***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[MalcolmNewton]

Libs are toast. BE BEST LIBS.

Blatant disrespect to her highess, the royal pole dancer

 

[aepps20]

Blatant disrespect to her highess, the royal pole dancer

I don't usually disagree with OUR PRESIDENT ELECT but MEANIE Melanie is hurting his presidency. Some times it be your own.

 

[whywesteppin]

In November 2013, Trump hosted the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. He was deeply unhappy with Meanie Melania at the time, and now Russia was showing him all these beautiful women. He secretly met with Russian oligarchs that same trip and hatched the perfect plan to get rid of her.

Become the face of angry white America. Go after Obama with birtherism. Join forces with Steve Bannon. BECOME PRESIDENT. Travel ban. Build a wall. Go after chain migration. And then DEPORT THE MEANIE. Tweet ridiculous things every 4-6 hours. Among all that hoopla, this one little deportation will go unnoticed.

Step down from the presidency, no one will know what happened, and live happily ever after.

#BEBREAST
#gobacktowhereyoucamefrom
#geezladystopnaggingdapperdon

 

[gry60]

Watch out Murica. It could happen here...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...urt-removes-duterte-enemy-judge-idUSKBN1IC0EM

Philippine Supreme Court removes Duterte 'enemy' judge
Manuel Mogato
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine Supreme Court voted on Friday to remove its top judge, whom President Rodrigo Duterte called an “enemy” for voting against controversial government proposals, citing violations in the way she was appointed.

One opposition party said the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno, the country’s first woman chief justice, removed a shield against abuse of power in government and left behind a “puppet Supreme Court”.

By a vote of 8-6, the court granted the government’s petition to cancel Sereno’s appointment on the grounds of alleged violations in the appointment process.

“Maria Lourdes Sereno is found disqualified from, and hereby adjudged guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising, the office of the chief justice,” said court spokesman Theodore Te, who read out the decision.


Sereno is the first chief justice to be removed by her peers and the second top judge to lose the position after her predecessor was impeached for non-disclosure of wealth.

The court declared Sereno’s position vacant with immediate effect and ordered the judicial and bar council to begin a new selection process, Te said.


Ousted Philippine Supreme Court Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno speaks to supporters at a rally outside the Supreme Court building on Taft Avenue, metro Manila, Philippines May 11, 2018. REUTERS/Dondi Tawatao
It gave Sereno a deadline of 10 days after receiving a copy of its decision to explain why she should not be sanctioned for a number of alleged violations, such as “casting aspersions and ill-motive to the members of the Supreme Court”.

Sereno has denied any wrongdoing, and her spokesman said she would appeal the decision. “It is a sad day,” Jojo Lacanilao said in a television interview.

An hour after the decision, Sereno emerged from her office and urged her supporters to “defend the constitution and fight wrongdoing”.

“Let’s continue to spread the message of democracy and reason,” she said.


Duterte’s lawyer Salvador Panelo and government spokesman Harry Roque issued separate statements asking the public to respect the ruling.

The scene outside the court in Manila was calm after the ruling. Crowds of supporters and opponents of Sereno had gathered outside the building before the ruling.

Opposition politicians denounced Sereno’s removal.

Senator Risa Hontiveros called it “a direct stab to the heart of our Constitution”, while her Akbayan party said the country was “a heartbeat away” from the death of its democracy.

• 
  
• 
  

Slideshow (3 Images)
“After having a lapdog Congress and a seriously wounded Senate, we now have a puppet Supreme Court,” the party said in a statement.

Duterte has made no secret of his dislike of Sereno.

She voted against several of his proposals, such as extending martial law on a restive island and allowing late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in a cemetery for national heroes.

In October last year, Duterte dared Sereno to open her bank account to public scrutiny, accusing her of corruption and of being used by his political opponents.


Friday’s decision came before Congress, controlled by Duterte’s allies, returns from its Easter break next week to vote on an impeachment complaint against Sereno.

 

[Based Jesus]

Spoilers

Spoiler

I joked to my friend as I was leaving the theater that if Trump was one of the ones erased then Thanos was right.

 

[aepps20]

I

Watch out Murica. It could happen here...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...urt-removes-duterte-enemy-judge-idUSKBN1IC0EM

Philippine Supreme Court removes Duterte 'enemy' judge
Manuel Mogato
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine Supreme Court voted on Friday to remove its top judge, whom President Rodrigo Duterte called an “enemy” for voting against controversial government proposals, citing violations in the way she was appointed.

One opposition party said the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno, the country’s first woman chief justice, removed a shield against abuse of power in government and left behind a “puppet Supreme Court”.

By a vote of 8-6, the court granted the government’s petition to cancel Sereno’s appointment on the grounds of alleged violations in the appointment process.

“Maria Lourdes Sereno is found disqualified from, and hereby adjudged guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising, the office of the chief justice,” said court spokesman Theodore Te, who read out the decision.


Sereno is the first chief justice to be removed by her peers and the second top judge to lose the position after her predecessor was impeached for non-disclosure of wealth.

The court declared Sereno’s position vacant with immediate effect and ordered the judicial and bar council to begin a new selection process, Te said.


Ousted Philippine Supreme Court Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno speaks to supporters at a rally outside the Supreme Court building on Taft Avenue, metro Manila, Philippines May 11, 2018. REUTERS/Dondi Tawatao
It gave Sereno a deadline of 10 days after receiving a copy of its decision to explain why she should not be sanctioned for a number of alleged violations, such as “casting aspersions and ill-motive to the members of the Supreme Court”.

Sereno has denied any wrongdoing, and her spokesman said she would appeal the decision. “It is a sad day,” Jojo Lacanilao said in a television interview.

An hour after the decision, Sereno emerged from her office and urged her supporters to “defend the constitution and fight wrongdoing”.

“Let’s continue to spread the message of democracy and reason,” she said.


Duterte’s lawyer Salvador Panelo and government spokesman Harry Roque issued separate statements asking the public to respect the ruling.

The scene outside the court in Manila was calm after the ruling. Crowds of supporters and opponents of Sereno had gathered outside the building before the ruling.

Opposition politicians denounced Sereno’s removal.

Senator Risa Hontiveros called it “a direct stab to the heart of our Constitution”, while her Akbayan party said the country was “a heartbeat away” from the death of its democracy.

• 
  

Slideshow (3 Images)
“After having a lapdog Congress and a seriously wounded Senate, we now have a puppet Supreme Court,” the party said in a statement.

Duterte has made no secret of his dislike of Sereno.

She voted against several of his proposals, such as extending martial law on a restive island and allowing late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in a cemetery for national heroes.

In October last year, Duterte dared Sereno to open her bank account to public scrutiny, accusing her of corruption and of being used by his political opponents.


Friday’s decision came before Congress, controlled by Duterte’s allies, returns from its Easter break next week to vote on an impeachment complaint against Sereno.

We need this to happen ASAP. TOO many Lib judges not supporting our PRESIDENT ELECT.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Sidenote:

What Trump and Cocaine Turtle are doing to the courts is enough to make every left-leaning non-voter look like an idiot.

When black folk, other minorities, and other marginalized groups lose civil rights lawsuits in the future because of these judges, I look forward to hearing the complaints.

Letting white supremacists have one third of the federal government for a generation because you can't bring yourself to vote for Hillary. Straight buffoonery

 

[aepps20]

Sidenote:

What Trump and Cocaine Turtle are doing to the courts is enough to make every left-leaning non-voter look like an idiot.

When black folk, other minrominor, and other marginalized groups lose civil rights lawsuits in the future because of these fools. I look forward to hearing the complaints.

But, buuut, BUT, BUUUUUUUUT Bernie was robbed. Both parties are the same. It won't effect me. Minorities BETTA vote how I vote or I'll stay home. Black people didn't give Hills enough support (meanwhile White women let her down)

 

[noskey]

I


We need this to happen ASAP. TOO many Lib judges not supporting our PRESIDENT ELECT.

And an #AMENCOALRADE to that. If you aren't with us, you are AGAINST the patriots of the USSR and that will NOT be tolerated like the libby innuendo of the past 9 years. Disgusting.

 

[boris]

 

[boris]

Trump will win again. As we speak they’re misprinting voter cards, assigning more sites that are 2-3 hours away, creating more loopholes to make people not be able to vote, etc. America is the land of fat, white, idiots. Everyone else will have to accept that or change it

This is why I plan to move to a different country in the next few years.

 

[Belgium]

Four years ago.
https://www.npr.org/2018/05/11/6103...links-to-oligarch-in-cohen-payment-allegation
FBI Warned Of Russian Intelligence Links To Oligarch In Cohen Payment Allegation

The FBI warned four years ago that a foundation controlled by the Russian oligarch who allegedly reimbursed Donald Trump's personal lawyer might have been acting on behalf of Russia's intelligence services.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lucia Ziobro wrote an unusual column in the Boston Business Journal in April of 2014 to warn that a foundation controlled by Russian energy baron Viktor Vekselberg might be part of a Moscow spying campaign that sought to siphon up American science and technology.

"The foundation may be a means for the Russian government to access our nation's sensitive or classified research, development facilities and dual-use technologies with military and commercial applications," Ziobro wrote. "This analysis is supported by reports coming out of Russia itself."

Fast forward to this week: Vekselberg's name has been in U.S. headlines because of allegations about his involvement with payments to Trump's longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen.

A lawyer suing Trump and Cohen, Michael Avenatti, released a document on Tuesday charging that Vekselberg might have reimbursed Cohen for the payment he made to Avenatti's client, porn actress Stormy Daniels. Avenatti's document has not been fully verified but important aspects of it have been confirmed.

FBI investigators reportedly stopped Vekselberg on his way into the United States earlier this year to question him. The 2014 column written by Ziobro suggests that Vekselberg has been of interest to U.S. intelligence officials for some time — well before the counterintelligence investigation into Russia's attack on the 2016 presidential election.

The "reset" era

The Skolkovo Foundation was founded during the early years of the 'reset' in U.S.-Russia relations that began in the early years of the Obama administration. Vekselberg, one of Russia's richest men, served as president for the organization and a major force behind the project, which was to create Russia's version of America's Silicon Valley.

Initially, the investment effort attracted American interest. But by spring of 2014, following the Russian seizure of Crimea, the U.S.-Russia relationship had soured significantly — and shortly after the Crimean annexation, the FBI's Ziobro issued her public warning.

One U.S. official who had a front row seat to the Skolkovo Foundation's work from its inception is Michael Carpenter, who served as the deputy director of the State Department's Office of Russian Affairs, then later as the Director for Russia at the National Security Council in 2013 and 2014.

"Skolkovo was one of the projects that was launched under the auspices of the reset," Carpenter said. "In particular it appeared to me to be an effort to gain intellectual property from U.S. firms and gain advantages ... that could come back to hurt us. That was my intuition."

Skolkovo was interested in cutting-edge American technologies, Carpenter said, including biotechnology, nanotechnology, new materials and sophisticated micro-electronics.

The 2014 FBI warning is now newly relevant given allegations revolving around Vekselberg and his reported ties to Trump lawyer Cohen.

"Vekselberg is a Kremlin money-man and has long been engaged with U.S. elites, whether from Harvard, private companies or trying to get access to the White House or State Department," Carpenter told NPR. "So when I found out about Mueller's questioning of him, and his role of potentially channeling funds to Michael Cohen, I took note."

 

[gry60]

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/05/trumps-washington/560105/

 

[cedric ceballos]

November this year and 2020 people need to ditch the purity tests, ditch the my guy didn’t win so I’m taking my ball and going home mindset, and stop looking for reasons not to vote for the chosen candidates.

For as much crap as Trump supporters get for being dumb, uneducated etc (which is all true), they go out and vote red consistently. The fickle Dems, Progressive crowd etc who do that purity test crap need to check their egos and realize that just because they think they’re smart doesn’t make their vote count any more.

Those uneducated Trump supporter votes count just as much as those woke “i’m too cool to show up to the polls and vote since I didn’t get what I want” voters votes would.

 

[stuntman mike]

November this year and 2020 people need to ditch the purity tests, ditch the my guy didn’t win so I’m taking my ball and going home mindset, and stop looking for reasons not to vote for the chosen candidates.

For as much crap as Trump supporters get for being dumb, uneducated etc (which is all true), they go out and vote red consistently. The fickle Dems, Progressive crowd etc who do that purity test crap need to check their egos and realize that just because they think they’re smart doesn’t make their vote count any more.

Those uneducated Trump supporter votes count just as much as those woke “i’m too cool to show up to the polls and vote since I didn’t get what I want” voters votes would.

this needs to be repeated until it penetrates though some thick, stubborn skulls.

 

[cedric ceballos]

They need to check their ego. I really think some of them think their vote counts more because they’re educated and/or aware of the issues.

Like they really don’t understand that Cletus the West Virginia Trump supporters vote counts as 1 vote and their educated vote counts as 1 also.

You don’t get bonus points for being an informed educated voter. There are more uneducated voters than educated voters in this country, so yeah it needs to be repeated until it sinks in.

Go on a site like the Young Turks and all you hear is *****ing about Trump. You also hear a bunch of rationalizing from the same folks as to why they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Hillary. There was two choices on the ballot. If you didn’t pick the alternative to Trump or if you didn’t vote, it’s hard to take the complaining seriously. Especially when it comes from people to stubborn to admit they screwed up. Which if they’re constantly complaining about everything Trump yet didn’t vote for the other option, in my eyes they screwed up.

 

[frink85]

The irony is that the most uneducated idiots are the ones blindly voting for people that will destroy them en masse while the people that actually care and research candidates and issues vote smart or don’t vote at all.

But desperate times call for every man and woman smart dumb rich poor can read illiterate I don’t care put your X next to the color blue

 

[deuce king]

And as long as the idealistic left refuses to vote for a Democratic candidate that in their eyes isn't perfect, while the hypocrite holier-than-thou "moral" right again votes for the grab 'em by the *****, porn star affair having Trump, he'll get a second term as well.

Sidenote:

What Trump and Cocaine Turtle are doing to the courts is enough to make every left-leaning non-voter look like an idiot.

When black folk, other minrominor, and other marginalized groups lose civil rights lawsuits in the future because of these judges, I look forward to hearing the complaints.

Letting white supremacists have one third of the federal government for a generation because you can't bring yourself to vote for Hillary. Straight buffoonery

Open your eyes @Maximus Meridius

 

[MalcolmNewton]

 

[rexanglorum]

Being around experienced, well-paid, and older mechanics and electricians who wouldn't put in an extra hour of paid work just so their backs and knees can rest has taught me that quality of life matters just as much as salary.

It think it's unfair to downplay the reality that American workers don't want seasonal jobs, even if they pay relatively better than minimum wage ($12 and $17 in Kentucky). In addition, those jobs tend to be physically demanding, and they tend to be located in areas that experience youth drain, which means that the local population is much less likely to want (or be able) to work physical jobs, and you're not dragging the youth back from urban centers to rural areas, even with $30/hr, three-month-long jobs and no real social safety net or opportunities to professionally develop outside the high demand season. So, it becomes a choice between watching your business die because you can't meet the demand, dealing with very high turnover rates, or, in the absence of foreign labor (for whom $17/hr for 3-5 months is not nothing), invest in automation.

I can see your point that labor markets are geographically disparate and that seasonal jobs in place far from a major metro area would not have the effect of suppressing wage.

In most cases though, the complain from businesses that they "can't find workers" or that there is "shortage" or a "skills gap," is just a moral fig leaf over a calls for austerity. The idea is that because unemployed or underemployed or low wage Americans workers are all such morons, we are already at full employment and any further monetary or fiscal policy driven efforts to decrease unemployment and push up wages would be waste of resources.

Sanders, Warren I'd prefer to see take another shot. Kamala Harris, who I believe wouldn't stand a snowballs chance. Though at this point in time it comes down to what Democrat can herd sheep from fickle 'independant' white America and the non-racist republican voters, the latter who I am convinced is a number that is getting smaller and smaller as the months go on.

At any rate, Dems are going to have to pay some heavy lip service to the communities Trump has pissed off the most, assuming they don't have short term memories which voters tend to suffer from come election time.

I'll like anyone who shouts out Sanders or Warren. Long term, our goal would be to create a a multiracial coalition of workers and relegate the Republican Party to permanent minority status. In the more near term though, we have to find a way recreate Obama's performances as best we can without Obama on the ballot. Any Democratic nominee will be able to command the same core constituencies. What matters are getting up turnout with those who voted for Obama in '08, and '12 but who did not vote at all in 2016. No shows killed us more than the small number of voters who flipped from Obama to Trump.

November this year and 2020 people need to ditch the purity tests, ditch the my guy didn’t win so I’m taking my ball and going home mindset, and stop looking for reasons not to vote for the chosen candidates.

For as much crap as Trump supporters get for being dumb, uneducated etc (which is all true), they go out and vote red consistently. The fickle Dems, Progressive crowd etc who do that purity test crap need to check their egos and realize that just because they think they’re smart doesn’t make their vote count any more.

Those uneducated Trump supporter votes count just as much as those woke “i’m too cool to show up to the polls and vote since I didn’t get what I want” voters votes would.

We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that 83% of Sanders primary voters did support Clinton in the 2016 general, which is a greater number than Hillary delivered for Obama in 2008.

 

[rexanglorum]

Sidenote:

What Trump and Cocaine Turtle are doing to the courts is enough to make every left-leaning non-voter look like an idiot.

When black folk, other minorities, and other marginalized groups lose civil rights lawsuits in the future because of these judges, I look forward to hearing the complaints.

Letting white supremacists have one third of the federal government for a generation because you can't bring yourself to vote for Hillary. Straight buffoonery

Dems have a habit of not pressing the advantage when they have across the board majorities. We'd have fewer non voters if we didn't make voters look foolish. in 2009, they should have gone straight nuclear option and done all business with a 50 vote threshold, packed the courts with more left leaning judges, put in a public option, card check (which would have prevented GOP takeovers in those midwestern States). Obama should have jailed the bakers, he certainly should not have let Goldman Sachs run the treasury. He should have been willing to increase taxes. He should have ignored unctous concerns about the National Debt.

It's a loser's ideology to concede that even if we regain super majorities, we will just have to accept Republican controlled courts for a generation. Congress absolutely can change the number of judges in each Federal Court. In 2020, we should see a doubling of every Federal Court's number of judges. Promise to wipe away every last vestige of Trump's Presidency. Play to win instead of begging the voters for a chance to lose more slowly.

 

[Sharpshoeter13]

Watch out Murica. It could happen here...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...urt-removes-duterte-enemy-judge-idUSKBN1IC0EM

Philippine Supreme Court removes Duterte 'enemy' judge
Manuel Mogato
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine Supreme Court voted on Friday to remove its top judge, whom President Rodrigo Duterte called an “enemy” for voting against controversial government proposals, citing violations in the way she was appointed.

One opposition party said the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno, the country’s first woman chief justice, removed a shield against abuse of power in government and left behind a “puppet Supreme Court”.

By a vote of 8-6, the court granted the government’s petition to cancel Sereno’s appointment on the grounds of alleged violations in the appointment process.

“Maria Lourdes Sereno is found disqualified from, and hereby adjudged guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising, the office of the chief justice,” said court spokesman Theodore Te, who read out the decision.


Sereno is the first chief justice to be removed by her peers and the second top judge to lose the position after her predecessor was impeached for non-disclosure of wealth.

The court declared Sereno’s position vacant with immediate effect and ordered the judicial and bar council to begin a new selection process, Te said.


Ousted Philippine Supreme Court Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno speaks to supporters at a rally outside the Supreme Court building on Taft Avenue, metro Manila, Philippines May 11, 2018. REUTERS/Dondi Tawatao
It gave Sereno a deadline of 10 days after receiving a copy of its decision to explain why she should not be sanctioned for a number of alleged violations, such as “casting aspersions and ill-motive to the members of the Supreme Court”.

Sereno has denied any wrongdoing, and her spokesman said she would appeal the decision. “It is a sad day,” Jojo Lacanilao said in a television interview.

An hour after the decision, Sereno emerged from her office and urged her supporters to “defend the constitution and fight wrongdoing”.

“Let’s continue to spread the message of democracy and reason,” she said.


Duterte’s lawyer Salvador Panelo and government spokesman Harry Roque issued separate statements asking the public to respect the ruling.

The scene outside the court in Manila was calm after the ruling. Crowds of supporters and opponents of Sereno had gathered outside the building before the ruling.

Opposition politicians denounced Sereno’s removal.

Senator Risa Hontiveros called it “a direct stab to the heart of our Constitution”, while her Akbayan party said the country was “a heartbeat away” from the death of its democracy.

• 
  

Slideshow (3 Images)
“After having a lapdog Congress and a seriously wounded Senate, we now have a puppet Supreme Court,” the party said in a statement.

Duterte has made no secret of his dislike of Sereno.

She voted against several of his proposals, such as extending martial law on a restive island and allowing late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to be buried in a cemetery for national heroes.

In October last year, Duterte dared Sereno to open her bank account to public scrutiny, accusing her of corruption and of being used by his political opponents.


Friday’s decision came before Congress, controlled by Duterte’s allies, returns from its Easter break next week to vote on an impeachment complaint against Sereno.

My home in shambles

 

[aepps20]

All this talk about LIB Unity brings da lulz. Only people that hate LIBS more than Coal Gang are other Libs with their purity test nonsense. Young Turks and Jenk Clowngar and Ana Clownsparian do our job for us. We only have to use #SMASHMOUTHPOLITICS on NT LIBS because the other SNOWFLAKES cry in their Veggie wraps and stay home when their candidate doesn't win. PATHETIC B. Coal Gang members vote at least 10 times for our candidates whether we like them or not. Libs should take note.

 

[Nawzlew]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-44087735

US President Donald Trump has accused foreign governments of extorting "unreasonably low prices" from pharmaceutical firms.

Speaking in Washington on Friday, he said he had directed his top trade negotiator to make the issue a priority in trade talks.

"It is time to end the global freeloading once and for all," he said.

The president is under pressure to deliver on campaign promises to reduce the high costs of prescription drugs.

In his speech, the president pinned the problem in part on price controls in other countries that he said "extort unreasonably low prices" from drug-makers, forcing Americans to pay more to "subsidise the enormous costs of research and development".

"That is unacceptable," he said.

However, experts say foreign pricing is not a major influence on US costs and changing it will not help Americans.

Paul Ginsburg, a professor of health policy at USC and the director of the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy, said firms set prices to maximise profits and already have ample incentives to innovate.

"The notion that if other countries pay more for drugs that US consumers will pay less, that's just not true," said

"If they are able to get other countries to pay more, I don't believe it will have any effect on prices in the United States," he added. "It will only raise drug company profits."

Shares of health care companies jumped after the president's speech.

So I guess to lower drug prices, he wants countries to increase their prices so ours doesn't seem as expensive?

 

[frink85]

I heard him talk about “pharmaceutical lobbyists” etc “gouging average americans” etc and “foreign drugs” etc. of course he had no idea what he was talking about.

Capitalism at work