Donald Trump is the President Mark IV (Read Mod Warning in OP)

mcmoustache

Eric Cartman wrote: »

this is just verging on the edge of conspiracy theory now. Where would he even have the hours of the day to engage in all this.

Golf courses, probably. He does spend a lot of time there and outside of that, he has a lot of executive time and a lot of days free in his official calendar.

Professor Moriarty

mcmoustache wrote: »

Golf courses, probably. He does spend a lot of time there and outside of that, he has a lot of executive time and a lot of days free in his official calendar.

As POTUS, he has spent 25% of his time at his golf course.

Igotadose

Eric Cartman wrote: »

this is just verging on the edge of conspiracy theory now. Where would he even have the hours of the day to engage in all this.

Hmm. On the golf course? On his way to/from his Nuremberg rallies? He spends tons of time outside of DC and is seemingly rarely involved in legislation. Easy peasy to discuss business with the boys, neither of whom impress anyone as to having a lot of smarts, one of whom is involved in a divorce.

When he gave that press conference with his pile of papers showing he'd handed off control, he would not allow the media to look at them, and they've never been seen. There's an emoluments clause lawsuit going through the courts since about that time: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/us/politics/trump-emoluments-lawsuit.html

One of numerous examples of Trump paying attention to his businesses: https://www.vox.com/2017/12/30/16832964/trump-business-washington-hotel

Feel free to google 'Trump emoluments.' There's plenty of meat there. Just a matter of time till his activities are seen in the light of day.

everlast75

Eric Cartman wrote: »

So because he sold things to Saudi people thats it then. Sure the guy who owns Burger King in Dublin Airport must have a laundry list of questionable international interests so.

I've no idea what you are talking about. But I'll hazard a guess its "whataboutery"

Still waiting on you to accept you were wrong about Trump and the Central Park 5...

Eric Cartman

everlast75 wrote: »

I've no idea what you are talking about. But I'll hazard a guess its "whataboutery"

Still waiting on you to accept you were wrong about Trump and the Central Park 5...

his original newspaper placement at the time was right, he is wrong to not acknowledge the change now.

So will you apologise for the 'n word' tapes never showing up ? can we throw that one out now ?

Captain Obvious

Eric Cartman wrote: »

his original newspaper placement at the time was right, he is wrong to not acknowledge the change now.

So will you apologise for the 'n word' tapes never showing up ? can we throw that one out now ?

But they hadn't been convicted at the time of the original newspaper placement.

Eric Cartman

Captain Obvious wrote: »

But they hadn't been convicted at the time of the original newspaper placement.

but they had given their (coerced) confessions at that point, they were awaiting trial but everyone believed they were guilty and no further investigation was needed at that point.

Captain Obvious

Eric Cartman wrote: »

but they had given their (coerced) confessions at that point, they were awaiting trial but everyone believed they were guilty and no further investigation was needed at that point.

That doesn't sound like innocent until proven guilty.

Eric Cartman

Captain Obvious wrote: »

That doesn't sound like innocent until proven guilty.

well ye know a case with a confession signed and all awaiting trial is a bit different to one that has to be deliberated and has an ongoing investigation.

trumps ad also called for the death penalty , which would have required said conviction, not bypassing the court.

goat2

Captain Obvious wrote: »

Source is a bit dodgy but details have been reported about the death. Quite disturbing.


https://nypost.com/2018/10/17/audio-reveals-details-of-jamal-khashoggis-torture-decapitation-report/

Frightening, I guess Trump does not want to cross the line with them, be afraid

Jolly Red Giant

Eric Cartman wrote: »

his original newspaper placement at the time was right,

No it wasn't - the five defendants had the confessions beaten out of them. The DNA evidence that the cops had did not match any of the defendants and to get a conviction the cops needed to beat confessions out of them.

Trump took out the advert demanding the lynching of the five kids two months BEFORE their 'conviction' - his advert inflamed public opinion against the five kids and was, in part, responsible for their convictions.

What is worse is that with the confessions - and with Trump's 'outrage' - the rapist wasn't caught - despite the fact that he tied the Central Park victim up in a distinct fashion (that he had also used in previous rapes - including one rape two days before the attack in Central Park where he had used the same knot to tie up his victim). The failure of the cops - and the advert from Trump meant that the rapist was free to rape two more women in June (a month after the Trump advert and two months before the trials of the five kids) - killing one of his victims, a pregnant woman, while her three children listened to him rape and murder their mother through a closed bedroom door. He raped another woman in August while the trial was taking place - and attempted to cut her eyes out. A few days later he attacked another woman that he raped several times before she managed to escape and he got cornered by two neighbours before the police arrived.

Now - remember - he had been named as a suspect for the rape two days before the Central Park attack - had carried out several other attacks and a murder afterwards - the cops had DNA evidence for the Central Park attack, never questioned the rapist about it and never analysed the DNA (or did and buried it because it exposed their stitch-up of the five defendants).

The cops - and Trump - are directly responsible, not only for stitching up five innocent children, but for the fact that the rapist subsequently carried out several other rapes and a murder.

Eric Cartman wrote: »

he is wrong to not acknowledge the change now.

Trump is doing what he always does - deflect, demonise and never admit a mistake. The guy has an ego the size of jupiter.

Jolly Red Giant

Eric Cartman wrote: »

trumps ad also called for the death penalty , which would have required said conviction, not bypassing the court.

And if he had his way Trump would have seen five innocent youths murdered to satisfy his blood lust - innocent youths that there was no evidence against except confessions that were beaten out of them.

In the meantime the real rapist was allowed to continue raping and murdering innocent victims. The toll of carnage include five rapes, two attempted rapes and a brutal murder. The rapist gave his victims a choice - your eyes or your life - and then proceeded to beat them to a pulp.

everlast75

Fun fact. He also took an advert out to say that the payout to the innocent men was a disgrace... "they were no angels".

Whattaguy!

Re - Trump tapes, I'm not accepting that there are none until the Zervos case is over. I know Trump supporters are all about assuming innocence before a proper investigation (see Kavanaugh). She is seeking discovery of those tapes. The case is due to be heard in January 2019

Celticfire

listermint wrote: »

Looks like trickle down is working .. right...


Actually no, it's not as everyone knows the money goes right to the top . After all the workers take wage cuts and hours and overtime cut when things are lean. When things are going great it's never reciprocal. It's always one way the workers should be greatful, right ?

Exclusive: U.S. Steel workers set to get biggest pay raise in years

CHICAGO (Reuters) - United States Steel Corp (X.N) workers are set to get the biggest wage jump in at least six years under a new deal negotiated with the company, providing early signs that gains from U.S. President Donald Trump’s clampdown on foreign imports are finally trickling down.


The agreement, reached on Monday, proposes a cumulative 14 percent wage increase over a four-year period, three sources familiar with details of the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday.


The new contract also proposes a lump sum bonus and a share in the company’s profits, the sources said on condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential deal. The workers will retain healthcare benefits from the last contract, which did not require them to pay a premium.

So there you have it. Steelworkers gaining the biggest wage increase in years. I wonder will they be voting Red or Blue?

Captain Obvious

Celticfire wrote: »

Exclusive: U.S. Steel workers set to get biggest pay raise in years



So there you have it. Steelworkers gaining the biggest wage increase in years. I wonder will they be voting Red or Blue?

That's not really surprising though is it? The tariffs were designed to improve the steal manufacturing industry.

ancapailldorcha

Captain Obvious wrote: »

That's not really surprising though is it? The tariffs were designed to improve the steal manufacturing industry.

They're not. They are designed to shield it from foreign competition so it wouldn't have to improve. Of course, this increase will drive up steel prices so other businesses and their consumers will ultimately be the ones affected.

B0jangles

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

They're not. They are designed to shield it from foreign competition so it wouldn't have to improve. Of course, this increase will drive up steel prices so other businesses and their consumers will ultimately be the ones affected.

But only briefly!

From Celticfire's article:

The new deal could inflate I]U.S. Steel[/I's cost structure, piling pressure on the company’s stock which has lost nearly 40 percent since March 1 when Trump decided to impose the metal tariffs. U.S. Steel’s shares fell 1.2 percent on Tuesday to close at $27.63.

Domestic steel prices have fallen about 10 percent since early June, raising concerns that prices have peaked. Demand from the auto industry, the company’s biggest customer, is also widely expected to slow down.” The auto industry is dealing with lots of cost pressures because of trade wars, rising raw materials costs and declining sales volumes,” said Rosenfeld.
“Therefore, we have a somewhat conservative outlook with regard to contract hikes in 2019.”

Trade wars???

Leroy42

But from the POV of voters Trump is making a difference. If you one of those steel workers, are you going to vote red or blue? BLue has been telling you that the industry is on the decline etc etc, Trump is telling you that the good times are on the way back.

Now, any even cursory glance will show the shallowness and the long terms effects of the policies, but voters wanted change and that is what they are getting.

Most Americans don't care how the rest of the world perceive them, they are the school bully so who cares if no one likes them. Clearly, a large proportion don't care what the POTUS does or doesn't do, once they POTUS is not black or a woman.

Jolly Red Giant

Celticfire wrote: »

Exclusive: U.S. Steel workers set to get biggest pay raise in years



So there you have it. Steelworkers gaining the biggest wage increase in years. I wonder will they be voting Red or Blue?

The United Steelworkers got the pay increase because of strike ballots last month voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action at US Steel and at ArcelorMittal. It was part of a four-year cycle of contract negotiations. The reason why this is the highest pay increase in years is because the last contract included a three year pay freeze - the workers were always going to get a big increase to compensate (it was part of the previous deal) - and there is no guarantee that the 16,000 workers at US Steel will actually vote to accept the deal. The deal includes a major hike in the company health insurance premiums that the workers will have to pay. These deals have been struck because there is a major fight for a House seat in District one Pennsylvania (where US Steel is located) - and a similar situation with ArcelorMittal who have plants all across the rust belt.

At the same time members of the USW have been locked-out by Blue Moose Steel Tube for the last six weeks after they voted against a new contract offer. The USW also has 225,000 members in Canada who are directly affected by Trump's tariffs and it is clear that the steel companies are using the tariffs to drive up profits margins and force concessions from workers

The USW is one of the largest and most militant unions in the USA - it has traditionally endorsed Democratic candidates (it should endorse labour candidates) and in the mid-terms it has endorsed one candidate - a Democrat - in Pensylvania for the House and one candidate - a Democrat - for governor of Kansas. The USW was also very vocal in opposing Kavanaugh for the SC because of his anti-worker agenda.

Jolly Red Giant

One other point of note - in practically every state when the Republicans are in control there has been a systematic attempt to gerrymander districts and to remove large swathes of the electorate from the electoral roll.

This is but a flavour of the antics of the Republicans -

In Georgia - the Republican Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, is running for governor - last year he removed 670,000 voters from the electoral roll - 70% of them black voters. At the moment his office is holding up the registration of 58,000 voters - again 70% of them black people. He is using his position as SoS to manipulate the electoral roll in his favour in the governor's race.

In Tennessee 170,000 voters, mostly black, have been removed from the electoral roll - on top of that more than 20,000 voters have had their registration held up - this in a state where the result is a toss-up between the elephant and the donkey.

In Indiana the Republicans have removed more than 500,000 people from the electoral roll since 2016 - and are holding up the registration of more than 20,000 voters at the moment.

In North Dakota the antics of Republicans could blow up in their face - The GOP are attempting to take Heitkamp's senate seat. Heitkamp was elected in 2013 after receiving a massive vote from the native American population in ND when she promised to oppose Trump's pipeline. When she abandoned the campaign and supported the pipeline the native people abandoned her. The had decided en-masse that they wouldn't vote for any of the two establishment camps. The the GOP shot themselves in the foot. Two weeks ago the Republicans ruled out more than 30,000 native American voters because in the native pow camps (known as reservations) the population use PO boxes as their registered address - this has been accepted for decades as sufficient for voting. Last year the GOP changed the law requiring a residential address - and began implementing it a few weeks ago. Now - as a result of these antics the native Americans are exacting their anger on the GOP by engaging in a mass voter registration campaign, not only within the native pow camps - but in the wider population, particularly among the youth. It could not be ruled out that the GOP could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in ND as a result of their attempts to manipulate the electoral process.

aloyisious

Celticfire wrote: »

Exclusive: U.S. Steel workers set to get biggest pay raise in years



So there you have it. Steelworkers gaining the biggest wage increase in years. I wonder will they be voting Red or Blue?

Would that have anything to do with the voted-on threatened strike by the steel workers trade union?

Gbear

The Fivethirtyeight did a podcast about the Governer races today, but they touched on voter suppression.

I can't remember who covered it, but they weren't convinced that it's an effective strategy, precisely because it pisses people off so much. I don't recall did they have any specific data in reference to it, so take that with a grain of salt.

It's fairly trivial to get into contact with people these days and spread information about these practices, and trying to steal your constitutional rights from under you is a fine motivator for people. Hopefully it proves to be an own goal for Republicans, and Democrats can effecitvely leverage this blatant corruption to get the youth and minority votes out.

TomOnBoard

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

One other point of note - in practically every state when the Republicans are in control there has been a systematic attempt to gerrymander districts and to remove large swathes of the electorate from the electoral roll.

This is but a flavour of the antics of the Republicans -

In Georgia - the Republican Secretary of State, Brian Kemp, is running for governor - last year he removed 670,000 voters from the electoral roll - 70% of them black voters. At the moment his office is holding up the registration of 58,000 voters - again 70% of them black people. He is using his position as SoS to manipulate the electoral roll in his favour in the governor's race.

In Tennessee 170,000 voters, mostly black, have been removed from the electoral roll - on top of that more than 20,000 voters have had their registration held up - this in a state where the result is a toss-up between the elephant and the donkey.

In Indiana the Republicans have removed more than 500,000 people from the electoral roll since 2016 - and are holding up the registration of more than 20,000 voters at the moment.

In North Dakota the antics of Republicans could blow up in their face - The GOP are attempting to take Heitkamp's senate seat. Heitkamp was elected in 2013 after receiving a massive vote from the native American population in ND when she promised to oppose Trump's pipeline. When she abandoned the campaign and supported the pipeline the native people abandoned her. The had decided en-masse that they wouldn't vote for any of the two establishment camps. The the GOP shot themselves in the foot. Two weeks ago the Republicans ruled out more than 30,000 native American voters because in the native pow camps (known as reservations) the population use PO boxes as their registered address - this has been accepted for decades as sufficient for voting. Last year the GOP changed the law requiring a residential address - and began implementing it a few weeks ago. Now - as a result of these antics the native Americans are exacting their anger on the GOP by engaging in a mass voter registration campaign, not only within the native pow camps - but in the wider population, particularly among the youth. It could not be ruled out that the GOP could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in ND as a result of their attempts to manipulate the electoral process.

Very informative and well researched post.

To add insult to injury in ND, the SCOTUS voted 6:2 just last week not to get involved in a lower court's decision to basically allow the voter suppression activities against the Native Americans. Ginsburg's dissenting finding is worth reading.

Sweetemotion

I'm really curious and interested in how 670,000 people can removed from the electoral register in one year. From the State of Georgia.?

TomOnBoard

Sweetemotion wrote: »

I'm really curious and interested in how 670,000 people can removed from the electoral register in one year. From the State of Georgia.?

Yep! It won't be hard to find reports of the lawsuit that details the 700k ish voters removed from the rolls in 2017, as well as the 50,000+ others whose applications to register have been consigned to a drawer because the details on their application may differ from details in other Georgian State records such as the DMV by something like a missing apostrophe in their name...

Rjd2

Jolly Red Giant wrote: »

O

In North Dakota the antics of Republicans could blow up in their face -

Maybe, but I think Heitkamp probably ended her chances by including the names of domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors without their consent in a political advertisement. Its probably ended her career tbh.

TomOnBoard

Rjd2 wrote: »

Maybe, but I think Heitkamp probably ended her chances by including the names of domestic violence and sexual abuse survivors without their consent in a political advertisement. Its probably ended her career tbh.

Heitkamp is certainly coming from waaay behind... Among other things, she's going to suffer from:

1. She broke a previous promise to stand with the ND tribes against the pipeline running close to reservation water sources. This will damage her votes from Native Americans and sympathisers;
2. She voted against Kavanaugh. This will limit many votes from Republicans who might have gone with her previously;
3. Last week's appalling naming of ppl without permission in an advert...

Rjd2

TomOnBoard wrote: »

Heitkamp is certainly coming from waaay behind... Among other things, she's going to suffer from:

1. She broke a previous promise to stand with the ND tribes against the pipeline running close to reservation water sources. This will damage her votes from Native Americans and sympathisers;
2. She voted against Kavanaugh. This will limit many votes from Republicans who might have gone with her previously;
3. Last week's appalling naming of ppl without permission in an advert...

Yeah the Dems should be furious, even if you give her and her team the benefit of the doubt, its an astonishingly piece of self sabotage from what is supposedly a seasoned political campaigner. Its taking column inches away from actual tight campaign races where exciting and less crap Dems are trying to upset the odds with only a few weeks ago to go.

Water John

CNN Town Hall with Beto O'Rourke on now. Ted Cruz turned down an invitation.

listermint

Celticfire wrote: »

Exclusive: U.S. Steel workers set to get biggest pay raise in years



So there you have it. Steelworkers gaining the biggest wage increase in years. I wonder will they be voting Red or Blue?

Yep that's him.

Decimating long term jobs and giving short term benefits to extinct industries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=A1A0oxf9UPA&app=desktop&persist_app=1