Trump

[morepork]

The volume of idiotic wank spawned through social media has near completely taken over from informed debate. It is so comprehensive that it will probably end up as part of the geological record.

[Digby]

'Tis an interesting bet by team Trump, either they shift the balance of the supreme court now or the loss brings out the base and they do so in the new year

One can only hope that they're wrong, but bat shit crazy might be the new norm, up to Giuliani becoming Secretary of State

[morepork]

They are doing all they can to invigorate their semi-literate base. From poor set upon white man through to refusing VISAS for same sex non-married partners of visiting diplomats (yes, they actually did this), it's all right if it's all white. It is actually very grim to witness. Has Rome fallen?

[Puja]

'Tis an interesting bet by team Trump, either they shift the balance of the supreme court now or the loss brings out the base and they do so in the new year

One can only hope that they're wrong, but bat shit crazy might be the new norm, up to Giuliani becoming Secretary of State

And on the flip side, if Kavanaugh gets confirmed, it will shift the court and fuck up the law of the land for a long while, but the backlash will see a blue wave in the mid-terms that will stop any further Republican programmes for the rest of Trumptime.

Puja

[WaspInWales]

'Tis an interesting bet by team Trump, either they shift the balance of the supreme court now or the loss brings out the base and they do so in the new year

One can only hope that they're wrong, but bat shit crazy might be the new norm, up to Giuliani becoming Secretary of State

And on the flip side, if Kavanaugh gets confirmed, it will shift the court and fuck up the law of the land for a long while, but the backlash will see a blue wave in the mid-terms that will stop any further Republican programmes for the rest of Trumptime.

Puja

Will it though?

The polls are suggesting some safe GOP seats being under threat, but will it be enough to flip control?

The polls didn't prove to be too helpful on the general election.

Also, is there enough core Trump support to see him through without the need for the Dems to do well? Plus he has probably managed to gain some more votes with his 'American 'first diatribes.

[Puja]

'Tis an interesting bet by team Trump, either they shift the balance of the supreme court now or the loss brings out the base and they do so in the new year

One can only hope that they're wrong, but bat shit crazy might be the new norm, up to Giuliani becoming Secretary of State

And on the flip side, if Kavanaugh gets confirmed, it will shift the court and fuck up the law of the land for a long while, but the backlash will see a blue wave in the mid-terms that will stop any further Republican programmes for the rest of Trumptime.

Puja

Will it though?

The polls are suggesting some safe GOP seats being under threat, but will it be enough to flip control?

The polls didn't prove to be too helpful on the general election.

Also, is there enough core Trump support to see him through without the need for the Dems to do well? Plus he has probably managed to gain some more votes with his 'American 'first diatribes.

I think it's going to depend on turnout - that great imponderable that the polls can't predict - which is why I think Kavanaugh's going to be a Pyrric victory for whichever side wins. He gets confirmed and Trump supporters feel comfortable that they're still winning while outraged Democrats head to the polls. He gets rejected and Trump goes on a Hitlerish tirade about being stabbed in the back by the enemies of the people and all the redhats come out in force to save their precious country from the mean liberals.

In the latter scenario, Trump then names an even more comedically evil judge to the bench and gets him confirmed instead, so maybe losing on Kavanaugh will be good in the long run.

Puja

[Digby]

An even more comedically evil judge? This one doesn’t seem that unusual even if it's not my politics and is far from replacing a swing voter with another

Hopefully Trump and several right leaning judges die soon allowing the balance on the court to correct

As is the judge passes today's test, now onto tomorrow's vote

[Sandydragon]

Someone on the news last night described this week as being the best of the Trump presidency so far.

In any other presidency, the furore about a Supreme Court nomination would be seen as a PR disaster. Yet this farce probably is a high point for trump. What a crazy world.

[WaspInWales]

Someone on the news last night described this week as being the best of the Trump presidency so far.

In any other presidency, the furore about a Supreme Court nomination would be seen as a PR disaster. Yet this farce probably is a high point for trump. What a crazy world.

I can see where they're coming from.

Trump got his nomination through and to his core support and the GOP, it's a huge success.

That plus the recent trade deals, jobless rate and Melania's seemingly successful tour of Africa....it is going to be pushed as a success.

The flipside has wide spread protests at SC nomination, the covering up of sexual assault, the normalising of sexual assault, the dismissal of women's account of sexual assault, tax fraud and bog roll on a fat cunt's shoe. This is all just fake news though.

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[Sandydragon]

The African trip was pretty successful. But then any mrs Trump must be used to a large wrinkly mammal with no social graces jumping on her.

[morepork]

Time for a long hard look in the mirror America. Forget Trump. The white racist dudes in charge are just using him as a court jester. Watching these guys enable that jester and let him bully from behind his phone and in front of carefully regulated equally misinformed people is awful. These are the people you want holding power? How much longer before we start getting the MAGA New Jim Crow Act pushed ahead? Fucking hell.

[Digby]

Trump's vision continues to focus on the past and not the future

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... ate-denial

[Digby]

Leaving aside Trump doesn't understand the word proven that was an astonishingly crass speech at the swearing in of Kavanaugh, even making it so partisan whilst unusual wasn't the worst of it

Clearly they've strategised this works out well for them but christ! And as so often how can the bar be lowered next?

Still, undercover of all this the rules on vehicle emissions changing is getting far less coverage than it warrants

[WaspInWales]

Nikki Haley has resigned according to US media. Will be interesting to find out why.

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[Puja]

Nikki Haley has resigned according to US media. Will be interesting to find out why.

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I am marginally concerned that it's because the US are planning a withdrawal from the United Nations. Trump doesn't react well to being laughed at.

Puja

[morepork]

Ivanka 4 UN ambassador.

[morepork]

Ivanka 4 UN ambassador.

I shouldn't joke. Haley said this morning at a press conference:

"First of all, I want to thank the president for just, you know, allowing us to come out and talk to you this way. It has been an honor of a lifetime,” Haley said, before offering praise to the first lady, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. “Jared is such a hidden genius that no one understands,” she gushed."

“Look at what has happened in two years with the United States on foreign policy. Now the United States is respected"


Fuck my arse.

[WaspInWales]

Can't imagine Ivana or Jared being anywhere close to effective at the UN. They will be chewed up and spat out. At least Haley's hard-nosed, no nonsense approach seemed suited to Trump's message. I can't imagine Jared being able to charm anyone in his suit and Ivana is woefully inept.

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[Mikey Brown]

I can’t believe this is even a real conversation.

[Zhivago]

Ivanka 4 UN ambassador.

Headline today "Trump touts Ivanka to replace Haley as UN ambassador"

[Digby]

When the UN laughs at Trump he's perhaps more inclined to send them people he considers a joke

[Digby]

Ethanol ain't painless, it brings on many changes...

Trump showing once again republican claims to pro open markets are rubbish. and ethanol is one of the stupidest pork barrels already. You'd hope eventually Trump will look to the future but he continues to look to a rose tinted view of the past

[Puja]

Ivanka 4 UN ambassador.

Headline today "Trump touts Ivanka to replace Haley as UN ambassador"

It is really hard for satire to stay ahead of the Trumpster fire.

Puja

[Digby]

When the stock market goes up it's down to the genius thinking of Trump, when it goes down it's due to a crazy out of control and even dangerous fed chair

We can ignore for a moment the Fed chair was appointed by Trump and was praised by him at the time, and we can ignore too Trump's stated certainty he understands what's going on better than the Fed, it is possible after all despite his intellect, education and willingness to drill down into detail that Trump has lit upon a better idea than the Fed.

What it's not possible to say is that the Fed is acting in a dangerous or misguided or out of control fashion, there might be better decisions they could have reached but the actions they're taking are perfectly understandable

[morepork]

Melanie does not think that talking about if Donnel make fuck with other women is import to be best First Lady.