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Donald Trump discussion Thread IX (threadbanned users listed in OP)

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Comments

  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 17,289 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quin_Dub


    I wonder how much of that money has found its way into Trump company coffers.

    I did read a while back that the PAC was renting office space in Trump Tower which it has never set foot in at rates way above the norm for the size and location and I doubt that is the only thing that Trump is taking money for.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    The background is the Jan 2010 USSC [5/4] decision that it was OK for billionaires/corporate America to make large donations to PACs as they could already put the same amount into supporting an Ad campaign for a candidate [freedom of expression] and it would not make any difference as the same aim was reached by the direct financial support given to the candidates campaign. This overturned the FEC act banning such direct contributions from 1971. In addition, the Court struck down limits on the amount a candidate could spend from their own personal funds and overall limits on the amount a candidate could spend during the course of their campaign. The USSC made a series of similar decisions letting the loose funding situation existing now to come about for candidates and promoters of candidates by persons using PAC funds for that purpose.



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 36,711 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    Possibly went unreported here but saw the latest stunt from Ron DeSantis, probable 2024 candidate, and shuddered. A truly cruel, somewhat despicable stunt by a man without apparent conscience. All to feed the growing rabid Right Wing demagogues that drive the Republican party's thinking.

    Basically: he used Floridian money to roundup about 50 undocumented migrants, hustle them onto charter planes while telling them they were going to Boston for a work scheme... then flew them instead to (the wealthy, liberal) Martha's Vineyard - without telling the local authorities they were coming. The immigrants obviously arrived confused and distraught, but thankfully the locals rallied and gave them supplies, shelter and legal help.

    Why you may ask? Because DeSantis wanted to highlight "liberal hypocrisy", to call the bluff of liberal cities, and see if they'd pull a NIMBY. Naturally of course - they didn't: most places are run by decent human beings who'll help sudden migrants arriving in their town - not the kind of degenerates infecting conservative politics in the US. The irony in all this? the Massachusetts governor is a Republican.

    The added complication here (apparently) is that those migrants are now thousands of miles from their court appointments they were ordered to attend as part of the immigration process in the first place. A Civil Rights firm is now opening a class action lawsuit against DeSantis and others in the Florida government. Not sure where it'll leave those migrants though - which include children.

    So this is a reminder of where the current 2024 Great White Hope of the GOP exists with regards morality; a repeatedly venal, nasty populist now taken to trolling using human beings to Stick it to the Coastal Elites. Not like American politics hasn't always indulged in degrees of theatricality and excessive stunts - but they tended to stop short at rounding up immigrants and putting them on planes to F with them - and "'de Libs".

    This may be the Donald Trump thread, but I've long said that the person to fear wasn't Trump, but the guy who comes after Trump; the one with more smarts and patience to follow-through on the inhumane or populist politics driving Trumpism. DeSantis is certainly fitting the bill at the moment. Maybe these stunts will ultimately make him unpalatable as a GOP candidate. One can hope.

    Am I soapboxing? Oh yes, 100% - but it's hard not to when the Centre-Right is basically disappearing in America. Left, Right, whatever; immigration is a tricky, complicated problem with no easy answers, but I'll always start with treating migrants with dignity and compassion while their status is discovered. Shoving (what included) children onto airplanes without telling them where they're going? F that, that's sick.




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    Flashback to the news that he was renting out accommodation to the secret service for his service detail at one of his resort hotels while on tour.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    and charging them the inflated rack rate as well.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,021 ✭✭✭✭duploelabs


    Well trump has definitely paid for an inflated rack before



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,663 ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    I almost couldn't believe this when I heard about it. It's just so unimaginably cruel, petty and inhumane. Every so often the gap between the GOP and NASDAP just narrows that tiny little bit. I genuinely expect them to talk openly about gas chambers at some stage. Having actually been to Auschwitz, I don't say that lightly. However, they've relentlessly pushed a dehumanisation narrative for years now and only held back because of a perceived obligation to appear at least somewhat decent. Trump destroyed that concept utterly and completely and they loved him for it. We know where this train leads.

    The only advantage is that moderate centre-right voters might vote Democrat but in a country so thoroughly culturally gaslit into believing that a locked down two-party system, unaccountable judiciary and rampant partisan fixing of electoral boundaries are somehow the apotheosis of democracy.

    There are only two ways that this ends. The preferable option is the electoral oblivion of the Republican party which is unlikely. The more likely option is that this vile wave the party is riding causes a mass catastrophe, probably in the form of some sort of right wing terrorist attack which claims thousands or even tens of thousands of lives. It'll have to be one or the other I think. Can't see any other conclusion to the fascist, white supremacist narrative that encapsulates the GOP now.

    The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

    Leviticus 19:34



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    Trump on Fox with Sean Hannity [after he talked about the drugs flowing into the country now and how things were great in the US when he was in charge] about the valuation of his properties: There's a disclaimer on the front page of the: sic [property] documents which tells them they have to get their own valuation on my properties: sic [when there's a deal done] and the management: sic [of my properties] sign the valuation documents: sic [on my behalf].

    Another way of Trump saying that it's their fault if they didn't bother getting their own valuation done on my properties before they signed off on agreements about my properties and he is not responsible for their neglect or for the valuations put on his properties by the management companies, implying that he was not involved in signing off on the valuations submitted on his behalf. Its all a witch-hunt by Letitia, she doesn't know me, never heard of her until she said during her election campaign that she was coming after me.

    It doesn't explain away any of his personal signatures on the documents that Letitia mentioned [unless of course he claims they are not his signatures].

    I went to FoxNews to see if it gave Trump airtime to respond to Letitia's case against him and how he would respond. There was no tomato sauce thrown around in the large room they were seated in during the interview.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 30,589 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Then one/some of the right-wing news shows were saying that the libs had shown themselves up and done the NIMBY thing because the shunted the migrants out to an army base. The hypocrisy is breath-taking.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,769 ✭✭✭✭Tony EH


    Saw that on RTE.

    TBH, I'm not even surprised at it. Using desperate people for a nasty political stunt sounds like it's straight out of the current GOP playbook and their shitbag supporters probably thought that it was a great laugh altogether.

    I wonder what Charlie Baker made of it.



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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 23,070 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    These are the same people that accused AOC of political theatre when she went to the border to visit the kids in cages. They are so far gone they can't even recognise actual empathy.


    How anyone isn't appalled by lying to vulnerable families is beyond me.

    they/them/theirs


    The more you can increase fear of drugs and crime, welfare mothers, immigrants and aliens, the more you control all of the people.

    Noam Chomsky



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,663 ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Like Alex Andreou once said, "The cruelty is the point". The modern Church is completely devoid of any sort of love or compassion in my experience and that was in rural Ireland. Whatever hideous simulacrum exists in the US seems to be even worse given their political activity.

    We're dealing with some of the worse people in the Western world here. They think that everyone is as bad as them and this grotesque little stunt was their way of proving it. Of course, it backfired because they were wrong. They expect everything to be handed to them and wail when they're unsatisfied with their lives. They've tried nothing and they're all out of ideas so they resort to good old fashioned racism.

    The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

    Leviticus 19:34



  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 23,070 Mod ✭✭✭✭Brian?


    Couldn’t agree more.


    They assume everyone is acting from self interest, because that’s all they know or understand. So they don’t actually understand good or bad anymore, just winning or losing for their side.


    They’ve replaced morality with point scoring.

    they/them/theirs


    The more you can increase fear of drugs and crime, welfare mothers, immigrants and aliens, the more you control all of the people.

    Noam Chomsky



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 17,289 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quin_Dub


    Winning is the only thing that matters for them.

    Getting and holding on to power is the whole ball game and as long as they are achieving that then nothing that is said or done in pursuit of that goal matters one bit.

    It's why they continue to support Trump , it's why the Tories were perfectly happy to enable Johnson.

    It wasn't his feckless incompetence or endless corruption that did for Boris Johnson , it was the impact he was having on their electoral chances.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,663 ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    Surely the gerrymandered and artificial boards of the US electoral system are at least beginning to creak at this point? There can't be this many diehard Trumpsters in the US or am I just holding out hope, here? 74 million might have voted for Trump in 2020 but how much of that was the sort of person who just ticks the Republican box on their ballot and leaves I wonder.

    Such a system creates tension. You mention the UK where the BLM protests of 2020 also happened though on a much smaller scale than in the USA. I saw a piece from John Curtice showing that 51% of people favour overturning FPTP here in the UK. I'm surprised that this hasn't happened in the US but then I suppose the population have been gaslit over successive generations into thinking that the two party system is perfect democracy.

    The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

    Leviticus 19:34



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 17,289 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quin_Dub


    The issue in the US with Trump is their Primary system - That's what keeps him relevant.

    The 25/30% of registered GOP voters that are Hard core MAGA heads are a sufficiently strong voting block that they can control who gets past the primaries.

    So , because they have to keep those loons onside any GOP candidate has to pander to them and tell them what they want to hear. Some lean into it more than others , but they all have to play the game.

    Purple State level elections like Senate and Governor are much harder to win for the GOP in this environment as the need to pander to the fringe makes the candidates far less palatable to the Independents that actually matter come Election day.

    It's why the midterms are in play , this should be a walk for the GOP but because they've had to pander to the MAGAs to get past the primaries , they are looking very fragile where they absolutely shouldn't.

    Any kind of ranked choice or PR type system ruins the Modern GOP electorally and they know it.

    Look at the state of them in Alaska now that it has ranked choice.

    Alaska is as Red a State as you can get under the traditional US systems , but a Democrat manages a fairly clear victory in a ranked choice vote.

    The GOP will fight tooth and nail to block PR/Ranked choice or anything like it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    What are the chances that GOP candidates elected in close call votes results will be brave enough to renounce on any electoral promises they made to get elected and tell the MAGA heads there's a snowball chance in hell the promise will be realised?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    I've just read a post on Rachel Maddow's F/B page, as follows: Looking at Donald Trump's weird, racist, maybe-death-threat screed pointed at Mitch McConnell on Friday night, it's hard not to revisit the past few days when Trump exhorted, “REPUBLICAN SENATORS SHOULD VOTE NO!” on new legislation to prevent another coup attempt like what Trump tried to pull off to reverse his 2020 election loss, and McConnell's statement on the same, "I’ll proudly support the legislation.". Is this the same piece of legislation?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    It looks like people may well be trying to agitate Trump with mention of various legal actions. One is a civil case by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her some years ago. His response is "She's not my type".

    The Jan 6 committee is meeting at present showing videos of testimony before it from Trump campaign witnesses along with videos recorded in the Capitol building of the working residents and the mob outside and inside.

    The CNN reporter on duty at the Jan 6 committee hearing is asking committee members about a rumour that the committee is going to issue a subpoena to Trump to appear for testimony before it. He's not getting much of a response to his question at this time.

    Confirmed: Congresswoman Cheney has asked for Trump to be subpoenaed to provide documents and testimony to the committee.

    Edit: In what will probably be seen by Trump to be a personal slap-down, the USSC has denied him his emergency motion for a hearing and ruling that the special master be allowed access to the classified documents seized from his Florida residence. It seems Judge Clarence Thomas was the justice who delivered the news.

    Post edited by aloyisious on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    This is not Donald's weekend. Following on from the USSC decision not to hear Trump's request for an emergency sitting, the DOJ has gone back to the 11th circuit appeal court and asked it to revoke the appointment of the special master appointed by Judge Canon on the basis that the appointment was outside her powers.

    I'm minded to wonder if Trump decides to run for office again, will others [like De Santis] put their personal desires to step up as GOP candidates aside for his benefit or, if they choose to stand, will Trump end up splitting the GOP into two camps and give the Democrats an easier route to retaining the office? I'm minded to hope Trump does continue to put his wishes ahead of the party's wants.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,502 ✭✭✭amandstu


    That is always a risky play.It seemed obvious that Clinton would beat Trump as his crass transparently egocentric and (novice ) nature was already plain to see (a walking personal tragedy)

    When he was selected by the GOP the Dems must have been relieved but he surprised everyone.

    There has been a tactic for the Dems to back Trump's picks at times . We will see how that works out .


    The latest films of Pelosi et al in the Capitol are absolutely riveting and reflect very well on them.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    I'm hoping that Don's narcissism will cause him to continue as his nature decrees. It's possible that he may be persuaded to be a decoy to distract Democrats attention from De Santis or another GOP candidate and throw in the towel at the right moment to maximise the vote for the GOP. The risk in that for the GOP is that those still into deep state conspiracies, or still faithful to him and angered by McConnell et al, would either choose to make their mark on the ballot paper for Trump even though they know he had stood down as a candidate or spoil the paper making it an invalid vote paper. There are topics other than Trump that the Democrats must use to maximise their vote turnout, like the actual right to vote and Abortion rights for women and girls.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    Amusing to see Trump sending a clear message by holding a rally in Florida with a guest, Senator Cruz. Governor DeSantis is not on the invite list.



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,828 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Tonight, DeSantis sending a reply with an absolute demolition job in the Governor’s race. Miami-Dade a proper red county in this race too.

    DeSantis vs Trump will be a fascinating battleground in the near term.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,074 ✭✭✭✭Frank Bullitt


    Well this is looking like a rejection of the MAGA way of doing things. Most of his backed candidates have done terrible!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,228 ✭✭✭✭Leroy42


    His planned announcement on the 14th may have to be changed. TBF to Trump he really is a master of giving himself plenty of room. He teases things, without ever making a proper statement, which gives him plenty of leeways to change course without losing face.

    Has the red wave materialised, and Trump was ready to announce his intention to run? That it didn't, and in large part due to the rejection of Trump-endorsed candidates, means that he is not in as strong a position as he would have anticipated.

    Surely the GOP cannot be thinking any longer that Trump is a winner in 2024?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,074 ✭✭✭✭Frank Bullitt


    Sounds like he is proper pissed off after last nights mess. He will go on to blame absolutely everyone else now.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,749 ✭✭✭✭Itssoeasy


    They didn’t want him in 2016 but they eventually were stuck with him.

    JD Vance who had trumps backing reportedly never mentioned trump in his victory speech last night. After January 6th they assumed that trump had dug his own political grave but they changed course not soon after. It’s their own fault in that the GOP base of old and MAGA base is becoming harder to distinguish between. The will have to walk a fine line of keeping trump close so that the base will stay with them, but far enough away so that independents can hold their nose and vote for the GOP.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,758 ✭✭✭✭aloyisious


    Listening to Mick Mulvaney [Trump's former COS] on RTE's Drive-time sounded like he has thrown Trump under the bus. He mentioned Trump's line "if they [GOP] win its down to me, if they lose it's not my fault" and said the reverse is true before going on to say the GOP should get rid of Trump.

    Reference was made to how Trump might be agitated today with talk of him asking who advised him to support Dr Oz campaign.

    Listening to DeSantis on Sky News delighting in his win, he made it plain he wanted nothing to do with the Washington GOP group. I don't know if he sees Trump as part of that group but assume he would have been told about Trump's "DeSanctimonious" dig at him last week. There is no love lost between them and 2024 is only 2 years away now as of this month.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,331 ✭✭✭✭Rjd2


    I kept a small on the PA primary, on reflection the guy who OZ pipped would have won. A generic Republican billionaire who did well with the rural turn out who actually hired plenty of the Trump team. He likely would have made it worthwhile for Trump also to endorse him but Trump went with the guy he knew from TV who he could relate to more as an oil snake salesman.

    Hasan would have lost to any generic Republican in NH with a very popular GOP governor cruising to victory but they ended up with a stop the steal loon. Similarly I do think Kelly would be in huge bother if Masters had not got the nomination. Oh and yeah any slightly less awful Republican beats Warnock last night.

    Trump deserves a lot of criticism for these picks, but Mc Connell deserves plenty of flack, plenty of the above could have been stopped in the primary if the establishment had not cleared the field. Masters for example only won his primary as it was crowded.



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