US PoliEra 2020 |OT6| I will not be closing this thread when the second wave hits.

i like big butts · Jul 27, 2020

weekev said:
Last poll on 538 had biden down by 2. But yeah you are probably right. Still reckon it would have been good to have someone on the ticket to show how much the landscape is changing though. Saying slavery was a necessary evil is something that is likely to encourage folks to vote against him i would say.

I don't know about the quality of polling in Arkansas honestly. I don't think it would be a huge priority in a lot of elections over there. It's been like a +20-30 state for decades? If Trump is actually at serious risk of losing Arkansas, might as well see if Trump can be the 21st century Mondale.

You'd need someone like Bill Clinton to win. Cotton says a lot of dumb shit but as far as I know he's still relatively popular with conservatives. He's no Roy Moore.

Hopfrog · Jul 27, 2020

shadow_shogun said:

Starting to feel like a 50/50 chance that Trump gets the virus at some point.

cameron · Jul 27, 2020

Philip Rucker @PhilipRucker

NEW —> One key question still dogs Trump: Why not try harder to solve the coronavirus crisis, which could help fix many of his political problems too? My latest with @AshleyRParker

7:32 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Jacqueline Alemany @JaxAlemany

"The irony is that if he'd just performed w minimal competence & just mouthed words abt nat'l unity, he actually could be in a pretty strong position rn where the economy is reopening, where jobs are coming back," @brhodes to @PhilipRucker & @AshleyRParker

7:04 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Amber Phillips @byamberphillips

In the past couple of weeks, senior advisers began presenting Trump with maps and data showing spikes in coronavirus cases among "our people" in Republican states—& Trump started listening a bit more, report ⁦@PhilipRucker⁩ ⁦@AshleyRParker

7:02 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Glenn Kessler @GlennKesslerWP

No clearer sentence about why Trump -- and the nation -- is facing the abyss. Via @AshleyRParker @PhilipRucker --> https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-not-solve-coronavirus-crisis/2020/07/26/7fca9a92-cdb0-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html

7:55 AM · Jul 27, 2020

thuway · Jul 27, 2020

Gotta keep expectations realistic:

Joe: ‘I’d Be Surprised If These Races Don’t Tighten Up Significantly’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC

In light of Joe Biden’s lead in swing state polling, the Morning Joe panel discusses Trump’s numbers, battleground states, and the 2016 election upset. Aired...

youtu.be

Anoregon · Jul 27, 2020

"The irony is that if he wasn't the abject piece of shit that we know him to be, he might actually be doing better"

Plinko · Jul 27, 2020

Hopfrog said:
Starting to feel like a 50/50 chance that Trump gets the virus at some point.

I still am curious about that time he said he "beat coronavirus" about a week after he went through that stage of looking dreadful in his public appearances. Did he actually have it, or was he just speaking in general like he somehow stopped the virus in America?

cameron · Jul 27, 2020

Governors who took the virus seriously from the start get a boost

First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.

www.nbcnews.com

WASHINGTON — Our new NBC News/Marist polls of Arizona and North Carolina tell a pretty similar story — President Trump trails in both battlegrounds, as does the incumbent GOP senator.

But there's a significant difference between the two polls: North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper holds a 59 percent approval rating among voters in his state, while Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has a 39 percent rating in his state.

What's more, Cooper, who's up for re-election this year in a battleground state, is ahead in his gubernatorial contest by 20 points, according to the NBC/Marist poll.

And the poll shows that North Carolina voters — by a 2-to-1 margin — say the state was right to prioritize health protocols for the GOP convention that was supposed to occur there, despite Trump calling the protocols too strict. (The poll was conducted before Trump reversed course, canceling the convention speech he had moved from Charlotte to Jacksonville, Fla.)

It's all a reminder that the governors — Democratic or Republicans — who have taken the coronavirus seriously from the beginning are getting credit from their voters.

And the governors who haven't — either by originally downplaying it, or reopening their states too early — are getting penalized.

Sean C. · Jul 27, 2020

shiba5 · Jul 27, 2020

cameron said:
https://twitter.com/RebeccaARainey/status/1287425188884291585

He fucks up everything. This will all get torn down as soon as he's out.

shiba5 · Jul 27, 2020

shadow_shogun said:

No need for Trump to worry about that since he never gets briefed.

Chrome Hyena · Jul 27, 2020

cameron said:
Philip Rucker @PhilipRucker

NEW —> One key question still dogs Trump: Why not try harder to solve the coronavirus crisis, which could help fix many of his political problems too? My latest with @AshleyRParker

7:32 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Jacqueline Alemany @JaxAlemany

"The irony is that if he'd just performed w minimal competence & just mouthed words abt nat'l unity, he actually could be in a pretty strong position rn where the economy is reopening, where jobs are coming back," @brhodes to @PhilipRucker & @AshleyRParker

7:04 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Amber Phillips @byamberphillips

In the past couple of weeks, senior advisers began presenting Trump with maps and data showing spikes in coronavirus cases among "our people" in Republican states—& Trump started listening a bit more, report ⁦@PhilipRucker⁩ ⁦@AshleyRParker

7:02 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Glenn Kessler @GlennKesslerWP

No clearer sentence about why Trump -- and the nation -- is facing the abyss. Via @AshleyRParker @PhilipRucker --> https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-not-solve-coronavirus-crisis/2020/07/26/7fca9a92-cdb0-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html

7:55 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Also, lets be honest, he knows his base of 25/30% of people who support him through almost anything would lose their shit if he suddenly admitted "actually, the entire country needs to shut down till Oct and we need to send everyone monthly checks of 1500 to 2k until we are fully over it." He'd lose his base completely. And since his real eyes is on his coming alt right/white supremacist media empire AFTER election, he won't piss them off. He knows he's going to lose, now its all about preserving his real goals, ensuring he and his family become the next "Rush Limbaughs/Hannity's" of the alt right.

Antrax · Jul 27, 2020

ZOONAMI said:
lol it would only last 24 hours tops because the AF one pilot wouldn't stand for it

Not "wouldn't stand for it." More like "wouldn't want his family, friends, etc... killed for it."

Again what you're talking about is a war. How many bureaucrats in all the various DC offices and around the country are going to be willing to die for Trump? You say DHS would protect them but they do not have 24/7 manpower for all employees of the govt.

If we had a different system of govt, I'd get it. But ours is painfully slow, inefficient, and loaded to the gills with bureaucrats. Arguably that's our nest safeguard against this kind of thing. In a parliamentary system, you can have a demagogue get much more control as long as their controlling party agrees. The system doesn't move you. Our system just doesn't allow for any kind of revolution like that. It's a machine on its own and it keeps on chugging, unless tens of thousands of employees all decide to go with it.

shiba5 · Jul 27, 2020

Truth

Honestly the second worst thing about the president attacking me on twitter — after the sad statement made about his focus and how wrong he is about the pandemic — is that I didn't even know it happened until 3 hours later. No one called, no one emailed. It's just noise

But unfortunately the cult of the mango god-king do listen to every word.

plagiarize · Jul 27, 2020

cameron said:
Philip Rucker @PhilipRucker

NEW —> One key question still dogs Trump: Why not try harder to solve the coronavirus crisis, which could help fix many of his political problems too? My latest with @AshleyRParker

7:32 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Jacqueline Alemany @JaxAlemany

"The irony is that if he'd just performed w minimal competence & just mouthed words abt nat'l unity, he actually could be in a pretty strong position rn where the economy is reopening, where jobs are coming back," @brhodes to @PhilipRucker & @AshleyRParker

7:04 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Amber Phillips @byamberphillips

In the past couple of weeks, senior advisers began presenting Trump with maps and data showing spikes in coronavirus cases among "our people" in Republican states—& Trump started listening a bit more, report ⁦@PhilipRucker⁩ ⁦@AshleyRParker

7:02 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Glenn Kessler @GlennKesslerWP

No clearer sentence about why Trump -- and the nation -- is facing the abyss. Via @AshleyRParker @PhilipRucker --> https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-not-solve-coronavirus-crisis/2020/07/26/7fca9a92-cdb0-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html

7:55 AM · Jul 27, 2020

'almost' pathological?

Pretty sure it's *definitely* pathological.

rokkerkory · Jul 27, 2020

NSA getting covid, pretty sure Trump's gonna get it too

Greg NYC3 · Jul 27, 2020

cameron said:
Philip Rucker @PhilipRucker

NEW —> One key question still dogs Trump: Why not try harder to solve the coronavirus crisis, which could help fix many of his political problems too? My latest with @AshleyRParker

7:32 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Jacqueline Alemany @JaxAlemany

"The irony is that if he'd just performed w minimal competence & just mouthed words abt nat'l unity, he actually could be in a pretty strong position rn where the economy is reopening, where jobs are coming back," @brhodes to @PhilipRucker & @AshleyRParker

7:04 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Amber Phillips @byamberphillips

In the past couple of weeks, senior advisers began presenting Trump with maps and data showing spikes in coronavirus cases among "our people" in Republican states—& Trump started listening a bit more, report ⁦@PhilipRucker⁩ ⁦@AshleyRParker

7:02 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Glenn Kessler @GlennKesslerWP

No clearer sentence about why Trump -- and the nation -- is facing the abyss. Via @AshleyRParker @PhilipRucker --> https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-not-solve-coronavirus-crisis/2020/07/26/7fca9a92-cdb0-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html

7:55 AM · Jul 27, 2020

I think that third Tweet, about Trump caring more when told it affects "Our People", encapsulates his presidency pretty well. Just the fact that his advisors understand that the information needed to be presented that way to get through to him is chilling, the man wants people who don't like/vote for him to die.

shadow_shogun · Jul 27, 2020

No email was sent out informing NSC staff that their boss, Robert O'Brien, had tested positive for coronavirus. He abruptly left the office last Thursday. Some found out from press reports (!), @vmsalama and I are told.

Trump's national security adviser tests positive for Covid-19
President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, has tested positive for Covid-19, according to an official familiar with what happened.
cnn.com
9:53 AM · Jul 27, 2020

Sheepinator · Jul 27, 2020

Greg NYC3 said:
I think that third Tweet, about Trump caring more when told it affects "Our People", encapsulates his presidency pretty well. Just the fact that his advisors understand that the information needed to be presented that way to get through to him is chilling, the man wants people who don't like/vote for him to die.

As if that isn't scary enough, consider that means he's fine with people dying or suffering (no state aid, etc.) even if say 48% of them in that state voted for him. As in, not enough supported me so fuck 'em all, scorched earth.

Ithil · Jul 27, 2020

Greg NYC3 said:
I think that third Tweet, about Trump caring more when told it affects "Our People", encapsulates his presidency pretty well. Just the fact that his advisors understand that the information needed to be presented that way to get through to him is chilling, the man wants people who don't like/vote for him to die.

I don't believe a word of the "he started listening more" shit though, they've claimed that time and again and it's always nonsense. He doesn't have the attention span or human empathy required to listen more.

Sean C. · Jul 27, 2020

538's Trump approval tracker is down to 40.1; c'mon, 30s!

Greg NYC3 · Jul 27, 2020

Sheepinator said:
As if that isn't scary enough, consider that means he's fine with people dying or suffering (no state aid, etc.) even if say 48% of them in that state voted for him. As in, not enough supported me so fuck 'em all, scorched earth.

That was abundantly clear after the way he treated Michigan.

Ithil said:
I don't believe a word of the "he started listening more" shit though, they've claimed that time and again and it's always nonsense. He doesn't have the attention span or human empathy required to listen more.

I actually do believe it, starting the daily briefings again and allowing that Tweet about supporting masks all seemed to happen once the red state data started rolling in, it's just both scary and sad that he's such a sociopath that this level of effort is still the best he can do even for the people he claims to love.

shadow_shogun · Jul 27, 2020

@mkraju
"Multiple pictures released from the trip showed O'Brien neither practicing social distancing nor wearing a mask." https://twitter.com/WHNSC/status/1283791155419848705… https://twitter.com/WHNSC/status/1283118580830212098… https://cnn.com/2020/07/27/politics/robert-obrien-tests-positive-covid/index.html…

NSC
@WHNSC
Very productive meeting with my #French, #German, #Italian, and #UK counterparts. We discussed the major threats and challenges facing the United States and #Europe, as well as new ways to work together in the post-#COVID19 world.

10:13 AM · Jul 27, 2020

ZackieChan · Jul 27, 2020

KimonoNoNo said:
The military are only obeying Trump through gritted teeth because he's the democratically elected President, there's no way they would ride or die with him if he declares he's not leaving. They've already told Trump to get bent when he wanted to deploy troops to quell the protests.

Even his Sec of Defense doesn't have his back (most recently, the confederate flags). They ain't doing shit to protect him.

Ithil said:
I don't believe a word of the "he started listening more" shit though, they've claimed that time and again and it's always nonsense. He doesn't have the attention span or human empathy required to listen more.

How fucking low have we sunk that "the president actually started listening to his advisors" is supposed to be encouraging? Cripes.

Ithil · Jul 27, 2020

Greg NYC3 said:
That was abundantly clear after the way he treated Michigan.

I actually do believe it, starting the daily briefings again and allowing that Tweet about supporting masks all seemed to happen once the red state data started rolling in, it's just both scary and sad that he's such a sociopath that this level of effort is still the best he can do even for the people he claims to love.

If he did, he defaulted back within a day. That's why the "new tone" pieces every few months are so stupid, he can do pretend president for a day and he's back to normal by the next.

Digital Dinosaur · Jul 27, 2020

So basically Trump can't do the minimum necessary to save himself because it wouldn't result in him being seen as he wants to be seen.

It's no surprise he only really identifies with dictators. This kind of self-sabotaging egoism seems behind the downfall of most failed dictators.

Chaos Legion · Jul 27, 2020

Sean C. said:
538's Trump approval tracker is down to 40.1; c'mon, 30s!

You have to think if Baseball and Football have to postpone or suspend their seasons, the virus continues at this pace, forcing school reopenings backfire, economy stutters - he's gotta continue to drop.

Greigor the FellHand · Jul 27, 2020

Chaos Legion said:
You have to think if Baseball and Football have to postpone or suspend their seasons, the virus continues at this pace, forcing school reopenings backfire, economy stutters - he's gotta continue to drop.

Add another~ 100k deaths from covid by election day also.

Slayven · Jul 27, 2020

Kai Dracon said:
So basically Trump can't do the minimum necessary to save himself because it wouldn't result in him being seen as he wants to be seen.

It's no surprise he only really identifies with dictators. This kind of self-sabotaging egoism seems behind the downfall of most failed dictators.

Says a lot about him, he wants blind loyality but not willing to do the circus and bread part.

Rover · Jul 27, 2020

It's not that Trump hasn't done anything to stop the coronavirus, it's that every tactic he's employed has some element of fudging numbers, being cruel for the sake of political leverage, or peddling wares from businesses he has aligned himself with.

Some people approach crisis management with sobering honesty and a long-term plan for recovery. People like Donald Trump just try to "fix it" the same way they have 'fixed' their failed businesses, their outstanding debts, their affairs, their sexual assaults, etc. Sweep it under the rug and let someone else suffer the consequences.

Of course the easiest answer, then, is that the virus is not a big problem, the virus is contained ("almost airtight"), then when it gets bad the Democrats need to kiss the ring to get ventilators, then the virus can actually be cured with a miracle drug, then the virus is someone else's fault, then the numbers are not real, then the experts are wrong, and on and on. Zero long term plans, just constant bailing water from a cartoon boat that is killing a ton of people.

i like big butts · Jul 27, 2020

Ithil said:
If he did, he defaulted back within a day. That's why the "new tone" pieces every few months are so stupid, he can do pretend president for a day and he's back to normal by the next.

The tone messaging wanking from the media is just infuriating. The media holds Ben Simmons and his lack of three point attempts to a higher standard than Trump and his lack of coherent speeches.

What happened to the talk is cheap mentality when it comes to politics? Because Trump can say whatever he wants, he's still killing half the country you useless Whitehouse reporters and cable news talking heads.

BWoog · Jul 27, 2020

Kai Dracon said:
So basically Trump can't do the minimum necessary to save himself because it wouldn't result in him being seen as he wants to be seen.

Trump in a nutshell.

He can't admit he was doing a bad job so he quadruples down and now he's fucked...unfortunately so are we.

i like big butts · Jul 27, 2020

Like I've been saying, conservatives just can't fucking admit being wrong about anything. Trump is their perfect candidate because the fragile machismo is off the charts. Talk to any conservative, there's no situation where they've admitted fault, it's just been endless goalpost shifting and pointing to shit without context.

They won't course correct. They'll either fuck things up so hard that their solution doesn't look so bad anymore or they'll turn 1+1=2 into the Collatz conjecture just so they don't have to explicitly admit that 1+1=2. Trump is adopting #1 at this point, some conservatives are adopting #2 to explain their longwinded and slow attempts to backtrack.

JCizzle · Jul 27, 2020

Hopfrog said:
Starting to feel like a 50/50 chance that Trump gets the virus at some point.

Probably best if he doesn't to be honest. If he's asymptomatic or gets a really mild case, the conspiracy aspect would be turned up over 100.

Hiphopopotamus · Jul 27, 2020

Trump learned a lot of lessons in his life. His dad taught him to skirt/ break the laws, Cohn taught him to never defend, always attack and to point out flaws in others when he's backed up against a wall. There was that weird religious/ self-help guru that taught Trump that success is just convincing everyone--and yourself--that you're a winner, never admit failure and always proclaim you're the best.

The Senate taught him that a slim majority in one chamber of a polarized Congress makes a president immune to laws and norms.

Don't say Trump never learned anything

Sheepinator · Jul 27, 2020

Hiphopopotamus said:
Trump learned a lot of lessons in his life. His dad taught him to skirt/ break the laws, Cohn taught him to never defend, always attack and to point out flaws in others when he's backed up against a wall. There was that weird religious/ self-help guru that taught Trump that success is just convincing everyone--and yourself--that you're a winner, never admit failure and always proclaim you're the best.

The Senate taught him that a slim majority in one chamber of a polarized Congress makes a president immune to laws and norms.

Don't say Trump never learned anything

Whitemex · Jul 27, 2020

Sheepinator said:

GrapeApes · Jul 27, 2020

There are a massive number of behind-the-scenes leaks from the Supreme Court in this piece and it's apparently just the first entry in a four-part series.

My guess: Someone with intimate knowledge of the justices' deliberations is mad at Roberts.

Hopfrog · Jul 27, 2020

Yes, continue as you have been. This is working well for you.

Senate Republicans, White House seek to reduce weekly unemployment benefit from $600 to $200

BrokenFiction · Jul 27, 2020

The GOP:

Deleted member 13101 · Jul 27, 2020

That nytimes headline right now about "turmoil spreading" regarding protests, sure is something. Everyone from nytimes to maddow bristling at or avoiding covering portland and other recent protests. At least John Oliver had a good segment on it last night.

Post Reply · Jul 27, 2020

Hopfrog said:
Yes, continue as you have been. This is working well for you.

Will voters finally wake up and see that the GOP's constant push for "entitlements reform" is bullshit aimed at fucking them over if and when they need such entitlements?

Greg NYC3 · Jul 27, 2020

i like big butts said:
Like I've been saying, conservatives just can't fucking admit being wrong about anything. Trump is their perfect candidate because the fragile machismo is off the charts. Talk to any conservative, there's no situation where they've admitted fault, it's just been endless goalpost shifting and pointing to shit without context.

They won't course correct. They'll either fuck things up so hard that their solution doesn't look so bad anymore or they'll turn 1+1=2 into the Collatz conjecture just so they don't have to explicitly admit that 1+1=2. Trump is adopting #1 at this point, some conservatives are adopting #2 to explain their longwinded and slow attempts to backtrack.

I work with a lot of conservatives and even after all this time I can't get a single one to admit that Bush was a bad president or that Obama was a good one. I think it's just inherent in being a member of their party that you believe only one thing blindly and never question it. It's no wonder that there's such a large overlap between the GOP and supposed Christians.

Sheepinator · Jul 27, 2020

The MLB season is just starting and already two games today are postponed due to coronavirus outbreak. Miami Marlins apparently has 13+ players and staff who tested positive.

Meanwhile, soccer leagues in Europe have just finished after playing for the last 6-8 weeks. Australian football is also playing every week, and last weekends games had crowd capacity of 50%-75% by my estimate.

This is one of the costs of not taking things seriously.

Some games postponed after Marlins outbreak

The Yankees-Phillies and Orioles-Marlins games have been postponed after the Marlins had an outbreak of the coronavirus.

www.espn.com

Hopfrog · Jul 27, 2020

I don't see how they continue the MLB season if this is what happens after just a few days of games.

Plinko · Jul 27, 2020

Oh, sure, MLB can't keep COVID-19 in check, but I'm sure millions of schools run by people without medical degrees will be able to.

gcubed · Jul 27, 2020

Plinko said:
Oh, sure, MLB can't keep COVID-19 in check, but I'm sure millions of schools run by people without medical degrees will be able to.

My local schools plans, openings and guidance is all being run by our health department.

we also aren't opening to a full schedule and a full school

Wraith · Jul 27, 2020

Revealed: oil giants help fund powerful police groups in top US cities

Investigation portrays fossil fuel industry as common enemy in struggle for racial and environmental justice in America

www.theguardian.com

Big corporations accused of driving environmental and health inequalities in black and brown communities through toxic and climate-changing pollution are also funding powerful police groups in major US cities, according to a new investigation.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/24/trump-goon-squad-john-sandweg-homeland-security-ice
Some of America's largest oil and gas companies, private utilities, and financial institutions that bankroll fossil fuels also back police foundations – opaque private entities that raise money to pay for training, weapons, equipment, and surveillance technology for departments across the US.

The investigation by the Public Accountability Initiative, a nonprofit corporate and government accountability research institute, and its research database project LittleSis, details how police foundations in cities such as Seattle, Chicago, Washington, New Orleans and Salt Lake City are partially funded by household names such as Chevron, Shell and Wells Fargo.

Police foundations are industry groups that provide substantial funds to local departments, yet, as nonprofits, avoid much public scrutiny.

Fossil Fuel Industry Pollutes Black & Brown Communities While Propping Up Racist Policing - Little Sis

The same fossil fuel companies and financial institutions driving environmental racism are also directing and funding police foundations.

news.littlesis.org

Mezentine · Jul 27, 2020

School reopening is going to be such a disaster. Do we think schools shut down in 6 weeks because governors suddenly backtrack or because parents start pulling their kids out en masse?

Hiphopopotamus · Jul 27, 2020

Plinko said:
Oh, sure, MLB can't keep COVID-19 in check, but I'm sure millions of schools run by people without medical degrees will be able to.

I honestly believe these coward Governors are waiting for local school boards to rebel before they reluctantly agree that locals know best how to protect their students.

Ronnie-Bobby DeSantis seems like he needs anyone but himself to make tough decisions so he can claim that he never shut down and it was all the meddlesome Dems and overpaid education bureaucracy that thwarted his genius plans

3CellPO · Jul 27, 2020

Mezentine said:
School reopening is going to be such a disaster. Do we think schools shut down in 6 weeks because governors suddenly backtrack or because parents start pulling their kids out en masse?

Both, probably, though Gov's decisions will come after mass pull-outs too save face.

US PoliEra 2020 |OT6| I will not be closing this thread when the second wave hits.

I shed

I shed

I shed

Eating crackers

The Wise Ones

Never read a comic in his life