President Trump: The NEW one and only politics thread

Abby went to Venezuela.

 

So, Donald Trump ... is he good for America? If so, how? Is he good for the stability of the free world, and of the planet? If so, how?

What do you like about his policies? Diplomacy? Public speaking? What are his strengths? What's your favorite leadership quality of his? How has he inspired you? Does he make you proud to be an American? What messages does he send to children that will make things better in the future? What's his most intellectually impressive position on any given issue?

 

Jumping back into the CNN debacle:

Let me see if I have this right about CNN's statement regarding the WWE meme (CNN statement in bold):
"CNN is not publishing "HanA**holeSolo's" name because he is a private citizen who has issued an extensive statement of apology ..."
(As if CNN is owed any kind of apology, let alone "extensive.")
"... showed his remorse by saying he has taken down all his offending posts ..."
(Not only does CNN demand an apology but you must show remorse. I suppose he's not lucky they're demanding self-flagellation.)
"... and because he said he is not going to repeat this ugly behavior on social media again."
("Ugly behavior?" So satirical postings within the bounds of free speech are "ugly behavior?" And does CNN now have someone acting as a social media cop, checking all the sites to make sure he does not repeat his sins?)
"In addition, he said his statement could serve as an example to others not to do the same."
(Ooohhhhh ... What next? A speaking tour of middle schools like the people convicted of vehicular homicide to talk about the evils of social media postings that offend corporate news media?)
"CNN reserves the right to publish his identity should any of that change."
(Pretty sure that's blackmail).
I'm no Trump fan. But that statement is no better than his paranoid lashing back at people. Wasn't there a single person at CNN who saw that statement before it went out who said, "you know ... this might not be the best idea in the world. Why don't we let it lie and be bigger than Trump is"

 

Let me see if I understand this correctly. A supposed anonymous online person posts a video that could be seen as either satirical, as encouraging violence, or both, and the subject of the video is the one deserving criticism for their reaction?

Plus, seeing that the video poster is not a source of their's, why would CNN be under any obligation at all to keep the poster anonymous? If anything, they're cutting them a break by not revealing their identity right away.

 

How quickly we've gone from "I served 85 days in jail because of my belief in the importance of upholding the confidential relationship that journalists have with their sources" to "We will refrain from revealing your identity as long as you're super-duper sorry and stop being a meanypants meanie."

 

More kids, less DT, for "South Park."

South Park Will Ignore Donald Trump Next Season - South Park Season 21 Will Not Have Donald Trump

 

All signs point to fascism, Yale historian says ...

The Greeks understood that democracy is likely to produce oligarchy because if you don’t have some mechanism to get inequality under control then people with the most money will likely take full control.

With Trump, one sees the new variant of this where a candidate can run by saying, “Look, we all know — wink, wink, nudge, nudge — that this isn’t really a democracy anymore.” He doesn’t use the words but basically says, “We all know this is really an oligarchy, so let me be your oligarch.” Although it’s nonsense and of course he’s a con man and will betray everyone, it makes sense only in this climate of inequality. ...

The straight-on confrontation with the truth is at the center of the fascist worldview. The attempt to undo the Enlightenment as a way to undo institutions, that is fascism.

Whether he realizes it or not is a different question, but that’s what fascists did. They said, “Don’t worry about the facts; don’t worry about logic. Think instead in terms of mystical unities and direct connections between the mystical leader and the people.” That’s fascism. Whether we see it or not, whether we like it or not, whether we forget, that is fascism.

Another thing that’s clearly fascist about Trump were the rallies. The way that he used the language, the blunt repetitions, the naming of the enemies, the physical removal of opponents from rallies, that was really, without exaggeration, just like the 1920s and the 1930s.

Historian Timothy Snyder: “It’s pretty much inevitable” that Trump will try to stage a coup and overthrow democracy

 

I haven't paid super close attention to this story. Was it that or was it "he's not a public figure right now but if he chooses to become the next Joe the Plumber he will be"?

Seems like a poorly explained but bedrock principle of journalistic ethics.

Of course, if you have to say that, you should be asking yourself whether the story is worth running at all. But god forbid we consider that when there are clicks to be had.

 

Just for the record, Fucko himself has publicly discussed the implied behavior on numerous occasions, quite enthusiastically, usually unprompted and entirely of his own volition.

He has never once denied it. Never.

That's all.

 

Meanwhile, death threats for the journalist. Thanks, Trump!

Check out the reporter's Twitter string inside the link:

Trump Fans Rain Death Threats Down Upon Reporter Who Revealed Racist Source Of Trump's CNN Tweet - Joe.My.God.