All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[kidfresh512]

Why would anyone think an affair from 12 years ago was going to contain a smoking gun?

The moral aspects are of no real concern to anyone. The legal aspects, I mean...the possibility of using campaign funds for her payoff...that's about it, right? And I mean, that seems tiny compared to a lot of what Trump has done and likely done.

Also, I could totally buy, as someone mentioned above, this whole Stormy thing being planned as a distraction from something terrible. I mean, from Trump's perspective, his base learning that he banged a porn star is, like, not a bad thing at all. Maybe that 130,000 payout was payment for her to come out with this story eventually...and they both win. His approval rating is going up and she's making money.

I will always say that just because trump has lowered the bar for standards that we as a country "USED" to hold elected officials too does NOT mean that this is not news. Yes spouses cheat on each other in the White House before, but you can't ignore that parts of the GOP base, specifically Evangelicals, used to be apoplectic about "morality" and leading the country morally. It has been and still is used to push agendas like anti abortion measures, anti LGBTQ legislation etc. Letting them off the hook by saying no one cares anymore on THIS side of morality, but allowing them to take the "moral" high ground anywhere else is insane.

Let us not forget the opposition to gay marriage ,for example, before it was settled in Supreme Court was largely a "moral" one. And all measures since then to limit everything from gay adoptions, to gay couples rights and benefits to be served and treated fairly also follow that "moral" basis of opposition.

It IS news and it IS relevant to consistently point out the hypocrisy of supporting a President and an administration who has been demonstrably proven to fail any standard of morality test time and time again. Yet still the same people regain their pearl clutching and bible stances on other issues. Whether people care or not anymore does not matter to the news relevance of the issue.

If you don't report on the president of the United states hiding and paying off women and even in Stormies case possibly threatening and intimidating their silence you are failing the people of the country.

I don't care if his backwards supporters think anything he does is fine and excusable. It is an ever expanding scope of things that suddenly "don't matter" and they think people "don't care about". Those people are stupid and delusional on top of being hypocrites. We should never cater real news to them. They have Fox News and trumps twitter account to cater to their alternative facts.

[ZombieHavoc]

I will always say that just because trump has lowered the bar for standards that we as a country "USED" to hold elected officials too does NOT mean that this is not news. Yes spouses cheat on each other in the White House before, but you can't ignore that parts of the GOP base, specifically Evangelicals, used to be apoplectic about "morality" and leading the country morally. It has been and still is used to push agendas like anti abortion measures, anti LGBTQ legislation etc. Letting them off the hook by saying no one cares anymore on THIS side of morality, but allowing them to take the "moral" high ground anywhere else is insane.

Let us not forget the opposition to gay marriage ,for example, before it was settled in Supreme Court was largely a "moral" one. And all measures since then to limit everything from gay adoptions, to gay couples rights and benefits to be served and treated fairly also follow that "moral" basis of opposition.

It IS news and it IS relevant to consistently point out the hypocrisy of supporting a President and an administration who has been demonstrably proven to fail any standard of morality test time and time again. Yet still the same people regain their pearl clutching and bible stances on other issues. Whether people care or not anymore does not matter to the news relevance of the issue.

If you don't report on the president of the United states hiding and paying off women and even in Stormies case possibly threatening and intimidating their silence you are failing the people of the country.

I don't care if his backwards supporters think anything he does is fine and excusable. It is an ever expanding scope of things that suddenly "don't matter" and they think people "don't care about". Those people are stupid and delusional on top of being hypocrites. We should never cater real news to them. They have Fox News and trumps twitter account to cater to their alternative facts.

I agree and get why it's being reported on--even if it is being reported on probably too much. But I was commenting on the fact that there were people who seemed to think this 60 Minutes interview would lead to a smoking gun that was going to take down Trump. That's dumb as hell.

But also, the religious right is a joke. The Stormy Daniels thing, all it really amounts to is entertainment. At the end of the day, the people who have been opposed to Trump as president since 2015 already know about the hypocrisy of Trump, his administration, the religious leaders who prop him up, et al. To the people who voted for Trump, none of this matters at all, other than the media is trying to take down their president.

So it does not matter how much is reported on about this. We are left exactly as we were on November 9, 2016: Fucked. Irreparably fucked.

CNN covers Stormy Daniels for 23 hours a day and Trump's ratings are going up and a gang of torture-happy warmongers are about to 100% be confirmed into this administration and John McCain pretends to have a problem with it and Trump will become a wartime president and win a landslide victory in 2020 and then he really lets loose in his second term.

[Dalak]

On the risk of a bullter going though a wall, hiigh velocity, frangible 5.56 rounds splinter apart when hitting walls, greatly reducing the risk of collateral damage

One why would anyone want the gun, firearms are subjective. Everyone varies in what their circumstances are, what they find comfortable, and what they need out of a gun.

A $650 mid tier AR is probably the best choice for many gun owners re: duty/defense oriented shooting.

On why i am interested? 1 thing, my grandad used to collect guns that he got from a little civil war we got in the country, he teached a lot about guns to my dad and my dad teached a lot about guns, here i am just posting what i know about firearms and in my opinion the ban on assault rifle is not something i support.

Also i have some family in Ohio but they only own a handgun, sometimes i talk to them about laws in the US, we both agree there should be universal background check for safety.

Maybe it was a translation problem, but I asked about need not want. There are many things in life that I want but know I don't need. Also: AR-15's use 223 Remmington ammunition much more than the 5.56 you mention, how does that work via Drywall or other fragile building materials?

As for your family in Ohio, they don't seem like they think an AR is necessary or better for their home defense. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you almost seem to be advertising these guns now - Why?

Either when living in an area frequented by large and aggressive animals or when confronted with a PCP fiend?

I'm fairly sure there are better weapons to dissuade animals, and is PCP even much of a thing nowadays? Yeah you were probably joking, but it got me thinking.

[kidfresh512]

I agree and get why it's being reported on--even if it is being reported on probably too much. But I was commenting on the fact that there were people who seemed to think this 60 Minutes interview would lead to a smoking gun that was going to take down Trump. That's dumb as hell.

But also, the religious right is a joke. The Stormy Daniels thing, all it really amounts to is entertainment. At the end of the day, the people who have been opposed to Trump as president since 2015 already know about the hypocrisy of Trump, his administration, the religious leaders who prop him up, et al. To the people who voted for Trump, none of this matters at all, other than the media is trying to take down their president.

So it does not matter how much is reported on about this. We are left exactly as we were on November 9, 2016: Fucked. Irreparably fucked.

CNN covers Stormy Daniels for 23 hours a day and Trump's ratings are going up and a gang of torture-happy warmongers are about to 100% be confirmed into this administration and John McCain pretends to have a problem with it and Trump will become a wartime president and win a landslide victory in 2020 and then he really lets loose in his second term.

I think the "smoking gun" stuff is kinda desperation by some to have this mess over with. I think its the same camp that want him impeached already every time he tweets something else stupid. It just comes out of frustration more than anything and it is clearly too soon to go that far.

As far as coverage of these affairs and cover ups, sure maybe it is covered too much possibly. But, lets not forget what we actually know. Even though these affairs were years ago. They were covering up and paying them off right before the election. That goes to their knowledge that they were doing something that was wrong, it goes to duplicity and continued character issues.

Him getting elected again has to do with turnout and message that's ALL. If voters who can't wait for this to be over do not turn up then sure he can be elected again. That isn't the media's fault

[Iron Maiden]

Why would anyone think an affair from 12 years ago was going to contain a smoking gun?

The moral aspects are of no real concern to anyone. The legal aspects, I mean...the possibility of using campaign funds for her payoff...that's about it, right? And I mean, that seems tiny compared to a lot of what Trump has done and likely done.

Also, I could totally buy, as someone mentioned above, this whole Stormy thing being planned as a distraction from something terrible. I mean, from Trump's perspective, his base learning that he banged a porn star is, like, not a bad thing at all. Maybe that 130,000 payout was payment for her to come out with this story eventually...and they both win. His approval rating is going up and she's making money.

I think there are two important things that can come out of this


The statement about Stormy Daniels receiving a vague death threat delivered in person by some mysterious stranger. In spite of what her lawyer says, that's going to be a hard one to pin on someone. She said she would know this person if she saw him again. IF by some chance they can connect the dots all the way back to Michael Cohen, it could implicates Trump was a party to it also. And Trump does admire the gangster style leaders like Putin and Duerte

The '"catch and kill" arrangement that Trump has with American Media which owns tabloid stuff like The Enquirer, The Star and US Weekly. The Enquirer has a very cozy relationship with Trump. We've seen that they help by heading off the more salacious stuff by buying that person's story and then killing it. This is what is going on with the Karen McDougal case. This is just wild speculation on my part but one wonders if this can also be a form of blackmail. I think the owner has done this for Trump without money changing hands. But I wonder if they do it for other GOP candidates in trouble but for a price

[Ragged Maw]

I'm fairly sure there are better weapons to dissuade animals, and is PCP even much of a thing nowadays? Yeah you were probably joking, but it got me thinking.

Well, if I were to argue for keeping this kind of weapon around, that’s the argument I’d go with.

[ed2962]

Maybe it was a translation problem, but I asked about need not want. There are many things in life that I want but know I don't need. Also: AR-15's use 223 Remmington ammunition much more than the 5.56 you mention, how does that work via Drywall or other fragile building materials?

As for your family in Ohio, they don't seem like they think an AR is necessary or better for their home defense. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you almost seem to be advertising these guns now - Why?



I'm fairly sure there are better weapons to dissuade animals, and is PCP even much of a thing nowadays? Yeah you were probably joking, but it got me thinking.

People still take PCP but it's been overshadowed by opium and meth lately.

[Joker]

Question, why try and ban semi assault rifles if there other things that can help reduce mass shooting like focusing in mental health and education?

Or why not try to ban excessive weapons of war from personal use? I get that you'r a gun nut, and love your AR-15s, but I'll never understand putting a gun over the lives of children. That's fucking disgusting in my mind.

[Tami]

Local news from NJ that I find interesting

Country Club tosses event with NRA speaker: Morris Women’s Republican Club loses venue

A North Jersey country club has cancelled an event where a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) was set to the be guest speaker after some members of the club lodged a protest.

Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown told the Morris County Women’s Republican Club that they need to find a new location for their April brunch. Scott Bach, the executive director of the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs and the only NRA board member from New Jersey, was the keynoter.

Angelique Scholl, the MCWRC president, did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment. David Bachman, the general manager of the country club, did not immediately respond to an e-mail.

Officials of the Morris County Democratic Women’s Caucus and former Harding Mayor Nicolas Platt, a Republican, criticized the Morris GOP for inviting Bach, a Morris County resident who was described by the MCWRC as “a gun rights leader in the most hostile territory imaginable for nearly two decades.”

“I am pleased to hear that the Springbrook country club listened to its members and cancelled the planned event with Scott Bach,” said Bella Bhimani, who organized the Morristown March For Our Lives last Saturday. “Planning an event with such an outspoken member of the NRA right after the student-led March For Our Lives is a slap in the face of our non-partisan effort to make our schools safer.

[BeastieRunner]

Mueller time! Newsweek with the salacious headline this week.

Rick Gates Is Mueller's 'Bitch' In Trump-Russia Probe, Former Ken Starr Deputy Says.

Canary be singin'.

[mojotastic]

Maybe it was a translation problem, but I asked about need not want. There are many things in life that I want but know I don't need. Also: AR-15's use 223 Remmington ammunition much more than the 5.56 you mention, how does that work via Drywall or other fragile building materials?

As for your family in Ohio, they don't seem like they think an AR is necessary or better for their home defense. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you almost seem to be advertising these guns now - Why?.

Do i looks like i am shilling gun, hmm yeah that might not look good, anyway i am just writing what i know about the gun and giving my opinion and yes my family in Ohio are democrats who voted for Hillary and think there should be more regulation on gun like in my country where only the goverment is able to sell you guns.

5.56/.223 is the standard AR-15 caliber, "intermediate wall barrier" is drywall + 2x4 with insulation built to code, pic related.

And on why would people want to to use something like a long gun instead of handgun, the short answer would be that anything you can mount on your shoulder is going to be a far easier platform to get fast, accurate hits with.

[Joker]

You don't need to be accurate with an AR-15, that's why it's so wonderful when you want to murder a lot of people really quickly.

[Ragged Maw]

Or why not try to ban excessive weapons of war from personal use? I get that you'r a gun nut, and love your AR-15s, but I'll never understand putting a gun over the lives of children. That's fucking disgusting in my mind.

“Simpsons” meme, anyone?

[BaneBreaker]

Do i looks like i am shilling gun, hmm yeah that might not look good, anyway i am just writing what i know about the gun and giving my opinion and yes my family in Ohio are democrats who voted for Hillary and think there should be more regulation on gun like in my country where only the goverment is able to sell you guns.

5.56/.223 is the standard AR-15 caliber, "intermediate wall barrier" is drywall + 2x4 with insulation built to code, pic related.

And on why would people want to to use something like a long gun instead of handgun, the short answer would be that anything you can mount on your shoulder is going to be a far easier platform to get fast, accurate hits with.

What is your goal with this pic? Most drywall is 1/2", 2x4s don't line the entirety of the drywall and insulation is fiberglass. This pic just shows great damage with protection

[PaulBullion]

Question, why try and ban semi assault rifles if there other things that can help reduce mass shooting like focusing in mental health and education?

Why focus on a difficult issue like mental health when you could just replace all kids with invulnerable Kryptonians?