All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[JackDaw]

Don't worry. I'm sure someone here will be quick to defend Trump as he tries to scrub his own involvement in the peace deal by pretending it didn't exist.

Sometime in the next two or three years I suspect Trump will become a complete irrelevance.

Deep down,I think the Democrats would love him to be Republican candidate in next Presidential contest…it guarantees galvanising the Democratic support base.

But the Republicans know how to win elections and will avoid doing what the Democrats hope for. When the time comes running on the platform “Less awful than Trump” won’t be enough to win.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Sometime in the next two or three years I suspect Trump will become a complete irrelevance.

Deep down,I think the Democrats would love him to be Republican candidate in next Presidential contest…it guarantees galvanising the Democratic support base.

But the Republicans know how to win elections and will avoid doing what the Democrats hope for. When the time comes running on the platform “Less awful than Trump” won’t be enough to win.

You're assuming Qpublicans will be smart enough to follow that strategy. I for once seriously doubt that.

[JackDaw]

You're assuming Qpublicans will be smart enough to follow that strategy. I for once seriously doubt that.

It’s probably one of those areas where I struggle to get my head around the differences between US and UK politics.

In UK politics a 75 year old in doubtful health who had just lost an election would be quickly jettisoned.

The Conservatives would probably press “ejector button” before the words “Jack Robinson” could be uttered…while Labour might be more leisurely about it, maybe taking as long as a month.

[CSTowle]

On Trump running and Republicans not making the mistake of running him again, I'd defend Republicans by saying I don't think they have a choice. If he wants the spotlight (and let's face it, he wants the spotlight) he's going to take it. He's a personality stronger than the Party, and they have no competition to take it from him. Their one ray of hope is that he likely wants the attention of another run but not the responsibility of another term. Especially in tying him up until 2028. If they play it smart they'll flatter the s##t out of him, promise him something, and set him up to endorse someone younger and more in line with the Party's thinking. Who that is, I can't imagine.

[babyblob]

On Trump running and Republicans not making the mistake of running him again, I'd defend Republicans by saying I don't think they have a choice. If he wants the spotlight (and let's face it, he wants the spotlight) he's going to take it. He's a personality stronger than the Party, and they have no competition to take it from him. Their one ray of hope is that he likely wants the attention of another run but not the responsibility of another term. Especially in tying him up until 2028. If they play it smart they'll flatter the s##t out of him, promise him something, and set him up to endorse someone younger and more in line with the Party's thinking. Who that is, I can't imagine.

I just dont really see Trump as endorsing anyone outside of his very very close circle. He is very vain and the idea of passing the torch to someone else is just so far beyond him. In the White House he surrounded himself with people he could impose his will on and people with no back bones. And the second someone dared offer a thought that was not in line with his he got rid of them so fast and just attacked them in his tweets and turned everyone against them. Hell even Pence who could have been killed because of him went running back same with pretty much everyone in the house and Senate. There is no doubt who runs the show even if he is not on Twitter and Facebook. The GOP courts him and his followers.

The GOP had a real chance to get off the Trump train after the 6th. But they doubled down and rode that train off the rails and I dont see it stopping., They are going to use the Delta Covid outbreak as a sign Biden and the Dems does not know what they is doing (Even though they are fighting all attempts to curb it) They will use the mess in Afghanistan that Biden and the Dems cant keep America safe and screw over the people who helped the USA. and the sad thing is people will buy it and eat it up. I think we are in for a very rough few years. I am dreading the mid terms.

But as bad as Trump is it is only a matter of time before Trump 2.0 comes along. Someone who is well spoken and not an ego driven nut job. Just a hate monger who wants to advance hos power and goals and Trump has given these people a playbook to follow.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

It’s probably one of those areas where I struggle to get my head around the differences between US and UK politics.

In UK politics a 75 year old in doubtful health who had just lost an election would be quickly jettisoned.

The Conservatives would probably press “ejector button” before the words “Jack Robinson” could be uttered…while Labour might be more leisurely about it, maybe taking as long as a month.

Not here in the colonies, my friend. And most definitely NOT with Trump whom right wingers, conservatives and garden variety racists just adore because he gave them free rein to openly hate anyone who wasn't white, straight, rich, god fearing and gun loving. Trump's base literally has his back to the death since anti-maskers/anti-vaxxers in red states are currently keeling over for him, and the GQP are no more able to quit him than hardcore addicts can stop using drugs because they need that unwavering support in upcoming elections. So yeah, even though Trump is 75, is in doubtful health and equally questionable mental stability, he certainly hasn't been jettisoned, far from it, as long as he's breathing and ambulatory, he'll run again in '24. Short of him keeling over before then, count on it. For four years, Trump was arguably the most powerful man on the planet, that's a narcotic which is damn hard to give up, and he ain't even trying.

[babyblob]

The biggest issue I have right now is the way the Dems are handling Afghanistan right now. Not so much the with draw but the press from it. Every time I turn on some talk show there is a GOP law maker or talking head going on and on pinning the whole thing on Biden. You have Biden trying to do massive damage control and the Dem law makers defending the with draw. But I have only seen maybe 2 or 3 Dem law makers and no one of high rank on the talk shows talking about Trump's deal with the Taliban, the release of 5000 prisoners, Trump not helping Afgans who helped us by letting them in the USA or fast tracking visas. In fact I have heard several bash Biden for not getting the Afgans out. So his own party is bashing him right now along with the GOP. I mean even in his own statements Biden said he did not want to pass the buck to a 5th president making it sound like the Withdraw was on his idea, or at least that is how that statement can be framed by the GOP.

Right now the Dems are letting the GOP control the narrative on Afghanistan and that is a huge problem.

[Jack Dracula]

Okay found an answer or partial answer to how many people Trump let in from Afghanistan or rather did not let in. In 2020 according to the state department there were more 7000 special visas allocated to Afgans by Congress that were not used. Not given out to the Afgan people. So there are at least 7000 people who are stuck there during the last year of Trumps presidency. Since he signed the withdraw agreement on Feb 29th a good many of these are on him.

So it is a small number compared to Biden but these are 7000 lives that are in danger right now. If people blame Biden for the delays with the State Department processing visas and such and not stepping in then we can aslo blame Trump for the same on these 7000.

As of September 2019 over 19,000 visa applications were stuck in the processing stage.

It’s worth pointing out that Trump cut the numbers of immigrants allowed into the US by half and nearly 14,000 USCIS staff members were furloughed in 2020. It doesn’t matter how many visas are promised if there’s nobody to process them. If Trump planned to pull support from Afghanistan he obviously didn’t plan to bring many Afghans over here.

[kidfresh512]

The biggest issue I have right now is the way the Dems are handling Afghanistan right now. Not so much the with draw but the press from it. Every time I turn on some talk show there is a GOP law maker or talking head going on and on pinning the whole thing on Biden. You have Biden trying to do massive damage control and the Dem law makers defending the with draw. But I have only seen maybe 2 or 3 Dem law makers and no one of high rank on the talk shows talking about Trump's deal with the Taliban, the release of 5000 prisoners, Trump not helping Afgans who helped us by letting them in the USA or fast tracking visas. In fact I have heard several bash Biden for not getting the Afgans out. So his own party is bashing him right now along with the GOP. I mean even in his own statements Biden said he did not want to pass the buck to a 5th president making it sound like the Withdraw was on his idea, or at least that is how that statement can be framed by the GOP.

Right now the Dems are letting the GOP control the narrative on Afghanistan and that is a huge problem.

Agreed. It is a clusterfuck and while the Biden Administration should have at least been better informed of how bad this was going to be(just like every other administration since Bush) should have known. It's going to be the messaging and PR now. GOP controlling the narrative with Hypocrisy like they aren't the ones that got us into this quagmire in the first place is what will hurt.

Optics are bad...Biden's team made mistakes with how they used the extension of Trumps timetable and how they "believed" they had time he government would hold till they got out.

But, that same Defense department and intelligence services in general should have known things were going to go south fast. How did they not have assessments of the troops they trained and know how soon they would fold or get overtaken? Again its a 20 year problem, but why did we not have current intel and foreknowledge. The extra troops he had to deploy to secure the airport and speed up evac...why didn't we have that there to begin with with the extra time they had extending the original trump timeline?

The Biden team needs to get ahead of the press. Show some control. They also need to get ahead of where the intelligence issues and failures are and start firing accordingly. There will be Congressional hearings and investigations. Hell all the Generals and intelligence agencies need to be grilled .

[WestPhillyPunisher]

The biggest issue I have right now is the way the Dems are handling Afghanistan right now. Not so much the with draw but the press from it. Every time I turn on some talk show there is a GOP law maker or talking head going on and on pinning the whole thing on Biden. You have Biden trying to do massive damage control and the Dem law makers defending the with draw. But I have only seen maybe 2 or 3 Dem law makers and no one of high rank on the talk shows talking about Trump's deal with the Taliban, the release of 5000 prisoners, Trump not helping Afgans who helped us by letting them in the USA or fast tracking visas. In fact I have heard several bash Biden for not getting the Afgans out. So his own party is bashing him right now along with the GOP. I mean even in his own statements Biden said he did not want to pass the buck to a 5th president making it sound like the Withdraw was on his idea, or at least that is how that statement can be framed by the GOP.

Right now the Dems are letting the GOP control the narrative on Afghanistan and that is a huge problem.

This is just my uninformed opinion, but I suspect Democrats believe the narrative on Afghanistan was already lost after footage of the chaos at the airport was shown, and that no matter what Dems say, they can't deny the whole situation devolved into an unholy clusterfuck, one which ended at Biden's desk. That said, some Dems, worried more about their own necks instead of the party took the path of least resistance by blaming Biden for the mess. Again, he's not blameless, but it's looking he's being hung out to dry by his own party. As for not calling out Trump for the part he played in the mess, that could be looked upon as piling on The Former Guy who's no longer in office, something that might not play well with people watching Afghanistan disintegrate before their eyes and wanting to know what the CURRENT Guy is doing about the situation. Again, just an opinion.

[kidfresh512]

Aww in happier news today Buttigieg and Chasten announced they are dads now

[Mister Mets]

Aww in happier news today Buttigieg and Chasten announced they are dads now

Good for them.

[Amadeus Arkham]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has tested positive for Covid-19.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has tested positive for Covid-19.

We need a Republican Covid bingo card

[Mister Mets]

This is just my uninformed opinion, but I suspect Democrats believe the narrative on Afghanistan was already lost after footage of the chaos at the airport was shown, and that no matter what Dems say, they can't deny the whole situation devolved into an unholy clusterfuck, one which ended at Biden's desk. That said, some Dems, worried more about their own necks instead of the party took the path of least resistance by blaming Biden for the mess. Again, he's not blameless, but it's looking he's being hung out to dry by his own party. As for not calling out Trump for the part he played in the mess, that could be looked upon as piling on The Former Guy who's no longer in office, something that might not play well with people watching Afghanistan disintegrate before their eyes and wanting to know what the CURRENT Guy is doing about the situation. Again, just an opinion.

What's going on in Afghanistan is catastrophic, but it's probably not going to be one of the five biggest issues in Election Day November 2022, let alone November 2024.

It’s probably one of those areas where I struggle to get my head around the differences between US and UK politics.

In UK politics a 75 year old in doubtful health who had just lost an election would be quickly jettisoned.

The Conservatives would probably press “ejector button” before the words “Jack Robinson” could be uttered…while Labour might be more leisurely about it, maybe taking as long as a month.

The parties have much more control over candidates ion the UK.

I would love it if Trump were not a serious political figure. But that's largely up to primary voters, rather than elected officials.

Taliban urge women to join government.

Well, I guess they need secretaries. Can't imagine they'd allow them to do anything else.

I don't think the Taliban has gotten to the point culturally where they accept women as secretaries.

My guess is they view women as wives, mothers and occasional murderers.

We need a Republican Covid bingo card

He was vaccinated.

https://abc13.com/texas-gov-greg-abb...news/10957678/

It is also worth noting that many of the Democratic lawmakers who fled Texas last month got Covid.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/07...n-coronavirus/