[Tapper]

 Malankazooie, on 17 July 2018 - 11:10 PM, said:

Wow. Trump is a duplicitous piece of shit. It's pretty much settled now that Putin has got something on him just waiting to spring.

I don't think so. It would not explain the same type of friendliness he displays with Kim Jong-un and Duterte, for example. Imho, Trump wants to be seen as a tough guy, a de-facto ruler/dictator.

When he became president, they had to explain to him the trias politica of democracy. He apparently really thought he could rule by decree and House, Senate and DoJ (and the media) were just there to legitimise and applaud his decisions: the independence of the Department of Justice especially galls him, see the witch hunt comments. He has a zero sum approach to everything and the fact that these organs are independent and can disagree with him, means to him he is weak. Bend them to his will, and he is strong.

To him, dictators (Putin, Kim, Duterte, Erdogan) have done just that. They are what he thinks he should be.

For him, it is easy to talk down to Merkel (elected but with sinking domestic approval, woman, Obama's friend, doesn't pay the NATO 2%, Germany is a soft/economic powerhouse): plenty of simple sticks to beat her with to make him look tough and dominant - in his eyes. He really cannot think further than that: he is Trump, he won the election, Germany should pay NATO, Mexico should pay the wall, et cetera. Simple things, involving money (which he pull numbers from the air for to quantify his success).

Then he meets Putin, who is what he wants to be. Trump doesn't care about human rights, democracy or historic geopolitical allies and antagonists and he sure as hell cannot word these complex issues. He cares about image and the perception of power. So he fawns and he agrees and he babbles.

[Tiste Simeon]

That's a really good summary, Tapper. I might be nicking it to use elsewhere.

[Gorefest]

The real problem isn't Trump, the real problem is the Trump-enablers.

[Tsundoku]

 Gorefest, on 18 July 2018 - 10:35 AM, said:

The real problem isn't Trump, the real problem is the Trump-enablers.

Not to be confused with the Trump profiteers, even though some are both.

[Slow Ben]

 Gorefest, on 18 July 2018 - 10:35 AM, said:

The real problem isn't Trump, the real problem is the Trump-enablers.

I thought by now i would be stagger proof. But the amount of Trump backing still continuing is staggering.

[HoosierDaddy]

Dude, you live in bumfuck Illinois, or at least grew up there. I live in an Indy suburb "whitesville" full of dumbfucks from bumfuck that got money somehow.

These are racist assholes who hide it very, very well in public. Get them in a private convo? Oh Holy Shit does it hit the fan really quick. I deal with these racists every. fucking. day. They talk to me because I'm white, educated, and have a job that makes me seem sympathetic.

There's a reason "White Males" vote overwhelmingly for Republicans. They want the 50's back.

[worry]

LOL. How many times have you experienced the ol' white-guy-cagily-looking-around-to-make-sure-no-POCs-can-here-him move followed directly by the phew-we're-all-just-whites-here-thank-goodness dropping of the N-bomb or other slur? Always trying to circle you into it like you're a co-conspirator.

[HoosierDaddy]

Very, very rarely. It's usually just an all white company so "Who gives a fuck lol?", atmosphere.

Oh, adding me into the conspiracy? I don't say a god damned thing and keep my head down because I need a paycheck.

If I make enough money to build a company I'd do something for now I need to survive. Can't change the world if you aren't in it.

This post has been edited by HoosierDaddy: 18 July 2018 - 11:24 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

 Luv2B_Sassy, on 16 July 2018 - 05:12 AM, said:

Welp, that was a half hour of alternating between guffaws and horror. Just like the old days!

I watched about 10 minutes where he was being the Israeli guy talking about guns. Oh my days that was hiatus and utterly, tragically terrifying...

[worry]

Jeez HD, that's even worse than I thought. I was thinking more of social situations, but when even all your employment options are like that, sounds like you gotta be seething privately all the time.

[Slow Ben]

I'm pretty sure i'm getting a fucking ulcer from keeping it in all the time. I build houses/rentals in a town of 5600 that voted 90% for Trump. Yes, I want to tell these jagoffs how fucking stupid they are, but I also want to feed my kids.

Still kinda makes me feel like a coward though.

[worry]

I dunno man. If you live in a (for lack of a better term) 'diversity desert' and there's no point in fighting these dead end battles, what can you do but grin and bear it? That's not really cowardly. It's like HD was talking about a while back, you just do what you can where and when you can. There's lots of ways to be proactive, but you can't do everything. A lot of these things are bigger than individual people doing individual confrontations anyway. Which isn't to dissuade anyone from doing something positive (even that they've never done before) if they see an opportunity, but being mindful of opportunity costs is wise too.

This post has been edited by Luv2B_Sassy: 19 July 2018 - 02:53 AM

[Cause]

 Tiste Simeon, on 19 July 2018 - 12:15 AM, said:

 Luv2B_Sassy, on 16 July 2018 - 05:12 AM, said:

Welp, that was a half hour of alternating between guffaws and horror. Just like the old days!

I watched about 10 minutes where he was being the Israeli guy talking about guns. Oh my days that was hiatus and utterly, tragically terrifying...

I have chosen to believe its fake. Its the only way to live with it

[worry]

Try and believe THIS is fake. I dare ya!

[HoosierDaddy]

 Luv2B_Sassy, on 19 July 2018 - 01:08 AM, said:

Jeez HD, that's even worse than I thought. I was thinking more of social situations, but when even all your employment options are like that, sounds like you gotta be seething privately all the time.

Work type matters a LOT in this situation. When I was in education I was surrounded by like minded people for the most part. You are never going to get away from this in a conservative state, but it can be mitigated. Working for a small company where bottom line is all that matters? It tends to be far more rampant.

It could be worse. I've lived in worse. That has long since been scabbed other. There are bigger issues to fight than ignorance from people who choose to be that way.

[worry]

I hear you. I just hope you have time and opportunity to decompress, and can (not to get too hippy dippy about it) practice self-care. The little things can add up, you know? Even when you're conscious of them.

[Maark Abbott]

Putin's had an invite to the US, bigly invited, the best invitation, the best invitation.

[Macros]

Pee pee everywhere

[QuickTidal]

 Maark Abbott, on 20 July 2018 - 07:39 AM, said:

Putin's had an invite to the US, bigly invited, the best invitation, the best invitation.

Hosting a foreign dictator whose country CONTINUES to interfere in US elections...on US soil.

I wish there was a day where Trump didn't do something to sink lower....but he continuously proves that to not be on the cards.

[Nevyn]

 QuickTidal, on 20 July 2018 - 12:52 PM, said:

 Maark Abbott, on 20 July 2018 - 07:39 AM, said:

Putin's had an invite to the US, bigly invited, the best invitation, the best invitation.

Hosting a foreign dictator whose country CONTINUES to interfere in US elections...on US soil.

I wish there was a day where Trump didn't do something to sink lower....but he continuously proves that to not be on the cards.

It seems weird at first.

But really, it would be weird not to have him there for the name ceremony of Washington to Putingrad.