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15th March 2018, 06:53 AM | #761 |
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OK,back on topic ...
https://twitter.com/BillKristol @BillKristol 16h16 hours ago This is RUMINT, but pretty credible RUMINT: Trump preparing to fire Sessions, name Pruitt Acting AG (which he can be since he already holds a Senate confirmed position), and Pruitt fires Mueller. And McMaster likely to be replaced by Bolton. Shulkin also on way out, FWIW. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...osition-326373 Scott Pruitt, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has told friends and associates that he’s interested in becoming attorney general, according to three people familiar with the internal discussions. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018...red-and-ivanka Perhaps most consequential for Robert Mueller’s investigation, sources said Trump has discussed a plan to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions. According to two Republicans in regular contact with the White House, there have been talks that Trump could replace Sessions with E.P.A. Administrator Scott Pruitt, who would not be recused from overseeing the Russia probe. Also, as an agency head and former state attorney general, Pruitt would presumably have a good shot at passing a Senate confirmation hearing. |
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"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States...nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'" - Isaac Asimov |
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15th March 2018, 07:07 AM | #762 |
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Sufficiently advanced Woo is indistinguishable from Parody "There shall be no *poofing* in science" Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Force ***** on reasons back" Ben Franklin |
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15th March 2018, 07:18 AM | #763 |
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So when is Congress going to pass that legislation that protects Mueller?
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15th March 2018, 07:53 AM | #764 |
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15th March 2018, 08:10 AM | #765 |
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"I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people." - "Saint" Teresa, the lying thieving Albanian dwarf "I think accuracy is important" - Vixen |
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15th March 2018, 07:13 PM | #766 |
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http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...adviser-report
Reports that NSA Adviser McMaster is gonna get canned. |
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Eqinsu Ocha! Eqinsu Ocha! |
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15th March 2018, 07:20 PM | #767 |
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March Madness...
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15th March 2018, 07:54 PM | #768 |
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I was going to post a series of "You're Fired!" memes, but the irony has long been overwhelmed by the sheer idiocy.
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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15th March 2018, 08:44 PM | #769 |
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15th March 2018, 10:07 PM | #770 |
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Sarah Sanders has denied any changes with McMaster...
He is probably packing his bags and looking at the Want ads right now. |
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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15th March 2018, 11:14 PM | #771 |
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Also, this may be a separate topic, but may be relevant here too.
When do you think Trump's cabinet and staff are going to stand up when he announces one of these ludicrous decisions and say "Nope, you're not firing us and we won't go. Go hang, we're going to run the country sanely instead of pandering to your silly whims." |
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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16th March 2018, 07:01 AM | #772 |
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How could they? They all serve at his pleasure, and he can fire them on a whim. The only exception is the VP.
And in your country, the UK, it's similar: May can drastically re-arrange her cabinet on a rainy Sunday afternoon, without anyone else's input or veto. Even worse, actually, as May doesn't need anyone's approval for a new appointment, while US cabinet appointments need Senate approval. |
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"I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people." - "Saint" Teresa, the lying thieving Albanian dwarf "I think accuracy is important" - Vixen |
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16th March 2018, 07:09 AM | #773 |
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We should have made Bingo cards for this WH Survivor thingy.
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Eqinsu Ocha! Eqinsu Ocha! |
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16th March 2018, 07:25 AM | #774 |
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16th March 2018, 07:58 AM | #775 |
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Fair enough, my point was only with the cabinet members serving at the POTUS' resp. UK PM's pleasure.
Two nitpicks: 1) POTUS cannot appoint family members, a law against that was passed after JFK having RFK as AG. Javanka now are only WH advisors, not cabinet members. 2) In the UK, doesn't have every ministry also a Lord as junior minister who can defend the government bills in the House of Lords? |
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"I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people." - "Saint" Teresa, the lying thieving Albanian dwarf "I think accuracy is important" - Vixen |
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16th March 2018, 08:07 AM | #776 |
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While such a thing would be quite noble, however it is quite impractical as well.
After all, like it or not, Trump is the president with all of the powers that entails. Such as using Secret Service agents and/or the military elements to forcibly evict anyone around the president that he deems to be a physical threat of some sort. |
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A man's best friend is his dogma. |
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16th March 2018, 08:42 AM | #777 |
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16th March 2018, 10:03 AM | #778 |
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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16th March 2018, 01:53 PM | #779 |
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OECD healthcare spending Public/Compulsory Expenditure on healthcare https://data.oecd.org/chart/60Tt Every year since 1990 the US Public healthcare spending has been greater than the UK as a proportion of GDP. More US Tax goes to healthcare than the UK |
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16th March 2018, 02:08 PM | #780 |
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Kelly has just reassured White House Staff that the rumors of further upheaval at the White House are false.
Which means that much more upheavel will happen, and quickly. And multiple sources are reporting that Trump really does to want bring many more TV celebs on board. The insanity is just beginning. |
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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17th March 2018, 02:26 AM | #781 |
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"The best people"
You seriously wonder how broken a person would have to be to desire to be in this White House at this point. |
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17th March 2018, 03:00 AM | #782 |
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The only reason for Kelly to say that there will be no more firings is because he is next.
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17th March 2018, 03:39 AM | #783 |
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17th March 2018, 04:05 AM | #784 |
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But the prime minister is in post only with the support of parliament. Firing a popular minister might result in the end of that prime minister's career - see Margaret Thatcher.
In coalition governments (less common in the UK than other parliamentary democracies) posts are often allocated by coalition parties not by the prime minister. |
18th March 2018, 03:42 AM | #785 |
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You miss my point.
I asked when are people going to ignore Donny entirely, because it is clear that he is not even tangentially impinging on reality and all his actions are leading the USA down a dreadful path and everyone knows it. Because to continue to enact this lunatic's demands and orders purely because he has a badge that says "PREZ" on it smacks of the pathetic excuses at the end of WW2 for previous unconscionable behaviour: befehl ist befehl. |
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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18th March 2018, 05:23 AM | #786 |
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Of course, the analogy breaks down somewhere. but yes, the consequences for a poor reshuffling are worse for the British PM who may lose their own job in the process, than for POTUS who sits out his 4 year term.
Oh yes, and there may be differences too. Cameron could have theoretically fired Clegg on his own whim, because only the PM is appointed by the Queen - of course, it would have immediately cost him the coalition. In the NL, we just had a new FM appointed because the previous one resigned over having lied about meeting Putin in 2006. If PM Rutte had even tried to get a new pick appointed without consent from his coalition partners on the choice, the King would likely not even have installed the new candidate. |
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"I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people." - "Saint" Teresa, the lying thieving Albanian dwarf "I think accuracy is important" - Vixen |
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18th March 2018, 05:40 AM | #787 |
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Yes, you're right. I focused too much on the highlighted part. That part is not true, and in fact, Trump has, one year into his presidency, not even appointed half of the various posts (IIRC some 4,000) which he's supposed to do. There are still some posts as ambassador vacant, I think. The latter may in fact be a good thing, as a career diplomat as acting ambassador is thousand times better than a bald-faced liar like Pete Hoekstra.
Likewise, I think that many departments will simply run on if there's not a boss in charge, because it then comes down to the acting boss etc. and ultimately to career civil servants who plod along like the last 20 years. As to the second part, yes, I fully agree with you. They should stand up to Trump and right-out say they'll ignore him and run the country as they think is right, until he fires them. I had the impression that Tillerson sort-of did that, except that it's hard to ignore when Trump also travels the world and meets other countries' leaders. I wonder though why you dreamt up the adverb "sanely" with people like public school-hater DeVos on Education and climate change denier Pruitt on EPA? |
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"I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people." - "Saint" Teresa, the lying thieving Albanian dwarf "I think accuracy is important" - Vixen |
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18th March 2018, 08:03 PM | #788 |
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I've sort of seen this happen with a few companies run by dynastic families. Dear old Grandpa, who was the original founder and is still notionally the boss, has gone fairly la-la and he dribbles more these days. But he still gets to be CEO and sit on the Board meeting each week. There he issues all sorts of silly ideas and decisions, most of which would be illegal and/or plainly impractical.
In reality he is totally ignored, and the real running of the company gets done professionally by the staff outside the Boardroom without even telling Grandpa. None of Grandpa's idea are implemented, and he doesn't notice anyway. Everyone knows to nod yes to Grandpa to keep the old coot quiet and happy because it makes him think he is running the company! Why can't the same be done to Donny? Just pretend he is king to keep him happy. That's all he really wants - to be acknowledged as "Da Boss". I'll bet it already does happen to some extent. All his hangers-on know how to keep the old bastard happy while getting in for their own personal cut. |
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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18th March 2018, 08:11 PM | #789 |
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Yes, good point. Depends on what you call "sane".
I guess you could say these people are "sane" enough to at least know that "cutlery" does not consist of greasy paper wrap or chicken leg bone. But what I mean is someone who can actually follow due and legal process. Pence, for example, would behave sanely. His politics and goals would be disastrous, but you could at least expect he will not behave like an under-educated, ill-mannered, egocentric oaf in public. |
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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18th March 2018, 08:15 PM | #790 |
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19th March 2018, 01:02 AM | #791 |
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http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/a-w...mccabe-firing/
A good commentary on the McCabe sacking. McCabe may well have deserved to be punished for misconduct. The behaviour of Trump however is just bizarre and an abuse of his position. |
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We do these things not because they are easy, but because we thought they were going to be easy. Everything is possible, but not everything is probable. “Perception is real, but the truth is not.” - Imelda Marcos |
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22nd March 2018, 08:50 AM | #792 |
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Anyone have John Dowd in the pool?
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22nd March 2018, 08:53 AM | #793 |
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A lawyer doesn't have to represent himself to have a fool for a client.
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Cum catapultae proscribeantur tum soli proscripti catapultas habeant. |
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22nd March 2018, 12:25 PM | #794 |
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...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015 |
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22nd March 2018, 01:12 PM | #795 |
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If Bolton does replace McMasters, the body bags will be coming home very quickly. Bolton has stated that the US needs to bomb a few more countries to regain respect...
I am not a pacifist by any means, but Bolton is just plain nuts. |
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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22nd March 2018, 01:14 PM | #796 |
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OECD healthcare spending Public/Compulsory Expenditure on healthcare https://data.oecd.org/chart/60Tt Every year since 1990 the US Public healthcare spending has been greater than the UK as a proportion of GDP. More US Tax goes to healthcare than the UK |
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22nd March 2018, 01:39 PM | #797 |
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It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so - William of Conches, c1150 |
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22nd March 2018, 03:57 PM | #798 |
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McMaster out Bolton in.
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We do these things not because they are easy, but because we thought they were going to be easy. Everything is possible, but not everything is probable. “Perception is real, but the truth is not.” - Imelda Marcos |
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22nd March 2018, 04:03 PM | #799 |
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Hmm.
March 16 Sarah Sanders: "Just spoke to @POTUS and Gen. H.R. McMaster - contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes at the NSC." March 22 President Trump: "I am pleased to announce that, effective 4/9/18, @AmbJohnBolton will be my new National Security Advisor. " |
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"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" Isaac Asimov Not all cults are bad - I've joined a cult of niceness |
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22nd March 2018, 04:07 PM | #800 |
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The Body Bags will start coming home soon with Bolton around.....
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Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
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