Donald Trump Presidency discussion thread II

Billy86

Rotten companies like Purdue Pharmaceuticals have both sides of the aisle in their pocket, hence the outrageous explosion in legalised heroine the last 30 odd years in the US.

Now we'll just see an even bigger move to what those cut off from prescriptions, with a growing need, or unable to afford "the good stuff" do - resort to actual heroine.

Its going to be really, really ugly and a lot of people are going to die.

Since we're almost all at home today and probably clearing the back garden etc I would recommend this on the explosion of heroine in the US, quite entertaining but also highly informative - https://m.soundcloud.com/the-dollop/280-opium-in-the-us-part-1

everlast75

this is quite the eerie quote..

Professor Moriarty

everlast75 wrote: »

this is quite the eerie quote..

Uncannily prescient. Just shows that the baser elements of human nature are universal and persevere across the centuries.

everlast75

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Uncannily prescient. Just shows that the baser elements of human nature are universal and persevere across the centuries.

to be fair, he was waaaaay off with the "possessed of considerable talents" bit

Billy86

everlast75 wrote: »

to be fair, he was waaaaay off with the "possessed of considerable talents" bit

Not quite. While it's the cut-and-run, used car salesman variety that a lot of people see straight through (and that anyone who has ever worked in sales knows winds up in far more cancellations than it's worth typically), Trump is a remarkably good and persuasive salesperson to quite a few. He could go on TV tonight, tell all Americans to cut their throats to help 'MAGA' because their healthcare if hampering billionaire's abilities to buy that 8th mansion, and there would be tens of thousands dead by tomorrow.

Professor Moriarty

everlast75 wrote: »

to be fair, he was waaaaay off with the "possessed of considerable talents" bit

Unless being a rich kid failed businessman narcissist is to be "possessed of considerable talents". One can only imagine what he would have made of Trump.

Tony EH

Billy86 wrote: »

Not quite. While it's the cut-and-run, used car salesman variety that a lot of people see straight through (and that anyone who has ever worked in sales knows winds up in far more cancellations than it's worth typically), Trump is a remarkably good and persuasive salesperson to quite a few. He could go on TV tonight, tell all Americans to cut their throats to help 'MAGA' because their healthcare if hampering billionaire's abilities to buy that 8th mansion, and there would be tens of thousands dead by tomorrow.

Only by "virtue" of his wealth (a wealth he was born into) and the status that is bestowed upon him in a country that values wealth above all else.

The reality is, is that he's a terrible businessman/salesman (not to mention Statesman) and only people who actively buy in allow themselves to be convinced.

Leroy42

He managed to sell himself to the voters of the US and win POTUS. Whether you agree or not with his 'policies' it is clear that he has a certain talent.

Now, I agree that in normal times his 'talent' should have amounted to achieving nothing more than selling a few dodgy 2nd hand cars, but talented hie his. Look at how he manipulates the media, how he manages to get professional people to continue to bat for him.

Tony EH

Leroy42 wrote: »

He managed to sell himself to the voters of the US and win POTUS. Whether you agree or not with his 'policies' it is clear that he has a certain talent.

But, it was just bluster and bullshit.

If he was poor Donnie Trump from some crappy area in Hoboken, nobody would have batted an eyelid.

Billy86

Tony EH wrote: »

Only by "virtue" of his wealth (a wealth he was born into) and the status that is bestowed upon him in a country that values wealth above all else.

The reality is, is that he's a terrible businessman/salesman (not to mention Statesman) and only people who actively buy in allow themselves to be convinced.

He is and he isn't - I've done a good bit of work in sales and people like him come and go all the time. Start quick, blaze a trail, raise eyebrows, get managers trying to use them as an example of how others are not performing to expected standards, etc etc. They look like they'll be running the place by the end of the year basically... and they're usually gone in 4-6 months leaving behind a colossal amount of cancellations, refunds, complaints and terrible word of mouth knock on effects.

Where Trump's money really makes the difference is when they go to cancel or complain, he sues them. Nobody is even close to as important as Trump's legal team has been to him down the years, on average he has picked up more than two legal cases a week (either as defendant or plaintiff) for over 30 years. I wonder how he compares to the world record there?

Professor Moriarty

Tony EH wrote: »

But, it was just bluster and bullshit.

If he was poor Donnie Trump from some crappy area in Hoboken, nobody would have batted an eyelid.

Exactly. If Joe Bloggs was his father, The Donald would be delivering pizzas or shooting up down some alley. He is where he is because of a ruthless narcissism set free by daddy's money.

Mardy Bum

Leroy42 wrote: »

He managed to sell himself to the voters of the US and win POTUS. Whether you agree or not with his 'policies' it is clear that he has a certain talent.

Now, I agree that in normal times his 'talent' should have amounted to achieving nothing more than selling a few dodgy 2nd hand cars, but talented hie his. Look at how he manipulates the media, how he manages to get professional people to continue to bat for him.

It wasn't him. It was the systematic attempts of various vested interests to create a divide in American politics along with a poorly chosen candidate who was trying to repeat a Democratic victory which statistically was unlikely, that allowed him to win.

Trump's talents were in his belittling of other Republican candidates. The right wing love an apparent strong man regardless of his clear idiocy.

A Little Pony

Hillary Clinton in the UK blaming Russia, Farage, Brexit, Putin, Macedonian hackers for why she lost. Will go to her grave never getting over losing to a reality TV star.

Professor Moriarty

A Little Pony wrote: »

Hillary Clinton in the UK blaming Russia, Farage, Brexit, Putin, Macedonian hackers for why she lost. Will go to her grave never getting over losing to a reality TV star.

You should open up a Hillary Clinton thread.

Leroy42

A Little Pony wrote: »

Hillary Clinton in the UK blaming Russia, Farage, Brexit, Putin, Macedonian hackers for why she lost. Will go to her grave never getting over losing to a reality TV star.

It would appear from this stage in the presidency that the US itself will go its grave never getting over HC losing to a reality TV star

Billy86

While expected and known, this is interesting given the whole Harvey Weinstein affair in the news.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/president-trump-subpoenaed-over-sexual-misconduct-allegations-n810871

A former contestant on "The Apprentice" who accuses President Donald Trump of past sexual misconduct has filed a subpoena for "all documents concerning any woman who asserted that Donald J. Trump touched her inappropriately," it was revealed on Sunday.

Buzzfeed News first reported the existence of the court document, which names Trump's campaign organization and any applicable "directors, officers, partners, shareholders, managers, attorneys, employees, agents and representatives" as subjects.

Manic Moran

Tony EH wrote: »

But, it was just bluster and bullshit.

If he was poor Donnie Trump from some crappy area in Hoboken, nobody would have batted an eyelid.

It's not as if Hilary's background was from some crappy area in Hoboken. The aim of the game was to win. If bluster and BS is what it takes, then Trump had the talent for it. He's in the White House, she isn't.

A Little Pony

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

Leroy42

A Little Pony wrote: »

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

Yes, to a certain extent you are correct, but it is the sheer level of it that Trump partook in that brings it to a new level.

Had a major problem with HC e-mails, yet nothing to say when Jared and Ivanka are doing the same thing.
Had major problem with HC taking money from Wall Street, yet has no problem cashing in on his own properties for weekends away or foreign visitors.
Totally lied about healthcare. It wasn't that his plan ran into some problems, he never had a plan at all. In fact it seems he never even understood the problem let alone understood the solution.

We should be moving, in this age of greater access to information, to a place where politicans and the like find it harder to get away with lying. You seem to be going on the basis that anything is acceptable.

We knew where HC on a range of areas. You might not agree but you knew where she came from ideologitically speaking. Trump has none on that. He is happy to turn on whatever, and whomever, seems to annoy him at any given time.

pitifulgod

A Little Pony wrote: »

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

He did it substantially more and is proving himself to be incompetent at the job itself...

BabyCheeses

A Little Pony wrote: »

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

At least his supporters have moved on from the he tells it like it is and how he is different from politicians.

A Little Pony

Leroy42 wrote: »

A Little Pony wrote: »

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

Yes, to a certain extent you are correct, but it is the sheer level of it that Trump partook in that brings it to a new level.

Had a major problem with HC e-mails, yet nothing to say when Jared and Ivanka are doing the same thing.
Had major problem with HC taking money from Wall Street, yet has no problem cashing in on his own properties for weekends away or foreign visitors.
Totally lied about healthcare.  It wasn't that his plan ran into some problems, he never had a plan at all.  In fact it seems he never even understood the problem let alone understood the solution.

We should be moving, in this age of greater access to information, to a place where politicans and the like find it harder to get away with lying.  You seem to be going on the basis that anything is acceptable.

We knew where HC on a range of areas.  You might not agree but you knew where she came from ideologitically speaking.  Trump has none on that.  He is happy to turn on whatever, and whomever, seems to annoy him at any given time.

When it comes to running the country anything does go. It is win at all costs, that is the reality. The genius behind the Trump campaign was the sheer mix up style of it. He was just winging it, saying whatever he wanted, riling his base up, cutting deep into the working class blue collar voter base in the rust belt and it worked perfectly.

I don't buy into the Russia cost me the election bollocks from Hillary. Trump had her on toast, most certainly after the email FBI scandal a few weeks before the vote. His campaign worked because for decades people had seen the same old sterilized campaigns, PC at all costs, heard it all before. Trump just threw the rule book out the window and obviously it caught on in America.

Billy86

I love the willful ignorance in pretending Russia and Wikileaks had nothing to do with the emails while Trump's own son has already unwittingly admitted to collusion. Standard, predictable, and I doubt much of anyone for a moment thinks you believe what you're after typing either. You're a big fan of dishonesty after all, as your post openly states.

It's no secret that Trump is in bed with Putin and while a comment about who the big spoon is would probably not be appropriate, it's clear who gives the orders as Trump isn't even trying to hide the fact he is doing all he can to stop the sanctions on Russia that have been kneecapping Putin for a while now; the latest effort being missing a deadline on them just a few days back.

http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/355000-sens-mccain-cardin-scold-trump-for-missing-russian-sanctions-deadline

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) slammed the Trump administration on Wednesday for missing a deadline in implementing sanctions against Russia.

“The delay calls into question the Trump administration’s commitment to the sanctions bill which was signed into law more than two months ago, following months of public debate and negotiations in Congress. They’ve had plenty of time to get their act together," the pair said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

By Oct. 1, the McCain and Cardin-penned sanctions bill required the administration clarify which targets would be identified and punished as part of Russia's defense and intelligence sectors. The administration has not yet done so.

Tony EH

A Little Pony wrote: »

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

There are limits.

Leroy42

A Little Pony wrote: »

When it comes to running the country anything does go. It is win at all costs, that is the reality. The genius behind the Trump campaign was the sheer mix up style of it. He was just winging it, saying whatever he wanted, riling his base up, cutting deep into the working class blue collar voter base in the rust belt and it worked perfectly.

I don't buy into the Russia cost me the election bollocks from Hillary. Trump had her on toast, most certainly after the email FBI scandal a few weeks before the vote. His campaign worked because for decades people had seen the same old sterilized campaigns, PC at all costs, heard it all before. Trump just threw the rule book out the window and obviously it caught on in America.

So what you are saying is that you realise you were being lied too, are being being to now, and will be continued being lied to and thats ok to you?

Why do you hate HC so much when Trump is doing the exact same thing? Given that they are all lying, you can only go on what you know to be true. That being that HC had some experience of the job she was running for whilst Trump had zero.

Gbear

Trumps chief skill, if you can call it a skill, is utter shamelessness.

Most people have some sort of sense of decency or moral compass that prevents them from acting apallingly, conning people, lying through their teeth or generally having such total disregard for the intelligence of the people they address.
Trump doesn't have that.

He can say or do anything, and decency, consistency and honesty can all be cast aside so as to be able to pander to whoever he's talking to, line his pockets, or serve whatever vapid point he's trying to make.

It works because the message he's pedalling off the back of it is one that plays to fear, ignorance and a sense of victimhood.

I can't imagine a way you could wed Trumps MO to charity, generosity, far-sightedness and courage.

Igotadose

A Little Pony wrote: »

All politicians when running elections talk utter BS and lie to get elected and to win. It's just the way of the world.

But, that's not what matters. What matters is what you as the individual do - and based on your posts here and in the Brexit thread:

A Little Pony wrote: »

I would cut one of my legs off to get out of the EU. I don't care how it happens, just get out as quickly as possible.

You appear to be basing your responses simply on emotion and not logic or reasoning. Despite ample evidence to the contrary, you regularly and repeatedly showed up here spouting one-liner advocacy for the lying failure that is Trump.

As I recall, you're not a US voter, correct? And as far as Brexit goes, you want one no matter what happens or the impact on the UK, just gotta Brexit because it's what's passed.

If Trump's duly impeached, or resigns under a cloud, since those would happen following the rule of law, you'd be o.k. with that? Likewise if the UK finds a legal way to un-Brexit, that'd be o.k. too?

oscarBravo

A Little Pony wrote: »

When it comes to running the country anything does go. It is win at all costs, that is the reality.

And we can all see just how tired of winning America has become since January.

The genius behind the Trump campaign was...

...convincing useful idiots that there was anything other than malevolent psychotic chaos behind the Trump campaign.

When I see Trump supporters clapping gleefully at whatever mindless gibberish Trump last came out with, I'm reminded of nothing so much as toddlers captivated by the antics of a clown.

There's something a little bit pathetic and sad about the people who are still trying to convince others - and, presumably, themselves - that Trump is some sort of brilliant strategist.

everlast75

Lying about others to try and make yourself not look as bad as you are....

https://mobile.twitter.com/BuzzFeedNews/status/919990804009111553?s=07

Paleface

Trumps's greatest talent in my view is his ability to ramble on a topic where he never really answers the question that was originally asked but still manages to say something in there that his core base want to hear, whilst at the same time also saying something that everyone else can point to to show that he has no clue what he's doing.

He's the ultimate polarising public figure!

aloyisious

Oxymoronish as me writing this here seems, the death of Don will come around when people stop writing about what he says. I'd like the media to ignore him and his news outlet bosses. He's the ultimate troll.

Wanderer78

aloyisious wrote: »

Oxymoronish as me writing this here seems, the death of Don will come around when people stop writing about what he says. I'd like the media to ignore him and his news outlet bosses. He's the ultimate troll.

what would happen if everyone completely ignored his twitter feed, i.e. no response etc?

robinph

aloyisious wrote: »

Oxymoronish as me writing this here seems, the death of Don will come around when people stop writing about what he says. I'd like the media to ignore him and his news outlet bosses. He's the ultimate troll.

Unfortunately we are past the point of that being a useful tactic. That needed to be done when he was still just the comedy idiot potential candidate of many republicans... but he was saying funny stuff and so his idiocy got reported for a laugh.

Now his position and the things that he signs and says are genuine news, even though he is still an idiot. The funny things he says now are actually dangerous because someone gave him a pen and put important bits of paper in front of him.

everlast75

In jest there's truth. Makes you wonder what we are in for if/when DT gets impeached...


"The New Yorker: Trump jokes Pence wants to 'hang' gays"

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/355594-trump-joked-that-pence-wants-to-hang-all-gay-people-report

"Trump jabbed at Pence after a legal scholar told the pair that if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, many states would probably legalize abortion.

“You see?” Trump reportedly said to Pence. “You’ve wasted all this time and energy on it, and it’s not going to end abortion anyway.”

And when the meeting began to focus on gay rights, Trump reportedly pointed to Pence, joking, “Don’t ask that guy — he wants to hang them all!”

Billy86

And yet he picked still him as his VP candidate. Despite protestations from his fans throughout the last 18 months or so, it's very clear what Donald 'upside down LGBT flag' thinks of the gay community.

Billy86

Wanderer78 wrote: »

what would happen if everyone completely ignored his twitter feed, i.e. no response etc?

Nukes, or Mattis having to tackle Trump to prevent it if he went for the nuclear football (I think it was him that said he would if needed?). That's not a joke about the nukes by the way. Literally anything for attention for the most fragile ego possibly in all of current human existence.

Nody

Billy86 wrote: »

And yet he picked still him as his VP candidate. Despite protestations from his fans throughout the last 18 months or so, it's very clear what Donald 'upside down LGBT flag' thinks of the gay community.

Sorry but I think the fact he spoke at a recognised anti LGBT hate group as the first ever sitting president and making statements such as:

"How times have changed, but you know what, now they are changing back again,”

sort of goes a bit higher on the "I hate gays" scale after all.

elperello

everlast75 wrote: »

Lying about others to try and make yourself not look as bad as you are....

https://mobile.twitter.com/BuzzFeedNews/status/919990804009111553?s=07

People may have overlooked this yesterday with all that was going on.
It's incredible.

Billy86

aloyisious wrote: »

I'm left wondering, with the mention of Opioid addiction being a major issue in some of the larger Pro-Trump voting states, how the cancellation of the funding will affect his popularity? By coincidence, this HBO Docu-film ran last night on a Sky channel, https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjMsLiE0fTWAhWBXBoKHcKLCUsQtwIINTAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcO1JpHEOcSI&usg=AOvVaw0QzlqfIqktWPecW_26xhYz

OK, the film I watched last night ain't on the link but the link shows how average US families suffer from slppage into addiction and death. With the ending of funding, families are going to be hit

This might be of interest to you...

http://uk.businessinsider.com/60-minutes-drug-industry-worked-against-dea-fight-opioid-epidemic-investigation-2017-10?r=US&IR=T

In recent years, the Drug Enforcement Administration has cracked down on distributors when they're sending too many opioids to a particular location. In response, the distributors pay a fine and keep on doing business.

But in 2016, Congress passed a law that made it harder for the DEA to carry out those fines, the investigation found.

"The drug industry, the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and chain drugstores, have an influence over Congress that has never been seen before," former chief of the DEA's Office of Diversion Control and whistleblower Joseph Rannazzisi told the Post.

The Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act was passed in 2016 to improve enforcement around prescription drug abuse and diversion. In actuality, the law raised the standard that the DEA needed to prove in order to crack down on a drug company's pain pill distribution, making it more difficult for them to enforce fines against the companies.

The chief architect of the law, the investigation found, was Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania, a Republican whom Trump nominated to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position commonly referred to as the nation's "drug czar."

The Post called it "the crowning achievement of a multifaceted campaign by the drug industry to weaken aggressive DEA enforcement efforts against drug distribution companies that were supplying corrupt doctors and pharmacists who peddled narcotics to the black market."

Opioids go across party lines as apparently it passed the House unanimously and the Senate without objection. But let's not forget who "was going to change things" and has now gone and put it's architect in charge of drug control policy for the entire US.

Really Interested

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4986980/Sister-slain-soldier-lashes-Trump-troops.html

Wonder how the Trump supporters will spin this one.

Billy86

Really Interested wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4986980/Sister-slain-soldier-lashes-Trump-troops.html

Wonder how the Trump supporters will spin this one.

Stupid military useless do-nothing c**ts, just like the family of the gold star soldier last year. **** them all, they deserved to die. The USA is better without them. (again I'm dead serious - that's what the reaction of plenty of those who don't ram their fingers in their ears and pretend they didn't hear it will be and we all know it)

Respect the troops though folks, respect the flag and the troops!


"I stand for the national anthem!"

Igotadose

Billy86 wrote: »

This might be of interest to you...

http://uk.businessinsider.com/60-minutes-drug-industry-worked-against-dea-fight-opioid-epidemic-investigation-2017-10?r=US&IR=T


Opioids go across party lines as apparently it passed the House unanimously and the Senate without objection. But let's not forget who "was going to change things" and has now gone and put it's architect in charge of drug control policy for the entire US.

Marino just withdrew his name. Nice vetting job by the WH yet again.

spacecoyote

Some interesting facts & figures here:

https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/10/15/21208/donald-trump-campaign-ramps-2020-re-election-fundraising

including the fact that the Trump campaign has already raised close to 40m USD for the 2020 campaign.

Professor Moriarty

Really Interested wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4986980/Sister-slain-soldier-lashes-Trump-troops.html

Wonder how the Trump supporters will spin this one.

The sister of a soldier who was killed in combat and who was comforted by GW Bush described Trump as a "fat fúcking liar". Succinct and apt.

aloyisious

robinph wrote: »

Unfortunately we are past the point of that being a useful tactic. That needed to be done when he was still just the comedy idiot potential candidate of many republicans... but he was saying funny stuff and so his idiocy got reported for a laugh.

Now his position and the things that he signs and says are genuine news, even though he is still an idiot. The funny things he says now are actually dangerous because someone gave him a pen and put important bits of paper in front of him.

Wonder would he notice if some-one there slipped in a presidential resignation letter, including the firing of his cabinet, for signature, seeing as he's wandered off without signing things right in front of him [remembering the one where he got up and walked away while Mike Pence was there looking from him to the document on the desk and back again].

elperello

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

The sister of a soldier who was killed in combat and who was comforted by GW Bush described Trump as a "fat fúcking liar". Succinct and apt.

Fight fire with fire!

Leroy42

Igotadose wrote: »

Marino just withdrew his name. Nice vetting job by the WH yet again.

This is actually quite staggering.

The ineptitude of Trump is incredible. How can he make so many wrong decisions in such a short period of time? How can anyone still have any faith that this man has any ability to make the right calls?

I find it really strange that he is still in the mid 30's in approval, although that needs to be considered in the context that there is no external reasons for POTUS to be unpopular at this point in time (economy is doing well etc).

So what is holding those 30 odd percent in place? He has achieved nothing, continues to make gaffs on a daily basis and seemingly is incapable of making a decision.

He likes to sell himself as the CEO, but a CEO on this run of disasters would be in all likelyhood removed from the post.

Professor Moriarty

elperello wrote: »

Fight fire with fire!

Exactly! Though that brings up a broader dilemma. If you stoop to his level then are you demeaning the office of POTUS and American democracy in general? Or, if you maintain a dignified and adult attitude in your dealings with him are you then relatively defenceless to his attacks?

Billy86

Leroy42 wrote: »

This is actually quite staggering.

The ineptitude of Trump is incredible. How can he make so many wrong decisions in such a short period of time? How can anyone still have any faith that this man has any ability to make the right calls?

I'm quite sure many of them intentional, the lack of effort to even fill literally hundreds of important government posts is just one of the many, many signs that his mandate is to do as much damage to the US government structure as possible.

Now why could that ever be...?

Leroy42

Billy86 wrote: »

I'm quite sure many of them intentional, the lack of effort to even fill literally hundreds of important government posts is just one of the many, many signs that his mandate is to do as much damage to the US government structure as possible.

Now why could that ever be...?

I honestly don't see that as the reason. I get the whole Russia thing, but I don't think he did anything intentionally to harm the US (although his actions would have that effect) but I think he was out to make money/power for himself.

So I don't think he is failing to fill posts for some conspiracy, I think he really doesn't give a sh1£. What benefit is there to him in doing all that work? He simply wants to get tax breaks, get as much money as possible and get to live like a king (in terms of power, he already had the money).

Overall I see his underlying reason as being to take down Obama, simple as. It is easier to suspect a conspiracy as that gives us someone to hate, and those that were fooled can console themselves that it was a vast conspiracy that they had little chance against rather than just a failure on their part.

He comes across, to me, as quite lazy. Whatever is the easiest option. So if provided with a name I bet he does very little to actually check things. Listen to his press conferences. A lot of "I was told", "somebody said", "who knew" etc. This is a man that takes whatever info is thrown at him and simply accepts the bits that fit his thinking without asking any questions, and never considers the source.

It is hard to accept that version of him and also to accept that he was a major player in a vast conspiracy. Was he played? Yes, it certainly appears so, but more so as a lackey rather than some evil mastermind.