BS: American Presidential race 2024

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 03 Aug 24 - 08:18 PM

I heard or read the same speculation about Navalny. It would have been from a "real" i.e. reputable news/media source because I don't sully myself with the disreputable media sources. LOL

I saw on the ABC (Oz) News that Trump wants to debate Ms Harris on Fox News on a different date than the previously arranged debate on the ABC America News.

My bet: 1) he's running scared, 2) he wants to talk all over the top of her, be aggressive, call her names, avoid talking policies, spread his lies, etc, etc without being called to order by his media buddies.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: robomatic
Date: 03 Aug 24 - 05:49 PM

I've talked about Alexei Navalny with some folks and I think my last scribble was an overeaction
for three reasons:

1) Navalny was in prison because he returned to Russia on his own. He was there (not so much in prison, but Russia) by choice.
2) His days were probably numbered by Putin no matter what.
3) We don't know that he was part of the negotiations between the many parties that made up the August 1 exchange of perpetrators and hostages.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Aug 24 - 11:41 AM

The remark about Navalny being part of the original negotiations didn't come from an official source, it may have been speculative. Apparently they started all of this while he was still alive, so it is a reasonable premise. I heard another description of the process involving messages passed between spies and couriers, it wasn't just diplomats seated around a table.

Trump speaking to the National Association of Black Journalists was more of his intentional stagecraft; he never intended to answer questions. He accused them of being late and rude, claimed he was the best president for Blacks since Abraham Lincoln, but as a talking head pointed out this morning, if the first question had been "Good to see you, how are the wife and kids?" he would have had the same answers. Trump’s hostility to Black journalists renews questions over how news media should cover his rhetoric His goal is to make noise and distract from Harris.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: robomatic
Date: 03 Aug 24 - 02:03 AM

I hate the idea that Navalney was killed due to the negotiations. That would be a very sour note indeed. To my mind that makes them less than worthless or Putin deserving of severe sanctions. or both.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 24 - 10:18 PM

Germany had the high-dollar prisoner that Putin had wanted back for quite a while, the rest seems to have revolved around that. Someone so awful that giving him up meant a big hit to their judicial/justice system. Of course they wanted their people back, all of these nations wanted their people back.

Discussion last night said that these negotiations had been going on for months, and that Alexei Navalny was originally part of the package. His release seems to have concerned Putin so much that he had Navalny murdered. Then the rest went forward. I haven't pulled the Wall Street Journal's apparently detailed article about the exchange, but it may offer more insight.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Neil D
Date: 02 Aug 24 - 09:48 PM

I hope you are wrong SRS. I would like to think that countries like Germany just wanted to get their people back, more so than trying to make anyone look good or bad by comparison.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Aug 24 - 05:38 PM

Trump has shifted his policy on abortion, presumably to get votes

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 24 - 05:07 PM

Harris has enough votes from the primary electors and is now officially the nominee. They may have to rubber stamp something for it to be really official, but the numbers are in and tell the story.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: robomatic
Date: 01 Aug 24 - 06:41 PM

That occurred to me but what occurred to Putin? ;-)
Real fly-on-the-wall stuff!

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Aug 24 - 04:23 PM

I suspect that the nations such as Germany that were holding Russian prisoners (that were exchanged for the Americans and others) had in mind that doing this now steals a lot of thunder from Trump, who bragged that he alone could bring home some of these folks. If he asked.

It may have been less about Biden and more about how to stick it to Trump.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: robomatic
Date: 01 Aug 24 - 03:57 PM

I think this is a Presidential race factor, but as a political event it might call for its own thread.
This morning was announced a captive/criminal/hostage release deal involving the USA, Germany, Russia, and Turkish moderating. It was made to sound very important and Biden sounded quite alert and in charge and praised Germany for stepping up in that they allowed a convicted Russian State sanctioned assassin back to Russia.
In return Evan Gershkovich is freed, and several Germans apparently.
This would have made Biden look if not good, in charge and cognizent of events. Now that he's dropped up I'm not sure how this devolves to Kamala. I'm confident the Reps will try to frame this as badly as possible, but it shows Dems in power and in charge and dealing with allies and the world so as influence events. So far.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: robomatic
Date: 31 Jul 24 - 03:06 PM

Don't worry, we'll get there!!!

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Jul 24 - 02:39 PM

I have a goal now, to "go high when they go low" (to quote Michelle Obama). I'm going to not send some of the caricatures in my social media posts, try to keep them to facts and reasonable representations of Trump and his ilk. Hard to do, but someone has to start (and there is so much good derogatory stuff out there - except it isn't doing anything but pile deeper in my particular silo.)

Paving the road to hell, one good intention at a time . . .

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 08:37 PM

In my day, Supreme Court justices were expected to have inclinations.

Now they're known to have agendas.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 07:00 PM

Funny! But still scary.

Project 2025 director ends work on plan for Donald Trump presidency after continued attack from Democrats

"In short: The man who led Project 2025 — a controversial plan for Donald Trump's second term in office — is standing down.

"Donald Trump had distanced himself from the plan, which is not officially part of his platform, but Democrats had ramped up attacks on it and pointed out it was written by Trump allies and former staff.
What's next?

"Kamala Harris's campaign has indicated it will continue to focus on Project 2025 on the trail. But Mr Trump's campaign said the project's 'demise would be greatly welcomed'".

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: robomatic
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 02:43 PM

There's an eternal dichotomy between serve for term and serve for life. I think it was a mistake to term limit the President. What if the Civil War had occurred during Lincoln's second term (admittedly not likely)? I think FDR was just the guy we needed for WW2 and that occurred during HIS second term, and our entry into it occurred during his THIRD term. And I think Obama could've used a third term.

Anyhow, there is a strong feeling that a strong good leader needs time to institute changes, yet a limited time to not cement himself into power.

TRMP probably is the all-time argument FOR a Presidential term limit. Currently I think there's a good argument for having Supreme Court justices serve for life. They are as close as we get to wise unattached sages, although the current selection is rather an exception than an exmple of same.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 02:10 PM

Shoulda, woulda, coulda, BWM!

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 01:39 PM

The Judiciary should be totally independent of government. Judges at the highest level should not be aligned to political parties - otherwise, how can they possibly be relied upon to maintain impartiality?

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 01:00 PM

Pros and cons and no easy answers, I guess.

Also from the same article:

"Unlike other members of the federal judiciary, the Supreme Court's life-tenured justices have no binding ethics code of conduct.

"They are subject to disclosure laws requiring them to report outside income and certain gifts, though food and other 'personal hospitality' such as lodging at an individual's residence is generally exempted.

"The court in November adopted its first code of conduct after revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas accepting undisclosed travel from a wealthy benefactor."

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 11:32 AM

I agree, term limits have knocked out some very effective politicians. From Washington State, Foley was the Speaker of the House until idiots there decided term limits were good. There was a guy who made a living running superfluous initiatives, I don't know if he had anything to do with that one. I think he finally went to jail.

The Supreme Court has justices essentially choosing their replacements by retiring in the term of a president of their own party. Except when Mitch McConnell messes it up, of course. This would make a more uniform turnover (18 years is a good long run!)

Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, stayed too long (especially since her governor would choose a Democrat to replace her). John McCain, Republican of Arizona, stayed till the end, but we are grateful for that, because his dramatic slow walk onto the senate floor, followed by a "thumbs down" killed the Trump attempt to reverse Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act.) Trump wasn't invited to McCain's funeral, but his best friend Joe Biden, Democrat of Delaware, was.

It didn't used to be so personal.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Neil D
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 08:36 AM

They'll never get a 2/3 majority for term limits for justices. There have been many calls for term limits for congress, but I've never been a fan. Back in the 70s and 80s my state (OHIO) had two excellent senators, Metzenbaum and John Glenn, both liberal Dems who worked hard for working class Ohioans. They both served for many years, Metz for 19 years and Glenn for 25, and Senators become more effective with tenure. In both cases when they retired they were replaced by Republicans. One of our current senators the other being JD Vance, Sherrod Brown, has done wonderful things for Ohio workers in his 17 years in office. All 3 of these are popular enough liberals to keep getting elected in a red state. Then we had Dennis Kucinich, universally recognized as the most liberal Representative in Congress. Repubs hated his guts but he won over and over again in a working-class district. They finally gerrymandered that district out from under him.
Now as to limiting the Supremes would you have wanted to put a limit on Warren or Thurgood Marshall or RBG?
After FDR won 4 elections Republicans couldn't wait to apply term limits on the presidency then wanted to get rid of them so they could give Reagan a third term.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 30 Jul 24 - 02:51 AM

The two strategies are unlikely to be achieved in Biden's term, but just the thought of it being possible must be keeping Trump awake at night, which will elevate his blood pressure, and may make it difficult for him to think strategically. Bring it on, I say! Let the games begin.

And even if it doesn't succeed this year, maybe next year when - hopefully Kamala Harris is President - she will probably push forward with both projects and Trump will be trumped in trying to evade justice.

Like a rat in a cage.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jul 24 - 08:00 PM

Not in this term, at any rate. But the warning shot across the Supreme Court's bow has been fired.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 29 Jul 24 - 02:39 PM

Joe Biden unveils blueprint to overhaul US Supreme Court and presidential immunity, but chances of it succeeding are slim

"In short: Joe Biden has unveiled a plan to overhaul the Supreme Court, and proposed a constitutional amendment which will eliminate broad presidential immunity from crimes committed while in office.

"His proposal for the Supreme Court would see term limits introduced for its nine justices, who would also have to abide by a new code of conduct.

"What's next: To become reality, the plan would need to pass through Congress with a two-thirds majority, something unlikely given its current divided make-up."

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: gillymor
Date: 29 Jul 24 - 02:09 PM

Here's hoping she contributes nothing to the reestablishment of this criminal regime or perhaps even damages it in some way.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Jul 24 - 12:51 PM

I have nothing but sympathy for Vance's wife Usha Chilukuri Vance at this point - unlike Melania as a political spouse, Usha at least has a good education. She was a Democrat until a few years ago when she married Vance. Political spouses often stop working (most do, except Dr. Jill Biden, who still teaches English at local community colleges.) As another South Indian woman attorney she has a lot more in common with Kamala than with her spouse.

Usha may be a wild card in this campaign. Melania worked as a model and spokesperson for various upscale products, so I'm not dismissing her experiences before she stepped back from it when Trump ran (though her demeanor and aura of entitlement is as unpleasant as that of her husband). Usha had a professional career as an attorney until recently, and it's a good bet there won't be nude photos of her turning up.

There's a photo out there of Kamala cooking with Mindy Kaling (on that occasion they made masala dosa) where Usha would fit right in. From the NY Times:

Ms. Harris took the marriage of cooking and politics even further during her first run at the presidency. In one YouTube video with six million views, she visited the actor Mindy Kaling’s kitchen. The two compared notes on growing up in South Indian families, made masala dosa and marveled that their parents stored spices in empty Taster’s Choice jars.

Hillary took it on the jaw when she pushed back at critics who thought she should be more a homemaker in her demeanor as first lady - her response about making cookies got a lot of flack - but to each her own. Harris's husband stepped away from his law firm and now teaches law in D.C. somewhere - we'll have to see if anyone asks Usha, should they win (heaven forbid!) what she will do.

Michelle Obama was once asked about all of the travel she did with Jill Biden when they were the White House spouses. Obama answered that during their flights Jill was "always grading papers."

I suspect the wife would make a lot better candidate than the husband, when all is said and done.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 29 Jul 24 - 12:55 AM

Neil D, one of the main worries about Project 2025 would be if Trump and his cronies take over/make over the Dept of Justice. That would be scary.

I'm happy that he might have shot himself in the foot by choosing JD Vance as his running mate, now that his opponent is very firmly for women's reproductive rights, among other things.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Neil D
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 11:45 PM

I keep thinking that if people really listen to the words coming out of his mouth they will quit supporting him. But when it comes to his supporters I guess, as Pete Seeger once said, they've got beans in their ears. I believe that Trump actually thinks he can take over the country as dictator. Maybe with one or more Reichstag fire type incidents. I would look for one just before the mid-terms. However, he can't set himself up as dictator without the full support of the military and I hope he can't secure it. If he does then I hope the lyrics of another song hold true:
this may no longer be
the land of the free
thank God it's still the home of the brave.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 04:25 PM

BWM, you said it better than me. I don't think I could listen to the whole speech by Trump because it would sicken me for all the reasons you said.

There are two hopeful articles on Oz ABC News:

A remarkable new dynamic has emerged in the US election: Kamala Harris can win

(Note: the first article is a deep-dive into a lot of issues Kamala Harris faces in her election bid but appears cautiously optimistic about her chance of success.)

A surprise veepstakes excites the Democratic Party, as Kamala Harris seeks a running mate for US election

(Note: the second article reviews each of the possible VP candidates who have been suggested so far in the media.)

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 03:52 PM

I do not like either candidate.but since lockheed martin armaments manufacturers, have hedged their bets and contributed to democrats and republicans, it seems to me that whoever wins the armament industry will have a puppet

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 02:13 PM

Of course Trump is worried by her. He has been told that an anagram of her name is "I alarm a shark".

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 02:00 PM

Ha! It was a truly vile watch, Dave, but I wanted to see, as much as anything, what his tactics were to be with regard to Kamala Harris. I wasn’t disappointed - insults, calling her a ‘bum’ and ‘crooked Kamala’, taking the piss out of the pronunciation of her name, claiming she was responsible for allowing ‘millions upon millions of ‘aliens’ (WTF is it with that hate-filled word and Americans with regard to people from other countries?) to ‘flood’ into the US - just feeble, pathetic, dog-whistle schoolyard stuff. Lots of other crap about election-rigging (as you would expect), and ‘she’s going to rip your guns from your hands’ bullshit, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…

The frightening thing is that a significant number of US voters seem to be prepared to fall for his lies and unverifiable claims, and that a significant number of those claim the moral high-ground as so-called ‘Christians’.

What a sorry mess.

I have everything crossed that KH can outflank him and win. The alternative really does not bear thinking about.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 12:52 PM

You have more tenacity than me BWM. I couldn't watch 65 seconds!

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 12:40 PM

Apologies Helen, I guess we cross-posted.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 12:39 PM

I just watched the full 65 minutes of Trump’s speech on the Times & Sunday Times YouTube video. One of the scariest, if not the scariest, things I’ve ever seen and heard - a nut-job pretending to be a ‘Christian’ gas-lighting and dog-whistling a bunch of ‘Christian’ nut-jobs. His name-calling and personal insults are truly childish, and his comment that, after four years, it would be fixed so they won’t have to vote any more can surely mean only one thing - he means to turn the US into a dictatorship (if I’m misunderstanding, please feel free to correct me).

I’m always surprised that followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ are so often also holders of Conservative beliefs and principles, but how any genuine Christian can support him - one of the least Christian, most disreputable, public figures I can imagine - is a complete mystery to me.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 12:29 PM

Stilly, I didn't understand what you said earlier, "Remarks about the religious folks not having to vote in four years if they vote for him now" but I get it now. He is saying he will be a dictator. Does he really think he can overturn the whole of the US democratic system?

The polling so far is encouraging.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 10:39 AM

One of my first thoughts, on hearing of the shoot-and-miss, was: "That'll push him right over the edge." Sadly, it would appear I was correct. Morituri te salutant.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 10:21 AM

Dave, I tracked that back to the shortest link I could find, but sometimes it's a case of hunting in your part of the world for a working link. I post links to non-paywall news places more now (I subscribe to several but they only give a few free articles a month) to try to reach the wider world of our English speaking readers, but what companies allow to go where is a puzzle.

But as you say, "alarm bells" - that casual statement that his xtian audience won't need to vote again once he's in office should scare the bejeezus out of people! There is no ambiguity in the parts that he now says out loud.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 06:18 AM

LOL! Yep, definitely that (or, as he’s known in our house, ‘Tee-Rump’)! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 06:08 AM

Or maybe the short form of "Donald Trump"!

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 05:14 AM

‘Trump’ is in common use in the UK meaning ‘fart’, particularly amongst children as it’s regarded as the less-rude of the two words. I’ve always thought it’s probably a shortened version of ‘trumpet’.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 05:08 AM

I was just watching a 2006 re-run episode of Mythbusters and they were checking myths about flatulence, and in one scene Adam Savage referred to a f@rt as a "trump". I've never heard that term before to describe what they were politely referring to as "flatus". I'm assuming it could be a short form of the word "trumpet" but in the context of the current Presidential race, that's funny!! :-D

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 04:09 AM

It's OK. I found one. If this doesn't ring alarm bells with everyone, there is something seriously wrong with them!

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Jul 24 - 02:51 AM

Can you do a non Instagram link?

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 11:59 PM

Remarks about the religious folks not having to vote in four years if they vote for him now. His remarks are downright vile.

Speech at Turning Point, some kind of ultra religious conference or organization. Summarized as "Vote, just this time. Four more years, it'll be fixed, it'll be fine. You won't have to do it any more."

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 07:40 PM

Yes, she's a hero! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Neil D
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 07:28 PM

Helen, I consider Ms Pelosi to be another of the last great statesmen (statewoman, statesperson?} in our government. It's a shame the way the other side demonized her, but she never ran from conflict. I loved her sarcastic clapping at Trump at his State-of-the Union address and the way she tore up his talking points handout on camera. And during a national security meeting she pointed her finger right in Trump's face and said "It's always about Putin with you."

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Helen
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 01:04 PM

Neil D, the article about Pelosi speculated that she was the contact point for many of the others, was gauging the support or not for Joe Biden continuing in the race, and then she put forward the case diplomatically when the time was right.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Neil D
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 09:13 AM

I always liked Nancy, and the more the Repubs tried to vilify her the more I liked her. One of the most effective Speakers of the House ever. I'm sure there were other party leaders also encouraging Uncle Joe to make one last sacrifice for the party, and country.
Now, speaking of running mates, I've been seeing a lot of buzz about Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. As a popular leader of one of a handful of key swing states. Important enough that if Shapiro can guarantee a Democrat win in that state, that alone could seal the deal. Also, Shapiro on the ticket could help to counter one Republican strategy, that of trying to label Democrats as anti-semitic.

Subject: RE: BS: American Presidential race 2024
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 08:45 AM

I see Trump is chickening out of debates with Harris. What a surpise. Of course he is saying it is because he doesn't like ABC, because the Democrats may change their mind and because Harris is a Marxist fraud. Just shows how scared he is now running to my mind and, hopefully, to the electorate of the US.