The Trump Era (Jan 20, 2017 – XXXX) Political Discussion Including Foreign Impacts

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  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    bondjames wrote: »
    All we know is that President Elect Trump has been elected to shake things up. To act on the promises he made during the campaign. To get to grips with out of control inefficient government and to improve the lives of working (and out of work) Americans. He was not elected to do that via social programs (that was the Bernie solution). Rather, he is planning to do it via emboldening and encouraging 'Corporate America' and 'Corporate World' to invest in America and its workers.

    Problem here: that's impossible. You clearly haven't been keeping up on the Economic Climate Change my friend. As I said before, the old models will not work now. That Trump can do anything besides get us to flounder around in a slightly different way is pie-in-the-sky bull**it. He is good for more of the same wealth concentration we've already seen, and that's about it. We either go in Bernie's direction, or we really will be headed towards violent civil war. Only a mix of what works will work, what doesn't work will still... not work. Please take your blinders off & see the whole picture. Remember, insanity is doing the same thing & expecting different results. You do not drain a swamp by adding more swamp.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2016 Posts: 23,883
    chrisisall wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    All we know is that President Elect Trump has been elected to shake things up. To act on the promises he made during the campaign. To get to grips with out of control inefficient government and to improve the lives of working (and out of work) Americans. He was not elected to do that via social programs (that was the Bernie solution). Rather, he is planning to do it via emboldening and encouraging 'Corporate America' and 'Corporate World' to invest in America and its workers.

    Problem here: that's impossible. You clearly haven't been keeping up on the Economic Climate Change my friend. As I said before, the old models will not work now. That Trump can do anything besides get us to flounder around in a slightly different way is pie-in-the-sky bull**it. He is good for more of the same wealth concentration we've already seen, and that's about it. We either go in Bernie's direction, or we really will be headed towards violent civil war. Only a mix of what works will work, what doesn't work will still... not work. Please take your blinders off & see the whole picture. Remember, insanity is doing the same thing & expecting different results. You do not drain a swamp by adding more swamp.
    As an example of what I was referring to, there is reportedly $2.1 trillion of American corporate profit invested overseas. If even a small portion of that is brought back into the US via incentives, there could be significant benefit to the working class. Capitalism works, but as I've said before it must be managed via Government incentives. That requires Congressional involvement and they obstructed Mr. Obama, there's no doubt about it. However, Mr. Obama played into that by focusing on healthcare during his first term in office while there were millions of Americans out of work during the financial crisis. I recognize that he made that promise while on the campaign trail in 07/08, but then the crisis happened and priorities should have been adjusted. At the end of the day, while I'm not a die hard right winger, I do believe that the market works best (certainly better than inefficient government), but it must be nudged in the right direction, and so far that is what Trump is promising.

    There has been more wealth inequality concentration under Mr. Obama's term than under any other recent president. There has also been a greater increase in the public debt under Mr. Obama's presidency than any other recent president. That's because he was not able to get the fiscal programs passed and so we have relied on Fed 'easy money' (as I've said on countless occasions here) to boost growth. That is not a recipe for long term sustainable growth - just a recipe for credit creation. So before we throw mud, let's have a reality check.

    We now have a new president, and he is already working to improve investment (foreign and domestic) in America. If that ignites investment and growth, that should also bring down the deficit, but in the short term it will inevitably increase.

    Bottom line: a 'debt based model' requires sustainable and rising growth to survive. Without growth, the debt becomes unmanageable and then bankruptcy and currency devaluation ensues. Right now, they are trying to boost growth. Let's give them a chance with that first. If they can fire up the economy, then we can discuss needed social rebalancing in an era of 'baby boomer' retirement (as I've said earlier, the damn population growth is where the real problem lies globally, and the baby boomers are about to become the biggest problem of all).

    No system is perfect and there will always be winners and losers. A rising tide lifts all boats, and for far too long, the tide has been too weak.
  • CASINOROYALECASINOROYALE Somewhere hot
    Posts: 1,003
    Oh yes thank you for reminding of what an immature "kid" I am for voting for Trump... Yes yes I understand Hillary Clinton was the only legit option and all hail Hitl...Oh sorry Trump.. Well at least I won't be in a concentration camp I guess? I'm outta here.. Too many damn soft liberals who are butt hurt over the election.
  • Back on the old thread I posted the link a few times: Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks. "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?" I don't do those links anymore...but one could always look it up whenever appropriate.

    At least liberals still have a sense of humor. More than one could say for too many of the Trump supporters around here...
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Too many damn soft liberals who are butt hurt over the election.

    And more than a few conservatives butt hurt over the fact that we won't bend over and take it up the ass like you think we should.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    Oh yes thank you for reminding of what an immature "kid" I am for voting for Trump...
    You're welcome, son!
    :)>-
  • edited December 2016 Posts: 11,119
    First of all, certain people in here need to stop slashing factual news items as bogus, and turning bogus stuff and conspiracy blogs into real factual news (Or as some other people in here would like to describe: Destroying 'the media' and let the 'real news' prevail, @bondjames?).

    ******* those naive people who still believe that Russia has nothing to do with hacking the US Elections. It is factually wrong. And as people now also start ranting against the CIA (aren't our western national intelligence agencies not protectors of western values? YES they are. Always!), then I think we're severely damaging the longevity of democratic nation states.

    On top of that, Mr Trump will soon find out what the CIA is all about. Again, the man starts attacking the Democrats for that (!!). ********* is this man really turn into a dumber and more naive version of Nixon?? The Democrats have nothing to do with these hacks, they are factually the victims of all this!

    And then there are the so called 'Russian Sceptics' in the Senate, which are both Democrats and Republicans. With senators like John McCain, Rand Paul and Lindesy Graham Mr Trump seems to be on collission course with the US Senate (Sounds very much like Jimmy Carter's collissions with the US Senate in the late 1970's). Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!


    Secondly, what the hell does he think regarding the China relationships?? Again, yesterday during Fox News interview he stressed that he doesn't see any reason to not throw away the 'One China - One State Policy', recognized by the USA under former president Jimmy Carter. China's state media officially said: "We warn the USA that changing the diplomatic policy towards Taiwan can severely threaten USA-China diplomatic relationships".

    I mean, everyone in here knows that China these days is more powerful than the USA. Are we really into a fistfight between the Chinese and Americans, because Trump says it? It's ridiculous and fairly dangerous. And at the same time Trump wants to become more 'peaceful' with Russia? Saying one thing, and doing something else also brings in mixed diplomatic messages to both worldpowers: Russia and China. And by doing so Trump could actually create a much stronger Russia-China axis, and then we know what China can do with their financial possessions in the USA.


    Edited by moderator
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




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  • Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




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    At least I speak and write a tinyyyy bit of English. Can you do the same but then in Dutch :-)?
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,585
    Please watch your language people.
  • Posts: 7,507
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




    6ffabfcbac2ed5a2bece5a01e18b055e.jpg



    Why won't you try and contribute with something useful to these discussions instead of your usual bitter and sarcastic one liners that are either meant to provoke, derail or insult? Sorry, but you are behaving more and more like a troll...
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    jobo wrote: »
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




    6ffabfcbac2ed5a2bece5a01e18b055e.jpg



    Why won't you try and contribute with something useful to these discussions instead of your usual bitter and sarcastic one liners that are either meant to provoke, derail or insult? Sorry, but you are behaving more and more like a troll...

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  • edited December 2016 Posts: 11,119
    jobo wrote: »
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




    6ffabfcbac2ed5a2bece5a01e18b055e.jpg



    Why won't you try and contribute with something useful to these discussions instead of your usual bitter and sarcastic one liners that are either meant to provoke, derail or insult? Sorry, but you are behaving more and more like a troll...

    I think here a moderator should step in. I'm by far not a troll. Even @BondJames knows (if you actually read a few pages back) that there are some things, so far as president-elect, that he did do right. Trying to save small and medium-sized companies for instance.

    Just look at this post I made on page 6:
    If this goes on, I suddenly could see Barack and Donald making love (on certain aspects) *not* :-P

    Here's a nice article by the way. Perhaps it is the 'show' element of Trump that has a mildly positive effect. Because in the end, at the start of their first terms, both Trump and Obama were very similar in their policies, applying (left vs. right-wing) populist visions.
    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-obama-political-blueprint-232292

    Read it, discuss it, and mention it! Instead of calling me -a Sr. member of this community- a troll.

    Lastly, I have every right to give my opinion here, but I never called you or @BondJames a troll. That doesn't mean that I don't have extensive worries about Mr Trump. Call me bitter, or 'sarcastic' (I guess you forget the very meaning of the definition 'sarcasm' here, but that's besides the point), but at least I want to base my comments on facts, not emotional innuendo being thrown out on Twitter. Got it?

    And now we actually talk about Twitter, sometimes (rarely these times) one comes across some good videos. Call the 'Clinton News Network' obsolete, but at least they give a podium to a respected investigative journalist. Mr Carl Bernstein:

    <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Carl Bernstein, of all people, saying Trump is a bigger liar than Nixon....that's something else... <a href="https://t.co/yF44LQrkI6">pic.twitter.com/yF44LQrkI6</a></p>&mdash; Yashar (@yashar) <a href=" 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
    <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

    Some people could learn from this wonderful 'facts nerd on acid', but he masterfully destroyed Nixon's adage "When the president does it, that means it's not illegal" during Watergate. Sadly, it seems Trump is living by that quote. Actually Kelly-Anne Conway mentioned it last week!
  • edited December 2016 Posts: 4,622

    At least liberals still have a sense of humor. More than one could say for too many of the Trump supporters around here...
    That is all-time howler #2. Liberals are the most sanctimonious bunch of gasbags you will encounter this side of Pluto, which is where I think the species come from.
    Those pipleline protesters are a hoot. Same with the Occupy crowd. A regular sit-in laugh-in. The Sky is falling/planet-is-doomed crowd are a barrel of yuks too.
    We do have progress though @Iamthewalrus (yes I amuse myself at least) has actually acknowledged that there might actually be racist liberals in the world. Baby steps.
    This is big reality-check breakthrough though.

    Anyway, what do I hear on the radio this morning, before I commenced the digging out of car. Newscaster trumpeting that President-Elect will approve the Keystone XL Energy pipeline. Cue the dancing in the Alberta oil patch. Business commentators giddy with glee.
    Sanity has been restored to the White House.
    One of the most encouraging things about the election is not so much who won, or the defeat of the gas baggery from the losing side, but it also marked the end of the reign of the Greenie-in-chief (not to be confused with the treats my dog likes to gnaw on)
    President Tee-Time's 8 year stonewalling on the Pipeline is mercifully over.
    Like waiting for Godot or in more familiar Presidential parlance for a slow group to clear the green.
    The Keystone pipleline will account for fully one quarter of Canada's oil exports. It will be a boom to the Canadian economy, reduce American dependence on foreign oil.Canada is after all, like a little brother to the north.
    And you know Trumpy wouldn't approve it if he didn't see benefits to the American economy. He is about America first, not to mention that the pipeline had been approved at every other govennment and regulatory level in the galaxy.
    Someone should have slipped the paperwork under one of his golf scorecards, and grabbed the signature that way.
    Anway its long overdue. Inevitable really, but still thank God for term limits, even if billions were squandered, jobs lost, standards of living reduced,while the clock ticked.
    At least we got there.
    Heck Hillary probably would have approved the danm thing in fairly short order, but Trump is right on it. No bullshit. No phony posturing, which is what we've got for 8 years.
    The green lobby have reached lunatic fringe levels. Its quite obvious that they are opposed to what is in the pipelines rather than the lines themselves.
    They've got their Pluto selves convinced that if the stuff in the pipelines is ever converted to energy, life on earth will cease to exist -- wiped out in a catastrophic climate change apocalypse.
    Ok, work done, time to walk lazy dog, and feed the birds and squirrels at play in yard.
    Then put some gas in the car. Life is good today.

    @casinoroyale......"son"
    You must be thrilled to have a couple of adopted dads here. Even if they come across as lecturing old farts, and I do mean that in the kindest gentlest most civilist of ways of course. :D

    I am the Walurus Goo goo g' joob......

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  • Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna
    Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe...
  • edited December 2016 Posts: 7,507
    jobo wrote: »
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




    6ffabfcbac2ed5a2bece5a01e18b055e.jpg



    Why won't you try and contribute with something useful to these discussions instead of your usual bitter and sarcastic one liners that are either meant to provoke, derail or insult? Sorry, but you are behaving more and more like a troll...

    I think here a moderator should step in. I'm by far not a troll. Even @BondJames knows (if you actually read a few pages back) that there are some things, so far as president-elect, that he did do right. Trying to save small and medium-sized companies for instance.


    ???

    I am actually defending YOU here, @Gustav_Graves

    I have noe idea how you would interpret it otherwise (I am not adressing you), or what you are actually trying to explain with your quote of bondjames...
    #-o

    Well, well... :P
  • jobo wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




    6ffabfcbac2ed5a2bece5a01e18b055e.jpg



    Why won't you try and contribute with something useful to these discussions instead of your usual bitter and sarcastic one liners that are either meant to provoke, derail or insult? Sorry, but you are behaving more and more like a troll...

    I think here a moderator should step in. I'm by far not a troll. Even @BondJames knows (if you actually read a few pages back) that there are some things, so far as president-elect, that he did do right. Trying to save small and medium-sized companies for instance.


    ???

    I am actually defending YOU here, @Gustav_Graves

    I have noe idea how you would interpret it otherwise (I am not a adressing you), or what you are actually trying to explain with your quote of bondjames...
    #-o

    Well, well... :P

    And I get accused of my grammar here.....*sigh*. A person who is actually Dutch, and not American or English :-).
  • Posts: 7,507
    jobo wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    Mr Trump really needs to tone down his narcistic ranting, especially since he's not even president yet!




    6ffabfcbac2ed5a2bece5a01e18b055e.jpg



    Why won't you try and contribute with something useful to these discussions instead of your usual bitter and sarcastic one liners that are either meant to provoke, derail or insult? Sorry, but you are behaving more and more like a troll...

    I think here a moderator should step in. I'm by far not a troll. Even @BondJames knows (if you actually read a few pages back) that there are some things, so far as president-elect, that he did do right. Trying to save small and medium-sized companies for instance.


    ???

    I am actually defending YOU here, @Gustav_Graves

    I have noe idea how you would interpret it otherwise (I am not a adressing you), or what you are actually trying to explain with your quote of bondjames...
    #-o

    Well, well... :P

    And I get accused of my grammar here.....*sigh*. A person who is actually Dutch, and not American or English :-).


    Yes, that was my point... A childish attack no doubt.
  • CASINOROYALECASINOROYALE Somewhere hot
    Posts: 1,003
    Oh no.. The liberals and democrats are so smart that they didn't vote to elect the people who actually elect the president!!! *gasp* it must hurt when you have to use the men's restroom when you're a man! It really does suck that you don't have the option to be a zebra if you feel like it for the day boo hoo!!!
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    How Transphobic of you.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    Murdock wrote: »
    How Transphobic of you.

    =)) :-O :))
  • CASINOROYALECASINOROYALE Somewhere hot
    Posts: 1,003
    Murdock wrote: »
    How Transphobic of you.

    Are you saying I am not a zebra? I am offended...

  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,359
    Murdock wrote: »
    How Transphobic of you.

    Are you saying I am not a zebra? I am offended...

    Take a number and get in line. I've offended a lot of people. ;)
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  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2016 Posts: 23,883
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    Re: the alleged Russian involvement in not only subverting the election, but also spreading so called ‘fake news’, hacking election machines and even going out of their way to ensure that Donald Trump was elected: I am still awaiting the evidence for these allegations. Until I see it, these are, as far as I’m concerned, unsubstantiated accusations. Nothing more. To these so called ‘anonymous sources’, who not only claim to have access to the findings but have also ventured their opinions and conclusions, I say show yourselves! Go on the record and stand by your insinuations like men. Don’t hide behind skirts like cowards. Let’s at least know who you are. Otherwise, kindly refrain from opining in the daily ‘rags’ until the official findings of the investigation commissioned by the current President are revealed.

    I won’t go into the credibility of the Washington Post or New York Times here. Anyone with a few working cells in their uppermost region should know by now that these two entities in particular have disgraced themselves during the election cycle and demonstrated their bias when it comes to anything Trump.

    It is quite clear to some us at least that the timing of these bombshell anonymous unsubstantiated claims is highly suspect to say the least, coming just a few weeks before the Electors meet on December 19th to cast their votes for President and Vice President. No doubt these explosive statements are intended to sway Electors to become ‘faithless’ and cast their votes for someone other than who they have been pledged to by the voters – in other words to hurt President Elect Trump. The coincidentally timed re-emergence from under a rock of the vanquished and soundly defeated presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, a few days back when she commented on ‘fake news’, also casts suspicion on the timing. Nothing more than a shameful last ditch desperate attempt to save the election they can’t get over having lost, I say. It reminds me of the nonsense spouted by the similarly doomed Republican ‘Never Trump’ movement as they attempted to sway delegates prior to the Republican Convention.

    It is also clear to some of us that there is a foreign policy element to all of this. Mr. Trump has clearly noted his intention to develop better ties with Russia, in order to facilitate cooperation on a number of geopolitical issues, including defeating the terrorists ISIL/ISIS/Daesh. I believe an unwritten aspect of this intended rapprochement is also to try and pull Russia towards the West and away from China, who it has been increasingly close to over the past few years. There is no doubt that China and Russia have common interests, and will work closely together on matters that further them, but the US would certainly benefit from better cooperation with Russia vis-a-vis China, who is, at least imho, the real threat to Western interests in the long run, not only from a security perspective, but also from an economic perspective. The Russian people want a harmonization of dealings and so does Mr. Putin. A decent relationship between these two superpowers characterized a period of relative harmony and peace during the 1990’s after the Soviet Union’s collapse (although America took advantage during this time of the drunk buffoon that was the late Boris Yeltsin).

    I have not commented yet on President Elect Trump’s possible selection of Mr. Rex Tillerson, current CEO of Exxon Mobil, as his Secretary of State because this hasn’t been confirmed yet. It’s clear to me however that Mr. Tillerson’s positive relationships with Mr. Putin and other world leaders are a major reason for Mr. Trump considering him for the post. It’s also clear to me that the timing of these leaks are intended to discredit this announcement, potentially sway Mr. Trump’s thinking on a reconciliation with Russia, and tarnish the ‘home of vodka and caviar’ before the January 20th inauguration. The fact that the usual war hawks, twice defeated presidential hopeful John McCain and his loyal poodle Lindsey Graham, weighed in on this is no surprise to me. Their loyal 3rd cohort, Kelly Ayote, was thankfully sent packing during the recent elections. The ‘bought and paid for’ (by overseas governments) ‘US foreign policy establishment ‘ have been champing at the bit for enhanced conflict with Russia for some time, in order to further the ‘MICs’ goal of arms sales and further war mongering. As I said in the old thread that was closed down, in my estimation this is the greatest modern threat to the United States. Mrs. Clinton was a willing participant in this ‘drumbeat’, which is why I was insistent that she be defeated, and thank goodness she was. This ‘filth from within’ is on the ropes, as they no longer have the ear of the president (incoming). They must be expunged completely from US foreign policy making, and Mr. Trump is committed to doing it. I wish him well, and hope that he can defeat this ‘let’s antagonize and confront Russia’ agenda. Sorry about that chaps, but you’ll have to find another bogey man for your military expenditures.

    I am including an excellent article on this matter below. I encourage everyone to read it. I am also including one of several notable comments in that article below:

    “It was announced yesterday afternoon that Obama had ordered a full review of hacking allegations: a perfectly sensible step that makes clear that an investigation is needed, and evidence disclosed, before any definitive conclusions can be reached. It was right on the heels of that announcement that this CIA leak (in the NYT & Washington Post) emerged: short-cutting the actual, deliberative investigative process Obama had ordered in order to lead the public to believe that all the answers were already known and, before the investigation even starts, that Russia was guilty of all charges.”

    https://theintercept.com/2016/12/10/anonymous-leaks-to-the-washpost-about-the-cias-russia-beliefs-are-no-substitute-for-evidence/

    Regarding President Elect Trump’s stance on China and Taiwan: He has indicated that he does want good relations with the former, but he will not allow America to be pushed around by or taken advantage by them, which has been the case since they were admitted to the WTO under President G. W. Bush. Keep in mind that America does not have the same ‘One China’ policy as China does. America has relations with the 'people on Taiwan' with the Taiwan Relations Act. The US does not agree with nor does it recognize China’s claims to sovereignty over Taiwan. The US in fact announced in December 2015 that it was going to sell $1.8bn of weapons to Taiwan. There is deliberate ambiguity in the US policy in this regard for geopolitical and geostrategic purposes. Mr. Trump is merely playing with this ambiguity. What are his goals? Well, he’s likely going to want some Chinese cooperation on that little twat in North Korea, trade compromises, some backing down on the military buildup & beligerance in the South China Sea, and less currency manipulation. I agree with this approach, and wish him success in shaking up the relationship.

    As I said in the old thread that was closed down some months back, Mr. Trump is a calculated risk taker. That is what those who voted for him expect him to do.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/12/donald-trump-us-china-relations-taiwan-nixon

    In other news, the President Elect met with former Republican primary competitor and former CEO of Hewlet Packard Corporation, Ms. Carly Fiorina, at the Trump Tower earlier today. The two reportedly spoke about national security and specifically China & Russia. There are rumours that Ms. Fiorina is being considered for Director of National Security. I’m not sure how I feel about this rumour. Ms. Fiorina was a terrible CEO who destroyed value while head of HP.

    Ms. Fiorina indicated that they "spent a fair amount of time talking about China as probably our most important adversary and a rising adversary. We talked about hacking, whether it's Chinese hacking or purported Russian hacking.".

    ?m=02&d=20161212&t=2&i=1165161143&w=780&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXMPECBB15F

    http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/12/fiorina-reportedly-considered-for-national-intelligence-director-calls-china-most-important-adversary.html

  • bondjames wrote: »
    To these so called ‘anonymous sources’, who not only claim to have access to the findings but have also ventured their opinions and conclusions, I say show yourselves! Go on the record and stand by your insinuations like men. Don’t hide behind skirts like cowards. Let’s at least know who you are.

    ............

    Ms. Fiorina indicated that they "spent a fair amount of time talking about China as probably our most important adversary and a rising adversary. We talked about hacking, whether it's Chinese hacking or purported Russian hacking.".

    ?m=02&d=20161212&t=2&i=1165161143&w=780&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXMPECBB15F

    http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/12/fiorina-reportedly-considered-for-national-intelligence-director-calls-china-most-important-adversary.html

    These "so-called anonymous sources" include members of the CIA. I trust that you can appreciate their need for anonymity.

    Carly Fiorina has no experience in the intelligence field whatsoever, and furthermore was a pretty spectacular failure in the business field as well. Nice choices your boy Donnie is making. It has not escaped my notice that she speaks of "Chinese hacking" as an established fact, but Russian hacking as only "purported hacking."

    The closer we get to the Electors having to do the job their College was actually created for, the more frantic the Trump apologists seem to be getting. Enjoy, my friends!
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2016 Posts: 23,883
    These "so-called anonymous sources" include members of the CIA. I trust that you can appreciate their need for anonymity.
    Indeed I can, just as I'm sure you can appreciate it would be preferable if they keep schtum until the findings of the investigation are complete, rather than running their mouths from behind the shadows (or is that trenches). The Post article itself suggests the following:

    “there were minor disagreements among intelligence officials about the agency’s assessment, in part because some questions remain unanswered.”

    This above statement in itself has interpretation incorporated into it. Who is making the assessment that the disagreement was 'minor'? The 'anonymous source'?

    Even noted MSNBC liberal commentator Chris Hayes suggests some caution is preferable here:
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    Carly Fiorina has no experience in the intelligence field whatsoever, and furthermore was a pretty spectacular failure in the business field as well. Nice choices your boy Donnie is making. It has not escaped my notice that she speaks of "Chinese hacking" as an established fact, but Russian hacking as only "purported hacking."
    Yes, I acknowledged above that I'm not too keen on Ms. Fiorina. Hopefully it is a typical Trumpian head fake. Her use of the word 'purported' Russian hacking is because that's all it is at this time. Her statements on Chinese hacking could be referring to any number of previous instances. As an example, Mr. McCain said on Charlie Rose on Friday that his campaign was hacked in the past by the Chinese.
  • edited December 2016 Posts: 4,622
    @BondjamesForeignSecretary

    I nominate you for Secretary of State and the former Miss Lebanon as your personal assistant, and golf course buddy.
    I will read the excellent articles that you have linked. Seriously though, I would apply for the job.
    Show Trumpster the above post, and I think you could be a lock. He might appreciate someone in his admin with rock solid Bond knowledge.

    As for the Russian hackers.
    Of course they hacked the elections and caused as much trouble for the Dems as they could. Why wouldn't they? That's what they do. They are dirty rotten scoundrels, who cheat at everything.
    Look at the doping racket, they ran at the Sochi Olympics, not to mention every other games they've been at.
    If I'm Putin, I want Trump elected for all the good reasons detailed by @bondjames Sec of State nominee above.
    What the heck would Putin want with Hillary. He'd have never been able to work with her. He might have declared war on the west if she had won.
    Oil and water. Less chemistry there, than the zero chemistry he had with outgoing White House occupant.
    Trump and Putes are two peas in a pod.They both want to make their respective superpower nations great again.
    They could get a lot done together. China is the enemy. Its an autocratic communist dictatorship, which exists to F*** over the west.
    It only respects strong leadership and a big stick. Putin had no use for Obama because he saw him as weak.
    Then there is also the Islamist problem. The alpha dogs Trumper and Putes could do some good work together.
    Anyway I defer to @bondjames
    I nominate him for Mi6 Message Board ambassador to the White House
    while Trump says "And for Secretary of State and Ambassador to Global Bondom, I give you
    @bondjames";

    Republican-Presidential-candidate-Donald-Trump-speaks-after-winning-the-New-York-state.jpg


  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Thank you as always for your vote of confidence @timmer! I'm merely a humble supporter and believer in Mr. Trump and the 'Make America Great Again' movement and am doing my small part, as are others here like yourself, to set the record straight in an unfortunate continued environment of unhealthy denial, unprecedented vitriol and ambiguous disinformation.

    I defer to captains of industry like Rex Tillerson or Mitt Romney for the coveted Secretary of State and look forward to an announcement shortly. A minion like myself would be chewed up and spat out by masters of the game like Sergei Lavrov (Russian foreign minister).

    In other news today, after spending more than $4m, Green Party Candidate Ms. Jill Stein's recount bid has ended. Mr. Trump actually gained votes after the Wisconsin recount process:

    http://www.marketwatch.com/story/donald-trump-gains-votes-after-wisconsin-recount-certified-2016-12-12

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jill-stein-recount-over_us_584f3b71e4b0bd9c3dfe612e

    And the other shoe drops. In a surprising move, Clinton Campaign Manager John Podesta (he of the widely avalaible e-mails) is now backing an effort for 10 members of the Electoral College to be given information on purported Russian interference in the election. 9 of the 10 are Democrats (with one being Nancy Pelosi's daughter) btw, and the 1 Republican has been a vocal critic of President Elect Trump. The shenanigans continue, but are likely to be ineffective imho.

    http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/12/12/podesta-backs-effort-to-brief-electors-about-russian-cyber-meddling-in-election/
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,830
    bondjames wrote: »
    In other news today, after spending more than $4m, Green Party Candidate Ms. Jill Stein's recount bid has ended. Mr. Trump actually gained votes after the Wisconsin recount process:
    Uh, but he still lost the popular vote.
    I like that you can be civil here @bondjames, however as a thinking & rational person interested in the good of humanity (as well as space travel and climate change control (as far as it can be implemented now that we've passed the tipping point whether man created/influenced or not)), I have to say that I have little respect for your seemingly mindless optimism regarding Trump and his coming administration.
    Never thought I'd say this, but he already makes me miss the (by comparison) the golden years of Bush/Cheney.
    =)) >:P
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited December 2016 Posts: 23,883
    chrisisall wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    In other news today, after spending more than $4m, Green Party Candidate Ms. Jill Stein's recount bid has ended. Mr. Trump actually gained votes after the Wisconsin recount process:
    Uh, but he still lost the popular vote.
    I like that you can be civil here @bondjames, however as a thinking & rational person interested in the good of humanity (as well as space travel and climate change control (as far as it can be implemented now that we've passed the tipping point whether man created/influenced or not)), I have to say that I have little respect for your seemingly mindless optimism regarding Trump and his coming administration.
    Never thought I'd say this, but he already makes me miss the (by comparison) the golden years of Bush/Cheney.
    =)) >:P
    Thank you for your kind words (**I think**). My optimism is merely a counter to your apparent pessimism. The popular vote is not relevant under the Constitution as you know. The Electoral College however is, and Mr. Trump will win that officially via certification on December 19th.

    Missing Bush and Cheney? Well, I miss them too. The late night shows have been dull for 8 years, but they have something to look forward to again.

    I can't say I will miss Mrs. Clinton however. I wish her all the best and hope she can get over her devastating loss sooner rather than later. Her tone in her last appearance was particularly distressing to watch.
This discussion has been closed.