BS: Trump INDICTED AGAIN x4 (NO new Trmp threads)

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Apr 23 - 08:37 AM

I'm so indicted
He's gonna bite it
I'm in a shi[ that tipped and I just can't right it.
So it's decided
I was...misguided?
They know, they know, they know, they know, they know, they got you, they got you

I'll get a lawyer, and I won't take chances
They're gonna offer me some kind of deal
Just plead exterminating circumstances
Or maybe like Cohen, I will squeal

Right now I'm freakin', leakin'
Right into my trousers
If I tattle, that'll
Lead to both of you
Don't go down that trail
I'm too old for jail

Don't be short-sighted
Then help me fight it
Well, if we have a good excuse, hey, I think they'll buy it
Hey, let's all try it...

I am not a crook
I did not have sexual relations with that woman, the Biden, Soros
Mission accomplished
shit

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 05:34 AM

From Simon Jenkins in today's Guardian:

...Most observers had reached the view that Trump the politician was over the hill. His rallies were tired and his speeches meandering. New Republican hopefuls for 2024 were on the horizon, notably Florida’s Ron DeSantis and former vice-president Mike Pence, both of whom have publicly criticised Trump for refusing to concede the 2020 election. Continued reports of his many misdemeanours would surely lead Republicans to accept his days were over.

Legal analysis of this week’s case against Trump suggests there are serious obstacles in the way of his ending up in prison. A law professor and former prosecutor, Jeffrey Bellin, has pointed out that falsifying accounts can have numerous mitigating factors. Any judge and jury, even in New York, will be aware of the political perils of jailing an ex-president, not least for crimes ostensibly less awful than those for which President Nixon was excused. Were Trump to be on trial for interfering in the Georgia poll or inciting a riotous assault on the Capitol, it might be different. But Republicans find it hard to disagree with Trump’s claim that the New York case is a witch-hunt that amounts to “political persecution and electoral interference”.

Meanwhile, Trump’s team have treated the indictment as the best adrenaline boost a populist could ask for. It has given them a platform, an enemy and a cause...

Unless he's found guilty, and unless the ensuing sentence is outrageously harsh (very unlikely), this will strengthen him. I can also see the risk of charging him with either of the other two offences mentioned, as it could be hard to make 'em stick, but this one seems even riskier to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 06:39 AM

I can see it opening the floodgates for other indictments but, even though it is hard to believe, I have been wrong before :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 07:22 AM

Attila the Stockbroker on FarceBook today - seems very much on-point….

”Tomorrow is a crucial day for the United States of America.

For historians - and I have been a student of the period ever since I first started collecting American Civil War cards at primary school in the mid Sixties - I’d say we’re back at one minute to seven, or 18:59. Just before the Harpers Ferry raid. The fault lines are as vivid now as they were then, and that is terrifying.

I don’t do sensationalism or hyperbole. This is a moment in history. It’s 1859. It’s 1933. There’s no getting away from it.

The actual ‘proper’ Republican Party is backing Donald Trump in this initial, relatively minor indictment (by his standards, not legal ones) despite the fact he has a huge string to follow, starting with his criminal claim that the last election was stolen and his incitement to riot at the Capitol on January 6th.

And Trump has published a composite picture of himself waving a baseball bat next to Manhattan district attourney Alvin Bragg who will be prosecuting the case.

Just think about that.

As someone who has never sought out violence but has stood up to fascist intimidation and thuggery all my life, all I can say is: in the name of Thomas Paine, America, do something about this before it is too late.

Evil will triumph if good men do nothing.”

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 07:40 AM

An Englishman named Burke said, "Evil will triumph if good men do nothing". We have been doing something for 50 years. If there had been no Martin Luther King however we would not have 2 black District Attornies indicting Trump.

Trump is like an old profane tattoo on the body politic. Donald will leave a trace whether we remove it by laser or try to cover it up.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 09:19 AM

Good analogy, Don. That spot where the tattoo is removed should serve as a warning.

The talking heads consider this indictment to be the lesser charge - the weakest case against Trump. The stolen documents charge is sounding very strong with new revelations about interviews with his staff. Seems he looked through the documents before returning some and his staff brought them to him. Then he lied and said they'll all been returned.

In Georgia - well, it's a good case, but it has a couple of strikes against it. A new state law in which the Republican legislature wants to remove prosecutors who get too close to the GOP, for one. That will present some issues, possibly need a side trip to the Supreme Court.

For those who have watched the "Teflon" effect over his whole life, this is a day of reckoning. No matter how it plays out, it is Karma, Illustrated.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 09:33 AM

Thanks, it was an original analogy. The scar will be ugly.
You are right that the other possible indictments will probably extend well beyond the next Presidental election.

By law Trump is presumed innocent but his recent remarks amount to clip and save confessions.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 04:40 PM

I just briefly watched some news coverage of Trump on his way back to the airport and then Alvin Bragg's media statement.

One of the ABC (Oz) news reporters said something about Trump making derogatory remarks on social media (maybe) about Mr Bragg's daughter, I think. It was a brief statement in the middle of other commentary so I'm not sure of the details. In the same segment they mentioned the photo which Trump posted of himself holding a baseball bat next to a photo of Mr Bragg .

Listening to Mr Bragg's comments about the nature of the charges, I am beginning to think that this is not just a minor case against Trump. There are some serious charges and as Mr Bragg said, no one is above the law regardless of how much money or power they have. I sincerely hope he is right.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 06:03 PM

Trump has been saying things about Bragg's wife. I haven't gone looking for them, but that's a classic move from the Trump playbook.

It was slow moving today, and they won't be back in court again until December, with the trial starting in January. But by then Trump will have several other indictments and civil suits to deal with. This month has a Trump court case each week in different jurisdictions.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 07:41 PM

SRS said, "This month has a Trump court case each week in different jurisdictions."

So what we need is a Trump Legal Advent Calendar with little reveal windows to be opened on the date of each new legal event. Fun! :-D

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 09:10 PM

Helen, I'm copying this from one of my posts a couple of weeks ago:

I found a site called "Just Security" that catalogs his criminal and civil cases Litigation Tracker: Pending Criminal and Civil Cases Against Donald Trump. They started it in 2021 and keep updating it.

That lets you see all of the cases. The list is quite long.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 04 Apr 23 - 11:18 PM

The longer the list, the better it is, in my opinion.

I didn't listen to his ramblings today but I'm hoping he gave the prosecution some juicy leads for their case.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 12:10 AM

MSNBC played a clip of him telling one of the FAUX NEWS folks this week something along the lines of "I can keep some stuff" that had to do with gifts to the President (that have to be declared and turned over to the National Archives or the State Department, along those lines) unless it is worth under a modest amount (maybe $400?).

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 04:08 AM

How many criminals use the line 'It wasn't me, I have been fitted up'? How many people believe them? How many Trump supporters believe him? I think they are a different species of human!

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Rain Dog
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 04:24 AM

The vast majority of people who go on trial plead not guilty. Not all of them are convicted.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 05:13 AM

> How many criminals use the line 'It wasn't me, I have been fitted up'?

Traditional aside: He may not have been guilty of this particular crime, but innocent? *him*?

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 06:43 AM

As a man of the people, Trump does not deny paying $130,000 in hush money to sex workers. Who hasn't ?? If everybody does it all the time, how can it be a crime? Especially when we are running for office. The whole idea of hush money is to keep it quiet so of course, you cover it up and falsify business records. I bet everyone here would gladly take hush money. It may be a serious crime to pay hush money to prosecutors and judges so they are probably just jealous. HUSH MONEY RECIPIENTS UNITE! we can all use the extra $.
{:-)

Today is National walking day. I bet he walks.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 11:56 AM

I forgot I saved this link. National Public Radio updates it regularly.

The Jan. 6 attack: The cases behind the biggest criminal investigation in U.S. history

An overview of the cases so far

• Number of people charged, federal: 997
  
• Number of people charged, D.C.: 24
  
• Number of people who have pleaded guilty: 543
  
• Number of individuals who have had jury or bench trials: 68
  
• The number with mixed verdicts: 24
  
• The number convicted on all charges: 43
  
• The number acquitted on all charges: 1
  
• Number of people sentenced: 447
  
• The percentage of people sentenced who have received prison time: 57
  
• The median sentence for those who received prison time, in days: 60
  
• The number of cases dismissed: 5 federal; 8 D.C. Superior Court
  
  

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 01:15 PM

Forget Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen — this is who could seal Trump’s fate from RawStory.

Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges stemming from his involvement in the payments to Daniels and was sentenced to three years in prison.

But he isn’t someone who seems altogether reliable given his past crimes. Trump’s defence team is therefore undoubtedly going to do everything possible to discredit the disbarred ex-lawyer, ex-inmate and convicted perjurer.

Does that mean Trump has nothing to fear? Not exactly. So who should Trump fear, especially given the nature of the charges against him?

The accountants.

Follow the money

A dogged accountant brought down infamous gangster Al Capone in the 1920s and the 1970s-era Watergate scandal was largely uncovered by reporters who heeded advice to “follow the money.”

How might accountants hold the key to Trump’s fate on the charges he’s facing in New York?

Let’s start with a provable notion: The former president has a pattern of not paying his bills. In 2016, USA Today reported that Trump “has been involved in more than 3,500 lawsuits over the past three decades” pertaining to allegations of unpaid bills.

The newspaper documented the people who accused Trump and his businesses of failing to pay them for their work. They included a glass company in New Jersey, a carpet company, 48 waiters, dozens of bartenders and other hourly workers and real estate brokers who’d sold his properties.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 04:52 PM

The quality of the remaining Trump lawyers has hit rock bottom.
The lawyers say his comments about the judge and his wife being butt faced are opinions and not facts. Technically the DA is in fact an animal, a mammal to be exact. The statute of limitation argument failed and now they are claiming Trump is too old to be a boner doner and too cheap to pay hush money.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 05:00 PM

An interesting article on ABC (Oz) News:

Donald Trump's criminal case carries huge risks — and not just for the former president

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Apr 23 - 07:58 AM

He's back in Mara Legal but he has been advised by the judge to not make violent pleas to his cult. Even so his calls to protest have gone unanswered.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Apr 23 - 08:09 AM

With a small donation you too can protect the Golden Calf against the evil baby eating NYC and porn stars!

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Apr 23 - 08:20 AM

The idolized Wolf of Main Sreet needs your money to afford his trophy; wives, golf courses and golden towers. Make Assholes Great Again.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Apr 23 - 08:20 AM

The absurd support of Trumpism need not go as far as Germany's final solution and Holocaust. But it could. The pendulum of societal norms can get small incremental pushes from victimization and hate politics.
Given enough pushes the pendulum can go so far right that it goes up and all the way around full circle.

Decency and goodness are not automatic safeguards to stop the pendulum from spinning all the way around. Decency is fragile. Goodness and love are an aroma while hate is incendiary. In this time when three major religions are preaching self-reflection, and that God's love is supremely powerful, they are only hopes of faith.
Daily good deeds and condemnation of evil are both required to create change.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Apr 23 - 09:14 AM

The fascist GOP or as I call it the 'Shut the F up party', Is going ramming speed at gagging any speech about history, gender, racism, and rights. Seeing, hearing, and speaking are under attack. Books, representatives, and education are in their sights to eliminate opposition to their extreme agenda.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Apr 23 - 11:47 AM

From New Yorker humorist Andy Borowitz, Melania Sends Thoughts and Prayers

PALM BEACH (The Borowitz Report)—As Donald J. Trump became the first former President in U.S. history to be arraigned, his wife, Melania, marked the occasion by sending thoughts and prayers.

According to Mike Lindell, better known as the MyPillow guy, the former President was “surprised” to be on the receiving end of his wife’s thoughts and/or prayers.

“Mr. Trump had not been expecting to receive thoughts and prayers,” Lindell said. “He’s mainly been focussing on donations.”

Although it is not known how many thoughts and how many prayers the former First Lady sent, sources familiar with her thoughts and prayers believe that they are considerably fewer than the number of felony counts in her husband’s indictment.

Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Mrs. Trump said that she would have “no comment” on the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg. “I have a saying,” she said. “‘When they go low, we go high.’”

(Another saying lifted from Michelle Obama, for those across the pond who might not catch the plagiarism reference.)

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Apr 23 - 04:19 PM

Does the extinction act apply to the orange albatross?

Subject: RE: BS: Joke thread for 2023
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Apr 23 - 10:53 AM

What does Melania see in her husband?

A truckload of documents worth money, high cholesterol and Covid-19

?

Thoughts and prayers are with Covid-19 for having to hang out with Trump.

?

What is Trump's favourite TV series?

Orange is The New Black



What is the fastest way to get Trump to change a light bulb?

Tell him Obama installed it.

?

Last night there was an accident and Trump's personal library burnt down.

This is a huge catastrophe because BOTH of his books were lost, and he had only coloured in one of them so far.

?

Why is Trump unable to be hanged for treason?

Fake noose.


?

What condition does Trump take his anti-anxiety medication for?

Hispanic attacks.

?

Why did Trump get absolutely soaked when he was travelling down the river?

Fake canoes

?

How much does it cost to keep Donald Trump alive?

One Pence.

?

What's the difference between a chickpea and a kidney bean?

Donald Trump has never paid more to have a kidney bean on his face.

???


Why do Republicans continue to support Trump?

Because they really believe in taking a baby to full term

?

?

How does Donald Trump play darts?

He throws darts and then proceeds to draw the targets around them afterwards.





At a very important large gathering, the Pope whispers to Donald Trump "I bet you $100 that with one wave of my hand I can make the crowd go ecstatic. It will be a celebration like you have never seen before Mr Trump".

Trump replies "I don't think so, one wave of your hand? I will be more than happy to take your $100. Now Show me!"

The Pope proceeds to slap him and the crowd goes bananas!


?

"Did your hear how Trump responded when he was questioned about how to deal with Hurricane Florence ?"

"Pay her the same as Stormy Daniels!"

?


Abraham Lincoln couldn't tell a lie.

Richard Nixon couldn't tell the truth.

Donald Trump can't tell the difference.

?

Why should you never cross Trump?

There is hell toupee

?

Racial minorities can play the race card, females can play the equal opportunity card, what can redneck trailer trash folk play?

The Trump card.

?

What is Trump's secret agenda?

To "Make America Hate Again

?

Why does Trump like to be seen in public with his wife Melania?

Because all of his other wives support Joe Biden.

?

What was Trump's biggest challenge when he was elected President?

Finding a cabinet position for his hair piece.

?

What is the song "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys about?

The various locations of Trump's bank accounts.

?

How does Trump plan of getting rid of the Mexican's in America?

Juan by Juan.

?

What did the Redneck community of America say to Trump?

You are hired.

?

What did Trump say when he heard a Mexican man wanted to be an American Fireman?

No way Hose A.

?

What do you see when you look deep into the eyes of Donald Trump?

The back of his skull.

?

Which Disney character loves Trump the most?

Snow White Supremacist.

?

Why does Trump always store a potato in his underpants?

He wants to be USA's first dictator.

?

What is Trump's favorite nation of all?

Discrimination.

?

If Trump had sense of humour, he would die of laughter every time he looked in the mirror.

?

Trump Knock Knock Jokes

?

Knock Knock

Who is there?

Ray

Ray who?

Ray Sist, but my buddies call me Donald Trump

?

Knock knock

Who is there?

No way Jose.

No way Jose who?

No way Jose is climbing over my wall

?


Longer Donald Trump Jokes

?

Trump gets up one morning, he heads out to his backyard and starts collecting various random stones...

He holds up a stone, and he inspects it all over, he then throws the stone back in the garden and then proceeds to go and find another one.

This continues for a few days until his fellow cabinet members start to get nervous. Pence decides to give Putin a phone call to see if he is able to help them out.

"Hey Vlad! Mike Pence here. We have a little bit of a problem here..."

He tells Putin what is going on who says "rest easy Mike, I will look into this for you".

Ten minutes later Putin calls Mike Pence back.

"He should return to normal now. We accidentally sent him our latest Lunar Lander instructions."

?

A group of Scientists are running an experiment on the human brain. They are trying to figure out how well a human brain can function when it is missing various sections.

They start off by cutting out half of the first subjects brain and then ask him to count to 10. The subject replies "one, five, seven, ten".

The scientists are intrigued by this. They decide to cut out the entire brain this time and once again ask the subject to count to ten.

the subject replies "I can count to ten, I'm the best at counting in the world, I have the best numbers, the news is fake when they disagree with me, I think, people, when they think about good numbers, I can count, with any numbers, all the time, better than China, better than anyone."

?



Trump is out for dinner at a French restaurant with Putin.

The waiter asks Putin what he would like to order.

"I will have the chicken," says Putin.

The waiter replies, "And for your vegetable?"

McDonalds


Funny Jokes Made By Donald Trump, Intentionally And Unintentionally
?

?

"It's freezing and snowing in New York, we need global warming"

?

Trump likes to tweet about the weather and global warming. Apparently we need global warming!?

?

"she does have a very nice figure. I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her" - USA Today

?

It is a shame that Ivanka is Trump's daughter, otherwise he could date her.

?

"I look very much forward to showing my financials. Because they are huge" - TIME

?

Huge financials? Unsure what this means exactly but Trumps financials are huge! I am guessing over 1000 pages or even more.

?

"Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" - Washington Post

?

There is nothing worse than having people from shithole countries come to visit. Unsure what constitutes a shithole country but Trump sure isn't a fan of them.

?

Trump's thoughts on using a breast pump for breastfeeding "disgusting" - Mercury News

?

Well, it isn't exactly sexy but pretty sure that feeding your baby is far from "disgusting"?

?

“If Hillary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?” - CBS

?

Apparently you have to have the Karma Sutra down pat before you can do a good job at being president of the USA. You learn something new every day.

?

"I think apologizing's a great thing, but you have to be wrong. I will absolutely apologize sometime, hopefully in the distant future, if I'm ever wrong" - CBS

?

Trump hasn't been wrong yet, but he will let us all know if he is

---

Geezus Keeerist! but that was a lot of scrolling. Much of it has been shortened - do us a favor and never space a post like that again. It was killing the thread! ---mudelf

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 08 Apr 23 - 03:25 PM

I laughed out loud on the longer Putin joke: "He should return to normal now. We accidentally sent him our latest Lunar Lander instructions."

And re: the "baby to full term" joke, lately I've been thinking about that Trump Baby balloon used by anti-Trumpers in London in 2018. Funny!

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: robomatic
Date: 10 Apr 23 - 05:35 PM

SNL last Saturday (8 April 23) had a very good opening with Trump commenting on the Last Supper.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 06:07 AM

In his dramatic Trumatic way he described his experience of his arrest and court appearance. "people were crying, they were crying and said 24 sir 24...they said they were sorry for what they had to ask me to do and court was like a jail"...

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Apr 23 - 07:45 PM

In a related matter, HBO killed Rupert Murdoch in effigy by giving a heart attack to the Rupert character in the series Succession.
Also his latest wife has left him and the judge is pissed at him for withholding evidence in the Dominion case.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 13 Apr 23 - 08:00 AM

HERE WE GO AGAIN - Russian and Chinese bots amplify Trump's arrest.
About half a million bots supported Trump when actually only 26,000 actual posts did.

PBS

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 10:52 AM

Trump was on the stand for eight hours yesterday answering questions in the New York/ AG Letitia James lawsuit. He can't take the Fifth Amendment excuse for not answering questions because the jury is allowed to know about it and infer that he would be hiding his guilt. So apparently he talked quite a lot. Hopefully he dug his own legal grave with what he said. Trump appeared for deposition in high-stakes civil lawsuit threatening the fate of his business empire (I was thinking this was the E. Jean Carroll rape civil lawsuit, but that is NEXT week.)

And in other news of the truly undeserving in Congress, Marjorie Taylor Green is defending the idiot who leaked all sorts of classified documents to impress his video gaming and gun collecting buddies. I wonder if that was also an incel cell.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 04:40 PM

SRS, I am predicting that this will be on his gravestone, "He dug his own legal grave with what he said".

And Marjorie Taylor Green? Just when I thought I couldn't be more surprised about U.S. politicians. No way!

(Although I have to say that one of our Oz politicians is amazing me at present with his stony-faced, audacious, prejudiced, spin-doctor rubbish, so I shouldn't be surprised.) LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 05:11 PM

There's a group in the GOP who push back at anything they think is supported by Democrats without rational thought as to what they they are appearing to support. They're toddlers in an adult game.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 05:32 PM

Yes, that sounds similar to some of our politicians here.

Reminds me of that old saying:

Don't Vote , it Just Encourages the Bastards

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 06:20 PM

P.J. O'Rourke was an example of a well-adapted Republican. We knew his political views but he didn't hold other people's politics against them. I just pulled up his Wikipedia page. They have a quote from him:

In 2016, he endorsed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. O'Rourke stated that his endorsement included her "lies and empty promises" and added "She's wrong about absolutely everything, but she's wrong within normal parameters".

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 06:45 PM

I don't hold with the concept of compulsory voting at all, but we should always vote. I've just voted in our trade union elections for a new deputy general secretary (a couple of months ago it was for a new general secretary). It's all done by post, the union tries very hard to let us know what the candidates are like and what they stand for, but the turnout is always abysmally low. Low turnouts are not only a blight on the democracy that we're still allowed to have (watch out...) but they also give our political enemies grist to the mill. I always scrutinise the candidates' election statements with a fine-tooth comb and try to pick out the real lefties who I can vote for. This month I can "celebrate" my 50-year membership of the NUT/NEU (our main teachers' union). As a retired member I can still vote for our leaders but can't get involved in decisions about industrial action (and my fees are a lot lower!)

Our system in democratic countries means that we elect politicians who are forced to appeal to us for their votes, and we do not appoint instead faceless bureaucrats. We do need people to run the country and, with a million caveats, we have to cut them some slack. But the keynote of democracy is that we able also to ruthlessly hold them to account. If you haven't voted, you lose the moral right to do that (though who knows whether you've voted or not...) So I think we should always vote, even it it means holding our noses.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 07:02 PM

It's a humorous book.

Voting is compulsory for all adults in Australia and I think we have more politician accountability here than in the U.S. because everyone votes. Politicians don't have to encourage people to vote, or play sneaky games with the people who do or don't vote for them. Everyone votes.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 09:12 PM

Well yes, but whether that means that democracy is better served is moot. You're forced to vote but you can spoil your ballot or, worse, vote for an idiot just to avoid penalty. Whilst I'm a member of the state, the state doesn't own me. There are many reasons why I might not want to vote, and, in a democracy, I should not have to admit to them.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Apr 23 - 09:21 PM

P.J. was a colorful character as entertaining as Will Rogers.
Truth is funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 07:41 AM

Compulsory voting is a great idea for DEMOCRACY but anathema for a deplorable minority.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 08:00 AM

Think again. Compulsory voting means that people who haven't got the slightest interest in politics may go and vote randomly just to stay within the law, a very bad reason for making choices. Worse, they may be persuaded/manipulated into voting for bad people as their ignorance will put up little resistance to such devious practices. I can't see how a vote cast for someone you know nothing about, or about whom you've been misled, can possibly serve democracy. Far better to use publicity to persuade people to vote, to ensure that maximum honest information about candidates is readily available and, most importantly, to radically improve political education in schools. Round here we have mostly "independent" local councillors. It can be difficult from what little information is available to decide where they stand, and the fact that they profess no party allegiance makes choice even more difficult. I've found myself on rare occasions unable to make realistic choices so haven't voted. My principles dictate that I always vote, but an even stronger principle is that it's unsafe to vote in ignorance.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 08:05 AM

By the way, there's nothing deplorable about having a measured view just because it doesn't chime with yours. Your history is that many of your views are at best shaky and at worst uninformed. It is possible to discuss without auto-criticising.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 11:05 AM

I'd like to see mandatory voting. People who don't want to vote may spoil their ballots, but I'd have to think that most people, once there, would express actual wishes at the ballot box.

Next week (April 25) is the E. Jean Carroll trial that brings aspects of the first two week's of April's trials together. He tried to not testify, tried to dismiss this because he was president, and that didn't fly, it just waited until he was out of office. She has a

From NBC:

NEW YORK — A Washington, D.C., appeals court on Thursday refused to decide whether Donald Trump can be shielded from the first of two defamation lawsuits by E. Jean Carroll, a writer who alleges the former U.S. president raped her nearly three decades ago.

The district’s highest local court, the Court of Appeals, said it did not have enough facts to decide whether Trump was acting as president when he accused the former Elle magazine columnist in June 2019 of lying about the alleged encounter.

It sent the case back to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, which had last September asked whether under local law Trump made his comments in his role as president, or in his personal capacity as Carroll argued.

Of course he tried to make it presidential, but the rape occurred back in his mogul days.

But wait! There's more! From Reuters:
Judge rejects Trump's bid to learn juror names at defamation trial

Donald Trump will not learn the identities of jurors expected to decide at an upcoming civil trial whether the former president defamed the writer E. Jean Carroll, who also claims Trump raped her.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan on Friday rejected Trump's renewed effort to require that prospective jurors provide their names, employment and 38 other pieces of information on written questionnaires.

Kaplan said the law was "abundantly clear" it was his choice whether to use questionnaires, and nothing has changed his decision to seat an anonymous jury at the April 25 trial, reflecting the threat of juror harassment.

Lawyers for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump had argued that his recent criminal indictment filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had brought on a "deluge of prejudicial media coverage" that would make it tough to find an impartial jury in Carroll's civil case.

His lawyers said the coverage dwarfed the media attention given to Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, biotech executive Elizabeth Holmes and Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell just before their recent high-profile criminal trials began.

While jurors would hear much about Trump even in "normal" circumstances, "the risk of prejudice is even more elevated" because of Bragg's case, Trump's lawyers said.

Trump is leading the Republican field for the 2024 presidential election.

Carroll, a former Elle magazine advice columnist, has said Trump forced himself upon her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan in late 1995 or early 1996.

The trial concerns whether Trump defamed her in October 2022 by saying the rape claim was a "hoax" and "lie" and that she was not his "type."

His goose is cooked legally from so many directions.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 01:20 PM

In a way, the issues of voting Steve rails against were a part of the Adams-Jefferson debates as well as in the Federalist Papers.

A well-informed electorate is still getting straightened out regarding truthful national news. I speak of Dominion bringing a defamation case against Fox. They could have settled for big money but to their credit they wanted to make Fox accountable by trial to the entire country.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: Helen
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 04:34 PM

Donuel said, "Compulsory voting is a great idea for DEMOCRACY but anathema for a deplorable minority".

Meaning that some people in the minority of the population deplore compulsory voting.

Steve, you have said that you vote or don't vote according to your evaluation of the candidates in each election. That's your choice.

But some people deplore compulsory voting because they don't want the people who disagree with their views to vote at all. That is when the politicians and influencers, and especially Donald Trump, try to create inflated and untruthful statements about how unreliable the voting system is, or they try to discredit their opponents using dirty political tactics.

Subject: RE: BS: Trump INDICTED (NO new Trmp threads) 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 16 Apr 23 - 04:46 PM

> People who don't want to vote may spoil their ballots

.... or (as rumour had it when I was young and gullible) they may tick the first box in the first column, the second in the second, and so on diagonally down the ballot paper till they ran out of columns to tick, just to be seen to Do Their Duty and be out of the polling booth. This was alleged to yield candidates being chosen for having names as early as possible in the alphabet. Or is someone about to say "Bazinga"?