Donald Trump presidency discussion thread V

pixelburp

It never occurred to me that in all this pantomime the NRA might itself be under legal threat. I may still hold to the notion that Trump will somehow persist, but if somehow that vicious quasi-terrorist organisation collapses because of dirty money I'll be delighted.

everlast75

pixelburp wrote: »

It never occurred to me that in all this pantomime the NRA might itself be under legal threat. I may still hold to the notion that Trump will somehow persist, but if somehow that vicious quasi-terrorist organisation collapses because of dirty money I'll be delighted.

I remember around the time of the Butina arrest, big changes were afoot at the NRA. Someone was offered the job, who was the next in line, and declined. which was noted to be very odd at the time.

The story broke that the NRA put 3 times the previous donation into Trump's campaign.

We are literally 6 months behind in terms of what is going on.... and its clear things are crazy now. It appears the party are realising that now.

https://twitter.com/CheriJacobus/status/1072248904744341506

They will need to jettison any implicated members of their party and Trump and soon, if they want to avoid obliteration in 2020.

prawnsambo

everlast75 wrote: »

Apparently they are broke.

Which would explain why they gladly took the russian money.

How are their members, who at least in theory, possess guns so that they can overthrow a corrupt domestic government, wrap their heads around their funding an organisation who worked with a foreign adversarial government.

From what I understand, the individual members are not generally on a subscription basis. In fact, the NRA give out memberships to people who buy guns, whether they want to join or not. The real membership of the NRA is the gun manufacturing and sales industry.

everlast75

prawnsambo wrote: »

From what I understand, the individual members are not generally on a subscription basis. In fact, the NRA give out memberships to people who buy guns, whether they want to join or not. The real membership of the NRA is the gun manufacturing and sales industry.

Didn't know that - thanks.

I'm sure however attending their fundraising events, buying their merchandise helps them financially though.

Igotadose

everlast75 wrote: »

They will need to jettison any implicated members of their party and Trump and soon, if they want to avoid obliteration in 2020.

It's an eternity, politically speaking, before 2020. Lots can happen before the start of primary season. If Trump chooses to start a war with someone, the US might close ranks behind him.

prawnsambo

everlast75 wrote: »

Didn't know that - thanks.

I'm sure however attending their fundraising events, buying their merchandise helps them financially though.

Yeah. There are obviously members who pay in and support them via donations and subscriptions. But I've heard people complaining that they've had membership literature arrive at their door when they never joined in the first place. The membership numbers are very important to the NRA. It increases their lobbying power exponentially when they can say they represent millions of members. The reality is that this is just a cloak for the real members and their interests. So accepting corrupt payments from 'whomever' is just grist to the mill.

Stallingrad

He could be the first man who's skin matches his jumpsuit.

dr.fuzzenstein

Igotadose wrote: »

It's an eternity, politically speaking, before 2020. Lots can happen before the start of primary season. If Trump chooses to start a war with someone, the US might close ranks behind him.

Iran seems to be the most obvious choice, because only a complete and utter lunatic would start something with North Korea and, oh sh*t...

Quin_Dub

Stallingrad wrote: »

He could be the first man who's skin matches his jumpsuit.

##Mod Note##

Will just refer to my earlier Mod Note -

Quin_Dub wrote: »

All,

The purpose of this thread is not ' Who can post the funniest quip about Donald Trump'

Let's try and keep it more serious please.

Thanks

everlast75

Manfort is in Court today.

Flynn memo due to be handed in today.

Cohen is in Court Wednesday, as is Butina.

That pressure just keeps ratcheting up.

relax carry on

everlast75 wrote: »

Manfort is in Court today.

Flynn memo due to be handed in today.

Cohen is in Court Wednesday, as is Butina.

That pressure just keeps ratcheting up.

So given the amount of pressure on a man unbelievably out of his depth and his increasingly frantic tweeting; does anyone see Trump doing something catastrophic? Can he actually start a war to save himself?

Stallingrad

relax carry on wrote: »

Can he actually start a war to save himself?

Wouldn't be the first time but given his current state would any General act on a crazy military order? He is under such scrutiny, his motives would be so questionable, I doubt it will happen.

everlast75

relax carry on wrote: »

So given the amount of pressure on a man unbelievably out of his depth and his increasingly frantic tweeting; does anyone see Trump doing something catastrophic? Can he actually start a war to save himself?

I don't see it going that way. I may be naive, or optimistic, but I can't see that happening.

The daggers are or will be out for him soon amongst his own party.

The noose is closing around his kin.

I still believe he will resign just before a huge story breaks.

Just my guess, for what it is worth.

alchemist33

duploelabs wrote: »

John Brennan doesn't seem to think he'll run

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/420515-brennan-shreds-trump-i-am-relieved-that-you-will-never-have-the

I want him to. I want a skilled debater to annihilate him in live debates. I want him humiliated at the polls. I want his confidence shattered and a raft of legal actions to follow his defeat. I want the people who voted for him to wake up.

I know these things may not happen, but I want them to anyway.

ECO_Mental

everlast75 wrote: »

I remember around the time of the Butina arrest, big changes were afoot at the NRA. Someone was offered the job, who was the next in line, and declined. which was noted to be very odd at the time.

The story broke that the NRA put 3 times the previous donation into Trump's campaign.

We are literally 6 months behind in terms of what is going on.... and its clear things are crazy now. It appears the party are realising that now.

https://twitter.com/CheriJacobus/status/1072248904744341506

They will need to jettison any implicated members of their party and Trump and soon, if they want to avoid obliteration in 2020.

This is what I feared might happen..ideally I would love Trump to stay in office for the next two years and go for reelection as he stands NO CHANCE (and I mean it this time )of getting reelected.


The Dems over the next two years will dig as much dirt up on Trump and all his criminal gang ,NRA inc and let the GOP drown in scandal after scandal and then get obliterated in 2020.



Whats going to happen now is that weasel McConnell is going to drop him, impeach him and get their good ol' boy Pence in who on the outside is purer that freshly driven snow. Their will be some cleansing of sins within the GOP saying, jeez we didn't know how bad he was but hey look we got rid of him. That will last for a month or two but everybody knows memories are short and who knows whats going to happen in 2020. Pence get reelected

ECO_Mental

everlast75 wrote: »

I still believe he will resign just before a huge story breaks.
.

I don't think he will resign....... if he resigns the FBI are going to be at the door of Marine One with a set of handcuffs.



This is the beauty of it he has to stay as president :P he has protection now and if he get reelected for another 4 years. Not being president means he get to stay in the "Big House" not the White house . Its going to be torture for him for the next two years in that claustrophobic bubble of the White House now hearing all the investigations going after his money and all the criminal things hes been up to. He must be going crazy..and he is..

Penn

Time's Person of the Year was announced. Trump was one of the frontrunners.

The winner is:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/time-s-2018-person-year-killed-imprisoned-journalists-n946311?cid=ed_npd_bn_tw_bn

"The Guardians" - Imprisoned or murdered journalists. Killed or jailed due to their search for the truth. Includes Jamal Khashoggi.

demfad

A couple of things:

Firstly:

Assuming that what the FBI states in ist indictments and memos as facts are in fact facts then Trump is provably guilty of conspiracy.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1072154873490137090.html


Secondly Maria Butina:

Alleged Russian agent Maria Butina and the GOP operative linked to the NRA, RNC, Robert Mercer and Cambridge Analytica

Yulya Alferova worked on Trump Miss Universe Moscow 2013, where Trump Tower Moscow was "launched". She tweeted afterwards that Trump would make a great president of the United States.

Alferova was married to Artem Klyushin at the time. He in turn is close friends with Konstantin Rykov. Rykov is a protegee of Vladislav Surkov. Rykov would be to Social media what Surkov was to TV and society. It is generally believed that Rykov would have had great input into the Information warfare in US, UK, France and elsewhere.

Alferova appeared with Butina at a "right to bear arms" gig in Russia.
Alferova also knew Alexandr Torshin freeman of the NRA, spymaster and Butin'as spy boss.


At The Freedom Fest in 2015 Trump randomly chose Butina out of the crowd. She asked a question on Sanctions, which he replied that he would drop.
On Stage with Trump was Phil Ruffin who also spoke at the Event.
Ruffin was with Trump and Alferova in 2013 Moscow.

At this time Butina's "partner" Erikson (about to be indicted for espionage, reached out to Sam Nurnberg on Trump's campaign team to arrange a meeting Butina-Trump.

Torshin and Butina did have lunch with Don Jr at the RNC.

In December 2015, Butina’s Russian gun-rights organization called the Right to Bear Arms sponsored an NRA delegation to Moscow where attendees met with influential Russian officials including former deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin who had been under U.S. sanctions since 2014.

The convoy to Moscow included Keene, Trump campaign surrogate Sheriff David Clarke, president and CEO of the Outdoor Channel Jim Liberatore, soon-to-be NRA president Peter Brownell and NRA donors Jim Gregory, Arnold Goldschlager and Hilary Goldschlager.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/12/nra-leader-jack-abramoff-gop-operative-russian-spy-maria-butina-lobbying/#utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=twitt-nra-jack-abramoff-maria-butina-121018

Afte this meeting Butina sent the Russian Official a message “We should let them express their gratitude now, we will put pressure on them quietly later.”

I take this to mean they were offerred $13m and later the Russians blackmailed them over it. When you see all the GOP delegates and indeed some British politicians acting 'funny'. Remember that line.

If you look at the Russian operation to infiltrate the Conservative movement in the US over ten years, I guess Butina had some part in it and the Trump conspiracy itself.

Wonder what Junior said to Torshin and Butina? Was he 'quietly pressured' later assuming they recorded it?

Donald Trump

JJayoo wrote: »

It's still bizarre to think Donald Trump is the president of America.

It has been almost two years and has been in the paper every day.


Everyone should have had sufficient time to become desensitized to the new reality by this.

26000 Elephants

demfad wrote: »

At this time Butina's "partner" Erikson (about to be indicted for espionage, reached out to Sam Nurnberg on Trump's campaign team to arrange a meeting Butina-Trump.

Erikson is some piece of work. On the surface a die-hard Republican conservative, but always 'open to offers':

And during an FBI raid of Erickson’s South Dakota home, investigators discovered a handwritten note suggesting Erickson may have been aware of a possible job offer from Russian intelligence services: “How to respond to FSB offer of employment?” Erickson scratched, an apparent reference to the Russian equivalent of the CIA.

source

Have we any idea how far down this conspiracy goes?


But, yeah, Trump supporters still be cryin' "But where's the collusion???"

Leroy42

Donald Trump wrote: »

It has been almost two years and has been in the paper every day.


Everyone should have had sufficient time to become desensitized to the new reality by this.

Almost every day presents a new way to be once more amazed that he got to be ,and remains, POTUS.

When you have Senators coming out and saying that they don't care about breaking the law (not some liberal left leaner either, a fully paid up GOP member).

When you have multiples of people connected to POTUS and his campaign either found guilty of, pleaded guilty to, or under investigation of working directly with Russia yet none of the GOP seem the least bit troubled.

When voters who claim to want to MAGA are actively cheering on a POTUS actively trying to rip the fundamental principles such as law and order, personal responsibility, fiscal conservatism to shreds.

How can you become desensitized to a POTUS that takes the word of a Russian president over the US security services?

How can you become desensitized to a POTUS that has refused to release his tax returns of explain where.how he funded his companies and how this might effect his judgment.

kilns

I see Piers Morgan has written an open letter to Trump applying for the COS job and he is serious about it, just for the fun of it I would love if he hired him

8-10

kilns wrote: »

I see Piers Morgan has written an open letter to Trump applying for the COS job and he is serious about it, just for the fun of it I would love if he hired him

He's not a US citizen though...wouldn't that be a bit strange?

kilns

8-10 wrote: »

He's not a US citizen though...wouldn't that be a bit strange?

Nationality doesnt matter Trump only hires the best :pac::D

Donald Trump

kilns wrote: »

Nationality doesnt matter Trump only hires the best :pac::D

Presidential decree will sort that out fairly lively if needed

DrumSteve

kilns wrote: »

I see Piers Morgan has written an open letter to Trump applying for the COS job and he is serious about it, just for the fun of it I would love if he hired him

The literal embodiment of Fake News.

Hope he hires him.

Itssoeasy

In a moment that will shock people, Trump, Pelosi, and Schumer had a meeting which wasn't all that pleasant going on what I've read. It was an on-camera meeting so I'll have to watch the full video available later. I say it wasn't pleasant simply because the headline on NBC news used the word "clashed" which isn't a word used in pleasant meetings in politics. The word constructive is used in those cases.

Hurrache

Here it is, just watched it myself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZSYXyQaIeI

Tell me how

Hurrache wrote: »

Here it is, just watched it myself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZSYXyQaIeI

Whoever on Trump's side gave the ok for that to be on camera could be accused of trying to sabotage him. There is no way that that could have been expected to end positively for him.

listermint

Jesus this is painful watching.

I did however love that CNBC overlaid the meeting with a live graph of the Dow dropping live as the meeting went on