majority ideology. He had his ideology, he won the election, he expected everyone to fall in line.

When he said "if you like your plan, you can keep it", I don't think he was lying or being purposefully misleading. I think he actually believed that the private sector of insurance companies would embrace his ideology, and cooperate to implement it. He believed that businesses also had a responsibility to fulfill the will of the people, even if it defies profit motives, and he somehow expected them to participate.

Also, there is a difference between believing that flag burning should cancel citizenship, and actually acting to make it law. Lots of people are pro-life, even though outlawing abortion is unconstitutional.

[Poopadoop]

I mean, I wasn't there, but I'm sure once upon a time, Mr Trump telephoned Merv Griffin and said "Hey Merv, Give me the Taj Majal". And I'm sure Merv said "go fuck yourself".

Would you say that was a failed negotiation?

No, I'd say it was Trump being an idiot again lol.

[BananaStand]

How funny is it that a Trump supporters idea of debate is to just tell you to agree with him while completely ignoring the thing he's replying to.

To be clear, I don't consider myself a "trump supporter". I'm a fair minded person interested in the truth. I'm registered independent. I live in a state whose primary came early enough for there to still be 17 names on the ballot. I voted for someone else. In the general, well, Republicans have just proven throughout my lifetime to be overwhelmingly better at running the economy and handling foreign policy. And frankly, not much else matters to me. I don't have a womb, I have no need for a gun, and everyone in my neighborhood is white. That's how I voted for Trump.

That doesn't mean I'm giving him a free pass and am willing to defend every single thing he does. Yes I think he's being somewhat petty by getting fired up over the crowd size thing. But I knew he was like that when I voted for him, so I'm not about to complain about it. On the other hand, I will say that I think the wall is an epic bad idea.

The only way to stop illegal immigration is to destroy the underground economy that supports it. These people shouldn't be able to find jobs, get licenses, or have open access to healthcare and education in this country. But they do. So if I'm a poor person it Mexico, and getting to America means I can feed my family. Well Mr. Trump, you can't build a wall big enough.

If there was no incentive to come here, you wouldn't need a wall. You'd only need to keep terrorists and bad guys out. And you can do that much cheaper with drones and land mines. Easy game.

It seems to me that there is a feeling among the working middle class that illegal immigration has affected the job market negatively by reducing the number of jobs and helping to keep wages stagnant. They're pissed about it, and the wall is basically symbolic of their message to not take it anymore. Frankly, I can think of better ways for the gov't to spend 15 billion dollars.

At the same time, I totally do believe that somehow, someway, trade with Mexico will be changed such that 15 billion extra dollars flows north. So in the end, to me, it's a wash.

Is a wall something I would spend time on if I was president? Probably not. But I'm not president.

Well what if he actually does do it.

Do what?

What if he tried to pass a law that's unconstitutional? It wouldn't pass one of the other two branches of government, and the law would die. We have a robust system of government here that prevents the "dangerous" ideas of one man to become a totalitarian edict.

[wufwugy]

How funny is it that a Trump supporters idea of debate is to just tell you to agree with him while completely ignoring the thing he's replying to.

I find it alarming that whenever Trump says something that is clearly against the constitution like wanting to revoke citizenship for flag burning you guys come out of the ground and defend him by saying. He's not THAT stupid, he'll never actually do it. Well what if he actually does do it. The guys idea of diplomacy is calling foreign leaders out on twitter, he wants to "Defeat Isis in 30 days" He's a moron narcissist, and even you will eventually be surprised at how dangerous he can be.

From the beginning this was not our interpretation. It is the interpretation of people who don't support Trump and don't understand Trump regarding what they think people who support Trump interpret him as.

Within hours of Trump saying what he said, leaders in his camp were explaining how it was a troll. The troll was so effective that even though leaders in the Trump camp were telling everybody about it, adversaries still fell for it. We got a wonderful news cycle of the media defending burning the flag. Trump has done this sort of thing over a hundred times since the campaign, and it works every time. Even when I explain on this forum to some others what is actually going on, they just tell me I'm stupid and a shill and they fall for it.

[Poopadoop]

That's right. Everything he does that looks retarded is just a troll. He's playing mind games with ISIS, Nieto, the media, and the American people because he's a master tactician and knows how to get people to give him $10b for nothing. Only his most fervent supporters are clever enough to see it. blah blah blah.

[wufwugy]

That's right. Everything he does that looks retarded is just a troll. He's playing mind games with ISIS, Nieto, the media, and the American people because he's a master tactician and knows how to get people to give him $10b for nothing. Only his most fervent supporters are clever enough to see it. blah blah blah.

You're getting warmer.

[Poopadoop]

You're getting warmer.

And still 2/3 of the country hates him.

[oskar]

From the beginning this was not our interpretation. It is the interpretation of people who don't support Trump and don't understand Trump regarding what they think people who support Trump interpret him as.

Within hours of Trump saying what he said, leaders in his camp were explaining how it was a troll. The troll was so effective that even though leaders in the Trump camp were telling everybody about it, adversaries still fell for it. We got a wonderful news cycle of the media defending burning the flag. Trump has done this sort of thing over a hundred times since the campaign, and it works every time. Even when I explain on this forum to some others what is actually going on, they just tell me I'm stupid and a shill and they fall for it.

What a genius. I'll just wait 12 months until I weight in on this again because right now it seems like he could take a shit on the floor in the oval office and you'd find a way to spin it as a positive.

[Poopadoop]

What a genius. I'll just wait 12 months until I weight in on this again because right now it seems like he could take a shit on the floor in the oval office and you'd find a way to spin it as a positive.

It's a bold move, taking a shit in the oval office floor. No-one expects a president to do that, and they think he's maybe mentally ill. Then he surprises them by getting Nieto to hand over a $10b check, and signs it with said shit. It's pure symbolism in its highest form, not even Shakespeare could match it. This is the kind of genius we're dealing with here - you guys just don't see it because the media has brainwashed you into thinking when he does something retarded it's actually because he's an idiot and not just part of his master plan for maga.

[wufwugy]

What a genius. I'll just wait 12 months until I weight in on this again because right now it seems like he could take a shit on the floor in the oval office and you'd find a way to spin it as a positive.

It would be very bad. And hilarious.

[OngBonga]

He's still better than the alternative.

[OngBonga]

Anyone who thinks that flag buring should result in citizenship being revoked is a hysterical patriotic idiot.

[JKDS]

"If youre so smart, why arnt you rich" is a direct quote from The Riddler.

[CoccoBill]

Since when has it been established that Trump is a billionaire or a successful businessman? I'd think all evidence says otherwise.

[wufwugy]

Trump is annihilating Obama's legacy. It's absolutely incredible. He has done SO much in his first week to curb stomp the previous 8 years, and guess what, Trump adversaries are barely even talking about it. Trump is teaching a master class in winning right now. He's got all his haters totally oblivious to how he's tearing down everything they fought for, because they're too focused on some silly "impropriety."

Even I am surprised at the extent to which this is happening. I was expecting to see the media go crazy over what has been happening to Obamacare over the last couple weeks, but I'm hearing next to nothing. I've never seen such effective defeat of opposition than I have from Trump. Obamacare is half gone and the writing is on the wall that it will be fully gone soon, and yet the headlines are still bitching about some Trump tweet. It's incredible.

[BananaStand]

Trump is annihilating Obama's legacy. It's absolutely incredible. He has done SO much in his first week to curb stomp the previous 8 years, and guess what, Trump adversaries are barely even talking about it. Trump is teaching a master class in winning right now. He's got all his haters totally oblivious to how he's tearing down everything they fought for, because they're too focused on some silly "impropriety."

Even I am surprised at the extent to which this is happening. I was expecting to see the media go crazy over what has been happening to Obamacare over the last couple weeks, but I'm hearing next to nothing. I've never seen such effective defeat of opposition than I have from Trump. Obamacare is half gone and the writing is on the wall that it will be fully gone soon, and yet the headlines are still bitching about some Trump tweet. It's incredible.

I agree on the point about the media jumping on tweets and crowd counts being part of their strategy to ignore/marginalize any bad news for Obama's legacy.

however, I think you're giving Trump way too much credit here. It's not Trump's fault that Obama was a terrible leader and so many of his "accomplishments" are written in sand. Trump's doing the easy work now, and he's going about it the same way Obama did, with executive action. Someone else could come along 4 or 8 years from now and undo everything you're applauding now.

I'm gonna reserve my cheers until I see him sign something passed by congress.

[Poopadoop]

Is this substantive enough for you?

[wufwugy]

Is this substantive enough for you?

Washington State is the shitlib capital of the world. Trust me.

[BananaStand]

Is this substantive enough for you?

Not really. All I see there is another anti-trump rant. using big words and superlatives to make Trump sound like a devil.

As if he implemented this ban out of pure sadistic cruelty.

Typical leftist whining here. Not much more.

No one said that an immigration ban would be convenient. No one said, "it will only affect the bad people".

But Trump ran on it, and he won. That means it's what people here want. Seattle doesn't get to say "well we don't like it, so it shouldn't apply to us". I'm all for states rights and fewer federal powers, but enforcing the border is Fed territory, and Seattle can shut the fuck up.

[Poopadoop]

Not really. All I see there is another anti-trump rant. using big words and superlatives to make Trump sound like a devil.

As if he implemented this ban out of pure sadistic cruelty.

Typical leftist whining here. Not much more.

No one said that an immigration ban would be convenient. No one said, "it will only affect the bad people".

But Trump ran on it, and he won. That means it's what people here want. Seattle doesn't get to say "well we don't like it, so it shouldn't apply to us". I'm all for states rights and fewer federal powers, but enforcing the border is Fed territory, and Seattle can shut the fuck up.

Pretty sure Trump hasn't suspended the 1st amendment (yet). So sorry, but you can't tell someone they have to shut up 'cause they disagree with his way of doing things and aren't polite about saying it.

[wufwugy]

I agree on the point about the media jumping on tweets and crowd counts being part of their strategy to ignore/marginalize any bad news for Obama's legacy.

The MSM is unable to focus because they're getting played so hard.

however, I think you're giving Trump way too much credit here. It's not Trump's fault that Obama was a terrible leader and so many of his "accomplishments" are written in sand. Trump's doing the easy work now, and he's going about it the same way Obama did, with executive action. Someone else could come along 4 or 8 years from now and undo everything you're applauding now.

I'm gonna reserve my cheers until I see him sign something passed by congress.

It's certainly not near finished. The pace at which things are getting done is staggering.

[wufwugy]

Take a gander at this temporary ban from terrorism-exporting countries.

The MSM thinks they got Trump on this. They frame it as a Muslim ban. They think they're winning this and when they lose it they will be baffled as to why they lost, as usual. Here's why they're losing it:

(1) The ban is temporary. The MSM is playing as if it's permanent. Eventually Trump is going to change his tune and get credit for it.

(2) Most people are afraid of terrorism and despite the framing of "Muslim ban" by the media, the idea of temporary ban on terrorism-exporting countries is legitimate to most people.

(3) Here's the big one. A real big, big one. Trump is using this to bring into his camp the Christian conservative NeverTrump crowd. Millions of them didn't vote for him; in fact they are responsible for him not winning Minnesota. If Trump can keep his coalition and add these values conservatives, he will be far more formidable in 2020 than he was in 2016. How is he winning over these NeverTrump folk with this temporary ban? Because he keeps making statements over and over about how Christians in the Middle East are getting crushed and how he wants to help them. If this is the beginning of a longer strategy of increasing immigration from Middle East Christians as well as securing their regions in the Middle East (it is), Trump will gain a tremendous amount of support from American Christians who don't like him.


The MSM is making many mistakes here. Trump has put them in a position where they defend Muslims while he defends Christians. You can't win in America with their strategy. The MSM framing it as "Muslim ban" is EXACTLY what Trump wanted to happen.

[wufwugy]

Apparently it's an even more extreme walloping than I thought. The crybullies are attacking Christians over this. They hand Trump his victories on silver platters.

[BananaStand]

To anyone who disagrees with aggressive immigration policies.....

Can you tell me how Japan conquered the Phillipines?

[Poopadoop]

To anyone who disagrees with aggressive immigration policies.....

Can you tell me how Japan conquered the Phillipines?

I know the story that's in the history books, but I'm pretty sure your version is much more interesting. Do tell.