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Dec 6th, 2017
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191 |
On the heels of two other nominees being lost, Navy secretary nominee Philip Bilden withdraws - CNN. Too much money at stake.
A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.
Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,473 Likes: 38
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Joined: Feb 2011
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Unfortunately, all these cabinet are perfectly logical as they are designed to be anti-matter to facilitate the destruction of the departments they are hired to "run". It is even worse than it looks, truly a worst case scenario! Tat E.J. Dionne spells it out clearly and alarmingly. If you know him and his work, you know that he is not prone to hyperbole. This is a huge deal. It reflects a long-standing critique on the right not just of the Obama and Clinton years but of the entire thrust of American government since the Progressive Era and the New Deal. Critics of the administrative state -- "the vast administrative apparatus that does so much to dictate the way we live now," as Scott Johnson, a conservative lawyer and co-founder of the Power Line blog, put it in 2014 -- see it as unconstitutional because regulatory agencies make and enforce rules based on authority they claim was illegitimately ceded by Congress.
That's the theory. In practice, this is a war on a century's worth of work to keep our air and water clean; our food, drugs and workplaces safe; the rights of employees protected; and the marketplace fair and unrigged. It's one thing to make regulations more efficient and no more intrusive than necessary. It's another to say that all the structures of democratic government designed to protect our citizens from the abuses of concentrated private power should be swept away.
There's nothing wrong with thinking
Except that it's lonesome work
sevil regit
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373
Member CHB-OG
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Member CHB-OG
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373 |
The Cabinet is not yet filled, and this may already be the most corrupt administration in history - and there have been some doozies, make no mistake. It should not be a surprise, given the mendacious nature of the President, that the confirmations of his cabinet picks have been almost entirely partisan and based upon complete fabrications of - or completely lacking - resumes. I truly believe that Trump is trolling America. Most Americans did not vote for him. Prior to becoming President, the media treated Trump like a joke. (Because he IS a joke!  ) Trump is a very vindictive guy. I see this as payback for the way he has been treated. Trump has selected the grossest, most incompetent people to run our government. A guy who sues the EPA 14 times gets to head the EPA?!? None of this is accidental, it's clearly by design. 
Contrarian, extraordinaire
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373
Member CHB-OG
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Member CHB-OG
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373 |
...from TAT's link: The parts of government they want to dismantle are those that stand on the side of citizens against powerful interests. Trump supporters are too damn stupid to see they voted for a guy who is against their own interest - or - they want others to wallow in their misery as well. It's like they realize their lives are complete and utter sh!t - and they want to drag everyone else down with them to their miserable level. Yeah, you're 60 years old, you haven't worked in 10 years - why didn't you further your education or learn a new vocation, dumbasses?
Contrarian, extraordinaire
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,473 Likes: 38
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,473 Likes: 38 |
[/quote] I truly believe that Trump is trolling America. Most Trump is a very vindictive guy. I see this as payback for the way he has been treated. Trump has selected the grossest, most incompetent people to run our government. A guy who sues the EPA 14 times gets to head the EPA?!? None of this is accidental, it's clearly by design. [/quote] At first I thought he was just trolling, and just sticking his thumb the eyes by picking scum that we couldnt prevent being confirmed, but Bannon knows how to manipulate his narcissism to get him to do Bannon's dirty deeds. President Trump, gag, may well be getting his rocks off by doing this, but I think that it is a secondary side effect of the big Bannon plan. There are reports/leaks that unscrupulous aids give him known disinformation that fit with his mistaken world view, and he accepts it as it confirms his mistaken "ideas". Narcissists are so predictable that they are simple to manipulate. A true psychotic schizophrenic would be much less dangerous as they would just drop a net on him and drag him from the white house. He is just barely sane enough, for the time being, to avoid the rubber room. There could not be a more dangerous type of mental illness to have this kind of power! I suspect that Pence will eventually be forced to invoke Section 4 of the 25 Amendment and take him out. Unfortunately it will probably take a while for the erratic behavior to turn 2/3 of the house and senate to sustain Pence, if President trump protests the take down. Maybe he would just go quietly without a vote, but I doubt it, as no narcissist ever gives up power willingly. A threatened narcissist is extremely dangerous. All narcissists hurt people, but the malignant narcissists enjoy hurting people. TAT
There's nothing wrong with thinking
Except that it's lonesome work
sevil regit
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191 |
It is absolutely true that Trump's mental illness makes him remarkably susceptible to manipulation. Bannon is, at heart, an anarchist. He is also, at heart, a Karl Rove Machiavellian. Our nation is in the hands of the worst, most malevolent actors imaginable, abetted by a feckless party of power mongers. There are many who have believed the tripe they've been peddling for years. Unfortunately we are all about to reap what they have sown. There are few adults in their romper room.
A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.
Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134 |
I don't think he is intentionally an anarchist but is left with that appears anarchistic as a result of his belief we are in the throes of an apocalyptic crisis. I suspect he wants to play God and hurry along the impending war. Thus we see a program of increasing military & intelligence spending at the detriment of entitlements and discretionary spending. I suspect this thrills conservatives in the respect that Bannon wants to de-contruct all government except the military, which has been a priority of conservatives since time began. Thus conservatives would feel as if they have to support the administration if for no other reason than Bannon would set policies which would effect their agenda.
I suspect a Bakuninist would argue a good anarchist would simply want to bring it down and watch what will develop. I also suspect Bannon has a plan for the replacement and it does not look good for democratically minded folks like me.
For conservatives, especially those who are driven by the thought of imposing Christians values on citizens, the future holds the promise of arriving at the Golden Gate, with the belief they hold an entry ticket.
ignorance is the enemy
without equality there is no liberty
America can survive bad policy, but not destruction of our Democratic institutions
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12,005 Likes: 133
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12,005 Likes: 133 |
For conservatives, especially those who are driven by the thought of imposing Christians values on citizens, the future holds the promise of arriving at the Golden Gate, with the belief they hold an entry ticket. I think their assumption is more that it is a winning ticket.
You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete.
R. Buckminster Fuller
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134 |
yes that was the word i was looking for ... the pearly gates are within sight ... now all they need is end times
ignorance is the enemy
without equality there is no liberty
America can survive bad policy, but not destruction of our Democratic institutions
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,129 Likes: 257
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,129 Likes: 257 |
If you look at the long view. a Trump/Conservative fiasco may be just what is needed to get some sensible Constitutional Amendments ratified. If these morons screw things up so badly, there could be enough popular support for things like dumping the Electoral College, prohibiting nomination of anti-agency cabinet posts, etc.
In some ways Trump is doing progressives a favor by forever associating Republicans with the worst possible government.
I'm thinking of a health insurance disaster where countless people lose their coverage and thousands die: The rebound might be single-payer for all, with a Constitutional Amendment to keep it intact.
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