All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!(Part II)

[Tazirai]

For those who insist that Trump is widely popular and a shoo in for 2020:

Poll: Trump trails Biden, Sanders, Warren in potential 2020 matchups

I heard Bernie doesn';t stand a chance, oh look Number 1. Lol.

[Malvolio]

That's the thing, though... if there's no Trump in the White House, there's no stupid tariffs, and stubborn, idiotic insistence that the U.S. have "easy to win trade wars".

His impeachment would likely stabilize the stock market.

That is a possibility. But as others have said, any time a President is in danger of being removed from office, it effects the markets. It did with Nixon in 1974 and it did with Clinton in 1998. It's the uncertainty, regardless of the President or the Party he leads.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

That is a possibility. But as others have said, any time a President is in danger of being removed from office, it effects the markets. It did with Nixon in 1974 and it did with Clinton in 1998. It's the uncertainty, regardless of the President or the Party he leads.

What I know about high finance wouldn’t fill a shot glass, but I thought that the markets went out their way to insulate themselves from the madness that goes on in Washington.

[Tami]

Trump’s résumé is rife with mob connections

Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas titled their classic group portrait of Harry S. Truman’s foreign policy team, “The Wise Men.” A book about Donald Trump’s associations might be called “The Wise Guys.”

Mario Puzo would’ve been just the man to write it. Martin Scorsese could option the movie rights.

And if he’s not in prison when filming starts, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort deserves a role. Though Manafort hasn’t been accused of Mafia membership, Smooth Paulie certainly acts the part, judging from testimony at his trial in federal court on charges of fraud and tax evasion. He has a closet full of suits worthy of John Gotti (though even the Dapper Don might have balked at an ostrich-skin windbreaker) and a maze of offshore bank accounts dense enough to addle Meyer Lansky.

When Manafort’s turncoat lieutenant Rick Gates took the stand to detail their alleged conspiracies, I was transported to the day back in 1992 when Gotti’s underboss Sammy Gravano began singing at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Gotti’s lawyers attacked Sammy the Bull by demanding to know how many people he’d whacked. Manafort’s team asked Gates how many affairs he’s had.

[numberthirty]

What I know about high finance wouldn’t fill a shot glass, but I thought that the markets went out their way to insulate themselves from the madness that goes on in Washington.

While I would imagine that they do, sometimes the bigger picture is going to dictate just how much they realistically can.

[numberthirty]

One more thing about Harris and "Splitting Hairs"...

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/b...ideologue.html

Steven Mnuchin Is More Pragmatist Than Ideologue

Republicans, though, have the majority needed to confirm him. He is not a Republican through and through. He has given money multiple times to Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, who will be the next Senate leader for the Democrats. He donated to President Obama’s first presidential campaign and raised money this year for Kamala Harris, a Democrat who won a California Senate seat in this month’s election.

Think about who was involved in running OneWest Bank. Think about who was involved in deciding not to file a civil enforcement action against that bank.

https://www.politico.com/blogs/donal...closure-233160

Report fuels questions about Mnuchin role in foreclosure crisis

The 2013 document published Tuesday by The Intercept suggests that investigators looking into foreclosures by the bank, OneWest, found evidence of "widespread misconduct." Investigators suggested there was evidence OneWest signed backdated documents and undertook steps in the foreclosure process when it wasn't allowed to do so.

Though the California attorney general did not pursue charges, the internal findings have given critics of Mnuchin's nomination fresh ammunition ahead of a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing.

Democrats and progressive groups have been planning for weeks to make OneWest's foreclosures a centerpiece of their opposition campaign against Mnuchin.

"The documents made public today bolster the already strong case that Mnuchin's bank was an egregious actor during the foreclosure crisis, flouting both the law and common decency in the rush to kick Americans out of their homes," said Rootstrikers campaign director Kurt Walters, one of the advocates fighting the nomination.

[Gray Lensman]

That is a possibility. But as others have said, any time a President is in danger of being removed from office, it effects the markets. It did with Nixon in 1974 and it did with Clinton in 1998. It's the uncertainty, regardless of the President or the Party he leads.

It's enough that I felt it just from the 2016 election. Any uncertainty in the Oval Office is enough to cause issues in the manufacturing sector - even if it is the fact that a different person will be in it (even before you know who it will be). 2016 was hard on my wallet, as a job which normally has regular overtime was running 4 day work weeks instead for much of that year.

I work in plastics, but much of what we make supports the automotive industry. So when they are worried, we are too.

[Jack Dracula]

What I know about high finance wouldn’t fill a shot glass, but I thought that the markets went out their way to insulate themselves from the madness that goes on in Washington.

If only it were true.
Immediately after the election the markets took a temporary nosedive and it has happened on more than one occasion that Trump affected the markets simply by tweeting something idiotic about war or tariffs.

His impeachment may create a temporary fluctuation, but I agree with others here that it wouldn't last more than a day or two.

[numberthirty]

If only it were true.
Immediately after the election the markets took a temporary nosedive and it has happened on more than one occasion that Trump affected the markets simply by tweeting something idiotic about war or tariffs.

His impeachment may create a temporary fluctuation, but I agree with others here that it wouldn't last more than a day or two.

There's also more than one possible outcome to his potential impeachment.

If he somehow manages beat what are seemingly long odds and stay in office, what does the picture look like then? If an impeachment manages to remove him from office, is his assertion that him being removed from office is not something that the market will be attempting to account for? If so, I don't know that any one person is that important. Let alone Trump.

[numberthirty]

While I know that "We" are an incredibly small corner of the interwebs, it seemed worth it to get this one out there as early as possible...

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...s-to-the-polls

Ride-sharing app teams up with nonprofits to provide discounted Election Day rides to the polls

Edit: Went back through yesterday. Didn't notice either of these getting a mention(understandable, yesterday was a doozy).

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...related-deaths

Michigan health director to stand trial for manslaughter in Flint water-related deaths

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/201...ency-wildfires

Verizon accused of throttling California Fire Department during emergency wildfires

[aja_christopher]

"AP: National Enquirer Hid Damaging Trump Stories in a Safe"

"WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Enquirer kept a safe containing documents on hush money payments and other damaging stories it killed as part of its cozy relationship with Donald Trump leading up to the 2016 presidential election, people familiar with the arrangement told The Associated Press. The detail came as several media outlets reported on Thursday that federal prosecutors had granted immunity to National Enquirer chief David Pecker, potentially laying bare his efforts to protect his longtime friend Trump.

Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty this week to campaign finance violations alleging he, Trump and the tabloid were involved in buying the silence of a porn actress and a Playboy model who alleged affairs with Trump. Five people familiar with the National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc., who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because they signed non-disclosure agreements, said the safe was a great source of power for Pecker, the company’s CEO.

The Trump records were stored alongside similar documents pertaining to other celebrities’ catch-and-kill deals, in which exclusive rights to people’s stories were bought with no intention of publishing to keep them out of the news. By keeping celebrities’ embarrassing secrets, the company was able to ingratiate itself with them and ask for favors in return.

But after The Wall Street Journal initially published the first details of Playboy model Karen McDougal’s catch-and-kill deal shortly before the 2016 election, those assets became a liability. Fearful that the documents might be used against American Media, Pecker and the company’s chief content officer, Dylan Howard, removed them from the safe in the weeks before Trump’s inauguration, according to one person directly familiar with the events.

It was unclear whether the documents were destroyed or simply were moved to a location known to fewer people..."

https://www.apnews.com/143be3c52d474...-Trump-stories

[aja_christopher]

"Manhattan D.A. Eyes Criminal Charges Against Trump Organization"

"The Manhattan district attorney’s office is considering pursuing criminal charges against the Trump Organization and two senior company officials in connection with Michael D. Cohen’s hush money payment to an adult film actress, according to two officials with knowledge of the matter.

A state investigation would center on how the company accounted for its reimbursement to Mr. Cohen for the $130,000 he paid to the actress, Stephanie Clifford, who has said she had an affair with President Trump, the officials said.

Both officials stressed that the office’s review of the matter is in its earliest stages and prosecutors have not yet made a decision on whether to proceed.

State charges against the company or its executives could be significant because Mr. Trump has talked about pardoning some of his current or former aides who have faced federal charges. As president, he has no power to pardon people and corporate entities convicted of state crimes..."

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/n...ges-vance.html

-----

"David Pecker, Chief of National Enquirer’s Publisher, Is Said to Get Immunity in Trump Inquiry"

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/23/u...ity-trump.html

[aja_christopher]

"Beto O'Rourke's defense of anthem protests draws support from LeBron James"

"A viral video of Democratic Texas Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke discussing protests over racial injustice during the national anthem in the NFL has drawn a wave of praise and commentary from some high-profile athletes, including LeBron James.

James tweeted about the video of O'Rourke from "Now This" news, which credits the footage to Nivien Saleh. As of Thursday morning, the video had more than 12.8 million views and more than 160,000 retweets.

"A Must Watch!!!," James wrote to his 41 million followers. "Salute @BetoORourke for the candid thoughtful words!"

In the four-minute video, O'Rourke fields a question at a Texas town hall about the national anthem protests that have roiled the NFL over the past year. The El Paso Democrat -- who is challenging incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz in November -- explains why he supports the protests, meant to draw attention to racial injustice, and remarking on the similarities between the sacrifices of soldiers and veterans and those of civil rights activists, and saying "I can think of nothing more American" than peaceful protests.

Cruz responded to the O'Rourke video on Thursday, tweeting: "Most Texans stand for the flag, but Hollywood liberals are so excited that Beto is siding with NFL players protesting the national anthem that Kevin Bacon just retweeted it. That means all of us can now win Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon!"

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/23/polit...tes/index.html

------

"Ellen DeGeneres says she wants to meet Beto O'Rourke after defense of NFL player protests goes viral"

"Comedian and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres said she wants to meet with Texas Democratic Senate candidate, Rep. Beto O’Rourke, following a viral video of him defending NFL players who protest during the national anthem.

“I would like to meet you,” DeGeneres said in a tweet on Tuesday, tagging the Texas Democrat.

DeGeneres’s tweet also includes the now-viral video of O’Rourke saying he “can think of nothing more American,” in reference to national anthem protests, which he explained are intended to bring attention to African-Americans who are "being killed at a frightening level right now, including by members of law enforcement, without accountability and without justice."

O'Rourke's remarks came in response to a question he was asked at a recent town hall event, inquiring whether he found the national anthem protests disrespectful.

“This problem — as grave as it is — is not going to fix itself,” O'Rourke continues in the video. “And they’re frustrated, frankly, with people like me and those in positions of public trust and power, who have been unable to resolve this or bring justice for what has been done and to stop it from continuing to happen in this country.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know...ionate-defense

[JackDaw]

If only it were true.
Immediately after the election the markets took a temporary nosedive and it has happened on more than one occasion that Trump affected the markets simply by tweeting something idiotic about war or tariffs.

His impeachment may create a temporary fluctuation, but I agree with others here that it wouldn't last more than a day or two.

Yes, it’s hard to see that markets wouldn’t go down, but also hard to see why effect would last more than a few days.

I thought interesting point was that the Donald felt the need to mention it at all. Surely it’s the sort of thing he’d say if he thought that impeachment is fairly likely?

[Tazirai]