#as its been a decade and ive never seen 2 people more commited to the others happiness and this ladies and gents

[monismochi]

Idk who needs to hear this but like

Nothing about jimins and jungkooks relationship is performative and whatever the heck it is (familial, platonic, romantic, etc etc etc) it's undeniably real and the only thing that keeps me with faith in humanity

[bi-lesbian]

I hope this doesnt come across as mean but I'm just kind of confused on how you say lesbian means onlyliking women came from political lesbian/radfem rhetoric but like.. so does bi lesbian? Like they used that term for lesbians who would date trans women, which is very transphobic

i usually answer asks in order i got them but i just needed to put my response up for this one now bc its bugging me.

people constantly claim that bi lesbian was ""coined by terfs"" yet never actually give proof. wheres the proof it was first ever used by terfs? im not saying its never been used by them shittily, but why the hell do people keep saying they CREATED it when they literally didnt?? they dont own this term. and i literally have proof it wasnt coined by them, and that it has existed for decades, and how biphobic the change of defining lesbianism was and how it Literally Was Political Lesbians/Radfems that pushed for the change. literally just go through my #history tag (can easily access it linked in my description).

i define bi myself as liking 2 or more genders as it includes both versions of the ways i see it consistently used- as liking all or as liking just 2 or more, not necesarily having to include both men or women in the "2 or more" definition. also i have already seen this excerpt before from the bisexual manifesto so i already know that what you said is wrong, it actually very explicitly states that people define it differently and also may use terms besides bi:

"Bisexuality is a whole, fluid identity. Do not assume that bisexuality is binary or duogamous in nature: that we have "two" sides or that we must be involved simultaneously with both genders to be fulfilled human beings. In fact, don't assume that there are only two genders. Do not mistake our fluidity for confusion, irresponsibility, or an inability to commit. Do not equate promiscuity, infidelity, or unsafe sexual behavior with bisexuality. Those are human traits that cross all sexual orientations. Nothing should be assumed about anyone's sexuality, including your own.

Do not expect a clear-cut definition of bisexuality to jump out from the pages. We bisexuals tend to define bisexuality in ways that are unique to our own individuality. There are as many definitions of bisexuality as there are bisexuals. Many of us choose not to label ourselves anything at all, and find the word "bisexual" to be inadequate and too limiting."

- the text can be seen on this site

so when i say it means "liking 2 or more genders," im simply just saying that to include the various ways ive seen people define their own bi identity. i know not everyone defines it that way, but when people define it differently they also need to acknowledge that others Also define it differently, and that they dont hold the Only Way Ever someone can/should use the term.

[whitewolfofwinterfell]

Angel and Cordelia (Cangel) - an in-depth analysis of their relationship

Angel and Cordelia are a ship I never expected to ship before watching Angel, but since finishing the show around November, I’ve fallen in love with them (and the show generally) and wanted to compile a post where I could express all my thoughts and feelings about them. This meta will be very in-depth and is divided into 9 sections: 

1. ‘Pensiver Face’: Opposites Attract - Will explore Angel and Cordelia’s personalities and the ways in which these two unlikely characters came together and brought out new and wonderful sides to each other. 

2. ‘Help the Helpless’: Finding purpose - Discusses the way in which Angel and Cordelia found purpose in their lives through meeting and the creation of Angel Investigations.

3. ‘We’re family’: Belonging and Family - Insight into how Angel and Cordelia created a family and home with each other that provided them with a sense of belonging (perhaps for the first time in their lives).

4. ‘My Dearest Friend’: Friendship and Love - Looks at Angel and Cordelia’s friendship and how that was at the core of their relationship throughout the series.

5. ‘You’re not alone’: Emotional connection - Uncovers the profound emotional connection Angel and Cordelia established with each other.

6. ‘It’s the stars’: Everyone can see it - Reflects on the common ‘Everyone can see it’ trope and how that was important to Angel and Cordelia’s relationship.

7. ‘Were we in love?’: Romantic love - An exploration of when and how Angel and Cordy’s romantic feelings for each other developed.

8. ‘I’ll be seeing you’: Missed Opportunity - Analyses the writing in seasons 4 and 5, and the ways in which Angel and Cordelia’s relationship was hugely disadvantaged by the writing.

9. ‘There are no people like us’: Why Angel/Cordelia are misunderstood and live in Buffy/Angel’s shadow - Unpicks some of the common misconceptions I’ve seen about Angel and Cordy’s relationship and the how comparisons made between their relationship and Buffy and Angel’s is unfair and does a disservice to both couples. 

As you can see, section 9 does discuss Buffy and Angel, because I really couldn’t discuss Angel and Cordelia without also talking about Angel’s relationship with Buffy since she was so significant to Angel. It won’t be anti-Buffy/Angel (because I’m a huge Bangel shipper, as anyone that follows me will know), but I just wanted to give a warning for those that are a big fan of the ship as you might not want to read. However, the primary focus throughout will be on Angel and Cordelia’s relationship on ATS (I don’t really give much focus to BTVS since their interactions were so brief and lacking).

Before we get into it, I wanted to say this post is long, (coming in at around 9k words, whew! I had more to say than I realised), so if you’re interested in reading you might want to grab a drink or a snack and make yourself comfortable. 

1. ‘Pensiver Face’: Opposites Attract

What makes Angel and Cordelia’s relationship so special is that it’s between two unlikely characters who, on the surface are polar opposites, but that compliment each other beautifully. Cordelia was specifically chosen to be a regular on ATS because she was the opposite to Angel - Whedon stated that Cordelia’s bright smile was needed to counteract Angel’s broody persona (x). The fundamental differences in Angel and Cordelia’s personalities meant that together they brought out different sides to each other. Angel was known for being reserved, contemplative, melancholy, deep and pessimistic, whilst in contrast Cordelia was known for being outgoing, bubbly, outspoken, shallow and optimistic.

Both characters came to ATS season 1 displaying these characteristics which they were well-known for on BTVS, but through meeting each other, they changed. Angel smiled more with Cordelia than arguably any other character in the Buffyverse (x) (x) (x) (x). Her infectious personality, witty sense of humour and straight-talking attitude coaxed him out of his shell. Also, because he was more submissive by nature, Angel responded to Cordelia’s assertiveness - she wasn’t afraid to take charge, call him out on things, make demands of him and ensure he stayed on the right path. She was the one that took charge of the business, launching Angel Investigations from practically nothing; she persuaded Angel that he should pay Gunn for working with them; she didn’t easily relent after he fired her, Wesley and Gunn; she told him he needed to set boundaries with Fred when she had a crush on Angel to prevent Fred from getting hurt; she held him accountable for getting Darla pregnant in season 3; she consistently encouraged him to fight for Connor no matter how hopeless or difficult it became and even in her brief return in season 5 she continued with this pattern. She straight up told Angel that he’d lost his way, lost sight of their mantra to help the helpless and had become entangled in the messiness of W&H. In doing so, she set Angel back on the right path. It’s strange because generally people view Angel as having more positive traits than Cordelia, but despite his good intentions, he was more prone to giving up and wallowing than Cordelia. Angel was more malleable, more willing to accept the bad in the world whilst Cordelia, on the other hand, persevered no matter what obstacles came her way and was firm in her morals. She knew what she believed to be good and she didn’t stray from that no matter what. That clear-cut attitude really helped Angel, who being a vampire and having seen so much evil, often become lost in the blurriness between good and evil, and became disheartened about fighting the good fight on numerous ocassions. Cordelia was truly Angel’s centre of gravity and moral compass - she was the one he relied on most in his redemptive journey and helping the helpless. That’s why throughout the series there was such a heavy emphasis on Angel needing Cordy (x) and why he proclaimed to be lost without her. Angel needing Cordelia was also demonstrative of a deeper emotional connection between them, which I’ll discuss later on.

Whilst Angel and Cordelia’s differences helped/changed Angel, they did the same for Cordy. Cordelia as a person was very focused on superficial gratification. She sought popularity and status, and she enjoyed money and material objects because of the pleasure they brought her. Her desire to become an actress reflects those desires she had. Although Cordelia demonstrated on BTVS that she was much more than the stereotypical popular-shallow girl she was portrayed to be (x), she wasn’t inclined to be considerate of others and empathy didn’t come naturally to her. In comparison, Angel spent a majority of his time thinking of others and had a wealth of empathy, for everybody regardless of whether they were those he loved or strangers; good or bad. There’s no doubt that the visions were a large part of what enabled Cordelia to be more empathetic since she was quite literally experiencing the traumas of others, but being close to Angel also impacted this. Until Cordelia became friends with Angel (and Doyle, Wes and Gunn), she’d never really been prioritised or cared for unconditionally. Angel’s kindness, consideration and support enabled Cordelia to open up emotionally in a way she never had before, not just to those closest to her, but to everybody. Ironically, a vampire (albeit a vampire with a soul) was the deepest insight Cordelia had gained into humanity. Angel devoted himself to helping others and Cordelia witnessed first-hand the positive impact that had on others and the rewards it brought. Whilst she fought against evil alongside the Scoobies on BTVS, it was being part of Angel Investigations that truly showed her the true meaning of fighting. It gave her purpose and belonging, which in turn allowed her to blossom in an entirely new way.

2. ‘Help the Helpless’: Finding purpose

Despite being different in many ways, Angel and Cordelia had one main thing in common - they were both seeking purpose, meaning and belonging in their lives at the start of ATS  - and they found that with each other.

On BTVS Angel went through a traumatic ordeal with losing his soul, being killed by the woman he loved, being trapped in a hell dimension, coming back to life and then having to break up with Buffy. After Angel was cursed and his soul was restored, he retreated into the shadows and lived like a hermit for a century. He no longer belonged in the vampire or the human world, and he was so consumed with the guilt about his actions as Angelus that he was paralysed. He lived a lonely and purposeless existence - until the moment he saw Buffy. Buffy symbolised hope for Angel, because she was destined to fight evil and helping her provided him with a purpose for the first time in decades and I strongly believe that this (amongst other reasons) is why he fell in love with her. So when he split up with her and left for L.A. he lost his purpose along with Buffy. It’s clear that Angel’s time with Buffy and the Scoobies had been so significant to him that he couldn’t return to the life he had before he met Buffy, he needed to continue helping people, but he didn’t know how. Meeting Doyle immediately provided him with a sense of purpose by providing him with a connection to the HP, but as I already mentioned above, Cordelia really cemented that. Although Doyle knew he and Angel had a mission that they needed to work on together, he didn’t know how to make that a reality. Cordelia’s practicality, pragmatism and organisation is what took an idea - helping the helpless - and made it a reality - Angel Investigations. Like I said, Angel knew he wanted to help others but he didn’t really have a plan. When Angel Investigations was born, it became so much more than simply helping the odd person in distress after having stumbled upon them by chance. It became an indefinite commitment and mission which provided Angel with a true purpose - a purpose he realised was the singular most important thing to him in ‘Epiphany’ (2x16).

Cordelia was also in a similar place to Angel when she arrived in L.A. at the start of ATS. During her time on BTVS Cordelia’s character was built upon her status in high-school - she was pretty, rich and popular. Although she wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believed in (such as defending Xander against her HS friends), she generally sought the approval of others. In HS Cordelia felt that she was somebody and that really came from her popularity and status. However, she admitted that that popularity came with a downside and that she was in fact, very lonely as a result of it (x). Cordelia’s experience in her relationship with Xander only fuelled that loneliness she felt because she isolated herself from her friends to be with him, and when he cheated on her, her ‘friendships’ with the rest of the Scoobies were revealed to be superficial in nature and quickly broke down. By the time she came to ATS, she had left high school and therefore was without her boyfriend (Xander), friends and the status that HS afforded her. This explains why she was on a mission to become a famous actress - to reclaim that status that she’d lost but on an even grander scale. The problem with this is that regardless of how shallow Cordy may have appeared, she clearly craved more than just popularity, fame or money. She’d already had that but it hadn’t  fulfilled her. Enter Angel. Cordelia saw that Angel (and Doyle) needed guidance and that she could bring something important to the table. When she joined Angel and Doyle and set up Angel Investigations, she found her purpose just like Angel did. Initially, Cordelia’s desire to stick with Angel may have been because she didn’t have any other particularly appealing options, but it became so much more than that and by the end of season 1 Cordelia was wholly devoted to helping the helpless (x). In ‘Disharmony’ (2x17) she told Harmony that despite the popularity she had at HS, she was happier than she’d ever been because of the work she was doing, and having that sense of purpose came from meeting Angel. ‘Birthday’ (3x11) further reaffirmed this, when Cordelia chose being with Angel and helping the helpless over her dream of being a famous actress. 

The creation of Angel Investigations (not just the business but also the family) wouldn’t have happened if Angel and Cordelia hadn’t of come together in the way they did. From the beginning, they were the heart of everything it was and when Angel lost Cordy in season 5, he admitted that he lost his way and was lost without her (again, this beckons back to Cordy being Angel’s centre of gravity). Poetically, Cordelia kissing Angel in ‘You’re Welcome’ (5x11) and passing on the vision to him quite literally set Angel (and co.) on the path to their final battle and brought purpose back into his life. But in addition to bringing purpose to each other’s lives through their shared mission of helping the helpless, they brought something else, perhaps more significant - belonging and family.

3. ‘We’re family’: Belonging and Family

Although Angel and Cordelia had bonds with others prior to ATS - Angel had relationships with Darla, Dru, Spike, Buffy; Cordelia with Harmony, Xander and the Scoobies - they never had with anyone else what they found with each other (and the rest of Angel Investigations) (x). In season 1 Cordelia referred to Angel as being her family and Angel reiterated that later in the series. The unconditional support, acceptance and care Angel and Cordelia had towards one other was unlike anything they’d had in any of their previous relationships (particularly for Cordelia).

Angel prioritised Cordelia, he devoted himself to keeping her safe (x) (x), he was always concerned for her well-being and he took the time to get to know her as a person. He didn’t like Cordy because of her status or popularity, he liked her for her and he expressed that numerous times - he told her he liked both versions of her (old and new), that she was an extraordinary woman and that he’d never known anybody like her (x) (x). Likewise, Cordelia accepted Angel - warts and all - without white washing his past or being ignorant to his darkness. She knew Angelus had done terrible things, and that Angel wasn’t immune from making mistakes and she held him accountable for that. But she also encouraged Angel to be open with her about that side of himself, telling him to drink blood in front of her and reassuring him that she and Doyle wouldn’t judge his vamp face (x). Cordelia came face to face with Angelus multiple times and she knew that even with a soul Angel had the capacity for darkness, but she still saw the good in him and believed it out-weighed the bad. She was never under any false illusions that Angel was perfect and that’s why she was firm in her promise that if needs be she would stake Angelus without hesitation.

It’s really that unconditional support and acceptance that led them to consider each other family. What’s most significant about this is that neither of them really had that before ATS. Angel (Liam) grew up in a volatile family situation with an abusive father and Cordelia’s family was so insignificant in her life that we only had a few references to them throughout the course of BTVS and ATS and not a single appearance from them. Neither of them really had a true home or family until they found each other. The friendship they found with each other (and the rest of Angel Investigations) truly was one of the most beautiful things that ever happened to either of them and provided them with a true home for the first time in their lives. In fact, in season 4 Angel explicitly said when Cordelia was missing “We’ll do whatever it takes to bring her home, where she belongs”, which perfectly sums up the title for this section about belonging and family. The bond they forged was one of the first they established with another that felt completely secure and contented (which is also why Cordelia reacted so negatively to him abandoning her, Wes and Gunn in season 2 over Darla), because at it’s core it was a friendship built upon familial love, which in my opinion, is the strongest and most enduring love there is.

4. ‘My Dearest Friend’: Friendship and Love

The most common argument I’ve seen against Angel and Cordelia as a romantic ship is, “They should’ve just stayed friends, they were better that way”. My issue with this is that Angel and Cordelia didn’t just fulfil one or the other - friendship or romance - they fulfilled both and so much more (x). What makes Angel and Cordelia’s relationship so special is that they morphed from acquaintances, to coworkers, to confidantes, to friends, to family, to lovers and were often some (or all) of these things to each other at once. Their feelings for each other cannot be boxed in, because they encompass so much, but there is no disputing that they loved each other.

Angel and Cordy had a profound connection spanning across the entirety of ATS, that no amount of words I type can quite express. They were a constant presence in each others’ lives for years, they were by each others’ sides through some of the most significant events of their lives and they shared it all - the highs and lows, the good and bad. Even when their romantic feelings came into fruition, their friendship remained unchanged. Nothing could change that fundamental dynamic between them or the ease with which they communicated and bounced off of one another. Any scene between Angel and Cordy has a natural chemistry (the nature of that chemistry is up to interpretation), and even when Angel was a awkward, bumbling and flustered fool, their interactions never felt strained or uncomfortable. This is because they knew each other so well and were so attuned to each other, but also because their relationship was already so well established by the time they realised they had romantic feelings for each other that there was no danger of those feelings complicating or endangering that friendship. It’s why in ‘Spin the Bottle’ (4x06) Angel told Cordelia that she was his dearest friend and he wanted that back. He was able to push aside his romantic feelings and desires because her friendship was more important to him than anything else.

Some may claim it’s weird for two people who referred to each other as family to be in love with each other, but when you’re in love with someone they are your family. The fact that Angel and Cordelia had that kind of connection provided them with the closeness, comfortableness, familiarity and security for those romantic feelings to blossom. Angel, in particular, had an aversion to romance because of The Curse and his experience with Buffy, but he felt so safe with Cordelia that it’s almost like he allowed himself to feel that way about him. Likewise, Cordelia was rather guarded in matters of the heart given her romantic history with Xander, but she felt so safe with Angel that she was able to finally open herself up in that way without even really realising she was. That profound connection between them can’t really be quantified, but can be seen in their actions.

5. ‘You’re not alone’: Emotional connection

When I say that it would do them a disservice to try and box Angel and Cordelia’s relationship into the platonic or romantic arena, that’s because of the emotional connection they shared which extends beyond such labels.

According to Wiki, ‘Emotional intimacy is a psychological event that happens when trust levels and communication between two people are such that it fosters the mutual sharing of one another's deepest selves.’ It involves trust, mutual trust, sense of community, understanding, open communication and sharing a duty. As you read this I’m sure you’re realising that Angel and Cordelia had all of this. They lived in close proximity day after day for years - they worked together, they fought together, they laughed together, they loved the same people (Doyle, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Connor), they grieved together (for Doyle and Connor), they shared the same beliefs and morals and they were united in the same mission to help the helpless. All of this led to them developing a profound emotional connection whereby they came to rely on each other and trust each other, and were able to open up to each other without fear of judgement or rejection (x). Throughout the series Angel and Cordy had multiple heart to hearts in which they confided in each other, encouraged or reassured each other and those talks became more regular as their connection grew. Something as simple as Angel calling Cordelia ‘Cordy’ (which he didn’t do until ATS ‘Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?’ 2x02) demonstrated that developing connection between them.

Again, it would be futile for me to list every example of when Angel and Cordelia had a scene that showed this emotional connection (particularly since you’ll have seen them all if you’ve watched the show), but off the top of my head some key examples would be - Cordelia helped Angel open up about Doyle’s death after Angel accidentally called Wesley Doyle; Cordelia helped Angel to open up about Buffy’s death after he’d spent 3 months trying to come to terms with it; when Cordelia fell ill from a vision Angel reassured her that her value to him wasn’t invested solely in her visions; generally Angel supported Cordelia repeatedly through the trauma of her visions; after Connor was born Angel developed an overly-protective paternal instinct and wouldn’t let anybody hold him, and Cordelia was the first he allowed to hold him; after Connor’s kidnapping Cordelia was able to simply sit with him in the silence and provide the emotional support no one else could and when Angel was insecure about bonding with Connor (after his return) she reassured him he was a capable and loving father. 

Nothing showed the depth of that emotional connection more than the beginning of season 4 when Angel was at the bottom of the ocean. In order to hold on to his sanity, Angel repeatedly dreamt of Cordelia in various romantic scenarios and admitted to Wes and Gunn when he returned that the one thing that had kept him holding on was the thought of returning home to Cordelia. Cordy and his love for her was the tether to his humanity, his hope when everything was hopeless, his light in the dark. 

I could continue exploring this because their emotional connection is demonstrated in nearly every scene they have together, but the point has been made that Angel and Cordelia consistently opened up to one another and were by each other’s sides through the hardest of times. Although they both had the rest of Angel Investigations (Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorne), they primarily turned to each other in their time or need or when they were feeling low. They instinctively knew what to do/say to ease each other’s insecurities, fears or anxieties and were each other’s source of emotional strength. What’s even more significant about this is that their connection was so profound, that even those around them noticed it. 

6. ‘It’s the stars’: Everyone can see it

‘Everyone can see it’ is a popular romantic trope whereby a couple are perfect for each other but don’t realise their feelings for one another, but everyone else around them does. This was an integral part of Angel and Cordelia’s relationship since they found it very difficult, as friends, to make sense of their romantic feelings for each other and to acknowledge those feelings.

The first person to notice the chemistry between Angel and Cordelia was Fred in ‘Offspring’ (3x07). After seeing them sparring Fred spoke about kyrumption (two heroes meeting in battle and recognising their same fate) and moira (the gut physical attraction between two larger-than-life souls). Angel’s feelings for Cordelia had already been present long before then, but Fred’s observations provided him with an opportunity to acknowledge them for the first time and reflect on them. 

Lorne being an empath naturally had an insight into Angel’s feelings and in ‘Waiting in the Wings’ (3x13) he revealed that he’d read Angel and knew he had feelings for Cordelia. Like Fred, he also spoke of kyrumption and told Angel that the way he was feeling for Cordelia was real. Lorne consistently was attuned to Angel’s feelings for Cordelia and understood that they’d grown beyond friendship. He also actively encouraged Angel to act on them because he believed Cordelia felt the same way about him and he shouldn’t miss the chance to see what they could be. 

I watched ‘Waiting in the Wings’ with commentary from Whedon last week and in that he explained that the spell was a way for Angel and Cordelia to act on the feelings they had for each other (that they were only just starting to realise) in a way whereby they didn’t actually have to admit that they had those feelings and wanted to act on them (because they were afraid of the consequences). Fred and Lorne’s observations are very much the same - they’re a conduit through which Angel was able to internally explore his growing romantic feelings for Cordy and slowly come to the realisation that he was in love with her. 

7. ‘Were we in love?’: Romantic love

Although I’ve been primarily focused on the general connection between Angel and Cordelia and what they brought to each other’s lives, there was definitely romantic love and attraction between the two of them and it’s important to discuss that.

I think when people compare Angel and Cordy’s relationship to Angel’s relationship with Buffy people feel Angel’s love for Cordelia wasn’t romantic or passionate, but it was, it’s just that the love he had for Cordy and their relationship was so fundamentally different from his relationship with Buffy that the two can’t really be compared. Buffy was Angel’s epic, great love - it consumed him from the inside out, it was intense, passionate and devastating - but Cordy was something entirely different. She wasn’t supposed to be some big epic love, she was supposed to be a friend with whom he developed a strong bond with and slowly came to fall in love with over time. Their love wasn’t characterised by angst-ridden scenes, grand speeches of forbidden love and sexual tension - it was grounded in family, friendship and emotional connection (as I’ve explored above). Their feelings for each other weren’t sudden and didn’t start out big (they truly were just acquaintances at the start of ATS season 1), but as they spent time together, shared experiences and got to know each other, their romantic feelings quietly grew in the background until neither of them could ignore it anymore.

It’s frustrating that we never got a clear admission of love between the two (all of their love confessions were to other people or cut off before they finished), but there is no doubt in my mind that Angel and Cordelia were in love. Their actions proved that and from a personal perspective, I could feel the love between them. Everyone will have different interpretations of when they believe the pair fell in love, but interestingly, I don’t think there’s supposed to be ‘one moment’ that they fell in love, because the whole point of their relationship is that it was never that clear cut. They didn’t go to bed one night as best friends and wake up the next day a think, “I’m in love with Angel/Cordelia!”. It was a subtle evolution of feelings over time, which neither of them truly noticed until it was brought to their attention by others, because they were so used to being friends and navigating within the realms of that, that they didn’t consider the possibility that their feelings could have gone beyond that.

Since ATS was primarily focused on Angel’s POV, it’s very easy to follow Angel’s evolving feelings for Cordelia and attempt to pin-point the moment at which his romantic feelings came to fruition. Like I said, I don’t think there was one particular moment where Angel realised his feelings for Cordelia, but in my opinion, they had definitley developed by ‘Dead End’ (2x18). At the beginning of season 2, Angel had a crisis due to Darla’s return and he fired Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn. It was really the darkest we saw Angel get in ATS whilst he had his soul, he truly lost his way for a while and Cordelia was so hurt and angry by his actions that she couldn’t forgive him. When Angel finally realised he’d made a mistake cutting his friends out of his life, he did everything he could to make amends, but he seemed most affected by the loss of Cordelia’s friendship and he was determined to earn her forgiveness. What’s interesting about this is that at this point one could argue that Angel’s friendship with Cordelia wasn’t that profound and it didn’t particularly matter if they made up, because they still could’ve worked together as co-workers (although it might’ve been a little awkward and uncomfortable). But Angel was adamant that he wanted her friendship back and almost the entirety of ‘Epiphany’ (2x16) was focused on Angel’s desire to make amends with Cordy and his devastation when she refused to accept him back. This continued in ‘Disharmony’ (2x17), with him desperately fighting to earn her forgiveness and ending with him winning Cordelia over by buying her clothes, which he was visibly happy about (x). Angel’s reaction at the prospect of losing Cordelia beckons back to ‘To Shanshu to L.A.’ (1x22) when we witnessed for the first time how scared he was to lose her and also suggests that at this point in season 2 his romantic feelings were developing for her. In the following episode ‘Dead End’ (2x18), he was so focused on making Cordelia feel better (and this was likely a continuation of him making it up to her) that he brought her food and his reaction to her saying she loved him was perhaps the brightest smile I’ve ever seen on Angel’s face (x). In ‘Belonging’ (2x19), Angel’s attraction to Cordelia was made clear when he saw her in a bikini and he also expressed anger at the director of the commercial she was filming for treating her like a ‘commodity’ and a ‘slave’, forcing him to apologise to Cordelia for the way he spoke to her and telling Cordelia he would rip his head off if she wanted him to. When Cordelia was sucked into the portal to Pylea in ‘Over the Rainbow’ (2x20), Angel’s profound emotional connection to Cordelia was clear (x) - he just wanted her back, he didn’t care how or what they had to do and he expressed that he couldn’t lose Cordy again after just getting her back (also that one line, ‘It’s Cordy’, that Angel says to Wesley when he tells Angel it’s too dangerous to go through the portal and they may never get back holds so much emotion). When Cordelia admitted to loving Groo in Pylea, Angel mistakenly thought she was saying it to him and was disappointed to learn otherwise. So basically, by the end of season 2 Angel undoubtedly had romantic feelings for Cordelia, but wasn’t yet aware of them. Season 3 continued to build on that by allowing Angel to heal following Buffy’s death and reach a resolution  in ‘Heartthrob’ (3x01) whereby he could start to process his feelings for Cordy, putting him a situation where he was faced with the prospect of losing her again, therefore cementing the depth of his feelings for her (‘That Vision Thing’ 3x02) and having Fred share her observations about his feelings for her, finally allowing him to fully acknowledge them for the first time. 

From Cordelia’s POV it’s much harder to guess when her romantic feelings for Angel developed, because we didn’t get as much insight into her. I do think her feelings for him didn’t come as soon as Angel’s did for her and neither did the realisation that she felt that way. ‘That Vision Thing’ (3x02) hints that Cordelia’s feelings for Angel may have begun to grow beyond friendship when she said, “If I lose the visions I wouldn't be able to help you anymore. You wouldn't need me.” Notice, Cordelia was concerned with Angel needing her, not the rest of the team. Also, since Angel was so devoted to saving Cordelia and explicitly told her she was more important to him than his vendetta against W&H, we can assume this impacted Cordelia’s feelings towards him since this was perhaps the first time she noticed how committed he was to keeping her safe and how much he wanted her in his life. I also think that witnessing Angel go through the process of becoming a father significantly impacted Cordy’s feelings for Angel. Seeing him take on the role of a father showed an even softer, nurturing side of him and the bond Cordy developed with Connor also brought them closer together. However, ‘Birthday’ (3x11) is the first episode that properly affirms the depth of Cordelia’s feelings for Angel. She was given everything she ever wanted - fame, money, stardom - and she gave it all up to return to Angel. Despite having no memory, upon seeing Angel so broken, Cordelia instinctively leaned in and kissed him fulfilling the old fairy-tale trope of true love’s kiss breaking the spell. I think from Cordelia’s POV, she was much more closed off to allowing herself to acknowledge her romantic feelings for Angel because she didn’t even consider Angel a romantic option given The Curse. This also explains why upon Groo’s return in season 3, she resumed her relationship with him despite having clearly developed profound romantic feelings for Angel that led her to prioritise him above Groo repeatedly to the point that Groo himself noticed that she had feelings for Angel.

This brings me back to the main point about Angel and Cordelia’s romantic feelings for each other never being straightforward or easily defined. In ‘Waiting in the Wings’ (3x13) it was clear - spell or no spell - that Angel and Cordelia shared a mutual sexual attraction and that Angel’s canonically confirmed romantic feelings for Cordelia were reciprocated. Yet Cordelia didn’t confirm her feelings for him explicitly to the audience until 9 episodes later in the finale of the season. This is for a number of reasons, but primarily because it was easier to continue denying their feelings and remain friends than face the complications that a romance posed. Even if they had been given the chance to openly express their feelings for each other, what would’ve happened next? As Angel said to Lorne in ‘Waiting in the Wings’, what could he offer her (as a cursed vampire)? It would’ve been too complicated and they knew that.

That criss-cross and complexity of their love is part of the reason I love them so much, because it’s authentic and relatable. Particularly in the case of friends who have fallen in love - it’s no easy transition and it’s definitely not easy to make sense of your feelings Plus, Angel and Cordy had the added complications that went with their life (Angel being a vampire, The Curse, Darla, their friends, Angel Investigations, W&H and the supernatural world generally, to name a few). In an interview a long time ago SMG said that the most heartbreaking thing about Buffy and Angel was that it was unfulfilled love, and in this respect so are Angel and Cordelia. It’s heartbreaking because they truly loved one another but they were never even given the opportunity to see what they could potentially be. They missed their chance and because of that they were always left wondering ‘what if?’ 

8. ‘I’ll be seeing you’: Missed Opportunity 

The fact that Angel and Cordy never got their shot to be together (which they discussed in ‘You’re Welcome’ 5x11) is the tragedy of their love. However, it wouldn’t be the same love story if it didn’t have that unresolved element to it. Everybody longs for closure and resolution with their ships, but the truth is, in real life few people truly get that, they simply have to move on and live with their regrets. But whilst I love Angel and Cordelia’s relationship and story as it is, there’s no escaping the fact that they were done dirty in seasons 4 and 5 in regards to the writing and as a result their story did go in a...shall we say unfavourable direction? 

Everyone that’s ever watched ATS has problems with season 4 (I could write a separate post about the problems with season 4, particularly in regards to Cordelia’s character), and when it comes to Angel and Cordelia’s relationship, there’s a lot that was handled badly which unfortunately, derailed the beautiful development that took place between them in season 3. We still had a lot of key moments that played out between Angel and Cordelia in season 4, but the main problem with the season is that we don’t actually know when Cordelia was actually Cordelia. At what point was she herself, if she ever was? Did she really have amnesia? If so, can we count amnesia!Cordy as still being Cordy to an extent? When did Jasmine start to take over? Did she have any agency at all when she was possessed by Jasmine, even if it was only the briefest of moments? All of these questions remain unanswered and make it very difficult to fully assess the Angel/Cordelia relationship during season 4, but I’m going to try to anyway. 

What remained clear throughout season 4 was that Angel loved Cordy. In fact, despite Cordelia technically being absent for the majority of the season, it was very Cangel-heavy, perhaps more than the seasons before it. Angel had multiple dreams/fantasies about Cordelia, devoted himself to finding her when she was missing at the start of the season, was visibly distraught to have her lose her memories and strike up a relationship with Connor, and lost his soul from a fantasy of making love to her. In my opinion, this is the season that really affirmed that Angel was in love with Cordy beyond any doubt. When Angel asked Cordelia if they were in love and she replied, “We were”, I strongly believe that was Cordelia. She’d just gotten her memories back so Jasmine hadn’t had chance to worm her way to the forefront yet, and I believe in that moment that was Cordelia finally breaking through and telling Angel that she loved him. Although the circumstances are ambiguous to say the least, I believe this to be the first admission of love exchanged between the two whereby the words were said plainly (because obviously they said ‘I love you’ to each other repeatedly before this moment in other ways). However, this doesn’t undo the dirty that was done to Angel and Cordelia in this season. Despite the fact that we know Cordelia wasn’t responsible for any of her actions since she was possessed by Jasmine, it’s still very hard when watching her with Connor to separate Jasmine from Cordelia. And from Angel’s perspective, he literally watched the woman he loved have sex with his son. Finding out afterwards that it wasn’t actually Cordelia doesn’t reduce the devastating impact of witnessing that and the way the Cordelia!Jasmine arc was written did taint some aspects of their relationship by forcing Angel to have to witness ‘Cordelia’ enter into a romantic relationship with Connor and have a child with him. Also, it was utterly ridiculous and unbelievable that Angel and co. wouldn’t recognise that Cordy wasn’t herself. This is definitely a writing issue, because the whole possession thing was handled so badly in the respect that Cordelia seemed like herself (even her sleeping with Connor was believable due to her amnesiac state), but it was still not in-keeping with the show that none of her friends (and especially Angel) would notice that Cordelia was possessed. Overall, season 4 did a huge disservice to Angel and Cordelia’s romance (although the biggest disservice was definitely done to Cordelia’s character) and whilst their relationship was beautifully developed in seasons 1-3, season 4 stopped that development in its tracks. 

Season 5 continued to do a disservice to Cordelia (and Angel and Cordelia) by practically erasing Cordy from existence (I know that backstage issues with the cast need to be taken into consideration here, but the lack of consideration to Cordelia’s character is still a valid point to discuss). Despite how utterly terrified Angel was whenever faced with the prospect of losing Cordelia, in season 5 he was visibly fine about Cordelia being in a coma and wasn’t even attempting to pull her out of it. The fact that Angel (and co.) would simply stand by and go on with the rest of their lives without devoting every single second to waking Cordy  is ridiculous and completely OOC for all of them. Angel, Wes, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Cordy were deeply connected and would have done anything for each other, and there’s no way they would’ve given up on Cordy like that. But back to the point, despite Angel being in love with Cordelia throughout season 4, there was no reference to his feelings for her until ‘You’re Welcome’ (5x11). Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that episode and I always will, but I also can’t help but notice how out of place that episode feels within the rest of the season. In the episodes leading up to it Cordelia was barely mentioned and in the episodes afterwards, her death was completely ignored with only a few passing references from Angel near the end of the season (don’t even get me started on the fact that she didn’t even get a funeral. What the hell was that all about?!?!? This is Cordy.) Furthermore, Angel reverted back to being actively in love with Buffy (particularly in ‘The Girl in Question’ 5x20, which is honestly such a bad episode, I can’t even) with no consideration given to the fact that he had feelings for Cordelia. Personally, I believe all of these consistencies come from fan pandering - the reaction to Angel and Cordelia becoming a couple was very negative so they reverted back to the Angel/Buffy relationship because it was so popular and well-loved. But back to, ‘You’re Welcome’, the episode definitely redeemed some of what was done to Cordelia (and her relationship with Angel) by giving her/them a satisfying ending after an horrendous season 4, but nothing can truly make up for the fact that Angel and Cordelia’s relationship was so abruptly ended in the manner it was. It also can’t make up for the fact that we missed out on two entire seasons worth of development that we would’ve potentially got if the Jasmine plot hadn’t taken place (again, I understand this was largely down to behind-the-scenes complications with Charisma and Whedon). 

These flaws in the writing (and execution of the relationship) in seasons 4 and 5 is far and above my biggest criticism of Angel and Cordelia’s relationship as a whole (although it’s a criticism of the writers more so than Cordelia and Angel or David and Charisma). It never would have made sense for Angel and Cordy to have a plain sailing fairy-tale romance, but they had so much more potential and could have grown to become something even more beautiful if season 4 had continued to build upon their development from seasons 1-3. ‘You’re Welcome’ perfectly demonstrates the potential they had and what they could’ve become if Cordelia hadn’t been possessed by Jasmine. And that was only a taster and we could’ve had, we could’ve so much more. In my opinion, there were no limits on where their relationship could have been taken since it was so well written, built-up and established leading up to season 4. The fact that we’ll never know how the relationship would’ve played out if it had continued is sad, but as I said, that missed chance that they had is key to Angel and Cordelia’s relationship. It’s the one that got away, the love that could never be and that one person whom we always wonder, “What if?” about. 

9. ‘There are no people like us’: Why Angel/Cordelia are misunderstood and live in Buffy/Angel’s shadow

The final section I wanted to do is an exploration of the reasons why I feel Cordelia and Angel are misunderstood as a ship and how I believe this primarily stems from the fact that they live in Buffy/Angel’s shadow. This is where I’ll be comparing Angel/Cordelia and Buffy/Angel, so if you’re a fan of Buffy/Angel, you may not want to read this final section. However, this isn’t anti-Buffy/Angel, it’s really me working through my own thoughts and feelings as both a Buffy/Angel and a Angel/Cordelia shipper (yes, we exist haha). 

People have a tendency to make comparisons between the Angel/Cordelia and Buffy/Angel relationship two relationships, when in reality (as I’ve mentioned above) the two aren’t really comparable. Angel’s relationships with Buffy and Cordelia were distinctive, took place under completely different circumstances and brought different things to his life. Angel was fully engaged in a romantic relationship with Buffy for 2 years (on and off), but he never had the opportunity to do that with Cordelia. The romantic feelings were there, as was the potential for them to act on that and see what they could be, but it didn’t happen. So to compare the two relationships (when technically Angel and Cordy never entered into a romantic relationship) is futile to say the least. However, people naturally make those comparisons and when they do they seem to come up with two key reasons Angel/Cordelia are inferior to Buffy/Angel:

1. Sexual relationship/chemistry - It hasn’t escaped my attention that Buffy and Angel have a lot more sexual chemistry than Angel and Cordelia. Honestly, in my opinion, nothing can really compare to SMG/David chemistry, it’s so damn good. However, this criticism simply fails to understand that Angel and Cordelia’s love/connection never was primarily one of a sexual nature (notice that every fantasy Angel ever had of Cordelia was romantic not sexual). Romance was definitely part of their relationship (particularly in seasons 3, 4 and 5) and they had an attraction and they had chemistry (’Waiting in the Wings’ damn well proved that), but their relationship was never about sex. In comparison to Angel and Buffy, their relationship was deeply rooted in attraction. From the moment they meet each other they’re very physically attracted to each other and in seasons 1 and 2 they both make references made to how badly they want to kiss each other whenever they’re together, whilst in season 3 they discuss the difficulties they find in fighting against their sexual attraction to each other. As a result, Angel and Buffy’s relationship was always heavily steeped in sexual tension. The fact that Angel and Cordelia’s relationship didn’t have the same level of sexual attraction doesn’t make that relationship any less important, just different (which I know I keep saying, but it’s kind of my whole argument here - the two relationships are so fundamentally different you can’t compare them). 

2. Buffy is Angel’s one and only true love - There’s no denying that Buffy was and always will be Angel’s great love, but to quote one of my not-so-favourite shows (The Vampire Diaries), contrary to popular belief, people can (and usually do) have more than one great love in their lives. Clinging too tightly to the Buffy/Angel relationship ignores the immense changes Angel undergoes on ATS and the fact he moved on from Buffy (up until Spike’s return in season 5, which reverts him back to being kind of obsessed with Buffy, which is such bad writing and so inconsistent that it annoys me. And this isn’t  including crossovers either, because damn, they’re so problematic/inconsistent and I didn’t even realised until I watched ATS, but I can see now why the writers didn’t want to do too many crossovers despite the fans wanting them). Buffy was always in Angel’s heart and he always carried her with him, but he didn’t actively pine over her or yearn for her when he moved to L.A. (he did more so in season 1 and particularly after the events of ‘I Will Remember You’, but he slowly moved on). Angel conclusively and healthily moved on from Buffy - he established a life for himself which he loved and made him happy, he found a home, friends and embarked on a new love with Cordy. When two people have shared a love like Angel did with Buffy, it never goes away but it does change and it almost grows dormant (for reference, there’s a brilliant meta that discusses Angel moving on from Buffy which you can read here). To use a real life example here, my mom (who’s now 50) has been in around 5 serious long-term relationships in her life and has been with her current partner for 5 years and is completely in love with him. However, she’s openly admitted to me that she loved my dad more than she’s ever loved any man and she still regards him the love of her life. That doesn’t mean she’s still in love with him, because she’s not. She hasn’t seen him in two decades, she’s moved on and she’s found love with someone new. That love she had with him is a memory in her head and her heart, but it has no place in her life now. She’s a different person, her life has changed dramatically and that love is in the past. If he rocked up now he’d be a stranger to her and regardless of those memories she has of him, he’s no longer the person she’s in love with. That’s exactly what happened with Buffy and Angel. They always loved each other, but Angel truly did move forward (whether Buffy moved on is something I’m less unsure of). In ‘Heartthrob’ (3x01) Angel told James that he’d lost the woman he loved (Buffy) and that he had loved her with his whole heart. In response, James said that that couldn’t be true because if it was, when she had died Angel would’ve died along with her. After that, in a scene with Cordy (x), Angel admitted that he was okay and had dealt with Buffy’s death and how he felt guilty about that. In my opinion, this episode (and those scenes in particular) confirmed that Angel had moved on from Buffy and had gotten to a place where he could finally open himself up to Cordelia wholeheartedly. In fact, David spoke about how Angel had moved on from Buffy and that Cordy was what he needed (he also mentioned Darla, which is a topic I won’t get into because I could write an entirely separate post about that too) and here’s what he said: 

Interviewer: Darla killed herself, right? The baby's mother? Who's gonna step up and help Angel raise the baby? Buffy?

David: God, no. Buffy's pretty much out of the picture. They've played their storyline and that's just the past. I think between Cordelia and Fred he'll be mommied to death. But, Buffy's just the past.

Interviewer: Oh, come on. Buffy can never really be just the past, can she? I mean, that's Angel's soulmate.

David: I think Darla was probably his soulmate. I mean, they spent a hundred years together, then made a baby. You can't just--

Interviewer: Well, then Buffy was his first love.

David: Angel was Buffy's first love, but Angel loved Darla in a sick way.

Interviewer: I'm a Buffy/Angel fan. Sorry.

David: You're forgiven. No, I'm just saying that the two shows are on different networks and it's not gonna happen. There's no more story there for those two. Buffy isn't Angel's priority anymore. In season one and two of our show, she was always in the back of his mind, well, now it's all about the baby and Buffy is just, well, she's just a person he used to know.

Interviewer : Awww, come on! The story there was so incredible.

David: And like every good story, it came to an end. And then started over. On. Different. Networks. (again with the emphasis)

Interviewer : Is Angel going to hook up with Cordy?

David: Well, I'm all for it. I don't know what the writers have planned in that regard, but I'm a fan of Charisma's work and I'd love for our characters to be romantically involved. Cordy is really what Angel needs, I believe. (x)

See, it’s important to acknowledge that as amazing as Buffy and Angel’s story was, they broke up and went their separate ways. As David rightfully pointed out, it was the past and Buffy was no longer his priority. It’s always frustrated me that Angel was expected not to move on and to pine for Buffy, whilst Buffy was allowed to move on and find love again. The argument is that Angel was so much older than Buffy that he couldn’t or rather shouldn’t want to find love, whilst Buffy was still young, but the problem is, although Angel was technically old, he was still a teenager himself in terms of his experiences in love. He didn’t have a soul for 100 years so was incapable of love and then he spent 100 years when he had a soul cut off from the world. He had barely experienced anything the world had to offer and he certainly hadn’t had the opportunity to forge connections with others or explore the world of love. Buffy was able to move on from Angel and experience different types of relationships/loves with Parker (urgh), Riley and Spike (amongst others who she flirted with or briefly dated post-BTVS season 3). Angel deserved the same opportunity to experience new types of relationships that were different than the one he had with Buffy. I’m going to use another quote The Vampire Diaries because I feel it sums this up perfectly, “I realised that I may not be able to explain what I feel for her, but it is something, and, yeah, maybe all love isn't true love in the messed up way that you and I have experienced it, but I think this could turn into something even better.” This right here is exactly how I perceive Angel’s feelings for Buffy and Cordelia to be. Angel had only ever loved one person, Buffy was all he’d ever known of love and it was so big, messy and all-consuming , but with Cordelia he realised that love didn’t necessarily have to be like that and that there are different types of love. 

There’s no disputing that Angel never loved Cordelia in the same way he loved Buffy (which this post explains perfectly) - Angel will never love anyone the way he loved Buffy, but he did fall in love with Cordelia and she enriched his life in new ways and filled a void in him in much the same way Buffy did. During ATS Cordelia surpassed Buffy in importance simply because of the place she had in Angel’s life - she was the center of his world and without her it wouldn’t be the same (we saw that in season 5). It would be unfair to claim Angel couldn’t or shouldn’t love someone else just because he had such an intense love with Buffy. What makes his relationship with Cordelia so special is that it was so different than the love he had with Buffy. Those two loves will always sit in contrast to each other, but will never overshadow or replace one another because they’re both significant and special for different reasons. 

The point of talking about this was really just to highlight that Angel and Cordelia’s relationship is not by any means invalid or inferior because of Buffy/Angel. Both relationships are important and exist in contrast to each other. Angel and Cordelia’s relationship does tend to be misunderstood and/or unappreciated due to the nature of the writing (which had a lot of problems in seasons 4 and 5, and even a little in season 3) and because they’re too heavily compared to the hot and heavy romance between Angel and Buffy. However, Angel and Cordelia’s relationship developed organically over time in a subtle way and is demonstrative of how much relationships can evolve as life progresses and circumstances change, and how two people can grow together. Theirs was a story about two people, who in the beginning were indifferent to each other, but grew to know each other profoundly and found a lot through being in each others lives - purpose, belonging, family, friendship and love - and through having and sharing that, they fell in love. It’s not a conventional romantic love as most of us would expect, and they didn’t have the chances to fully explore their romantic connection because their story ended prematurely, but it was a beautiful relationship embedded in human connection and friendship at the deepest and purest level.

If you got to the end of this, thank you so much for reading. This took me days and days to write and edit, so I’m really grateful to you for reading and would appreciate likes/reblogs if you found this interesting. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so if you have any feel free to stop by my ask box :)

[olympivnshq]

congratulations daisy ! your dedication to HEBE was truly inspiring, it made L & i feel like plebeians and sit up and pay some serious attention, because who are we and what kind of life choices are we making ?? we can’t wait to see what else you do with juliet and how she flourishes as hebe with your first faceclaim choice: ZOEY DEUTCH.  

☆ﾟ*・ﾟ  OOC INFO.

Daisy, PST, lover of baking and Starbucks

☆ﾟ*・ﾟ  DEITY  —  GENDER. AGE RANGE.

HEBE, goddess of youth - FEMALE. 20-25

☆ﾟ*・ﾟ MORTAL NAME. JOB/OCCUPATION. BOROUGH/NEIGHBORHOOD.

Juliet Young. Make-Up Artist and Waitress. Chelsea, Manhattan

☆ﾟ*・ﾟ AESTHETICS.

mortal form: oversized sweatshirts, different earrings each day, dancing with or without music, “just for fun”, laughter at everything, heart-shaped lollipops, pink make-up brushes, commitment issues, decisions made by impulse, social media addict, one drink too many, lipstick stains on cheeks, crushes that last only a moment, a deep love for life, spots every dog within a 5 mile radius

goddess: forever young, smiles and sunshine, innocent on the outside, knowing her importance, the diligent daughter, always too perfect, ambrosia and nectar, golden goblets, delicate jewels, youthful beauty, patron of young brides, married to a legend (and a legend herself), a secret desire for mortality, the taste of honey, pink eyeshadow and flushed cheeks

“In her grandest form, she was covered in gold, iridescent jewels flowing. In her greatest form, she was barefoot in white cotton, the river-drenched skirts and grass stains her only adornment.”

☆ﾟ*・ PLAYLIST.

i. And I remember all my childhood dreams; I find it hard to get them out of my mind ii. Been 21 since 17, thanks to all the magazines; sometimes I just wanna scream and break my screen iii. When the sky was gold, and I needed no protection; when I was young, whatever happened it would do me no wrong iv. An urge to kiss you and let this secret pleasure out; this youthful slender, hallucinate my woes away

☆ﾟ*・ HOW WOULD YOU PLAY THEM?

Juliet Sinclair has experienced little tragedy in her mortal memories. She was carefully placed within a middle class family, given loving parents and a talented twin sister. They lived comfortable in Long Island for all of her “life”. They were happy - or so the pictures imply. She smiled alongside these people, these strangers who were not strangers at all, and she looked happy. Whatever vengeful beast cast aside the gods, they had shown her mercy with this naive life and innocent memories. Young and beautiful and unbothered - her luck was likely better than the rest. Juliet walks around the city with child-like trust, just as Hebe once walked the roads of Olympus. The connections established in these feeble memories had given her a clear path - one she had not questioned over the course of the past year. She is a waitress (once a cupbearer, always a cupbearer, it seems) at a hip Greek-fusion restaurant, and on her days off she is a fairly successful makeup artist, serving various socialites and the occasional C- or D-list celebrity. Her specialty is covering up wrinkles in order to give her client’s a “youthful glow”, or so her reputation says.

For whatever she has accomplished, Juliet is a severely naive girl. Life is perfect, life is beautiful - “Just smile and everything will work out!” She does not remember the trials of a goddess, but rather the innocence of mortal youth. Those doe-eyes exude hope, something many of her siblings had abandoned long ago. Rather than dwell on the difficult or even notice the bad, she lets a goofy grin spread on her lips as if she’s happy to simply be alive.

Her only trouble comes with something that plagues her entire “generation” - social media has consumed her, even in her memories. Perfect, pretty, poised. Juliet’s account is for business (she says), since many of her clients visit her page for samples of her work and even to judge Juliet herself. Each post is perfectly curated, each caption expertly written; she tracks the likes and despairs over a lost follower. She insists that it’s part of her business, but of course there’s more to it - both the problem and asset of youth is being seen. And she is seen, she’s made sure of it. But they don’t really know her, how could they? She doesn’t even know herself.

answer these questions: 1. are they more likely to stand with the pantheon or against it? Juliet has never considered breaking apart from the gods; she was their dutiful cupbearer (when she was Hebe, that is) and she did as she was told. But her desire to be mortal, her curiosity of what it is to live and die as a human, may create a fissure in her alliance. She would never lift a sword against her brothers and sister of Olympus - she has no reason to. Her life among the gods was idyllic. She was useful, needed; she was - is - an asset to their immortality. Juliet’s only concern is in her curiosity. Perhaps she would rather stay amongst the mortals than return to the mountain; perhaps she would like to grow up. What a shock it would be to see a wrinkle on her brow, with only skillful make-up as a solution and not simply a snap of her fingers to reserve the age.

2. what is their stand on mortals? Curious. That is the best word to describe her strange fascination with them. How can they be so comfortable with aging? Some fight against it, this is true - they cover their skin with liquid to blur their wrinkles, they use computers to enhance their features (or create new ones). Others accept the role of nature. They grow from child to adult and know that one day they will die. Hebe has never considered a death from age, not when she was able to so easily reverse it. She has always wondered what it was like to walk amongst them, to exist in their presence and in their world. The truth is, her youth might be better served in the ground than in the sky.

☆ﾟ*・ SAMPLE PARA (OPTIONAL)

A lollipop sat between delicate pink lips as Juliet tried to balance a plastic cup of iced coffee, a bulky makeup case, and a tablet (whose screen had already been shattered from a similar situation) in overflowing arms. The items were tipping over, precariously threatening to crash to the floor and embarrass her in the decadent lobby. Her savior came in the form of a stranger, a man she had never met but she was sure she had known intimately in another life. Those eyes - blue, so blue. She would never forget them, yet she also did not remember. He appeared out of nowhere, catching her case and her dripping coffee all in one fell swoop. “Ah, my hero,” she teased, although a smile of gratitude crossed her mouth. And as he replied, his voice deep and strong, that tugging familiarity only grew stronger. Her brow knit as she watched him, as if the longer she looked, the likelihood of her remembering would increase. “Do I know you?” The question appeared to shock him as well - perhaps he was thinking the same thing. “Maybe we knew each other in another life,” he shrugged, and Juliet couldn’t tell if he was serious. That was the answer she accepted, though, and with bright eyes she enticed him into helped her up to her client’s floor. ( She had a feeling he would have trouble saying no to her, as if he couldn’t in their “past life” either. ) “What should I call you, then?” It was a simple question. She was looking for a name, something like James or Charlie or Adam. But when he replied, “Well, if I’m your hero, maybe you should just call me Hercules,” her entire body froze. She had no idea why there was ice in her veins, why her heart was trying to escape her chest to reach him. Ignore it, don’t let it bother you - it’s probably nothing. Just a crush that will fade as soon as he leaves your sight. As she entered the apartment, leaving him behind with a polite thank you, the woman she was faced with was equally familiar. There were rumors about her, as there always are in New York’s high society - they said she was promiscuous, that she had a different lover each night. That the woman was more obsessed with the idea of love than actually loving anyone. Juliet preferred to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but the feeling of familiarity tugged on her insistently. As she painted the woman’s plump lips red, she remembered watching them sip from a golden goblet; as she ran her brush along the woman’s nose, she remembered peering at its delicate slope from the corner of her eye as they sat side by side. How? How would she know these people without knowing them? And as she left she called her sister, someone she knew to be real and consistent and sensible. “I feel so weird,” she admitted, “like I forgot an entire part of my life. That’s so stupid, right?”

☆ﾟ*・ ANYTHING ELSE?

I went way overboard with pinterest.

[patriotsnet]

How Many Registered Republicans Are In The United States

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/how-many-registered-republicans-are-in-the-united-states/

How Many Registered Republicans Are In The United States

Chart 1 And Table 2: Nationwide Party Registration Trends Since 2000

Since 2000, the nationwide proportion of registered Democratic and Republican voters in party registration states have both gone down, while the percentage of registered independents has steadily grown. The latter has nearly reached the nationwide percentage of registered Republicans, which has long been second nationally to the Democrats. Altogether, the combined number of registered Democrats and Republicans, which was 77% in October 2000, is now down to 69%, while the proportion of registered independents over the same period has increased from 22% to 28%.

Note: Based on active registered voters in states where the number of active and inactive registrants is listed. In the election-eve 2000, 2008, and 2016 entries, Independents include a comparatively small number of registered miscellaneous voters who do not fit into a particular category. Percentages do not add to 100 since the small percentage of registered third party voters is not included.

As A Successful Republican New Mexico Governor 2016 Libertarian Party Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson Pronounced That He Had Slashed Taxes More Than A Dozen Times Balanced The There Are Many On The Left Who Support The Libertarian Partys Proposals To Legalize The Liberal Use Of Marijuana

39.66 percent of voters are registered with that party. The most recent poll at the time of writing gives a d+11 advantage. Even if youd rather not commit to any particular party, you may find yourself wishing to support a specific democrat candidate when primaries come around. Once you know which party you belong to, it will be easier to decide which candidates to vote for during elections. This quiz will ask you questions about your political beliefs. However, registered republicans outnumber democrats in six of the states 21 counties, and there several other counties that are pretty evenly split. Over 60% of black voters are registered democrats compared to just 3% that are registered in surveys, more than half of seattle voters identified as democrat or leaning democratic. The answer may surprise you. Are you a democrat or a republican? Are there more democrats or republicans who top that list? The election of 2010 gave republicans the majority beginning in january, 2011. These are broadly generalized opinions; There are still way more registered democrats;

The election of 2010 gave republicans the majority beginning in january, 2011. Hello and thank you for registering. It was a more natural association. related: Are there more democrats or republicans who top that list? The republican party has waxed and waned in popularity and membership over the years, never quite having as many registered partisans as the democrats.

Democrats Have 12 Million More Registered Voters Than Republicans

UVA Center for Politics Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball posted the latest numbers of registered Democrats, Republicans and Independents in the 31 states that require party registration to vote. Democrats and their friends in the media have been great at getting people to register as Democrats .

Democrats lead the GOP by 12 million registered voters in states that are key in the mid-terms.

Its not good news for the GOP in the mid-terms. Important states now have more registered Democrats than Republicans, and in many, its by a significant amount.

Democrats now account for 40% of the registered voters in those states, Republicans are only 29% and Independents account for 28 percent. Its shocking when one considers they are successfully running on high taxes and spending, a loss of freedoms, Stormy Daniels, and open borders.

There arent many states that are solid red and many are close to becoming blue.

It gives Democrats a decided advantage.

VENEZEULA, HERE WE COME

Its concerning when you consider states like North Carolina and Colorado now have more Democrats than Republicans and others like Arizona are close. We can thank the invasion of leftists coming in from foreign nations for some of this. Certainly, it is what changed California. Foreigners loyal to their native lands are deciding our policies.

THE CHART

Gallup: Democrats Now Outnumber Republicans By 9 Percentage Points Thanks To Independents

I think what we have to do as a party is battle the damage to the Democratic brand, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jamie Harrison said on The Daily Beasts . Gallup reported Wednesday that, at least relatively speaking, the Democratic brand is doing pretty good.

In the first quarter of 2021, 49 percent of U.S. adults identified as Democrats or independents with Democratic leanings, versus 40 percent for Republicans and GOP leaders, Gallup said. The 9-percentage-point Democratic advantage is the largest Gallup has measured since the fourth quarter of 2012. In recent years, Democratic advantages have typically been between 4 and 6 percentage points.

New Gallup polling finds that in the first quarter of 2021, an average of 49% of Americans identify with/lean toward the Democratic Party, versus 40 percent for Republicans.

Thats the largest gap since 2012:https://t.co/YpUvqBKxLx

Greg Sargent April 7, 2021

Party identification, polled on every Gallup survey, is something that we think is important to track to give a sense to the relevant strength of the two parties at any one point in time and how party preferences are responding to events,Gallup senior editor Jeff Jones told USA Today.

More stories from theweek.com

Our Ruling: Partly False

The claim in the post is rated PARTLY FALSE. The tweet that appears in viral Facebook posts cites correct vote totals for Trump and Biden . But it falsely reports the number of registered voters. More than 159 million registered voters cast ballots in the general election, out of 239 million eligible voters. So it is completely possible that Trump and Biden would post that many total votes. 

This Marks The First Time Since Party Registration Began Republicans Are Also More Than Three Points Off Where They Were Four Years Earlier In 2004 When 3279 Percent Of Voters Were Republican And

Phoenix there are more registered democrats than republicans in arizonas congressional district 1, according to voting registration data recently analyzed by dataorbital. For decades, the word conservative have been synonymous with orange county. 39.66 percent of voters are registered with that party. There are now more registered independents than republicans, marking a first for the u.s. Ballot harvesting, a surge of illegal aliens from the southern border and middle eastern refugees resettled in orange county by obama has shifted the. Immigration policy is about a lot more than just border enforcement or ice raids. Since 2012, more voters have chosen not to register for either. Republicans and democrats are the dominant political parties in the united states of america. But today, a survey by ballot access shows there are more registered independents than republicans, perhaps a sign that political parties. According to the register, there are now 547,458 registered democrats versus 547,369 registered republicans. It is not a straightforward question. The county has had experienced shocking losses during the 2018 midterms where democrats controlled. Suppose there are 1000 white americans in total.

Or was it just low turnout that allowed marijuana to get legalized there?

But that doesnt mean everyone votes for their party.

There are now more registered independents than republicans, marking a first for the u.s.

Dapatkan link

Gop Registration Drop After Capitol Attack Is Part Of Larger Trend

WASHINGTON In the weeks since the January riot at the Capitol, there has been a raft of stories about voters across the country leaving the Republican Party. Some of the numbers are eye-catching and suggest that the GOP may be shrinking before our eyes, but a closer look at the numbers over time shows that a larger change has been working its way through the party for some time.

In fact, when one takes into account shifts in the composition of the Democratic Party, the real story seems to be more about a deeper remaking of the nations two major political parties.

To be sure, the headlines from the last few weeks have been striking, with multiple states reporting large declines in Republican voter registrations.

In Pennsylvania, more than 12,000 Republicans dropped the “R” from their registrations in January. In North Carolina, the figure was close to 8,000. In Arizona the figure was about 9,200 through late-January. And in one county in California, San Diego, more than 4,700 Republicans left the party last month.

Those are sizable changes and they are much larger than the moves away from the Democrats in those places, but they come with some caveats. There are always some losses and gains in registrations for the Democrats and Republicans. Partisan identity can be fluid for a large chunk of the voters, and remember: just because a voter is registered with one party doesnt mean he or she always votes for its candidates.

Closed Primaries Are When Only Registered Democrats From January 2007 To January 2011 There Were More Democrats

This quiz will ask you questions about your political beliefs. Ive seen a lot where it says theyre a registered democrat . 39.66 percent of voters are registered with that party. The most recent poll at the time of writing gives a d+11 advantage. It is not a straightforward question. Prove it by acing our democrat or republican quiz. What republican and democrats believe. Lets start with this example. Altogether, there are 10 states with more registered independents than either democrats or republicans. For example, in kentucky1 as of 8/15/2018, 49.8% of registered voters are democrats while only 41.6% are republicans. The analysis in this report draws on more than 10,000 interviews with registered voters in 2017 and tens of thousands of interviews conducted in previous years (see. Being a registered democrat or republican, or for that matter socialist, green or independent, simply means that when you filled out your voter registration form you checked that box on the form. There are many pressing issues in.

Party Affiliation By State

Party affiliation by state Switch to:State by political party

% of adults who identify as

Democrat/lean Dem. Sample Size

Sample size = 511. Visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Alabama

Since Democrats And Republicans Appear To Have An Inexhaustible Appetite For Political Friction In The United States The Words Democrat And Republican Are Widely Used To Mean The Two Major Lets Take A Closer Look At Where These Two Words Came From And How They Came To Be Used In The

Altogether, there are 31 states with party registration; Eric rauchway, professor of american history at the university of democrats seized upon a way of ingratiating themselves to western voters: How many wars were initiated by democrats since the beginning of the usa? Republicans were able to fend off challenges from democrats trying to flip control of state legislatures in key states. Results seemed to follow what was set out by prediction polls, with the democrats seizing control of the house of representatives and the republicans maintaining the majority in the senate. Republicans who worked with democrats were traitors in the war for seats in congress. Since democrats and republicans appear to have an inexhaustible appetite for political friction in the united states, the words democrat and republican are widely used to mean the two major lets take a closer look at where these two words came from and how they came to be used in the. Republicans opinions carry less weight. How many democrats, republicans, and independents are registered? Voter registration and participation are crucial for the nations democracy to function properly and for the us government to provide fair representation. So, perhaps i should start with a story. Democrats did see a boost in 2008 when former president obama was elected, hitting a peak of 43.62 percent of registered voters. Democratic supporters accounted for 35% of the electorate.

Immigration Policy Is About A Lot More Than Just Border Enforcement Or Ice Raids

Glancing at the graph above, it looks like the number of unaffiliated might even be higher than the number of democrats by the 2020 election (the triangle markers along the top edge of the graph denote the. For decades, the word conservative have been synonymous with orange county. Orange county, long a republican stronghold, has officially turned blue. Short answer, more democrats than republicans, but the largest group, by wide margins, is neither. The county that nurtured ronald reagans conservatism and is the resting place of richard nixon is now home to 547,458 registered democrats, compared with 547,369 republicans.

In 2021 Republicans Will Have Full Control Of The Legislative And Executive Branch In 23 States

Democrats and independents grow more diverse since 2008. According to gallup.com about 42% of voters claim to be independents. There is a big difference between a state, for example with 7000 registered greens, which had a net increase of plus 200 where 201 new voters registered in to the greens and only 1 left, compared to a situation in the same state where 5000 voters newly registered green but at the same time 4800 left the party. Currently, republicans have 51 seats, and democrats have 47 with two races still undecided. San francisco 62.61% modoc 54.46% santa clara 29.92% Their partisan affiliation was roughly split between three groups: How the county has changed since this time last year: Democrats will have full control of the legislative and executive branch in 15 states. There are roughly 55 million registered republicans. There are 517,562 registered democrats this year in allegheny county, compared to 520,135 in 2016. The counties with the 10 highest percentages of democratic party, republican party, and no party preference registered voters are: According to data from ballot access news, independents make up 29.09 percent of registered voters, while republicans make up 28.87 percent and democrats make up 39.66 percent. In 12 states, there are more registered republicans than democrats.

For The First Time There Are Fewer Registered Republicans Than Independents

For the first time in history, there are more registered independents in the United States than there are registered Republicans.

It may not be for the reason you think, though.

New data from Ballot Access News, which tracks registrations in the 31 states that require voters to register by party, shows that independents account for 29.09 percent of voters in them, compared with 28.87 percent for Republicans. As recently as 2004, Republicans outpaced independents by nearly 10 percentage points.

There are still way more registered Democrats; 39.66 percent of voters are registered with that party.

This marks the first time since party registration began in the early 1900s that the number of registered independents in the United States has surpassed members of either major political party, according to Ballot Access News.

Heres the data going back to 2004:

But before anybody chalks this up as having to do with the current occupant of the White House, its worth parsing the trends.

While independents have surpassed Republicans, there actually hasnt been a huge drop in GOP party registration since President Trump took office. Since October 2016, GOP registration has dropped by half a percentage point. The number of registered Democrats declined by nearly a full point over the same span. Independents have benefited from both drops.

Who Is Richer Democrats Or Republicans The Answer Probably Wont Surprise You

Which of the two political parties has more money, Democrats or Republicans? Most would rush to say Republicans due to the partys ideas towards tax and money. In fact, polls have shown about 60 percent of the American people believe Republicans favor the rich. But how true is that?  can help you write about the issue but read our post first.

Key Point From This Article

Altogether, there are 31 states with party registration; in the others, such as Virginia, voters register without reference to party. In 19 states and the District, there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. In 12 states, there are more registered Republicans than Democrats. In aggregate, 40% of all voters in party registration states are Democrats, 29% are Republicans, and 28% are independents. Nationally, the Democratic advantage in the party registration states approaches 12 million.

Voter Registration And State Political Control

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.

The state Democratic or Republican Party controls the governorship, the state legislative houses, and U.S. Senate representation. Nebraska’s legislature is unicameral, i.e., it has only one legislative house and is officially non-partisan, though party affiliation still has an unofficial influence on the legislative process.

The simplest measure of party strength in a state voting population is the affiliation totals from voter registration for the 30 states and the District of Columbia as of 2019 that allow registered voters to indicate a party preference when registering to vote. 20 states do not include party preference with voter registration: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The party affiliations in the party control table are obtained from state party registration figures where indicated. Only Wyoming has a majority of registered voters identifying themselves as Republicans; two states have a majority of registered voters identifying themselves as Democrats: Maryland and Kentucky .

At Least 60 Afghans And 13 Us Service Members Killed By Suicide Bombers And Gunmen Outside Kabul Airport: Us Officials

Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport Thursday, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. At least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops were killed, Afghan and U.S. officials said.

How Many Registered Republicans Are There

How Many Registered Republicans Are There. However, since then, the republican share of the registration has increased from 28.87% to 29.51%, whereas independent registration has declined from 29.09% to 28.38%. And there are roughly 42 million that is less than 170 million people.

According to gallup.com about 42% of voters claim to be independents. In 2021, republicans will have full control of the legislative and executive branch in 23 states. There are more than 300 million americans. Louisiana, for example, has more than 300,000 more registered democrats than registered republicans . In the coming days, we will take a look at north carolina’s registered republicans and democrats, respectively.

Which Administration Should Have Been The One To End The Us Presence In Afghanistan

There are more than 10 professors affiliated with the Democratic Party for every faculty member who is a registered Republican, according to a new study.

Mitchell Langbert, an associate professor of business management at Brooklyn College, reviewed the party affiliations of 8,688 tenure-track, Ph.D.-holding professors at 51 of the top 60 liberal arts colleges listed in U.S. News and World Reports 2017 rankings.

Nearly 60 percent of all faculty members were registered as either a Republican or a Democrat, and of that sample, there were 10.4 times as many Democrats as Republicans.

TOP STORIESTexas Supreme Court rules AWOL Democrats may be arrested

The political registration of full-time, Ph.D.-holding professors in top-tier liberal arts colleges is overwhelmingly Democratic, Mr. Langbert wrote in an article published by the National Association of Scholars. Indeed, faculty political affiliations at 39 percent of the colleges in my sample are Republican free having zero Republicans.

There are several shortcomings associated with political uniformity in higher education, Mr. Langbert continued, including biased research and diminished academic credibility.

Studies show that academic psychologists are more likely to study the attitudes and behaviors of conservatives than liberals. They are also more likely to view conservative beliefs as deviant.

There are a few colleges that stood out in Mr. Langberts sample.

More Nevadans Registered As Republicans Than Democrats Last Month Election Officials Say

LAS VEGAS Election officials say more Nevadans registered as Republicans last month than Democrats. Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske reported that the GOP gained 6,580 active registered voters in July.

The Democratic Party added 5,718 active registered voters voters. Democrats still hold a statewide voter registration advantage over Republicans in Nevada, comprising 38% of all active registered voters. Republicans make up 33%.

Unaffiliated voters are 23%. Overall, there are more than 1.6 million active registered voters in Nevada. Inactive registered voters are voters who generally do not have a current address on file with election officials. They are still eligible to cast ballots.

Poll: Persistent Partisan Divide Over ‘birther’ Question

One way that Donald Trump launched onto the political stage five years ago was through his fervent claims that President Barack Obama was not a U.S. citizen. Though Obama has since produced birth certificates certifying his birth in Hawaii, recently, such rumors have been given new life by commentators and pundits on the right. But just how many continue to think the president was not born in the U.S.? And which voters hold such views?

Seventy-two percent of registered Republican voters still doubt President Obamas citizenship, according to a recent NBC News|SurveyMonkey poll conducted in late June and early July of more than 1,700 registered voters. And this skepticism even exists among Republicans high in political knowledge.

To see whether voters believe that Obama was not born in the United States, we asked them about their agreement with this statement: Barack Obama was born in the United States. The chart below shows responses broken down by party identification.

A first look reveals significant and surprising differences between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to their beliefs about Obamas birthplace.

While more than eight in 10 Democrats agreed with the claim, far more Republicans disagreed with the statement than agreed with it . An additional 31 percent of Republicans expressed some doubts about whether Obama is a native U.S. citizen . Only slightly more than one in four Republican voters agreed that the president was born in the United States.

Minor Parties In Gubernatorial Races 1857

The following table includes state-by-state information on when a minor party’s candidate for governor won at least 5 percent of the vote between 1857 and 2012. In four states , a minor party candidate for governor had not won 5 percent or more of the vote since the 19th century. A total of 17 states saw minor party candidates win at least 5 percent of the vote for governor between 1982 and 2012. The information was compiled by Richard Winger of Ballot Access News.

When did a minor party last poll 5% for governor? State

Ballot Access News

The Claim: There Are Just 133 Million Registered Voters In The Us

The 2020 election season saw record voter turnout across the country. President-elect Joe Biden now holds the record for the most votes received by a presidential candidate, after getting more than 81 million.

Despite losing dozens of lawsuits and the Electoral College’s certification of Biden’s win, President Donald Trump’s campaign and others continue to promote falsehoods about the credibility and security of the election.

A Dec. 21 , which pulled a screenshot of a Twitter post, claimed Biden somehow received 22 million phantom votes. The post has over 1,200 shares, as of Dec. 30.

“Simple math: Trump got 74 million votes and there are only 133 million registered voters in the USA,” the claims. “Even if everyone who’s registered actually voted, there would only be 59 million votes left for Biden. So how the hell did Biden get 81 million votes? 22 million extra?”

The Facebook user who made that particular post has not returned a request for comment from USA TODAY. 

Another made the same claim without pulling a screenshot from Twitter. USA TODAY has also reached out to this user for comment.

And the Twitter account MSM Fact Checking posted a similar claim on Dec. 18, from which many viral Facebook posts stem.

And then, “Just for complete transparency, even at 65% turnout the total would be just over 138,000,000 voters resulting in over 155,000,000 votes. However you look at it, it doesn’t add up.”

[apsbicepstraining]

Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Behaviour

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump was a little confused the dollar: Was it a strong one thats good for the economy? Or a strong one?

So he made a call except not to any of the business leaders Trump is incorporated into his administrationor even to an age-old friend from his periods in real estate. Instead, he called his national security consultant, withdrew Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, according to two roots familiar with Flynns reports of the incident.

Flynn has a long record in counterintelligence but not in macroeconomics. And he told Trump he didnt know, that it wasnt its own area of expertise, that, perhaps, Trump should ask an economist instead.

Trump was not stimulated with that answer but that may have been a function of the time of day. Trump had residence the call at 3 a.m ., according to one of Flynns retellings although neither the White House nor Flynns office responded to requests for confirmation about that detail.

Pool via Getty Images

President Donald Trump does appear to take great pleasure in some aspects of the presidency but can also register great sorenes at harassments.

For Americans who based their intuition of Trump on the skilled and deciding financier he depicted on his Apprentice TV reality pictures, the description from these and many other morsels arising as a result of his government may seem a stun: an impulsive, sometimes petty chief executive more interested in the adulation of the nation than the details of his own the development of policies and quick-witted to designate blamed when circumstances do not travel his way.

Unsurprisingly, Trumps volatile behavior has created a better environment ripe for leaks from his executive agencies and even within his White House. And while divulges commonly commit staffers sabotaging one another to improve their own standing or trying to scuttle plan thoughts they find genuinely problematic, Trumps 2-week-old disposal has a third category: reveals from White House and agency bureaucrats fright including the president conduct.

Ive been in this town for 26 times. I have never seen anything like this, suggested Eliot Cohen, a elderly State Department official under President George W. Bush and a member of his National Security Council. I genuinely do not think this is a mentally healthy president.

Ive been in this town for 26 times. I have never seen anything like this. I genuinely do not think this is a mentally health president. Eliot Cohen, former State Department official under George W. Bush

There is the matter of Trumps briefing information, for example. The commander in chief doesnt like to read long memos, a White House aide who asked to remain unnamed told The Huffington Post. So preferably they must be no more than a single sheet. They must have missile parts but not more than nine per page.

Small things can provide him enormous joyfulnes or generate intense irritant. Trump told The New York Times that hes fascinated with the phone system inside the White House. At the same experience, hes registered individual complaints about the handwriting towels aboard Air Force One, the White House aide said, because they are not soft enough.

Hes been particularly obsessed with the capabilities of his aides on cable tv. Past chairwomen frequently didnt make time to watch their press secretarys daily briefs with reporters, but Trump appears to have reached it part of his routine. Saturday Night Lives weekly skewering of his administration is similarly on his must-watch register with his reaction wandering from unamused to seething.

Information about Trumps personal interactions and the inner workings of his administration has come to HuffPost from souls in administration the institutions and in the White House itself. They spoke on condition of obscurity for suspicion of losing their jobs.

While some of the discloses are based on opposition to his policies the travel censor on all refugees and on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim people, for instance numerous seem motivated by a belief that Trumps statements, deeds and tweets pose a genuine threat.

When Trump tweeted about North koreans rocket engineering three weeks before he took office, for example, it scrambled then-President Barack Obamas national security apparatus, which construed increased risk in provoking an precarious young despot who possessed nuclear weapons.

Richard Nephew, a State Department expert on Iran sanctions under Obama, said some of the discloses from the agencies are likely efforts to let the public know that their admonition has not been followed, in the event something bad results down the road. This, I imagine, is about becoming it clear that these kinfolks have tried to do the right thing and there is only so much better they can do with a hostile organisation, Nephew said.

Perhaps along those lines, The Associated Press reported a detailed description of telephone calls Jan. 27 between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto , noting further that Trump responded Mexico had bad hombres and that he might need to send U.S. units to take care of things.( The White House later did Trump had been joking around .) The Washington Post detailed a Jan. 28 communication between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbullin which Trump angrily deplored an agreement to resettle refugees held by Australia in the United States.

The New York Times, meanwhile, covered a photograph of a brooding commander in chief, straying the White House alone in a bathrobe at night, watching too much cable television and expressing his exasperations through enraged tweets.

I think its a cry for help, did Elizabeth Rosenberg, a counterterrorism expert at the Treasury Department under Obama. She replied numerous staffers still working in the national security business under Trump watch whats arising and are driven by a simple reason: Skepticism, and the need to share it.

There’s ever leaks. Every president in history has said the press hates me, and there’s too many leaks. Ron Kaufman, former White House staffer under George H.W. Bush

The White House has repudiated many of these histories, including the idea that Trump owns( let alone wears) a bathrobe. Others feud the premise that Trump staffers eroding his competence is rare. Ron Kaufman, who worked in George H.W. Bushs White House in the late 1980 s and early 1990 s, argued that the Trump administrations leaks are par for the course for a young organisation. Theres always discloses, Kaufman spoke. Every president in history has said the press detests me and theres too many leaks.

And Republican National Committee member Randy Evans, a veteran of Newt Gingrichs leak-prone House loudspeakers suite in the 1990 s, said he doesnt get that sense that Trumps staffers are interrogating his fitness for the number of jobs.

Not hitherto, anyway, Evans remarked. Were simply too early in the process. I think you interpret a lot of political jockeying going on and a lot of self-importance going on.

The idea that Trump is temperamentally ill-suited for the presidency is nothing new. It was the primary proof against him during both the GOP primaries a year ago and the legislative elections last-place summertime and descend. At experiences, Trump seemed to embrace the characterization, wearing it as a button of reputation for his status as an anti-establishment outsider.

But what were only hypothetical relates on the campaign trail are now life-and-death decisions inside the White House as evidenced by the death of a Navy commando in a botched raid in Yemen on Jan. 29. Trump agreed with that attacked following a dinner gratify that included his top political consultant, former Breitbart News Chairman Stephen Bannon, whose permanent membership in the National Security Council was itself the basis of widespread holes and alerts from “the member states national” security establishment.

The intelligence community is desperately looking for a route to get some leverage in altering hazardous policies away from a disastrous vector, spoke Rick Wilson, a former Pentagon official familiar with intelligence issues who has become a vocal Trump critic.

Evans responded at some degree the White House will have to get serious about harmful divulges if they want to control their message, just as Gingrichs office had to two decades ago. He described the method of intentionally liberating goodies to various staffers to construe what turned up in photograph. If the administration gets serious about leaks, theyll do the blue-dye measure and find them, Evans said.

But to Cohen, who now learns at Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies, the problem is not the leakers. Its the president. Because Trump has shown no genuine tendernes or respect for anyone outside his immediate house, Cohen spoke, he cannot expect that of his faculty. This is what happens when you have a narcissist as president.

The post Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Behaviour appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[jurajbato-blog]

Solivagant

Hello everyone. Ladies and gentlemen I am 26 years old man from Slovakia. Small country in the middle of Europe, former Czechoslovakia. What I am about to write down is simply my story. I know there are people who went through tough times in their life, not even comparable with mine but trust me, I have some experience as well. At my 26 I have already worked and lived in 7 different cities spread out into 3 continents. It all started with tragic moment in my life, And I think this would be descent start of my story. Let me know if my writing is something that you like, my apologies for occasional gramatical mistakes, english is not my mother tongue. Part I.   Death of my mate Chapter 1 Wake up call RING RING RING. I opened my eyes and I pressed that freaking alarm button which was about to torture me again. 6,30 am. Shit , I have forgotten my cell-phone in the car. I try to stop thinking about that crazy dream which was taking care of me during this night. I fell asleep thinking about my mate Mark who did not come for the cinema last night. It supposed  to be small group of us and that crazy wanker did not show up,  did not return calls, no facebook, skype, viber connection. Simply weird. “Maybe it is  just his revange for the last time” said David and we laughed so badly. Two weeks ago we organised a cinema event and because Mark was always not reliable about the time keeping we sent him to different cinema that we actually went. As expected he call us back and wondered why is nobody around. “You stupid wanker” Martin said. “Enjoy the movie” and cut the call off. You cant imagine what a nasty words were coming out of his mouth once he realised it and call us back  but we simply could not stop laughing. Well I shook off that weird dream out of me , stood up and took keys from my car and run out of my flat,  took a lift and came to my car. There he was, my cell phone. I did swipe the screen but what I have seen on it just frozen me. 25 missing calls, 10 sms “call me back asap” gave a fresh wake up call. Im dialling number, calling…. Martin….. ” Whats up mate, why  am i having 25 miss calls from you? “Bro I dont know where to start”. -Martin said. (My heart skipped a beat.) ” Its about Mark, he was found death this morning, mate….he is dead.” “I call you back Martin” – I whispered. Did I just hang out the phone call which announce that one of my best friends is dead? Hold on, it can not be right, something is going wrong here and I cant breathe. I sat on the chair which was in the front of the  courtyard of my hause. What the fuck did I just hear? ” Martin I am  really sorry than I hang-out could you just repeat what you said to me?”- I almost sounded like a beggar begginng for a money. “Mate I am doing it since 04.00 am this morning, already spoken to minimum of 50 people and literally cant do one more phone call like that. I know its unbelievable and I have a problem to realise what has happened as well. Trust me bro , I wish that this morning  is just a big, nasty nightmare.” “We better  meet tonight” – I said to him.  Martin said that 300% nad than hang out. I simply could not go back home. I start to walk. Nowhere, without the plan or final destination. I felt like I was fucking dreaming. And than it came. Phone calls, sms, facebook, all technology which brought us a communication during last decade was trying to ask me what the hell has happened and if it is true. After 5th person I just become offline  because I could not take it…. “Bro you should seen the face of his brother when he knocked on my door. I was literally scare to death because of his facial expression”- said Martin We just stood next to each other in quiet place not far away from my flat. “Well did he say anything more than that?” I replied. “No mate. He just sluttered something about finding Mark and than start crying like a crazy.” I had to call hospital for him mate”. ” His funeral is on the Friday than? I whispered. “Indeed, mate, indeed”. Martin was not even able to shook my hand. Both of us had that empty face expression, staring into nowhere. “I ll catch ya later” Martin said. I just shook my head and went back home. Chapter 2 Funeral I smoked my second pack of cigarettes today. Never been a smoker but today is a need for that. Still could not believe this nonsense. The black coffin with my death friend just slipped under the ground and wake-up call rang so loud in my head. Direct punch of pure reality just hit my face. I have realised it and it just brought all  tears out of me and I simply  felt like a sucked testicles. My mate commited a suicide 3 days ago and my entire world has crashed apart. Summer was ahead of us and we planned a holiday together and since Tuesday I actually do not remember anything besides that early Tuesday  phone call which brought those “news” to me. The funeral ceremony is about to end soon and I took another look around me. My best friends from high school, classmates and close relatives of Mark(the departed one) are gathering together, empty faces were staring into nowhere and I am literally praying for him but also for the end of  this crazy moment othewise I will lost it completely. The worst view was on Marks family. I could not look them into eyes and I do not know why. It just did not feel right. I just found my mate who has been out with me and Mark a day before he died. We had fun, drank couple of drinks and discussed our plans for the future. Mark was so lively, full of ideas, just found himself a girlfriend. After 5th Mochito we promised ourselves that we gonna organise coctail night like that every weekend. Well here we are. Both of us just not able to say a bloody word staring at each other. There are no words needed. Indeed. And than all of the sudden  Mark”s father final speech finally cut this crazy silent moment and the meaning of his words   was something I will carry with myself for the rest of my life. Ive came home after the funeral ceremony, still pale and  crying and just sat at my sofa and open a bottle of vodka. In 2 hours I should be in our favourite place where we used to hang out during high school with Mark and my best mates. Could not remember how did I get there. But frankly, it was not that bad. Actually it made me feel better. Not the fact that I have seen everyone crying, but that kind of teamwork and discussion between us  certainly made this nighmare day slightly better. When I have finished my 3rd pack of cigarettes that day, my ex-girlfriend has came to me and whispered into my ears :  “I am here for you if you need anything” Not sex, you naughty bastards, that was not the first thought I had on my mind. Honestly, it could be the 2nd or 3rd one but at that particular moment I just kissed her and whisper: ” I am alright, trust me”. I certainly was not. But I was certain of the actions I will take in upcoming weeks. Cant breathe the air in this town anymore. I have to leave… To be continued #life #experience #live #truestory  #life #experience #live #truestory

[bikethevote]

Bike The Vote L.A. Report Card - Mayoral Candidate David Saltsburg

2017 Mayoral Candidate Report Card: David “Zuma Dogg” Saltsburg

Primary Election day: Tuesday, March 7, 7am-8pm Find your polling place: http://lavote.net/locator

Vision for Livable Communities: F Prioritization of Safety: C Commitment to Equity: F Commitment to Collaboration: F Overall Bike The Vote LA Grade: F

For anyone involved in L.A. local politics, City Hall gadfly David Saltsburg, a.k.a. “Zuma Dogg,” is a familiar face and voice for his non-sequitur and profane outbursts during public comment at City Council meetings. We appreciate his response to our questionnaire from the perspective of someone who has commuted by bike on L.A.’s difficult streets, but Zuma Dogg doesn’t have the knowledge, perspective, or temperament to be considered a serious candidate to lead Los Angeles.

(See below for Zuma Dogg’s response to Bike The Vote L.A.)

1. In 2015, Los Angeles approved Mobility Plan 2035, the first update to the Transportation Element of its General Plan since 1999. Mobility Plan 2035 puts “safety first” in transportation decisions, and provides a vision for a transportation system composed of safe and quality transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and automotive options. How would you like to see this Plan implemented, and how do you envision Los Angeles’ transportation system in 2022 at the end of the next Mayoral term?

My main concern, as a biker, myself, is; drivers making turns, who do not give a final look before pulling away; as biker with right of way, is coming through. I spent over six years, as bike/bus only in L.A. Never had a problem biking along side of road, with or without a bike lane. It's cars who don't stop for bikers, with a bike lane or not that have hit me, multiple times.

2. How can Los Angeles catch up to peer cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle in terms of quality of roadway infrastructure and bicycle-friendliness?

We can't catch up. L.A. is very different, geographically, to begin with; and we will never be able to change that. But, we can continually improve our own roadway infrastructure.

3. On August 24, 2015, Mayor Garcetti signed Executive Directive 10, setting ‘Vision Zero’ as a policy for Los Angeles, with the goal of eliminating traffic-related deaths within 10 years. In order to meet this goal, LADOT identified a “High Injury Network” to prioritize safety improvements on L.A.’s most dangerous streets. However, after a year and a half, we have seen very little concrete action to reduce transportation-related deaths on City streets. What do you see as the critical hurdles for improving safety on Los Angeles streets, and how would you work to address these impediments in reducing speeding in order to save lives?

The city can't tie it's own shoelaces, because there is no quality management at L.A. City Hall. Those who have followed my campaign, and overall activism at city hall over past decade know that my number one goal as mayor; on day one; is to implement the 14 points of quality and productivity; that many of you know about. You can make all the demands and even turn them into plans. But, then; how do you achieve any of these goals when the system to achieve any and all goals is broken to the point where there isn't even really a system. It's called leadership; and it's something we haven't seen at city hall in a long time. Read my 14 point plan on my website.

4. In 2011 the City of Los Angeles adopted a Bicycle Master Plan identifying a network of bike lanes to make bicycle commuting a safe and comfortable commuting option. However, after most easy-to-install bike lanes were implemented, the City largely stopped pursuing reconfigurations of roads to accommodate bike lanes on streets where the number of travel lanes might be affected. Since Mayor Garcetti took office, implemented bike lane miles have plummeted from 251 in FY2013-14 and 120 in FY2014-15 to 38 in FY2014-15 and a mere 17 in FY2015-16. Do you see a network of bicycle infrastructure as an important component to making Los Angeles a bike-friendly city? If so, what will your administration do within the next Mayoral term to accelerate the development of a comprehensive network of bike lanes in Los Angeles?

if L.A. is to be a bike friendly city; then more needs to be done. A lot more. Based on these questions, it seems like the main problem is a messed up, inefficient, wasteful system; of do nothingness. To accelerate the goals you mention; it takes the will and intent of the mayor; and then council -- and again, we must implement quality and productivity (14 points) at city hall. I think the bike community is seeing that. AND, I am very big on an education campaign (bus signs/public service ads) -- reminding drivers that they have to stop for bikers in intersections; and it's not a movie stunt scene to try and clear the biker, without hitting them. I will be that spokesperson, as mayor; or simply as Zuma Dogg, if you want me to do it.

5. Much emphasis in transportation engineering has been placed in recent years on protected bike lanes and protected intersections. New York City began installing modern parking-protected bicycle lanes in 2007. Los Angeles has started to follow suit, installing short stretches of protected bike lanes in the 2nd Street Tunnel, on Reseda Blvd, on westbound Venice Blvd, on Los Angeles Street, and on southbound Van Nuys Blvd. But with many of these installations limited to ½-mile segments, separated by many miles across a large city, and no protected intersections implemented in Los Angeles; they hardly represent a viable backbone to support bicycle commuting for all ages and skill levels. How do you plan to implement the protected bike lane network envisioned in Mobility Plan 2035, seeing as so far only about 1.1 lane miles of the 300 planned lane miles have been been built in the year and a half since the Plan was adopted? When can Angelenos expect to rely on a system of protected bike lanes to get them around Los Angeles, as commuters now do in New York and Chicago?

The same response, as above, applies here; but I must say; bikers cannot expect L.A. to be the bikers utopia we'd like. The city is a car city, more than any of these other cities mentioned. The streets were not designed to be a bike city. We're trying to jam a square peg. The city doesn't have a magic wand. I do believe that city hall wants L.A. to add as many bike lanes, as possible; if for no other reason than to make driving traffic so bad; people take mass transit. They even publicly say so. So, when they do part of a bike lane...then some is exposed without a lane; then back to a lane...we as bikers (and again, though I have a car, now; too; just went over six years without a car, in L.A., and only got a car this past year. So, I spent past six or seven years on bike only. But, I'm not an unrealistic, nutty crybaby, either. And, I remind you, I've been hit by cars several times on my bike.

6. A 2014 report by the L.A. Times noted a rise in hit & run crimes against people on bikes in Los Angeles. What action will your administration take – both at the local level and in working with State legislators – to reduce hit & run crimes?

The start is an education campaign. Everyone knows what happens when you are caught drinking and driving. Or, these days;  people know you don't leave pets in unattended cars, due to heat. We need an education campaign, and a huge on on radio/tv/newspaper/billboards about watching for bikers -- and if you hit and run; it's as big a crime as hitting a vehicle driver.

7. Bike share systems have been implemented across Los Angeles, but as systems expand to different areas of Los Angeles and neighboring cities, experts foresee three major obstacles: stations that are discontinuous/too far apart, stations with unsafe walking conditions that limit access, and systems that are out of reach for low-income residents. What areas would you like to see bike share expanded to within Los Angeles, and what should the City be doing to make these systems more accessible, affordable, and useful to all Angelenos?

It's not going to be more affordable. It's gonna be an expensive, rip-off from a price standpoint. it's like saying, "how will you make popcorn and drinks at movie theater more affordable for low-income residents. It's not the same as public transportation, yet. Just a tourist thing. If they are all discontinuous; that's because departments and agencies don't have a quality and productivity plan (like a flow chart) to make things work together. Clearly, needs to be one, citywide system; that is continuous for the user. Darn, forgot to mention huge peeve of mine: city needs to issue notice; then enforce for Uber/Lyft drivers who use bike lanes as valet zones. Ive made my presence felt w these drivers, many times; while biking around them, into traffic. But, im running for mayor; so wont say HOW i make my presence felt. ;)

[apsbicepstraining]

Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Behaviour

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump was a little confused the dollar: Was it a strong one thats good for the economy? Or a strong one?

So he made a call except not to any of the business leaders Trump is incorporated into his administrationor even to an age-old friend from his periods in real estate. Instead, he called his national security consultant, withdrew Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, according to two roots familiar with Flynns reports of the incident.

Flynn has a long record in counterintelligence but not in macroeconomics. And he told Trump he didnt know, that it wasnt its own area of expertise, that, perhaps, Trump should ask an economist instead.

Trump was not stimulated with that answer but that may have been a function of the time of day. Trump had residence the call at 3 a.m ., according to one of Flynns retellings although neither the White House nor Flynns office responded to requests for confirmation about that detail.

Pool via Getty Images

President Donald Trump does appear to take great pleasure in some aspects of the presidency but can also register great sorenes at harassments.

For Americans who based their intuition of Trump on the skilled and deciding financier he depicted on his Apprentice TV reality pictures, the description from these and many other morsels arising as a result of his government may seem a stun: an impulsive, sometimes petty chief executive more interested in the adulation of the nation than the details of his own the development of policies and quick-witted to designate blamed when circumstances do not travel his way.

Unsurprisingly, Trumps volatile behavior has created a better environment ripe for leaks from his executive agencies and even within his White House. And while divulges commonly commit staffers sabotaging one another to improve their own standing or trying to scuttle plan thoughts they find genuinely problematic, Trumps 2-week-old disposal has a third category: reveals from White House and agency bureaucrats fright including the president conduct.

Ive been in this town for 26 times. I have never seen anything like this, suggested Eliot Cohen, a elderly State Department official under President George W. Bush and a member of his National Security Council. I genuinely do not think this is a mentally healthy president.

Ive been in this town for 26 times. I have never seen anything like this. I genuinely do not think this is a mentally health president. Eliot Cohen, former State Department official under George W. Bush

There is the matter of Trumps briefing information, for example. The commander in chief doesnt like to read long memos, a White House aide who asked to remain unnamed told The Huffington Post. So preferably they must be no more than a single sheet. They must have missile parts but not more than nine per page.

Small things can provide him enormous joyfulnes or generate intense irritant. Trump told The New York Times that hes fascinated with the phone system inside the White House. At the same experience, hes registered individual complaints about the handwriting towels aboard Air Force One, the White House aide said, because they are not soft enough.

Hes been particularly obsessed with the capabilities of his aides on cable tv. Past chairwomen frequently didnt make time to watch their press secretarys daily briefs with reporters, but Trump appears to have reached it part of his routine. Saturday Night Lives weekly skewering of his administration is similarly on his must-watch register with his reaction wandering from unamused to seething.

Information about Trumps personal interactions and the inner workings of his administration has come to HuffPost from souls in administration the institutions and in the White House itself. They spoke on condition of obscurity for suspicion of losing their jobs.

While some of the discloses are based on opposition to his policies the travel censor on all refugees and on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim people, for instance numerous seem motivated by a belief that Trumps statements, deeds and tweets pose a genuine threat.

When Trump tweeted about North koreans rocket engineering three weeks before he took office, for example, it scrambled then-President Barack Obamas national security apparatus, which construed increased risk in provoking an precarious young despot who possessed nuclear weapons.

Richard Nephew, a State Department expert on Iran sanctions under Obama, said some of the discloses from the agencies are likely efforts to let the public know that their admonition has not been followed, in the event something bad results down the road. This, I imagine, is about becoming it clear that these kinfolks have tried to do the right thing and there is only so much better they can do with a hostile organisation, Nephew said.

Perhaps along those lines, The Associated Press reported a detailed description of telephone calls Jan. 27 between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto , noting further that Trump responded Mexico had bad hombres and that he might need to send U.S. units to take care of things.( The White House later did Trump had been joking around .) The Washington Post detailed a Jan. 28 communication between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbullin which Trump angrily deplored an agreement to resettle refugees held by Australia in the United States.

The New York Times, meanwhile, covered a photograph of a brooding commander in chief, straying the White House alone in a bathrobe at night, watching too much cable television and expressing his exasperations through enraged tweets.

I think its a cry for help, did Elizabeth Rosenberg, a counterterrorism expert at the Treasury Department under Obama. She replied numerous staffers still working in the national security business under Trump watch whats arising and are driven by a simple reason: Skepticism, and the need to share it.

There’s ever leaks. Every president in history has said the press hates me, and there’s too many leaks. Ron Kaufman, former White House staffer under George H.W. Bush

The White House has repudiated many of these histories, including the idea that Trump owns( let alone wears) a bathrobe. Others feud the premise that Trump staffers eroding his competence is rare. Ron Kaufman, who worked in George H.W. Bushs White House in the late 1980 s and early 1990 s, argued that the Trump administrations leaks are par for the course for a young organisation. Theres always discloses, Kaufman spoke. Every president in history has said the press detests me and theres too many leaks.

And Republican National Committee member Randy Evans, a veteran of Newt Gingrichs leak-prone House loudspeakers suite in the 1990 s, said he doesnt get that sense that Trumps staffers are interrogating his fitness for the number of jobs.

Not hitherto, anyway, Evans remarked. Were simply too early in the process. I think you interpret a lot of political jockeying going on and a lot of self-importance going on.

The idea that Trump is temperamentally ill-suited for the presidency is nothing new. It was the primary proof against him during both the GOP primaries a year ago and the legislative elections last-place summertime and descend. At experiences, Trump seemed to embrace the characterization, wearing it as a button of reputation for his status as an anti-establishment outsider.

But what were only hypothetical relates on the campaign trail are now life-and-death decisions inside the White House as evidenced by the death of a Navy commando in a botched raid in Yemen on Jan. 29. Trump agreed with that attacked following a dinner gratify that included his top political consultant, former Breitbart News Chairman Stephen Bannon, whose permanent membership in the National Security Council was itself the basis of widespread holes and alerts from “the member states national” security establishment.

The intelligence community is desperately looking for a route to get some leverage in altering hazardous policies away from a disastrous vector, spoke Rick Wilson, a former Pentagon official familiar with intelligence issues who has become a vocal Trump critic.

Evans responded at some degree the White House will have to get serious about harmful divulges if they want to control their message, just as Gingrichs office had to two decades ago. He described the method of intentionally liberating goodies to various staffers to construe what turned up in photograph. If the administration gets serious about leaks, theyll do the blue-dye measure and find them, Evans said.

But to Cohen, who now learns at Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies, the problem is not the leakers. Its the president. Because Trump has shown no genuine tendernes or respect for anyone outside his immediate house, Cohen spoke, he cannot expect that of his faculty. This is what happens when you have a narcissist as president.

The post Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Behaviour appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[apsbicepstraining]

Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Behaviour

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump was a little confused the dollar: Was it a strong one thats good for the economy? Or a strong one?

So he made a call except not to any of the business leaders Trump is incorporated into his administrationor even to an age-old friend from his periods in real estate. Instead, he called his national security consultant, withdrew Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, according to two roots familiar with Flynns reports of the incident.

Flynn has a long record in counterintelligence but not in macroeconomics. And he told Trump he didnt know, that it wasnt its own area of expertise, that, perhaps, Trump should ask an economist instead.

Trump was not stimulated with that answer but that may have been a function of the time of day. Trump had residence the call at 3 a.m ., according to one of Flynns retellings although neither the White House nor Flynns office responded to requests for confirmation about that detail.

Pool via Getty Images

President Donald Trump does appear to take great pleasure in some aspects of the presidency but can also register great sorenes at harassments.

For Americans who based their intuition of Trump on the skilled and deciding financier he depicted on his Apprentice TV reality pictures, the description from these and many other morsels arising as a result of his government may seem a stun: an impulsive, sometimes petty chief executive more interested in the adulation of the nation than the details of his own the development of policies and quick-witted to designate blamed when circumstances do not travel his way.

Unsurprisingly, Trumps volatile behavior has created a better environment ripe for leaks from his executive agencies and even within his White House. And while divulges commonly commit staffers sabotaging one another to improve their own standing or trying to scuttle plan thoughts they find genuinely problematic, Trumps 2-week-old disposal has a third category: reveals from White House and agency bureaucrats fright including the president conduct.

Ive been in this town for 26 times. I have never seen anything like this, suggested Eliot Cohen, a elderly State Department official under President George W. Bush and a member of his National Security Council. I genuinely do not think this is a mentally healthy president.

Ive been in this town for 26 times. I have never seen anything like this. I genuinely do not think this is a mentally health president. Eliot Cohen, former State Department official under George W. Bush

There is the matter of Trumps briefing information, for example. The commander in chief doesnt like to read long memos, a White House aide who asked to remain unnamed told The Huffington Post. So preferably they must be no more than a single sheet. They must have missile parts but not more than nine per page.

Small things can provide him enormous joyfulnes or generate intense irritant. Trump told The New York Times that hes fascinated with the phone system inside the White House. At the same experience, hes registered individual complaints about the handwriting towels aboard Air Force One, the White House aide said, because they are not soft enough.

Hes been particularly obsessed with the capabilities of his aides on cable tv. Past chairwomen frequently didnt make time to watch their press secretarys daily briefs with reporters, but Trump appears to have reached it part of his routine. Saturday Night Lives weekly skewering of his administration is similarly on his must-watch register with his reaction wandering from unamused to seething.

Information about Trumps personal interactions and the inner workings of his administration has come to HuffPost from souls in administration the institutions and in the White House itself. They spoke on condition of obscurity for suspicion of losing their jobs.

While some of the discloses are based on opposition to his policies the travel censor on all refugees and on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim people, for instance numerous seem motivated by a belief that Trumps statements, deeds and tweets pose a genuine threat.

When Trump tweeted about North koreans rocket engineering three weeks before he took office, for example, it scrambled then-President Barack Obamas national security apparatus, which construed increased risk in provoking an precarious young despot who possessed nuclear weapons.

Richard Nephew, a State Department expert on Iran sanctions under Obama, said some of the discloses from the agencies are likely efforts to let the public know that their admonition has not been followed, in the event something bad results down the road. This, I imagine, is about becoming it clear that these kinfolks have tried to do the right thing and there is only so much better they can do with a hostile organisation, Nephew said.

Perhaps along those lines, The Associated Press reported a detailed description of telephone calls Jan. 27 between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto , noting further that Trump responded Mexico had bad hombres and that he might need to send U.S. units to take care of things.( The White House later did Trump had been joking around .) The Washington Post detailed a Jan. 28 communication between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbullin which Trump angrily deplored an agreement to resettle refugees held by Australia in the United States.

The New York Times, meanwhile, covered a photograph of a brooding commander in chief, straying the White House alone in a bathrobe at night, watching too much cable television and expressing his exasperations through enraged tweets.

I think its a cry for help, did Elizabeth Rosenberg, a counterterrorism expert at the Treasury Department under Obama. She replied numerous staffers still working in the national security business under Trump watch whats arising and are driven by a simple reason: Skepticism, and the need to share it.

There’s ever leaks. Every president in history has said the press hates me, and there’s too many leaks. Ron Kaufman, former White House staffer under George H.W. Bush

The White House has repudiated many of these histories, including the idea that Trump owns( let alone wears) a bathrobe. Others feud the premise that Trump staffers eroding his competence is rare. Ron Kaufman, who worked in George H.W. Bushs White House in the late 1980 s and early 1990 s, argued that the Trump administrations leaks are par for the course for a young organisation. Theres always discloses, Kaufman spoke. Every president in history has said the press detests me and theres too many leaks.

And Republican National Committee member Randy Evans, a veteran of Newt Gingrichs leak-prone House loudspeakers suite in the 1990 s, said he doesnt get that sense that Trumps staffers are interrogating his fitness for the number of jobs.

Not hitherto, anyway, Evans remarked. Were simply too early in the process. I think you interpret a lot of political jockeying going on and a lot of self-importance going on.

The idea that Trump is temperamentally ill-suited for the presidency is nothing new. It was the primary proof against him during both the GOP primaries a year ago and the legislative elections last-place summertime and descend. At experiences, Trump seemed to embrace the characterization, wearing it as a button of reputation for his status as an anti-establishment outsider.

But what were only hypothetical relates on the campaign trail are now life-and-death decisions inside the White House as evidenced by the death of a Navy commando in a botched raid in Yemen on Jan. 29. Trump agreed with that attacked following a dinner gratify that included his top political consultant, former Breitbart News Chairman Stephen Bannon, whose permanent membership in the National Security Council was itself the basis of widespread holes and alerts from “the member states national” security establishment.

The intelligence community is desperately looking for a route to get some leverage in altering hazardous policies away from a disastrous vector, spoke Rick Wilson, a former Pentagon official familiar with intelligence issues who has become a vocal Trump critic.

Evans responded at some degree the White House will have to get serious about harmful divulges if they want to control their message, just as Gingrichs office had to two decades ago. He described the method of intentionally liberating goodies to various staffers to construe what turned up in photograph. If the administration gets serious about leaks, theyll do the blue-dye measure and find them, Evans said.

But to Cohen, who now learns at Johns Hopkins Universitys School of Advanced International Studies, the problem is not the leakers. Its the president. Because Trump has shown no genuine tendernes or respect for anyone outside his immediate house, Cohen spoke, he cannot expect that of his faculty. This is what happens when you have a narcissist as president.

The post Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Behaviour appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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