The happiest most prosperous counties are not theocracies while the most war torn places in the world feature state religions.
Let me put on my technically correct (the best kind of correct) hat for a moment. A number of European/Nordic countries do actually have state religions--the Anglican Church in ENgland is probably the easiest example, though a number of other countries (Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Italy) do officially recognize a state religion.
My parents lived in Denmark for a while. My mom thought it was funny that they got all the religious feast days off, but most of her friends didn't know what they were celebrating.
Apart from religious holidays, and even apart from his now deserved (and growing) reputation as someone who played a major part in a genocide, can someone explain to me that, of all the holidays in the year, that banks need to be closed on Columbus Day?? I am all for everyone getting more days off, but let's pick ANY other day that makes more sense. Halloween maybe. Anything can substitute for this one. If I had a job where we had Columbus Day off, I'd go into work anyway on general principle.
Truthfully it has to do with many North American countries having it off as well. International businesses lose productivity when some countries are on vacation are others are not.
If the name offends enough people, just change the name of the holiday to something else and still have it off.
Hell, Ontario has a paid holiday called "Family Day" which coincides with "Presidents Day in the States" and is called "Louis Riel Day" in Manitoba. We're not going to celebrate another countries leaders or a person who is consider a traitor to the federal government (but founder of the province of Manitoba), so the gov't choose a generic name.
My parents lived in Denmark for a while. My mom thought it was funny that they got all the religious feast days off, but most of her friends didn't know what they were celebrating.
Japan is my favorite. They're Shinto when they're born, Christian when they marry, and Buddhist when they die. Basically, they pick mix-and-match their favorite traditions/rites/holidays from each one and celebrate accordingly. The last survey--this is from memory and was a long time ago--of 'what religion are you' in Tokyo added up to 150% because a lot of folks were more or less answering all of the above. My wife's sister's wedding was fun but it was a bit odd being the only gaijin and the only one there who was raised Christian.
“Science should not be something that’s just thrown about to try and dictate policy in Washington DC.” -EPA Chief Scott Pruitt
And he wants Climate Scientists and Climate Deniers to "debate" on TV because whoever talks the loudest must be have done the research and be backed up by facts right.
I will say this...Trump is surprising me with the way he's handling this disaster. I'm a native Texan with family in Texas and he's doing a million times better than GW ever did during Katrina. The media is surprising me, too, giving him pretty good press - at least relatively speaking.
I know this is a really, really low bar...but I've always been willing to credit Trump where credit is due, and I think the thing that surprises me most is that Trump hasn't taken a shot at anyone. When the NYT ridiculously posted about his wife's footwear, he ignored it. When WaPo put this disgusting article, completely misrepresenting the situation, he ignored it. That article would be really hard to ignore, seeing as how he was actually trying to rally volunteers. But he's not on the attack and focused on Texas, and that's...actually pretty cool.
My parents are convinced Trump's a 'born again' Christian. So far I'm not buying it. Actions speak louder than words imho. Of course I'm probably a heathen...
The core of "born again" Chistianity is salvation by faith, not by works. So long as you believe in Jesus, there is no reason to do anything for anyone else. It's pretty much the most selvish, self-serving flavour of religion possible.
So yeah, Trump.
Actually not quite. Its salvation by faith because the idea is that a person is unable to achieve heaven on their own strength, hence the "not by works part". The idea is that faith in God and a true desire to repent shows itself through the person's actions. So a person who genuinely believes should act consistently with those beliefs. A common saying is to look at the fruit of their life. If the soil of their belief so to speak is true, it should bear like action. More and more churches preach the faith part without the emphasis that such faith would enact a change. As a consequence, more people see it as a get out of Hell free card and abuse self identicfication for all its worth. As I've said in the past, a person can call themselves a Christian all they want, but their actions will show their true colors.
I know what the theology says, since I am an ex-born-again-Christian turned atheist. In my experience, the "get out of hell free card" is the only thing that is actually believed, acted on or preached in church. Judged by their works, Born Again Christians fall behind pretty much any religion and none. Apart from spreading hatred, bigotry and intolerance. they are pretty good at that.
It is necessary for people take holidays. That is why they go back to ancient times. If people don't take sufficient holidays productivity and family suffers.
In some countries people are very bad at taking holidays. About the only way to force them to do so is to shut everything down.
So it doesn't matter what public holidays commemorate, only that they exist.
I don't take days off unless I have no choice--the office is closed, there is something truly important that I must deal with outside the office, etc. Even when we are officially closed but people are going to go to work anyway (patients can't take days off) I volunteer to be the tech support person for the extra money. As far as holidays are concerned...these days, I don't celebrate any of them--they are just "another day" to me.
This attitude got me in to trouble once, though. I suggested that one year I would like to do nothing for Christmas--no lights, no tree, no decorations of any sort--and you would think I had suggested that we kick a kitten the way my wife looked at me. I don't voice that idea any more, clearly.
I really do hope that Trump and Trump supporters take notice of the little bit of good press that the president has gotten over his response to the disaster and realize that the press really isn't as fake as Trump says. I've been wanting the press to do this for the longest time - show balance and the ability to support Trump when he's right. It really does take away all the ammunition that Trump would ever have to undermine the first amendment by screaming fake news.
So I hope Trump supporters take notice of this little bit of positive coverage. It will make it so much harder to scream fake news the times when Trump is rightly being called out. But if you oppose him all the time no matter what then you lose all credibility and can only ever preach to the choir.
Anyone want to place bets on whether Trump supporters will lay off the press a little bit? I think if the press demonstrates balance, non-partisan and non-petty reporting moving forward in the future, then Trump would be forced to either govern legitimately or lose his entire base. Because the only thing keeping Trump afloat is the open and obvious bias of the "free press". Because, again, no matter how he f**ks up, he can always blame the "fake news".
I really do hope that Trump and Trump supporters take notice of the little bit of good press that the president has gotten over his response to the disaster and realize that the press really isn't as fake as Trump says. I've been wanting the press to do this for the longest time - show balance and the ability to support Trump when he's right. It really does take away all the ammunition that Trump would ever have to undermine the first amendment by screaming fake news.
So I hope Trump supporters take notice of this little bit of positive coverage. It will make it so much harder to scream fake news the times when Trump is rightly being called out. But if you oppose him all the time no matter what then you lose all credibility and can only ever preach to the choir.
Anyone want to place bets on whether Trump supporters will lay off the press a little bit? I think if the press demonstrates balance, non-partisan and non-petty reporting moving forward in the future, then Trump would be forced to either govern legitimately or lose his entire base. Because the only thing keeping Trump afloat is the open and obvious bias of the "free press". Because, again, no matter how he f**ks up, he can always blame the "fake news".
Contrary to popular belief, the press CONSTANTLY takes it easy on him. Since the bar is so low, anytime he doesn't shit his pants in public, they say "this is the pivot" or "wow, he sounded Presidential". He is being graded on the biggest curve imaginable. They fall for it every time. And every time, within 48 hours, he reverts to himself. Nevermind the fact that he has the entire right-wing media behind him lock, stock and barrel 24/7.
Aside from that, he didn't meet with a single victim of the hurricane yesterday. All he did was hold a press conference nowhere near the flood waters, and talked about how famous his FEMA Director now is and how big the crowd was to see him speak.
My parents are convinced Trump's a 'born again' Christian. So far I'm not buying it. Actions speak louder than words imho. Of course I'm probably a heathen...
The core of "born again" Chistianity is salvation by faith, not by works. So long as you believe in Jesus, there is no reason to do anything for anyone else. It's pretty much the most selvish, self-serving flavour of religion possible.
So yeah, Trump.
Actually not quite. Its salvation by faith because the idea is that a person is unable to achieve heaven on their own strength, hence the "not by works part". The idea is that faith in God and a true desire to repent shows itself through the person's actions. So a person who genuinely believes should act consistently with those beliefs. A common saying is to look at the fruit of their life. If the soil of their belief so to speak is true, it should bear like action. More and more churches preach the faith part without the emphasis that such faith would enact a change. As a consequence, more people see it as a get out of Hell free card and abuse self identicfication for all its worth. As I've said in the past, a person can call themselves a Christian all they want, but their actions will show their true colors.
I know what the theology says, since I am an ex-born-again-Christian turned atheist. In my experience, the "get out of hell free card" is the only thing that is actually believed, acted on or preached in church. Judged by their works, Born Again Christians fall behind pretty much any religion and none. Apart from spreading hatred, bigotry and intolerance. they are pretty good at that.
You have experienced the wrong churches then.
*EDIT*
Look at this way, you know the theology, right? Why would someone who chooses to not only not follow it, but also actively go against it be considered representative of the group? Would someone who eats meat but calls themself a vegetarian be representative of vegetarians? I've never understood why someone who calls themself a Christian but lives counter to Christ's example is so often paraded out as some kind of supreme example of the group. I'm gonna hold back posting on this subject for now so I don't drag us all off topic.
My parents are convinced Trump's a 'born again' Christian. So far I'm not buying it. Actions speak louder than words imho. Of course I'm probably a heathen...
The core of "born again" Chistianity is salvation by faith, not by works. So long as you believe in Jesus, there is no reason to do anything for anyone else. It's pretty much the most selvish, self-serving flavour of religion possible.
So yeah, Trump.
Actually not quite. Its salvation by faith because the idea is that a person is unable to achieve heaven on their own strength, hence the "not by works part". The idea is that faith in God and a true desire to repent shows itself through the person's actions. So a person who genuinely believes should act consistently with those beliefs. A common saying is to look at the fruit of their life. If the soil of their belief so to speak is true, it should bear like action. More and more churches preach the faith part without the emphasis that such faith would enact a change. As a consequence, more people see it as a get out of Hell free card and abuse self identicfication for all its worth. As I've said in the past, a person can call themselves a Christian all they want, but their actions will show their true colors.
I know what the theology says, since I am an ex-born-again-Christian turned atheist. In my experience, the "get out of hell free card" is the only thing that is actually believed, acted on or preached in church. Judged by their works, Born Again Christians fall behind pretty much any religion and none. Apart from spreading hatred, bigotry and intolerance. they are pretty good at that.
You have experienced the wrong churches then.
The "good ones" make a very very good job at hiding themselves then. They aren't in Blackpool or Preston or Manchester or York or Birmingham or London. And, all their "good works" too. They keep those very very well hidden. Or are you pulling a Trump, and claiming the media deliberately fails to report them? On the other hand, they don't make a very good job at concealing the bigotry, elitism, racism, sexism and homophobia.
The thing is, if there where ANY objective truth in what they preach, you would expect to see at least a little evidence in their actions.
My parents are convinced Trump's a 'born again' Christian. So far I'm not buying it. Actions speak louder than words imho. Of course I'm probably a heathen...
The core of "born again" Chistianity is salvation by faith, not by works. So long as you believe in Jesus, there is no reason to do anything for anyone else. It's pretty much the most selvish, self-serving flavour of religion possible.
So yeah, Trump.
Actually not quite. Its salvation by faith because the idea is that a person is unable to achieve heaven on their own strength, hence the "not by works part". The idea is that faith in God and a true desire to repent shows itself through the person's actions. So a person who genuinely believes should act consistently with those beliefs. A common saying is to look at the fruit of their life. If the soil of their belief so to speak is true, it should bear like action. More and more churches preach the faith part without the emphasis that such faith would enact a change. As a consequence, more people see it as a get out of Hell free card and abuse self identicfication for all its worth. As I've said in the past, a person can call themselves a Christian all they want, but their actions will show their true colors.
I know what the theology says, since I am an ex-born-again-Christian turned atheist. In my experience, the "get out of hell free card" is the only thing that is actually believed, acted on or preached in church. Judged by their works, Born Again Christians fall behind pretty much any religion and none. Apart from spreading hatred, bigotry and intolerance. they are pretty good at that.
You have experienced the wrong churches then.
The "good ones" make a very very good job at hiding themselves then. They aren't in Blackpool or Preston or Manchester or York or Birmingham or London. And, all their "good works" too. They keep those very very well hidden. Or are you pulling a Trump, and claiming the media deliberately fails to report them? On the other hand, they don't make a very good job at concealing the bigotry, elitism, racism, sexism and homophobia.
The thing is, if there where ANY objective truth in what they preach, you would expect to see at least a little evidence in their actions.
We don't announce our actions to get recognition. Part of the theology is that good works done to glorify yourself are essentially worthless. Besides, I imagine someone going out of their way to announce every good deed they do will very quickly be labeled a hypocrite anyway, so there is no winning there. Either we don't exist or announcing ourselves is unwanted/seen as hypocrisy. Okay, for real this time. I'm done.
Show of hands: who thinks it's a good idea to give a major speech about how you intend to cut taxes for the wealthiest people in the country while the 4th largest city in said country is underwater?? Anyone??
My parents are convinced Trump's a 'born again' Christian. So far I'm not buying it. Actions speak louder than words imho. Of course I'm probably a heathen...
The core of "born again" Chistianity is salvation by faith, not by works. So long as you believe in Jesus, there is no reason to do anything for anyone else. It's pretty much the most selvish, self-serving flavour of religion possible.
So yeah, Trump.
Actually not quite. Its salvation by faith because the idea is that a person is unable to achieve heaven on their own strength, hence the "not by works part". The idea is that faith in God and a true desire to repent shows itself through the person's actions. So a person who genuinely believes should act consistently with those beliefs. A common saying is to look at the fruit of their life. If the soil of their belief so to speak is true, it should bear like action. More and more churches preach the faith part without the emphasis that such faith would enact a change. As a consequence, more people see it as a get out of Hell free card and abuse self identicfication for all its worth. As I've said in the past, a person can call themselves a Christian all they want, but their actions will show their true colors.
I know what the theology says, since I am an ex-born-again-Christian turned atheist. In my experience, the "get out of hell free card" is the only thing that is actually believed, acted on or preached in church. Judged by their works, Born Again Christians fall behind pretty much any religion and none. Apart from spreading hatred, bigotry and intolerance. they are pretty good at that.
You have experienced the wrong churches then.
The "good ones" make a very very good job at hiding themselves then. They aren't in Blackpool or Preston or Manchester or York or Birmingham or London. And, all their "good works" too. They keep those very very well hidden. Or are you pulling a Trump, and claiming the media deliberately fails to report them? On the other hand, they don't make a very good job at concealing the bigotry, elitism, racism, sexism and homophobia.
The thing is, if there where ANY objective truth in what they preach, you would expect to see at least a little evidence in their actions.
We don't announce our actions to get recognition. Part of the theology is that good works done to glorify yourself are essentially worthless. Besides, I imagine someone going out of their way to announce every good deed they do will very quickly be labeled a hypocrite anyway, so there is no winning there. Either we don't exist or announcing ourselves is unwanted/seen as hypocrisy. Okay, for real this time. I'm done.
I've always had somewhat of a problem with that philosophy. The people receiving those 'works' probably don't care who gets glorified as long as they get taken care of. That very philosophy has led to Christians not doing anything at all to help people. They just give to their Church and/or missions and just trust that their money is spent wisely. Unfortunately that isn't always a good assumption...
Show of hands: who thinks it's a good idea to give a major speech about how you intend to cut taxes for the wealthiest people in the country while the 4th largest city in said country is underwater?? Anyone??
He probably figured more people would be watching. What better time to show off your oratory skills (or lack thereof)?
Show of hands: who thinks it's a good idea to give a major speech about how you intend to cut taxes for the wealthiest people in the country while the 4th largest city in said country is underwater?? Anyone??
Tax reform to bring back main Street by giving the 1% tax cuts because while they are already rich beyond belief they could be richer. Trump really wants tax cuts for the rich so he can buy another couple private islands, jets, yachts and mansions. Not sure what that has to do with Main Street but anyway this is the priority uno.
This is a brilliant move by Mueller, one that has been anticipated here. Trump has no power to pardon if there are State charges brought. If this is happening, things are getting very serious indeed. Moreover, if Trump directs his Deputy AG to fire Mueller, the Justice Department will have no recourse to force Schneiderman to give back the evidence that Mueller shared with him.
Also....Kamala Harris is absolutely making a move here:
She can co-sponsor that bill, it has zero chance of passing with Republican majority who are completely pro-corporate stooges.
As Republicans showed it's easy to vote for something when you know it won't pass like how they voted hundreds of times to repeal Obamacare but when they could actually do it they suddenly got cold feet.
That bring said, it is a measure I support and hope she will vote for it when it can actually pass hopefully in 2018.
She can co-sponsor that bill, it has zero chance of passing with Republican majority who are completely pro-corporate stooges.
As Republicans showed it's easy to vote for something when you know it won't pass like how they voted hundreds of times to repeal Obamacare but when they could actually do it they suddenly got cold feet.
That bring said, it is a measure I support and hope she will vote for it when it can actually pass hopefully in 2018.
Well, that's precisely the point. Anything a major Democratic player does right now is a political move since they hold no power to actually do anything. But it does show which side she is throwing her chips in with. It's also worth noting that even though she is a former prosecutor, she has thrown her hat in with Rand Paul to reform the bail system in this country. Kamala Harris is someone to seriously look at, and at a bare minimum she should be a serious candidate for VP, if not the top slot itself. Lack of experience isn't a meaningful talking point against anyone anymore. Her questioning at both the Comey and Sessions hearings was forceful and skilled as you'd expect from a seasoned lawyer. And the way her older, male colleagues tried to silence her was nothing more than the fact that they were intimidated by how impressive she was in the limited time she was given.
Meanwhile, someone else I have found impressive on the Democratic side since Trump's election is Adam Schiff of California. He has introduced a bill that prohibits payment of Secret Service funds to Trump's businesses. This is in direct response to what I have mentioned before, which is that government and taxpayer money is going DIRECTLY into Trump's bank account because the Secret Service is forced to buy rooms at his hotels and resorts to protect him.
There has never been anything remotely like what Trump is doing to enrich himself WHILE in office. Jimmy Carter sold his peanut farm to avoid conflict of interest. Even George W. Bush didn't have these entanglements. You could argue Cheney did with his deferred Haliburton stock, but even that is light years removed from Trump, who is as we speak using the Presidency as a money-funnel. ALL Presidents get rich after they leave office, obviously. NONE of them up til now have used the office to personally grow their bank account while they were serving in the position.
He's got to be up to some other scam with the constant campaigning he is doing. All those funds that go to his re-election campaign and 40$ hats he's hawking while there is a major crisis going on in Texas, he's got to be getting a cut of that either now or later it will wind up in his pockets. Like how he used Trump foundation funds to buy paintings of himself and put in his hotels.
That it's a big scam is the default with this guy. Again, I have no idea how 30% of America or whatever doesn't see right through him. Just look at all the scams he's been involved in: real estate scams, casinos, connections with russian oligarchs and mobsters, trump university, trump steaks, stiffing contractors, bogus lawsuits (suing forbes for a billion for not saying he's as rich as he felt at the time), multiple bankruptcies. Vacationing every weekend at his own resorts and charging taxpayers and profiting off it. His fake trust where his son Eric said he tells him what's going on all the time and Trump can withdraw money whenever he wants.
I guess those 30% that support him just take what he says on the surface as the truth - "he said he just gave a great and beautiful speech that was the best thing ever so I guess it was" and "Trump said that the crowd was the biggest ever and that the media lies when it repeats the words Trump just said so that's what I believe".
The last few days on Twitter, I have seen multiple tweets from conservatives who, in repsonse to criticism of Trump in regards to Harvey, without irony, asking "well, what did Obama do during Katrina??" These tweets had thousands of likes and retweets. Apparently, in some quarters, the Tea Party strategy to erase George W. Bush from existence and demonize Barack Obama was SO successful that there is a contingent of the population who now believe Obama was President in 2006. I'm not sure how you deal with that.
One of Trump's great successes in the primary was when he went after Jeb about his brother's war. Nearly every Republican in this country supported the Iraq War. By the end of Bush's 2nd term, they knew they'd been sold a bill of goods. Trump swept in and offered them the absolution they craved for their disastrous backing of that debacle, without them having to say the words that scare them more than death itself, which is "liberals were right about the war all along". Trump was another card in an endless deck of get-out-of-jail-free cards. After Trump craters, there will be another card.
But anyway, the people saying that on Twitter are ignorant, yes. But no one of any stance or intelligence said that though it would be absolutely hilarious if someone did. But it doesn't really matter because 90% of twitter is nothing but likebots, anyway.
Just want to remind everyone that I hate both the left and the right. Be pissed at the right, sure. We should be pissed at the right. But don't be telling me that the "left" is the solution, or the good guys. The "resistance" is just as f*cked up". There is no left in this country.
Liberalism is a disease of the brain. If the solution isn't revolutionary, it's shit.
Talking about dubious Twitter accounts this story is exposing one account supposedly by a British man who's posted 137,000 tweets in the last few years and gathered 100,000 followers. It seems a near-certainty that the account is actually a Russian operation intended to promote their interests - and there are likely to be many such accounts.
Talking about dubious Twitter accounts this story is exposing one account supposedly by a British man who's posted 137,000 tweets in the last few years and gathered 100,000 followers. It seems a near-certainty that the account is actually a Russian operation intended to promote their interests - and there are likely to be many such accounts.
And this is the case where conspiracy theories fail to me. One bot exposes another to get attention away from the third one.
I wish politic was more like a science and less like religion, where "belief" means much more than "facts".
While it is unclear how many of the recent spate of anti-Obama tweets were manufactured or made in jest, an August 2013 survey conducted by the Democrat-oriented Public Policy Polling showed that 29 percent of Louisiana Republicans believed that Obama was to blame for the oft-critized federal response to Katrina. Another 44 percent were reportedly unsure whether Obama or George W. Bush was at fault, while 28 percent blamed Bush.
I wish politic was more like a science and less like religion, where "belief" means much more than "facts".
What we consider a fact is a matter of belief.
And I don't think it's much of a conspiracy to believe that Russians would use social media to support American President that serves their interests.
Not really. Wikileaks still bothers to post copies of documents - you know, facts - when they talk about something. Here? "We believe", "it's obvious to everyone", "who else can it be!" and so on.
Oh, and btw, could you name one thing Trump did to serve interests of Russians? Have you seen his government? People he gathered around him? Cold war veterans every single one of them, promoting now "hot" actions against old enemy. Seriously, Trump is far from an angel, but that particular accusation is the most baseless and used only as the last media-fashion - just blame everything on Russians, or accuse someone to be in league with then, and be done with "investigation". "Smoke screen for dummies" page 1.
Not really. Wikileaks still bothers to post copies of documents - you know, facts - when they talk about something. Here? "We believe", "it's obvious to everyone", "who else can it be!" and so on.
I don't recall the last time they did big revelation about Russian government. It's always US. But we can *believe* it's because Russian government is pure.
Oh, and btw, could you name one thing Trump did to serve interests of Russians? Have you seen his government? People he gathered around him? Cold war veterans every single one of them, promoting now "hot" actions against old enemy.
I dunno. Sharing intel gathered from Israelis with Russian ambassador count?
Trump also was against sanctioning Russia iirc, and was fairly vocal about it. He also supported campaign folks/Flynn after they were exposed for being corrupt.
I wouldn't say the Russia investigation is baseless until the investigation is allowed to finish without impediment, which may never happen.
Comments
If the name offends enough people, just change the name of the holiday to something else and still have it off.
Hell, Ontario has a paid holiday called "Family Day" which coincides with "Presidents Day in the States" and is called "Louis Riel Day" in Manitoba. We're not going to celebrate another countries leaders or a person who is consider a traitor to the federal government (but founder of the province of Manitoba), so the gov't choose a generic name.
edit: For the record, this remains my favorite Futurama/D&D joke.
-EPA Chief Scott Pruitt
And he wants Climate Scientists and Climate Deniers to "debate" on TV because whoever talks the loudest must be have done the research and be backed up by facts right.
http://www.iflscience.com/environment/epa-chief-scott-pruitt-science-dictate-policy/
I know this is a really, really low bar...but I've always been willing to credit Trump where credit is due, and I think the thing that surprises me most is that Trump hasn't taken a shot at anyone. When the NYT ridiculously posted about his wife's footwear, he ignored it. When WaPo put this disgusting article, completely misrepresenting the situation, he ignored it. That article would be really hard to ignore, seeing as how he was actually trying to rally volunteers. But he's not on the attack and focused on Texas, and that's...actually pretty cool.
It is necessary for people take holidays. That is why they go back to ancient times. If people don't take sufficient holidays productivity and family suffers.
In some countries people are very bad at taking holidays. About the only way to force them to do so is to shut everything down.
So it doesn't matter what public holidays commemorate, only that they exist.
This attitude got me in to trouble once, though. I suggested that one year I would like to do nothing for Christmas--no lights, no tree, no decorations of any sort--and you would think I had suggested that we kick a kitten the way my wife looked at me. I don't voice that idea any more, clearly.
So I hope Trump supporters take notice of this little bit of positive coverage. It will make it so much harder to scream fake news the times when Trump is rightly being called out. But if you oppose him all the time no matter what then you lose all credibility and can only ever preach to the choir.
Anyone want to place bets on whether Trump supporters will lay off the press a little bit? I think if the press demonstrates balance, non-partisan and non-petty reporting moving forward in the future, then Trump would be forced to either govern legitimately or lose his entire base. Because the only thing keeping Trump afloat is the open and obvious bias of the "free press". Because, again, no matter how he f**ks up, he can always blame the "fake news".
Aside from that, he didn't meet with a single victim of the hurricane yesterday. All he did was hold a press conference nowhere near the flood waters, and talked about how famous his FEMA Director now is and how big the crowd was to see him speak.
*EDIT*
Look at this way, you know the theology, right? Why would someone who chooses to not only not follow it, but also actively go against it be considered representative of the group? Would someone who eats meat but calls themself a vegetarian be representative of vegetarians? I've never understood why someone who calls themself a Christian but lives counter to Christ's example is so often paraded out as some kind of supreme example of the group. I'm gonna hold back posting on this subject for now so I don't drag us all off topic.
The "good ones" make a very very good job at hiding themselves then. They aren't in Blackpool or Preston or Manchester or York or Birmingham or London. And, all their "good works" too. They keep those very very well hidden. Or are you pulling a Trump, and claiming the media deliberately fails to report them? On the other hand, they don't make a very good job at concealing the bigotry, elitism, racism, sexism and homophobia.
The thing is, if there where ANY objective truth in what they preach, you would expect to see at least a little evidence in their actions.
We don't announce our actions to get recognition. Part of the theology is that good works done to glorify yourself are essentially worthless. Besides, I imagine someone going out of their way to announce every good deed they do will very quickly be labeled a hypocrite anyway, so there is no winning there. Either we don't exist or announcing ourselves is unwanted/seen as hypocrisy. Okay, for real this time. I'm done.
This is a brilliant move by Mueller, one that has been anticipated here. Trump has no power to pardon if there are State charges brought. If this is happening, things are getting very serious indeed. Moreover, if Trump directs his Deputy AG to fire Mueller, the Justice Department will have no recourse to force Schneiderman to give back the evidence that Mueller shared with him.
Also....Kamala Harris is absolutely making a move here:
As Republicans showed it's easy to vote for something when you know it won't pass like how they voted hundreds of times to repeal Obamacare but when they could actually do it they suddenly got cold feet.
That bring said, it is a measure I support and hope she will vote for it when it can actually pass hopefully in 2018.
Meanwhile, someone else I have found impressive on the Democratic side since Trump's election is Adam Schiff of California. He has introduced a bill that prohibits payment of Secret Service funds to Trump's businesses. This is in direct response to what I have mentioned before, which is that government and taxpayer money is going DIRECTLY into Trump's bank account because the Secret Service is forced to buy rooms at his hotels and resorts to protect him.
There has never been anything remotely like what Trump is doing to enrich himself WHILE in office. Jimmy Carter sold his peanut farm to avoid conflict of interest. Even George W. Bush didn't have these entanglements. You could argue Cheney did with his deferred Haliburton stock, but even that is light years removed from Trump, who is as we speak using the Presidency as a money-funnel. ALL Presidents get rich after they leave office, obviously. NONE of them up til now have used the office to personally grow their bank account while they were serving in the position.
That it's a big scam is the default with this guy. Again, I have no idea how 30% of America or whatever doesn't see right through him. Just look at all the scams he's been involved in: real estate scams, casinos, connections with russian oligarchs and mobsters, trump university, trump steaks, stiffing contractors, bogus lawsuits (suing forbes for a billion for not saying he's as rich as he felt at the time), multiple bankruptcies. Vacationing every weekend at his own resorts and charging taxpayers and profiting off it. His fake trust where his son Eric said he tells him what's going on all the time and Trump can withdraw money whenever he wants.
I guess those 30% that support him just take what he says on the surface as the truth - "he said he just gave a great and beautiful speech that was the best thing ever so I guess it was" and "Trump said that the crowd was the biggest ever and that the media lies when it repeats the words Trump just said so that's what I believe".
One of Trump's great successes in the primary was when he went after Jeb about his brother's war. Nearly every Republican in this country supported the Iraq War. By the end of Bush's 2nd term, they knew they'd been sold a bill of goods. Trump swept in and offered them the absolution they craved for their disastrous backing of that debacle, without them having to say the words that scare them more than death itself, which is "liberals were right about the war all along". Trump was another card in an endless deck of get-out-of-jail-free cards. After Trump craters, there will be another card.
But anyway, the people saying that on Twitter are ignorant, yes. But no one of any stance or intelligence said that though it would be absolutely hilarious if someone did. But it doesn't really matter because 90% of twitter is nothing but likebots, anyway.
Just want to remind everyone that I hate both the left and the right. Be pissed at the right, sure. We should be pissed at the right. But don't be telling me that the "left" is the solution, or the good guys. The "resistance" is just as f*cked up". There is no left in this country.
Liberalism is a disease of the brain. If the solution isn't revolutionary, it's shit.
I wish politic was more like a science and less like religion, where "belief" means much more than "facts".
What we consider a fact is a matter of belief.
And I don't think it's much of a conspiracy to believe that Russians would use social media to support American President that serves their interests.
http://www.snopes.com/barack-obama-katrina/
Oh, and btw, could you name one thing Trump did to serve interests of Russians? Have you seen his government? People he gathered around him? Cold war veterans every single one of them, promoting now "hot" actions against old enemy.
Seriously, Trump is far from an angel, but that particular accusation is the most baseless and used only as the last media-fashion - just blame everything on Russians, or accuse someone to be in league with then, and be done with "investigation". "Smoke screen for dummies" page 1.
I don't recall the last time they did big revelation about Russian government. It's always US. But we can *believe* it's because Russian government is pure.
I dunno. Sharing intel gathered from Israelis with Russian ambassador count?
I wouldn't say the Russia investigation is baseless until the investigation is allowed to finish without impediment, which may never happen.