Donald Trump the Megathread part II - Mod Warning updated in OP 12/2/26

If it makes you feel better (probably not) Prop 50 explicitly states that the new maps expire in 2030 & reaffirms that the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will again assume responsibility for redrawing congressional districts at that time. Both sidesing the issue and framing the Texas chicanery as just a continuation of similar gerrymandering efforts is a skewed representation of the reality here. What Texas has done is an extraordinary escalation that goes beyond the typical mandering protocols.

You cannot call on the Democrats to be the better angels whilst across the aisle the MAGA party runs amok subverting norms and flouting laws. One of the primary reasons that the Democratic party has been at historic lows of approval amongst their own voters is that they’re viewed as impotent, timid, and lacking spine (we know this because pollsters have asked). Although Trump ushered in much of this intemperance with his takeover of the party it was already trending that way. Remember when Scalia died and Obama still had nearly an entire year left in his term but Senate Republicans blocked any vote on his nominee (after recent assurances that they would never do such a thing)? And today we witness Mike Johnson refusing to seat a House Democrat that overwhelmingly won a special election (45 days ago and counting) whilst concocting different excuses for the delay every time he’s asked. For reference Republicans were sworn in within 24 hours of their special elections earlier this year.

One can only imagine if the Democrats had that level of dedicated functional fanaticism just how “annoyed” you would feel. You may have an instinctive compulsion to bothsides all this political mayhem. But ask yourself something. Why is it that observers of many political stripes in Ireland & globally, including many comfortably right of centre, can articulate just how toxic and destructive the MAGA iteration of the Republican party is without muddying the crisis with both sides rationalisations? Sometimes the view from outside the goldfish bowl can be less clouded.

It’s instructive to also keep in mind that it was initially hoped that when the MAGAheads were warned about a potential response from California to counter the Texas scheme that they would back off when they realised there would be no net benefit. Instead we then witnessed the debacle of the Texas governor trying to arrest opposition state legislators to force a quorum and ram through the redistricting map. At that point there’s no reason to expect any kind of reversal or a reason to hang faint hopes on the courts for timely relief. The Democrats needed a clear proportionate response and California obliged.

It is being speculated that many Republicans now recognise that Trump is cooked, that the files will eventually get released and that it’s best for the future of the party to get ahead of it and turn their back on him.
It would be something to see trump finally faces consequences.

I don't believe that he'll ever face consequences but by God I would love to be proven wrong on that. It would be a great great day for humanity to see that absolute scumbag finally face accountability.

The dangerous criminal that the White House created and posted the above video about....has just been found Not Guilty!!

This is the Sandwich Guy, who threw a subway sandwich at a DHS trooper, triggering the above arrest, attempts at felony assault charges, which dropped and dropped til it reached misdemeanour level, and still ended in a 5 day trial. In which he's now been acquitted. Below account on both twitter and bluesky has been running a very funny live feed on trial last few days.

some rep from a drugs company collapsed in the oval office today, and i'm not sure trump has any idea, or cares what's happening behind him.

The collapsed man being analogous about the US economy.

A genuine good amount of respect should go to Dr Oz, to speaker's left as he talks. He goes to guy collapsing and helps him to ground and checks on him.

Also interesting to see RFK Jr's reaction, which seems to be, get the hell away from.this as quick as possible

Because you're a centrist?