Polite Politics

[Iceresistance]

My god... This is eerily similar to the "Just Stop Oil" Environmental Terrorist Cult in Europe!

Protesters pour red powder on US Constitution enclosure, prompting evacuation of National Archives (msn.com)

[SnarkyGoblin]

Trump is going to trial on March 25th for the exact same reason his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen got in trouble (trump was a co-conspirator in Cohen's indictment when he was president)

And for violating the same laws as John Edwards did in 2008.

Definitely a witch hunt.

[Andie]

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit!

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/joe-manchin-floats-mitt-romney-potential-running-mate-rcna138977

[Andie]

More crazy out there.  
I read tonight Iran is claiming Antarctica for itself.   Just imaging that!!

You can’t make this sheit up! 

[SnarkyGoblin]

8 minutes ago, Andie said:

More crazy out there.  
I read tonight Iran is claiming Antarctica for itself.   Just imaging that!!

You can’t make this sheit up! 

About as crazy as wanting to buy Greenland.

[Chewbacca Defense]

Gosh this is just shocking, unbelievable news.  I'm just blown away.  /sarc

https://time.com/6695737/alexander-smirnov-fbi-informant-president-biden-hunter-ukraine-bribery-lying/

[Andie]

Alexis Navalny, activist critic of Putin died in a Siberian work prison yesterday.  
He stood 6’3” and weighed 128 lbs.  He was 47. This was a Siberian work prison.  
Criticizing Putin gets you 19 yrs in prison and a slow ugly death if you’re a citizen.  But he never ceased in his freedom of speech. Navalny was a hero to the Russian people. The entire affair is a spotlight on the Putin regime and who he is.  

Meantime, Russia has 315,000 casualties in their assault on Ukraine.  With the death of a hero of the people do you think men will step up to fight?  Russia is in difficulty and looks weaker today than yesterday.  This is no victory.  
Putin is also up for re-election next month.  

[SnarkyGoblin]

3 hours ago, Andie said:

Alexis Navalny, activist critic of Putin died in a Siberian work prison yesterday.  
He stood 6’3” and weighed 128 lbs.  He was 47. This was a Siberian work prison.  
Criticizing Putin gets you 19 yrs in prison and a slow ugly death if you’re a citizen.  But he never ceased in his freedom of speech. Navalny was a hero to the Russian people. The entire affair is a spotlight on the Putin regime and who he is.  

Meantime, Russia has 315,000 casualties in their assault on Ukraine.  With the death of a hero of the people do you think men will step up to fight?  Russia is in difficulty and looks weaker today than yesterday.  This is no victory.  
Putin is also up for re-election next month.  

I saw the news this morning and it made me sick to my stomach, especially having watched his documentary - Navalny (2022) - IMDb.  He chose to go back to Russia for his cause.

And yet somehow there are idiots in this country and forum (one who openly says it) who think Russia is pretty great.  Probably one of the most disturbing evolutions of MAGA.

[Iceresistance]

22 hours ago, Andie said:

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit!

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/joe-manchin-floats-mitt-romney-potential-running-mate-rcna138977

He actually said no
Sen. Joe Manchin announces he won't run for president in 2024 (msn.com)

[Chewbacca Defense]

2 hours ago, SnarkyGoblin said:

I saw the news this morning and it made me sick to my stomach, especially having watched his documentary - Navalny (2022) - IMDb.  He chose to go back to Russia for his cause.

And yet somehow there are idiots in this country and forum (one who openly says it) who think Russia is pretty great.  Probably one of the most disturbing evolutions of MAGA.

People seem to forget, or didn't pay attention and don't realize that Putin started his career in the KGB during the "glorious days" of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic.  That's not a job you get by being a pro democracy weenie.

And Andie mentioned that the election is coming up for Putin.  Putin did a really good job and was fairly strategic (in a very Soviet way) to set himself up as President for life.  So this election is nothing more than a formality.

 

My wife's cousin is extremely invested and active in politics and democracy.  He went to Ukraine in the late 90's with the Peace Corps.  He has a business/marketing background, so his primary "mission" was teaching Ukrainians at the local level about how a free market economy works.  On the side, he formed a "democracy" club working with folks to teach them about democracy. 

He said one of the shocking an most frustrating things while he was there was that from day to day, he never knew when he got back to his apartment if he was going to have water, heat, or electricity. 

He talked about it with the club, and asked why they weren't complaining.  Through extensive dialogue, he figured that they were all highly "conditioned" to never question the government, and to never rock the boat.  Keep in mind this was within 10-12 years after the wall came down.  He said that by the time his tour was done, he still could not get the group to a point where they were comfortable with challenging the government on the "status quo."

 

Carry that over to Russia, where their experiment with Democracy was very short lived...sure Putin is up for election, but the other candidate will be hand picked by Putin and given marching orders to fail.  No doubt this other candidate will be well compensated for his time.  And no doubt, the people will go along with it, unless they by some miracle finally reach a tipping point.  Maybe all of the body bags coming back from Ukraine will help them reach that tipping point....(doubt it)

 

[Andie]

Thank you for serving in the Peace Corps.   
You’re correct about Putin. Ex-KGB, he’ll stack the deck.   I’m surprised he’s still alive as his health is not good. I’m sure he uses the best Russia and Switzerland have, but still one can hope he strangles on a chicken bone or something.   
Putin uses KGB tactics along with what he learned from men like Brezhnev. (Another real “winner”)

I’m curious who comes next after Vlad.  I’m sure he’s hand picked.  
My Russian writer friend got out. A PhD in Structural Engineering, he’s considered in the top 10 living Russian language writers. Philip Berman.  He was tossed out with absolutely nothing, not even his writings, no $, they did a cavity search before he boarded the train!  That’s Brezhnev!
He's still alive and writing in Russian through an Ann Arbor Publisher. 

They do not “cotton” to individuals in Mother Russia.  
His crime?  He had the audacity to write a novel about God and Abraham.  
 

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Just a reminder that Trump, in addition to having expressed his admiration for Putin multiple times, has literally argued in court that he believes US presidents should not be prosecuted while in office even if they murder their opponents.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/10/us/politics/trump-immunity-prosecution-assassination.html

[Andie]

Many people in DC hold that sentiment.  Most ran for President!

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Also, Putin was Yeltsin's handpicked successor and the inheritor of a strongman presidency that was created with Western support (because the Russian people were capitalism-skeptical and did not want the swift transition to capitalism that Yeltsin and his Western backers did).

So a lot of the trouble the West is now having with Putin is merely chickens coming home to roost.

None of the above (or below) should be taken as an argument that Putin is anything less than abjectly awful.

 

[Chewbacca Defense]

8 minutes ago, Andie said:

Many people in DC hold that sentiment.  Most ran for President!

Wish they had full immunity?  maybe...
Try to hide any activities that might be illegal or at least violate the spirit of the law......sure.

Outright give the rule of law and constitution the middle finger?  Nah....I think Trump stands alone there, especially to the extent at which he is trying to take this. 

While I of course have absolutely no idea what that man is really thinking, I am sure he would really like the immunity thing, but recognizes its not going to happen.  But what will happen with this nonsense is he is and will continue to trigger delays, which he hopes will push all of this to after the election.  That's his endgame as I think he thinks he can find a way to win...probably not through votes, but through manipulation of the system by way of the courts and other means.

If Trump got what he wanted with the immunity thing....Biden could literally walk up to Trump on national TV and slit his throat Game of Thrones style and not face any repercussions whatsoever.  I would like to think that someone....anyone...has pointed that out to him.  I personally do not want ANY president to have that kind of freedom from prosecution.

[Iceresistance]

This does have a political motive.

Evacuations underway at Gaylord Hall at OU | Watch (msn.com)

[Iceresistance]

34 minutes ago, Iceresistance said:

This does have a political motive.

Evacuations underway at Gaylord Hall at OU | Watch (msn.com)

(Aware of the self-reply)

Here is a tweet about it

 

[Andie]

3 hours ago, Chewbacca Defense said:

Wish they had full immunity?  maybe...
Try to hide any activities that might be illegal or at least violate the spirit of the law......sure.

Outright give the rule of law and constitution the middle finger?  Nah....I think Trump stands alone there, especially to the extent at which he is trying to take this. 

While I of course have absolutely no idea what that man is really thinking, I am sure he would really like the immunity thing, but recognizes its not going to happen.  But what will happen with this nonsense is he is and will continue to trigger delays, which he hopes will push all of this to after the election.  That's his endgame as I think he thinks he can find a way to win...probably not through votes, but through manipulation of the system by way of the courts and other means.

If Trump got what he wanted with the immunity thing....Biden could literally walk up to Trump on national TV and slit his throat Game of Thrones style and not face any repercussions whatsoever.  I would like to think that someone....anyone...has pointed that out to him.  I personally do not want ANY president to have that kind of freedom from prosecution.

We all should live under the law equally.  
I have a problem with Biden as well taking classified docs home and he was a VP or Sen.  Only a Pres. can do that.  Now keep them is another matter. They should be returned.  
Delay is the Tactic of choice in all of DC. Regardless of rank or party.  
It’s a mosh pit. 

[hawkstwelve]

Trump has been ordered to pay $350 million in his NY civil fraud trial. Combined with the damages won by E. Jean Carroll, Trump has already racked up $450 million in legal dues and fees. He's barely even started the majority of his cases. The guy will be bankrupt in no time.

[Iceresistance]

2 minutes ago, hawkstwelve said:

Trump has been ordered to pay $350 million in his NY civil fraud trial. Combined with the damages won by E. Jean Carroll, Trump has already racked up $450 million in legal dues and fees. He's barely even started the majority of his cases. The guy will be bankrupt in no time.

More proof that courts have been weaponized against a presidential candidate

[snow_wizard]

On 2/14/2024 at 2:21 PM, Iceresistance said:

I wish I was making this up, but it's real
 

 

These people are disgusting.

[Andie]

On 2/14/2024 at 4:21 PM, Iceresistance said:

I wish I was making this up, but it's real
 

 

How do you say, “Poor taste,” in a language these protesters can understand?  

You can’t. Takes too many expletives.  

[snow_wizard]

35 minutes ago, hawkstwelve said:

Trump has been ordered to pay $350 million in his NY civil fraud trial. Combined with the damages won by E. Jean Carroll, Trump has already racked up $450 million in legal dues and fees. He's barely even started the majority of his cases. The guy will be bankrupt in no time.

It will all be tied up in the courts for years.  These fines are so absurd it will be easy to be granted an appeal.  So incredibly obvious these judges have made up their minds even before the trials begin.

[snow_wizard]

6 minutes ago, Andie said:

How do you say, “Poor taste,” in a language these protesters can understand?  

You can’t. Takes too many expletives.  

They are sickos.

[snow_wizard]

11 hours ago, SnarkyGoblin said:

I saw the news this morning and it made me sick to my stomach, especially having watched his documentary - Navalny (2022) - IMDb.  He chose to go back to Russia for his cause.

And yet somehow there are idiots in this country and forum (one who openly says it) who think Russia is pretty great.  Probably one of the most disturbing evolutions of MAGA.

I sure don't think Putin is great. 

On the other hand Russia has certainly turned into quite the boogey man for the Democrats.  What ever happened to the good old days when the Dems loved the Soviet Union?  The Dems have gone way overboard with this Russia is behind every bad thing narrative.

[MossMan]

On 2/14/2024 at 2:34 PM, SnarkyGoblin said:

A satellite-destroying nuclear weapon.

It's not a dumb idea.

....except I forgot about the "plot" from the movie Gravity.  Maybe it is dumb?

How’s everyone’s preps going? 

[SnarkyGoblin]

1 hour ago, Iceresistance said:

More proof that courts have been weaponized against a presidential candidate

Maybe focus on the proof he broke the law?  And not some made up narrative created by people who could not care less about you.

[Chewbacca Defense]

2 hours ago, Iceresistance said:

More proof that courts have been weaponized against a presidential candidate

 

[Chewbacca Defense]

1 hour ago, snow_wizard said:

It will all be tied up in the courts for years.  These fines are so absurd it will be easy to be granted an appeal.  So incredibly obvious these judges have made up their minds even before the trials begin.

He still has to pony up the money BEFORE he can ask for an appeal and put it in a bond (I believe the judge dictates the terms).  Either way, he has to come up with the money, and soon.  I believe there is an option that someone can pony up the money on his behalf, but given Trump's propensity for f*cking people over and not paying his debts, anyone willing to cover him.....well lets just say a fool and his money would soon be parted.

[Hoosier]

Regarding this New York civil case against Trump... rather than arguing that there was absolutely no wrongdoing involving the company, I think a better argument could be made that it was a selective prosecution.  And had he never become president, I have a feeling that we never would've seen this case in court.  No way to know that for sure, but it's just my belief.

[Chewbacca Defense]

2 hours ago, snow_wizard said:

I sure don't think Putin is great. 

On the other hand Russia has certainly turned into quite the boogey man for the Democrats.  What ever happened to the good old days when the Dems loved the Soviet Union?  The Dems have gone way overboard with this Russia is behind every bad thing narrative.

Russia was a boogeyman for both parties until very recently.  Now, with the Trump brand of Republican party, Putin's apparently a great guy.  Let's not forget that Trump said he believed Putin over our own intelligence services back in 2018.

 

Back when it was the USSR, I think both parties held similar positions against them.  Both countries sought and achieved treaties to slow the growth of nuclear weapons and development.  And both parties sought to defeat communism.

And even in more recent times, it's not just Democrats calling out Putin and Russia.

John McCain didn't really beat around the bush:

“Vladimir Putin is a thug and a murderer and a killer and a KGB agent,” McCain said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Dec. 11, 2016.

Although, I realize he's not the right kind of Republican, and had the audacity to get captured and become a POW, so his word probably means nothing to you.

Mike Pence had this to say in 2022:

"There can be no room in the conservative movement for apologists to [Vladimir] Putin. There is only room in this movement for champions of freedom," he said.

"Appeasement has never worked, ever, in history."

Oh wait, he's also the wrong kind of republican.  He couldn't "do his job" on January 6th.

Paul Ryan seemed to think they were the boogeyman back in 2018:

“There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world,” said Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, in a statement. “That is not just the finding of the American intelligence community but also the House Committee on Intelligence.”

Ryan continued, “The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy.”

[Chewbacca Defense]

3 hours ago, Iceresistance said:

More proof that courts have been weaponized against a presidential candidate

And I have no doubt that you would feel the exact same way if it was Biden on the hook for everything that Trump has been accused of doing.

/sarcasm

[snow_wizard]

2 hours ago, Chewbacca Defense said:

He still has to pony up the money BEFORE he can ask for an appeal and put it in a bond (I believe the judge dictates the terms).  Either way, he has to come up with the money, and soon.  I believe there is an option that someone can pony up the money on his behalf, but given Trump's propensity for f*cking people over and not paying his debts, anyone willing to cover him.....well lets just say a fool and his money would soon be parted.

I don't believe any of the negative crap I hear about Trump anymore.  Just been lied to too many times by the media.  Anyway....there are already more funds popping up to cover Trump's legal fees.  I'm highly tempted to donate.  This madness is out of control now.

[snow_wizard]

The left wing hatred of mankind has been taken to a whole new level now.  A recent study has determined that the intellectually superior Neanderthals were wiped out by less intelligent, but more violent precursors of modern man. 

You cannot make this stuff up!

[snow_wizard]

It blows my mind that some people can't see what the left is doing to Trump.  What easier way to get him out of the way than to drive him to bankruptcy?  Is it really that far fetched?

All they are doing is infuriating people.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

4 hours ago, snow_wizard said:

I sure don't think Putin is great. 

On the other hand Russia has certainly turned into quite the boogey man for the Democrats.  What ever happened to the good old days when the Dems loved the Soviet Union?  The Dems have gone way overboard with this Russia is behind every bad thing narrative.

Making up sh*t is fun! Ask a Republican!

[Rubus Leucodermis]

25 minutes ago, snow_wizard said:

It blows my mind that some people can't see what the left is doing to Trump.  What easier way to get him out of the way than to drive him to bankruptcy?  Is it really that far fetched?

All they are doing is infuriating people.

Same old, same old.

Nazis and their supporters whined when the punishments for the Beer Hall Putsch got handed down.

I am sure it all sounded more convincing in the original German.

[snow_wizard]

5 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Same old, same old.

Nazis and their supporters whined when the punishments for the Beer Hall Putsch got handed down.

I am sure it all sounded more convincing in the original German.

Oh brother.

Can you prove they aren't railroading Trump?

[snow_wizard]

7 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Making up sh*t is fun! Ask a Republican!

Really easy to hand out these quips with absolutely nothing to back them up.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

9 minutes ago, snow_wizard said:

Oh brother.

Can you prove they aren't railroading Trump?

I'm not the one claiming he is being railroaded.