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Thread: Life in the Trump Era, Part 2

  1. #781
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    Am I the only one who laughs at the whole "fake news" phrase. It is perfectly Trumpian in that it sounds childish and also doesn't really explain it... because it is actually news. That phrase is just something easy for an eight-year-old to shout on a playground.

    How about media bias, media corruption, fabricated news, inaccurate or incomplete reporting? There has to be some more descriptive and adult phrase than 'fake news'.


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    He is trying to communicate to the lowest common denominator of public perception. He's got a tremendous instinct for that. A great, demagogic, Barnum and Bailey circus master instinct.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  2. #782
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    He is trying to communicate to the lowest common denominator of public perception. He's got a tremendous instinct for that. A great, demagogic, Barnum and Bailey circus master instinct.
    Yep. His use of language to trigger our most basic of human emotions is pretty impressive to see. Fascinating actually. It really allows me to see how 20th century Germans were able to gravitate to Hitler. Not that I'm comparing Trump to Hitler other than their ability to speak to primal instincts of large audiences.

  3. #783
    Quote Originally Posted by U-Ute View Post
    Yep. His use of language to trigger our most basic of human emotions is pretty impressive to see. Fascinating actually. It really allows me to see how 20th century Germans were able to gravitate to Hitler. Not that I'm comparing Trump to Hitler other than their ability to speak to primal instincts of large audiences.
    I continue to believe that our next President will tell us exactly where we are as a nation and might be one of the most important elections of our lives. Will we survive this bozo? Will the next President be a reactive answer to this guy that is in some ways just as bad. Or, will we elect a quality, decent President and move forward?

  4. #784
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    Am I the only one who laughs at the whole "fake news" phrase. It is perfectly Trumpian in that it sounds childish and also doesn't really explain it... because it is actually news. That phrase is just something easy for an eight-year-old to shout on a playground.

    How about media bias, media corruption, fabricated news, inaccurate or incomplete reporting? There has to be some more descriptive and adult phrase than 'fake news'.


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    Me and my kids use that phrase all the time now. Whenever one of us thinks the other is pulling the wool over our eyes, we yell out “fake news!”

  5. #785
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Two Utes View Post
    Will the next President be a reactive answer to this guy that is in some ways just as bad. Or, will we elect a quality, decent President and move forward?
    My guess is the first.

    As long as we have two parties controlled by self interests, I don't see this changing anytime soon.

  6. #786
    Quote Originally Posted by U-Ute View Post
    My guess is the first.

    As long as we have two parties controlled by self interests, I don't see this changing anytime soon.
    Whereas in nature a pendulum swings less and less further out with each swing in time, it seems in politics it is just the opposite, with each swing reaching further extremes.

  7. #787
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    Whereas in nature a pendulum swings less and less further out with each swing in time, it seems in politics it is just the opposite, with each swing reaching further extremes.
    This is my theory - as the lower middle class gets the squeeze, voters will thrash back & forth, looking for political remedies to their plight. It remains to be seen, but the Democrat in the Mississippi Senate race is looking good, and the Blue Wave could be pretty strong.

    After reading the Medium article LA posted about California leading the nation by 15 years, and a period of 2 decades-to-2 generations of Democratic rule coming, I'm skeptical about a lot of what they were claiming... but:

    - the nation is getting browner. Those cultures align more with Dem values, overall.

    - outside some significant (but minor) percentage of the Republicans/disaffected Democrats who are ready for a white nationalist autocrat to restore the 1950s, most Americans are regurgitating on the racist stuff.

    - Trump seems to be an unwitting catalyst toward what the Medium article authors are predicting. (Like LA alluded, it's crazy to think the rest of the nation is like an extension of California. Texas isn't going to go along with that vision, that's for damn sure.)

    I think it's more likely we move toward a breakup than an accelerated national push toward a more progressive future... especially since the "Oscillation Theory" won't provide enough time for that kind of lurch to the left.

  8. #788
    The smear campaigns are now in earnest against Mueller and Comey. This is just comical, but apparently when you don't have facts just make them up. For the record, Comey never worked in the FBI until he was appointed its director.

    https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...-comey-sot.cnn

    That actually may be "fake news".


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  9. #789
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    The smear campaigns are now in earnest against Mueller and Comey. This is just comical, but apparently when you don't have facts just make them up. For the record, Comey never worked in the FBI until he was appointed its director.

    https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...-comey-sot.cnn

    That actually may be "fake news".


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    In my mind, why do I believe James Comey is telling the truth? Because no one is happy with him. Now for an interesting idea on why Comey's memos were released:

    https://slate.com/news-and-politics/...planation.html

  10. #790
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    The smear campaigns are now in earnest against Mueller and Comey.

    https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/...-comey-sot.cnn

    That actually may be "fake news".
    Comey deserves the criticism. His conduct has been comically erratic and has ruined his chance of ever serving again in a serious government position. Just my opinion.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  11. #791
    Five-O Diehard Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Comey deserves the criticism. His conduct has been comically erratic and has ruined his chance of ever serving again in a serious government position. Just my opinion.
    Funny, change the first word to Trump and that rings true.


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  12. #792
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    James Comey's leaks now a matter for the Justice Department

    The Office of Inspector General is a serious part of the federal government. I respect them greatly. They're straight shooters and beholden to no one.
    Last edited by LA Ute; 04-20-2018 at 01:29 PM.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  13. #793
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diehard Ute View Post
    Funny, change the first word to Trump and that rings true.
    Yes, it does. But don't change the subject. We're talking about Comey. Trump's an easy target.
    Last edited by LA Ute; 04-20-2018 at 02:06 PM.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  14. #794
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Democrats Sue Russia, WikiLeaks And Trump Campaign Over Election 'Conspiracy'

    Libs and Trump haters will see this as a brilliant move. Urbane, sophisticated and perspicacious observers of politics like me will see this as an embarrassing partisan stunt.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  15. #795
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    James Comey's leaks now a matter for the Justice Department

    The Office of Inspector General is a serious part of the federal government. I respect them greatly. They're straight shooters and beholden to no one.
    And when they find he did not leak classified info, what will the story be then?

  16. #796
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tooblue View Post
    And when they find he did not leak classified info, what will the story be then?
    They'll issue a report that he did not do so. They are required by law to issue a report.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  17. #797
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    They'll issue a report that he did not do so. They are required by law to issue a report.
    And then the matter will be over, correct. Or ...

  18. #798
    Quote Originally Posted by Two Utes View Post
    I continue to believe that our next President will tell us exactly where we are as a nation and might be one of the most important elections of our lives. Will we survive this bozo? Will the next President be a reactive answer to this guy that is in some ways just as bad. Or, will we elect a quality, decent President and move forward?
    Our next president may not be elected.

  19. #799
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tooblue View Post
    And then the matter will be over, correct. Or ...
    Nope. Just the end of a chapter.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  20. #800
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Comey deserves the criticism. His conduct has been comically erratic and has ruined his chance of ever serving again in a serious government position. Just my opinion.

    I don't know that you actually watched the clip, unless you are saying outright lies are deserved criticism? Trump's former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, in an interview on Fox blamed Comey for not protecting the people of Boston from the marathon bombers while he was head of the FBI in Boston. When called on that, he didn't back off of it, but rather doubled down and blamed Comey for the 'Whitey Bulger Fiasco' which was when the FBI allowed innocent people to be imprisoned to protect Whitey Bulger as an informant.

    Pretty rotten stuff that Comey did, right? The only problem of course being that Comey never was the head of the FBI in Boston... in fact Jim Comey never worked for the FBI at all until he was appointed the Director in 2013, which also happened to be well after the Boston bombing or Whitey Bulger.

    Sean Hannity of course didn't vet that, and has since been spouting off about Jim Comey's failures to our country beginning with his misconduct in Boston, and the problem is people will believe it.

    I agree that Comey is deserving of criticism, but I don't see his behavior as erratic. In fact, I think the best criticism I've heard about him is the fact that he spoke about the investigation of HRC, yet never revealed that Trump's campaign was also being investigated. Of course, the core difference in the related investigations was one was about a candidate directly and a publicly known issue, whereas the other was about staff members and was not yet publicly known.

  21. #801
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    This seems like a down-the-middle analysis by a never-Trumper:

    Andrew McCabe Report Explodes Republican and Democratic Myths Alike

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/...c-myths-alike/

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  22. #802
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    This seems like a down-the-middle analysis by a never-Trumper:

    Andrew McCabe Report Explodes Republican and Democratic Myths Alike

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/...c-myths-alike/
    Speak to anyone in the FBI and they'll say candor is required and that McCabe lied to the IG was an absolutely fireable offense and he had to go on the spot.

    Comey's defense of McCabe to Trump in his memos calling him a pro and a good man indicates McCabe had pulled the wool over Comey as well. It would have been interesting had Comey remained if he discovered it was McCabe doing the leaking. He repeatedly told Trump he thought most leaks came "one or two hops" from the actual source.

    What makes this further interesting that the article doesn't address is the "why" when McCabe's wife was a benefactor of the Clintons.

    But the article does underscore what I've said a few times about Loretta Lynch. If we started drawing lines between the people and the causes of these controversies she would be in the middle of it.


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  23. #803
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    But the article does underscore what I've said a few times about Loretta Lynch. If we started drawing lines between the people and the causes of these controversies she would be in the middle of it.
    So true. If you could see the wall in my den and all the photos and news articles pinned up there, and all the arrows and lines connecting them, you’d see Lynch right there in the middle. Right next to L. Ron Hubbard.

    (Seriously, I think Lynch’s biggest problem as AG was that she’s not very smart politically. That, combined with her position of great power and influence, caused a lot of problems. The tarmac meeting with Pres. Clinton was monumentally dumb. So was telling Comey to call an FBI investigation a “matter.”)

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  24. #804
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    So true. If you could see the wall in my den and all the photos and news articles pinned up there, and all the arrows and lines connecting them, you’d see Lynch right there in the middle. Right next to L. Ron Hubbard.
    I needed a good gut bust to get this Saturday going. Thanks, LA.

    (L. Ron Hubbard... LMAO)

    EDIT - Seriously, you do realize L. Ron Hubbard is considered a sacred figure by a IRS sanctioned religious organization, right? I *still* get Scientology junk mail after I filled out some survey from them... in 1980. They've found me through multiple moves, just like the church based in SLC has. (No offense taken, in either case.)
    Last edited by Ma'ake; 04-21-2018 at 08:18 AM.

  25. #805
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Nope. Just the end of a chapter.

  26. #806
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ma'ake View Post
    I needed a good gut bust to get this Saturday going. Thanks, LA.

    (L. Ron Hubbard... LMAO)

    EDIT - Seriously, you do realize L. Ron Hubbard is considered a sacred figure by a IRS sanctioned religious organization, right? I *still* get Scientology junk mail after I filled out some survey from them... in 1980. They've found me through multiple moves, just like the church based in SLC has. (No offense taken, in either case.)
    Yes, I get that. He just popped into my
    mind as an outlandish person to insert into a grand conspiracy theory.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  27. #807
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    So true. If you could see the wall in my den and all the photos and news articles pinned up there, and all the arrows and lines connecting them, you’d see Lynch right there in the middle. Right next to L. Ron Hubbard.

    (Seriously, I think Lynch’s biggest problem as AG was that she’s not very smart politically. That, combined with her position of great power and influence, caused a lot of problems. The tarmac meeting with Pres. Clinton was monumentally dumb. So was telling Comey to call an FBI investigation a “matter.”)
    Colonel Sanders?


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  28. #808
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    Colonel Sanders?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Not Sanders. Mustard. In the library. With the candlestick.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  29. #809
    Bad News for President Trump

    The Comey memos are more revealing than they seem.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/04/comey-memos-credible/558611/

  30. #810
    Quote Originally Posted by tooblue View Post
    Bad News for President Trump

    The Comey memos are more revealing than they seem.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/04/comey-memos-credible/558611/
    I didn't think there would be any bombshell revelations from Comey's book or interviews. The bombshell impacts are for Trump and his scattered wreckage of playmates, porn stars, ecosystem of seriously shady characters, and most of all Trump's amazing ability to consistently get in his own way. Eg, "I fired Comey because of Russia", or any one of hundreds of tweets of horrendously bad judgement, etc.

    Comey is a boy scout who is pretty clumsy... but he is a straight shooter.

    This time of year I like to watch the NBA games, but the wife can't get enough of CNN & MSNBC (and it's anything but boring these days), so I watch some of their evening lineups and sometimes do a comparison with Hannity, Ingraham, and the folks on Fox.

    Rachel Maddow is certainly liberal, but she's also pretty damn smart. She could debate circles around Hannity, who is so repetitive and simplistic, like he's selling life insurance to people in a nursing home.

    On Friday Maddow dug up some obscure similarities with Watergate, specifically that during that fiasco as the investigation dragged on and people lost interest, the DNC sued Nixon about the 72 election, which helped keep momentum and attention on the process. On the day Nixon resigned, the DNC got a $750,000 settlement check, which nobody remembers because the unthinkable was the big news of the day.

    (I don't think this DNC lawsuit will have the same impact - there's so much fuel to keep this wildfire going for a long time.)

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