The Trump Presidency – 2016

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

What I'm saying is there is a significant overlap between people who are pro-life, anti-BLM (and shout "All Lives Matter), and who also support this ban. My post was mocking/attacking those people and not the many people who oppose the EO.

I haven't seen that overlap myself. It may just be the circles I'm in, but every major Christian leader and pro-life advocate I'm aware of has lined up to oppose this ban.

Here's a decent article from Slate about the evangelical backlash both back in 12/15 and now towards Trump on the muslim ban issue.

[Brian Swartz]

A considerable amount of 'evangelicals'(word doesn't really mean anything anymore, but in general this community will know what I mean) 'came home' to Trump over the last six weeks of the campaign. Without that he wouldn't be president. The majority of the ones I know personally support the ban, though there is a not-small minority strongly, passionately against it. Suffice to say I've lost a lot of respect, probably permanently, for many in my personal 'circle'. Hasn't gotten to the point of bitterness, but at times it's been close.

[Easy Mac]

You'd be shocked (maybe not) how many Catholics are pro life, pro ban, anti BLM.

Last week our Priest was pretty much sub-tweeting Obama. Talking about how Christians should ignore the educated and listen to those who are meek and like them.

This week was the beatitudes (blessed are the meek, poor in spirit...). Thought maybe he might tie it into the refugees, about sharing a Christian spirit... nothing.

[CrescentMoonie]

The ACLU Flourishes in the Era of Trump

[kingfc22]

And Sean Spicer retweets the Onion. Lmao! This after posting, what is likely, his password twice in the past week.

What a train wreck.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

A considerable amount of 'evangelicals'(word doesn't really mean anything anymore, but in general this community will know what I mean) 'came home' to Trump over the last six weeks of the campaign. Without that he wouldn't be president. The majority of the ones I know personally support the ban, though there is a not-small minority strongly, passionately against it. Suffice to say I've lost a lot of respect, probably permanently, for many in my personal 'circle'. Hasn't gotten to the point of bitterness, but at times it's been close.

I haven't met one Evangelical in Alabama yet that supports this ban, or the way it was done.

[RainMaker]

Reminder that Stephen Miller who is a Senior Adviser to the President was mentored by this guy.

[larrymcg421]

This headline made me LOL

White House backs Trump's decision to include strategist Bannon at national security meetings | Fox News

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

I haven't met one Evangelical in Alabama yet that supports this ban, or the way it was done.

Our church, big in community outreach, is against it. My parents church, a pretty staunch conservative church (no dances for weddings conservative) is also against it.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Ahhhhh..ok. I can buy that explanation. And I've probably used that metaphor or a similar one in conversation myself. But when you and the people you are talking about could actually have, you know, major influence in *actually* starting World War III, it's kind of an odd one to use.

Who was it that said every Trump insult of others is a projection of what people criticize him for?

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't think it would ever get that crazy but Bannon is a creepy dude. Read up on his talks about wanting to "destroy the state" and being a Leninist. He does believe in turning the country into a one-party Authoritarian state. Not sure the public would get behind that.

It won't get there, but I'm scared to find out what % of the public would get behind that. That's one of the long term benefits to Trump - he'll galvanize and consolidate progressives. There's no attempt to equivocate about what the plan is.

[Easy Mac]

I feel like this is both 100% true and 100% not true.

A ‘rogue’ group of staffers is tweeting secrets from the White House – BGR

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by CrescentMoonie

The ACLU Flourishes in the Era of Trump

Good to see. I'm one of those people. I let my ACLU membership lapse years ago, because I didn't like how gung ho they were on abortion rights (I'm far more of a moderate on abortion, which gets me shit from the left and right on this - I lost a conservative Catholic friend because he kept hectoring me on abortion, and in areas where it wasn't even close to appropriate.. anyways, I digress). But I decided to give $20 a month after this week.

They were also in full force at the protest at the Atlanta airport, where I spent a couple hours yelling and chanting yesterday (though sans sign).

[SirFozzie]

yeah, saw the story that they normally get $4 million a YEAR, and they got $24 million last weekend. It's like "This couldn't happen, they'd rein him in" and guess what? Trump looked at the reins and laughed. and signed an executive order barring reins.

[molson]

I don't like the way the ACLU does legal work. Their amicus briefs and oral arguments are always so smarmy, relying on appeals to emotion and cynicism rather than law. Or that might just be my local branch. But, I'm glad there's a mechanism there with the money and manpower to challenge Trump. We'll get a lot of clarity on a lot of legal issues in the next 4 years (or less).

[whomario]

I still can´t fathom that all that´s happened in the last week is real and not the flashback-chapter in a 1980s desaster movie/novel.

Right now Trump proves that a presidential system can be really, really dangerous, democracy or not. I realize there are limits to his power (and process in place to actually make stuff permanent), but boy is he determined to stretch those.

I don´t see how anybody can defend his actions as a whole, much less certain acts on itself. I absolutely can understand that people ask for and are due a overhaul of sth. like immigration as the situation changes, but the execution of it right now is just madness. There is not a single reason to detain (or send back) people legally living in a country. Seriously, how´d you react if the mayor of your town told you to stay the fuck out because of this or that reason when you come back on your commute to work or visiting friends and family in the next town ?
In terms of effectivenes it is also nothing more than a publicity stunt and basically also undermines a ton of efforts by the intelligence agency i would say.

There´s even seems to have been people who have been sent back or not allowed to board who merely had to change plans in the US (f.e. to go to central and South America), f.e. german citizens with dual-citizenship (f.e. from Syria) who are not legally allowed to drop the original citizenship !

And without being an expert on things, it seems insane that he is basically making this a personal thing. Basically what he is telling others is that people better be ready to negotiate (or "negotiate") with Trumpland because contracts signed by America have become null and void within seconds (the trade agreements as well). How can anybody think that in the 21st century you are going to get long term improvement with bullying as the main tool to do business ?

Don´t even get me started on how far back the guy will set us all when it comes to stuff like environmental regulations.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

I don't like the way the ACLU does legal work. Their amicus briefs and oral arguments are always so smarmy, relying on appeals to emotion and cynicism rather than law. Or that might just be my local branch. But, I'm glad there's a mechanism there with the money and manpower to challenge Trump. We'll get a lot of clarity on a lot of legal issues in the next 4 years (or less).

They did some bad work with the Chicago PD and it's led to a lot of people losing their lives last year. ACLU has always been hit or miss for me.

[Easy Mac]

I admit I don't understand the nuances of immigration, but surely if the order was delayed/explained to be implemented in a week, "bad guys" couldn't just get on planes and come over.

[Easy Mac]

Also, listening to Tom Cotton on Tony Kornheiser. He is 100% on the talking points. "Obama started it..." "most of my constituents support it..." "bad guys would hop on planes..."

[RainMaker]

Cotton is a partisan hack who has never had an independant thought in his life.

[Easy Mac]

I decided to go on the Facebook page of the main Priest at my church. His most recent post is about not believing the media about the refugee stuff. Further down he has a post about a climate change denial scientist.

Since my daughter goes to the school, it's not like I can do anything but bite my tongue so I don't sacrifice her education.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I feel like this is both 100% true and 100% not true.

A ‘rogue’ group of staffers is tweeting secrets from the White House – BGR

Totally agree. Sounds like a bunch of bs, but in the back of my head I keep thinking that in the vein of everything else, it's possible and if it was true, this is exactly what it would sound like.

[JPhillips]

Today's EO requiring each new regulation to be matched by repealing two regulations is about the stupidest thing I've ever seen in government.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Today's EO requiring each new regulation to be matched by repealing two regulations is about the stupidest thing I've ever seen in government.

It was going to be an even two and two, but they couldn't locate MC Skat Kat for the prime time press conference.

[miked]

I think this election (and really it's been building for the past few years) is a sign of just how much we've regressed as a society. There are so many tools out there to get information and yet people still want to do things because of a feeling. It's like, hey you may have gathered all these great data on the fact that this order would not have impacted anything, but we feel...

It's part of a broader war on intellectualism (or whatever you want to call it). If you start talking real numbers, you are just a liberal elitist listening to the liberally biased media. Maybe the media is biased, but I think it is because it has to be if people are constantly promoting lies and myths. I believe it was the son of one of the cabinet people who said of the crazy stupid pizza story...it's up to you guys to prove what we are saying is not true.

On a side note, I'm mostly worried about our environment. Sure there are probably too many regulations, and it may hurt some people. But the idea that the Monsantos and BPs and other companies of the world will look out for our environment if we just leave them alone is so stupid.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by miked

On a side note, I'm mostly worried about our environment. Sure there are probably too many regulations, and it may hurt some people. But the idea that the Monsantos and BPs and other companies of the world will look out for our environment if we just leave them alone is so stupid.

It's easy to dismiss climate change and environmental regulations when you're not going to be around to deal with consequences or be proven wrong. The idea that 97% of the world's scientists and NASA are conspiring on climate change and people with no scientific background or data are right because of what they feel is one of the most batshit crazy and potentially damaging things happening right now.

Same as its easy to back and rationalize some of the damaging things Trump is doing now when it doesn't have a direct impact on you or your family.

[Jas_lov]

And by continuing to label Democrats as snobbish coastal elites they're just doing the same thing that was done to Trump voters this past election, painting everybody with too broad of a brush. There are a lot of people in middle America very concerned about Trump's actions. If he continues to jam these things down people's throats he'll sustain heavy losses in the mid-terms like what happened in 2010 and 1994, and Democrats will just overturn his policies in 2020. You have to work with the other side if you want something long lasting. The RCP average has Trump's approval rating at 42% and that doesn't factor in the fall out from this immigration fiasco.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I decided to go on the Facebook page of the main Priest at my church. His most recent post is about not believing the media about the refugee stuff. Further down he has a post about a climate change denial scientist.

So, contrary to what this thread might suggest, not EVERY single person with religious ties has lost their fucking minds?

That's encouraging, 'cause my already dim view of organized religion had been getting steadily worse with the anecdotes in this thread.

edit to add: Okay, maybe I'm overstating my hopes here. I won't draw a conclusion about the sanity issue, I'll just stop at "isn't actively working toward the continued destruction of the nation".

[JPhillips]

I remember the lovely passage on nationalism in the Sermon on the Mount.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I remember the lovely passage on nationalism in the Sermon on the Mount.

That ended up being cut from the final version, actually, to make room for the part about not baking cakes for gay people.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

That ended up being cut from the final version, actually, to make room for the part about not baking cakes for gay people.

Why would gay people need cakes when they are always packing so much fudge?

[larrymcg421]

The White House is stubbornly refusing to walk back from their mistake of omitting Jews from the Holocaust Remembrance Day statement. In fact, they're claiming they did it intentionally and that they've been praised for it. This is one I don't get at all. It was an easy fix.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

The White House is stubbornly refusing to walk back from their mistake of omitting Jews from the Holocaust Remembrance Day statement. In fact, they're claiming they did it intentionally and that they've been praised for it. This is one I don't get at all. It was an easy fix.

I don't think it was a mistake. Bannon has been accused of Antisemitism in the past.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I remember the lovely passage on nationalism in the Sermon on the Mount.

Interestingly enough the Beatitudes was the Gospel reading this Sunday from the Revised Common Lectionary (which was put together in 1994).

I wonder why JIMG claims himself to be a Christian. It appears that his views are far more pagan (not in the negative way of the word, mind you). He appears to have an almost an extreme Nietschean or Nazi view of Christianity as being for the weak.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't think it was a mistake. Bannon has been accused of Antisemitism in the past.

Oh I agree that this has Bannon's hands all over it. The mistake is in misjudging the political reaction to it (Preibus, for one, should've known better) and admitting it's intentional. They could've spun it as a mistake, which would've been very easy to do.

[RainMaker]

It's pretty hard to fuck up a Holocaust Rememberence speech.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Today's EO requiring each new regulation to be matched by repealing two regulations is about the stupidest thing I've ever seen in government.

I 100% thought it was a headline from The Onion.

[larrymcg421]

If repealing 2 regulations doesn't work, then repeal 4. If that doesn't work, then repeal 8.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

So, contrary to what this thread might suggest, not EVERY single person with religious ties has lost their fucking minds?

That's encouraging, 'cause my already dim view of organized religion had been getting steadily worse with the anecdotes in this thread.

edit to add: Okay, maybe I'm overstating my hopes here. I won't draw a conclusion about the sanity issue, I'll just stop at "isn't actively working toward the continued destruction of the nation".

but then you'd have to be Catholic... not sure you could stomach that.

[Easy Mac]

So in 10 days, Trump has gone after:
blacks (Chicago)
Hispanics (Wall)
Muslims (Ban)
Jews (Denial)

Technically women went after him. I don't believe he's really said anything about the LGBTQs, unless I missed that. Not a bad percentage so far.

[cartman]

A new talking point I heard is that "Obama deported more immigrants than all presidents of the 20th Century combined".

Notice how they left "illegal" off, and how they are now immigrants and not "criminals" anymore. And now he was incredibly effective, instead of "not lifting a finger" to stop it. Jeebus.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

So in 10 days, Trump has gone after:
blacks (Chicago)
Hispanics (Wall)
Muslims (Ban)
Jews (Denial)

Technically women went after him. I don't believe he's really said anything about the LGBTQs, unless I missed that. Not a bad percentage so far.

LGBT might be the only minority group he doesn't hate, yet he will probably screw them over anyways with his SCOTUS/AG appointments.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I 100% thought it was a headline from The Onion.

Part of me would like to transport some people in this thread back to the mid-90s and see how long it would take their brains to explode.

Not long is my guess .

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Issidiqui

I wonder why JIMG claims himself to be a Christian. It appears that his views are far more pagan (not in the negative way of the word, mind you). He appears to have an almost an extreme Nietschean or Nazi view of Christianity as being for the weak.

One of the most frustrating parts of reality for me is the degree to which people will go to justify their beliefs as being 'Christian'. People like JIMGA don't surprise me anymore, because of the whole axiom that you can, if you are bound and determined to, 'prove anything with a Bible verse' .. if you approach it with that goal. The capacity for rationalization is mindboggling.

I do think it's pretty clear though that that Jesus guy was pretty in favor of that whole organized religion bit.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

One of the most frustrating parts of reality for me is the degree to which people will go to justify their beliefs as being 'Christian'. People like JIMGA don't surprise me anymore, because of the whole axiom that you can, if you are bound and determined to, 'prove anything with a Bible verse' .. if you approach it with that goal. The capacity for rationalization is mindboggling.

Isn't that the same with Muslims/Terrorists and the Koran? (Edit, just to be safe - not accusing anyone of being a terrorist )

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

If repealing 2 regulations doesn't work, then repeal 4. If that doesn't work, then repeal 8.

"I'd like to introduce you to our new chairperson of the Office of Governmental Oversight, jbmagic"

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I don't think it was a mistake. Bannon has been accused of Antisemitism in the past.

I think you have to assume that someone or multiple someones wanted the alt-right to know they are questioning the Holocaust.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I don't believe he's really said anything about the LGBTQs

Only so many hours in a day. Give it a week or two.

[CrescentMoonie]

Trial Balloon for a Coup?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

but then you'd have to be Catholic... not sure you could stomach that.

Under their current leadership, that's not even a religion at this point, it's just an uber-left wing political action group.

[molson]

I'm not sure what to make of versions of Christianity whose followers aren't interested in helping people. It's just so different than the churches I grew up around.