America - The Official Thread

[DDastardly00]

First of all the Impeach talk is ridiculous, and John McCain is also ridiculous. We are talking about an alleged memo that allegedly was read to a NY Times reporter by an Anonymous source (there they go with those unnamed sources again), nevermind that the NY Times is left wing, anti-trump and has lost all credibility as a news organization, yep, nevermind that, let's all just flip out over fake news. That's right, I called it fake news because that's exactly what it is, fake. Show me a real source, show me real evidence, put Comey on the stand if they dare to (they won't because they are only interested in a smear campaign that will lead to lost seats in 2018, they are NOT interested in the truth). And if they are somehow successful in scalping Trump, then enjoy your prize, Mike Pence, who is two thousand times more conservative than Trump. Idiots. All of them, Schumer, Warren, Pelosi. Focus on cleaning up your own house, make amends for screwing over Bernie to his supporters in favor of a right wing war hawk with a 'D' next to her name.

 

[IforceV8]

Go team trumpkin go

 

[DDastardly00]

Go team trumpkin go

I'm not on anyone's team compadre, I just call out 'the stupid' as I see it. I'm the guy that sits on fence and flings rocks at both sides. Thankfully I'm not a member of anyone's stupid club, nor would I ever want to be.

 

[Dennisch]

Did any of the media coined the Gate term yet for the current situation? Trumpgate? Comeygate? Whatever gate?

If so, please don't use it here, it will make you look stupid.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Trump is complaining - to his followers - that he is the "most mis-treated politician in history".

The best part about this is that Obama made an executive order allowing the President to disclose such information

This is not a question about the legality of Trump's actions, as much as Trump an his supporters are trying to steer the comversation in that direction. They want to talk about the legality of it because from a legal perspective, Trump did not do anything wrong.

The real issue here is the wisdom of Trump's actions. It is believed that he passed specific intelligence on to Lavrov and the Russians - intelligence that only could have come from a source embedded deep within ISIS. Furthermore, that source is not an American source, but an Israeli one passing information on to the Americans as part of an intelligence-sharing agreement. If such a source exists, then it is (most probably) the only source within ISIS. We know ISIS aren't stupid, so they will be paying attention to this. They'll go looking for the source and they'll make sure that nobody places a source within their ranks again.

So while Trump might have had the legal power to disclose that information, it is entirely possible that he just ruined one of the best chances the West has of destroying ISIS. And for what? If there was a specific threat to Russia or her interests, there are channels for passing that kind of information on. Given his behaviour to date, how do you know that Trump didn't compromise an invaluable source of intelligence because he was boasting about it to Lavrov?

 

[DDastardly00]

If Trump is being mistreated, then Reagan was flagrantly mistreated during his 1st 6 months in office. Perhaps Trump has being listening to 'Do you Really want to Hurt me' by Boy George a little too much lately.

Did any of the media coined the Gate term yet for the current situation? Trumpgate? Comeygate? Whatever gate?

If so, please don't use it here, it will make you look stupid.

So far no (thankfully), they are still invoking the Watergate mantra, the latest being John McCain today.

 

[TRGTspecialist]

Is it? What do you compare it to? Other politicians? Perfection?

Why does it have to be a relative thing? It's perfectly reasonable to judge politicians' records against their promises on their own merit.

Voters choose which politician they want based on the promises they make in their candidacy. A vote is necessarily treated as an endorsement of all their promises. (If you don't vote that way that's your prerogative, but that can't be projected on voters' ballot papers, and hence voters in general.) So when a politician gets elected, you have a list of things that is asked of them by the voters. I wouldn't call it a "contract", as Trump did ironically, but it is what's asked of them.

If a politician fails to do what's asked of them, I can't think of many excuses that would let them off the hook from criticism, let alone turn it into a positive achievement..........that smacks of pure spin. Nor can I think of many roles in life where not doing everything that's asked of you is deserving of praise.

Plus I'd find it very hard to believe you'd have the same 'positive' reaction if Trump's record was the one of a politician you didn't like instead.

Show me a real source, show me real evidence

Why are you asking at all, when you already know the story is fake?

That's right, I called it fake news because that's exactly what it is, fake.

No need to ask for real evidence, because there musn't be any.......since you know it's a fake story and all. Indeed it's really you that should be showing us the evidence that backs up this claim you seem pretty sure of.......

There's a difference between being sceptical of the truth of a story based on the current evidence, and believing it must be fake based on the current evidence.

Did any of the media coined the Gate term yet for the current situation? Trumpgate? Comeygate? Whatever gate?

If so, please don't use it here, it will make you look stupid.

Stupidgate?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I find it particularly funny the hysteria surrounding the 100 day report card. I don't recall this type of focus on any other President.

I don't recall any other President who made a "one-hundred day contract". If people are fixated on the one hundred day milestone, it's because Trump drew attention to it.

At this point it's all rumours and speculation unless you have a source to prove different.

I have Donald Trump, who Tweeted that he had every legal right to pass that information on in response to reports that he had passed said information on and despite a White House press briefing refusing to confirm or deny it. Why would Trump acknowledge that he did it if he did not do it?

 

[DDastardly00]

Why are you asking at all, when you already know the story is fake?

No need to ask for real evidence, because there musn't be any.......since you know it's a fake story and all. Indeed it's really you that should be showing us the evidence that backs up this claim you seem pretty sure of.......

There's a difference between being sceptical of the truth of a story based on the current evidence, and believing it must be fake based on the current evidence.

I know it's pointless for obvious reasons, but I'm asking for accountability from the MSM (I know it's in vain but that won't stop me from trying), specifically from the NY Times who has been reduced to a National Enquirer Tabloid -rag that is peddling unsubstantiated gossip stories (in other words, Trash) and it is being passed off as legitimate news. Before they publish a story, they should have a credible named source(s) and the evidence to back it up. In other words, Journalism 101.

 

[huskeR32]

specifically from the NY Times who has been reduced to a National Enquirer Tabloid -rag

For the guy professing to the be font of wisdom on the fence, scoffing at the stupidity of both sides, this is an astoundingly over-exaggerated thing to say.

Before they publish a story, they should have a credible named source(s) and the evidence to back it up.

You do understand how much less-informed we'd be if news outlets didn't report information from unnamed sources, right? That should probably be added to your Journalism 101 class.

 

[Dennisch]

Did any of Erdogans goons get arrested today, after they happily pummeled away at the protesters?

 

[ryzno]

DOJ appoints Robert Mueller to oversee probe into Trump-Russian connection in 2016 election.

To lazy for a link.

 

[DDastardly00]

For the guy professing to the be font of wisdom on the fence, scoffing at the stupidity of both sides, this is an astoundingly over-exaggerated thing to say..

There is nothing exaggerated about that statement at all. In the last year specifically I've noticed an increased partisan slant to the NY Times, may as well throw WaPo in there too. I guess when news outlets cater to your views, you don't notice as much as the rest of us who are non-partisan. CNN used to be a lot better too, now I lump them in with Fox News and Breitabart. MSM as a whole is more propaganda than it is news. If I wanted to read HuffPo, then I would go read HuffPo, I expect more from the NY Times, may as well start calling them the NY Post now.

You do understand how much less-informed we'd be if news outlets didn't report information from unnamed sources, right? That should probably be added to your Journalism 101 class

No it shouldn't, unless you like journalism without integrity.

 

[andrea]

Special council led by Bob Mueller taking over the Russia investigation:

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...a-campaign-interference-investigation-n761271

 

[Northstar]

No it shouldn't, unless you like journalism without integrity.

Anonymous sources have been around as long as journalism itself though and can actually increase integrity if done right. A good journalist will use them sparingly and only if they know they are credible as they are given credit whether it's good or bad.

 

[DDastardly00]

Anonymous sources have been around as long as journalism itself though and can actually increase integrity if done right. A good journalist will use them sparingly and only if they know they are credible as they are given credit whether it's good or bad.

In your opinion, would you say Anonymous sources are being used sparingly in regards to accusations against Trump sine he took office as POTUS?

 

[Northstar]

In your opinion, would you say Anonymous sources are being used sparingly in regards to accusations against Trump sine he took office as POTUS?

By good journalists/news outlets? They seem to get used as frequently as they always have been.

By bad journalists/news outlets? Sadly they make up a majority of journalists and they tend to use any source no matter how credible in an attempt to be the person that breaks the story.

I've done my share of media bashing, but I'm not going to discredit one of the oldest tools in the trade just because it's been abused as of late.

 

[DDastardly00]

By good journalists/news outlets? They seem to get used as frequently as they always have been.

By bad journalists/news outlets? Sadly they make up a majority of journalists and they tend to use any source no matter how credible in an attempt to be the person that breaks the story.

I've done my share of media bashing, but I'm not going to discredit one of the only tools in the trade just because it's been abused as of late.

My take is it's being over abused to the point where I can't trust most MSM news outlets anymore, not that they were bastions of journalistic integrity before the election year....but it's certainly gotten a lot worse.

 

[IforceV8]

I'm not on anyone's team compadre, I just call out 'the stupid' as I see it. I'm the guy that sits on fence and flings rocks at both sides. Thankfully I'm not a member of anyone's stupid club, nor would I ever want to be.

Are you sure about that comrade? I can see you owning one of those red hats.

 

[Vegard]

Did any of Erdogans goons get arrested today, after they happily pummeled away at the protesters?

Apparently not.
Two arrests were made, one for aggravated assault and one for assault on a police officer. The protest organizers have said both were part of their group.
All according to the New York Times.

 

[DDastardly00]

Are you sure about that comrade? I can see you owning one of those red hats.

And I can see you in your One Resistance T-shirt shirt throwing Molotov cocktails at Police officers.

 

[IforceV8]

And I can see you in your One Resistance T-shirt shirt throwing Molotov cocktails at Police officers.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I have Donald Trump, who Tweeted that he had every legal right to pass that information on in response to reports that he had passed said information on and despite a White House press briefing refusing to confirm or deny it. Why would Trump acknowledge that he did it if he did not do it?

The exact details are rumour and speculation whereas you're quite comfortable in throwing out worst case scenarios which are fictitious until we can confirm otherwise.

 

[Biggles]

Trump didn't agree to the AUP. You did.

I'm not clear how my comments would violate the AUP? I don't mention any GTPlanet members by name &, in fact, have no way of knowing which ones might have voted for Trump. As such, it's a general rhetorical point, a bit like the post in the "Britain" thread:

the people who do it are commonly bloodthirsty toffs who couldn't care less about that aspect of it so long as they get to kill something while dressed up in a profoundly stupid fashion,

talking about people who participate in fox hunting, presumably on the assumption that those people are fair game for any "AUP violating" abuse.

I do understand the dilemma faced by conservatives faced with the reality of the last election. The choice was voting for Trump or voting for Hillary Clinton. The last GOP presidential nominee put it in pretty stark terms:

"Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University ... He’s playing the members of the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat."

"His domestic policies would lead to recession ... His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president and his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." Mitt Romney

A lot of conservatives held their noses & voted for Trump, hoping, I suppose, that Trump as President would not be as completely undisciplined as Trump as Private Citizen, Trump as Primary Candidate & Trump as Presidential Candidate.

The fear before the election was that Trump might destroy the Republican party from within by compromising GOP control of the House & Senate. As it turned out that did not happen in the election itself, but the Trojan horse that is Trumpism may, in the longer run, turn out to have that effect after all.

 

[stonesfan129]

LOL Mitt Romney is suddenly credible? I didn't vote for any of them, but Comey is the one who should be criticized for the way he handled the investigation of Hillary's email server. Trump isn't guilty of anything.

 

[Encyclopedia]

So, a bunch of Erdogoons have been assaulting protesters on American soil. I wonder if there'll be consequences...

http://armenianweekly.com/2017/05/16/breaking-pro-erdogan-group-attacks-peaceful-protesters-in-d-c

I thought there would be more interest about this here. Apparently not.

 

[HELLAFLUSH240SX]

Trump isn't guilty of anything.

What do you know that everyone else seems to not know?

 

[Imari]

...but Comey is the one who should be criticized for the way he handled the investigation of Hillary's email server.

Maybe so, but firing someone because they won't drop an investigation into your campaign is probably not the right way to deal with that.

Simply firing Comey isn't a crime, but the very peculiar way and time in which it was done raises a lot of questions about what else Trump might be guilty of. Saying he's not guilty of anything at this point seems like asking for trouble. Are you really entirely sure that this man, who is not a career politician and has so far made clear his lack of knowledge of the legalities under which he should be operating, has not made any errors during his presidency or campaign?

I'm not sure that even the most die-hard Trump supporter could be sure of that. Saying that you are sounds more like wishful thinking than actual fact. Maybe if you say it enough times it'll turn out to be true.

 

[Chrunch Houston]

I thought there would be more interest about this here. Apparently not.

From what I have heard, they are studying the videos and investigating, but most of the suited thugs are back in Turkey. If any are left, they may work at the Turkish embassy and have immunity.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I'm not sure that even the most die-hard Trump supporter could be sure of that.

While the international media are giving this stuff a lot of attention, it's getting very little attention in the local media around the heartland of Trump supporters. Not because the media are keeping it quiet, but because the voting public don't seem to rate it as being newsworthy. Trump is their champion, and there seems to be nothing that can dent their faith in him. There's an old adage that in politics, you can survive anything except for being caught in bed with a live animal or a dead woman. Given the absolute adoration that his supporters have - I've seen images of people treating him like all four of The Beatles in one man - you have to wonder if they'd overlook even that.