All Purpose News and Politics Thread Part IV: The Center Cannot Hold

[Moon Ronin]

IMO, conservatism is the problem.

that and Soviet occupation that met resistance followed by a decade of civil war that let the Taliban take control in the 90's and implement it own laws has a little to do with it too.

[Tami]

Pres. Trump had to cancel his planned tour of Hurricane Dorian damage because of thunderstorms in Fayetteville, NC. This was a lightning strike behind Air Force One shortly after he arrived. (The shot from the very wet pool crew of Orly Ruiz, Michael Wade Sanders and Liz Turrell)

Updating the location of the picture to Havelock, North Carolina. (And for those asking, the bolt is behind the plane.)

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Close...but no cigar, God.

That was just a warning shot

How does God miss a target as big as that?

She's old and her aim isn't what it once was . . .

[Jack Dracula]

You sure about that? Your premise implies that elected officials are only doing what they do because it’s lucrative. And who’s definition of public good are we going by?

My premise implies that politicians who are putting the profits of corporations over the welfare of the public they claim to represent will have less motivation to do so.
We're going by the actual definition of public good. As in what's good for the public. If you need an example, how about doing away with regulations preventing coal mining companies from dumping waste material in streams, lakes and rivers?

Afghanistan has not been like this for centuries.

This is Kabul in 1972:

Kabul is not all of Afghanistan any more than NYC is all of the U.S. and the Kabul of 1972 was not the Kabul of 2001 when we invaded.

I should point out that "century" wasn't a typo on my part, though my wording was dumb. I'd intended the singular.

[Iron Maiden]

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Wow...that looks pretty close esp with the lightning strike reflecting in a nearby puddle.

I guess this just isn't Trump's week. Somebody vandalized his Bedminster golf course by putting "donuts" on one of the putting greens. Apparently this is the second case of vandalism at the course this month. One has to assume that Trump's security is responsible for the security when Trump isn't on the premises, which shows someone knows his schedule.

Trump himself has a reputation for messing up the greens on his courses by driving his golf cart on them instead of walking on the green like about 99.99 of golfers do

[InformationGeek]

So, hurricane survivors from the Bahamas being turned away... Trump finally talked about it.

Pres. Trump on hurricane survivors trying to leave the Bahamas: "We have to be very careful. Everyone needs totally proper documentation...I don't want to allow people who weren't supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people."

[JCAll]

Don't tell me you're surprised. Trump could screw up a perfectly good wet dream. The neverending clusterfuck that's the Middle East is well beyond his limited capabilities, provided he was ever serious about brokering a peace deal there to begin with, and I seriously doubt he was.

Donald Trump won a Razzie for being in a Bo Derek movie. Just throwing that out there.

[GindyPosts]

So, hurricane survivors from the Bahamas being turned away... Trump finally talked about it.

Methinks "very bad people" is code for "black" and/or "poor", is it not?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Methinks "very bad people" is code for "black" and/or "poor", is it not?

Yep. You nailed it. Kid Jackboot probably whispered in Trump’s ear that colored poor folks are a menace to the republic.

[Tami]

Google faces antitrust investigation by 50 US states and territories

Fifty US states and territories, led by Texas, announced an investigation into Google’s “potential monopolistic behavior”.

The Monday announcement closely followed one from a separate group of states on Friday that disclosed an investigation into Facebook’s market dominance. The two investigations widen the antitrust scrutiny of big tech companies beyond sweeping federal and congressional investigations and enforcement action by European regulators.

The Nebraska attorney general, Doug Peterson, a Republican, said at a press conference held in Washington that 50 attorneys general joining together sends a “strong message to Google”.

California and Alabama are not part of the investigation, although it does include the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Tara Gallegos, a spokeswoman for the California attorney general, Xavier Becerra, declined to confirm or deny any state investigation and would not comment on the announcement by the other states.

[Jack Dracula]

Methinks "very bad people" is code for "black" and/or "poor", is it not?

Methinks you thinks correctly.

[Mister Mets]

Candidates with scruples who'll put public wellfare before corporate profit. Candidates who legistlate according to their conscience rather than to aquire a payout from a Conservative Christian super-pac.
Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?

In this case, I don't know the answer. For one, I imagine many greatly exaggerate the influence of dark money in terms of who gets elected.

[Jack Dracula]

In this case, I don't know the answer. For one, I imagine many greatly exaggerate the influence of dark money in terms of who gets elected.

I'd argue that if the money didn't have some influence either before or after an election it wouldn't be put forward at all.

[Dalak]

In this case, I don't know the answer. For one, I imagine many greatly exaggerate the influence of dark money in terms of who gets elected.

The amount of money currently necessary to run is a hurdle many good people cannot overcome, and the current system prevents voters from making educated decisions regarding who is truly supporting the politicians thanks to tricks with donations through layers of obfuscation.

[Tendrin]

Uh hey WBE? I don't know if you've got this guy in the queue but if not he really ought to be.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Republican Tennessee lawmaker says he supports getting rid of higher education because he argues it would cut off the “liberal breeding ground.”

Sen. Kerry Roberts of Springfield called for eliminating higher education while speaking about attending a recent abortion legislative hearing on his conservative radio talk show on Sept. 2.

Roberts specifically called out one activist who testified in favor of protecting abortion rights. He asserted without evidence that the woman’s beliefs were a “product of higher education” and claimed that getting rid of higher education would “save America.”

[WestPhillyPunisher]

CIA Reportedly Had Asset So Close To Putin That Spy Could Photograph Secret Documents

The U.S. agency waged a mission to extract the informant from Russia in 2017 after Trump’s election, multiple media outlets reported.

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North Korea Says It Wants To Talk To U.S. Again, Then Fires More Projectiles

Talks between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump have stalled, but Pyongyang said it would be open to rekindling them this month. All Kim Jong Un has to do is send Trump a gooey letter and talks will be back on again!

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NOAA Will Investigate Why Agency Supported Trump’s False Dorian Claims

The agency, which oversees the National Weather Service, issued a statement Friday supporting the president’s false claims about the path of Hurricane Dorian. An important question that needs to be asked is if the NOAA can be trusted by the populace after this raging clusterfuck.

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Trump Calls GOP Primary Opponents ‘Laughingstock,’ Says ‘It’s A Publicity Stunt’

“I’m not looking to give them any credibility,” the president told reporters of his fellow Republicans Mark Sanford, Joe Walsh and Bill Weld. So, the practice of democracy by having primaries is a 'publicity stunt' to the Orange Menace. Let THAT sink in, folks.

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Twitter Users Find A Way To Get Chrissy Teigen’s Filthy Trump Nickname To Trend

The president got hit with a new nickname after attacking Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. This is hilarious!