Donald Trump Presidency discussion thread III

jjpep

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

I just quoted from that. He at no point says he believes Putin over America's intel.

Quote it please.

Sorry, not playing. If you can't hear what he said, that's your issue. Everyone else in the world can. And trump has now in the last few minutes admitted to it and is saying he mis-spoke.

Outlaw Pete

jobbridge4life wrote: »

You know that resorting to extreme literalism is as transparent a flail as they come?

lol. So you claim Trump said things he didn't and when asked to quote it, that's "resorting to extreme literalism" :P

WinnyThePoo

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

He's doing a better job than the fella before him and certainly better than Bill's wife would have done.

How can anyone right this with a straight face. Fascinating.

StringerBell

Just watching his scripted "walk back" now, he struggled to stay on script but even as he did it was embarrassing.

A pathetic guy to look at as your shining example, no other way to say it. Embarrassing.

Oh and again he makes a fool of people defending him the last 24 hours, but that's fine because they deserve it. Hell it's probably a fetish of some sort now.

pixelburp

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

He's doing a better job than the fella before him and certainly better than Bill's wife would have done.

So in terms of international reach, you're confident and supportive over Trumps decision to allow the State Department to remain understaffed (as I understand it to still be) is a good decision in 'protecting' America? Its ability to wield that famous Soft Power is reduced, but that's a good tactic - that's what you're saying? Just to get down to the functional everyday approach of the administration, parking the Russian squabble.

Hillary Clinton isn't President, so why even mention her? Might as well talk about Bob Dole for all the relevance it has. And given both Senate and Congress are Republican controlled, it's debatable how much influence Clinton would have had anyway. Trump supporters just can't let go of Hillary, can they?

Wheeliebin30

To be honest America was ruined years before he took over.

You reap what you sow.

Started with the Vietnam war and never recovered.

Outlaw Pete

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

How can anyone right this with a straight face. Fascinating.

A much needed reality check (not just for yourself, but many):

At home and abroad, Obama’s trail of disasters

In almost every respect, Obama leaves behind a trail of failure and disappointment. Consider just some of his works:

The economy. Obama took office during a painful recession and (with Congress’s help) made it even worse. Historically, the deeper a recession, the more robust the recovery that follows, but the economy’s rebound under Obama was the worst in seven decades. Annual GDP growth since the recession ended has averaged a feeble 2.1 percent, by far the puniest economic performance of any president since World War II. Obama spent more public funds on “stimulus” than all previous stimulus programs combined, with wretched, counterproductive results. On his watch, millions of additional Americans fell below the poverty line. The number of food stamp recipients soared. The national debt doubled to an incredible $20 trillion. According to the Pew Research Center, the share of young adults (18- to 34-year-olds) living in their parents’ homes is the highest it has been since the Great Depression.

In 2008, when Obama was first elected president, 63 percent of Americans considered themselves middle class. Seven years later, only 51 percent still felt the same way. Obama argues energetically that his economic policies have delivered prosperity and employment. Countless people disagree — including many who aren’t Republican. “Millions and millions and millions and millions of people look at that pretty picture of America he painted,” said Bill Clinton after Obama extolled the recovery in his last State of the Union speech, “and they cannot find themselves in it to save their lives.”

Health care. The Affordable Care Act should never have been enacted. Survey after survey confirmed that it lacked majority support, and only through hard-knuckled, party-line maneuvering was the wrenching health-care overhaul rammed through Congress. But Obama was certain the measure would win public support, because of three promises he made over and over: that the law would extend health insurance to the 47 million uninsured, that it would significantly reduce health insurance costs, and that Americans who had health plans or doctors they liked could keep them.

But Obamacare has been a fiasco. At least 27 million Americans are still without health insurance, and many of those who are newly insured have simply been added to the Medicaid rolls. Far from reducing costs, Obamacare sent premiums and deductibles skyrocketing. Insurance companies, having suffered billions of dollars in losses on the Obamacare exchanges, have pulled out from many of them, leaving consumers in much of the country with few or no options. And the administration, it transpired, knew all along that millions of Americans would lose their medical plans once the law took effect. The deception was so egregious that in December 2013, PolitiFact dubbed “If you like your health plan, you can keep it” as its “Lie of the Year.”

Foreign policy. The 44th president came to office vowing not to repeat the foreign-policy mistakes of his predecessor. His own were exponentially worse.

In his rush to pull US troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, he created a power vacuum into which terror networks expanded and the Taliban revived. Islamic State’s jihadist savagery not only plunged a stabilized Iraq back into shuddering violence, but also inspired scores of lethal terrorist attacks in the West. For months, Obama and his lieutenants insisted that Syrian dictator Bashar Assad could be induced to “reform,” and pointedly refused to intervene as an uprising against him metastasized into genocidal slaughter. At last Obama vowed to take action if Assad crossed a “red line” by deploying chemical weapons — but when those weapons were used, Obama blinked. The death toll in Syria climbed into the hundreds of thousands, triggering a flood of refugees greater than any the world had seen since the 1940s.

Determined to conciliate America’s adversaries, the president indulged dictatorial regimes in Iran, Russia, and Cuba. They in turn exploited his passivity with multiple treacheries — seizing Crimea and destroying Aleppo (Russia), abducting American hostages for ransom and illicitly testing long-range missiles (Iran), and cracking down mercilessly on democratic dissidents (Cuba).

For eight years the nation has been led by a president intent on lowering America’s global profile . . . and ‘leading from behind.’

For eight years the nation has been led by a president intent on lowering America’s global profile, not projecting military power, and “leading from behind.” The consequences have been stark: a Middle East awash in blood and bombs, US troops re-embroiled in Iraq and Afghanistan, aggressive dictators ascendant, human rights and democracy in retreat, rivers of refugees destabilizing nations across three continents, the rise of neo-fascism in Europe, and the erosion of US credibility to its lowest level since the Carter years.

National unity. As a candidate for president, Obama promised to soothe America’s bitter and divisive politics, and to replace red state/blue state animosity with cooperation and bipartisanship. But the healer-in-chief millions of Americans voted for never showed up.

According to Gallup, Obama became the most polarizing president in modern history. Like all presidents, he faced partisan opposition, but Obama worsened things by regularly taking the low road and disparaging his critics’ motives. In his own words, his political strategy was one of ruthless escalation: “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.” During his 2012 reelection campaign, Politico reported that “Obama and his top campaign aides have engaged far more frequently in character attacks and personal insults than the Romney campaign.” And when a Republican-led Congress wouldn’t enact legislation he sought, Obama turned to his “pen and phone” strategy of governing by diktat that polarized politics even more.

Obama’s accession in 2008 as the nation’s first elected black president was an achievement that even Republicans and conservatives could cheer. It marked a moment of hope and transformation; it genuinely did change America for the better.

It was also the high point of Obama’s presidency. What followed, alas, was eight long years of disenchantment and incompetence.

Thargor

I didnt think anyone would outdo poor Rigolo in the pathetic shilling stakes but Outlaw Pete is giving him a good run

StringerBell

Walk back failed pretty hard there, would have been useful if he maybe read what was written for him to put out before he went in front of the camera.

His version of events now makes no sense and has no credibility. A child can see through this so make no mistake, anybody that parrots and defends him in this does so completely in bad faith.

WinnyThePoo

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

A much needed reality check (not just for yourself, but many):

Wow a conservative opinion piece! Considering your previous posts on this thread I think its YOU who needs the reality check .

Leroy42

Outlaw, i Trump latest press conference he said he accepted the intelligence agencies conclusion that election meddling in the US took place, yet only yesterday he said "but president Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today".

So you are claiming that that doesn't mean he believes Putin over Coates, yet he didn't call Coates strong and powerful. What do you think he meant when he said that? Because most people, and it seems Trump as well since he has backtracked already, seem to take this as, at best, him putting the word of Putin in the same level of the evidence of his own agencies.

What to do think he meant?

Itssoeasy

Bob Dole is probably fierce thick somewhere right now. He only added an E onto Potato and he's still hearing about it.

mick malones mauser

I don't think even Trump knows what he meant

Leroy42

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

A much needed reality check (not just for yourself, but many):

Few quick points:

You mentioned average GDP growth. Does this take into account that he took over a massive recession? What was the growth rate for the last two years? And what is the growth rate now?

You mentioned national debt? 18 months in what has Trump reduced it to now and what is the expected trajectory over the next 5 to 10 years?

I am surprised you brought up the health care act. Surely Trumps complete and utter failure on this, one of his main points, should mean you try to steer clear of it. Despite attacking it for years, despite Trump claiming he would repeal and replace within hours, he was left with nothing else expect to pass some legislation to actively try to destroy it.

On foreign policy, as you state Obama came in promising not to repeat the mistakes of Bush. And to be fair, he didn't. He created a whole set of new mistakes. So even you should be able to agree that on that he delivered what he promised.

The rest of you quoted is nothing more that biased subjective thinking based on nothing.

Sassygirl1999

mick malones mauser wrote: »

I don't think even Trump knows what he meant

trump told Putin he would have to deny it all afterwards

Water John

Don't think it was Dole. It was another VP candidate.

For Forks Sake

Water John wrote: »

Don't think it was Dole. It was another VP candidate.

Dan Quayle

Itssoeasy

Just to clear what I should have said was that it wasn't Bob Dole. I misspoke initially.

Billy Mays

You'd think he'd actually know how to spell "collusion" at this stage

https://twitter.com/Kevinliptakcnn/status/1019301029312172032

Doctor Jimbob

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

A much needed reality check (not just for yourself, but many):

Yes, we all know Obama wasn't perfect and that Clinton would likely have been a poor president as well. None of that changes the fact the orange oaf has been a complete and utter embarrassment. I can't see anything positive the man has actually achieved, and the only thing anyone seems to be able to say in his defence is "but Obama, but Hilary" and snigger at the fact he annoys lefties.

This latest display of cowardice from him is nothing short of pathetic.

Leroy42

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Dan Quayle

I think you'll find its spelt "Quayl"

everlast75

Billy Mays wrote: »

You'd think he'd actually know how to spell "collusion" at this stage

https://twitter.com/Kevinliptakcnn/status/1019301029312172032

DO NOT CONGRATULATE

Sassygirl1999

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

Yes, we all know Obama wasn't perfect and that Clinton would likely have been a poor president as well. None of that changes the fact the orange oaf has been a complete and utter embarrassment. I can't see anything positive the man has actually achieved, and the only thing anyone seems to be able to say in his defence is "but Obama, but Hilary" and snigger at the fact he annoys lefties.

This latest display of cowardice from him is nothing short of pathetic.

he will build trump golf links in Moscow and NK fact

Quin_Dub

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

Yes, we all know Obama wasn't perfect and that Clinton would likely have been a poor president as well. None of that changes the fact the orange oaf has been a complete and utter embarrassment. I can't see anything positive the man has actually achieved, and the only thing anyone seems to be able to say in his defence is "but Obama, but Hilary" and snigger at the fact he annoys lefties.

This latest display of cowardice from him is nothing short of pathetic.

##Mod Note##

Less of the nicknames - Proper names for people all round please.

Thanks.

Professor Moriarty

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

A much needed reality check (not just for yourself, but many):

It's a terrible pity you don't have the ability to formulate your own arguments. Anyway...

In almost every respect, Obama leaves behind a trail of failure and disappointment. Consider just some of his works:

Rubbish

The economy. Obama took office during a painful recession and (with Congress’s help) made it even worse. Historically, the deeper a recession, the more robust the recovery that follows, but the economy’s rebound under Obama was the worst in seven decades.

Rubbish. Under Obama, 11 million extra jobs were created. Unemployment was lower than normal. Average weekly earnings increased by 4%.

Annual GDP growth since the recession ended has averaged a feeble 2.1 percent, by far the puniest economic performance of any president since World War II.

GDP growth in Trump's first year mirrors that of Obama's first year.

Obama spent more public funds on “stimulus” than all previous stimulus programs combined, with wretched, counterproductive results.

What wretched results? Rubbish

On his watch, millions of additional Americans fell below the poverty line. The number of food stamp recipients soared. The national debt doubled to an incredible $20 trillion. According to the Pew Research Center, the share of young adults (18- to 34-year-olds) living in their parents’ homes is the highest it has been since the Great Depression.

In 2008, when Obama was first elected president, 63 percent of Americans considered themselves middle class. Seven years later, only 51 percent still felt the same way. Obama argues energetically that his economic policies have delivered prosperity and employment. Countless people disagree — including many who aren’t Republican. “Millions and millions and millions and millions of people look at that pretty picture of America he painted,” said Bill Clinton after Obama extolled the recovery in his last State of the Union speech, “and they cannot find themselves in it to save their lives.”

Rubbish. Obama slashed inequality by extending unemployment benefits, extending affordable care and increasing taxes on the rich while cutting middle class taxes. This meant that the poorest 20% of Americans saw an increase of 18% in earnings.

Health care. The Affordable Care Act should never have been enacted. Survey after survey confirmed that it lacked majority support, and only through hard-knuckled, party-line maneuvering was the wrenching health-care overhaul rammed through Congress. But Obama was certain the measure would win public support, because of three promises he made over and over: that the law would extend health insurance to the 47 million uninsured, that it would significantly reduce health insurance costs, and that Americans who had health plans or doctors they liked could keep them.

But Obamacare has been a fiasco. At least 27 million Americans are still without health insurance, and many of those who are newly insured have simply been added to the Medicaid rolls. Far from reducing costs, Obamacare sent premiums and deductibles skyrocketing. Insurance companies, having suffered billions of dollars in losses on the Obamacare exchanges, have pulled out from many of them, leaving consumers in much of the country with few or no options. And the administration, it transpired, knew all along that millions of Americans would lose their medical plans once the law took effect. The deception was so egregious that in December 2013, PolitiFact dubbed “If you like your health plan, you can keep it” as its “Lie of the Year.”

Rubbish. In 2008 when Obama became president, 44 million Americans had no health insurance. When he left office, it was 28 million. 16 million more people had health insurance.

Foreign policy. The 44th president came to office vowing not to repeat the foreign-policy mistakes of his predecessor. His own were exponentially worse.

Utterly untrue.

In his rush to pull US troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, he created a power vacuum into which terror networks expanded and the Taliban revived. Islamic State’s jihadist savagery not only plunged a stabilized Iraq back into shuddering violence, but also inspired scores of lethal terrorist attacks in the West. For months, Obama and his lieutenants insisted that Syrian dictator Bashar Assad could be induced to “reform,” and pointedly refused to intervene as an uprising against him metastasized into genocidal slaughter. At last Obama vowed to take action if Assad crossed a “red line” by deploying chemical weapons — but when those weapons were used, Obama blinked. The death toll in Syria climbed into the hundreds of thousands, triggering a flood of refugees greater than any the world had seen since the 1940s.

Rubbish. More civilians in Syria are dying under Trump's armed forces than died under Obama.

Determined to conciliate America’s adversaries, the president indulged dictatorial regimes in Iran, Russia, and Cuba. They in turn exploited his passivity with multiple treacheries — seizing Crimea and destroying Aleppo (Russia), abducting American hostages for ransom and illicitly testing long-range missiles (Iran), and cracking down mercilessly on democratic dissidents (Cuba).

Rubbish. The Iran treaty was a great success by Obama that was dumped by Trump on Israel's orders. The idea that Russia seized Crimea because of Obama's 'weakness' is laughable. Even more laughable now that Trump is Putin's puppet.

For eight years the nation has been led by a president intent on lowering America’s global profile . . . and ‘leading from behind.’

Trite and wrong.

For eight years the nation has been led by a president intent on lowering America’s global profile, not projecting military power, and “leading from behind.” The consequences have been stark: a Middle East awash in blood and bombs, US troops re-embroiled in Iraq and Afghanistan, aggressive dictators ascendant, human rights and democracy in retreat, rivers of refugees destabilizing nations across three continents, the rise of neo-fascism in Europe, and the erosion of US credibility to its lowest level since the Carter years.

Ahahahahahahahahahaha.

National unity. As a candidate for president, Obama promised to soothe America’s bitter and divisive politics, and to replace red state/blue state animosity with cooperation and bipartisanship. But the healer-in-chief millions of Americans voted for never showed up.

OMG Thank Christ for Trump eh?

According to Gallup, Obama became the most polarizing president in modern history. Like all presidents, he faced partisan opposition, but Obama worsened things by regularly taking the low road and disparaging his critics’ motives. In his own words, his political strategy was one of ruthless escalation: “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.” During his 2012 reelection campaign, Politico reported that “Obama and his top campaign aides have engaged far more frequently in character attacks and personal insults than the Romney campaign.”

The current incumbent engages "frequently in character attacks and personal insults". By comparison Obama looks like the man he actually was - a class act.

And when a Republican-led Congress wouldn’t enact legislation he sought, Obama turned to his “pen and phone” strategy of governing by diktat that polarized politics even more.

What? What else would a president do but write to people and phone them? Stupid and meaningless.

Obama’s accession in 2008 as the nation’s first elected black president was an achievement that even Republicans and conservatives could cheer. It marked a moment of hope and transformation; it genuinely did change America for the better.

Agreed.

It was also the high point of Obama’s presidency. What followed, alas, was eight long years of disenchantment and incompetence.

Unsubstantiated and uniformed claptrap.

amandstu

Is this the first time Trump has agreed that Russia meddled in the elections?

If so ,was it Putin who changed his mind ?

Sadly I think he may have admitted this before although he was digging digging his heels in on "collusion"

MadYaker

I'm at a loss for words to be honest. How can anyone believe that so much bullsh!t is reality?? I don't think Outlaw Pete's posts are genuine any more.

amandstu

MadYaker wrote: »

I'm at a loss for words to be honest. How can anyone believe that so much bullsh!t is reality?? I don't think Outlaw Pete's posts are genuine any more.

If Trump has been forced to retract his claim by now claiming he misspoke ,I wonder how he was forced to do this.

Was any threat made to unseat him ? (I think I heard the majority of the cabinet might have some kind of authority to do this)

Sassygirl1999

amandstu wrote: »

If Trump has been forced to retract his claim by now claiming he misspoke ,I wonder how he was forced to do this.

Was any threat made to unseat him ? (I think I heard the majority of the cabinet might have some kind of authority to do this)

I think trump does the opposite of what a politician does cos he considers himself the anti politician

Leroy42

I was wondering that myself. This is even more embarrassing that the climb down over the child separation fiasco.

He must have been pretty strong armed by someone to go out and read that. And he read it like a naughty school boy, reading an apology to their mother.

Has has zero credibility, he has been totally floored by this. Sure he will come out tomorrow as if nothing has happened, but my bet is that the spell will be broken for a lot of people. Sure he will continue to get the support of his base, because they don't care what gymnastics they have to do. Its not about winning for them, but making the lefty liberals cry. So they aren't going to be moved.

People in America have a very deep seated distrust and dislike of Russia, This has been groomed over many years by both the media and politicians. Its all well and good Trump telling people he is going to have better relations, but you can bet that no one thought that meant that he was going to behave, whether he meant to or not, as a poodle to Putin.

Seeing Trump, both in the Helsinki Presser and now followed by this, jebus. How can anyone respect that man.