***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[Belgium]

Exactly. People are just too far in their "Dems suck" feelings right now and they think a faltering debate or even hunters pardon are going to define Joe's legacy when we had Reagan flooding our own streets with crack to fund his proxy wars and Trump trying a coup.

I'm pretty much a junkie to US political scandal so I've read more than anyone should but yeah, literally the only Special Counsel probe that is completely synonymous to a president is the Lewinsky case by Kenneth Starr and Watergate by Archibald Cox and later Leon Jaworski after the Saturday Night Massacre.

I disagree with granting Starr the scope to basically go on an unrestrained fishing expedition in search of a crime but I do agree Bill Clinton perjured himself and was playing silly semantics. That being said, it's a lie about an affair. Who cares. It would be hard to prosecute for a variety of reasons. The Kenneth Star probe hasn't really harmed his image though in hindsight.

Watergate will obviously be forever tied to Nixon, there's no escaping that. That's probably the most famous political scandal ever. Even my grandparents knew all about it.
Did you know however that his vice president Spiro Agnew was arguably more corrupt? He was taking bribes all over the place and literally had stacks of money delivered to the Whitehouse in brown pager bags. He was already implicated in a bribery investigation back in Agnew's old area but was immune from prosecution due to statue of limitations. It later turned out that Agnew just never stopped taking bribes and he was brazenly doing it at the WH without Nixon's knowledge. Nixon had to hear about it from Agnew's personal attorney, not Agnew directly. And this was already in the middle of the Watergate investigation. Really have to give Nixon credit for not only being a terrible president but also to find a VP just as much of a crook, arguably way worse, than him to make Watergate an even bigger ****show.

I'd argue Spiro Agnew is probably worse than Watergate but for some reason it's like a forgotten tale. I didn't even know about it for a long time, despite knowing every single detail of Watergate.

The Special Counsel investigation during W. Bush never really stuck to him. The only one that stuck around was the Vallerie Plame affair that involved **** Cheney and Scooter Libby, who took the fall for Cheney.
W. Bush actually refused Cheney's request for a pardon for Scooter Libby, though he did commute his sentence. Then to add the cherry on top, Trump of course pardoned him.
The criminal investigation (not special counsel) centered on Bush's sudden firing of 9 US Attorneys ended without any charges so that's pretty much relegated to the dustbin of history aside from political scandal addicted freaks like me.

Obama actually didn't have a single Special Counsel probe investigating him or close associates.

From 2016 and onwards I think we don't need a reminder.

 

[MakeNTGreatAgain]

Insurances and PBMs are the biggest scams its insane. Deal with them all day.

something i can agree with u on
kaiser was denying my mother an mri on her ripped mensicus for 3 months until she could no longer stand and fell. smh these new corporate doctors and 'systems of health' are the absolute worst thing to happen
bring back independent doctors

 

[IATT]

 

[Brownstone]

I'm pretty much a junkie to US political scandal so I've read more than anyone should but yeah, literally the only Special Counsel probe that is completely synonymous to a president is the Lewinsky case by Kenneth Starr and Watergate by Archibald Cox and later Leon Jaworski after the Saturday Night Massacre.

I disagree with granting Starr the scope to basically go on an unrestrained fishing expedition in search of a crime but I do agree Bill Clinton perjured himself and was playing silly semantics. That being said, it's a lie about an affair. Who cares. It would be hard to prosecute for a variety of reasons. The Kenneth Star probe hasn't really harmed his image though in hindsight.

Watergate will obviously be forever tied to Nixon, there's no escaping that. That's probably the most famous political scandal ever. Even my grandparents knew all about it.
Did you know however that his vice president Spiro Agnew was arguably more corrupt? He was taking bribes all over the place and literally had stacks of money delivered to the Whitehouse in brown pager bags. He was already implicated in a bribery investigation back in Agnew's old area but was immune from prosecution due to statue of limitations. It later turned out that Agnew just never stopped taking bribes and he was brazenly doing it at the WH without Nixon's knowledge. Nixon had to hear about it from Agnew's personal attorney, not Agnew directly. And this was already in the middle of the Watergate investigation. Really have to give Nixon credit for not only being a terrible president but also to find a VP just as much of a crook, arguably way worse, than him to make Watergate an even bigger ****show.

I'd argue Spiro Agnew is probably worse than Watergate but for some reason it's like a forgotten tale. I didn't even know about it for a long time, despite knowing every single detail of Watergate.

The Special Counsel investigation during W. Bush never really stuck to him. The only one that stuck around was the Vallerie Plame affair that involved **** Cheney and Scooter Libby, who took the fall for Cheney.
W. Bush actually refused Cheney's request for a pardon for Scooter Libby, though he did commute his sentence. Then to add the cherry on top, Trump of course pardoned him.
The criminal investigation (not special counsel) centered on Bush's sudden firing of 9 US Attorneys ended without any charges so that's pretty much relegated to the dustbin of history aside from political scandal addicted freaks like me.

Obama actually didn't have a single Special Counsel probe investigating him or close associates.

From 2016 and onwards I think we don't need a reminder.

This all tracks, especially the part of you being more interested in political history than Americans. I have learned more from my non-American born friends about US Political history than any class and I was a Poli Sci major.

Also forgotten is Reagan's OVERT racism, not just dog whistles. From the Water Gate tapes:

Reagan then turns to a racist trope to express his frustration with how African nations voted. Nixon laughs. . . to see those—those monkeys from those African countries [President Nixon laughs], damn them, they’re still uncomfortable wearing shoes!

Ronald Reagan

And his blindness on Apartheid in South Africa, ironic because he is arguably the more pro Palestinian President in modern era

When Reagan did eventually become president, the issue of South African apartheid rose to the front of American consciousness. Instead of confronting the regime, Reagan chose to emphasize engagement, trade, and a history of "friendly" relations. It became one of the few times Republicans broke with the president, as Congress overrode his veto of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act in 1986. "I think he is wrong," said Senator Mitch McConnell, "We have waited long enough for him to come on board."

Imagine being behind Mitch McConnell on morality

Link: https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/reagan-nixon-and-race

 

[gry60]

Imagine being behind Mitch McConnell on morality

I am surprised by that quote from Mitch.

 

[rolaholic]

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Given how stimulus starved the US economy was in 2016, the Trump tax cuts were probably a net positive for the economy...but 2024 is a different story.

If Trump and the Republicans really run it back and do another unpaid for tax cut, inflation will be back with a vengeance.

 

[Wargames]

What that saying “do you hear the Thunder, pay attention to the Thunder”

The federal government is going to turn to a complete **** show in about 6 weeks AND there are so many crazed people with guns even the wealthy won’t be safe.

 

[Wargames]

Given how stimulus starved the US economy was in 2016, the Trump tax cuts were probably a net positive for the economy...but 2024 is a different story.

If Trump and the Republicans really run it back and do another unpaid for tax cut, inflation will be back with a vengeance.

Lowkey I think the tariffs and trade wars are going to be pushed to hide the fact that the tax cut for the wealthy is the cause for worse inflation. Both cause inflation, but one involves pointing externally to other countries.

Like if the republicans and their donors plan is to get rich beyond measure, destroy regulations to keep it, and use xenophobia to hide it. Then a lot of what we seeing the idiot and those around him doing makes sense.

 

[mplsdunk]

What that saying “do you hear the Thunder, pay attention to the Thunder”

The federal government is going to turn to a complete **** show in about 6 weeks AND there are so many crazed people with guns even the wealthy won’t be safe.

They shot trump before he was even president again.

When whole cities go crazy they can’t do anything but let it happen. I watched mpd flee and burn to the ground.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

 

[yobyellav]

Nope. That's not how these things work.

George W lied straight to our faces, got thousands of soldiers killed, and blew trillions of dollars on a war for nothing and he's remembered as the goofy, painting grandpa.

Half of the country doesn't even know why but thinks Reagan is the greatest president ever, a bunch of people dont know anything about him, and a tiny fraction of politically knowledgeable people actually know how bad he was.

Joe has the benefit of being sandwiched by the worst president in history. His legacy will be fine.

Maybe you’re right, but I don’t have much faith in people who can be so easily convinced that what they’re seeing isn’t happening.

 

[IATT]

 

[Lizakers]

 

[osh kosh bosh]

They are probably just mad that Biden wasn't socialist enough.

 

[Nike Jordan]

Liz Akers has to be the sorest winner on here.

 

[gry60]

.........

Those who want to take away social security, medicare, medicaid, free school lunches, welfare programs, ADA policies, etc... will learn this too. You can't starve an armed population, and for a starved population, anything can be a weapon.

https://www.asahq.org/about-asa/newsroom/news-releases/2024/11/anthem-blue-cross-blue-shield-will-not-pay-complete-duration-of-anesthesia-for-surgical-procedures

 

[mplsdunk]

There is a reason for 2a and it isn’t hunting.

 

[rolaholic]

Look at what the cat drug out of the gutter...

 

[05fordgt]

Look at what the cat drug out of the gutter...

I'm sure she'll get some more insider info for more stock trades before **** hits the fan.

 

[frink85]

UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect caught on camera with 'distinctive' backpack after Brian Thompson killing; law enforcement share details about the shooter

New York Police Department officials said the shooting was not “a random act of violence,” but that the identity of the suspect — who remains at large — and the motive for the shooting are still unknown.

www.yahoo.com

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny described the suspect, who was caught on nearby security cameras, as a light-skinned male

 

[rolaholic]

 

[Air Champa]

I'm honestly surprised it took this long for something like this to happened to a Healthcare CEO.

There's probably not a lot of people in a hurry to help cooperate with police either.

 

[Public Enemy]

 

[IATT]