Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 21 May 25 - 03:59 PM

The Schismogenesis of Donald Trump is not enough for Democrats to win the next election. The reason why Democrats are having a hard time defining themselves is that they have become undemocratic, with no primaries and skullduggery against potential popular candidates.

PS I hope my tariff song got moved

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 21 May 25 - 02:13 PM

Embarasing meeting (for him) again with Cyril Ramaphosa. The South African president did remakably well to keep his cool. I loved it when he apologised for not having a plane to give the turnip. Strait over his head of course :-D

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 21 May 25 - 12:12 PM

Here we go again: Poor Diddums has contracted a bad case of Netenyahoo Envy.

Trump announces $175B for Golden Dome defense shield over America

In a White House press conference on Tuesday President Trump announced his plans for a defensive network of missiles, radar, space surveillance, and attack satellites that he promised would protect America.

In January Trump signed an Executive Order for what he called the "Iron Dome of America" that would protect the US from ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. The order called for a mix of space-based interceptors to counter ballistic missile launches, a constellation of small, linked surveillance satellites dubbed the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, and missiles based on land and aircraft capable of neutralizing any threat.

[...]

Does this remind anyone else of the 1980s Star Wars project? That went well. (To this day, I refer to President Ray-Gun.)

For completeness, the Comments section, as well as suggestions to repurpose the UK's Millennium Dome, includes:

And how precisely does this deal with a nuclear bomb arriving in a shipping container?

That scenario is handled differently. The bomb cannot get into the US until the importer pays the tariff.

And the side comment:

I thought Trump had no intention of leaving office. When he dies he will be stuffed and mounted in the oval office and will be at least as effective at government as he is now.

But as you were, folks. It's all just part of the Conman-in-Chief's diversionary patter, while he's busy doing the three-card trick with an entire country's budget.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 21 May 25 - 11:48 AM

Does it really matter? The evidence seems to be that there’s nobody in either of the Houses with the cojones to challenge Capt. Bone-spurs and his Forty Thieves.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 May 25 - 11:20 AM

The Democratic congressional members are dropping like flies during this second Trump administration. The stress has to be part of it. Another one, this time Gerald Connolly of Virginia just died.

Representative Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia, a nine-term congressman who was the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, died on Wednesday, his family said in a statement. He was 75.

Mr. Connolly died at his home surrounded by his family, the statement said. It did not give a cause of death. Mr. Connolly had announced in 2024 that he was being treated for cancer of the esophagus.

In April, he announced that his cancer had returned and that he would not seek re-election in 2026. He also said he would soon relinquish his spot on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

This isn't helpful when we have such a slim margin; the gap keeps growing. There is a Republican governor in Virginia so we'll have to see what stunts he pulls to try to delay the special election to replace Connolly. In Texas, Abbott waited until after the deadline for a spring election to name the election for a deceased Houston congressman. I suspect either way it will happen in November for both of those seats, and chances are good they'll be filled with Democrats, but for now, there are several gaps in the Democratic house roster.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 21 May 25 - 06:42 AM

Regarding our airports, they are using the best 1980 technology.
They actually have used eBay to find replacement parts.
They are 3,000 controllers short of the minimum safety standard and cannot train more for three or four years.
Delay is what saves the day for now but total outages are increasing.
Only Alaska is still using floppy disks to drive its computers.

The FAA does not have a sufficient budget to upgrade to current standards. Perhaps the military could sacrifice a few bombs to help our domestic flight systems.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 20 May 25 - 01:16 PM

'Trump This Game', The best liar WINS
INFLICT HARM ON YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TODAY!
Fun for rich narcissists.
made in China

"Let them eat tariffs"
z-z-z-z-i-i-i-n-n-n-g-g-g-g CHOP !

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 20 May 25 - 10:34 AM

It ain't just Newark (New York Times 16 May 2025, via RISKS Digest 34.63):

The ongoing crisis at Newark Liberty International Airport has put a spotlight on the prolonged nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers. As of 7 May 2025, only two of 313 facilities --- one in Akron, Ohio, and another in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. --- met staffing targets set by the Federal Aviation Administration and the union representing controllers, according to union data obtained by The Times.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 20 May 25 - 07:04 AM

25 people are dead from nighttime tornadoes because DOGE fired the overnight weather people. Newark Airport has gone into delay mode from controllers stymied by communication outages. Extereme staff shortages have come home to roost.

Mr. Comey has asked America not to freak out over the Trump actions because it gives an autocrat more perceived control and power than they have. That is hard to do in life and death situations.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 19 May 25 - 02:28 PM

DOGE has cracked the nut of disclosing information about its citizens to a third party by obtaining data that is protected from being exposed. The military-industrial complex embodied by the Pentagon has bigger unelected overlords that Trump and his minions are unable to overrule. Disclosing information is denied in such a compartmentalized fashion that no one individual has a complete picture. Elon's teenagers would have been eaten alive if they tried to crack the Pentagon open. Before 9-11 the Pentagon would not account for 2.3 trillion dollars. Do you think the military would bow down to DOGE today?

80% of Americans control 7% of the wealth of the United States. The ruling class is a tenth of one percent but control the majority of the wealth. Now the ruling class is after the money that provides a safety net to to 80% of America from healthcare to emergency disaster relief.

It takes a Trump revolution to create a counter revolution that will re-establish 'we the people' as our own masters and not the richest by exploitation rule.

What stands in our way is; bread and circus, misinformation, and the promise of freedom in slavery distractions.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 19 May 25 - 01:06 PM

JD Vance's wife is from India.

Yes, I agree SRS, it is all about dividing Americans and it is working very well so far, although Trump's polls are still more unfavourable than favourable: Trump: Favorable/Unfavorable

(I found that poll site last week and there is a list of possibly all the available poll results further down the page so it is easier to see that their results are not skewed to benefit their own views.)

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 May 25 - 12:12 PM

I don't think Stephen Miller's wife is from India, I looked him up recently. You can look him up and see what Wikipedia says.

NY Times ran a story this morning about another Heritage Foundation document, Project Hester to do with "protecting jews from antisemitism" except the participants in writing were all far right non-jewish groups. The Straw Man approach to trashing schools and groups that oppose the treatment of Palestinian people - it's not intended to protect any groups, it's another way to divide Americans.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 19 May 25 - 08:06 AM

Dog killer Cristy Noam's Department of Homeland Security sure makes a lot of mistakes calling any tattoo proof of MS 13 membership.
Suppose that Slovenian Melania's tramp stamp or Stephen Miller's wife from India is assumed to be an outspoken Muslim and are then deported without due process. In that case, I wonder if they would ever be returned. It may be a stupid hypothetical, BUT it might take such an obvious mistake to begin any cooperation with the courts. So far Trump has defied the SCOTUS and has yet to return anyone from El Salvador prisons.

Then again, I don't think Trump or Miller are 'happily' married.
Stephan and Donald might prefer watching Hitler videos in their man caves.

PS, there is good reason to be loyal to Biden for all the good he has done in his 50 years of government service.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 19 May 25 - 06:21 AM

Runs and hides in mancave to marvel at his large array of tools.

:-D

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 19 May 25 - 05:45 AM

Apologies, Helen: Herself was imminent, so I cut the unrelated bit about a Sherlock episode, and submitted the result, before I thought to add ....

Runs and hides in mancave

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 18 May 25 - 05:43 PM

I have just watched an old episode of The Surgery Ship filmed in 2016 in Benin, Africa about the Mercy Ships volunteer organisation and the work they do in trying to help people with major medical issues. A lot of those issues would never have progressed to such an extreme level if poverty, malnutrition and the lack of proper medical services were not so critical in African countries. And then I was sitting there thinking terrible thoughts about the cuts made to USAID by Trump and Musk.

It makes me so angry, to see so much suffering which could be alleviated but two rich oligarchs are too busy feathering their own nests and building up their own personal profiles.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 May 25 - 05:27 PM

That debate was when Biden was still suffering from a bad cold. If you read the transcript the answers were all spot on, but the delivery was flawed because of the illness.

Now there is a new book that needs evaluation. I haven't seen it yet, but I've posted remarks from reviewers. I'll look into it. And today it was announced that Biden has an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has metastasized, but is hormone reactive, so there are treatments. Again, more news to come. Lets watch Trump kick a man when he's down, I am sure he won't be able to resist it.

Trump is looking at moving 1m from Gaza to Libya. They're supposedly setting up food supplies to begin next week. Israel is razing Gaza. Such a mixed bag of crap coming out of the Trump White House.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 18 May 25 - 03:58 PM

And back at ya for the number of tools in the workshop. :-D

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 18 May 25 - 03:43 PM

> There seems to be a gender bias regarding the number
> of toys.

Equal and opposite to that for the number of garments, shoes, handbags ....

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 18 May 25 - 03:32 PM

Donuel, I believe you about Biden.

My comment was about his intention to try to carry on for the good of the nation. I also think the extreme stress of dealing with the tantrum-throwing Trump baby on TV would have made Biden's confusion worse. Would anyone at all want to have a live TV debate with Trump, who has no social or moral constraints? I know it would make me stutter and misspeak.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Aethelric
Date: 18 May 25 - 01:57 PM

I went to a festival in Cornwall England today. One of the stalls was "Punch a Trump for the climate". There was a dummy of trump and a boxing glove. Three punches for £1.
It was quite popular.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 18 May 25 - 11:37 AM

The last time I was on TV, I said that I saw evidence of organic brain disease in Reagan's behavior. Everyone else on the panel condemned my comment. Three years later, Nancy wrote a letter about Reagan having Alzheimers. From what I have seen of Biden, there does seem to be a slippage and inability to focus on the point at his weakest moments.
You don't need to believe me but those who saw the Biden debate debacle are going to believe their eyes, not their lying eyes.

btw Trump now has 3 airplanes (2 Air Force one and his own plane)
He does not need 30 planes any more than a girl needs 30 dolls.

Boys who have Hot Wheels cars won't have just three. They most likely have damn near a hundred. There seems to be a gender bias regarding the number of toys.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:55 PM

"I'm the Problem; It's Me": On the Confession the Mainstream Media Won't Make

Rebecca Solnit
17 May 2025

Part of the piece:

We in the USA are in deep trouble and a major reason for the trouble we're in is the mainstream media and their many persistent distortions of truth, fact, reality in service of their agendas and the limits of their worldview (and lack of resistance to intimidation by the right). That habit has contributed hugely to a misinformed electorate, which in turn contributes to the outcomes of elections. The msm have sins of omission (not covering or playing down important and impactful news, including out of deference to the right), sins of obsession (pumping up minor stories into manufactured scandal and drama), and sins of distortion ( many kinds of bias manifested in many ways).

These institution powers routinely pretend they have no actual influence but are somehow standing behind a glass partition just quietly observing what happened, so they takes no responsibility for outcome, even as they exhibit huge biases and overt agendas, up to and including major impact on American elections, which in turn do much to shape (or sabotage) the fate of the world. While right-wing media are regularly excoriated, mainstream media sabotages democracy and justice less obviously but, because of its broader audiences, more effectively.

Its players seem to play for each others' approval so they dogpile, build echo chambers, feed off each other, install filter bubbles and huddle behind confirmation biases. They collectively fabricate official versions of what happened that often diverge from the facts. Right now a prime example is contaminating the informational drinking water. It should be the dullest story ever, the smallest potatoes, the most nothing-scented nothingburger, but while the Trump Administration plays nice with autocrats in the middle east and terrorizes brown people who are undocumented, or here legally, or actually citizens, sabotages the global economy, and dismantles the federal government while trying to destroy all our rights and also the rule of law, media bigwigs Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios (but also a CNN pundit, because media inbreeding is a thing) are selling a book about Joe Biden with the pumped-up title Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Books take a long time to write, edit, proofread, lay out, print, and distribute, so they likely decided to work on this before the election – perhaps they were hoping to do some damage to a Harris administration, but they're distracting from a Trump Administration instead. In Christian theology, original sin is what Adam and Eve committed by disobeying God; in American history, slavery is often said to be this nation's original sin; but in this book it's being old.

It discusses the Clooney episode and people who dispute it ever happened.
Skip down to the last two paragraphs:

One of the outrages of last summer was how the New York Times tried to, in a big front page story on July 8, insinuate that Biden had Parkinson's disease, by making drama about the fact that Dr. Kevin R. Cannard, a neurologist, had visited the White House several times while Biden was president. The Times apparently picked up the idea of calling the neurologist a Parkinson's expert from the right-wing New York Post (which belongs to Rupert Murdoch, who did a lot to bring us Trump in 2016), skipped the fact that some of the doctor's visits took place when Biden was not in residence, and ran a subhead that said "The White House implied that the doctor’s visits were related to treating other people," as if the shifty White House was saying something that could not be confirmed.

Cannard had, in fact, served in a clinic for White House employees through multiple administrations dating back to 2012. That Parkinson's story was part of the New York Times's furious campaign to force Biden's resignation--192 stories in less than two weeks focusing on his abysmal June debate performance and age--in one of the most outrageous transgressions of journalistic norms I've witnessed. It was the New York Times that published George Clooney's attack on Biden that July, whose claims the book in question here pumps up and Ambassador Gifford contradicts. I'm not interested in relitigating Biden's anything, but I am interested in mapping how major news media, functioning as an unaccountable fourth branch of government, misuse their power in destructive ways.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:46 PM

I don't know, Hrothgar. It would hurt his widdle feewings to admit to being mentally incompetent. :-D

robomatic, I saw a news article earlier this week which seemed to be saying that some of the white Afrikaaners wanted to emigrate to the US because they believe they are the subject of racism. (My comment is: WTF?)

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:30 PM

All of this drama with the Afrikaner's feeling discriminated against in South Africa begs the question - why come to the US? Why not go to the Netherlands where their earlier generations came from?

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: robomatic
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:20 PM

According to NPR's "On The Media" aired this evening, a delegation from South Africa was in Washington to gain support for recognition of their plight in their homeland under prejudice.

They got more than they thought they would bargain for!

It's hard to see how the divide in perceptions came to be, but the TRMP administrators along with ol' baldy himself decided to treat them as an endangered persecuted minority. And allow them to settle in these United States. Which is actually quite far from what they wanted or were asking for.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Hrothgar
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:19 PM

Does it bother anyone that when the time comes for Trump to answer for all this, his lawyers will plead that he is mentally incompetent to stand trial?

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 17 May 25 - 09:19 PM

An observation on the dynamic between Pope Leo IV and Trump and it is worth reading the whole article, in my opinion. Basically the idea seems to be there is hope, but there are no easy answers:

Our future lies in the clash between the US president and Pope Leo, the anti-Trump. By Julia Baird on ABC (Oz) News

"Pope Leo XIV began his first speech with one word: 'Peace.'

"Yet even that was viewed as a provocation by ideologues who had already dismissed him as the 'woke pope'. It's an odd slur to cast on a person who has just said that perhaps racism isn't such a great thing, that we should love each other, that we should refrain from demonising the stateless. But this is the position Pope Leo has found himself in.

"Hard-right Trump adviser Laura Loomer quickly declared he 'is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis', arguing that the fact he now leads the Vatican is 'gross'.

"For MAGA, it often seems, anyone who is not pro-Trump is woke.

"This means Pope Leo, previously Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is, like his predecessor Pope Francis, one of the few people — perhaps the only one — to offer a significant global alternative to the dominant 'America-first' US president.

"President Trump leads a country of 340 million. Pope Leo leads 1.4 billion globally.

"And now the two men are being pitted against each other in the popular imagination as President Trump rounds up migrants, cuts off aid and redefines the world order according to who holds the most cards, and Pope Leo calls for dignity for the poor and protection for refugees."

...

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 17 May 25 - 05:52 PM

My opinion on Biden in the election period was a man under intense pressure to try to save the democratic principles of his beloved country and he is not the man to give up under pressure. I think he would prefer to go down fighting than to give up the fight.

When he recognised that his cognitive problems, exacerbated by the extreme stress he was under, were not going to help the fight, he graciously gave up the reigns to a worthy successor. Unfortunately, it was late in the fight and the timing to the election put increasing pressure on Kamala Harris and the Democrats, and the opponents were and still are unscrupulous and vicious.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 17 May 25 - 05:03 PM

Filk, I draw the line at the inability to recognize George Clooney or Taylor Swift. I might forget famous names on occasion due to dyslexia, but I still recognize the person.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 17 May 25 - 04:33 PM

I have long speculated that Trumpists have scoured the internet for enemies and phone polls to pigeonhole the politics of individuals and families. My wife does not agree because the magaverse is too incompetent to assemble such a database. I have researched some of those polling services and have found a twenty-something CEO at the head of the snake.
With the recent DOGE efforts to erase/fire enemies based on race and ideology in government service, often without any evidence, I believe the enemy list has grown larger.

The Nazis declared an end to Jewish intellectualism with book burnings while Trump is doing much the same with anti DEI policies and his war on immigrants, threatening judges and FBI directors with treason punishable by prison or death by ardent Trumpists. With total control of Kennedy Center entertainment, the Library of Congress, and constant Trump propaganda commercials that blanket streaming TV and internet social twitterverse, there is a similar Nazi strategy to change the fabric of society.

Now here comes a 45 million dollar military parade on Trump's birthday in the nation's capital. Mara Lago, which is Trump's Berghoff, would make a suitable bunker for the Donald. Maybe he will add guard towers when blowback becomes larger.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 May 25 - 03:48 PM

Latest executive order. It is not Eurovision, it is USvision. Our music saved Europe and they never said thank you. No-one knows more about songs than me. It is only because of me that people like music. I hate European music. It is nasty and fake news. I won Eurovision seventeen times and Biden covered it up.

They're coming to take me away
Ha ha
Ho ho
He he

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 25 - 03:26 PM

I just saw a post about Ronald Reagan on Bluesky by Sherrilyn Ifill. And she shared a quote from Lesley Stahl in an article by David Corn (all forthright reporters each in their own way) in Mother Jones.

...Reagan didn't seem to know who I was. He gave me a distant look with those milky eyes and shook my hand weakly. Oh, my, he's gonzo, I thought. I have to go out on the lawn tonight and tell my countrymen that the president of the United States is a doddering space cadet. My heart began to hammer with the import. . . I was aware of the delicacy with which I would have to write my script. But I was quite sure of my diagnosis.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 17 May 25 - 01:59 PM

Just seen in the Comments on an ElReg article:

Putin probably told him [Poor Diddums] that a parade a year fixes erectile dysfunction.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 17 May 25 - 01:44 PM

.... Straight-line graphs look neater than noisy ones, esp when you're looking for That Simple Answer to complex questions*. But with cognitive decline, where should one draw the line? to show changes over time in the minima, the maxima, or the average? if so, which average? or instead show the variation between worst and best? place your bets, mesdames et messieurs: I remember seeing a paper where the writer carefully excluded all sub-par events from his data, and ended up with a signal which he admitted was all but indistinguishable from pure noise.

* As famously satirised by Douglas Adams.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 17 May 25 - 01:07 PM

Biden is a good man overall; however, when he could not recognize George Clooney, the jig was up. George was honest enough to tactfully tell the truth at the time. Cognitive decline has good and bad days.
Neuroscience has suffered from a linear 'diagnosis' paradigm when in reality everything is on a spectrum and frequency.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 17 May 25 - 12:00 PM

Regarding the differences in self awareness between Biden and Trump, from my observations the main differences are in motivation, intention, aims, and the goals they want to achieve personally and in their respective roles as President.

In my opinion, Biden put his own health and well-being needs after the need to look after the country and take the right actions for the greater good. Trump's motivation, intention, aims and goals are totally centred around his own wants and needs and to hell with anyone or any institution or country who gets in his way.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 17 May 25 - 11:24 AM

Thank you, Donuel. Your insight into Trump's self-awareness, thoughts and behaviour is, as we would say here in Oz, spot-on! You have hit the nail on the head.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:57 AM

From the reviews it sounds like that Tapper book about Biden is a hatchet job, they asked enough people to say bad things about Biden until they found the worst then used them. I wouldn't look at that as non-fiction, it's wishful thinking that "Biden was worse" in the face of Trump being as bad as they come cognition-wise.

Subject: RE: Men who are blind about themselves.
From: Donuel
Date: 17 May 25 - 10:26 AM

Just as Biden did not, could not, and would not recognize his own cognitive decline and inability to self-assess, Trump is unable and unwilling to see his own evil intent and savagery upon our nation, the world, and innocent people.

Looking within is a challenge many enlightened people undertake. Know thyself is an early philosophical truth that has failed the US Presidency for consecutive decades. Perhaps this scenario is purely coincidental or it is the most common failing of mankind. I do not know which.

One would assume the Constitution would protect the nation from men blind to themselves and instead create a nation of laws and not men.
Instead, Trump is playing 'catch me if you can,' and I will escape the grasp of law like I have time and again through delay and obfuscation.

Knowing yourself does not happen in a vacuum. It requires mentors, education and insight. When corrupt supporters are involved we fall into tribal gangsterism.

Perhaps only a few people will recognize the supreme importance of knowing the character of a leader to look within themselves truthfully but it is a crises that has appeared every century.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 17 May 25 - 06:20 AM

this article appeared today in our papers, & was originally published in the New York Times

‘Dystopia come to life’: How George Orwell wrote the book on Trump’s America The dire predictions of Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, are becoming a disturbing reality 75 years later
As US Vice President J. D. Vance dressed down European officials over two days in mid-February for criminalising far-right speech, his outrage built to the unkindest cut of all. “This is Orwellian,” he trumpeted, “and everyone in Europe and the US must reject this lunacy.”

A day later, George Orwell reappeared – this time wielded against US President Donald Trump after his truth-mangling suggestion that Ukraine was somehow responsible for Russia’s 2022 invasion. Even a fellow Republican, Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, couldn’t resist: “Putin started this war,” he posted on X, adding, “I don’t accept George Orwell’s doublethink.”

And as Trump unleashed a torrent of norm-puncturing executive orders, so many references to 1984 have flooded the political conversation that it feels as if nearly half the electorate joined the same book group. After the White House took facts on a loop-de-loop, claiming that officials who revealed details of strike plans in Yemen on a Signal chat had not disclosed classified information, hundreds of people posted the same Orwell quote on social media: “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” T-shirts with the same line are available on Etsy for as low as $US16. So is one with a fake Orwell quip: “I literally wrote a book to warn you all about this.” (read on)

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 May 25 - 05:00 AM

Seems to me that The Fat, Orange Baboon’s obsession with former Presidents, especially Joe Biden and Barack Obama, and his vitriolic outbursts against anyone who criticises him, could be symptoms of the growing Dementia he’s reportedly suffering from.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 17 May 25 - 04:48 AM

I would never have decoded that numeric sequence. Even with your explanation it made no sense to me here in Oz but I now know what it means.

What is 8647? Secret Service investigates former FBI director James Comey over seashells photo

"The US Secret Service is investigating former FBI director James Comey after he posted a photo to social media that Republicans allege is an incitement of violence against President Donald Trump."

I think this part of the article is interesting:

"The '8647' and '8646' themes have been used as political slogans and on T-shirts during the administrations of both Mr Trump and his predecessor, Joe Biden.

"Mr Trump himself has been accused of using social media posts to incite rioters, who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to prevent the certification of Mr Biden's election victory.

"And he last year also posted on social media a video that featured an image of Mr Biden, who was then president, with his hands and feet tied together in the back of a pick-up truck."

Also a quote on that page from a post on X:

"Covie @covie_93

"The same people calling for Comey to be arrested for posting '8647' laughed and told us trump was joking when he posted a video with image showing Biden tied up in the back of a truck."


My comment: it's interesting the dichotomy between what Trump thinks he is allowed to say or do about people he doesn't like and when the boot is on the other foot and he himself is the target.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 17 May 25 - 04:43 AM

From Occupy Democrats yesterday - on FB, but C&Pd here for the benefit of our non-FB-ers.

Link to Occupy Democrats’ piece on Facebook

“BREAKING: The president of the American Federation of Musicians fires a pummeling barrage at Donald Trump in retaliation for his unhinged attacks on industry superstars Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen.

The music world is uniting in force against MAGA...

"The American Federation of Musicians will not remain silent as two of our members – Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift – are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States," stated Tino Gagliardi, the president of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.

The AFM/AFofM is a widely respected labor union with nearly 66,000 members.

"Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world," Gagliardi continued.

"Whether it’s Born in the USA or the Eras Tour, their music is timeless, impactful, and has deep cultural meaning. Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members," he concluded.

Gagliardi's bold defense of the stars in question came after Trump lashed out on Truth Social.

"Has anyone noticed that, since I said 'I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,' she’s no longer 'HOT?'" wrote the so-called president.

As Variety points out, Taylor Swift has never been more popular. In December, she concluded the highest grossing tour in history, raking in some $2 billion in grosses.

Trump's attack on Springsteen was lengthier, precipitated by the singer's anti-Trump remarks at a concert in England.

"I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States," Trump wrote.

"Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he’s not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK, who fervently supported Crooked Joe Biden, a mentally incompetent FOOL, and our WORST EVER President, who came close to destroying our Country," he went on.

"If I wasn’t elected, it would have been GONE by now! Sleepy Joe didn’t have a clue as to what he was doing, but Springsteen is 'dumb as a rock,' and couldn’t see what was going on, or could he (which is even worse!)?" he continued.

"This dried out 'prune' of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied!) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the Country, that’s just 'standard fare.' Then we’ll all see how it goes for him!" he concluded.

The Truth Social meltdown occurred after Springsteen kicked off his hotly anticipated "Land of Hopes & Dreams" tour across Europe with a bombastic Trump takedown in Manchester.

"In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration," the singer told the crowd.

"Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring!" he continued.   

Later in the show, Springsteen circled back—

"The last check on power after the checks and balances of government have failed are the people, you and me," he said.

"It’s in the union of people around a common set of values now that’s all that stands between a democracy and authoritarianism. At the end of the day, all we’ve got is each other."   

"There’s some very weird, strange, and dangerous sh*t going on out there right now. In America they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now," said Springsteen.

"In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death," he continued.

"In my country, they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. They’re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that has led to a more just and plural society," Springsteen went on.   

"They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom," he said. "They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands. They are removing residents off American streets and without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now."   

"A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government," he continued. "They have no concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American."

"The America l’ve sung to you about for 50 years is real, and, regardless of its faults, is a great country with a great people," he said. "So we’ll survive this moment. Now, I have hope, because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, 'In this world there isn’t as much humanity as one would like, but there’s enough.’ Let’s pray."

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Helen
Date: 16 May 25 - 10:15 PM

SRS said, "His widdle feewings are hurt by criticism from smarter people than he."

Donald Trump criticises Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen on Truth Social

...

"Springsteen, known as The Boss, described the Trump administration as 'corrupt, incompetent and treasonous" during a concert in Manchester this week — the first show in his current European tour.

"They're rolling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just and moral society,' Springsteen said.

"'They're abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators.'"

...

IMHO it's a badge of honour being criticised by Trump.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 16 May 25 - 09:01 PM

In the 1969 draft lottery, which was held to determine the order in which men would be called for service during the Vietnam War, June 14th was assigned the lottery number 356.
#1 was the first to be drafted.
My draft number was 17.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 25 - 07:12 PM

There's an excellent short meme making the rounds. Trump's birthday is June 14, and the 250th anniversary of the US Army is June 14. Unfortunate overlap. The meme simply says "Draft Dodgers Don't Deserve A Military Parade." And really, anyone with a conscience would think it was inappropriate to hold a huge parade if they got out of the draft with "bone spurs."

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 25 - 05:59 PM

86 - get rid of, out of stock. 47 - the orange turd. Harmless first amendment stuff. His widdle feewings are hurt by criticism from smarter people than he. Too bad he has a lot of Christian Nationalist advisors pushing his buttons.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Donuel
Date: 16 May 25 - 04:45 PM

People are fine seeing the slaves, Aunt Jehmima, and Uncle Ben get fired over DEI racism or dark skinned children starve to death without USAID, but increase the price of beer, and an underground revolution could begin. I wonder what project 2025 has to say about internet porn. Once Medicaid is axed and the elderly are kicked out of nursing homes, and veterans are left on the street, all hell will break loose.
When bananas and coffee become luxury items, a black market of stolen coffee is sure to follow.

Will the scales fall from the eyes of MAGA rednecks? You bet your ass they will hols a Trump grudge.

Speaking of Trump grudges, Trump has demanded a criminal investigation of the former FBI director Comey for conspiracy to assassinate the President. You see he arranged seashells on the beach to spell out '8647'. Comey then posted the photo on social media.

Subject: RE: Convicted felon US 47 Pres /Musk coup 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 25 - 11:20 AM

For all that this group is watching and discussing, I fear a lot of people aren't paying attention as their rights are taken away. Today feels like we've slipped through a time portal back to the 1950s. No birth control or abortion, more kids, moms at home with fewer rights. Segregation still active, White men in charge.