Official Current Affairs & Politics thread

[13th Man]

The Obama wire-tapping claim might have some legs. Imo, the Dems (especially HRC) have lacked both transparency and accountability so I wouldn't be surprised if this is true. Going to wait it out for more facts though, I believe they will add this as part of the Russian probe investigations.

[NyCeEvO]

The Obama wire-tapping claim might have some legs. Imo, the Dems (especially HRC) have lacked both transparency and accountability so I wouldn't be surprised if this is true. Going to wait it out for more facts though, I believe they will add this as part of the Russian probe investigations.

Obama initiating the wiretap seems farfetched.

The FBI acting on its own doing typical FBI things and checking out Trump makes total sense, ESPECIALLY if Trump has the ties to Russia that we know/think he has.

Him connecting this to Obama deflects attention off of him and allows his base to go on the offensive about Obama yet again no matter if he just made it up or not.

Prior to this, Trump was only on the defensive about Russia. Now with this, his base has something to go on the offensive about and the media can now back off attacking him and will spend more time investigating whether Obama or the FBI did anything at all.

It's a really smart ploy no matter if it's true or not. Whoever told Trump to do this was smart...deviant but smart.

[MrDollarBills]

^^the claim is far fetched. Trump and Bannon know that blaming Obama is the best way to deflect since his cult feels threatened by actual facts.

as a congressman said the other day: if Trump's claims that he was wiretapped are true, that would mean that there was probable cause for a judge to approve the wiretap. if there's probable cause, then Trump is some serious ****.

[13th Man]

The Obama wire-tapping claim might have some legs. Imo, the Dems (especially HRC) have lacked both transparency and accountability so I wouldn't be surprised if this is true. Going to wait it out for more facts though, I believe they will add this as part of the Russian probe investigations.

Obama initiating the wiretap seems farfetched.

The FBI acting on its own doing typical FBI things and checking out Trump makes total sense, ESPECIALLY if Trump has the ties to Russia that we know/think he has.

Him connecting this to Obama deflects attention off of him and allows his base to go on the offensive about Obama yet again no matter if he just made it up or not.

Prior to this, Trump was only on the defensive about Russia. Now with this, his base has something to go on the offensive about and the media can now back off attacking him and will spend more time investigating whether Obama or the FBI did anything at all.

It's a really smart ploy no matter if it's true or not. Whoever told Trump to do this was smart...deviant but smart.

It is possible, Trump does shoot from the hips quite often. It is also possible that he is privy to much deeper info and could not contain his emotions based on this discovery. We'll see...

[NyCeEvO]

The Obama wire-tapping claim might have some legs. Imo, the Dems (especially HRC) have lacked both transparency and accountability so I wouldn't be surprised if this is true. Going to wait it out for more facts though, I believe they will add this as part of the Russian probe investigations.

Obama initiating the wiretap seems farfetched.

The FBI acting on its own doing typical FBI things and checking out Trump makes total sense, ESPECIALLY if Trump has the ties to Russia that we know/think he has.

Him connecting this to Obama deflects attention off of him and allows his base to go on the offensive about Obama yet again no matter if he just made it up or not.

Prior to this, Trump was only on the defensive about Russia. Now with this, his base has something to go on the offensive about and the media can now back off attacking him and will spend more time investigating whether Obama or the FBI did anything at all.

It's a really smart ploy no matter if it's true or not. Whoever told Trump to do this was smart...deviant but smart.

It is possible, Trump does shoot from the hips quite often. It is also possible that he is privy to much deeper info and could not contain his emotions based on this discovery. We'll see...

I can believe that he was wiretapped...but it would be because of shady connections to the Russians, not because Obama was trying to get in on his campaign and "steal the playbook" so the Democrats could win.

Obama had more important things to do...like, ya know, run the country and be leader of the free world and stuff.

[MrDollarBills]

Obama initiating the wiretap seems farfetched.

The FBI acting on its own doing typical FBI things and checking out Trump makes total sense, ESPECIALLY if Trump has the ties to Russia that we know/think he has.

Him connecting this to Obama deflects attention off of him and allows his base to go on the offensive about Obama yet again no matter if he just made it up or not.

Prior to this, Trump was only on the defensive about Russia. Now with this, his base has something to go on the offensive about and the media can now back off attacking him and will spend more time investigating whether Obama or the FBI did anything at all.

It's a really smart ploy no matter if it's true or not. Whoever told Trump to do this was smart...deviant but smart.

It is possible, Trump does shoot from the hips quite often. It is also possible that he is privy to much deeper info and could not contain his emotions based on this discovery. We'll see...

I can believe that he was wiretapped...but it would be because of shady connections to the Russians, not because Obama was trying to get in on his campaign and "steal the playbook" so the Democrats could win.

Obama had more important things to do...like, ya know, run the country and be leader of the free world and stuff.

Nevermind multiple experts stating that only a judge could approve that wiretap.

It's obvious that Trump is compromised. It's just a matter of when it all comes out, and what will happen.

I feel like a good portion of what's left of Trump's support will drop off as the GOP now begins to shoot themselves in the foot en route to next year's midterms. The Obamacare replacement is already being dubbed Trumpcare and the idiot came out on twitter stating that it was a wonderful bill...clearly not reading it, or the reactions of liberals/conservatives across the board about how draconian it is. Him hitching his wagon to this is just another tightening of his noose. The more Russian ties get revealed, the more his support will be diminished and all that will be left are super fringe nutjobs.

[NyCeEvO]

It is possible, Trump does shoot from the hips quite often. It is also possible that he is privy to much deeper info and could not contain his emotions based on this discovery. We'll see...

I can believe that he was wiretapped...but it would be because of shady connections to the Russians, not because Obama was trying to get in on his campaign and "steal the playbook" so the Democrats could win.

Obama had more important things to do...like, ya know, run the country and be leader of the free world and stuff.

Nevermind multiple experts stating that only a judge could approve that wiretap.

It's obvious that Trump is compromised. It's just a matter of when it all comes out, and what will happen.

I feel like a good portion of what's left of Trump's support will drop off as the GOP now begins to shoot themselves in the foot en route to next year's midterms. The Obamacare replacement is already being dubbed Trumpcare and the idiot came out on twitter stating that it was a wonderful bill...clearly not reading it, or the reactions of liberals/conservatives across the board about how draconian it is. Him hitching his wagon to this is just another tightening of his noose. The more Russian ties get revealed, the more his support will be diminished and all that will be left are super fringe nutjobs.

The ties are out there. It's clear as day.

But the problem is will Congress actually act on them?

He's largely skated by the conflict of interest issues. He, and especially Conway, got out of the breach of ethics with the explicit endorsement of Ivanka's product line.

Instead of these things being sticking points of condemnation, it appears like people are just used to talking about the next thing that happens but aren't actually willing to look at everything from a cumulative perspective and say "When you combine all of this stuff together, something needs to happen."

I credit his camp for being masters at diversion and deflection. The masses forget stuff easily and when you create conflict so much, you destabilize bases and get people to forget what they were fighting for even 3 weeks ago.

We'll see what happens but with the way the GOP has been, I doubt that we'd really see an impeachment. Now, if they get smashed at mid-term elections, THEN I think you'll start to see the blame game come out and depending on how Trump's approval rating is, enough members of the party might be ready and willing to dump him.

[Roy Tarpley]

I agree that in order for an impeachment, the GOP needs to feel the pressure to impeach. This will only happen if there's a disaster during the mid-terms (which could happen since the out-party usually does better during mid-terms, and there's an intense anti-GOP groundswell right now), and Trump botches some major policy decisions (e.g., poor response to mass shooting, another Katrina, a foreign policy disaster, etc.). I think 2019 will be an interesting year.

[MrDollarBills]

Some people may not like the source because Shaun King is a very vocal BLM advocate, but:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/king-don-working-class-voters-refer-white-people-article-1.2990988

Something ugly happens when "working class" becomes shorthand for white. It projects the very distinct impression that working people are white. And sure, white people work, but all over this country, including deep in red states, people of color are filling millions and millions of working-class jobs — in the service industry, factories, public service jobs, the health care industry and everything in between. And the overwhelming majority of those men and women voted for Hillary Clinton and down-ticket Democrats.

He's spot on in the use of "working class" Americans in the overall political discourse and the disingenuous picture that it paints.

And yes, Bernie Sanders is guilty of this well. I actually referenced this a few posts back which is why I found it funny to see an article published about it today

[MrDollarBills]

I can believe that he was wiretapped...but it would be because of shady connections to the Russians, not because Obama was trying to get in on his campaign and "steal the playbook" so the Democrats could win.

Obama had more important things to do...like, ya know, run the country and be leader of the free world and stuff.

Nevermind multiple experts stating that only a judge could approve that wiretap.

It's obvious that Trump is compromised. It's just a matter of when it all comes out, and what will happen.

I feel like a good portion of what's left of Trump's support will drop off as the GOP now begins to shoot themselves in the foot en route to next year's midterms. The Obamacare replacement is already being dubbed Trumpcare and the idiot came out on twitter stating that it was a wonderful bill...clearly not reading it, or the reactions of liberals/conservatives across the board about how draconian it is. Him hitching his wagon to this is just another tightening of his noose. The more Russian ties get revealed, the more his support will be diminished and all that will be left are super fringe nutjobs.

The ties are out there. It's clear as day.

But the problem is will Congress actually act on them?

He's largely skated by the conflict of interest issues. He, and especially Conway, got out of the breach of ethics with the explicit endorsement of Ivanka's product line.

Instead of these things being sticking points of condemnation, it appears like people are just used to talking about the next thing that happens but aren't actually willing to look at everything from a cumulative perspective and say "When you combine all of this stuff together, something needs to happen."

I credit his camp for being masters at diversion and deflection. The masses forget stuff easily and when you create conflict so much, you destabilize bases and get people to forget what they were fighting for even 3 weeks ago.

We'll see what happens but with the way the GOP has been, I doubt that we'd really see an impeachment. Now, if they get smashed at mid-term elections, THEN I think you'll start to see the blame game come out and depending on how Trump's approval rating is, enough members of the party might be ready and willing to dump him.

Impeachment will only come if there is serious turnover in the mid term elections, right now Trump has a shield because many (stupid) Republicans are hitching their wagons to him (while avoiding their constituents at town halls) and can't afford to have this moron go down while they're in tow.

People who are against this, doesn't matter if you're liberal or conservative, need to get out and vote in the primaries and the 2018 mid terms and clean house of not only GOP reps/senators that are attempting to use Trump's pen as a way to betray the public at large, but any establishment democrat that has either helped to pave the way for this or is sitting silent right now while the country is being driven off of a cliff. If tables turn during the mid terms, which very well may because the House Republicans seem hellbent on committing political suicide, the knives will definitely come out for King Joffrey.

The 4 senate republicans who backed away from the party line once Trumpcare got unveiled were smart. I wouldn't want to be caught in that crossfire either. That plan is horrific.

[NyCeEvO]

Don't have ability to post tweets but anyone catching Ryan trying to rally the GOP to support the Healthcare bill simply because it's not Obamacare rather than it being truly beneficial to the people.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

[MrDollarBills]

Ryan is either so far removed from middle to lower class issues that he's reaaaaaally oblivious, or he's a full blown sociopath who wants to see people die and fatten the pockets of his cronies. I vote for the latter. There is no way you'd want to push a bill like this, as a rational adult who knows right from wrong, and really have no qualms about what the end result will be. People will literally die because of this.

What I don't get is how suicidal the GOP is right now. Outside of the trump nutters, who would eat a bowl of **** and say that it tastes like cherries if Trump was the one doing the **** ting, they are setting themselves up for a massacre at the polls.

Someone, I forgot who, predicted during Obama's last term that whatever the Republicans do to replace Obamacare would inadvertently usher in single payer healthcare in the USA because of the disaster that would come from it. I think this may be the case.

[shakendfries]

Watch on YouTube

[MrDollarBills]

I'm fatigued of the daily noise at this point. Let Trump and those GOP nutjobs do whatever they want, his base will have to legitimately suffer like everyone else will to understand the consequences of their actions in supporting these criminals. I can't stop it either way, and I won't have a say til 2018 & 2020...not that my vote matters since i live in New Jersey.

[ChokeFasncists]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/08/unlearning-the-myth-of-american-innocence

Grew up in NJ and moved to Brooklyn, biggest Nets fan ever?

Anyone knows her?

[LostInACrowd]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/08/unlearning-the-myth-of-american-innocence

Grew up in NJ and moved to Brooklyn, biggest Nets fan ever?

Anyone knows her?

interesting read.

[vincecarter4pres]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/08/unlearning-the-myth-of-american-innocence

Grew up in NJ and moved to Brooklyn, biggest Nets fan ever?

Anyone knows her?

interesting read.

It was, but it was a bit rambling and vague without much closure, maybe to purpose.

I will say though, this is exactly why I rarely engage in political discussion and debate with coworkers and friends and the such anymore. So much ignorance, so much bravado and mind wash, years of ingrained bull ****, fear mongering to the point people are paranoid of anything or anyone that doesn't look like them, training people to think the way they want you to, hidden behind a false narrative of free thinking and freedom, while most everything you've learned and studied is a candy coated fairy tale of the actual truth, with the actual truth having 4 different choose your own adventure endings which never really end. Meaning your base knowledge is filled with falsehoods and so many people are so caught up in their safe little bubbles and own world that they can't fathom the evil and/or agenda driven scripts which lurk directly below the surface. And there's no self awareness. No humility. Perception from someone else's reality. And that perception itself is reality even if reality isn't real. And then even down even further into the personal level, of inherit latent belief in stereotypes just off the people who raised you, whether pure or jaded. The media in this country and everywhere really who divides and conquers, who paints history with their own biased and greedy self-indulged brush. Where everyone, everywhere with anything to benefit from the next man, politician or corporation in their pocket, influences Joe public as strongly as they can muster for nothing other than personal gain, usually material and monetary, or to carry on "tradition". Do not question. Do not challenge. Do not accept. But also god forbid you don't accept something which is so obviously needed to be questioned, because you might offend someone. Idk.

Alright, I'm rambling now too lol. But It's all relative.

[ChokeFasncists]

RIP H.H. your sacrifice won't be in vain, at the very least it would be one less Nazi on the street.

I wonder what Stephen Miller thinks about the Nazis, their anti-Semitic chants in Charlottesville and the endorsement (sort of at least) by the administration.

[MrDollarBills]

RIP H.H. your sacrifice won't be in vain, at the very least it would be one less Nazi on the street.

I wonder what Stephen Miller thinks about the Nazis, their anti-Semitic chants in Charlottesville and the endorsement (sort of at least) by the administration.

Stephen Miller is a self hating white supremacist.

I really can't wait for basketball to begin to add another form of escapism to the day. Seeing Trump morally equate alt right nazi trash to people against racism/bigotry was appalling, even for me, and to see people agree with that was even more alarming. It's literally now if you're a minority you have to be on your guard because you don't know which white person you run into agrees with this kind of stuff. Never felt like that before, regardless of any instances of racism I've encountered, I knew enough people to say "hey, not everyone is like that". When you see the stuff emanating from the highest forms of government it makes you paranoid.

How do you condone or find moral equivalence in an ideology that is about genocide? Richard Spencer openly talks about ethnic cleansing. These Alt Right dudes are insane.

[MrDollarBills]

Actually since we're on the topic of Nazism, I've kind of bit my tongue about this because we're here to discuss basketball, but since this is a non bball thread

shake what's good with this man^ pepe frog is considered a hate symbol per the anti defamation league:

https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/pepe-the-frog

In recent years, with the growth of the "alt right" segment of the white supremacist movement, a segment that draws some of its support from some of the above-mentioned Internet sites, the number of "alt right" Pepe memes has grown, a tendency exacerbated by the controversial and contentious 2016 presidential election.

Anytime I see that crap on twitter or elsewhere it's usually accompanied by some racist half wit alt right lunacy. I'd hope that's not you.