Could you find a jury that would be impartial? Half the country thinks she walks on water, the other half has already found her guilty and the remaining 12 are too affraid of Arkanicide to serve.
I would assume that if Hillary’s case ever reaches the court system, she will never be convicted for the reasons Gman stated……however, correct me if I’m mistaken, Congress can IMPEACH her, even though she currently is not serving in any position, will be unable to serve ever again. That’ll suit me just as well, because it will be public and she will be disgraced and ruined. They can not just let the transgressions just die without some consequence. Comey laid out a great case to try her, then went out of bounds and beyond his job description.
Nixon and CREEP did not jeoprodize national security with the break-in at Watergate. Actually not many people cared about that…..it was the cover-up that followed that really pissed people off……HRC and her team and family actually killed a great many people with wars that should never have been started or failed after victory. HRC should never have gotten past Whitewater. Hiding the papers the special prosecuters were attempting to get their hands on……then when the statute of limitations expired called up Janet Reno, then AG and said come and get them. Reno when asked willl they be turned over to the special prosecutor, where he had tried and convicted everyone involved in the case except HRC and WJC and she was the lawyer of the scheme…..Reno said NO they will not be released because they are inadmissable now.
This is true on the law and he knows that….I am telling you, he is dumb like a fox. He may be a neophyte in politics…..but he has the entire democratic party in a snit right now….suggesting this and that, trying to form conspiracies, acting dumb and stupid……
I am not convinced he is a dumb shit. I have worked with people like this before…………
The other night, Tucker Carlson stated that many people on his show stated fear of Comey but would not make the statement on air. Is this because of the hacking of Atkinson computers? Maybe we should be investigating the FBI.
Suggested reading “A Mid-Century’s Journey” by William L Shirer” 1952……especially the last chapter about America. He had spent 25 years overseas most in totalitarian regimes and lived and saw the rise and of Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Stalin. The fall of the first two. etc In 1950 he toured the countries that he was stationed in and wrote about the events leading up to the war and wanted to see the possible end results of possible cultural changes, changes in social ideals etal……..when he returned to the US he was stunned with what he saw and heard.
What is most noticible is that we have not learned and improved, but repeat over and over things that should never be repeated. I could change a few words in his writing, or several speeches by people like Truman and seriously high placed leaders and I would be reading our current events. Tactics are the same used by all parties, change communist, or socialist to racist or fascist depending. The fear that had struck the Americans was as though he never left Hitler’s Germany. The FBI was knee deep in it, advertizers, self appointed trustees, universities the bastions of free thought were NOT.
I’ll type out some excerpts so people might get intreged and try and find this rare book. I’d almost bet Stephen has a copy in his library.
Universities as today were actually as bad today as they were then on suppression of thought and molding conformity….just wanted to make that clear…..There was no official government policy of restraining free speech, but groups would target things like advertizers and companies and individuals…..nothing against the law or criminal but would just as affectively destroy a person, their family or company just as effectively…..look at how people who disagree with Trump have targeted his family as an example. Imus, The Duck Family……it cuts both ways
Bill Buckley got on the map when he wrote “God and Man at Yale”. In the early fifties. Never rad that book by Shirer but am familiar with his work.
The funny part about all this is just the ability to look at things objectively. Now I am every bit as pissed off at some of Trump’s stunts as his most ardent hater. the difference is I see the alternative to him and that ain’t pretty. As I told my scouts the other night during our Citizenship class, on many issues there is very little difference between Donald Trump and Teddy Roosevelt. But, Roosevelt had class and Trump does not. Is that Trump’s fault? Hell no, it is the society we all live in. Teddy lived in a time when civilization was actively trying to improve. Trump lives in a time when true civilization is devolving and the “western way” out and out rejected.
On FB there was a Charlie post about who would live elsewhere than the US if they could. The litany of US haters is just beyond belief. I had to respond by pointing out, we never invented slavery (though some think we did) and if we were not here you guys would all be singing “Deutchland Uber Alles” now, those of you that had at least 60% Aryan blood that is.
There was a wonderful piece on the radio the other day by an academician who thinks we should have stuck with Britain and been Canada South. This from an academic. If you really thought about that, there would have been no English settlement West of the Mississippi, France and Spain would have kept it all. Alaska would be Russian, perhaps part of the pacific Northwest too. They know NO history at all and are incapable of looking at the other side. Most pathetic bunch of A-holes you can imagine.
.
“A subtle, creeping paralysis of freedom of thought and speech is attacking college campuses in many parts of the country, limiting both students and faculty in the area traditionally reserved for free exploration of knowledge and truth.
These limitations on free inquiry take a variety of forms, but the net affect is a widening tendency toward passive acceptance of the status quo, conformity, and a narrowing of the area of tolerance in which students, faculty, and administrators feel free to speak, act, and think independently.
A study of seventy-two major colleges in the United States by the New York Times showed that many members of the college community were wary and felt varying degrees of inhibition about speaking out on controversial issues, discussing unpopular concepts, and participating in student political activity…..Such caution, in effect, has many campuses barren of the free give-and-take of ideas, the study found….It has brought to many college campuses an apathy about current problems that borders almost on their deliberate exclusion.”
This was published in by the eminent, respectable, conservative New York Times in 1949
Shire, traveled all over the country interviewing industry leaders, politicians, many of the campuses noted in the study, people from all walks of life in this country, his takeaway was that the study was accurate but he saw that what was happening on campus was but a reflection of the nation at large.
I read it over and over along side an old family friends diary. She had been born in Vienna before the turn of the 20th century. The family was Jewish and highly educated and fairly well to do. Honored soldiers in WWI, lost everything post WWI, Rebuilt their lives, the depression destroyed what was built again only to lose everything again in the late 30’s. Escaped to France then had to beat it again from Vichy. Wound up in the US eventually. The husband was a very well known educator at the University of Vienna. Could have taught anywhere here. But because of being Jewish cut opportunity and then being Germanic eliminated most of the rest. This was an educator who knew and worked with the greatest authors of the day, like Thomas Mann and many others. The University of Vienna, just the other year made a gesture of honor for one of their eminent educators, but was driven out by the political powers who were not Nazi at the time. but just one notch below. They built a bridge and named it after him and invited the surviving members to attend the ceremony. Death camps not established yet. Even parts of my family who were Lutheran emigrated to escape religious presecution and prosecution in Austria in the late 1800’s
Just to be fair….even though many members of my family came here to the US due to European prejudices, they themselves were intolerant. They founded a new church in Scranton, PA leaving the other Lutheran church in the neighborhood…..because….as I just found out….that there were to many Poles at the old one…..history repeats like the Pilgrims and Puritans….they were hugely intolerant of any contrary thought or religion.
Didn’t the Poles save the Europeans collective asses during the last Ottoman invasion of Europe in the late 1600’s
You have read I am sure Teddy Roosevelt’s hyphenated American speech. Everybody landed here with prejudices. I like to think that the one absolutely positive thing that came out of the World Wars and the draft for us was the realization that the Kike, Wop, Spic, Nigger, Mick, Kraut, Polak, Hunkie (feel free to add) in the foxhole,cockpit, gun mount, trench, tank, next to me was not very different, not different at all. I often wonder and wish that I had asked Dad, about the attitudes he found when he came home from the war. Those between the guys who went and those who did not.
On film that had a tremendous impact on me as a young teen was Arthur Kennedy in “Bright Victory” (1951) The story of a US Sergeant from the South blinded in North Africa who goes through the VA rehab process, never realizing that the guy in the rack next to him, also blind, is black……..until. Won’t say another word.
They try to portray racism in Vietnam…..it simply was not very prevalent at all. I did not care who was with me, next to me, or whatever….as long as he could shoot straight. But the one main thing that I noticed…..was we all had red blood. And when it came to saving lives, it did not matter who breathed life back into you…..we simply did not care.
I did not see racism in Kuwait…and I did not see it in Afghanistan. The color of your skin did not designate who walked point or who crawled into spider holes or caves. There is a movie out called Platoon…supposedly about a young man who volunteered for Vietnam. The only real thing about the movie was the ending and the confusion of battle. This shit about raping 12 year old women and butt stroking mentally ill kids was hollywood bull shit. You did not put a 45 pistol to the head of any civilian and threaten to shoot them and eventually do it.
The Oliver Stone movie, “Pertoom” (the way my 1st Sgt pronounced it), was supposedly based on his experiences in Vietnam with “Tropic Lightning” the 25th ID. A former tenant of mine who was there for that climactic battle said they got that part absolutely right, the rest of the movie, not so much.
Frankly I could never get past the part where the two Sgts. played by Beringer and Dafoe went at it. Not in the army I was in. It was a good flic but like , “Apocalypse Now” was way too pretentious and artsy.
Yes, I have been in two battles there where we were partially over run….it is just as confusing as they portrayed it….all you hear is shooting and RPG’s going off….you stayed in your hole and just protected your perimeter until the sun comes up. Had two danger close fire missions called in…..and one “drop it on my pod” mission…..not fun……but like you..I did not see the sgts go after it like that nor did I see any “fragging” going on.
Hollywood likes to portray racism and major drug use to discredit the military. It gets old.
Actually did HEAR about two Sgts. going at it. In AIT we had a company mess and the Mess Sgt. was selling off food. When we did a field problem, erecting the fabulous Bailey Bridge, we ran out of chow half way trough the company line. Our acting Field First, a Staff Sgt. jumped in a jeep, came back an hour later with bread, rolls, cold cuts etc for us. That night, we found he had kicked the crap, literally, out of the Mess Sgt. Now, if you gotta go to Viet-nam, just who would you like to take you?
God, created the dog and said: ” Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of 20 years.” The dog replied, ” that is a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I give you back the other ten.” God agreed.
Then God created the monkey and said: ” Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I will give you a 20 year life span.” The monkey thinks this over and wants the same deal as the dog and God agreed.
The God creates the cow: ” YOu must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer’s family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.” The cow thinks it over and says..”that is a tough life for 60 years. How about a 20 year life and I will give back the other 40 years.” God agrees again.
NOW…God creates the human…” Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I give you 20 years.” But the human says…” Only 20 years? Could you possibly give me my 20, the 40 the cow gave back, the 10 the monkey gave back and the 10 that the dog gave back? That makes 80 years.” Gad said, “Ok, remember you asked for it.”
So, that is why for our first 20 years we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves. For the next 40 years, we slave in the sun to feed our family. For the next 10 years we do monke tricks to entertain our grandchildren…and for the last 10 years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
“That’s why the midterm election in a year and a half are so important,” he said. “Let me just give you two words and why they’re important: subpoena power. If the Democrats control the House, we can control the subpoenas, that means we can do a real investigation, and demand documents and have witnesses come and testify. That’s why the midterm elections are so important in the year and a half.
Bad joke day….
1) Can February March?….No. but April May.
2) What did the fish say when it ran into a wall………..DAM.
(wait, they get worse)
3) Mexican jokes and black jokes are pretty much the same……when you have heard Juan, you have heard Jamal. ( Progressives will see this one as racist and not politicall correct )
4) What do you call someone with no body and a nose……..Nobody knows.
5) When I found my toaster was not waterproof……I was SHOCKED !
( no, they do not get better )
6) What does a mermaid wear to math class……An algae bra.
7) What do you call an alligator in a vest…..in investigator ( sound it out )
8) What did the buffalo say to his son when he left for colleg……..Bison.
Had enough? NO?
9) I gave my dead batteries away………..free of charge.
10) What do you call a Mexican with a rubber toe…………….Roberto…( Get over it )
11) If you can think of a better fish joke…………..Let minnow.
Done?
12) I am so bright….my mom calls me son.
13) Change is hard…………..ever try bending a coin.
If you can think of a better fish joke…………..Let minnow.
Three blonds are sitting by the side of a river holding fishing poles with lines in the water. A game warden comes up behind them and says, “Excuse me, ladies, I’d like to see your fishing licences.” said the game warden.
“But officer,” replied the second blond, “we aren’t fishing. We all have magnets at the end of our lines and were collecting debris off the bottom of the river.”
The game warden lifted up all the lines and, sure enough, there were horseshoe magnets tied on the end of each line. “Well, I know of no law against it. Take all the debris you want.” Then he left.
As soon as he was out of sight, the three blondes started laughing. “What a stupid fish cop!” The third blonde said to the others, “Doesn’t he know that there are steelhead trout in this river?!”
What did the fish say when he posted bail?
“I’m off the hook!”
Why don’t fish like basketball?
Cause they’re afraid of the net
Which fish can perform operations?
A Sturgeon!
What do you get when you cross a banker with a fish?
A Loan shark! How
Why did the vegan go deep-sea fishing?
Just for the halibut!
——-
And now, an excerpt from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein:
(Mike, short for Mycroft Holmes, is the Lunar Authority mainframe computer which has developed spontaneous self awareness.)
MIke… was the weirdest mixture of unsophisticated baby and wise old man. No instincts (well, don’t think he could have had), no inborn traits, no human rearing, no experience in human sense – and more stored data than a platoon of geniuses.
“Jokes?” he asked.
“Let’s hear one.”
“Why is a laser beam like goldfish?”
Mike knew about lasers but where would he have seen goldfish? Oh, he had undoubtedly seen flicks of them and, were I foolish enough to ask, could spew forth thousands of words. “I give up.”
His lights rippled. “Because neither one can whistle.”
I groaned. “Walked into that. Anyhow, you could probably rig a laser beam to whistle.”
He answered quickly, “Yes. In response to an action program. Then it’s not funny?”
“Oh, I didn’t say that. Not half bad. Where did you hear it?”
“I made it up.” Voice sounded shy.
“You did?”
“Yes. I took all the riddles I have, three thousand two hundred seven, and analyzed them. I used the result for random synthesis and that came out. Is it really funny?”
“Well… As funny as a riddle ever is. I’ve heard worse.”
Anyway, what is the difference between a piano and a fish?
I once lost my watch at a club. I knew I would probably never find it…but I decided to try. Sure enough I found it, but there was this dude standing on it. The worst part was that he was being very handsy with this woman. When she made herself very clear that she was not interested..HE slapped her. Well, that is when I sprang into action and kncoked the man out, because you don’t hit a woman….not on my watch!
“The most eminent Americans talked in grave tones about the evil influence of “alien philosophies” which, they said, were corrupting the American Way of Life. Former President Hoover warned against them as did General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. I gathered that if a philosophy were “alien” it was ipso facto bad for an American.
But were not almost all of our philosophies and our very religion, from which we received so much of our philosophy of life—–were they not “alien”? Christianity certainly was. It came from a foreigner in the faraway Near East. The Roman Catholic version came from a foreign source—–from Rome. The Protestant interpretation came from “aliens” Luther and Calvin. The concept of the life of reason came to us from over the seas—from the “alien” Greeks. We got something else from the Greeks—democracy. Should we abandon it because it was “alien”.
And what, I wanted to know, was all this strange talk about un-american? There was a body of the House of Representatives in Washington called the “un-american committee” There were similarly named committees in some of the state legislatures. They seemed to be busy ferreting out citizens they said were “un-american.” But on what authority and on what definition? The Constitution did not give such specific power to anyone. It did not define “un-americanism”. Nor did our illustrious founding fathers. Judging by what they said and wrote—-in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, for example—the very idea would probably have struck them as preposterous.”
“At first, that year, I could not believe my eyes, or my ears. Everywhere I went a surprisingly large number of people seemed afraid. Of what, in God’s name? Of becoming involved in controversy, they said, of getting in trouble by expressing an opinion that somebody might not like.
That WHO might not like?
Well they said, hesitantly and usually in a whisper (was I back in Germany under the snooping nose of the Gestapo, I wondered), the government, or the FBI, or some loyalty board, or the University Board of Trustees, or the moguls in Hollywood, or the sponsors of a TV or radio program, or the local newspaper, or any one of a hundred groups of self appointed vigilantes—or even your boss at the office or your next door neighbor….
“You will be destroyed if you don’t watch out” they warned. And they mumbled something about smears, black lists, character assassination, guilt by association and other sinister practices that I had never heard of in America though I am not unfamiliar with them after a long sojourn in the totalitarian regimes.”
The best thing, they said, is to keep your mouth shut and your thoughts to yourself….It’s safer that way””””
more passages from “Midcentury Journey” by William L. Shire. transcribed from his chapter on America
And this onr for you Dale…….I was laying down by a sniper and his spotter when the Sniper fired his shot…..His spotter was wondering what the last thing going through his mind was.. the Sniper said….probably my bullet.
In the book, “Lost Battalions” about the black experience in WW 1 as well as the “Lost Battalion” composed mostly of immigrants from the Lower East Side, the author takes the last few chapters to go into “the Red Scare” of post WW 1. Even soldiers who had received DSC’s and the MOH were labelled “reds” when they advocated for either Peace or benefits for their compatriots. Don’t forget how the Government treated the Bonus Marchers.
Now having said that, there were some very real dangers presented by the Communists and the Anarchists who were not nice people and had a good record of toppling governments while only a small but well coordinated minority backed by a cadre of well meaning useful idiots. .
As you remind me of Shirer, and what I read years ago, I think he is making the mistake of comparing the Nazi brutality with Americans who may have been doing it the wrong way but were trying to prevent the establishment of a Fascist/Communist tyranny here. One wonders always if the Weimar Republic had used brutal methods against the Nazi’s if they could have prevented their rise?
I do not know if there is a moderate middle-of-the-road answer. If you absolutely know what the outcome would be of a Communist/Fascist takeover of the country, what lengths would you go to to prevent it? Kinda of why I was always interested in Franco and Spain. he went pretty damned far to stop the Communists yet never lost sight of what he wanted to establish in his country though it took over 30 years. I’m sure Bill Shirer hated his guts at the time, yet Spain became a Constitutional democracy. We will never know the outcome if the “republican” side had won and been betrayed by the Communists. I know less about it but Pinochet seemed to follow the same pattern in Chile the difference being he stepped on the Communists HARD and early preventing a possible civil war allowing Chile to return to democratic rule a whole lot sooner.
And to start the day…..a friend of mine from New York named Mathius….said he bought a new stick of deodorant and when he read the instructions, it said remove the cap and push up bottom…He told me he could barely walk but whever he farted, the room smelled great.
Ever wonder if clouds look down on us and say, “Hey look…that one is shaped like an idiot. ”
Written on a Dr Pepper can…..If we were not meant to have midnights snacks, why is there a light in the fridge?
I heard Gman make a statement once….”Never mistake my silence for weakness. No one plans a murder out loud.
This is for Dale….. ” As I have grown older, I’ve learned that pleasing everyone is impossible but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.”
Then there is Buck the Walla, sitting on the edge of his bed looking forlorn at his feet….realizing that awkward moment when you are wearing Nike’s and you can’t do it.
For VH…..remember that after Tuesday, the calendar goes W T F….jus saying……
And then there is Anita….who once remarked…..I’d walk through fire for my best friend…well, not fire, that would be dangerous..perhaps a super humid room but not too humid because, you know, my hair………
Stephen is not to be left out for his peral of wisdom……so……I’ve reached that age where my brain went from ” You probably should not say that” to ‘What the hell, let’s see what happens!”
TRay was looking at a California politician the other day, thinking to himself…Just once, I would actually like to see a liar’s pants catch fire…..
Not to leave JAC out who says to Mathius…….I DO NOT HAVE AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM…You have a problem with my attitude and that is not MY problem.
Well, let’s see…..I am sure I have left somebody out….but remember this, If you fart loudly in public……just yell…”JET POWER” and start walking faster.
FINAL WORD TO ALL YOU MOTHER’s OUT THERE>………..here is your child’s definition of Mom.
Mom…a woman who loves you unconditionally….
Momster…What happens to a mom after she counts to three.
Sir….you caught me…..I have long since stopped trying to please anyone, getting to old to play games, their games…..and yes I am never surprised as to how fast I can piss somebody off….especially family when I refuse to pay their games and buckle down to their plans for me.
I always like solo sports activities, much more than team sports. So if I had been in the Army or Marine Corps, I probably would have gravitated towards being a sniper.
Take note. Today may be the first day of a new narrative from the Dems regarding Mr. Trump’s campaign and the Russians. To date the meme is always about “investigating collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.”
This cute little narrative is still out there, used as fact in many editorials. Including those calling for impeachment for obstruction of justice.
But I want you to notice the subtle change in the words used by a Democrat today, in an editorial today at The Hill.
“Senators had assumed before this week that the FBI would be doing most of the heavy investigative lifting in finding out whether members of Trump’s campaign or transition team had special knowledge of Russian efforts to influence the election.”
See that? It is now “had special knowledge”.
Let’s see if this becomes the new talking point as it becomes apparent there is no investigation of Mr. Trump colluding with the Russians. That the investigation is focused on THREE and only THREE People who were in the Trump campaign.
Reminds me of the “shape shifters” on an early “Star Trek” episode. They are what you want at the moment and are capable changing completely at your whim.
So the term now is “Special Knowledge” isn’t that what Obama, HRC and all the intelligence agencies and all the politicians with “Never Trump” in their daily speeches had.
In reality he would be forced early on to pick someone “neutral” actually, probably, less than neutral. That person would then feel obligated to find something, anything. The agenda of the administration would go out the window for the entire time. In addition when the final report was issued showing no collaboration of any kind by anyone who had anything serious to do with the campaign, the ink would not be dry on the report before the claims of “pay off”, “whitewash”, cover-up” hit the media circus.
Last night I watched an interesting presentation on C-Span by a woman Historian discussing “women in the Army” in the 1st World War.
Part of her talk had to do with the “hypocrisy” of asking women to serve yet denying them the right to vote. She then veered off her prepared speech in an interesting way. She actually said “hypocrisy is a good thing”. Ah! Why you may ask?
Well, it turns out that she thinks (I agree) that most people are aware of either being or accepting it. That in turn will eventually change it! It will be rejected exactly because it is fake.
She then went on to cite Tom Jefferson’s writings on “I tremble for my country.” I just looked up the piece he wrote. Never saw it before. Summarizes old Tom’s dilemma very will Also instructive for us “deep thinkers”.
Toyota opening its new headquarters today in Dallas…..7 buildings. Pretty impressive campus. They are moving 200 to 300 employees in per week through December. That’s a lot of folks.
Actually, I do not know where they came from….but they opened in North Dallas where everybody else is putting their corporate headquarters.
Henry rifles is moving its HQ later this year along with Remington Arms company. Long time staple Connecticut Valley Arms is moving to Texas as well this year.
Texas is being sued by several states for “sniping” off corporations. I dont know what the courts can say about it but you know Texas….much to the consternation of our friend Mathius….we wont pay attention to it anyway. But, thanks to the dems/progressives**** who love this selective prosecution and selective laws they wish to follow, it was a great lead. Thanks.
**** this does not include Mathius who actually is an advocate of following the law and changing it if you do not like it.
Interesting, Henry as a start up company opened a few decades back out of Brooklyn, Of course Remington was out of Illion NY. The “gun” climate in NY State thanks to a string of bag governors and inept legislatures basically drove them out. NJ had been the HQ for Val Forgett’s “Navy Arms Co.” The guys who basically invented reproductions of classic Colt’s, Springfields , Remingtons and Winchesters. They went to West VA.
Remington Arms is located on one of my ancestor’s original family farm (Clapsaddle). Eliphalet purchased the farm in 1828 from the grandson of the original 1733 immigrant. The neighboring farm to the south was owned by Maj. Augustinus Clapsaddle, KIA 239+ years ago at the battle of Oriskany as was his kid brother Pvt. Jakob. Brother pvt.Andreas (my ancestor) inherited the home place and brother Pvt. (later (Col.)Wilhelm bought Augustinus’ farm from the widow. Andreas’ son John A. sold the original farm to Remington because it had frontage on the Eire Canal. Augustinus’ and Wilhelm’s was purchased by a member of the (Eli) Whitney family about 1850. Their son then married one of the Clapsaddle girls bringing that farm back into the family until about 1960. It remained in the estate until the late ’80s when Jim Parker (a Steele and Clapsaddle descendant) purchased the farm again bringing it back into the family. All 4 brothers fought at the Battle of Oriskany.
I use this image as my wall paper on my PCs. The sawmill and foremost barn are gone. The large barn on the left has been added to and there is another machine shed behind the sugar shack. The original house was burned by Indians during the Revolution and rebuild on the original foundation. It is still standing. Jim Parker restored it.
These people lived the real Drums Along the Mohawk. I did not mention that a fifth brother was killed by Indians in 1780 just outside of Herkimer. Their sister Catherine Clapsaddle Moyers lost 2 young boys (speared simultaneously) and had a daughter (4 yr old Little Eva) captured and eventually ended up in French Canada. She returned years later as a young woman and could only remember that her father had one leg and was making ammunition at Fort Herkimer when the Indians attacked. Her father, Joseph Moyers, indeed had lost a leg in an earlier attack. Eva had forgotten her German and spoke Indian and French.
Another ancestor Lt. Col. Frederick Peter Bellinger was captured at Oriskany. His cousin Col. Peter Bellinger helped organize the defense at Oriskany after Gen. Herkimer was wounded. Another ancestor Capt. Henry Harter was also in the battle. There were other relatives there as well.
The family is trying to organize a reunion this Aug. on the 240th anniversary of the battle. I would like to go. There is also a possibility that distant cousins from Germany may also show up.
Chief Joseph Brant and his Mohawk Indians came through the valley every fall and burned all the crops and graineries he could. Hence the settlers suffered many privations. In the worst year, Col. Bellinger actually stole grain from Washington’s cavalry reserves to feed the valley.
Does it ever stop…Miss USA, once again from Washington, DC….being blasted to day because she “is not black enough.” She says that health insurance is not a right…and BOOM…she is not “black” enough. Now, I have not even seen her, so I assume she is a lady of color. I do not know and do not care but to be labeled not “black” enough…interesting.
Cancel them all together. The Media sucks anyway, why play with them? Send out weekly updates about what has been accomplished, take NO questions. Teach them a powerful lesson about abusing their 1st Amendment Rights. If they want to continue to be the opposition, shut them down and let them stew.
The press loves the briefings because they get to feel like they’re sticking it to ‘the man’, especially Trump. If they would ask a question in 25 words or less, it would be one thing. But they all have to frame their questions in such a way as to get the answer they want.
Trump’s right, the ratings are high for the briefing. Why add to their ratings?
They all have their undisclosed sources anyway, why bother always having to be on defense. Written daily briefings are fine by me.
But then, we had to suffer Jay Carney and Josh Earnest, so Spicer should get equal time to fluster. I bet they will meet in the middle and do a weekly press briefing with questions. Hopefully with emphasis on brief questions.
ICE did NOT show up in Maspeth, Queens last week to deport a fourth grader. In fact an agent of the United States Government showed up to verify the child’s registration and address so that the United States Government could continue processing a request for United States Benefits for the immigrant child. Benefits will unfortunately not be forthcoming since the School, at the direction of the Chancellor and Mayor will NOT cooperate with the Federal Government. Hooray, we saved a few bucks!.
Can anyone tell me what was so significant about that day? Because it looks as if Roosevelt was trying to make the case for entering the war. It didn’t work, of course, not until there was cataclysmic event 88 days later.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Fireside Chat to the Nation, September 11, 1941
“When You See a Rattlesnake Poised to Strike, You Do Not Wait Until He Has Struck Before You Crush Him”
The Navy Department of the United States has reported to me that on the morning of September fourth the United States Destroyer Greer, proceeding in full daylight toward Iceland, had reached a point southeast of Greenland. She was carrying American mail to Iceland. She was flying the American flag. Her identity as an American ship was unmistakable.
She was then and there attacked by a submarine. Germany admits that it was a German submarine. The submarine deliberately fired a torpedo at the Greer, followed later by another torpedo attack. In spite of what Hitler’s propaganda bureau has invented, and in spite of what any American obstructionist organization may prefer to believe, I tell you the blunt fact that the German submarine fired first upon this American destroyer without warning, and with deliberate design to sink her.
Our destroyer, at the time, was in waters which the Government of the United States had declared to be waters of self-defense — surrounding outposts of American protection in the Atlantic.
In the North of the Atlantic, outposts have been established by us in Iceland, in Greenland, in Labrador and in Newfoundland. Through these waters there pass many ships of many flags. They bear food and other supplies to civilians; and they bear materiel of war, for which the people of the United States are spending billions of dollars, and which, by Congressional action, they have declared to be essential for the defense of our own land.
The United States destroyer, when attacked, was proceeding on a legitimate mission.
If the destroyer was visible to the submarine when the torpedo was fired, then the attack was a deliberate attempt by the Nazis to sink a clearly identified American warship. On the other hand, if the submarine was beneath the surface of the sea and, with the aid of its listening devices, fired in the direction of the sound of the American destroyer without even taking the trouble to learn its identity — as the official German communique would indicate — then the attack was even more outrageous. For it indicates a policy of indiscriminate violence against any vessel sailing the seas — belligerent or non-belligerent.
This was piracy — piracy legally and morally. It was not the first nor the last act of piracy which the Nazi Government has committed against the American flag in this war. For attack has followed attack.
A few months ago an American flag merchant ship, the Robin Moor, was sunk by a Nazi submarine in the middle of the South Atlantic, under circumstances violating long-established international law and violating every principle of humanity. The passengers and the crew were forced into open boats hundreds of miles from land, in direct violation of international agreements signed by nearly all Nations including the Government of Germany. No apology, no allegation of mistake, no offer of reparations has come from the Nazi Government.
In July 1941, an American battleship in North American waters was followed by a submarine which for a long time sought to maneuver itself into a position of attack. The periscope of the submarine was clearly seen. No British or American submarines were within hundreds of miles of this spot at the time, so the nationality of the submarine is clear.
Five days ago a United States Navy ship on patrol picked up three survivors of an American-owned ship operating under the flag of our sister Republic of Panama — the S.S. Sessa. On August seventeenth, she had been first torpedoed without warning, and then shelled, near Greenland, while carrying civilian supplies to Iceland. It is feared that the other members of her crew have been drowned. In view of the established presence of German submarines in this vicinity, there can be no reasonable doubt as to the identity of the flag of the attacker.
Five days ago, another United States merchant ship, the Steel Seafarer, was sunk by a German aircraft in the Red Sea two hundred and twenty miles south of Suez. She was bound for an Egyptian port.
So four of the vessels sunk or attacked flew the American flag and were clearly identifiable. Two of these ships were warships of the American Navy. In the fifth case, the vessel sunk clearly carried the flag of our sister Republic of Panama.
In the face of all this, we Americans are keeping our feet on the ground. Our type of democratic civilization has outgrown the thought of feeling compelled to fight some other Nation by reason of any single piratical attack on one of our ships. We are not becoming hysterical or losing our sense of proportion. Therefore, what I am thinking and saying tonight does not relate to any isolated episode.
Instead, we Americans are taking a long-range point of view in regard to certain fundamentals and to a series of events on land and on sea which must be considered as a whole — as a part of a world pattern.
It would be unworthy of a great Nation to exaggerate an isolated incident, or to become inflamed by some one act of violence. But it would be inexcusable folly to minimize such incidents in the face of evidence which makes it clear that the incident is not isolated, but is part of a general plan.
The important truth is that these acts of international lawlessness are a manifestation of a design which has been made clear to the American people for a long time. It is the Nazi design to abolish the freedom of the seas, and to acquire absolute control and domination of these seas for themselves.
For with control of the seas in their own hands, the way can obviously become clear for their next step — domination of the United States — domination of the Western Hemisphere by force of arms. Under Nazi control of the seas, no merchant ship of the United States or of any other American Republic would be free to carry on any peaceful commerce, except by the condescending grace of this foreign and tyrannical power. The Atlantic Ocean which has been, and which should always be, a free and friendly highway for us would then become a deadly menace to the commerce of the United States, to the coasts of the United States, and even to the inland cities of the United States.
The Hitler Government, in defiance of the laws of the sea, in defiance of the recognized rights of all other Nations, has presumed to declare, on paper, that great areas of the seas — even including a vast expanse lying in the Western Hemisphere — are to be closed, and that no ships may enter them for any purpose, except at peril of being sunk. Actually they are sinking ships at will and without warning in widely separated areas both within and far outside of these far-flung pretended zones.
This Nazi attempt to seize control of the oceans is but a counterpart of the Nazi plots now being carried on throughout the Western Hemisphere — all designed toward the same end. For Hitler’s advance guards — not only his avowed agents but also his dupes among us — have sought to make ready for him footholds and bridgeheads in the New World, to be used as soon as he has gained control of the oceans.
His intrigues, his plots, his machinations, his sabotage in this New World are all known to the Government of the United States. Conspiracy has followed conspiracy.
For example, last year a plot to seize the Government of Uruguay was smashed by the prompt action of that country, which was supported in full by her American neighbors. A like plot was then hatching in Argentina, and that Government has carefully and wisely blocked it at every point. More recently, an endeavor was made to subvert the Government of Bolivia. And within the past few weeks the discovery was made of secret air landing fields in Colombia, within easy range of the Panama Canal. I could multiply instance upon instance.
To be ultimately successful in world mastery, Hitler knows that he must get control of the seas. He must first destroy the bridge of ships which we are building across the Atlantic and over which we shall continue to roll the implements of war to help destroy him, to destroy all his works in the end. He must wipe out our patrol on sea and in the air if he is to do it. He must silence the British Navy.
I think it must be explained over and over again to people who like to think of the United States Navy as an invincible protection, that this can be true only if the British Navy survives. And that, my friends, is simple arithmetic.
For if the world outside of the Americas falls under Axis domination, the shipbuilding facilities which the Axis powers would then possess in all of Europe, in the British Isles, and in the Far East would be much greater than all the shipbuilding facilities and potentialities of all of the Americas — not only greater, but two or three times greater — enough to win. Even if the United States threw all its resources into such a situation, seeking to double and even redouble the size of our Navy, the Axis powers, in control of the rest of the world, would have the manpower and the physical resources to outbuild us several times over.
It is time for all Americans, Americans of all the Americas to stop being deluded by the romantic notion that the Americas can go on living happily and peacefully in a Nazi-dominated world.
Generation after generation, America has battled for the general policy of the freedom of the seas. And that policy is a very simple one — but a basic, a fundamental one. It means that no Nation has the right to make the broad oceans of the world at great distances from the actual theater of land war unsafe for the commerce of others.
That has been our policy, proved time and time again, in all our history.
Our policy has applied from the earliest days of the Republic — and still applies — not merely to the Atlantic but to the Pacific and to all other oceans as well.
Unrestricted submarine warfare in 1941 constitutes a defiance — an act of aggression — against that historic American policy. It is now clear that Hitler has begun his campaign to control the seas by ruthless force and by wiping out every vestige of international law, every vestige of humanity.
His intention has been made clear. The American people can have no further illusions about it.
No tender whisperings of appeasers that Hitler is not interested in the Western Hemisphere, no soporific lullabies that a wide ocean protects us from him — can long have any effect on the hard-headed, far-sighted, and realistic American people.
Because of these episodes, because of the movements and operations of German warships, and because of the clear, repeated proof that the present Government of Germany has no respect for treaties or for international law, that it has no decent attitude toward neutral Nations or human life — we Americans are now face to face not with abstract theories but with cruel, relentless facts.
This attack on the Greer was no localized military operation in the North Atlantic. This was no mere episode in a struggle between two Nations. This was one determined step toward creating a permanent world system based on force, on terror, and on murder.
And I am sure that even now the Nazis are waiting to see whether the United States will by silence give them the green light to go ahead on this path of destruction.
The Nazi danger to our Western world has long ceased to be a mere possibility. The danger is here now — not only from a military enemy but from an enemy of all law, all liberty, all morality, all religion.
There has now come a time when you and I must see the cold, inexorable necessity of saying to these inhuman, unrestrained seekers of world conquest and permanent world domination by the sword: “You seek to throw our children and our children’s children into your form of terrorism and slavery. You have now attacked our own safety. You shall go no further.”
Normal practices of diplomacy — note writing — are of no possible use in dealing with international outlaws who sink our ships and kill our citizens.
One peaceful Nation after another has met disaster because each refused to look the Nazi danger squarely in the eye until it actually had them by the throat.
The United States will not make that fatal mistake.
No act of violence, no act of intimidation will keep us from maintaining intact two bulwarks of American defense: First, our line of supply of materiel to the enemies of Hitler; and second, the freedom of our shipping on the high seas.
No matter what it takes, no matter what it costs, we will keep open the line of legitimate commerce in these defensive waters.
We have sought no shooting war with Hitler. We do not seek it now. But neither do we want peace so much, that we are willing to pay for it by permitting him to attack our naval and merchant ships while they are on legitimate business.
I assume that the German leaders are not deeply concerned, tonight or any other time, by what we Americans or the American Government say or publish about them. We cannot bring about the downfall of Nazism by the use of long-range invective. But when you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck before you crush him.
These Nazi submarines and raiders are the rattlesnakes of the Atlantic. They are a menace to the free pathways of the high seas. They are a challenge to our sovereignty. They hammer at our most precious rights when they attack ships of the American flag — symbols of our independence, our freedom, our very life.
It is clear to all Americans that the time has come when the Americas themselves must now be defended. A continuation of attacks in our own waters, or in waters that could be used for further and greater attacks on us, will inevitably weaken our American ability to repel Hitlerism.
Do not let us be Hairsplitters Let us not ask ourselves whether the Americas should begin to defend themselves after the first attack, or the fifth attack, or the tenth attack, or the twentieth attack.
The time for active defense is now.
Do not let us split hairs. Let us not say: “We will only defend ourselves if the torpedo succeeds in getting home, or if the crew and the passengers are drowned.”
This is the time for prevention of attack.
If submarines or raiders attack in distant waters, they can attack equally well within sight of our own shores. Their very presence in any waters which America deems vital to its defense constitutes an attack.
In the waters which we deem necessary for our defense, American naval vessels and American planes will no longer wait until Axis submarines lurking under the water, or Axis raiders on the surface of the sea, strike their deadly blow — first.
Upon our naval and air patrol — now operating in large number over a vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean — falls the duty of maintaining the American policy of freedom of the seas — now. That means, very simply, very clearly, that our patrolling vessels and planes will protect all merchant ships — not only American ships but ships of any flag — engaged in commerce in our defensive waters. They will protect them from submarines; they will protect them from surface raiders.
This situation is not new. The second President of the United States, John Adams, ordered the United States Navy to clean out European privateers and European ships of war which were infesting the Caribbean and South American waters, destroying American commerce.
The third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, ordered the United States Navy to end the attacks being made upon American and other ships by the corsairs of the Nations of North Africa.
My obligation as President is historic; it is clear. It is inescapable.
It is no act of war on our part when we decide to protect the seas that are vital to American defense. The aggression is not ours. Ours is solely defense.
But let this warning be clear. From now on, if German or Italian vessels of war enter the waters, the protection of which is necessary for American defense they do so at their own peril.
The orders which I have given as Commander in Chief of the United States Army and Navy are to carry out that policy — at once.
The sole responsibility rests upon Germany. There will be no shooting unless Germany continues to seek it.
That is my obvious duty in this crisis. That is the clear right of this sovereign Nation. This is the only step possible, if we would keep tight the wall of defense which we are pledged to maintain around this Western Hemisphere.
I have no illusions about the gravity of this step. I have not taken it hurriedly or lightly. It is the result of months and months of constant thought and anxiety and prayer. In the protection your Nation and mine it cannot be avoided.
The American people have faced other grave crises in their history — with American courage, and with American resolution. They will do no less today.
They know the actualities of the attacks upon us. They know the necessities of a bold defense against these attacks. They know that the times call for clear heads and fearless hearts.
And with that inner strength that comes to a free people conscious of their duty, and conscious of the righteousness of what they do, they will — with Divine help and guidance — stand their ground against this latest assault upon their democracy, their sovereignty, and their freedom.
SUFA, you need to help me out here. WaPo reports that Trump leaked highly classified intel to the Russians during a meeting with their ambassador a few days ago. WaPo is quoting current and “former” officials as their sources. They also state that they were given information that they deemed to be highly classified and chose not to publish. Other officials who were present at the meeting denied that claims and state they are categorically false.
I have seen no information as to the motive of the leakers other than the obvious one of patriotism which could be a cover for their real motives. Also, how do former officials come by this insider information? And finally what is the motivation to publish for WaPo?
Now we know Trump is a negotiator. One of the tricks of the trade is to give a small amount of information or do a small favor that can obligate the recipient to return the favor. I have used the technique myself. It is like planting potatoes. Plant one and get ten in return.
Trump is unconventional for a politician because he is not one. Hence judging him by political standards is a fallacy.
Not so, G man……this is not just a democrat problem…it is a power struggle that has been building in Washington for a long time. I am not sure what term I would put on it but the term being used right now is elitist. This term used to be assigned to the rich…..I suggest that it is not. I am not one for conspiracy theories……hate them but when you see the media, high ranking Republicans, Democrats, and some facets of the rich all working for the same goal….I think you have the makings of a real conspiracy and we are falling for it.
I have been watching, very, very closey, the voting records and the actions of the Washington insiders….all parties….and those whom are called aides. I have been watching very closely the younger people that are in journalism. I see a very disturbing trend. I do not like John McCain any longer and I think he, and his ilk, are very behind the scenes dangerous.
Trump is a threat….but not to our National Security….he is a threat to the heirarchy. You are correct about one issue…….leaks. Who is doing it and why.
I watch these journalists theorizing about national security and there is NOT ONE of them qualified to render any type of decision nor theory….NOT ONE. So, I say this….
I think the POTUS should suspend the daily briefings and put out a strict written briefing an perhaps hold a quarterly question and answer briefing. I have completely changed my mind about objective reporting and the fact that journalist are the 4th estate.
So…….i think we need to eliminate the use of the term “informed sources” and “sources in the White House” and any some such terminology……I think that all sources should be revealed.
I totally agree with the media stuff. End the daily briefings and treat them like the immature brats they really are. And for the record, I have informed sources too 🙂 Sadie and Rocko, my dogs, know everything BWAHAHA 😀
The Washington Post published its dubious story on President Trump leaking classified information to the Russians less than an hour after the bombshell news broke that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich was in contact with Wikileaks and that DC Police were ordered to cover it up.
The coincidental timing has led many Trump supporters to accuse the Post of publishing their story in an attempt to distract the rest of the media from focusing on the massive new revelations in the Seth Rich case.
The Russian nonsense is coming unraveled. DC police confirm it was told to stand down on this info. If you wondered why the FBI wasn’t allowed to see the DNC server, we now have an real answer…..to LIE about the Russian collusion crap.
First of all, if he shares info on ISIS, I could only applaud. Radical Islamist’s have been Russia’s problem longer than ours. As I have repeatedly said we need allies in this fight and we sure ain’t gonna find them among our border-less Western European friends.
This new “leak” is possibly just made up. I would not put it past the Times or Post to bypass a source and use the “Magic 8 Ball”.
I seem to remember the left always complaining in the past about “too much secrecy”. It would behoove them all to remember that it is among the powers of the President to release any damn thing he wants. I believe FDR talked to Stalin and actually told him about D-day.
Lastly, MacMasters covers for nobody, at least not the MacMasters I’ve read.
OMG, we have the Democratic party power structure encouraging violence in the streets and actual Spys in our governmental institutions trying to actually make our President unable to govern. Not to mention using our judicial system as a political arm. And one question do the democrats actually want a war with Russia. They seem to-or is the President supposed to just ignore Russia for the next 8 years.
The best thing to come out of the last 18 months is the final stripping away of the veneer of respectability in the democratic party. They are who I thought they were in 1972, probably ’68 after Chicago when the forces of sanity were purged from the party.
We now get to see them for all they are. As I have said before, I have really not changed my right- moderate conservative, moderate libertarian positions since I left college in 1968. My friends say I have gone off the deep end but either they do not remember or, they have fallen off the left side of the see-saw. Much more likely. eg. Most used to be reluctantly pro abortion now they are rabidly pro abortion.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
1. What does this mean in terms of how the government should handle him going forward? Should they avoid giving him classified information (I once joked about Bill Clinton having to summarize intel for President Hillary since she wouldn’t be able to get clearance).
Your entire line of questions calls for speculation even beyond your assumption. Because you do not know what to assume beyond that he said something that caused somebody to give a heads up to the CIA and DNS. WHAT was actually told to the Russians??
Do you know what “code-word intelligence” means?
And your assumption cannot be true. Because POTUS cannot leak anything. Leaks are illegal in the context we are discussing.
P.S. The govt agencies should keep doing their job. It is not their place to decide what POTUS can and cannot see nor what he should or should not share.
It’s likek y just a made up story by the liberal WaPo. It may also be possible that Russia have us some Intel that we had to pass on to the NSA, nobody has thought to mention that yet…
More fake news for the Left to scream about for a few days. They will ignore the real DNC problem, that it’s coming out that they were never backed by the Russians as they lied about, knowingly lied about. It was a leak.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
3. Should he be arrested and charged with a crime?
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
4. If – IF – the accusation is true, how do you compare this to Hillary’s email server?
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
5. In light of the fact that Trump made soooo much hay from Clinton’s “lax” attitude toward national security / classified data, does his breech seem even more egregious than it might otherwise? (if I spend months mocking you for X, then I do X myself, surely I’m deserving of extra scorn, no?)
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
6. Why do you think he might have done it? Personally, I have no difficulty seeing him just showing off.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
7. Do you make anything of him leaking to Russia, specifically, given all his past history with that country. Surely, after everything that’s happened and everything of which he has been accused, he should have been extra circumspect around them, no?
No. POTUS cannot allow the media and the Democratic party hacks to dictate his foreign policy and style due to fear of their stupid reflexive accusations.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
9. Who will he blame and fire? Because, with this President, the buck stops elsewhere. My guess is that this is Conway’s fault somehow.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
10. Lastly, do you believe that he Republican controlled congress will investigate as seriously and aggressively as they would have if a similar accusation had arisen under President H. Clinton? Do you believe that they would either have been too hard on her (playing politics) or too soft on him (playing politics) or something else? I imagine that the Republicans would already have called for, and started to assemble, a select committee to investigate. Seeing as this is assuredly not going to happen under this Congress toward President Trump, what say you?
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
11. Now, seeing as all we currently have is unnamed sources, we obviously have to question the veracity of the accusation. So, with that in mind, does the accusation – as it stands – justify further investigation? If so, what form do you believe that should take?
If Mr. Trump’s supposed tapes exist, can we subpoena them?
For the life of me I do not understand Mr. Matt’s position here. Classification can be dropped by the President anytime, anyplace for any reason. In this case we are sharing intel about terrorists which is mutually beneficial. In addition, I have no clue if Matt knows ANYTHING about HR McMasters but if he does not, he probably should. There is not a straighter shooter east of the Mississippi than him. If HE says no problem there is NO problem.
I think Mathius’ questions have one objective and it has nothing to do with Trump. He sees hypocrisy in any support of Trump, because in his mind Trump is far worse than Obama or Clinton. Because we criticized them we must, in his mind, criticize Trump.
And I think you are wrong. At least mostly. Well maybe partly.
For one thing, expectations of Clinton and Trump are different. So much of what bothers you about Trump is simply him not conforming to the model of what you see as proper or traditional. And that “behavior” is not worth getting tied in a knot over, from my view point. Other than to explain when he is creating problems for himself when he doesn’t need to.
Much of the attack on Trump is ginned up and exaggeration over minor things. Like taking his comment about the kinds of people Mexico was sending here and turning that into the narrative that he hated Mexicans, was denigrating all Hispanic people and was an outright racist.
But Trump and Clinton do have one thing in common. Neither of them would know the truth if it ran them over. Not if recognizing it would cause a hit to their ego or self idealized stature of themselves.
One thing you also ignore is that Trump is an unknown and untested commodity. Many of us have known what Clinton was for quite some time. So where you see some slack for Trump today, that same slack was given Clinton years ago. She wore it out. He is just getting started.
Then again maybe I am not the one who should be responding to your criticism. Given that I was one of the harshest here regarding him. The odd thing is that the more I see the phony attacks on the man the more I find myself defending him. Not necessarily what he is doing but at least against the attacks against him.
And I think V.H. has nailed it. You are watching as the Democratic Party and deep state, or elites if you like, work in concert with the media to destroy a Presidency. It is deliberate and malicious. And I find that far more disconcerting than the dopey guy we call Mr. President at the moment.
Can you post a list of Clinton’s accomplishments? The only thing she ran on was a continuation of Obama’s policies. Trump gives us something to cheer about. He’s going to end up helping you too. All aboard…
I don’t see hypocrisy in any support of Trump. I just see it in the current level of support being exhibited by SUFA.
I think you guys are giving him too many free passes.
I can see your point…..but your not seeing ours(mine).
Let’s look at things…..Trump going overseas to visit the three main Religious places in the world. The Liberal media can’t just say how they are against it, cuz they’ll be destroyed, so they need a subject to keep up the ratings.
Imagine a month long period without a thing to talk about “if your the media and need the ratings”, to pay the bills. This is quite possibly the main reason this country has become divided…….24 hour cable news, who require ratings.
I think it’s unrealistic to expect the “mainstream” news to be kind or even neutral to Trump after he spent the entire campaign shitting all over them and has since declared them “the enemy of the American people.” (by the was, if declaring the free press the enemy of the people doesn’t sound like something a 3rd world dictator would say, I don’t know what is).
Fox News, which has been very pro-Trump is still the most watched channel, by far, and is part of the mainstream, no? So, maybe what you mean to say is we should get rid of the left-leaning cable news? Did you hold the opinion that Fox was to blame for much of the faux outrage during Obama’s tenure?
Did you advocate that Fox should go away?
Trump going overseas to visit the three main Religious places in the world.
If Obama had done this, Glen Beck would be screaming to the heavens that it’s proof that Obama was a secret Muslim and/or Muslim agent. Remember his so-called apology tour? Remember when he bowed to some king or another? This cuts both ways.
Did you criticize the media for that endless trope?
If Trump wants to visit some religious holy sites, I’m not sure what that’ll accomplish, but I have no issue with it. None. Go for it.
But we have to end the double-standards.
You can’t be outraged over the left’s overblown faux-outrage while having applauded the right’s overblown faux-outrage during the last administration. (I don’t know if this applies to you, specifically, but it certainly does to conservatives writ large).
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I do think that many in the media have become… combative.. toward the Trump administration. But I also think it’s well deserved in many places. He has been slandering them for more than a year now calling them petty names like “the failing NY Times” or branding them “fake news” even when they have a legitimate story/question.
He uses this to shut them down, to de-legitimize them. Of course they’re going to fight back. Why should the press roll over?
If we simply accepted the words of Trump as the truth and our sole source of news, we’d all know:
1. that he had the largest electoral win in recent history,
2. that he would have won the popular vote except for 5 million illegal voters (who, ostensibly, all voted for Clinton),
3. that his inauguration crowds were the largest in history,
4. that his hands and, er, manhood are exceptionally well endowed,
5. that he knows more about ships than the navy,
6. more about health care than anyone,
7. more about taxes than anyone,
8. has the best people,
9. has the best words,
10. that Obama founded ISIS,
11. that Ted Cruz’s father was the Zodiac killer,
12. that Jeb! Bush is low energy,
13. that Clinton started the Birther movement,
14. that the unemployment rate is 42%,
15. that there are 30-34 million illegal immigrants in the US,
16. that thousands of Muslims celebrated in the streets of NJ on 9/11,
17. that the economy is worse now than it was in ’09,
18. and that the murder rate is the highest in 47 years.
And that’s just off the top of my head, and ignoring the fact that he’s taken every side of virtually every issue depending on his mood, the time of day, his audience, whether he’s eaten recently, and the phase of the moon.
OF COURSE the press is combative. How are they, the supposed stewards of an informed populace, supposed to react to a man who treats them like crap and then spews out mountains of misinformation?
Again, I ask, why should the press simply roll over for the President?
Yes, I would prefer that they were truly “fair and balanced,” but that has to work both way. You can’t have Trump shutting them down as “fake news” every time they report a story he doesn’t like, and then expect them to be perfectly neutral in the next news cycle. Especially when he keeps giving them such easy fodder.
I defy you to show me any time that anyone here has ever called for Fox to go away and leave Obama in peace. Or Breitbart. Or Red State. Or or or or or or or or.
Maybe they aren’t being perfectly fair to Trump – I definitely believe that. And maybe they are hitting the ceiling over every minor issue – also true. But he has set them up to be his enemy, no?
And, more to the point, if y’all were ok with it when it was Fox/Breitbart/etc pummeling Obama constantly for 8 years, you don’t really have a leg to stand on when objecting to the media’s treatment of Trump.
——————
Imagine if I crap all over a coworker every day for a year, every chance I get, I pick on him, belittle him, talk shit to his boss, lie about him, misrepresent him, and call him juvenile nicknames. Should I then be shocked that he acts against me every chance he gets? Should I be surprised if he tries to undermine me or inflate the importance of my every misstep?
Mathius, I must disagree with you. The attacks on Trump are an order of magnitude more viscous than any of the attacks on Obama. Add to that the softball treatment that Obama got from the press, there is no comparison. I lived through Watergate and remember it well. The reporting was negative but no where near this nasty nor were the stories as fake as many of these have been.
Besides that, it’s bigger than any of what Mathius listed. Trump isn’t one of them. They, left and right combined, are after him, because he’s a threat to their club. He’s for Main St, they’re for Wall St. And there are trillions at steak, and Trump ain’t buying it.
It started when Trump got into the birth certificate conspiracy, and continued to the end of the campaign, with the comment about “At least I’ll go down as President”…and continues daily even now.
They say Trump is thin skinned. Maybe so, but they are as well.
There are statistics on how much time is spent attacking him. Far, far less than was spent on Obama who also wielded the executive order pen way too often on issues that the congress rightfully should be doing (but ain’t). nature abhors a vacuum and teh US Congress meets the definition of a vacuum very well.
Again, one must always remember with FOX, it is substantially different from the other channels in that it has prominent and COMMITTED conservatives on the air. Scarborough the only other real guy carrying a conservative label on one of the other channels and from a traditional conservative since 1964, he ain’t that conservative. he will drop principles to get along with folk. All well and good at a cocktail party but not so good as a representative of the people.
FOX also has an open door policy with real liberals like Juan Williams, the late Alan Combs and the big fat guy on “The Five”. In many cases, their “libertarians” like Kennedy espouse stuff that would be equally wacky coming from the left as often as the right. Like him or hate him, Tucker Carlson invites bright people on to push their agenda no matter how extreme. He could reach out to Neanderthals like the left does with the right but refuses to do so.
Mathius, I read articles on some Liberal news sites that are completely fake and total Lies. When the MSM states that Comey asked for more money for the Russian investigation only to be proven WRONG again, Then claiming firing Comey was Obstruction of Justice, which is even a bigger line of bullshit, they should be called what they are FAKE NEWS.
Keep in mind that CNN and the like are talking about this stuff daily, none of it is based on reality, it’s just hateful thinking. I mentioned sedition below and some of these faux journalists hiding behind the 1st Amendment can be arrested and charged. As can those who leak information that is used to harm the Administration and the info is false. All of these people are part of the Swamp and need removed.
And am I to believe that the conservative media never said a dishonest word about Obama?
Was his world tour really an “apology tour”?
Was he really born in Kenya?
Did he really have a gay lover? Is Michelle really a man?
Did he really confiscate everyone’s guns?
Was Obama really tunneling under Walmarts in anticipation of taking over Texas and imprisoning everyone in FEMA camps?
What about that time he was teleported to Mars?
Did he really orchestrate the Newtown massacre (or the appearance thereof)?
What about Orlando?
Boston?
Did he really have Scalia killed?
Was he involved in an underground pedophilia ring underneath a pizzeria?
Did he use his weather weapon to steer tornadoes?
Something something caliphate?
Did he ever get around to declaring martial law, cancelling the 2016 election, and appointing himself President for Life? (please say yes)
Come to think of it, where are those death panels?
How did he manage to be a Nazi, a Marxist, a fascist, a Maoist, a Bolshevik, and Trotsky-ite, socialist, and a gay Muslim Manchurian candidate.. all at the same time?
Did he really institute a one-world government?
Does he really hate America?
Are you so sure the right wasn’t, oh, I don’t know, a bit unfair to ol’ Barry?
The President shares intel on bomb making locations and techniques with a country that has lost more citizens to terrorism (from the same perps) than we have. You have a problem with that?
The president, for 90 days wants to shut down immigration from countries that have a high incidence of terrorists. You have a problem with that? Especially since Carter did the same and Obama at least suggested it.
The president complains that drug dealers and drug gang members flood the border (and seem to head for Long Island) and you have a problem with that?
Do you have a problem with the media’s latest misstep over ICE coming to take away (NOT) the 4th Grader in Maspeth Queens? I sure as hell do! It has gone beyond media and incompetent reportage it is now pure evil action.
Listened to two dem asshole congresspersons today. One says outright NO Russian should be allowed in the White House. The other, this dumb bimbo from Florida wants to end relations and any conversation with arguably the 2nd most powerful country in the world. WTF ever happened to Glasnost and Peristroika? Putin presents far, far less danger to us now than the Soviets did. We now have common goals and had we not meddled in their sphere of influence, the Ukraine, nothing would have happened in Crimea and there would be no breakdown in relations.
Still have not seen EVIDENCE of Russian hacking or providing info to wikileaks. This dead Seth guy in DC seems to have something to do with it. Another Clinton unrelated, coincidental, death. MacDougall, Foster and Brown now finally have a fourth for Bridge.
A revolt or an incitement to revolt against established authority, usually in the form of Treason or Defamation against government.
Sedition is the crime of revolting or inciting revolt against government. However, because of the broad protection of free speech under the First Amendment, prosecutions for sedition are rare. Nevertheless, sedition remains a crime in the United States under 18 U.S.C.A. § 2384 (2000), a federal statute that punishes seditious conspiracy, and 18 U.S.C.A. § 2385 (2000), which outlaws advocating the overthrow of the federal government by force. Generally, a person may be punished for sedition only when he or she makes statements that create a Clear and Present Danger to rights that the government may lawfully protect (schenck v. united states, 249 U.S. 47, 39 S. Ct. 247, 63 L. Ed. 470 [1919]).
Good point made here, the leaks to the press are far more damaging to our intel efforts than then telling the Russians. It Kucinich also states that deep state is trying to overrule the policies of the president.
:::::aides checking room discovering he is gone….note left on pilliow says….. “Gone to K Pax with once resident twilight zone member “::::::::
New aide appears in room…. “SIR, there is no more Colonel Snowflake…he has joined Elvis”
Perhaps I can refer to you D13 The Colonel, who is currently residing on Thor’s Hammer swilling grog, metzcal ( with worm ) and Dr Pepper….in that order. Since our resident twilight zone member has departed, Colonel Snowflake has also departed.”
::::waking D13 from 20 feet away so as not to have his head bashed in by some crazed retired old PTSD Colonel who knows nothing:::: “SIR…..SIR… your presence is required once again on SUFA….Mathius has challenged you.”
::::D13…slowly nodding his head and sighing heavily::::: Ok………I like Sir Mathius…..I shall respond to his qustions.”
Aide says’ ” But SIR, he is asking hypothetical impossible to answer questions.”
D13: ” No, son, he is testing me to see if I will be consistent with my convictions no matter who is President and no matter who asks the questions. I shall be there shortly. In the meantime, would you please awaken DPM ( very carefully ) and find out where the antidote is to this grog punch he invented.”
::::Rolling his eyes in anticipation of awakening a drunken sailor….the aide plods off:::::
D13 here……:::shaking head, clearing cobwebs::: Damn,,,,that grog….and what is up with mixing hair o’th’ dog with Red Bull…..geeeeez.
Ok….first allow me to say….the press of today, much less the last 30 or so years, are not stewards of anything and are simply not to be trusted. So, my answers are going to be couched in the fact that the reporting is completely false with intent to be false. That said….
::::D13 puts on hypothical hat…it does not fit well with the size of grog head but he manages::::
Begins studying very closely, Sir Mathius questions….
National security adviser H.R. McMaster on Tuesday said President Trump did not jeopardize intelligence assets by revealing highly sensitive information to Russian officials, adding that Trump did not know where the intel came from. …
McMaster said Trump could not have endangered national security because he did not even know the source of the information he discussed.
“The president wasn’t even aware of where this information came from,” he said. “He wasn’t briefed on the source.”
OK, so Trump couldn’t have done what they claim he did, so they did it for him……..
In the New York Times this morning, an article alleged that Israeli intelligence was the source, citing “a current and a former American official familiar with how the United States obtained the information.” The NYT article then went on to blithely speculate about how that disclosure could damage U.S. relations with Israel — and, my goodness, just before Trump’s first visit there as president, to boot.
Hard on the heels of the NYT piece, the Wall Street Journal came out with one stating even more categorically that the source was Israel. Just so you won’t miss it, apparently, the authors made “Israel” the very first word of the story:
Israel provided the U.S. with the classified information that President Donald Trump shared last week with Russian officials, according to officials with direct knowledge of the matter.
National Security Council officials have strategically included Trump’s name in “as many paragraphs as we can because he keeps reading if he’s mentioned,” according to one source, who relayed conversations he had with NSC officials.
I don’t even care if that’s true. It’s HYSTERICAL.
I’m going to try this with my boss next time he won’t read a long memo.
OK, but reliable or not, the idea of the NSC having to pepper their documents full of the Present’s name in order to get him to keep reading is, simply, hysterical!
I’d love to see how they’d try to shoehorn it in randomly.
[…] North Korean missile sites B-D are in the preliminary stages of becoming operational. At the current pace, they are expected to be completed by President Trump’s birthday. […]
[…] Syrian rebels took the town of Zyzzx today. It should be noted that chemical weapons have not been used again since President Trump ordered his bold retaliatory strike […]
[…] The Israelis and the Palestinians are at each other’s throats today, with 3 car bombs going off at Israeli checkpoints, killing 6 (plus 3 bombers). The two sides separately state their eager anticipation of the peace that Jared Kushner will be bringing to the region shortly at the direction of his father-in-law, President Trump […]
[…] Yet another cargo vessel carrying Caribbean rum was looted today off the coast of Laguna Madre. While there is no word on who is responsible, an 8lb cannonball was found lodged in the hull of the frigate. Confused crewmembers gave wild claims about bipedal (that means two-legged) dinosaurs carrying off crates to a Spanish Galley. The coast guard believes that the crew may be victim of some kind of airborn hallucinogenic drug used to incapacitate the crew. The coast guard looks forward to hearing President Trump’s plan for dealing with this scourge. […]
[…] A security alarm at Trump tower was set off today. The alarm was triggered when a Secret Service agent noticed that the United States flag had been replaced with a Jolly Roger, causing a lockdown. Though no trespasser was located, it was later found that President Trump’s private residence had been filled to capacity with empty rum bottles. It remains unclear how this was achieved. The investigation is ongoing […]
Note that this, like many other stories, is based on third of fourth party informants.
This is called here say evidence in the court of law. Do the validate the original information? No, they only validate the third or fourth party.
Reuters and the AP have both made a habit of quoting other media outlets as sources, without looking into the actual source.
And on your arguments about hypocrisy, they are as phony as a June day is long.
You cited stories spread by alternative media claiming them “conservative” new outlets. They are no such thing. The closest thing to a conservative news outlet or media was Fox. But that stopped about 4 years ago. You also said Fox was the most watched, but it is not and never has been. It was the most watched “cable” news outlet. ABC, CBS and NBC primary outlets have always had a much greater audience. CNN was king of the Cable world until Fox became established. And even then Fox only ruled in certain time slots until CNN revealed its true left wing bent.
Most of the claims you made about Trump statements and media stories are BS. You take them out of context in some cases but the worst is your habit of sticking actual or factual things in a list of absurd. This is a trick used to create the appearance of fraud by associating true things with absurd things.
One other point. Glenn Beck has been a “never Trumper” from pretty much the start. He has been ripping on Trump almost daily. Although he does rip on the media for its idiocy as well. He is now calling for investigation by Congress into what Trump told the Russians. AND………………… if the claims of the information shared are true that the R’s demand Trump resign.
You cited stories spread by alternative media claiming them “conservative” new outlets.
How convenient that you get to call your lunatics “alternative” and cleanse yourself of them.
Whereas all lunatics on “my side” are somehow tied to the liberal cause.
This is not the first time I’ve seen this from you, JAC. You absolve yourself and your “side” from responsibility/ownership of the actions of those who would discredit you, yet you insist, without substantiation, that the left bear full ownership of any and all left-leaning morons.
So someone like David Duke, who is assuredly a conservative, is somehow written off as a one-off nutcase. Yet someone like Glenn Greenwald, who is assuredly a liberal, is somehow indicative of the liberal mindset writ large and is living proof of a biased liberal media.
Are you honestly going to sit there and try to tell me that Alex Jones, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Hannity, and so on.. that they aren’t conservatives? That their shows aren’t conservative? That their millions of viewers aren’t conservatives? That they are somehow “alt” and that means the don’t count when we’re talking about media bias?
“You absolve yourself and your “side” from responsibility/ownership of the actions of those who would discredit you, yet you insist, without substantiation, that the left bear full ownership of any and all left-leaning morons.”
I am throwing the BS flag on you Sir. First of all I have never tried to absolve myself of anything, second I have never claimed any of these sites represent “my side”. The closest thing to “my side” I have ever cited here is Mises or The Ayn Rand Institute. Although they are not exactly aligned either. And third, I have never claimed that crazy left wing sites, like Daily Kos represent all “liberals” or “left-leaning morons”. In fact I challenge you to find where I ever used such a term. In fact, I recall on several occasions pointing out there is no shortage of idiots on either side.
The issue on the table was the honesty or credibility of the “media” in general and the “mainstream media” in particular. You deliberately clouded the argument by including hack sites like “Info Wars” as conservative media.
Pick a category and stick with it. either we are discussing the primary media out lets or we are discussing all media, including the new media, on both left and right
As for the pundits you list. Alex Jones, I have no clue about him other than he is a manipulative nut whose livelihood depends on conspiracy and hyperbole. I expect you might find him more aligned with either libertarians or anarchists if tested. Rush Limbaugh, definitely “conservative” but sometime more Republican during an election cycle. Glenn Beck,, not “conservative”. More libertarian, although very conflicted at times. Sean Hannity. Looks like a conservative but at times fights harder for Republican that Conservative. But an IDIOT regardless.
If you’ll omit Daily Kos and HuffPo and their ilk from “my” side, I’ll omit Breitbart and InfoWars and their ilk from “your” side, deal? We’ll write off the lot of them as a bunch of hacks and morons and ship them off to an island somewhere in the North Atlantic. (I was going to say the Pacific, but I don’t think they’ve earned it).
———————–
I apologize if you feel I have misinterpreted your view(s). And, obviously, no site will perfectly align with your own views (unless you run it yourself), so I am referring to the larger general alignment of “generally left-leaning” vs “generally right-leaning” wherein you would be the later and I the former. Agreed?
———————–
The issue on the table was the honesty or credibility of the “media” in general and the “mainstream media” in particular.
Fine, the issue is on the table.
I present ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Reuters, AP, BBC, and many local fox affiliates as examples of centrist reliable reporting.
To the argument of leftward bias, I cede USA Today, and, lately, the NYT Editorial board (though not the paper in its entirety), as well as the Washington Post. I will give you certain shows on CNN and MSNBC, but not the stations in their entirety.
To the argument of rightward bias, I contend all of talk radio sans NPR (have you thrown Limbaugh in the trash with Breitbart or is he still fair game?), the entire “opinion” side of Fox (as opposed to their “news” programming), all of talk radio, and SUFA.
I contend that, when weighted for extremity of bias and for viewership, you will find that they are roughly even. I premise this intuitive opinion on the basis of the almighty invisible hand – the population of liberals and conservatives is relatively close (although, we apparently outnumber you by at least 5 million :P). Since people are generally the same everywhere, people tend to seek out bias-confirming media, thus liberals will tend to stick to liberal havens, and conservatives will stick to conservative havens. This apparently does not apply to myself. Thus, it seems reasonable to assume that the free market should saturate the supply to accommodate the demand in relative proportion.
The reason it might appear as if the media has skewed heavily left is two fold:
(1) Reality has a well established liberal bias.
(B) Trump and the conservatives in general have been bitching loudly about the liberal media for years now. Regardless of truth, this has the power to alter our perceptions of the truth to make it feel like the media is biased – “or else, why would every be saying it is.” I would compare this to “working the refs.”
(iii) Being the out of power party, the disaffection and relative impotence of the liberals allows us to throw bombs at authority with a freer hand. Put another way, Trump is an easy target. Maybe Pelosi would be a more worthy person to attack, but the general public doesn’t give a shit about her – they do care about the President.
(quatro) You sit on the right of the spectrum. It is logical that the voices most likely to permeate into your echo chambers will be the loudest, most obnoxious voices of the left. Whereas you are likely to tune out the obnoxious voices on the right. Similarly, I constantly see HuffPo pick up fringe politicians’ comments and parlay them into something way out of proportion – if I weren’t paying careful attention, it would be easy to conclude that the Republican chair of the zoning board in Bozeman, Montana “let slip” the secret racist thoughts of the broader conservative movement. Whereas, if he comes to your attention at all, you’re likely to see him as a one-off moron. By extension, if we suppose, just suppose, that 99.998% of the articles written by the Times, etc are genuinely neutral skew, are well researched, and represent empirical reality, it is the 0.002% which are going to be picked up and screamed about until they appear to you to be indicative of the Times as a whole.
(cinq) Additionally, the liberals are scared and vulnerable (much as conservatives were in ’09) and that leaves them prone to.. shall we call them flights of fancy.
Sean Hannity. Looks like a conservative but at times fights harder for Republican that Conservative. But an IDIOT regardless.
Isn’t that the worst thing in the world? When someone is nominally aligned with you, but is so stupid they wind up giving unwarranted fodder to the other side.
Ugh – makes me want to punch Olbermann right in his stupid mouth.
Can we agree to put Hannity and Olbermann in the same boat and push them off to sea?
You have offered some thing I agree with and some I don’t. But I remind you once again to stop trying to put conservatives on the “right wing”. Not when you are talking to me directly.
You should remember that I have often chastised conservatives and republicans for being on the left side.
I have also tried to point out that much of your personal angst comes from your own issue of claiming to be “liberal or progressive” when that tribe has left you behind. You are in fact far more “conservative” than you are a “modern liberal”.
You are in fact far more “conservative” than you are a “modern liberal”.
Oh really?
Oh really, now?
I want to take away your guns.
All of them.
I want to take them away and burn the lot of them.
And then I want to bury the ashes in an undisclosed location.
I believe in gay marriage.
I believe in abortion.
I think vaccines should be mandatory and refusal to administer (for non medical reasons) is child abuse/endangerment.
I believe the government should pay for everyone’s college (with constraints on quality of the program, chosen major, and GPA). Within certain narrow parameters, I think the government should also pay for grad schools and PhD’s.
I believe in the estate tax.
I believe in progressive taxation.
I don’t think the tax rate is progressive enough. I think the top rate should probably be around 90%.
I believe abortion is a fundamental human right.
As is medical care.
And that includes mental healthcare.
As is having a sufficient source of nutritious food.
I believe that the Republican Party panders to the basest motives of their base.
Whereas, while they invariably fall far, far, far short, the Democratic Party panders to the wild-eyed ideals of their base.
I believe that war is bad, m’kay. Though sometimes you do need to beat someone with big stick.
I believe that policies that can fit on a bumper sticker are insufficient to be public policy.
I believe the world is complicated and messy and requires intricate understanding, nuance, and compromise. “Simplistic” is almost synonymous with guaranteed failure.
I believe “looking tough” is highly overrated.
I believe the best hope for the human race lies with education and technology, not with a return to “traditional values.” We should aggressively abandon anything that might plausibly be called a “traditional value.”
I believe religion – all religion – is absolutely and utter bullshit. And, while I will support to the death you right to believe religious nonsense, I believe that right ends exactly where it starts impacting on me.
“My religion says I cannot do that” = freedom of religion. “My religion says you cannot do that” = theocracy.
I believe that religions are simply a mirror of their practitioners and reflect no intrinsic “goodness” or “peace” or “violence” of the source material. Rather, they simply provide cover for someone to claim what they want to claim.
I believe that this country is a borderline Christian theocracy and every last trace of Judaeo-Christianity needs to be sandblasted from every pore in the body politic. With extreme prejudice.
I believe, further, that polygamy, polyandry, and free love are all just fine. Hell, I’d encourage it, even.
I believe that, in the interest of looking “tough on drugs,” the conservative movement (as defined by traditional definitions, not JAC’s special definition) has achieved nearly the worst possible outcome.
I believe we should legalize all drugs – all of them. Some of the worse ones should be only available via prescription, however.
I do not believe you have a right to smoke in a restaurant or any place where others are likely to come into immediate contact with it unwittingly.
I believe we should be investing more in solar and nuclear and trying to get rid of coal, oil, and nat gas.
I do not believe that Wyoming should get 3 electoral votes for 500k people. I barely consider it a state in first place and it sure as hell isn’t equal to New York, California, or Texas (for purposes of the Senate).
Speaking of which, I think states are nonsense. They are nothing more than administrative regions for the federal government. Though, of course, there are powers reserved to the states (and there should be more than there are in practice), the idea that they’re mini sovereign nations within a larger nation is nonsense. Colorado isn’t a sovereign anything – it’s a box in the middle of nowhere – imaginary lines on a map.
I believe that anyone who wants to come to America who is not a known credible threat should be granted immediate citizenship.
I believe building a wall on the Mexican border is a tremendous waste of resources and is unnecessarily combative toward out neighbor and trading partner.
I believe that human being are having an effect on the global climate – what that effect might be, or the extent of it, I’m unqualified to say – but it’s something worth dealing with seriously instead of denying (nearly) settled science.
I believe in evolution.
I believe teaching “intelligent design” in schools should be illegal.
I think churches should get taxed.
I think the bible should be taught in school – as literature – because it’s so important globally, but it should never be taught as fact. Similarly, the old testament and the Koran as well as some Eastern Religions. We can give up the class where they teach the history of British nobility.
I do not believe transexuality is a mental illness. I do not think there’s anything wrong with it at all. Ditto for homosexuality.
I don’t care what anyone “identifies” as. I do consider it rude to refuse to acknowledge / accept what someone else identifies as.
I identify as an Apache helicopter.
I think saber rattling is terrible foreign policy.
I think bullying Mexico and Canada is stupid.
I think we, as a nation, have an obligation to clean up or messes.
I do think institutional racism is still a thing. It’s just not as bad as it was in the 60’s.
I think euthanasia should be legal – and easily obtained by any adult.
I do not think that a universal basic income is practical, but I think it’s worth trying some pilot programs to find out.
I think we should have a colony on Mars (or floating above Venus!) by now and I think it’s short sighted that we don’t.
I think we should spend much, much, much less on the military, and much, much, much, more on education.
I believe in welfare (subject to significant reforms).
I do not believe in Social Security.
I do believe in universal healthcare.
I think Bernie Sanders should be President.
And President Trump scares the crap out of me.
I think he acts like a child and it’s insanity to me that (slightly less than) half the country voted for him.
By the way, I think the Electoral College is also bullshit.
I think conservative politicians and low-information-voters are generally pathologically incapable of considering second or third order consequences of their choices and only ever give a shit about the near-term.
I think for-profit prisons are a moral evil.
And I think the realtor who listed my home yesterday, who accidentally dropped a digit and posted it a 1/10th of the actual price, should be tarred and feathered.
“I present ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Reuters, AP, BBC, and many local fox affiliates as examples of centrist reliable reporting.”
Not centrist and not necessarily reliable.
I would consider these as what most of us call the Main Stream or primary Television media. I would add C-span because of its shows where they bring in parties of all sides to comment on an issue of the day.
I also think it fair to add Fox to the list since you have BBC and NPR which are also cable TV. And of course CNN.
I would separate local network affiliates from the national outlet. Our local Fox Channel is much like our local ABC, NBC or CBS affiliates. The big advantage out here of the Fox affiliate is that is where Fox Sports resides. No Fox Sports then no Seahawks or Mariner games.
I also separate syndicated radio, like Limbaugh, from the “news”. The latter is linked to the affiliate radio stations, and their primary company, like CBS or NBC. We can call it “talk radio” if you like. And yes, most of it is conservative or libertarian. All attempts and having liberal talk shows have pretty much failed. Apparently the more conservative audience uses radio more than the liberal or left wing.
For now I suggest we eliminate all Internet news and commentary sites from our discussion, unless they are tied to a primary news media outlet.
And for the record, my opinion of Huffington Post was that it was pretty good in the beginning although much of their stuff had a “left” bent. Then it went wholesale left wing. This went big when they started requiring a Facebook profile to comment on the site.
Along these lines, Red State is not a purist “conservative” site in my view. Because its founder has taken a hard religious viewpoint in their coverage. But Red State is absolutely in the “Never Trump” camp. If you want to see how vile supposed “conservatives” can be just read the insults they throw at the “Trumpers” or “Trumpistas”. Of course the latter are no slouches when it comes to tossing invective either.
Which brings us back to the issue of “loss of civility” or just “good manners”.
And am I to believe that the conservative media never said a dishonest word about Obama? DISHONEST, I AM NOT SURE. INFLAMATORY AND HYPEROBLE, YES. OF COURSE IT BEGS THE QUESTION, “WHO IS THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA”. WHICH I ADDRESSED ABOVE.
Was his world tour really an “apology tour”? IN THE END IT SURE DID SEEM SO. BUT THOSE WHO VOTED FOR HIM DID NOT CARE. THEY AGREED THE US IS THE BANE OF THE PLANET.
Was he really born in Kenya? I DOUBT IT, ALTHOUGH THERE STILL REMAINS A LOT OF STRANGE CONTRADICTIONS. BUT AS I SAID BEFORE, HIS BIRTH PLACE WAS NOT REALLY THE ISSUE RELATIVE TO HIS ELIGIBILITY. IT WAS THE BIRTH PLACE OF HIS FATHER.
Did he really have a gay lover? Is Michelle really a man? ON THE FIRST COUNT APPARENTLY HE CONSIDERED GOING GAY. PROBABLY DUE TO HIS DESIRE TO BE SOMETHING UNIQUE AND PROBABLY DUE TO GROOMING BY HIS GAY MENTOR. WHO CONTINUED TO ADVISE HIM WHILE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, APPARENTLY.
AS FOR THE MICHELLE THING, ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT SASQUATCH IS ALSO A MAN.
Did he really confiscate everyone’s guns? NO. DOESN’T MEAN HE WOULDN’T HAVE TRIED IF ALLOWED TO.
Was Obama really tunneling under Walmarts in anticipation of taking over Texas and imprisoning everyone in FEMA camps? NO. ALTHOUGH THE FEMA CAMPS WERE REAL, WHILE THE STATED PURPOSE WAS FALSE.
What about that time he was teleported to Mars? NEVER HEARD ABOUT THAT. I GUESS WE CAN CANCEL SPENDING BILLIONS ON A FOOLISH VENTURE SINCE WE ALREADY LANDED A MAN ON MARS. UNLESS OF COURSE HE IS REALLY A LIZARD ALIEN..
Did he really orchestrate the Newtown massacre (or the appearance thereof)? NO. AND WHAT CREDIBLE CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLET EVER CLAIMED SO?
What about Orlando? STILL IN FLORIDA LAST I CHECKED.
Boston? STILL IN MASSACHUSETTS.
Did he really have Scalia killed? NO. HE DID IT HIMSELF WITH HIS JEDI MIND TRICK.
Did he use his weather weapon to steer tornadoes? I NEVER HEARD THAT HE DID THIS. DAMN ALIENS.
Something something caliphate? THE ISSUE WAS WHETHER HE WAS A MUSLIM. AND THE ANSWER IS YES, EVEN THOUGH HE CLAIMED HE WAS NOT. HE CLAIMS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT WE SAW HE WAS REALLY MORE ABOUT BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY THAN THAT OF JESUS CHRIST.
Did he ever get around to declaring martial law, cancelling the 2016 election, and appointing himself President for Life? (please say yes) NO, NO, NO. NO.
Come to think of it, where are those death panels? THERE IS ONLY ONE DEATH PANEL. IT WAS CREATED BY THE ACA AS PART OF THE COST CUTTING MEASURE.
How did he manage to be a Nazi, a Marxist, a fascist, a Maoist, a Bolshevik, and Trotsky-ite, socialist, and a gay Muslim Manchurian candidate.. all at the same time? BECAUSE LIZARD PEOPLE ARE ALSO SHAPE SHIFTERS.
Did he really institute a one-world government? NO. HE SIMPLY COMPLIED WITH THE ONE ALREADY IN PLACE. BEGS THE QUESTION, DID HE OPPOSE OR SUPPORT SAID GOVT. ANSWER: HE SUPPORTS IT.
Does he really hate America? YES. AGAIN WE COVERED THIS BEFORE.
Are you so sure the right wasn’t, oh, I don’t know, a bit unfair to ol’ Barry? SOMETIMES, BUT NOT ALWAYS AS IT TURNS OUT.
Now, I happen to think he’s a nut case. But I don’t get to see why you get to absolve “conservative media” of his rantings when he’s listened to by millions of conservatives every day.
I asked you “what credible conservative news outlet” and you come back with Info Wars.
Is that web site a “credible news outlet”??? And why do you claim it is “conservative”? The fact he is a big Trump supporter should disprove your claim in this regard. And how do you know that “conservatives” listen to him, let alone millions of them.
But lets play turnabout is fair play. Are those liberals or progressives that follow Daily Kos and Huffington Post, National Memo, et. al., along with MSNBC? Does the fact that many are “liberals or progressives” mean that those outlets represent “liberalism”? How about “progressivism”?
“Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.”
I smell an ambush but will walk into it.
1. What does this mean in terms of how the government should handle him going forward? Should they avoid giving him classified information (I once joked about Bill Clinton having to summarize intel for President Hillary since she wouldn’t be able to get clearance).
I will be first to say….knowing, in depth, how the clearances work and how classified data works…..The POTUS DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CARTE BLANCHE declassify anything he wants to simply because he is the CIC. He does have the authority to declassify AFTER AFTER AFTER it has been submitted to the NSA/CIA/FBI/NSC to properly cleanse the code word assets.
Now to answer your HYPOTHETICAL question. If the POTUS revealed classified data inadvertantly, I give him ONE pass. If he disseminated classified information with intent, he is not fit to be President. Further citing, that as POTUS, no agency has the right nor the authority to withhold classified information from the POTUS.
“Should he be impeached”…… Yes, given the following parameters. If there was intent to disseminate classified data for clandestine reasons. Again, if it was inadervant…he gets one chance.
Change “clandestine” to “treasonous” and I could go along. But WHO gets to decide what is treason? Especially in our divided politics of today. Is it treasonous to try and subvert the deep state’s control of our govt.?
Several legal types, including those on the left calling for his head have said he as the “legal” cover needed to provide pretty much anything he wants to anyone. Any attempt to IMPEACH on those grounds would have to prove his intent was to “aid and abed” our enemies. Russia is not a declared enemy. At this point in time we only have ONE declared enemy. The nebulous “terrorists”.
The point made earlier today is that Trump did NOT know the source of the Intel, merely what it indicated. This was confirmed by McMasters. The LEAKER outed Israel, not Trump. Which begs the next question, was it wrong for Trump to suggest allegedly to Comey that leaks should be tracked down and news people arrested and incarcerated for breaking the law? I’m for a resounding YES!
The other question remains if bomb making apparatus exists which can be used to bring down Russian airliners is it morally or legally wrong to tell the Russians where?
Why do you require it follow the declassification track, or protocol? POTUS has the authority to say anything. Although there is an obvious political ramification.
You are assigning a “requirement” similar to that of some CNN pundits the other day. Although their argument was that this is proof of his inability to perform the duties of the office.
Perhaps a better question is what type of information should go through the process before POTUS can share it? In this I say any information that identifies human sources. Because if you want to release that info, you should allow time to get them to safety first. As for cooperating countries, I can see giving them a heads up so they can CYA as needed.
I am bringing this up because if we impose “standard rules or protocol” on POTUS and/or his/her minions, you eliminate the ability to disrupt the status quo.
So how do we define the lines in order to allow draining the swamp without damaging the Nation itself. Of course this begs the question as to what is in the Nation’s best interest.
Please do not misunderstand me…I do not care what the POTUS tells anyone….but, where human assets are concerned, there is a security protocol that does need to be followed….to protect human resources. Even a POTUS is not exempt from that. What the pundits are talking about is horse shit and I think that everyone knows it. There is nothing about code word that is wrong unless it exposes human assets. That is all….until I see or know exactly wht Trump did or say, I cannot render any type of decision.
However, while the POTUS can say or do anything, his oath of office is the same as mine except the names are changed and the office nameis changed. He candeclassify anything we wants at anytime provided the security protocol is followed where….and only where….human assets are endangered.
3. Should he be arrested and charged with a crime? Yes, given the following parameters. If there was intent to disseminate classified data for clandestine reasons. Again, if it was inadervant…he gets one chance.
4. If – IF – the accusation is true, how do you compare this to Hillary’s email server?
Not even close unless the intent is to hide or disseminate classified data for clandestine reasons.
If the FBI investigation that was done is true in everything Comey said….Hillary’s intent was to hide and subvert the classied material rules and regulations. ( Please note that I did not say for clandestine reasons ) but the deliberate intent to subvert the rules was there.
5. In light of the fact that Trump made soooo much hay from Clinton’s “lax” attitude toward national security / classified data, does his breech seem even more egregious than it might otherwise? (if I spend months mocking you for X, then I do X myself, surely I’m deserving of extra scorn, no?)
Two part question…so a two part answer. No and Yes…
No, in that Hillary’s intent to subvert was there.
Yes, you would be subject to extra scorn, and rightly so, if you continue to do it. ( make hay ) .
Listening to Rush on the way to library. He was talking about John McCain and the other R’s who claim “conservative” status but who are not “conservatives”. And how they dislike Trump because he filled a void they could not see or access. Thus upsetting their own delusions about support. But here is the best part. Never heard him go this far before. And I quote:
“Their balls are so small they don’t need a jock strap when they go out jogging”!
6. Why do you think he might have done it? Personally, I have no difficulty seeing him just showing off.
I can see his ego getting in the way….IF this is the case, I say he probably has learned a BIG BIG lesson on how to handle classified material. If it is discovered that Trump was actually warned that this was classified information ahead of time and he did not follow the rules of declassification…..then that becomes intent in my viewpoint.
7. Do you make anything of him leaking to Russia, specifically, given all his past history with that country. Surely, after everything that’s happened and everything of which he has been accused, he should have been extra circumspect around them, no?
His past history to that country is a non issue with me. Again, if it was inadvertant, I make nothing of it this time…..THIS TIME. If it is discovered that it was not inadvertant, and done purposely because he did not want to declassify according to rule….then his credibility would be severely damaged with me. Perhaps it cannot be salvaged.
10. Lastly, do you believe that he Republican controlled congress will investigate as seriously and aggressively as they would have if a similar accusation had arisen under President H. Clinton? Do you believe that they would either have been too hard on her (playing politics) or too soft on him (playing politics) or something else? I imagine that the Republicans would already have called for, and started to assemble, a select committee to investigate. Seeing as this is assuredly not going to happen under this Congress toward President Trump, what say you?
Several questions here. Yes, I believe that there will be an aggressive Republican investigation because there are several high ranking ones that are part of the elitists. I believe that there is a faction out to get him and I do not think it is relegated to Democrats only but a huge power struggle. Trump is a threat to years and years of conditioning. I do think that it will be investigated a thousand times.
11. Now, seeing as all we currently have is unnamed sources, we obviously have to question the veracity of the accusation. So, with that in mind, does the accusation – as it stands – justify further investigation? If so, what form do you believe that should take?
If Mr. Trump’s supposed tapes exist, can we subpoena them?
HEY…..you said lastly on number 10, but considering that you are really interested….
I am not a believer in unnamed sources, informed sources, white house sources, or any unidentified source. Therefore, given today’s attitudes and things, I give NO….ABSOLUTLEY NO credence to unnamed or anonymous sources. Come forward and speak your mind so the accused can look you in the eye.
If D13 THE ABSOLUTE COLONEL was in charge, I would say….come forward and make your accusation in the open otherwise it means nothing.
friend of mine had a thought….let the men who want to marry men…marry them. Let the women who want to marry women,,,,,marry them. Let all those who wish to abort babies….abort them. In three generations, there will be no more democrats.
I mean, without anonymous sources, you wouldn’t have had Deep Throat.
I think it comes down to whether you can trust the reporter to sufficiently vet his source. It sure does seem that a lot of reporters these days are happy to quote anyone with a government ID and a pulse (and one of those is optional).
But, for example, if Bob Woodward wants to come forward and stake his professional reputation on the word of a source he doesn’t want to reveal.. yea, I’ll listen.
And I SHOULD be able to listen. A source shouldn’t (necessarily) have to destroy their professional lives or risk reprisals in order to get out important news (note, I am not talking about idle gossip here). But, let’s say, it’s true that Trump needs to have his name randomly inserted throughout his briefings or he’ll lose interest, I think that’s something the public should legitimately be made aware of because that’s f***ing terrifying.
I’d like to see some sort of central clearing hub for source credibility. When you leak the first time, you’re given an ID. Every time you leak to the media, it gets scored for accuracy (after the fact by the author, who has your pin). And when you are published, it can append your “credibility score.” The next time you leak, it can be to someone different, but when you use your same pin, he will see that you now have a history and should be taken seriously (or, you know, not at all).
Oh this guy with a score of 18/100 says Trump is a werewolf – ok, let’s take that with a grain of salt. This guy with a score of 99/100 says that Trump sacrifices babies to Baal – ok, let’s look into that, shall we? This other thing is backed up by three guys with scores of 60/100. OK, well I’m not sure what to make of that, but it’s probably somewhere in the middle.
Baring that, it’s just a crap shoot, and I don’t like it. It’s too easy to be a source, there’s no accountability, authors just want the clicks and are following the old world news daily motto of not letting facts get in the way of a good story.
But, yes, anonymous sources are still important. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
But, yes, anonymous sources are still important. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Agreed but they should be in the sunlight….and I stand with my original position of today….I know of no reporting that is accurate today. Be in the sunlight, no anonymous source…..no behind the curtains….no he said she said……out in the open.
Assume that general Flynn did nothing criminal, nothing that could bring him up on charges, nothing that rose to the level of a crime which it looks like.
After all that, assume again that Trump either deliberately or incidentally with no malice and with the assumption Flynn was guilty of no crime, asked Comey three weeks after the inauguration (THREE WEEKS) to “drop” the investigation because it seemed nothing would come out of it.
Then, pray tell, what high crime and misdemeanor can Trump be charged with?
And, I have to add, I am not happy with my third paragraph. If you are having dinner with a guy even the FBI director and say that you think there is nothing there. Is that wrong, criminal, impeachable?
Sorry but this is all smoke and mirrors.
I’m thinking Watergate. Let’s see how that went. (correct me if I am wrong)
1. Nixon is President for 3 years
2. Two break-ins were ordered by White House Staff with No presidential knowledge. Daniiel Ellsberg’s shrink and the DNC. Burglars got caught.
3. Staff begins cover-up.
4. Hush money is paid.
5. Investigation begins and links to WH become suspected
6. Conspiracy goes beyond Staff. President and AG become aware.
7. President covers for staff.
8. WH tapes are discovered.
9. Gap appears in WH tapes
10. President fires Special Prosecutor.
11. Conspiracy becomes known.
12. John Dean turns Rat
13.2. Nixon resigns. Everybody involved goes to jail
Now where exactly are the parallels to Donald Trump?
Now where exactly are the parallels to Donald Trump?
2. Two break-ins were ordered by White House Staff with No presidential knowledge. Daniiel Ellsberg’s shrink and the DNC. President’s staff may have colluded with the Ruskies to manipulate a Presidential election. Burglars got caught.
3. Staff begins cover-up… maybe?
7. President covers for staff.
8. WH tapes are (possibly) discovered – hinted at, anyway.
10. President fires Special Prosecutor FBI Director.
13.2. Nixon resigns. Everybody involved goes to jail (we can only hope)
—–
The problem, of course, is that we’re looking at it from the inside. I am not old enough to remember what it was like during these events while everything was breaking, Deep Throat was leaking, etc. But you can’t sit here in the midst of it with perfect hindsight and say “where’s the proof of a crime”? If there was a crime, we haven’t proven it yet. Give it some time.
And neither can you……..if you are listening and drawing judgement from innuendo and saying things like “maybe” and “may have” and “possibly”….that makes you part of the problem and not the solution, does it not? I do not think that Clinton and Obama have our best interest at heart and I believe that they have sold out and will continue to sell out but I do defend them if there is no proof and have done so…..as much as it ails me.
Yes I can. The Watergate things STARTS with a CRIME. The burglary of the DNC offices in the Watergate building. Obstruction of justice comes later when staff try to hide the whole thing.
In the Trump case, even if some of his staff coordinated with Russians regarding leaks there is NO CRIME. Not according to several legal scholars. But it is one hell of a Political problem.
The problem the left has is there has NEVER been any indication of Trump people working with the Russians or the Russians even working directly to benefit Trump. They were messing around and expressed a preference is all we have been told. During the investigation of the Russians three of Trump’s people were caught up in that discrepancies were found in their paperwork or stories about what they have done in the past.
One and only one Trump connection even leads to Wikileaks and that is via a second and third party.
In the Trump case, even if some of his staff coordinated with Russians regarding leaks there is NO CRIME.
Of course there would be.
Someone hacked the DNC. That’s a criminal action right there.
If the Trump campaign conspired with a foreign entity to influence an election, that’s a criminal action right there.
Basically, you’re saying: we don’t have proof of a crime, therefore we shouldn’t investigate whether there’s a crime.
During the investigation of the Russians three of Trump’s people were caught up in that discrepancies were found in their paperwork or stories about what they have done in the past.
That’s a polite way of saying they lied and covered up their past involvement with Russia and were subsequently caught.
Sure sounds like enough smoke to make me wonder if there’s a fire somewhere.
It remains to be seen if Trump, himself, was involved. My money is on no – or at least not provably so.
No, what I am saying is that if Trump people called up Russians and asked them if they had stuff would they please release it, or if they called the Russians and asked for a heads up before they released it…………….. IS NOT A CRIME.
Remember, the guy who was the source of the “Golden Shower” memo was a foreigner. He was hired to dig up dirt on Trump, and others. Reportedly first hired by Bush III and later approached by the DNC. NOT A CRIME.
As for the three people in question, that is what I said. But we DO NOT know how bad that is for them. Except Manafort was forced to revise his foreign agent filing as a result. But such “updates” after the fact have been allowed for a long time. But let me emphasize, that none of the information we know about on these three people have anything to do with the issue at hand. Namely collusion or participation with the Russians in messing with the Clinton campaign.
But such “updates” after the fact have been allowed for a long time.
Just because it’s “allowed” does not make it right or OK.
He was an undisclosed foreign agent (by his own admission / filing) close to the President and with access to sensitive information.
I don’t care that it’s allowed – it’s pretty damn sketchy.
But let me emphasize, that none of the information we know about on these three people have anything to do with the issue at hand. Namely collusion or participation with the Russians in messing with the Clinton campaign.
Sure.
Maybe.
But there sure is a lot of smoke – it seems prudent to check if there’s also a fire.
I agree, if after all these months of surveillance and investigating, they have nothing to charge anyone with, then drop it and move on. We have more important things to do. Why does it take so much time?
Because this is how you tie up the President, the White House, The Senate, The House, The FBI and of course injure by innuendo a man’s reputation. As Matt says, How much time has been spent on Benghazi OR Fast and Furious or the IRS or any number of other things? However we are no where near as professional at it as our friends and we refuse to go for the THROAT.
Unlike the Special Prosecutor in the Watergate event, Comey has no special position in the current investigation as his former # 2 testified to. If you watched his performance a few weeks back before the Congress, there was no way the guy was not going to be fired. He seems to have no clue about his own job.
Tucker Carlson has said on his show that many interviewees expressed fear of Comey off camera but would not discuss it on camera. Are we beginning to see why? It looks like he is not going to go quietly.
““My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted,” said Mr. Rosenstein, which is nice but irrelevant. With Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused from the Russia probe, Mr. Rosenstein appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller III, who will now have unlimited time and resources to investigate more or less anything and anyone he wants.” (WSJ clip)
Let me ask this. How can a special counsel/prosecutor/investigator, or what ever they want to call it, have “unlimited time and resources”????
Do they have some source of money independent of Congressional appropriations?????
Mathius
But such “updates” after the fact have been allowed for a long time.
Just because it’s “allowed” does not make it right or OK. TRUE, BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA?
He was an undisclosed foreign agent (by his own admission / filing) close to the President and with access to sensitive information.
I don’t care that it’s allowed – it’s pretty damn sketchy. WHY? MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT IS SKETCHY?
But let me emphasize, that none of the information we know about on these three people have anything to do with the issue at hand. Namely collusion or participation with the Russians in messing with the Clinton campaign.
Sure.
Maybe.
But there sure is a lot of smoke – it seems prudent to check if there’s also a fire. I HAVE NEVER SAID INVESTIGATION ISN’T WARRANTED. WHAT I HAVE SAID IS THERE IS COLLUSION TO UNDERMINE THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT IS ONGOING. PART OF THIS IS TIED TO THE INVESTIGATION, WHICH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. BUT REMEMBER, THE FBI INVESTIGATION WAS INTO THE “RUSSIAN EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE OR INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTIONS”. YET FROM DAY ONE THE DEMOCRATS AND MEDIA HAVE USED THE PHRASE “INVESTIGATING COLLUSION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA”. THAT HAS AND REMAINS A FALSE NARRATIVE. COMEY AND CLAPPER TESTIFIED AS MUCH. COMEY STATED THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF “COLLUSION” TO SENATORS GRASSLEY AND FEINSTEIN. YET THE MEDIA AND OTHER DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO USE THE PHRASE.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE BEING INVESTIGATED DUE TO CONNECTIONS TO VARIOUS RUSSIANS. BECAUSE THE FBI, AND I EXPECT CIA, ARE INVESTIGATING PRETTY MUCH ALL RUSSIAN CONNECTIONS IN THE USA OR TO OTHERS WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE USA.
THE NAMES MADE PUBLIC ARE MANAFORT, PAGE, STONE AND FLYNN. THE LAST ONE IS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED OVER CONNECTIONS TO THE CAMPAIGN, BUT HIS FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH POLICIES AND RULES REGARDING PAYMENTS FOR SPEECHES AND/OR SERVICES, DUE TO HIS RETIRED MILITARY STATUS. HIM LYING TO HIS BOSSES ABOUT WHAT HE DISCUSSED WITH THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR IS NOT A CRIME NOR VIOLATION OF ANY RULES. HE WAS FIRED FOR THIS, WHICH IS THE PROPER ACTION.
STONE IS ONLY IN THE SPOTLIGHT DUE TO HIS ADMITTED CONNECTIONS TO GUCCIFER 2 AND ASSANGE. THIS IS ALMOST CERTAINLY THE CONDUIT BY WHICH MR. TRUMP OR OTHERS SEEMED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT REGARDING WIKILEAKS RELEASES. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL RELEASES NEVER LIVED UP TO THE CLAIMS MADE BY STONE AND OTHERS AS TO THE “DEVASTATION” IT WOULD CAUSE CLINTON.
THIS LEAVE MANAFORT AND PAGE. WHICH I WILL SUM UP THIS WAY. THIS SHOULD SHOW YOU THE KIND OF SLIMY PEOPLE WHO FLOCK TO POLITICS WHEN THEY SEE A CHANCE FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT. I WILL ADD THAT THEIR PERSONAL BEHAVIOR REGARDING THEIR PROWESS IN DEALINGS WITH INTERNATIONAL FIGURES ALIGNS WITH TRUMP’S. NAMELY OVER EXAGGERATION. OF THESE TWO, MANAFORT IS THE ONE WHO COULD BE UP TO HIS ARMPITS IN THE SEPTIC TANK. NOT DUE TO HIS TRUMP CONNECTION, BUT DUE TO THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK FOUND IN UKRAINE SHOWING HE TOOK MILLIONS HE NEVER REPORTED AS INCOME.
THE ISSUE I HAVE IS NOT THE INVESTIGATIONS. IT IS THE CONSTANT LEAKING OF INFORMATION, THE UNMASKING OF PEOPLE WHO DID NOT NEED TO BE, AND THE COMPLICITY OF THE MEDIA AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ALONG WITH SOME REPUBLICANS, IN USING THIS TO UNDERMINE A PRESIDENT BEFORE ANYONE KNOWS THE ACTUAL FACTS OR FINDING. THE ENTIRE THING HAS THE SMELL AND FEEL OF A COUP. Note: I retain the right to disavow this opinion in the even that Mr. Trump is found to be a Russian mole.
SIDE NOTE:
“Foreign Agent” is the label given to international “lobbyists” or people who conduct “public relations” for international organizations. It is not an “Intelligence” type classification.
Manafort’s status was with his dealings with Ukraine and Turkey. BEFORE he became part of the Trump campaign.
So in reality, his status as a “foreign agent” is of no real concern. The constant use of that term in all reporting about him is an example of using innuendo to create false assumptions. On the other hand, this will be a problem if it can be proven that he was “still” working for the Russians or someone else in his capacity in the Trump campaign.
Good editorial reminding us how Russia looked post Yeltsin, how Putin became a hero and why he has been meddling in things around the world. Also how he may have screwed up with the USA. Although I expect the howling against Russia could subside with the next Democratic Party POTUS.
US forces have apparently attacked Syrian Govt. forces “in Syria”. This is of interest for the following reason.
The other night Tucker Carlson had on a guest who is an expert on Russia. A professor, don’t remember his name, who has been on before. He obviously thinks the “Russian Collusion” stuff is aimed at undermining the normalization of relations with Russia.
Back to the point. The other night he pointed out that Mr. Obama had also shared intel. with Russia and offered to work more closely with them. Shortly after that our military attacked a position of Syrian govt troops AND Russians. Then the Russians attacked a site with Rebels supported by the US. All that was ever reported was the counter attack by Russia.
This Professor believes that the US Intelligence agencies and Military deliberately undermined Mr. Obama and are now doing the same to Mr. Trump. They will undermine any effort to normalize Russian relationships because “they” view Russia as an enemy.
Now today we see the military attacking Syrian troops. Right after Mr. Trump meets with the Russian ambassador and share intel. with him.
So what the hell is actually going on? Inquiring minds want to know. Will the FBI investigation into Russia expose such a conspiracy among the Intel and Military agencies, if it exists? Or can it “disprove” such a conspiracy? Or will it just be ignored for fear of someone winding up dead?
I am also not predisposed to assume this Professor is being truthful or not just spouting his own conspiracy theories. He has several times stated Putin is not benefited by all the uproar over the US election hacking or subsequent fallout. So why would he be behind it all? Who knows, his view of Russia could be tainting his vies as well. Or he also could be a Russian spy, mole, plant, etc., etc..
“Absolute knowledge have I none,
But my aunt’s washerwoman’s sister’s son
Heard a policeman on his beat
Say to a laborer in the street
That he had a letter just last week —
A letter which he did not seek —
From a Chinese merchant in Timbuktu
Who said that his brother in Cuba knew
Of an Indian chief in a Texas town,
Who got the dope from a circus clown,
That a man in Klondike had it straight
From a guy in a South American state,
That a wild man over in Borneo
Was told by a woman who claimed to know,
Of a well-known society rake,
Whose mother-in-law will undertake
To prove that her husband’s sister’s niece
Has stated plain in a printed piece
That she has a son who lives in a dump
Who knows all about the Russians and Trump.”
Black Flag®
commonman55
d13thecolonel
gman
Just A Citizen
Life of Illusion
Jon Smith
USWeapon
Stand Up For America 
The most worried woman in the world…..
Could you find a jury that would be impartial? Half the country thinks she walks on water, the other half has already found her guilty and the remaining 12 are too affraid of Arkanicide to serve.
Yes I could. Most country folk don’t pay much attention to the MSM. It would be easy to find 12 people who have know knowledge of HRC”s server issue.
I would assume that if Hillary’s case ever reaches the court system, she will never be convicted for the reasons Gman stated……however, correct me if I’m mistaken, Congress can IMPEACH her, even though she currently is not serving in any position, will be unable to serve ever again. That’ll suit me just as well, because it will be public and she will be disgraced and ruined. They can not just let the transgressions just die without some consequence. Comey laid out a great case to try her, then went out of bounds and beyond his job description.
Nixon and CREEP did not jeoprodize national security with the break-in at Watergate. Actually not many people cared about that…..it was the cover-up that followed that really pissed people off……HRC and her team and family actually killed a great many people with wars that should never have been started or failed after victory. HRC should never have gotten past Whitewater. Hiding the papers the special prosecuters were attempting to get their hands on……then when the statute of limitations expired called up Janet Reno, then AG and said come and get them. Reno when asked willl they be turned over to the special prosecutor, where he had tried and convicted everyone involved in the case except HRC and WJC and she was the lawyer of the scheme…..Reno said NO they will not be released because they are inadmissable now.
Comey should be happy that he did not get the Ron Brown, Vince Foster treatment.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-tapes-would-be-subject-to-government-record-keeping-laws/article/2622992
Like I said yesterday, an unforced error.
Not only that but Congress can now subpoena them.
I bet there are no tapes.
I’m with you Colonel. I think Trump is purposely driving the Liberal media nuts.
This is true on the law and he knows that….I am telling you, he is dumb like a fox. He may be a neophyte in politics…..but he has the entire democratic party in a snit right now….suggesting this and that, trying to form conspiracies, acting dumb and stupid……
I am not convinced he is a dumb shit. I have worked with people like this before…………
Did he put the entire press corps on notice that he may be recording as well so do not try to selectively edit interviews?
It would not surprise me. Not at all.
Good news.
http://www.wnd.com/2017/05/accidental-hero-finds-kill-switch-stops-ransomeware-spread/?cat_orig=world
The other night, Tucker Carlson stated that many people on his show stated fear of Comey but would not make the statement on air. Is this because of the hacking of Atkinson computers? Maybe we should be investigating the FBI.
Suggested reading “A Mid-Century’s Journey” by William L Shirer” 1952……especially the last chapter about America. He had spent 25 years overseas most in totalitarian regimes and lived and saw the rise and of Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Stalin. The fall of the first two. etc In 1950 he toured the countries that he was stationed in and wrote about the events leading up to the war and wanted to see the possible end results of possible cultural changes, changes in social ideals etal……..when he returned to the US he was stunned with what he saw and heard.
What is most noticible is that we have not learned and improved, but repeat over and over things that should never be repeated. I could change a few words in his writing, or several speeches by people like Truman and seriously high placed leaders and I would be reading our current events. Tactics are the same used by all parties, change communist, or socialist to racist or fascist depending. The fear that had struck the Americans was as though he never left Hitler’s Germany. The FBI was knee deep in it, advertizers, self appointed trustees, universities the bastions of free thought were NOT.
I’ll type out some excerpts so people might get intreged and try and find this rare book. I’d almost bet Stephen has a copy in his library.
Universities as today were actually as bad today as they were then on suppression of thought and molding conformity….just wanted to make that clear…..There was no official government policy of restraining free speech, but groups would target things like advertizers and companies and individuals…..nothing against the law or criminal but would just as affectively destroy a person, their family or company just as effectively…..look at how people who disagree with Trump have targeted his family as an example. Imus, The Duck Family……it cuts both ways
Bill Buckley got on the map when he wrote “God and Man at Yale”. In the early fifties. Never rad that book by Shirer but am familiar with his work.
The funny part about all this is just the ability to look at things objectively. Now I am every bit as pissed off at some of Trump’s stunts as his most ardent hater. the difference is I see the alternative to him and that ain’t pretty. As I told my scouts the other night during our Citizenship class, on many issues there is very little difference between Donald Trump and Teddy Roosevelt. But, Roosevelt had class and Trump does not. Is that Trump’s fault? Hell no, it is the society we all live in. Teddy lived in a time when civilization was actively trying to improve. Trump lives in a time when true civilization is devolving and the “western way” out and out rejected.
On FB there was a Charlie post about who would live elsewhere than the US if they could. The litany of US haters is just beyond belief. I had to respond by pointing out, we never invented slavery (though some think we did) and if we were not here you guys would all be singing “Deutchland Uber Alles” now, those of you that had at least 60% Aryan blood that is.
There was a wonderful piece on the radio the other day by an academician who thinks we should have stuck with Britain and been Canada South. This from an academic. If you really thought about that, there would have been no English settlement West of the Mississippi, France and Spain would have kept it all. Alaska would be Russian, perhaps part of the pacific Northwest too. They know NO history at all and are incapable of looking at the other side. Most pathetic bunch of A-holes you can imagine.
.
Great book…..it is in my library.
“A subtle, creeping paralysis of freedom of thought and speech is attacking college campuses in many parts of the country, limiting both students and faculty in the area traditionally reserved for free exploration of knowledge and truth.
These limitations on free inquiry take a variety of forms, but the net affect is a widening tendency toward passive acceptance of the status quo, conformity, and a narrowing of the area of tolerance in which students, faculty, and administrators feel free to speak, act, and think independently.
A study of seventy-two major colleges in the United States by the New York Times showed that many members of the college community were wary and felt varying degrees of inhibition about speaking out on controversial issues, discussing unpopular concepts, and participating in student political activity…..Such caution, in effect, has many campuses barren of the free give-and-take of ideas, the study found….It has brought to many college campuses an apathy about current problems that borders almost on their deliberate exclusion.”
This was published in by the eminent, respectable, conservative New York Times in 1949
Shire, traveled all over the country interviewing industry leaders, politicians, many of the campuses noted in the study, people from all walks of life in this country, his takeaway was that the study was accurate but he saw that what was happening on campus was but a reflection of the nation at large.
I read it over and over along side an old family friends diary. She had been born in Vienna before the turn of the 20th century. The family was Jewish and highly educated and fairly well to do. Honored soldiers in WWI, lost everything post WWI, Rebuilt their lives, the depression destroyed what was built again only to lose everything again in the late 30’s. Escaped to France then had to beat it again from Vichy. Wound up in the US eventually. The husband was a very well known educator at the University of Vienna. Could have taught anywhere here. But because of being Jewish cut opportunity and then being Germanic eliminated most of the rest. This was an educator who knew and worked with the greatest authors of the day, like Thomas Mann and many others. The University of Vienna, just the other year made a gesture of honor for one of their eminent educators, but was driven out by the political powers who were not Nazi at the time. but just one notch below. They built a bridge and named it after him and invited the surviving members to attend the ceremony. Death camps not established yet. Even parts of my family who were Lutheran emigrated to escape religious presecution and prosecution in Austria in the late 1800’s
Just to be fair….even though many members of my family came here to the US due to European prejudices, they themselves were intolerant. They founded a new church in Scranton, PA leaving the other Lutheran church in the neighborhood…..because….as I just found out….that there were to many Poles at the old one…..history repeats like the Pilgrims and Puritans….they were hugely intolerant of any contrary thought or religion.
Didn’t the Poles save the Europeans collective asses during the last Ottoman invasion of Europe in the late 1600’s
Jan Sobrieski and the Polish and German knights! Amazing, happened AFTER the Dutch settled New Amsterdam. Nobody knows about any of this stuff today.
You have read I am sure Teddy Roosevelt’s hyphenated American speech. Everybody landed here with prejudices. I like to think that the one absolutely positive thing that came out of the World Wars and the draft for us was the realization that the Kike, Wop, Spic, Nigger, Mick, Kraut, Polak, Hunkie (feel free to add) in the foxhole,cockpit, gun mount, trench, tank, next to me was not very different, not different at all. I often wonder and wish that I had asked Dad, about the attitudes he found when he came home from the war. Those between the guys who went and those who did not.
On film that had a tremendous impact on me as a young teen was Arthur Kennedy in “Bright Victory” (1951) The story of a US Sergeant from the South blinded in North Africa who goes through the VA rehab process, never realizing that the guy in the rack next to him, also blind, is black……..until. Won’t say another word.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043361/?ref_=nmbio_mbio
They try to portray racism in Vietnam…..it simply was not very prevalent at all. I did not care who was with me, next to me, or whatever….as long as he could shoot straight. But the one main thing that I noticed…..was we all had red blood. And when it came to saving lives, it did not matter who breathed life back into you…..we simply did not care.
I did not see racism in Kuwait…and I did not see it in Afghanistan. The color of your skin did not designate who walked point or who crawled into spider holes or caves. There is a movie out called Platoon…supposedly about a young man who volunteered for Vietnam. The only real thing about the movie was the ending and the confusion of battle. This shit about raping 12 year old women and butt stroking mentally ill kids was hollywood bull shit. You did not put a 45 pistol to the head of any civilian and threaten to shoot them and eventually do it.
The Oliver Stone movie, “Pertoom” (the way my 1st Sgt pronounced it), was supposedly based on his experiences in Vietnam with “Tropic Lightning” the 25th ID. A former tenant of mine who was there for that climactic battle said they got that part absolutely right, the rest of the movie, not so much.
Frankly I could never get past the part where the two Sgts. played by Beringer and Dafoe went at it. Not in the army I was in. It was a good flic but like , “Apocalypse Now” was way too pretentious and artsy.
Yes, I have been in two battles there where we were partially over run….it is just as confusing as they portrayed it….all you hear is shooting and RPG’s going off….you stayed in your hole and just protected your perimeter until the sun comes up. Had two danger close fire missions called in…..and one “drop it on my pod” mission…..not fun……but like you..I did not see the sgts go after it like that nor did I see any “fragging” going on.
Hollywood likes to portray racism and major drug use to discredit the military. It gets old.
Actually did HEAR about two Sgts. going at it. In AIT we had a company mess and the Mess Sgt. was selling off food. When we did a field problem, erecting the fabulous Bailey Bridge, we ran out of chow half way trough the company line. Our acting Field First, a Staff Sgt. jumped in a jeep, came back an hour later with bread, rolls, cold cuts etc for us. That night, we found he had kicked the crap, literally, out of the Mess Sgt. Now, if you gotta go to Viet-nam, just who would you like to take you?
More wits of wisdom from “The Colonel”………..
God, created the dog and said: ” Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of 20 years.” The dog replied, ” that is a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I give you back the other ten.” God agreed.
Then God created the monkey and said: ” Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I will give you a 20 year life span.” The monkey thinks this over and wants the same deal as the dog and God agreed.
The God creates the cow: ” YOu must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer’s family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.” The cow thinks it over and says..”that is a tough life for 60 years. How about a 20 year life and I will give back the other 40 years.” God agrees again.
NOW…God creates the human…” Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I give you 20 years.” But the human says…” Only 20 years? Could you possibly give me my 20, the 40 the cow gave back, the 10 the monkey gave back and the 10 that the dog gave back? That makes 80 years.” Gad said, “Ok, remember you asked for it.”
So, that is why for our first 20 years we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves. For the next 40 years, we slave in the sun to feed our family. For the next 10 years we do monke tricks to entertain our grandchildren…and for the last 10 years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life…has now been explained to you.
Good!
“That’s why the midterm election in a year and a half are so important,” he said. “Let me just give you two words and why they’re important: subpoena power. If the Democrats control the House, we can control the subpoenas, that means we can do a real investigation, and demand documents and have witnesses come and testify. That’s why the midterm elections are so important in the year and a half.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/ted-lieu-dem-trump-obstructed/2017/05/13/id/789956/?ns_mail_uid=25364429&ns_mail_job=1730796_05132017&s=al&dkt_nbr=pblhqz6n
Now we know why the Russian hoax is so important.
Bad joke day….
1) Can February March?….No. but April May.
2) What did the fish say when it ran into a wall………..DAM.
(wait, they get worse)
3) Mexican jokes and black jokes are pretty much the same……when you have heard Juan, you have heard Jamal. ( Progressives will see this one as racist and not politicall correct )
4) What do you call someone with no body and a nose……..Nobody knows.
5) When I found my toaster was not waterproof……I was SHOCKED !
( no, they do not get better )
6) What does a mermaid wear to math class……An algae bra.
7) What do you call an alligator in a vest…..in investigator ( sound it out )
8) What did the buffalo say to his son when he left for colleg……..Bison.
Had enough? NO?
9) I gave my dead batteries away………..free of charge.
10) What do you call a Mexican with a rubber toe…………….Roberto…( Get over it )
11) If you can think of a better fish joke…………..Let minnow.
Done?
12) I am so bright….my mom calls me son.
13) Change is hard…………..ever try bending a coin.
Ok Enough is enough……
Hey, I laughed out loud at most of them. 🙂
If you can think of a better fish joke…………..Let minnow.
Three blonds are sitting by the side of a river holding fishing poles with lines in the water. A game warden comes up behind them and says, “Excuse me, ladies, I’d like to see your fishing licences.” said the game warden.
“But officer,” replied the second blond, “we aren’t fishing. We all have magnets at the end of our lines and were collecting debris off the bottom of the river.”
The game warden lifted up all the lines and, sure enough, there were horseshoe magnets tied on the end of each line. “Well, I know of no law against it. Take all the debris you want.” Then he left.
As soon as he was out of sight, the three blondes started laughing. “What a stupid fish cop!” The third blonde said to the others, “Doesn’t he know that there are steelhead trout in this river?!”
TA DA…..Boom……..good one.
The war is on,,,,,,,, :::ahem::: I bet jellyfish are sad that there are no peanut butter fish.
OBJECTION! Jellyfish aren’t fish.
Compliments of Robert A. Heinlein:
(via a self-aware AI in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress)
How is a laser like a goldfish?
…
…
…
…
…
Because neither one can whistle!
Overruled because the joke was funny til you came barking. And your joke is lame. Arf!
What did the fish say when he posted bail?
“I’m off the hook!”
Why don’t fish like basketball?
Cause they’re afraid of the net
Which fish can perform operations?
A Sturgeon!
What do you get when you cross a banker with a fish?
A Loan shark! How
Why did the vegan go deep-sea fishing?
Just for the halibut!
——-
And now, an excerpt from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein:
(Mike, short for Mycroft Holmes, is the Lunar Authority mainframe computer which has developed spontaneous self awareness.)
Anyway, what is the difference between a piano and a fish?
You can tune a piano but you cannot tuna fish.
Happy Mom’s Day ladies!
YUP……happy day to all you moms out there.
Thank you fellas.
Have I gained my .000001 point back yet?
Well, you were really supposed to send beef, but cool jokes will work .
Ahhh…..how about a really neat Colonel prophecy? :::::ahem::::: (clearing throat) mi mi mi mi… ::warming up vocals::::……
Ok, here goes……. If the human population joined and held hands around the equator…A significant portion of them would drown.
And then this one to go to bed on……………………..
I once lost my watch at a club. I knew I would probably never find it…but I decided to try. Sure enough I found it, but there was this dude standing on it. The worst part was that he was being very handsy with this woman. When she made herself very clear that she was not interested..HE slapped her. Well, that is when I sprang into action and kncoked the man out, because you don’t hit a woman….not on my watch!
Good night !
Thanks—come tomorrow I will have been married for 40 YEARS!
V
Congratulations. Mom’s day and anniversary all wrapped in one. Awsome.
congrats
Congrats VH and Mr. VH 🙂
“The most eminent Americans talked in grave tones about the evil influence of “alien philosophies” which, they said, were corrupting the American Way of Life. Former President Hoover warned against them as did General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. I gathered that if a philosophy were “alien” it was ipso facto bad for an American.
But were not almost all of our philosophies and our very religion, from which we received so much of our philosophy of life—–were they not “alien”? Christianity certainly was. It came from a foreigner in the faraway Near East. The Roman Catholic version came from a foreign source—–from Rome. The Protestant interpretation came from “aliens” Luther and Calvin. The concept of the life of reason came to us from over the seas—from the “alien” Greeks. We got something else from the Greeks—democracy. Should we abandon it because it was “alien”.
And what, I wanted to know, was all this strange talk about un-american? There was a body of the House of Representatives in Washington called the “un-american committee” There were similarly named committees in some of the state legislatures. They seemed to be busy ferreting out citizens they said were “un-american.” But on what authority and on what definition? The Constitution did not give such specific power to anyone. It did not define “un-americanism”. Nor did our illustrious founding fathers. Judging by what they said and wrote—-in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, for example—the very idea would probably have struck them as preposterous.”
“At first, that year, I could not believe my eyes, or my ears. Everywhere I went a surprisingly large number of people seemed afraid. Of what, in God’s name? Of becoming involved in controversy, they said, of getting in trouble by expressing an opinion that somebody might not like.
That WHO might not like?
Well they said, hesitantly and usually in a whisper (was I back in Germany under the snooping nose of the Gestapo, I wondered), the government, or the FBI, or some loyalty board, or the University Board of Trustees, or the moguls in Hollywood, or the sponsors of a TV or radio program, or the local newspaper, or any one of a hundred groups of self appointed vigilantes—or even your boss at the office or your next door neighbor….
“You will be destroyed if you don’t watch out” they warned. And they mumbled something about smears, black lists, character assassination, guilt by association and other sinister practices that I had never heard of in America though I am not unfamiliar with them after a long sojourn in the totalitarian regimes.”
The best thing, they said, is to keep your mouth shut and your thoughts to yourself….It’s safer that way””””
more passages from “Midcentury Journey” by William L. Shire. transcribed from his chapter on America
And this onr for you Dale…….I was laying down by a sniper and his spotter when the Sniper fired his shot…..His spotter was wondering what the last thing going through his mind was.. the Sniper said….probably my bullet.
In the book, “Lost Battalions” about the black experience in WW 1 as well as the “Lost Battalion” composed mostly of immigrants from the Lower East Side, the author takes the last few chapters to go into “the Red Scare” of post WW 1. Even soldiers who had received DSC’s and the MOH were labelled “reds” when they advocated for either Peace or benefits for their compatriots. Don’t forget how the Government treated the Bonus Marchers.
Now having said that, there were some very real dangers presented by the Communists and the Anarchists who were not nice people and had a good record of toppling governments while only a small but well coordinated minority backed by a cadre of well meaning useful idiots. .
As you remind me of Shirer, and what I read years ago, I think he is making the mistake of comparing the Nazi brutality with Americans who may have been doing it the wrong way but were trying to prevent the establishment of a Fascist/Communist tyranny here. One wonders always if the Weimar Republic had used brutal methods against the Nazi’s if they could have prevented their rise?
I do not know if there is a moderate middle-of-the-road answer. If you absolutely know what the outcome would be of a Communist/Fascist takeover of the country, what lengths would you go to to prevent it? Kinda of why I was always interested in Franco and Spain. he went pretty damned far to stop the Communists yet never lost sight of what he wanted to establish in his country though it took over 30 years. I’m sure Bill Shirer hated his guts at the time, yet Spain became a Constitutional democracy. We will never know the outcome if the “republican” side had won and been betrayed by the Communists. I know less about it but Pinochet seemed to follow the same pattern in Chile the difference being he stepped on the Communists HARD and early preventing a possible civil war allowing Chile to return to democratic rule a whole lot sooner.
Happy Mothers Day!!!!
And to start the day…..a friend of mine from New York named Mathius….said he bought a new stick of deodorant and when he read the instructions, it said remove the cap and push up bottom…He told me he could barely walk but whever he farted, the room smelled great.
🙂
You still on pain meds?
Therein lies the problem….nope…no pain meds, no booze, no drugs, no caffeine…..nothing.
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/05/russian_hacking_and_collusion_put_the_cards_on_the_table_.html
Ever wonder if clouds look down on us and say, “Hey look…that one is shaped like an idiot. ”
Written on a Dr Pepper can…..If we were not meant to have midnights snacks, why is there a light in the fridge?
I heard Gman make a statement once….”Never mistake my silence for weakness. No one plans a murder out loud.
This is for Dale….. ” As I have grown older, I’ve learned that pleasing everyone is impossible but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.”
Then there is Buck the Walla, sitting on the edge of his bed looking forlorn at his feet….realizing that awkward moment when you are wearing Nike’s and you can’t do it.
For VH…..remember that after Tuesday, the calendar goes W T F….jus saying……
And then there is Anita….who once remarked…..I’d walk through fire for my best friend…well, not fire, that would be dangerous..perhaps a super humid room but not too humid because, you know, my hair………
Stephen is not to be left out for his peral of wisdom……so……I’ve reached that age where my brain went from ” You probably should not say that” to ‘What the hell, let’s see what happens!”
TRay was looking at a California politician the other day, thinking to himself…Just once, I would actually like to see a liar’s pants catch fire…..
Not to leave JAC out who says to Mathius…….I DO NOT HAVE AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM…You have a problem with my attitude and that is not MY problem.
Well, let’s see…..I am sure I have left somebody out….but remember this, If you fart loudly in public……just yell…”JET POWER” and start walking faster.
FINAL WORD TO ALL YOU MOTHER’s OUT THERE>………..here is your child’s definition of Mom.
Mom…a woman who loves you unconditionally….
Momster…What happens to a mom after she counts to three.
ADIOS.
Sir….you caught me…..I have long since stopped trying to please anyone, getting to old to play games, their games…..and yes I am never surprised as to how fast I can piss somebody off….especially family when I refuse to pay their games and buckle down to their plans for me.
I always like solo sports activities, much more than team sports. So if I had been in the Army or Marine Corps, I probably would have gravitated towards being a sniper.
Let us all fall back on the wisdom of John Adams, “I am obnoxious and disliked”
Take note. Today may be the first day of a new narrative from the Dems regarding Mr. Trump’s campaign and the Russians. To date the meme is always about “investigating collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.”
This cute little narrative is still out there, used as fact in many editorials. Including those calling for impeachment for obstruction of justice.
But I want you to notice the subtle change in the words used by a Democrat today, in an editorial today at The Hill.
“Senators had assumed before this week that the FBI would be doing most of the heavy investigative lifting in finding out whether members of Trump’s campaign or transition team had special knowledge of Russian efforts to influence the election.”
See that? It is now “had special knowledge”.
Let’s see if this becomes the new talking point as it becomes apparent there is no investigation of Mr. Trump colluding with the Russians. That the investigation is focused on THREE and only THREE People who were in the Trump campaign.
Reminds me of the “shape shifters” on an early “Star Trek” episode. They are what you want at the moment and are capable changing completely at your whim.
So the term now is “Special Knowledge” isn’t that what Obama, HRC and all the intelligence agencies and all the politicians with “Never Trump” in their daily speeches had.
Okay, I’m gonna have to read this a couple more times but it’s interesting.
https://pjmedia.com/andrewmccarthy/2017/05/13/what-crime-would-a-special-prosecutor-prosecute/
In reality he would be forced early on to pick someone “neutral” actually, probably, less than neutral. That person would then feel obligated to find something, anything. The agenda of the administration would go out the window for the entire time. In addition when the final report was issued showing no collaboration of any kind by anyone who had anything serious to do with the campaign, the ink would not be dry on the report before the claims of “pay off”, “whitewash”, cover-up” hit the media circus.
Last night I watched an interesting presentation on C-Span by a woman Historian discussing “women in the Army” in the 1st World War.
Part of her talk had to do with the “hypocrisy” of asking women to serve yet denying them the right to vote. She then veered off her prepared speech in an interesting way. She actually said “hypocrisy is a good thing”. Ah! Why you may ask?
Well, it turns out that she thinks (I agree) that most people are aware of either being or accepting it. That in turn will eventually change it! It will be rejected exactly because it is fake.
She then went on to cite Tom Jefferson’s writings on “I tremble for my country.” I just looked up the piece he wrote. Never saw it before. Summarizes old Tom’s dilemma very will Also instructive for us “deep thinkers”.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/jefferson/ch18.html
https://thehornnews.com/ivanka-trump-investigating-obamas-lies-media-busted/
Toyota opening its new headquarters today in Dallas…..7 buildings. Pretty impressive campus. They are moving 200 to 300 employees in per week through December. That’s a lot of folks.
Thief. Stole them from CA no doubt.
Actually, I do not know where they came from….but they opened in North Dallas where everybody else is putting their corporate headquarters.
Henry rifles is moving its HQ later this year along with Remington Arms company. Long time staple Connecticut Valley Arms is moving to Texas as well this year.
Texas is being sued by several states for “sniping” off corporations. I dont know what the courts can say about it but you know Texas….much to the consternation of our friend Mathius….we wont pay attention to it anyway. But, thanks to the dems/progressives**** who love this selective prosecution and selective laws they wish to follow, it was a great lead. Thanks.
**** this does not include Mathius who actually is an advocate of following the law and changing it if you do not like it.
Interesting, Henry as a start up company opened a few decades back out of Brooklyn, Of course Remington was out of Illion NY. The “gun” climate in NY State thanks to a string of bag governors and inept legislatures basically drove them out. NJ had been the HQ for Val Forgett’s “Navy Arms Co.” The guys who basically invented reproductions of classic Colt’s, Springfields , Remingtons and Winchesters. They went to West VA.
Remington Arms is located on one of my ancestor’s original family farm (Clapsaddle). Eliphalet purchased the farm in 1828 from the grandson of the original 1733 immigrant. The neighboring farm to the south was owned by Maj. Augustinus Clapsaddle, KIA 239+ years ago at the battle of Oriskany as was his kid brother Pvt. Jakob. Brother pvt.Andreas (my ancestor) inherited the home place and brother Pvt. (later (Col.)Wilhelm bought Augustinus’ farm from the widow. Andreas’ son John A. sold the original farm to Remington because it had frontage on the Eire Canal. Augustinus’ and Wilhelm’s was purchased by a member of the (Eli) Whitney family about 1850. Their son then married one of the Clapsaddle girls bringing that farm back into the family until about 1960. It remained in the estate until the late ’80s when Jim Parker (a Steele and Clapsaddle descendant) purchased the farm again bringing it back into the family. All 4 brothers fought at the Battle of Oriskany.
Must be nice to be able to go that far back.
I use this image as my wall paper on my PCs. The sawmill and foremost barn are gone. The large barn on the left has been added to and there is another machine shed behind the sugar shack. The original house was burned by Indians during the Revolution and rebuild on the original foundation. It is still standing. Jim Parker restored it.
Every time I watch “Drums along The Mohawk” I have to remind myself that those events did not occur terribly far from where I lived.
These people lived the real Drums Along the Mohawk. I did not mention that a fifth brother was killed by Indians in 1780 just outside of Herkimer. Their sister Catherine Clapsaddle Moyers lost 2 young boys (speared simultaneously) and had a daughter (4 yr old Little Eva) captured and eventually ended up in French Canada. She returned years later as a young woman and could only remember that her father had one leg and was making ammunition at Fort Herkimer when the Indians attacked. Her father, Joseph Moyers, indeed had lost a leg in an earlier attack. Eva had forgotten her German and spoke Indian and French.
Another ancestor Lt. Col. Frederick Peter Bellinger was captured at Oriskany. His cousin Col. Peter Bellinger helped organize the defense at Oriskany after Gen. Herkimer was wounded. Another ancestor Capt. Henry Harter was also in the battle. There were other relatives there as well.
The family is trying to organize a reunion this Aug. on the 240th anniversary of the battle. I would like to go. There is also a possibility that distant cousins from Germany may also show up.
Chief Joseph Brant and his Mohawk Indians came through the valley every fall and burned all the crops and graineries he could. Hence the settlers suffered many privations. In the worst year, Col. Bellinger actually stole grain from Washington’s cavalry reserves to feed the valley.
Does it ever stop…Miss USA, once again from Washington, DC….being blasted to day because she “is not black enough.” She says that health insurance is not a right…and BOOM…she is not “black” enough. Now, I have not even seen her, so I assume she is a lady of color. I do not know and do not care but to be labeled not “black” enough…interesting.
Doing away with the daily press conference……………good or bad and why?
What is wrong with prepared written statements….and a press conference once per quarter.
Do what the libs like best. Answer previously submitted written questions only.
Cancel them all together. The Media sucks anyway, why play with them? Send out weekly updates about what has been accomplished, take NO questions. Teach them a powerful lesson about abusing their 1st Amendment Rights. If they want to continue to be the opposition, shut them down and let them stew.
Conspiracies, rumor, misinformation are all the results of a lack of true information. Nature abhors a vacuum.
There are pros and cons.
The press loves the briefings because they get to feel like they’re sticking it to ‘the man’, especially Trump. If they would ask a question in 25 words or less, it would be one thing. But they all have to frame their questions in such a way as to get the answer they want.
Trump’s right, the ratings are high for the briefing. Why add to their ratings?
They all have their undisclosed sources anyway, why bother always having to be on defense. Written daily briefings are fine by me.
But then, we had to suffer Jay Carney and Josh Earnest, so Spicer should get equal time to fluster. I bet they will meet in the middle and do a weekly press briefing with questions. Hopefully with emphasis on brief questions.
Wow–Good question!
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/447623/wesleyan-president-michael-roth
BIG FAKE NEWS STORY BUSTED!!!
ICE did NOT show up in Maspeth, Queens last week to deport a fourth grader. In fact an agent of the United States Government showed up to verify the child’s registration and address so that the United States Government could continue processing a request for United States Benefits for the immigrant child. Benefits will unfortunately not be forthcoming since the School, at the direction of the Chancellor and Mayor will NOT cooperate with the Federal Government. Hooray, we saved a few bucks!.
Good Grief- Let me break it down for you Toobin-you’re talking HE because you are a liberal stooge.
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/curtis-houck/2017/05/15/wow-cnn-guest-tells-cuomo-toobin-relax-stop-rhetorical-spin-comey
This spell check is a pain. Let’s try this again- the word is HE not HE,no HE . No B S
The guy clearly does not know what buck fever is.
Is this political enough for you folks? JAC? VH?
Can anyone tell me what was so significant about that day? Because it looks as if Roosevelt was trying to make the case for entering the war. It didn’t work, of course, not until there was cataclysmic event 88 days later.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Fireside Chat to the Nation, September 11, 1941
“When You See a Rattlesnake Poised to Strike, You Do Not Wait Until He Has Struck Before You Crush Him”
The Navy Department of the United States has reported to me that on the morning of September fourth the United States Destroyer Greer, proceeding in full daylight toward Iceland, had reached a point southeast of Greenland. She was carrying American mail to Iceland. She was flying the American flag. Her identity as an American ship was unmistakable.
She was then and there attacked by a submarine. Germany admits that it was a German submarine. The submarine deliberately fired a torpedo at the Greer, followed later by another torpedo attack. In spite of what Hitler’s propaganda bureau has invented, and in spite of what any American obstructionist organization may prefer to believe, I tell you the blunt fact that the German submarine fired first upon this American destroyer without warning, and with deliberate design to sink her.
Our destroyer, at the time, was in waters which the Government of the United States had declared to be waters of self-defense — surrounding outposts of American protection in the Atlantic.
In the North of the Atlantic, outposts have been established by us in Iceland, in Greenland, in Labrador and in Newfoundland. Through these waters there pass many ships of many flags. They bear food and other supplies to civilians; and they bear materiel of war, for which the people of the United States are spending billions of dollars, and which, by Congressional action, they have declared to be essential for the defense of our own land.
The United States destroyer, when attacked, was proceeding on a legitimate mission.
If the destroyer was visible to the submarine when the torpedo was fired, then the attack was a deliberate attempt by the Nazis to sink a clearly identified American warship. On the other hand, if the submarine was beneath the surface of the sea and, with the aid of its listening devices, fired in the direction of the sound of the American destroyer without even taking the trouble to learn its identity — as the official German communique would indicate — then the attack was even more outrageous. For it indicates a policy of indiscriminate violence against any vessel sailing the seas — belligerent or non-belligerent.
This was piracy — piracy legally and morally. It was not the first nor the last act of piracy which the Nazi Government has committed against the American flag in this war. For attack has followed attack.
A few months ago an American flag merchant ship, the Robin Moor, was sunk by a Nazi submarine in the middle of the South Atlantic, under circumstances violating long-established international law and violating every principle of humanity. The passengers and the crew were forced into open boats hundreds of miles from land, in direct violation of international agreements signed by nearly all Nations including the Government of Germany. No apology, no allegation of mistake, no offer of reparations has come from the Nazi Government.
In July 1941, an American battleship in North American waters was followed by a submarine which for a long time sought to maneuver itself into a position of attack. The periscope of the submarine was clearly seen. No British or American submarines were within hundreds of miles of this spot at the time, so the nationality of the submarine is clear.
Five days ago a United States Navy ship on patrol picked up three survivors of an American-owned ship operating under the flag of our sister Republic of Panama — the S.S. Sessa. On August seventeenth, she had been first torpedoed without warning, and then shelled, near Greenland, while carrying civilian supplies to Iceland. It is feared that the other members of her crew have been drowned. In view of the established presence of German submarines in this vicinity, there can be no reasonable doubt as to the identity of the flag of the attacker.
Five days ago, another United States merchant ship, the Steel Seafarer, was sunk by a German aircraft in the Red Sea two hundred and twenty miles south of Suez. She was bound for an Egyptian port.
So four of the vessels sunk or attacked flew the American flag and were clearly identifiable. Two of these ships were warships of the American Navy. In the fifth case, the vessel sunk clearly carried the flag of our sister Republic of Panama.
In the face of all this, we Americans are keeping our feet on the ground. Our type of democratic civilization has outgrown the thought of feeling compelled to fight some other Nation by reason of any single piratical attack on one of our ships. We are not becoming hysterical or losing our sense of proportion. Therefore, what I am thinking and saying tonight does not relate to any isolated episode.
Instead, we Americans are taking a long-range point of view in regard to certain fundamentals and to a series of events on land and on sea which must be considered as a whole — as a part of a world pattern.
It would be unworthy of a great Nation to exaggerate an isolated incident, or to become inflamed by some one act of violence. But it would be inexcusable folly to minimize such incidents in the face of evidence which makes it clear that the incident is not isolated, but is part of a general plan.
The important truth is that these acts of international lawlessness are a manifestation of a design which has been made clear to the American people for a long time. It is the Nazi design to abolish the freedom of the seas, and to acquire absolute control and domination of these seas for themselves.
For with control of the seas in their own hands, the way can obviously become clear for their next step — domination of the United States — domination of the Western Hemisphere by force of arms. Under Nazi control of the seas, no merchant ship of the United States or of any other American Republic would be free to carry on any peaceful commerce, except by the condescending grace of this foreign and tyrannical power. The Atlantic Ocean which has been, and which should always be, a free and friendly highway for us would then become a deadly menace to the commerce of the United States, to the coasts of the United States, and even to the inland cities of the United States.
The Hitler Government, in defiance of the laws of the sea, in defiance of the recognized rights of all other Nations, has presumed to declare, on paper, that great areas of the seas — even including a vast expanse lying in the Western Hemisphere — are to be closed, and that no ships may enter them for any purpose, except at peril of being sunk. Actually they are sinking ships at will and without warning in widely separated areas both within and far outside of these far-flung pretended zones.
This Nazi attempt to seize control of the oceans is but a counterpart of the Nazi plots now being carried on throughout the Western Hemisphere — all designed toward the same end. For Hitler’s advance guards — not only his avowed agents but also his dupes among us — have sought to make ready for him footholds and bridgeheads in the New World, to be used as soon as he has gained control of the oceans.
His intrigues, his plots, his machinations, his sabotage in this New World are all known to the Government of the United States. Conspiracy has followed conspiracy.
For example, last year a plot to seize the Government of Uruguay was smashed by the prompt action of that country, which was supported in full by her American neighbors. A like plot was then hatching in Argentina, and that Government has carefully and wisely blocked it at every point. More recently, an endeavor was made to subvert the Government of Bolivia. And within the past few weeks the discovery was made of secret air landing fields in Colombia, within easy range of the Panama Canal. I could multiply instance upon instance.
To be ultimately successful in world mastery, Hitler knows that he must get control of the seas. He must first destroy the bridge of ships which we are building across the Atlantic and over which we shall continue to roll the implements of war to help destroy him, to destroy all his works in the end. He must wipe out our patrol on sea and in the air if he is to do it. He must silence the British Navy.
I think it must be explained over and over again to people who like to think of the United States Navy as an invincible protection, that this can be true only if the British Navy survives. And that, my friends, is simple arithmetic.
For if the world outside of the Americas falls under Axis domination, the shipbuilding facilities which the Axis powers would then possess in all of Europe, in the British Isles, and in the Far East would be much greater than all the shipbuilding facilities and potentialities of all of the Americas — not only greater, but two or three times greater — enough to win. Even if the United States threw all its resources into such a situation, seeking to double and even redouble the size of our Navy, the Axis powers, in control of the rest of the world, would have the manpower and the physical resources to outbuild us several times over.
It is time for all Americans, Americans of all the Americas to stop being deluded by the romantic notion that the Americas can go on living happily and peacefully in a Nazi-dominated world.
Generation after generation, America has battled for the general policy of the freedom of the seas. And that policy is a very simple one — but a basic, a fundamental one. It means that no Nation has the right to make the broad oceans of the world at great distances from the actual theater of land war unsafe for the commerce of others.
That has been our policy, proved time and time again, in all our history.
Our policy has applied from the earliest days of the Republic — and still applies — not merely to the Atlantic but to the Pacific and to all other oceans as well.
Unrestricted submarine warfare in 1941 constitutes a defiance — an act of aggression — against that historic American policy. It is now clear that Hitler has begun his campaign to control the seas by ruthless force and by wiping out every vestige of international law, every vestige of humanity.
His intention has been made clear. The American people can have no further illusions about it.
No tender whisperings of appeasers that Hitler is not interested in the Western Hemisphere, no soporific lullabies that a wide ocean protects us from him — can long have any effect on the hard-headed, far-sighted, and realistic American people.
Because of these episodes, because of the movements and operations of German warships, and because of the clear, repeated proof that the present Government of Germany has no respect for treaties or for international law, that it has no decent attitude toward neutral Nations or human life — we Americans are now face to face not with abstract theories but with cruel, relentless facts.
This attack on the Greer was no localized military operation in the North Atlantic. This was no mere episode in a struggle between two Nations. This was one determined step toward creating a permanent world system based on force, on terror, and on murder.
And I am sure that even now the Nazis are waiting to see whether the United States will by silence give them the green light to go ahead on this path of destruction.
The Nazi danger to our Western world has long ceased to be a mere possibility. The danger is here now — not only from a military enemy but from an enemy of all law, all liberty, all morality, all religion.
There has now come a time when you and I must see the cold, inexorable necessity of saying to these inhuman, unrestrained seekers of world conquest and permanent world domination by the sword: “You seek to throw our children and our children’s children into your form of terrorism and slavery. You have now attacked our own safety. You shall go no further.”
Normal practices of diplomacy — note writing — are of no possible use in dealing with international outlaws who sink our ships and kill our citizens.
One peaceful Nation after another has met disaster because each refused to look the Nazi danger squarely in the eye until it actually had them by the throat.
The United States will not make that fatal mistake.
No act of violence, no act of intimidation will keep us from maintaining intact two bulwarks of American defense: First, our line of supply of materiel to the enemies of Hitler; and second, the freedom of our shipping on the high seas.
No matter what it takes, no matter what it costs, we will keep open the line of legitimate commerce in these defensive waters.
We have sought no shooting war with Hitler. We do not seek it now. But neither do we want peace so much, that we are willing to pay for it by permitting him to attack our naval and merchant ships while they are on legitimate business.
I assume that the German leaders are not deeply concerned, tonight or any other time, by what we Americans or the American Government say or publish about them. We cannot bring about the downfall of Nazism by the use of long-range invective. But when you see a rattlesnake poised to strike, you do not wait until he has struck before you crush him.
These Nazi submarines and raiders are the rattlesnakes of the Atlantic. They are a menace to the free pathways of the high seas. They are a challenge to our sovereignty. They hammer at our most precious rights when they attack ships of the American flag — symbols of our independence, our freedom, our very life.
It is clear to all Americans that the time has come when the Americas themselves must now be defended. A continuation of attacks in our own waters, or in waters that could be used for further and greater attacks on us, will inevitably weaken our American ability to repel Hitlerism.
Do not let us be Hairsplitters Let us not ask ourselves whether the Americas should begin to defend themselves after the first attack, or the fifth attack, or the tenth attack, or the twentieth attack.
The time for active defense is now.
Do not let us split hairs. Let us not say: “We will only defend ourselves if the torpedo succeeds in getting home, or if the crew and the passengers are drowned.”
This is the time for prevention of attack.
If submarines or raiders attack in distant waters, they can attack equally well within sight of our own shores. Their very presence in any waters which America deems vital to its defense constitutes an attack.
In the waters which we deem necessary for our defense, American naval vessels and American planes will no longer wait until Axis submarines lurking under the water, or Axis raiders on the surface of the sea, strike their deadly blow — first.
Upon our naval and air patrol — now operating in large number over a vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean — falls the duty of maintaining the American policy of freedom of the seas — now. That means, very simply, very clearly, that our patrolling vessels and planes will protect all merchant ships — not only American ships but ships of any flag — engaged in commerce in our defensive waters. They will protect them from submarines; they will protect them from surface raiders.
This situation is not new. The second President of the United States, John Adams, ordered the United States Navy to clean out European privateers and European ships of war which were infesting the Caribbean and South American waters, destroying American commerce.
The third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, ordered the United States Navy to end the attacks being made upon American and other ships by the corsairs of the Nations of North Africa.
My obligation as President is historic; it is clear. It is inescapable.
It is no act of war on our part when we decide to protect the seas that are vital to American defense. The aggression is not ours. Ours is solely defense.
But let this warning be clear. From now on, if German or Italian vessels of war enter the waters, the protection of which is necessary for American defense they do so at their own peril.
The orders which I have given as Commander in Chief of the United States Army and Navy are to carry out that policy — at once.
The sole responsibility rests upon Germany. There will be no shooting unless Germany continues to seek it.
That is my obvious duty in this crisis. That is the clear right of this sovereign Nation. This is the only step possible, if we would keep tight the wall of defense which we are pledged to maintain around this Western Hemisphere.
I have no illusions about the gravity of this step. I have not taken it hurriedly or lightly. It is the result of months and months of constant thought and anxiety and prayer. In the protection your Nation and mine it cannot be avoided.
The American people have faced other grave crises in their history — with American courage, and with American resolution. They will do no less today.
They know the actualities of the attacks upon us. They know the necessities of a bold defense against these attacks. They know that the times call for clear heads and fearless hearts.
And with that inner strength that comes to a free people conscious of their duty, and conscious of the righteousness of what they do, they will — with Divine help and guidance — stand their ground against this latest assault upon their democracy, their sovereignty, and their freedom.
“Most of all you’ve got to hide it from the kids”
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/gerald-ford-and-george-h-w-bush-chairman-of-the-republican-party-meet-picture-id568873639
SUFA, you need to help me out here. WaPo reports that Trump leaked highly classified intel to the Russians during a meeting with their ambassador a few days ago. WaPo is quoting current and “former” officials as their sources. They also state that they were given information that they deemed to be highly classified and chose not to publish. Other officials who were present at the meeting denied that claims and state they are categorically false.
I have seen no information as to the motive of the leakers other than the obvious one of patriotism which could be a cover for their real motives. Also, how do former officials come by this insider information? And finally what is the motivation to publish for WaPo?
Now we know Trump is a negotiator. One of the tricks of the trade is to give a small amount of information or do a small favor that can obligate the recipient to return the favor. I have used the technique myself. It is like planting potatoes. Plant one and get ten in return.
Trump is unconventional for a politician because he is not one. Hence judging him by political standards is a fallacy.
Informed sources are never to be believed…….prove it. Let the source come forward….otherwise it is folly.
WaPo……BWAHAHAHA! Liberal Fake news that borders on grocery store tabloid. 🙂
The big question is…who is the leaker?
http://girlsjustwannahaveguns.com/theres-new-scandal-town-dncs-name/
Another example of why Democrats cannot be trusted.
Not so, G man……this is not just a democrat problem…it is a power struggle that has been building in Washington for a long time. I am not sure what term I would put on it but the term being used right now is elitist. This term used to be assigned to the rich…..I suggest that it is not. I am not one for conspiracy theories……hate them but when you see the media, high ranking Republicans, Democrats, and some facets of the rich all working for the same goal….I think you have the makings of a real conspiracy and we are falling for it.
I have been watching, very, very closey, the voting records and the actions of the Washington insiders….all parties….and those whom are called aides. I have been watching very closely the younger people that are in journalism. I see a very disturbing trend. I do not like John McCain any longer and I think he, and his ilk, are very behind the scenes dangerous.
Trump is a threat….but not to our National Security….he is a threat to the heirarchy. You are correct about one issue…….leaks. Who is doing it and why.
I watch these journalists theorizing about national security and there is NOT ONE of them qualified to render any type of decision nor theory….NOT ONE. So, I say this….
I think the POTUS should suspend the daily briefings and put out a strict written briefing an perhaps hold a quarterly question and answer briefing. I have completely changed my mind about objective reporting and the fact that journalist are the 4th estate.
So…….i think we need to eliminate the use of the term “informed sources” and “sources in the White House” and any some such terminology……I think that all sources should be revealed.
Anyone disagree?
I totally agree with the media stuff. End the daily briefings and treat them like the immature brats they really are. And for the record, I have informed sources too 🙂 Sadie and Rocko, my dogs, know everything BWAHAHA 😀
The Washington Post published its dubious story on President Trump leaking classified information to the Russians less than an hour after the bombshell news broke that murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich was in contact with Wikileaks and that DC Police were ordered to cover it up.
The coincidental timing has led many Trump supporters to accuse the Post of publishing their story in an attempt to distract the rest of the media from focusing on the massive new revelations in the Seth Rich case.
The Russian nonsense is coming unraveled. DC police confirm it was told to stand down on this info. If you wondered why the FBI wasn’t allowed to see the DNC server, we now have an real answer…..to LIE about the Russian collusion crap.
First of all, if he shares info on ISIS, I could only applaud. Radical Islamist’s have been Russia’s problem longer than ours. As I have repeatedly said we need allies in this fight and we sure ain’t gonna find them among our border-less Western European friends.
This new “leak” is possibly just made up. I would not put it past the Times or Post to bypass a source and use the “Magic 8 Ball”.
I seem to remember the left always complaining in the past about “too much secrecy”. It would behoove them all to remember that it is among the powers of the President to release any damn thing he wants. I believe FDR talked to Stalin and actually told him about D-day.
Lastly, MacMasters covers for nobody, at least not the MacMasters I’ve read.
OMG, we have the Democratic party power structure encouraging violence in the streets and actual Spys in our governmental institutions trying to actually make our President unable to govern. Not to mention using our judicial system as a political arm. And one question do the democrats actually want a war with Russia. They seem to-or is the President supposed to just ignore Russia for the next 8 years.
The best thing to come out of the last 18 months is the final stripping away of the veneer of respectability in the democratic party. They are who I thought they were in 1972, probably ’68 after Chicago when the forces of sanity were purged from the party.
We now get to see them for all they are. As I have said before, I have really not changed my right- moderate conservative, moderate libertarian positions since I left college in 1968. My friends say I have gone off the deep end but either they do not remember or, they have fallen off the left side of the see-saw. Much more likely. eg. Most used to be reluctantly pro abortion now they are rabidly pro abortion.
By the way, happy belated anniversary. Now you are in my league!
And stop calling them leakers—-They are friggin evil SPYS!!
http://thefederalist.com/2017/05/16/tips-for-reading-washington-post-stories-about-trump-based-on-anonymous-leaks/
https://thehornnews.com/dnc-staffers-murder-linked-clintons-wikileaks/
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
1. What does this mean in terms of how the government should handle him going forward? Should they avoid giving him classified information (I once joked about Bill Clinton having to summarize intel for President Hillary since she wouldn’t be able to get clearance).
Mathius
Your entire line of questions calls for speculation even beyond your assumption. Because you do not know what to assume beyond that he said something that caused somebody to give a heads up to the CIA and DNS. WHAT was actually told to the Russians??
Do you know what “code-word intelligence” means?
And your assumption cannot be true. Because POTUS cannot leak anything. Leaks are illegal in the context we are discussing.
P.S. The govt agencies should keep doing their job. It is not their place to decide what POTUS can and cannot see nor what he should or should not share.
It’s likek y just a made up story by the liberal WaPo. It may also be possible that Russia have us some Intel that we had to pass on to the NSA, nobody has thought to mention that yet…
More fake news for the Left to scream about for a few days. They will ignore the real DNC problem, that it’s coming out that they were never backed by the Russians as they lied about, knowingly lied about. It was a leak.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
2. Should he be impeached?
No.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
3. Should he be arrested and charged with a crime?
No.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
4. If – IF – the accusation is true, how do you compare this to Hillary’s email server?
Hillary committed a crime, several in fact. Mr. Trump has not.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
5. In light of the fact that Trump made soooo much hay from Clinton’s “lax” attitude toward national security / classified data, does his breech seem even more egregious than it might otherwise? (if I spend months mocking you for X, then I do X myself, surely I’m deserving of extra scorn, no?)
No.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
6. Why do you think he might have done it? Personally, I have no difficulty seeing him just showing off.
To cooperate with someone he wants to increase their efforts against ISIS and to protect people traveling on air planes.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
7. Do you make anything of him leaking to Russia, specifically, given all his past history with that country. Surely, after everything that’s happened and everything of which he has been accused, he should have been extra circumspect around them, no?
No. POTUS cannot allow the media and the Democratic party hacks to dictate his foreign policy and style due to fear of their stupid reflexive accusations.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
8. Is he likely to repeat? Does it matter?
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
9. Who will he blame and fire? Because, with this President, the buck stops elsewhere. My guess is that this is Conway’s fault somehow.
Someone in CIA or NSA leaked the information. I hope they find them and hang them in public.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.
10. Lastly, do you believe that he Republican controlled congress will investigate as seriously and aggressively as they would have if a similar accusation had arisen under President H. Clinton? Do you believe that they would either have been too hard on her (playing politics) or too soft on him (playing politics) or something else? I imagine that the Republicans would already have called for, and started to assemble, a select committee to investigate. Seeing as this is assuredly not going to happen under this Congress toward President Trump, what say you?
Yes I do. They will start tomorrow with CIA director testifying to House Intell Committee.
Questions for the asylum, but especially Colonel Snowflake:
11. Now, seeing as all we currently have is unnamed sources, we obviously have to question the veracity of the accusation. So, with that in mind, does the accusation – as it stands – justify further investigation? If so, what form do you believe that should take?
If Mr. Trump’s supposed tapes exist, can we subpoena them?
The ONLY investigation required is to find out who leaked the information to outside sources.
For the life of me I do not understand Mr. Matt’s position here. Classification can be dropped by the President anytime, anyplace for any reason. In this case we are sharing intel about terrorists which is mutually beneficial. In addition, I have no clue if Matt knows ANYTHING about HR McMasters but if he does not, he probably should. There is not a straighter shooter east of the Mississippi than him. If HE says no problem there is NO problem.
SK
I think Mathius’ questions have one objective and it has nothing to do with Trump. He sees hypocrisy in any support of Trump, because in his mind Trump is far worse than Obama or Clinton. Because we criticized them we must, in his mind, criticize Trump.
Give that man a prize!
Well.. no.. almost.
I don’t see hypocrisy in any support of Trump. I just see it in the current level of support being exhibited by SUFA.
I think you guys are giving him too many free passes.
If Clinton did any of this, you’d have your foot so far up her ass, whoever could pull it out would be crowned King of England.
And I think you are wrong. At least mostly. Well maybe partly.
For one thing, expectations of Clinton and Trump are different. So much of what bothers you about Trump is simply him not conforming to the model of what you see as proper or traditional. And that “behavior” is not worth getting tied in a knot over, from my view point. Other than to explain when he is creating problems for himself when he doesn’t need to.
Much of the attack on Trump is ginned up and exaggeration over minor things. Like taking his comment about the kinds of people Mexico was sending here and turning that into the narrative that he hated Mexicans, was denigrating all Hispanic people and was an outright racist.
But Trump and Clinton do have one thing in common. Neither of them would know the truth if it ran them over. Not if recognizing it would cause a hit to their ego or self idealized stature of themselves.
One thing you also ignore is that Trump is an unknown and untested commodity. Many of us have known what Clinton was for quite some time. So where you see some slack for Trump today, that same slack was given Clinton years ago. She wore it out. He is just getting started.
Then again maybe I am not the one who should be responding to your criticism. Given that I was one of the harshest here regarding him. The odd thing is that the more I see the phony attacks on the man the more I find myself defending him. Not necessarily what he is doing but at least against the attacks against him.
And I think V.H. has nailed it. You are watching as the Democratic Party and deep state, or elites if you like, work in concert with the media to destroy a Presidency. It is deliberate and malicious. And I find that far more disconcerting than the dopey guy we call Mr. President at the moment.
Can you post a list of Clinton’s accomplishments? The only thing she ran on was a continuation of Obama’s policies. Trump gives us something to cheer about. He’s going to end up helping you too. All aboard…
I don’t see hypocrisy in any support of Trump. I just see it in the current level of support being exhibited by SUFA.
I think you guys are giving him too many free passes.
I can see your point…..but your not seeing ours(mine).
Let’s look at things…..Trump going overseas to visit the three main Religious places in the world. The Liberal media can’t just say how they are against it, cuz they’ll be destroyed, so they need a subject to keep up the ratings.
Imagine a month long period without a thing to talk about “if your the media and need the ratings”, to pay the bills. This is quite possibly the main reason this country has become divided…….24 hour cable news, who require ratings.
Take them away and all the Bullshit goes with it.
As I said….
http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/wapo-reporters-erupt-cheers-over-trump-hit-piece
I think it’s unrealistic to expect the “mainstream” news to be kind or even neutral to Trump after he spent the entire campaign shitting all over them and has since declared them “the enemy of the American people.” (by the was, if declaring the free press the enemy of the people doesn’t sound like something a 3rd world dictator would say, I don’t know what is).
Fox News, which has been very pro-Trump is still the most watched channel, by far, and is part of the mainstream, no? So, maybe what you mean to say is we should get rid of the left-leaning cable news? Did you hold the opinion that Fox was to blame for much of the faux outrage during Obama’s tenure?
Did you advocate that Fox should go away?
Trump going overseas to visit the three main Religious places in the world.
If Obama had done this, Glen Beck would be screaming to the heavens that it’s proof that Obama was a secret Muslim and/or Muslim agent. Remember his so-called apology tour? Remember when he bowed to some king or another? This cuts both ways.
Did you criticize the media for that endless trope?
If Trump wants to visit some religious holy sites, I’m not sure what that’ll accomplish, but I have no issue with it. None. Go for it.
But we have to end the double-standards.
You can’t be outraged over the left’s overblown faux-outrage while having applauded the right’s overblown faux-outrage during the last administration. (I don’t know if this applies to you, specifically, but it certainly does to conservatives writ large).
————-
I do think that many in the media have become… combative.. toward the Trump administration. But I also think it’s well deserved in many places. He has been slandering them for more than a year now calling them petty names like “the failing NY Times” or branding them “fake news” even when they have a legitimate story/question.
He uses this to shut them down, to de-legitimize them. Of course they’re going to fight back. Why should the press roll over?
If we simply accepted the words of Trump as the truth and our sole source of news, we’d all know:
1. that he had the largest electoral win in recent history,
2. that he would have won the popular vote except for 5 million illegal voters (who, ostensibly, all voted for Clinton),
3. that his inauguration crowds were the largest in history,
4. that his hands and, er, manhood are exceptionally well endowed,
5. that he knows more about ships than the navy,
6. more about health care than anyone,
7. more about taxes than anyone,
8. has the best people,
9. has the best words,
10. that Obama founded ISIS,
11. that Ted Cruz’s father was the Zodiac killer,
12. that Jeb! Bush is low energy,
13. that Clinton started the Birther movement,
14. that the unemployment rate is 42%,
15. that there are 30-34 million illegal immigrants in the US,
16. that thousands of Muslims celebrated in the streets of NJ on 9/11,
17. that the economy is worse now than it was in ’09,
18. and that the murder rate is the highest in 47 years.
And that’s just off the top of my head, and ignoring the fact that he’s taken every side of virtually every issue depending on his mood, the time of day, his audience, whether he’s eaten recently, and the phase of the moon.
OF COURSE the press is combative. How are they, the supposed stewards of an informed populace, supposed to react to a man who treats them like crap and then spews out mountains of misinformation?
Again, I ask, why should the press simply roll over for the President?
Yes, I would prefer that they were truly “fair and balanced,” but that has to work both way. You can’t have Trump shutting them down as “fake news” every time they report a story he doesn’t like, and then expect them to be perfectly neutral in the next news cycle. Especially when he keeps giving them such easy fodder.
I defy you to show me any time that anyone here has ever called for Fox to go away and leave Obama in peace. Or Breitbart. Or Red State. Or or or or or or or or.
Maybe they aren’t being perfectly fair to Trump – I definitely believe that. And maybe they are hitting the ceiling over every minor issue – also true. But he has set them up to be his enemy, no?
And, more to the point, if y’all were ok with it when it was Fox/Breitbart/etc pummeling Obama constantly for 8 years, you don’t really have a leg to stand on when objecting to the media’s treatment of Trump.
——————
Imagine if I crap all over a coworker every day for a year, every chance I get, I pick on him, belittle him, talk shit to his boss, lie about him, misrepresent him, and call him juvenile nicknames. Should I then be shocked that he acts against me every chance he gets? Should I be surprised if he tries to undermine me or inflate the importance of my every misstep?
Mathius, I must disagree with you. The attacks on Trump are an order of magnitude more viscous than any of the attacks on Obama. Add to that the softball treatment that Obama got from the press, there is no comparison. I lived through Watergate and remember it well. The reporting was negative but no where near this nasty nor were the stories as fake as many of these have been.
Besides that, it’s bigger than any of what Mathius listed. Trump isn’t one of them. They, left and right combined, are after him, because he’s a threat to their club. He’s for Main St, they’re for Wall St. And there are trillions at steak, and Trump ain’t buying it.
It started when Trump got into the birth certificate conspiracy, and continued to the end of the campaign, with the comment about “At least I’ll go down as President”…and continues daily even now.
They say Trump is thin skinned. Maybe so, but they are as well.
There are statistics on how much time is spent attacking him. Far, far less than was spent on Obama who also wielded the executive order pen way too often on issues that the congress rightfully should be doing (but ain’t). nature abhors a vacuum and teh US Congress meets the definition of a vacuum very well.
Again, one must always remember with FOX, it is substantially different from the other channels in that it has prominent and COMMITTED conservatives on the air. Scarborough the only other real guy carrying a conservative label on one of the other channels and from a traditional conservative since 1964, he ain’t that conservative. he will drop principles to get along with folk. All well and good at a cocktail party but not so good as a representative of the people.
FOX also has an open door policy with real liberals like Juan Williams, the late Alan Combs and the big fat guy on “The Five”. In many cases, their “libertarians” like Kennedy espouse stuff that would be equally wacky coming from the left as often as the right. Like him or hate him, Tucker Carlson invites bright people on to push their agenda no matter how extreme. He could reach out to Neanderthals like the left does with the right but refuses to do so.
Mathius, I read articles on some Liberal news sites that are completely fake and total Lies. When the MSM states that Comey asked for more money for the Russian investigation only to be proven WRONG again, Then claiming firing Comey was Obstruction of Justice, which is even a bigger line of bullshit, they should be called what they are FAKE NEWS.
Keep in mind that CNN and the like are talking about this stuff daily, none of it is based on reality, it’s just hateful thinking. I mentioned sedition below and some of these faux journalists hiding behind the 1st Amendment can be arrested and charged. As can those who leak information that is used to harm the Administration and the info is false. All of these people are part of the Swamp and need removed.
And am I to believe that the conservative media never said a dishonest word about Obama?
Was his world tour really an “apology tour”?
Was he really born in Kenya?
Did he really have a gay lover? Is Michelle really a man?
Did he really confiscate everyone’s guns?
Was Obama really tunneling under Walmarts in anticipation of taking over Texas and imprisoning everyone in FEMA camps?
What about that time he was teleported to Mars?
Did he really orchestrate the Newtown massacre (or the appearance thereof)?
What about Orlando?
Boston?
Did he really have Scalia killed?
Was he involved in an underground pedophilia ring underneath a pizzeria?
Did he use his weather weapon to steer tornadoes?
Something something caliphate?
Did he ever get around to declaring martial law, cancelling the 2016 election, and appointing himself President for Life? (please say yes)
Come to think of it, where are those death panels?
How did he manage to be a Nazi, a Marxist, a fascist, a Maoist, a Bolshevik, and Trotsky-ite, socialist, and a gay Muslim Manchurian candidate.. all at the same time?
Did he really institute a one-world government?
Does he really hate America?
Are you so sure the right wasn’t, oh, I don’t know, a bit unfair to ol’ Barry?
Oh, and a personal favorite:
The President shares intel on bomb making locations and techniques with a country that has lost more citizens to terrorism (from the same perps) than we have. You have a problem with that?
The president, for 90 days wants to shut down immigration from countries that have a high incidence of terrorists. You have a problem with that? Especially since Carter did the same and Obama at least suggested it.
The president complains that drug dealers and drug gang members flood the border (and seem to head for Long Island) and you have a problem with that?
Do you have a problem with the media’s latest misstep over ICE coming to take away (NOT) the 4th Grader in Maspeth Queens? I sure as hell do! It has gone beyond media and incompetent reportage it is now pure evil action.
Listened to two dem asshole congresspersons today. One says outright NO Russian should be allowed in the White House. The other, this dumb bimbo from Florida wants to end relations and any conversation with arguably the 2nd most powerful country in the world. WTF ever happened to Glasnost and Peristroika? Putin presents far, far less danger to us now than the Soviets did. We now have common goals and had we not meddled in their sphere of influence, the Ukraine, nothing would have happened in Crimea and there would be no breakdown in relations.
Still have not seen EVIDENCE of Russian hacking or providing info to wikileaks. This dead Seth guy in DC seems to have something to do with it. Another Clinton unrelated, coincidental, death. MacDougall, Foster and Brown now finally have a fourth for Bridge.
http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/irs-officials-say-their-lives-are-danger-if-they-testify-about-tea-party-bias
Public hearing, period. They need to be shown on TV for their actions.
As I said above, with the Doug MacDougall, Ron Brown, Vince Foster and now Seth Brown coincidences, I too would be careful.
Say, how many people do you know or have an association with that have met weird ends?
So when will the cops stop covering for them (Clintons)?
Now someone might say-just because one person does it doesn’t make it alright but the way it is portrayed is the point!
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/kyle-drennen/2017/05/16/guests-remind-nbc-cnn-obama-gave-classified-intel-russia
At some point in time, I’m gonna guess that there will be arrests and charges of Sedition.
Sedition
A revolt or an incitement to revolt against established authority, usually in the form of Treason or Defamation against government.
Sedition is the crime of revolting or inciting revolt against government. However, because of the broad protection of free speech under the First Amendment, prosecutions for sedition are rare. Nevertheless, sedition remains a crime in the United States under 18 U.S.C.A. § 2384 (2000), a federal statute that punishes seditious conspiracy, and 18 U.S.C.A. § 2385 (2000), which outlaws advocating the overthrow of the federal government by force. Generally, a person may be punished for sedition only when he or she makes statements that create a Clear and Present Danger to rights that the government may lawfully protect (schenck v. united states, 249 U.S. 47, 39 S. Ct. 247, 63 L. Ed. 470 [1919]).
http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/have-democrats-and-media-signed-suicide-pact
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/16/dennis-kucinich-calls-high-bs-quotient-on-wapo-story-asks-who-leaked/
Good point made here, the leaks to the press are far more damaging to our intel efforts than then telling the Russians. It Kucinich also states that deep state is trying to overrule the policies of the president.
Paging Colonel Snowflake………paging Colonel Snowflake……… ::::silence:::::
:::::aides checking room discovering he is gone….note left on pilliow says….. “Gone to K Pax with once resident twilight zone member “::::::::
New aide appears in room…. “SIR, there is no more Colonel Snowflake…he has joined Elvis”
Perhaps I can refer to you D13 The Colonel, who is currently residing on Thor’s Hammer swilling grog, metzcal ( with worm ) and Dr Pepper….in that order. Since our resident twilight zone member has departed, Colonel Snowflake has also departed.”
::::waking D13 from 20 feet away so as not to have his head bashed in by some crazed retired old PTSD Colonel who knows nothing:::: “SIR…..SIR… your presence is required once again on SUFA….Mathius has challenged you.”
::::D13…slowly nodding his head and sighing heavily::::: Ok………I like Sir Mathius…..I shall respond to his qustions.”
Aide says’ ” But SIR, he is asking hypothetical impossible to answer questions.”
D13: ” No, son, he is testing me to see if I will be consistent with my convictions no matter who is President and no matter who asks the questions. I shall be there shortly. In the meantime, would you please awaken DPM ( very carefully ) and find out where the antidote is to this grog punch he invented.”
::::Rolling his eyes in anticipation of awakening a drunken sailor….the aide plods off:::::
Antidote?
There is no antidote.
There is only hair-of-the-dog.
What does my hair have to do with any of this?
::::while inquiring about his hair, Canine Weapon does not notice that a small patch is missing:::
D13 here……:::shaking head, clearing cobwebs::: Damn,,,,that grog….and what is up with mixing hair o’th’ dog with Red Bull…..geeeeez.
Ok….first allow me to say….the press of today, much less the last 30 or so years, are not stewards of anything and are simply not to be trusted. So, my answers are going to be couched in the fact that the reporting is completely false with intent to be false. That said….
::::D13 puts on hypothical hat…it does not fit well with the size of grog head but he manages::::
Begins studying very closely, Sir Mathius questions….
https://thehornnews.com/cnn-host-screaming-meltdown-live-tv/
National security adviser H.R. McMaster on Tuesday said President Trump did not jeopardize intelligence assets by revealing highly sensitive information to Russian officials, adding that Trump did not know where the intel came from. …
McMaster said Trump could not have endangered national security because he did not even know the source of the information he discussed.
“The president wasn’t even aware of where this information came from,” he said. “He wasn’t briefed on the source.”
OK, so Trump couldn’t have done what they claim he did, so they did it for him……..
In the New York Times this morning, an article alleged that Israeli intelligence was the source, citing “a current and a former American official familiar with how the United States obtained the information.” The NYT article then went on to blithely speculate about how that disclosure could damage U.S. relations with Israel — and, my goodness, just before Trump’s first visit there as president, to boot.
Hard on the heels of the NYT piece, the Wall Street Journal came out with one stating even more categorically that the source was Israel. Just so you won’t miss it, apparently, the authors made “Israel” the very first word of the story:
Israel provided the U.S. with the classified information that President Donald Trump shared last week with Russian officials, according to officials with direct knowledge of the matter.
http://libertyunyielding.com/2017/05/16/clear-attempt-sabotage-u-s-relations-intel-leakers-tell-media-trump-not-tell-russians/
A traitor in the midst of the Intel community. He/She will get caught. I have heard that they already think they know who.
I don’t even care if that’s true. It’s HYSTERICAL.
I’m going to try this with my boss next time he won’t read a long memo.
Is Reuters considered “fake news”?
Mathius……D13 here……I do not, sincerely do not, believe that there is a reliable news source out there any longer…..not one.
OK, but reliable or not, the idea of the NSC having to pepper their documents full of the Present’s name in order to get him to keep reading is, simply, hysterical!
I’d love to see how they’d try to shoehorn it in randomly.
[…] North Korean missile sites B-D are in the preliminary stages of becoming operational. At the current pace, they are expected to be completed by President Trump’s birthday. […]
[…] Syrian rebels took the town of Zyzzx today. It should be noted that chemical weapons have not been used again since President Trump ordered his bold retaliatory strike […]
[…] The Israelis and the Palestinians are at each other’s throats today, with 3 car bombs going off at Israeli checkpoints, killing 6 (plus 3 bombers). The two sides separately state their eager anticipation of the peace that Jared Kushner will be bringing to the region shortly at the direction of his father-in-law, President Trump […]
[…] Yet another cargo vessel carrying Caribbean rum was looted today off the coast of Laguna Madre. While there is no word on who is responsible, an 8lb cannonball was found lodged in the hull of the frigate. Confused crewmembers gave wild claims about bipedal (that means two-legged) dinosaurs carrying off crates to a Spanish Galley. The coast guard believes that the crew may be victim of some kind of airborn hallucinogenic drug used to incapacitate the crew. The coast guard looks forward to hearing President Trump’s plan for dealing with this scourge. […]
[…] A security alarm at Trump tower was set off today. The alarm was triggered when a Secret Service agent noticed that the United States flag had been replaced with a Jolly Roger, causing a lockdown. Though no trespasser was located, it was later found that President Trump’s private residence had been filled to capacity with empty rum bottles. It remains unclear how this was achieved. The investigation is ongoing […]
That actually is funny///
Of late, the answer is yes.
Note that this, like many other stories, is based on third of fourth party informants.
This is called here say evidence in the court of law. Do the validate the original information? No, they only validate the third or fourth party.
Reuters and the AP have both made a habit of quoting other media outlets as sources, without looking into the actual source.
And on your arguments about hypocrisy, they are as phony as a June day is long.
You cited stories spread by alternative media claiming them “conservative” new outlets. They are no such thing. The closest thing to a conservative news outlet or media was Fox. But that stopped about 4 years ago. You also said Fox was the most watched, but it is not and never has been. It was the most watched “cable” news outlet. ABC, CBS and NBC primary outlets have always had a much greater audience. CNN was king of the Cable world until Fox became established. And even then Fox only ruled in certain time slots until CNN revealed its true left wing bent.
Most of the claims you made about Trump statements and media stories are BS. You take them out of context in some cases but the worst is your habit of sticking actual or factual things in a list of absurd. This is a trick used to create the appearance of fraud by associating true things with absurd things.
One other point. Glenn Beck has been a “never Trumper” from pretty much the start. He has been ripping on Trump almost daily. Although he does rip on the media for its idiocy as well. He is now calling for investigation by Congress into what Trump told the Russians. AND………………… if the claims of the information shared are true that the R’s demand Trump resign.
You cited stories spread by alternative media claiming them “conservative” new outlets.
How convenient that you get to call your lunatics “alternative” and cleanse yourself of them.
Whereas all lunatics on “my side” are somehow tied to the liberal cause.
This is not the first time I’ve seen this from you, JAC. You absolve yourself and your “side” from responsibility/ownership of the actions of those who would discredit you, yet you insist, without substantiation, that the left bear full ownership of any and all left-leaning morons.
So someone like David Duke, who is assuredly a conservative, is somehow written off as a one-off nutcase. Yet someone like Glenn Greenwald, who is assuredly a liberal, is somehow indicative of the liberal mindset writ large and is living proof of a biased liberal media.
Are you honestly going to sit there and try to tell me that Alex Jones, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Hannity, and so on.. that they aren’t conservatives? That their shows aren’t conservative? That their millions of viewers aren’t conservatives? That they are somehow “alt” and that means the don’t count when we’re talking about media bias?
But I have to be saddled Keith Olbermann?
Mathius
“You absolve yourself and your “side” from responsibility/ownership of the actions of those who would discredit you, yet you insist, without substantiation, that the left bear full ownership of any and all left-leaning morons.”
I am throwing the BS flag on you Sir. First of all I have never tried to absolve myself of anything, second I have never claimed any of these sites represent “my side”. The closest thing to “my side” I have ever cited here is Mises or The Ayn Rand Institute. Although they are not exactly aligned either. And third, I have never claimed that crazy left wing sites, like Daily Kos represent all “liberals” or “left-leaning morons”. In fact I challenge you to find where I ever used such a term. In fact, I recall on several occasions pointing out there is no shortage of idiots on either side.
The issue on the table was the honesty or credibility of the “media” in general and the “mainstream media” in particular. You deliberately clouded the argument by including hack sites like “Info Wars” as conservative media.
Pick a category and stick with it. either we are discussing the primary media out lets or we are discussing all media, including the new media, on both left and right
As for the pundits you list. Alex Jones, I have no clue about him other than he is a manipulative nut whose livelihood depends on conspiracy and hyperbole. I expect you might find him more aligned with either libertarians or anarchists if tested. Rush Limbaugh, definitely “conservative” but sometime more Republican during an election cycle. Glenn Beck,, not “conservative”. More libertarian, although very conflicted at times. Sean Hannity. Looks like a conservative but at times fights harder for Republican that Conservative. But an IDIOT regardless.
If you’ll omit Daily Kos and HuffPo and their ilk from “my” side, I’ll omit Breitbart and InfoWars and their ilk from “your” side, deal? We’ll write off the lot of them as a bunch of hacks and morons and ship them off to an island somewhere in the North Atlantic. (I was going to say the Pacific, but I don’t think they’ve earned it).
———————–
I apologize if you feel I have misinterpreted your view(s). And, obviously, no site will perfectly align with your own views (unless you run it yourself), so I am referring to the larger general alignment of “generally left-leaning” vs “generally right-leaning” wherein you would be the later and I the former. Agreed?
———————–
The issue on the table was the honesty or credibility of the “media” in general and the “mainstream media” in particular.
Fine, the issue is on the table.
I present ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Reuters, AP, BBC, and many local fox affiliates as examples of centrist reliable reporting.
To the argument of leftward bias, I cede USA Today, and, lately, the NYT Editorial board (though not the paper in its entirety), as well as the Washington Post. I will give you certain shows on CNN and MSNBC, but not the stations in their entirety.
To the argument of rightward bias, I contend all of talk radio sans NPR (have you thrown Limbaugh in the trash with Breitbart or is he still fair game?), the entire “opinion” side of Fox (as opposed to their “news” programming), all of talk radio, and SUFA.
I contend that, when weighted for extremity of bias and for viewership, you will find that they are roughly even. I premise this intuitive opinion on the basis of the almighty invisible hand – the population of liberals and conservatives is relatively close (although, we apparently outnumber you by at least 5 million :P). Since people are generally the same everywhere, people tend to seek out bias-confirming media, thus liberals will tend to stick to liberal havens, and conservatives will stick to conservative havens. This apparently does not apply to myself. Thus, it seems reasonable to assume that the free market should saturate the supply to accommodate the demand in relative proportion.
The reason it might appear as if the media has skewed heavily left is two fold:
(1) Reality has a well established liberal bias.
(B) Trump and the conservatives in general have been bitching loudly about the liberal media for years now. Regardless of truth, this has the power to alter our perceptions of the truth to make it feel like the media is biased – “or else, why would every be saying it is.” I would compare this to “working the refs.”
(iii) Being the out of power party, the disaffection and relative impotence of the liberals allows us to throw bombs at authority with a freer hand. Put another way, Trump is an easy target. Maybe Pelosi would be a more worthy person to attack, but the general public doesn’t give a shit about her – they do care about the President.
(quatro) You sit on the right of the spectrum. It is logical that the voices most likely to permeate into your echo chambers will be the loudest, most obnoxious voices of the left. Whereas you are likely to tune out the obnoxious voices on the right. Similarly, I constantly see HuffPo pick up fringe politicians’ comments and parlay them into something way out of proportion – if I weren’t paying careful attention, it would be easy to conclude that the Republican chair of the zoning board in Bozeman, Montana “let slip” the secret racist thoughts of the broader conservative movement. Whereas, if he comes to your attention at all, you’re likely to see him as a one-off moron. By extension, if we suppose, just suppose, that 99.998% of the articles written by the Times, etc are genuinely neutral skew, are well researched, and represent empirical reality, it is the 0.002% which are going to be picked up and screamed about until they appear to you to be indicative of the Times as a whole.
(cinq) Additionally, the liberals are scared and vulnerable (much as conservatives were in ’09) and that leaves them prone to.. shall we call them flights of fancy.
Sean Hannity. Looks like a conservative but at times fights harder for Republican that Conservative. But an IDIOT regardless.
Isn’t that the worst thing in the world? When someone is nominally aligned with you, but is so stupid they wind up giving unwarranted fodder to the other side.
Ugh – makes me want to punch Olbermann right in his stupid mouth.
Mathius
Can we agree to put Hannity and Olbermann in the same boat and push them off to sea?
You have offered some thing I agree with and some I don’t. But I remind you once again to stop trying to put conservatives on the “right wing”. Not when you are talking to me directly.
You should remember that I have often chastised conservatives and republicans for being on the left side.
I have also tried to point out that much of your personal angst comes from your own issue of claiming to be “liberal or progressive” when that tribe has left you behind. You are in fact far more “conservative” than you are a “modern liberal”.
. You are in fact far more “conservative” than you are a “modern liberal”.
HEAR HEAR…..thank you, JAC.
You are in fact far more “conservative” than you are a “modern liberal”.
Oh really?
Oh really, now?
I want to take away your guns.
All of them.
I want to take them away and burn the lot of them.
And then I want to bury the ashes in an undisclosed location.
I believe in gay marriage.
I believe in abortion.
I think vaccines should be mandatory and refusal to administer (for non medical reasons) is child abuse/endangerment.
I believe the government should pay for everyone’s college (with constraints on quality of the program, chosen major, and GPA). Within certain narrow parameters, I think the government should also pay for grad schools and PhD’s.
I believe in the estate tax.
I believe in progressive taxation.
I don’t think the tax rate is progressive enough. I think the top rate should probably be around 90%.
I believe abortion is a fundamental human right.
As is medical care.
And that includes mental healthcare.
As is having a sufficient source of nutritious food.
I believe that the Republican Party panders to the basest motives of their base.
Whereas, while they invariably fall far, far, far short, the Democratic Party panders to the wild-eyed ideals of their base.
I believe that war is bad, m’kay. Though sometimes you do need to beat someone with big stick.
I believe that policies that can fit on a bumper sticker are insufficient to be public policy.
I believe the world is complicated and messy and requires intricate understanding, nuance, and compromise. “Simplistic” is almost synonymous with guaranteed failure.
I believe “looking tough” is highly overrated.
I believe the best hope for the human race lies with education and technology, not with a return to “traditional values.” We should aggressively abandon anything that might plausibly be called a “traditional value.”
I believe religion – all religion – is absolutely and utter bullshit. And, while I will support to the death you right to believe religious nonsense, I believe that right ends exactly where it starts impacting on me.
“My religion says I cannot do that” = freedom of religion. “My religion says you cannot do that” = theocracy.
I believe that religions are simply a mirror of their practitioners and reflect no intrinsic “goodness” or “peace” or “violence” of the source material. Rather, they simply provide cover for someone to claim what they want to claim.
I believe that this country is a borderline Christian theocracy and every last trace of Judaeo-Christianity needs to be sandblasted from every pore in the body politic. With extreme prejudice.
I believe, further, that polygamy, polyandry, and free love are all just fine. Hell, I’d encourage it, even.
I believe that, in the interest of looking “tough on drugs,” the conservative movement (as defined by traditional definitions, not JAC’s special definition) has achieved nearly the worst possible outcome.
I believe we should legalize all drugs – all of them. Some of the worse ones should be only available via prescription, however.
I do not believe you have a right to smoke in a restaurant or any place where others are likely to come into immediate contact with it unwittingly.
I believe we should be investing more in solar and nuclear and trying to get rid of coal, oil, and nat gas.
I do not believe that Wyoming should get 3 electoral votes for 500k people. I barely consider it a state in first place and it sure as hell isn’t equal to New York, California, or Texas (for purposes of the Senate).
Speaking of which, I think states are nonsense. They are nothing more than administrative regions for the federal government. Though, of course, there are powers reserved to the states (and there should be more than there are in practice), the idea that they’re mini sovereign nations within a larger nation is nonsense. Colorado isn’t a sovereign anything – it’s a box in the middle of nowhere – imaginary lines on a map.
I believe that anyone who wants to come to America who is not a known credible threat should be granted immediate citizenship.
I believe building a wall on the Mexican border is a tremendous waste of resources and is unnecessarily combative toward out neighbor and trading partner.
I believe that human being are having an effect on the global climate – what that effect might be, or the extent of it, I’m unqualified to say – but it’s something worth dealing with seriously instead of denying (nearly) settled science.
I believe in evolution.
I believe teaching “intelligent design” in schools should be illegal.
I think churches should get taxed.
I think the bible should be taught in school – as literature – because it’s so important globally, but it should never be taught as fact. Similarly, the old testament and the Koran as well as some Eastern Religions. We can give up the class where they teach the history of British nobility.
I do not believe transexuality is a mental illness. I do not think there’s anything wrong with it at all. Ditto for homosexuality.
I don’t care what anyone “identifies” as. I do consider it rude to refuse to acknowledge / accept what someone else identifies as.
I identify as an Apache helicopter.
I think saber rattling is terrible foreign policy.
I think bullying Mexico and Canada is stupid.
I think we, as a nation, have an obligation to clean up or messes.
I do think institutional racism is still a thing. It’s just not as bad as it was in the 60’s.
I think euthanasia should be legal – and easily obtained by any adult.
I do not think that a universal basic income is practical, but I think it’s worth trying some pilot programs to find out.
I think we should have a colony on Mars (or floating above Venus!) by now and I think it’s short sighted that we don’t.
I think we should spend much, much, much less on the military, and much, much, much, more on education.
I believe in welfare (subject to significant reforms).
I do not believe in Social Security.
I do believe in universal healthcare.
I think Bernie Sanders should be President.
And President Trump scares the crap out of me.
I think he acts like a child and it’s insanity to me that (slightly less than) half the country voted for him.
By the way, I think the Electoral College is also bullshit.
I think conservative politicians and low-information-voters are generally pathologically incapable of considering second or third order consequences of their choices and only ever give a shit about the near-term.
I think for-profit prisons are a moral evil.
And I think the realtor who listed my home yesterday, who accidentally dropped a digit and posted it a 1/10th of the actual price, should be tarred and feathered.
Mathius
“I present ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, Reuters, AP, BBC, and many local fox affiliates as examples of centrist reliable reporting.”
Not centrist and not necessarily reliable.
I would consider these as what most of us call the Main Stream or primary Television media. I would add C-span because of its shows where they bring in parties of all sides to comment on an issue of the day.
I also think it fair to add Fox to the list since you have BBC and NPR which are also cable TV. And of course CNN.
I would separate local network affiliates from the national outlet. Our local Fox Channel is much like our local ABC, NBC or CBS affiliates. The big advantage out here of the Fox affiliate is that is where Fox Sports resides. No Fox Sports then no Seahawks or Mariner games.
I also separate syndicated radio, like Limbaugh, from the “news”. The latter is linked to the affiliate radio stations, and their primary company, like CBS or NBC. We can call it “talk radio” if you like. And yes, most of it is conservative or libertarian. All attempts and having liberal talk shows have pretty much failed. Apparently the more conservative audience uses radio more than the liberal or left wing.
For now I suggest we eliminate all Internet news and commentary sites from our discussion, unless they are tied to a primary news media outlet.
And for the record, my opinion of Huffington Post was that it was pretty good in the beginning although much of their stuff had a “left” bent. Then it went wholesale left wing. This went big when they started requiring a Facebook profile to comment on the site.
Along these lines, Red State is not a purist “conservative” site in my view. Because its founder has taken a hard religious viewpoint in their coverage. But Red State is absolutely in the “Never Trump” camp. If you want to see how vile supposed “conservatives” can be just read the insults they throw at the “Trumpers” or “Trumpistas”. Of course the latter are no slouches when it comes to tossing invective either.
Which brings us back to the issue of “loss of civility” or just “good manners”.
Mathius
Response to your arguments.
And am I to believe that the conservative media never said a dishonest word about Obama? DISHONEST, I AM NOT SURE. INFLAMATORY AND HYPEROBLE, YES. OF COURSE IT BEGS THE QUESTION, “WHO IS THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA”. WHICH I ADDRESSED ABOVE.
Was his world tour really an “apology tour”? IN THE END IT SURE DID SEEM SO. BUT THOSE WHO VOTED FOR HIM DID NOT CARE. THEY AGREED THE US IS THE BANE OF THE PLANET.
Was he really born in Kenya? I DOUBT IT, ALTHOUGH THERE STILL REMAINS A LOT OF STRANGE CONTRADICTIONS. BUT AS I SAID BEFORE, HIS BIRTH PLACE WAS NOT REALLY THE ISSUE RELATIVE TO HIS ELIGIBILITY. IT WAS THE BIRTH PLACE OF HIS FATHER.
Did he really have a gay lover? Is Michelle really a man? ON THE FIRST COUNT APPARENTLY HE CONSIDERED GOING GAY. PROBABLY DUE TO HIS DESIRE TO BE SOMETHING UNIQUE AND PROBABLY DUE TO GROOMING BY HIS GAY MENTOR. WHO CONTINUED TO ADVISE HIM WHILE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, APPARENTLY.
AS FOR THE MICHELLE THING, ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT SASQUATCH IS ALSO A MAN.
Did he really confiscate everyone’s guns? NO. DOESN’T MEAN HE WOULDN’T HAVE TRIED IF ALLOWED TO.
Was Obama really tunneling under Walmarts in anticipation of taking over Texas and imprisoning everyone in FEMA camps? NO. ALTHOUGH THE FEMA CAMPS WERE REAL, WHILE THE STATED PURPOSE WAS FALSE.
What about that time he was teleported to Mars? NEVER HEARD ABOUT THAT. I GUESS WE CAN CANCEL SPENDING BILLIONS ON A FOOLISH VENTURE SINCE WE ALREADY LANDED A MAN ON MARS. UNLESS OF COURSE HE IS REALLY A LIZARD ALIEN..
Did he really orchestrate the Newtown massacre (or the appearance thereof)? NO. AND WHAT CREDIBLE CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLET EVER CLAIMED SO?
What about Orlando? STILL IN FLORIDA LAST I CHECKED.
Boston? STILL IN MASSACHUSETTS.
Did he really have Scalia killed? NO. HE DID IT HIMSELF WITH HIS JEDI MIND TRICK.
Did he use his weather weapon to steer tornadoes? I NEVER HEARD THAT HE DID THIS. DAMN ALIENS.
Something something caliphate? THE ISSUE WAS WHETHER HE WAS A MUSLIM. AND THE ANSWER IS YES, EVEN THOUGH HE CLAIMED HE WAS NOT. HE CLAIMS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT WE SAW HE WAS REALLY MORE ABOUT BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY THAN THAT OF JESUS CHRIST.
Did he ever get around to declaring martial law, cancelling the 2016 election, and appointing himself President for Life? (please say yes) NO, NO, NO. NO.
Come to think of it, where are those death panels? THERE IS ONLY ONE DEATH PANEL. IT WAS CREATED BY THE ACA AS PART OF THE COST CUTTING MEASURE.
How did he manage to be a Nazi, a Marxist, a fascist, a Maoist, a Bolshevik, and Trotsky-ite, socialist, and a gay Muslim Manchurian candidate.. all at the same time? BECAUSE LIZARD PEOPLE ARE ALSO SHAPE SHIFTERS.
Did he really institute a one-world government? NO. HE SIMPLY COMPLIED WITH THE ONE ALREADY IN PLACE. BEGS THE QUESTION, DID HE OPPOSE OR SUPPORT SAID GOVT. ANSWER: HE SUPPORTS IT.
Does he really hate America? YES. AGAIN WE COVERED THIS BEFORE.
Are you so sure the right wasn’t, oh, I don’t know, a bit unfair to ol’ Barry? SOMETIMES, BUT NOT ALWAYS AS IT TURNS OUT.
THERE IS ONLY ONE DEATH PANEL. IT WAS CREATED BY THE ACA AS PART OF THE COST CUTTING MEASURE…..by the way…still there.
Did he really orchestrate the Newtown massacre (or the appearance thereof)? NO. AND WHAT CREDIBLE CONSERVATIVE NEWS OUTLET EVER CLAIMED SO?
https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2016/11/17/trump-ally-alex-jones-doubles-down-sandy-hook-conspiracy-theories/214524
Now, I happen to think he’s a nut case. But I don’t get to see why you get to absolve “conservative media” of his rantings when he’s listened to by millions of conservatives every day.
Mathius
I asked you “what credible conservative news outlet” and you come back with Info Wars.
Is that web site a “credible news outlet”??? And why do you claim it is “conservative”? The fact he is a big Trump supporter should disprove your claim in this regard. And how do you know that “conservatives” listen to him, let alone millions of them.
But lets play turnabout is fair play. Are those liberals or progressives that follow Daily Kos and Huffington Post, National Memo, et. al., along with MSNBC? Does the fact that many are “liberals or progressives” mean that those outlets represent “liberalism”? How about “progressivism”?
“Let’s assume the leak is real/true and Trump did, in fact, share code-word intelligence with the Russians. Forget that we cannot currently prove this is the case, let’s just take it as a given hypothetical.”
I smell an ambush but will walk into it.
1. What does this mean in terms of how the government should handle him going forward? Should they avoid giving him classified information (I once joked about Bill Clinton having to summarize intel for President Hillary since she wouldn’t be able to get clearance).
I will be first to say….knowing, in depth, how the clearances work and how classified data works…..The POTUS DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CARTE BLANCHE declassify anything he wants to simply because he is the CIC. He does have the authority to declassify AFTER AFTER AFTER it has been submitted to the NSA/CIA/FBI/NSC to properly cleanse the code word assets.
Now to answer your HYPOTHETICAL question. If the POTUS revealed classified data inadvertantly, I give him ONE pass. If he disseminated classified information with intent, he is not fit to be President. Further citing, that as POTUS, no agency has the right nor the authority to withhold classified information from the POTUS.
Sorry…assets refers to human assets only.
“Should he be impeached”…… Yes, given the following parameters. If there was intent to disseminate classified data for clandestine reasons. Again, if it was inadervant…he gets one chance.
d13thecolonel
Change “clandestine” to “treasonous” and I could go along. But WHO gets to decide what is treason? Especially in our divided politics of today. Is it treasonous to try and subvert the deep state’s control of our govt.?
Several legal types, including those on the left calling for his head have said he as the “legal” cover needed to provide pretty much anything he wants to anyone. Any attempt to IMPEACH on those grounds would have to prove his intent was to “aid and abed” our enemies. Russia is not a declared enemy. At this point in time we only have ONE declared enemy. The nebulous “terrorists”.
The point made earlier today is that Trump did NOT know the source of the Intel, merely what it indicated. This was confirmed by McMasters. The LEAKER outed Israel, not Trump. Which begs the next question, was it wrong for Trump to suggest allegedly to Comey that leaks should be tracked down and news people arrested and incarcerated for breaking the law? I’m for a resounding YES!
The other question remains if bomb making apparatus exists which can be used to bring down Russian airliners is it morally or legally wrong to tell the Russians where?
It would not be wrong for Trump to track down the leaks.
And it is morally correct for him to share information with the Russians……..provided the information has run the “declassification” track.
d13
Why do you require it follow the declassification track, or protocol? POTUS has the authority to say anything. Although there is an obvious political ramification.
You are assigning a “requirement” similar to that of some CNN pundits the other day. Although their argument was that this is proof of his inability to perform the duties of the office.
Perhaps a better question is what type of information should go through the process before POTUS can share it? In this I say any information that identifies human sources. Because if you want to release that info, you should allow time to get them to safety first. As for cooperating countries, I can see giving them a heads up so they can CYA as needed.
I am bringing this up because if we impose “standard rules or protocol” on POTUS and/or his/her minions, you eliminate the ability to disrupt the status quo.
So how do we define the lines in order to allow draining the swamp without damaging the Nation itself. Of course this begs the question as to what is in the Nation’s best interest.
Please do not misunderstand me…I do not care what the POTUS tells anyone….but, where human assets are concerned, there is a security protocol that does need to be followed….to protect human resources. Even a POTUS is not exempt from that. What the pundits are talking about is horse shit and I think that everyone knows it. There is nothing about code word that is wrong unless it exposes human assets. That is all….until I see or know exactly wht Trump did or say, I cannot render any type of decision.
However, while the POTUS can say or do anything, his oath of office is the same as mine except the names are changed and the office nameis changed. He candeclassify anything we wants at anytime provided the security protocol is followed where….and only where….human assets are endangered.
3. Should he be arrested and charged with a crime? Yes, given the following parameters. If there was intent to disseminate classified data for clandestine reasons. Again, if it was inadervant…he gets one chance.
4. If – IF – the accusation is true, how do you compare this to Hillary’s email server?
Not even close unless the intent is to hide or disseminate classified data for clandestine reasons.
If the FBI investigation that was done is true in everything Comey said….Hillary’s intent was to hide and subvert the classied material rules and regulations. ( Please note that I did not say for clandestine reasons ) but the deliberate intent to subvert the rules was there.
Sorry, left out……THAT is a crime.
5. In light of the fact that Trump made soooo much hay from Clinton’s “lax” attitude toward national security / classified data, does his breech seem even more egregious than it might otherwise? (if I spend months mocking you for X, then I do X myself, surely I’m deserving of extra scorn, no?)
Two part question…so a two part answer. No and Yes…
No, in that Hillary’s intent to subvert was there.
Yes, you would be subject to extra scorn, and rightly so, if you continue to do it. ( make hay ) .
Listening to Rush on the way to library. He was talking about John McCain and the other R’s who claim “conservative” status but who are not “conservatives”. And how they dislike Trump because he filled a void they could not see or access. Thus upsetting their own delusions about support. But here is the best part. Never heard him go this far before. And I quote:
“Their balls are so small they don’t need a jock strap when they go out jogging”!
6. Why do you think he might have done it? Personally, I have no difficulty seeing him just showing off.
I can see his ego getting in the way….IF this is the case, I say he probably has learned a BIG BIG lesson on how to handle classified material. If it is discovered that Trump was actually warned that this was classified information ahead of time and he did not follow the rules of declassification…..then that becomes intent in my viewpoint.
7. Do you make anything of him leaking to Russia, specifically, given all his past history with that country. Surely, after everything that’s happened and everything of which he has been accused, he should have been extra circumspect around them, no?
His past history to that country is a non issue with me. Again, if it was inadvertant, I make nothing of it this time…..THIS TIME. If it is discovered that it was not inadvertant, and done purposely because he did not want to declassify according to rule….then his credibility would be severely damaged with me. Perhaps it cannot be salvaged.
8. Is he likely to repeat? Does it matter?
It matters to me and I do not think he will repeat it.
9. Who will he blame and fire? Because, with this President, the buck stops elsewhere. My guess is that this is Conway’s fault somehow.
Remains to be seen…..but, I do not think he will blame anyone.
10. Lastly, do you believe that he Republican controlled congress will investigate as seriously and aggressively as they would have if a similar accusation had arisen under President H. Clinton? Do you believe that they would either have been too hard on her (playing politics) or too soft on him (playing politics) or something else? I imagine that the Republicans would already have called for, and started to assemble, a select committee to investigate. Seeing as this is assuredly not going to happen under this Congress toward President Trump, what say you?
Several questions here. Yes, I believe that there will be an aggressive Republican investigation because there are several high ranking ones that are part of the elitists. I believe that there is a faction out to get him and I do not think it is relegated to Democrats only but a huge power struggle. Trump is a threat to years and years of conditioning. I do think that it will be investigated a thousand times.
11. Now, seeing as all we currently have is unnamed sources, we obviously have to question the veracity of the accusation. So, with that in mind, does the accusation – as it stands – justify further investigation? If so, what form do you believe that should take?
If Mr. Trump’s supposed tapes exist, can we subpoena them?
HEY…..you said lastly on number 10, but considering that you are really interested….
I am not a believer in unnamed sources, informed sources, white house sources, or any unidentified source. Therefore, given today’s attitudes and things, I give NO….ABSOLUTLEY NO credence to unnamed or anonymous sources. Come forward and speak your mind so the accused can look you in the eye.
If D13 THE ABSOLUTE COLONEL was in charge, I would say….come forward and make your accusation in the open otherwise it means nothing.
d13thecolonel
And here is what would happen to you if you demanded such a thing in public.
http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/cnn-host-explodes-ex-navy-seal-do-not-attack-stellar-reporters-cnn
Wow….and he did not frag her……interesting….but this is also why the news is not being taken seriously.
d13
I am afraid if it had been me she would be wearing a splint on that “wagging finger” of hers.
I guess that must be what “womansplaining” looks like. bwahahahahaha
friend of mine had a thought….let the men who want to marry men…marry them. Let the women who want to marry women,,,,,marry them. Let all those who wish to abort babies….abort them. In three generations, there will be no more democrats.
Sorry Colonel, does not work that way. there are new A-holes born every day who think they know it all and are entitled to judge/rule you.
I suppose so…..there are a holes on all sides, verdad?
The problem with gay men is that they’re all f***ing a**holes. :p
No, you didn’t do that! BAD Dog. Now go sit with the cats until you learn your lesson.
Obedience school…..sensitivity classes……Bad dog…..wait……you get a repreive from me…that patch o hair cured my hangover.
Question for Mathius and JAC……………………………re: reporters.
Should “informed sources”, anonymous source, or white house source…be considered reliable by any stretch of the imagination?
Maaaaaaaybe. With a lot of caveats.
I mean, without anonymous sources, you wouldn’t have had Deep Throat.
I think it comes down to whether you can trust the reporter to sufficiently vet his source. It sure does seem that a lot of reporters these days are happy to quote anyone with a government ID and a pulse (and one of those is optional).
But, for example, if Bob Woodward wants to come forward and stake his professional reputation on the word of a source he doesn’t want to reveal.. yea, I’ll listen.
And I SHOULD be able to listen. A source shouldn’t (necessarily) have to destroy their professional lives or risk reprisals in order to get out important news (note, I am not talking about idle gossip here). But, let’s say, it’s true that Trump needs to have his name randomly inserted throughout his briefings or he’ll lose interest, I think that’s something the public should legitimately be made aware of because that’s f***ing terrifying.
I’d like to see some sort of central clearing hub for source credibility. When you leak the first time, you’re given an ID. Every time you leak to the media, it gets scored for accuracy (after the fact by the author, who has your pin). And when you are published, it can append your “credibility score.” The next time you leak, it can be to someone different, but when you use your same pin, he will see that you now have a history and should be taken seriously (or, you know, not at all).
Oh this guy with a score of 18/100 says Trump is a werewolf – ok, let’s take that with a grain of salt. This guy with a score of 99/100 says that Trump sacrifices babies to Baal – ok, let’s look into that, shall we? This other thing is backed up by three guys with scores of 60/100. OK, well I’m not sure what to make of that, but it’s probably somewhere in the middle.
Baring that, it’s just a crap shoot, and I don’t like it. It’s too easy to be a source, there’s no accountability, authors just want the clicks and are following the old world news daily motto of not letting facts get in the way of a good story.
But, yes, anonymous sources are still important. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
But, yes, anonymous sources are still important. After all, sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Agreed but they should be in the sunlight….and I stand with my original position of today….I know of no reporting that is accurate today. Be in the sunlight, no anonymous source…..no behind the curtains….no he said she said……out in the open.
Now here is something interesting.
Assume that general Flynn did nothing criminal, nothing that could bring him up on charges, nothing that rose to the level of a crime which it looks like.
After all that, assume again that Trump either deliberately or incidentally with no malice and with the assumption Flynn was guilty of no crime, asked Comey three weeks after the inauguration (THREE WEEKS) to “drop” the investigation because it seemed nothing would come out of it.
Then, pray tell, what high crime and misdemeanor can Trump be charged with?
And, I have to add, I am not happy with my third paragraph. If you are having dinner with a guy even the FBI director and say that you think there is nothing there. Is that wrong, criminal, impeachable?
Sorry but this is all smoke and mirrors.
I’m thinking Watergate. Let’s see how that went. (correct me if I am wrong)
1. Nixon is President for 3 years
2. Two break-ins were ordered by White House Staff with No presidential knowledge. Daniiel Ellsberg’s shrink and the DNC. Burglars got caught.
3. Staff begins cover-up.
4. Hush money is paid.
5. Investigation begins and links to WH become suspected
6. Conspiracy goes beyond Staff. President and AG become aware.
7. President covers for staff.
8. WH tapes are discovered.
9. Gap appears in WH tapes
10. President fires Special Prosecutor.
11. Conspiracy becomes known.
12. John Dean turns Rat
13.2. Nixon resigns. Everybody involved goes to jail
Now where exactly are the parallels to Donald Trump?
13.2. I don’t seem to remember Nixon serving any time…
Everybody….but.
Now where exactly are the parallels to Donald Trump?
2.
Two break-ins were ordered by White House Staff with No presidential knowledge. Daniiel Ellsberg’s shrink and the DNC.President’s staff may have colluded with the Ruskies to manipulate a Presidential election.Burglars got caught.3. Staff begins cover-up… maybe?
7. President covers for staff.
8. WH tapes are (possibly) discovered – hinted at, anyway.
10. President fires
Special ProsecutorFBI Director.13.2. Nixon resigns. Everybody involved goes to jail (we can only hope)
—–
The problem, of course, is that we’re looking at it from the inside. I am not old enough to remember what it was like during these events while everything was breaking, Deep Throat was leaking, etc. But you can’t sit here in the midst of it with perfect hindsight and say “where’s the proof of a crime”? If there was a crime, we haven’t proven it yet. Give it some time.
And neither can you……..if you are listening and drawing judgement from innuendo and saying things like “maybe” and “may have” and “possibly”….that makes you part of the problem and not the solution, does it not? I do not think that Clinton and Obama have our best interest at heart and I believe that they have sold out and will continue to sell out but I do defend them if there is no proof and have done so…..as much as it ails me.
Mathius
Yes I can. The Watergate things STARTS with a CRIME. The burglary of the DNC offices in the Watergate building. Obstruction of justice comes later when staff try to hide the whole thing.
In the Trump case, even if some of his staff coordinated with Russians regarding leaks there is NO CRIME. Not according to several legal scholars. But it is one hell of a Political problem.
The problem the left has is there has NEVER been any indication of Trump people working with the Russians or the Russians even working directly to benefit Trump. They were messing around and expressed a preference is all we have been told. During the investigation of the Russians three of Trump’s people were caught up in that discrepancies were found in their paperwork or stories about what they have done in the past.
One and only one Trump connection even leads to Wikileaks and that is via a second and third party.
In the Trump case, even if some of his staff coordinated with Russians regarding leaks there is NO CRIME.
Of course there would be.
Someone hacked the DNC. That’s a criminal action right there.
If the Trump campaign conspired with a foreign entity to influence an election, that’s a criminal action right there.
Basically, you’re saying: we don’t have proof of a crime, therefore we shouldn’t investigate whether there’s a crime.
During the investigation of the Russians three of Trump’s people were caught up in that discrepancies were found in their paperwork or stories about what they have done in the past.
That’s a polite way of saying they lied and covered up their past involvement with Russia and were subsequently caught.
Sure sounds like enough smoke to make me wonder if there’s a fire somewhere.
It remains to be seen if Trump, himself, was involved. My money is on no – or at least not provably so.
Mathius
No, what I am saying is that if Trump people called up Russians and asked them if they had stuff would they please release it, or if they called the Russians and asked for a heads up before they released it…………….. IS NOT A CRIME.
Remember, the guy who was the source of the “Golden Shower” memo was a foreigner. He was hired to dig up dirt on Trump, and others. Reportedly first hired by Bush III and later approached by the DNC. NOT A CRIME.
As for the three people in question, that is what I said. But we DO NOT know how bad that is for them. Except Manafort was forced to revise his foreign agent filing as a result. But such “updates” after the fact have been allowed for a long time. But let me emphasize, that none of the information we know about on these three people have anything to do with the issue at hand. Namely collusion or participation with the Russians in messing with the Clinton campaign.
But such “updates” after the fact have been allowed for a long time.
Just because it’s “allowed” does not make it right or OK.
He was an undisclosed foreign agent (by his own admission / filing) close to the President and with access to sensitive information.
I don’t care that it’s allowed – it’s pretty damn sketchy.
But let me emphasize, that none of the information we know about on these three people have anything to do with the issue at hand. Namely collusion or participation with the Russians in messing with the Clinton campaign.
Sure.
Maybe.
But there sure is a lot of smoke – it seems prudent to check if there’s also a fire.
I agree, if after all these months of surveillance and investigating, they have nothing to charge anyone with, then drop it and move on. We have more important things to do. Why does it take so much time?
How long did they investigate Benghazi for?
And still do not have the answers because they dodged the questions. Saw the movie, read the book.
What we absolutely know is there was a cover-up. The BS about the video was a cover-up. It should have been a full court press on that but was not.
The Benghazi investigation was over in 24 hours.
What was the conclusion?
And why was the “final” report issued in during the height of the campaign season 2 years later?
Mathius
Because of “obstruction” by the Administration and Democratic Party members in Congress.
Because this is how you tie up the President, the White House, The Senate, The House, The FBI and of course injure by innuendo a man’s reputation. As Matt says, How much time has been spent on Benghazi OR Fast and Furious or the IRS or any number of other things? However we are no where near as professional at it as our friends and we refuse to go for the THROAT.
Very Machiavellian actually.
Unlike the Special Prosecutor in the Watergate event, Comey has no special position in the current investigation as his former # 2 testified to. If you watched his performance a few weeks back before the Congress, there was no way the guy was not going to be fired. He seems to have no clue about his own job.
At Mathius…..you are not progressive left…..sorry. Try me again.
But- but- but I want to take away your guns!
Ohhh…..ok…..come and get them. We will give them to you…..willingly.
Or at least he can have the lead…
shhhhhh
Tucker Carlson has said on his show that many interviewees expressed fear of Comey off camera but would not discuss it on camera. Are we beginning to see why? It looks like he is not going to go quietly.
Maybe because he’s 6’8 and they’re intimidated?
““My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted,” said Mr. Rosenstein, which is nice but irrelevant. With Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused from the Russia probe, Mr. Rosenstein appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller III, who will now have unlimited time and resources to investigate more or less anything and anyone he wants.” (WSJ clip)
Let me ask this. How can a special counsel/prosecutor/investigator, or what ever they want to call it, have “unlimited time and resources”????
Do they have some source of money independent of Congressional appropriations?????
Just askin!
Mathius
But such “updates” after the fact have been allowed for a long time.
Just because it’s “allowed” does not make it right or OK. TRUE, BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA?
He was an undisclosed foreign agent (by his own admission / filing) close to the President and with access to sensitive information.
I don’t care that it’s allowed – it’s pretty damn sketchy. WHY? MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT IS SKETCHY?
But let me emphasize, that none of the information we know about on these three people have anything to do with the issue at hand. Namely collusion or participation with the Russians in messing with the Clinton campaign.
Sure.
Maybe.
But there sure is a lot of smoke – it seems prudent to check if there’s also a fire. I HAVE NEVER SAID INVESTIGATION ISN’T WARRANTED. WHAT I HAVE SAID IS THERE IS COLLUSION TO UNDERMINE THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT IS ONGOING. PART OF THIS IS TIED TO THE INVESTIGATION, WHICH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. BUT REMEMBER, THE FBI INVESTIGATION WAS INTO THE “RUSSIAN EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE OR INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTIONS”. YET FROM DAY ONE THE DEMOCRATS AND MEDIA HAVE USED THE PHRASE “INVESTIGATING COLLUSION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA”. THAT HAS AND REMAINS A FALSE NARRATIVE. COMEY AND CLAPPER TESTIFIED AS MUCH. COMEY STATED THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF “COLLUSION” TO SENATORS GRASSLEY AND FEINSTEIN. YET THE MEDIA AND OTHER DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO USE THE PHRASE.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE BEING INVESTIGATED DUE TO CONNECTIONS TO VARIOUS RUSSIANS. BECAUSE THE FBI, AND I EXPECT CIA, ARE INVESTIGATING PRETTY MUCH ALL RUSSIAN CONNECTIONS IN THE USA OR TO OTHERS WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE USA.
THE NAMES MADE PUBLIC ARE MANAFORT, PAGE, STONE AND FLYNN. THE LAST ONE IS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED OVER CONNECTIONS TO THE CAMPAIGN, BUT HIS FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH POLICIES AND RULES REGARDING PAYMENTS FOR SPEECHES AND/OR SERVICES, DUE TO HIS RETIRED MILITARY STATUS. HIM LYING TO HIS BOSSES ABOUT WHAT HE DISCUSSED WITH THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR IS NOT A CRIME NOR VIOLATION OF ANY RULES. HE WAS FIRED FOR THIS, WHICH IS THE PROPER ACTION.
STONE IS ONLY IN THE SPOTLIGHT DUE TO HIS ADMITTED CONNECTIONS TO GUCCIFER 2 AND ASSANGE. THIS IS ALMOST CERTAINLY THE CONDUIT BY WHICH MR. TRUMP OR OTHERS SEEMED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT REGARDING WIKILEAKS RELEASES. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL RELEASES NEVER LIVED UP TO THE CLAIMS MADE BY STONE AND OTHERS AS TO THE “DEVASTATION” IT WOULD CAUSE CLINTON.
THIS LEAVE MANAFORT AND PAGE. WHICH I WILL SUM UP THIS WAY. THIS SHOULD SHOW YOU THE KIND OF SLIMY PEOPLE WHO FLOCK TO POLITICS WHEN THEY SEE A CHANCE FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT. I WILL ADD THAT THEIR PERSONAL BEHAVIOR REGARDING THEIR PROWESS IN DEALINGS WITH INTERNATIONAL FIGURES ALIGNS WITH TRUMP’S. NAMELY OVER EXAGGERATION. OF THESE TWO, MANAFORT IS THE ONE WHO COULD BE UP TO HIS ARMPITS IN THE SEPTIC TANK. NOT DUE TO HIS TRUMP CONNECTION, BUT DUE TO THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK FOUND IN UKRAINE SHOWING HE TOOK MILLIONS HE NEVER REPORTED AS INCOME.
THE ISSUE I HAVE IS NOT THE INVESTIGATIONS. IT IS THE CONSTANT LEAKING OF INFORMATION, THE UNMASKING OF PEOPLE WHO DID NOT NEED TO BE, AND THE COMPLICITY OF THE MEDIA AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ALONG WITH SOME REPUBLICANS, IN USING THIS TO UNDERMINE A PRESIDENT BEFORE ANYONE KNOWS THE ACTUAL FACTS OR FINDING. THE ENTIRE THING HAS THE SMELL AND FEEL OF A COUP. Note: I retain the right to disavow this opinion in the even that Mr. Trump is found to be a Russian mole.
SIDE NOTE:
“Foreign Agent” is the label given to international “lobbyists” or people who conduct “public relations” for international organizations. It is not an “Intelligence” type classification.
Manafort’s status was with his dealings with Ukraine and Turkey. BEFORE he became part of the Trump campaign.
So in reality, his status as a “foreign agent” is of no real concern. The constant use of that term in all reporting about him is an example of using innuendo to create false assumptions. On the other hand, this will be a problem if it can be proven that he was “still” working for the Russians or someone else in his capacity in the Trump campaign.
Good editorial reminding us how Russia looked post Yeltsin, how Putin became a hero and why he has been meddling in things around the world. Also how he may have screwed up with the USA. Although I expect the howling against Russia could subside with the next Democratic Party POTUS.
http://www.nationalmemo.com/inside-putins-campaign-destroy-us-democracy/
US forces have apparently attacked Syrian Govt. forces “in Syria”. This is of interest for the following reason.
The other night Tucker Carlson had on a guest who is an expert on Russia. A professor, don’t remember his name, who has been on before. He obviously thinks the “Russian Collusion” stuff is aimed at undermining the normalization of relations with Russia.
Back to the point. The other night he pointed out that Mr. Obama had also shared intel. with Russia and offered to work more closely with them. Shortly after that our military attacked a position of Syrian govt troops AND Russians. Then the Russians attacked a site with Rebels supported by the US. All that was ever reported was the counter attack by Russia.
This Professor believes that the US Intelligence agencies and Military deliberately undermined Mr. Obama and are now doing the same to Mr. Trump. They will undermine any effort to normalize Russian relationships because “they” view Russia as an enemy.
Now today we see the military attacking Syrian troops. Right after Mr. Trump meets with the Russian ambassador and share intel. with him.
So what the hell is actually going on? Inquiring minds want to know. Will the FBI investigation into Russia expose such a conspiracy among the Intel and Military agencies, if it exists? Or can it “disprove” such a conspiracy? Or will it just be ignored for fear of someone winding up dead?
I am also not predisposed to assume this Professor is being truthful or not just spouting his own conspiracy theories. He has several times stated Putin is not benefited by all the uproar over the US election hacking or subsequent fallout. So why would he be behind it all? Who knows, his view of Russia could be tainting his vies as well. Or he also could be a Russian spy, mole, plant, etc., etc..
Here is a tidbit for your inquiring mind. US forces have been attacking for the last 16 months.
d13thecolonel
Yes, but attacking who? And if it is Syrian troops then WHY? And better yet, why the selective reporting on when Syrian Troops are attacked.
Now, can you address the primary accusation, please?
From one “Akaky” at American Thinker
“Absolute knowledge have I none,
But my aunt’s washerwoman’s sister’s son
Heard a policeman on his beat
Say to a laborer in the street
That he had a letter just last week —
A letter which he did not seek —
From a Chinese merchant in Timbuktu
Who said that his brother in Cuba knew
Of an Indian chief in a Texas town,
Who got the dope from a circus clown,
That a man in Klondike had it straight
From a guy in a South American state,
That a wild man over in Borneo
Was told by a woman who claimed to know,
Of a well-known society rake,
Whose mother-in-law will undertake
To prove that her husband’s sister’s niece
Has stated plain in a printed piece
That she has a son who lives in a dump
Who knows all about the Russians and Trump.”