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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 2 years ago

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Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have come under fire for making the “dumbest remarks ever” about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s surprise trip to the US.

The Ukrainian leader is in Washington D.C., to meet President Joe Biden and give an in-person address to Congress.

The monumental meeting, which remained a closely guarded secret until Tuesday night, marks Mr. Zelensky’s first trip out of Ukraine since Russia declared war on the country 300 days ago.

While Mr. Biden tweeted that he was “thrilled” to welcome Mr. Zelensky to the US and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said America is “in awe of the heroism of the Ukrainian people”, some MAGA Republicans are less than impressed with the visit.

Mr. Trump Jr. took to Twitter to complain about Republican support for the Ukrainian defence effort and about Mr. Zelensky, who he branded an “international welfare queen”.

“Mitch McConnell actually said yesterday that most Republicans #1 priority is ... Ukraine,” he wrote.

“I have yet to meet a single Republican that thinks that, but I guess the disconnect between actual republicans and D.C. swamp rats shouldn’t surprise anyone.”

In a follow-up tweet, Mr. Trump Jr – whose father contributed zero to the US economy in the way of federal income tax in 2020 – added: “Zelensky is basically an ungrateful international welfare queen.”

His criticism was echoed by right-wing conspiracy theorist Ms. Greene who posted an eight-part rant about the US’s support of Ukraine.

In her scathing posts, the MAGA Republican congresswoman fumed about sending money to Ukraine and made a bizarre reference to a so-called “omnimonster”.

“Mitch McConnell helps pass a nearly $2 TRILLION Onnimonster so that he can hand a $47 BILLION dollar check to Zelenskyy when he shows up in D.C. today. But in my district, many families & seniors can’t afford food & many businesses are struggling bc of Biden policies,” she wrote.

Ms. Greene went on to claim that she is speaking on behalf of the American people – something many Americans were quick to dispute.

“The disconnected & totally oblivious government leaders & sheltered media all live in a bubble & only talk to each other,” the congresswoman tweeted.

“They’re so naive & ignorant they think my views are extreme but are totally blind and stupid to the fact that what I am saying is exactly how Americans feel.”

Her lengthy post came hours after she branded Mr. Zelensky – who refused offers to rescue him from Ukraine at the start of the war in order to stay and lead his nation’s defence efforts – a “shadow president”.

“Of course the shadow president has to come to Congress and explain why he needs billions of American’s taxpayer dollars for the 51st state, Ukraine. This is absurd. Put America First!!!” she tweeted.

Several social media users slammed the pair for their comments, pointing out their perceived hypocrisies.

One Twitter user mocked Mr. Trump Jr. for making “the dumbest remark ever” branding him a “daddy’s boy”.

“A daddy’s boy who met with a foreign adversary that was attempting to subvert an American election is daring to denigrate a true hero battling Putin & defending his nation from a genocidal war? This may be the dumbest remark ever from Junior. And that’s quite an accomplishment,” they said.

“Pal, look at that ‘queen’ and learn a few lessons about courage, decency, and what it means to be a grown-up,” chimed another person.

Others pointed to the irony of his comments coming hours after a report revealed how little tax his father paid while serving in the White House.

“Your dad doesn’t pay his taxes. Sit this one out, buddy,” the Lincoln Project tweeted to Mr. Trump Jr.

Ms. Greene – who faced renewed mockery this week over her past peddling of an antisemitic conspiracy theory – also faced backlash from Americans demanding she stop claiming to speak on behalf of them.

“NO NO NO NO YOU DON’T GET TO SAY HOW 'US' Americans feel. We really can’t stand you. I’m not trying to be mean but everyone I know starts laughing when your name is even brought up. DON’T SPEAK FOR US . YOU CAN HARDLY SPEAK FOR YOURSELF,” one person tweeted.

Others sought to school Ms. Greene that supporting Ukraine might be in the best interests of the US, with some branding her “selfish”.

“By helping the Ukrainians, we ARE putting America first. Fight the war there or we have to fight Russian in Europe except it will be Taylor Swift on the USO stage, not Glenn Miller,” one person tweeted.

Another person tweeted: “When I was growing up, I was always taught to put others before myself. I was taught not to be selfish. You republicans don’t think about others; you only think about yourself. Why don’t you just say it the way you mean it?”

The noise from the right-wing figures came ahead of Mr. Zelensky’s arrival in Washington D.C. for a visit that he says will strengthen Ukraine’s “resilience and defence capabilities” in the face of Russian attack.

Mr. Biden greeted Mr. Zelensky as he arrived at the White House before the two leaders sat down for a two-hour meeting.

Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Biden were then holding a joint press conference where they were expected to announce the US’s commitment to send an additional $2bn in security assistance to Ukraine, including the provision of the Patriot missile defence system.

On Wednesday evening, the Ukrainian president was due to deliver a joint address to Congress after accepting an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

As a show of gratitude for the US’s assistance during the war, Mr. Zelensky was expected to present Mr. Biden and Congress with a Ukrainian flag signed by Ukrainian soldiers.

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captainsbestgal · 5 months ago

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Don't forget, Trump would also stop helping Ukraine cause he's in his good ol pal Putin's pocket, whereas Biden wouldn't/isn't.

Look.

I have made you a chart. A very simple chart.

People say "You have to draw the line somewhere, and Biden has crossed it-" and my response is "Trump has crossed way more lines than Biden".

These categories are based off of actual policy enacted by both of these men while they were in office.

If the ONLY LINE YOU CARE ABOUT is line 12, you have an incredible amount of privilege, AND YOU DO NOT CARE ABOUT PALESTINIANS. You obviously have nothing to fear from a Trump presidency, and you do not give a fuck if a ceasefire actually occurs. You are obviously fine if your queer, disabled, and marginalized loved ones are hurt. You clearly don't care about the status of American democracy, which Trump has openly stated he plans to destroy on day 1 he is in office.

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dwestfieldblog · 3 months ago

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SHRAPNEL FOR DEMOCRACY

‘Time passes by, a snowflake in the summer’s sky’…the election happened, the bad guys lost apart from the despicable Nigel Farago, more of whom soon. Biden stepped down; all credit to him for having done so. I watched three hours of Kamala Harris in her previous jobs and found her to be tough, smart, good humoured and moral…she also made the right choice for VP in Walz. So, one night I actually went to bed with hope (arf) for November. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, Ingerland on the feral march, morons and scum on the streets fed false information by populist politicians and racist criminals, not questioning, not thinking for themselves. Farage asking why a black teenage boy who murdered three young girls and attacked others, wasn’t on the MI5 watch list. (‘What are they not telling us?’) Because he was 17 and had done nothing wrong previously, you frog faced Oswald Mosley wannabe. The riot mob were told lies that the boy was a Muslim migrant, and so paraded with the Union Jack and St George Cross flags, gym worked muscles and tattoos…which made them easy to trace. Burning cars, looting shops and punching cops in the name of British national pride. Then the opposites came out; ‘Smash Fascism and Racism by any means necessary’. Any? Finally, balanced folk came with children to sweep the streets clean and help those whose shops were destroyed.

In response to the riots, Sir Kier Starmer ordered the creation of a ‘standing army’ of specialist police officers to out thug the thugs. Idiot genius Elon Musk chirruped/Xed that ‘civil war is inevitable’ in the UK. Yeah maybe, if you fund it pal. A white south African with an unhappy childhood who wants to spread racism around and allow convicted criminals and blatant crap stirrers to have their say loud and clear to propagate chaos. More support for Putin and China’s Western divide and conquer strategies. Too much money and a dearth of heart.

Musk reinstated the chubby bum fluffed Ron Watkins to Twitter in 2023 (along with the criminal racist Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins etc) The Q Onan L Ron Hubbard of conspiracy theory horse manure. (Or else he could be a dadaist comedian using black comedy psychology to expose the very worst elements in humanity. Tak yer pick.) It is noticeable just how many far-right writers and mentally ill tub thumpers he has reinstated since taking over Twitter who were previously banned for hate speech, incitement to violence and spreading misinformation. So, the free flow of ‘knowledge’ clags up in the U bend of X again. And he donates to the Trump campaign. Propaganda interview. Nuff said.

Putting the ass into assassination…just one inch more and the world would be safer today. But no. And then all the ‘saved by the miracle hand of God he cheated death’ plaudits for his ‘I took a bullet for democracy’. Donald, you didn’t TAKE the bullet, you took some shrapnel. All those who had run against him to be the Republican candidate, standing and saying what a great hero he was, what a fine leader he will be again, while Trump sat, smiling like Caligula as his rivals virtually begged for their jobs and political lives while he imagined how he was going to screw them for previous comments. Ah yes, pudgy weirdie beardie JD Vance and his hillbilly pants…apparently thanks to Labour, the UK could be the first ‘truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon’. Blue eyed boy, we already have them and we are still a long way from Sharia law here pal. And Pakistan has the bomb, you dolt, you think they’re Jewish? Oy.

And Lo, the law court ruling spake that the childman was not accountable for breaking the law while a president. So democratic (perhaps that’s why he wants to change the politics of the USA, he doesn’t like that his country is described this way) America, land of freedom moved closer to being ruled by a megalomaniac psychopathic tyrant king. Cult of befouled personality Trump visited North Korea and must have loved what he saw, cleanliness and order, absolute power and control…and a family dynasty ruling for decades by fear and murder. Hmm, he (probably, possibly) thought.

Trump funded by far-right billionaires and greedy fundamentalist Christians who want to tear up the first amendment, (about the separation between church and state) as a righteous government should obviously not remain neutral when the word of GOD-AH and his boy Jesus Christ are the only moral standard with which to measure true law. Pshaw pfff. Most American presidents in the USA’s very short history, were Freemasons, which might explain why Trump acts as if he is jealous at being left out and rants about the ‘deep state’. He wants to join the big boys and be privy to the secrets of the universe. Neither is he in the Bilderberg group…and it is highly unlikely he will ever be asked to join either. So, he stamps his feet, goes a little more orange with rage and declares war on all the gangs which won’t have him. Smearing with libellous paedophilia accusations and satanic porn ring pizza house slave trade blaaarg. You couldn’t make it up? But they do and are believed by hundreds of thousands.

Let’s have some good old fashioned ‘religious values’ now…

The ‘holy’ land …Illegal settlements (according to international law) in the West bank and their continuing expansion fuel Palestinian hatred, the fury bubbling over should not have taken anyone by surprise, least of all the deliberate provocateurs. 5, 295 new homes approved last month. (July) Not exactly trying for peace and a two-state solution. Arab anger will never cease over this. And now the foul Hezbollah seem revving up in response to the mass starving and sick women and children of Gaza and the (has to be said) very well executed (arf) assassinations of bad guys by Israel. However, ‘fair’ or not, genocide does seem to be an accurate description for the endless slaughterings.

(How did three thousand members of Hamas mobilise without Mossad knowing? The latter are one of the best and most ruthless secret services in the world and no Palestinian in their ‘care’ or known to them spilled the beans?). Hilarious to hear Xi Jinping talk about ‘tremendous sufferings’ and that ‘justice should not be absent forever’. Tell that to the innocents in your country who died for a little more freedom on May 35th 1989.

Benny went to the US Congress to give a speech begging for weapons. 43 standing ovations for a war criminal. ‘There is no room for political violence in democracies’ he said, condemning the failed attempt on DT. Don’t remember him saying much about the riots encouraged by the orange one. And off the scale political violence by a democracy against its enemies also seems to be acceptable. Israel has ‘always been our home’. Only for four thousand years. As written last time, many other tribes were there first. Risible House Speaker Mike Johnson beamed with ‘Christian’ pride, as one who believes that Armageddon time in the holy land signifies the return of Christ, whereby all true believers will be lifted in the Rapture of the Lord, hallelujah, amen.

With regard to the arrest warrant for Benny and the Hamas leader, the appalling senator Lindsey Graham said ‘If the ICC (International Criminal Court) does this to Israel, they will come for us next’. So, some US lawmakers want to dismantle the international justice system. Of course they do, same way Boris Johnson, Erdogan et al ad infinitum want to control the justice system in their countries, people it with their crony puppets and avoid arrest.

Speaking of twilight of the idols and the antichrist…saw a video on YouTube… ‘The Devil is Gay’. They must have been watching South Park, eh? Belief in the Devil is essential for the financial business of the churches…to conversely paraphrase Baudelaire (the opium addicted poet) ‘The greatest trick the church ever pulled was convincing so many that the devil existed’ The (nobody expects the Spanish) Inquisition cost a lot of money and thus, approved by the pope, Indulgences cameth unto being. Rich folk could do whatever they wanted, just pay off the Church and be absolved of sin. Nice work if you can get it. And let’s skip a light fandango over the high amounts of infanticide in nunneries, the embarrassing babies caused by pure visiting priests. (Unless they claimed that God did it.) And the mass burnings and torture of innocents, and the hundreds of cases of shifting pederasts from diocese to diocese rather than handing them to the law. And the laundering of Mafia money and the Magdelana Laundries and etc. AND the huge numbers of evangelists preaching shite, hellfire and salvation through the poor giving them lots of money for lying into their faces. All of that would seem to sum up EVIL.

As Zappa said ‘If there is a Hell, its fires wait for them not us’. ‘It was good to hunt down our comedians and minstrels, considering that most of them are wizards and magicians.’ 1602 French witchfinder. What a sod. ‘We have enough religion to hate each other but not enough to love each other’. J.Swift ‘Holy’ folk,do something decent to prove you are worthyof respect, don’t just expect to be respected for your religion just because you are ‘religious’.

‘My own opinion is that belief is the death of intelligence’. R.A.W.

‘If a people permit exploitation and regimentation in any name, they deserve their slavery. A tyrant does not make his tyranny possible. It is made possible by the people and not otherwise’. Jack Parsons. Neurotic masses crave tyrants, a strong daddy and are encouraged to be neurotic. The masses are allowed to live, in order to act as slaves and maintain the charade. East and West in a rival illusory pantomime, both pretending nationalistic pride is important, only to encourage treadmill production ethics. One might argue that most people don’t want to ‘permit exploitation’, however, it takes a lot to rise against those who are fully armed and brutal. They’ve got the guns and drones but we got the numbers…but how many in the West would be as brave as those in Tiananmen Square in 89 or in Russia over the last two decades?

Politicians in democracies quickly and conveniently forget that their job is to both serve and be accountable to those who gave them a temporary license for their work. Not to spend their time getting richer at the expense of the already poor. ‘Politicians have the same responsibility to know, and act upon, scientific fact as do doctors, engineers, or other professional people.’

The new generation of politicians who realised half a generation ago that their type are despised anyway, so the best thing to do in these modern times of Tik Tok influencers is to treble down and ONLY say what the worried masses want to hear or need to be threatened with. And blaming other countries and races etc etc, is always a solid vote catcher. Yeah, well the Nazis and Communists found out that stuff only works for a while as a functioning belief system (BS). We are seemingly at a crossroads where humanity’s Ego takes complete control or else gets a hard slap and a rude awakening. May there be Peace… Awaken the neophiliac within with childlike wonder and fascination. We will see soon…

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mysticalmagician · 5 months ago

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"...State Duma member Oleg Matveychev said that unless Trump's conviction leads to civil war, America should officially be declared 'a fascist country'..." State Duma member Oleg Matveychev should reexamine his mind, for I see little intelligence and understanding in it. He also ought to take a look at what the meaning of fascism is, perhaps in a dictionary, which I am sure he has never touched before. His views and thoughts, along with all of the other people mentioned in this article are fascistic themselves; fascism has been defined in many ways by many people in the past, but a preferred definition would be by Lawrence Britt, detailed in one of his writings; in it, he defines the primary 14 characteristics of fascism as a way of defining it, in studying multiple fascistic regimes throughout history. I'll add a link to this as well below, and encourage all to read it. One of these characteristics is a controlled mass media, which these people, including Oleg Matveychev, are a part of, spreading lies and propaganda for their benefit and the benefit of their authritarian leaders and government. What a disgrace to humanity all of these people are! Have some fucking shame and morals! You all dare to call yourselves Christians, yet you do not follow the word of Christ in any form at all! You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

They would likely say that empathy, kindness, and freedoms and humans rights are all signs of weakness, in a macho attempt to appear strong. This is pure fascistic delusion by definition as well, and quite literally, is only a stupid and weak man's idea of strength. True strength and meaning lies in empathy, kindness, and love. Working together as a species despite out differences is what will bring strength to all of us; we can all help each other rise and to live good lives, but fascistic morons, such as Oleg here, are impeding all of our and our entire species' progress for their own selfish reasons, and for the selfish reasons of their corporate and government benefactors.

As Dr. Lawrence Britt lists and describes, the intertwining of religion and government is another characteristic of fascism; clearly visible in Russia. The protection of corporate power and supression of labor power is another aspect of fascism; something that is indeed occuring in the USA, but it is the policy and goal of the GOP, and of the party of Trump, rather than anyone else. The clear support for Trump, and therefore these policies and ideas, by these russian fascist propagandists and idiots, is a clear form of projection.

Powerful and continuous nationalism, supremacy of military, distain and lack of human rights, anti-intellectualism, all signs of fascism, and all very clearly present in the media and goverment of modern Russia. Oleg Matveychev himself, should be identified as a fascist, along with all other propagandists mentioned in the article. Trump was rightfully convicted for felony crimes by a jury of twelve of his American peers, as is right, and was found guilty by each one of them. This is not fascism, this is justice, truth, and courage. This is progress, and the work of actually good humans to maintain and progress our freedoms, lives, and rights. The future of humanity is empathy, love, and kindness, not hate and fascism. Let freedom ring, and let justice prevail.

Oleg Matveychev, if God is real, you better be worried. So goes for all other fascists reading this.

For any morally good people reading, do not fall into the trap of bullshit, Russian government propaganda, which is all entirely devised to increase our division, and cause strife and chaos amongst us in our country. Why else would they be hoping for civil war or for a criminal and fascist president? It is expressly propaganda to further enrich themselves and gain more power over us, and over their neighbors, and we must fight against it, and help our fellows and family not fall for such lies.

The 14 Characteristics of Fascism, by Lawrence Britt, Spring 2003 (ratical.org)

#magic #mysticalmagician #writing #design #life #god #flowers #politics #leftism #russian #russian imperialism #russian propaganda

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johnnyrobish · 1 year ago

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Angry Marjorie Taylor Greene Accuses Biden of Trying to Overthrow Putin

In response to rumors of a possible coup in Russia, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) posted yet another pro-Putin message on Twitter which read, “After our government has been funding a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine for over a year, I sure hope our government isn’t behind a coup attempt currently happening in Russia.” Then adding, “Regime change in a nuclear-armed country may lead to terrible consequences the American people don’t want.”

Wow, I’m just shocked! Marjorie Trailer Greene is basically implying President Joe Biden is behind the Russian coup. Of course, with Greene, its sometimes hard to tell if she’s really serious - or if she’s just “horsing” around. Personally, I think we need to take Greene seriously. Why being as close to Donald Trump as she is - she can no-doubt impeach President Biden - simply by just “thinking him impeached.” Now, in her defense, MAGA Republicans claim all Rep. Greene really wants is a “stable Russia,” or was that a “Russian stable?” You’ll have to be the judge on that.

Meanwhile, former guy Donald Trump is sending out similar coup warnings in support of Putin on his “Truth Social,” cautioning, “Be careful what you wish for. Next in may be far worse!” Wait a minute, “Next in may be far worse?” Does that mean Trump is gonna replace Putin? Of course, Russia disrupting US elections with massive social media disinformation campaigns and funneling tens of millions of dollars into the NRA propaganda machine through a female Russian spy is totally fine with those two. I mean, there’s no threat there.

Gee, you’d think if Marjorie Trailer Greene feels so strongly about protecting Putin and Russia, perhaps she and her fellow “Freedom Caucus” pals ought to form a vocal chorus and sing the Russian National Anthem on the House floor to help get the word out about how badly Putin is being mistreated by western democracies. The fact is, the Trump MAGA cult views Russia as a Christian God-fearing, heterosexual, whites-only utopia. Terrific, and I wish they would all relocate there ASAP. As for the rest of us, all we can do is hope that one day Greene's constituents will wise up and pull off some of that good-old regime change in her district as well.

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve just read, please consider joining me at:

#humor #satire #comedy #politics #jokes #news #donald trump #current events #progressives #religion #Sarcasm #irony #Putin #Marjorie Taylor Greene #joe biden #gop

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ace-louis · 6 days ago

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I know that it can often feel like nothing ever gets better and that it doesn't even matter who wins this election, but I promise the difference between Kamala Harris and Trump is really big even if you don't think she is going to "save the world".

First of all it is never selfish to vote against fascism in your country. And as flawed as the US democracy is currently, it is always worth voting in a way that prevents it from getting worse. I think you are all underestimating how much worse it can and will get under Trump.

Additionally, whether Trump or Harris becomes the next president doesn't only affect the US. I am not American and I am very worried about what a second Trump term would mean for the world!

Climate change: In his first term, Trump pulled the US out of the Paris agreement, which holds countries to certain climate goals, which they should work towards. Although climate policy is never enough anyway, I promise it makes a big difference whether a country as big as the US tries to be more sustainable or not. And this has an impact on the entire world, as climate change is a global phenomenon mainly impacting those in the global south.

Ukraine: Trump is very pro-Putin. They are basically besties. The US is the biggest financial contributor to Ukraine at the moment. If Trump wins, it will be basically impossible for Ukraine to win this war and stay its own country. This will be terrible not only for Ukraine but for all of eastern europe, as Putin is not going to be done with his expansion plans after he gets Ukraine.

Palestine: Lastly, I know that Palestine is a big reason why people didn't want to vote for Biden or now Harris. However, Trump is more pro-Israel than either of them. This article is a good summary of some of the things we can expect from a second term from him. For example:

- he has said he will deport pro-palestine protesters who aren't US citizens

- he will increase weapons exports while slashing aid to Palestinians

- he will stop sanctions against Israeli settlers in the west bank

Just to name a few examples. The article linked above has more examples of what he did in his first term to help his pal Netanyahu.

TLDR: Harris will not necessarily make the world or the US a better place but Trump for sure will make it a hell of a lot worse in a million different ways.

I’m not even joking I just know I won’t be able to stand this website ahead of Nov 5 because there’s already massive fearmongering going on and usamericans pointing fingers at people who’re going through literal genocide and it’s just all around embarrassing bc it’s like painfully obvious that no matter who’s elected our lives will basically be the same and neither candidate is actually going to follow through on any substantial change

#Trump #Us election #election 2024 #Kamala harris #Donald trump #Republicans #Democrats #Gaza #Palestine #Urkaine

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omfgtrump · 5 years ago

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A Beautiful Conversation

Come on people, why is everyone so apoplectic about the most recent scandal of The Don. You know, the Dog Whisperer, oops, I mean whistle blower thing. After all, he and his Pitbull pal, Rudy G, have been saying for months that getting intel and opposition research from a foreign government is like vaping, it’s just so cool.

Rumor has it the Rudy was miffed that he wasn’t included in the new Roy Cohn documentary entitled: “Where’s My Roy Cohn?” “It’s not fair”, he purportedly whined, “I have done so much for the president and Barr has the limelight. I mean come on, I’m almost as evil looking as Cohn and could play him in the biopic!”

Here’s what The Don had to say to ABC’s, George Stephanopoulos, a few weeks ago when asked if he would take information from a foreign government:

“I think you might want to listen, there isn’t anything wrong with listening,” Trump continued. “If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] ‘we have information on your opponent’ — oh, I think I’d want to hear it.”

The issue of Rudy G. and his shenanigans with Ukraine, have been in the news for a while. After the whistle blower information leaked, he was interviewed by Chris Cuomo of CNN:

Chris Cuomo: Did you ask the Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden?

Rudy Giuliani: No. Actually, I didn’t …

Cuomo, 24 seconds later: So, you did ask Ukraine to look into Joe Biden?

Giuliani: Of course, I did.

Didn’t we have the Mueller report already prove that The Don and his immoral cronies would work with a foreign government to win an election? Oh that’s such old news. Russia, remember that?

So a whistle blower gives the inspector general for the intelligence community, Michael Atkinson (who was appointed by Trump) information that is of great concern.

The inspector general does a thorough review of the information and deems it to be legitimate and urgent.

Following protocol, he turns it over to the Acting Director of the DNI, Joseph Maguire, who is required by law to turn it over to congress and the DNI says, nah, not going to do that. (Update: As of last night he says he will. We will see.)

Startling, right? Not really. What is startling is that everyone who is in The Don’s administration, and the entire Republican Party, has decided that they will protect him at any cost. It’s like the political version of Handmaid’s Tale: In this version, the dystopian world is not women forced to procreate for a master race cult, but white men whose minds are controlled in a Manchurian Candidate manner; but instead of the evil doer being played by Angela Lansbury, it is played by The Don.

In the scandal of the week, The Don tries to bully the president of the Ukraine in to doing an investigation in to Joe Biden Jr.’s work in the Ukraine in order to bully Biden, who The Don fears will defeat him in the 2020 election. And it’s a total coincidence that the $250 million earmarked for Ukraine, money that helps shore up their military to protect Russia, is taken off the table leaving the Ukraine more vulnerable to Russia?

Take that, Ukraine. No one denies The Don. He asked you eight times to do his bidding. (I think the whistleblower got his information because by the 8th time The Don was screaming so loud you could hear him in the Starbucks down the street!)

And you didn’t give him the toy he wants? Well then, The Don will just shut down the playground and let The Russians bulldoze it. So exasperated, The Don declared a tariff on Ukrainian Paska, Borscht, and Varenyky.

BTW, do remember Paul Manafort- God, doesn’t he look sexy, a real beast in that orange jumpsuit or what? When he was The Don’s campaign manager and was responsible for modifying the Republican National Committee platform at the Republican convention to remove language to come to the defense of Ukraine.

When that happened everyone was: WTF? Weird? Something fishy going on here?

So we are back to Russia again. Sanctions and the Ukraine. Two intertwined plot lines.

What does Putin want from The Don? He wants sanctions lifted that were imposed on him for his appropriation of Crimea.

Remember Don Jr’s infamous “I’m loving it” Trump Tower meeting to get dirt on Clinton? That was about exchanging opposition research for the U.S. lifting sanctions. And there was Mike Flynn- soon to be on the cover of Behind Bars Magazine– and his shenanigans with Russia and sanctions.

If I sat down with a third-grader and relayed the facts I have laid out here, their response would be: How come the president loves Russia so much? Are we best friends with Russia? Does he owe them something? Yes, he does you smart 3rd grader. Me thinks when the truth is told he owes them a lot of money in the form of loans through Deutsche bank that were co-signed by rich Russians.

Now that the details of the whistle blower’s info is leaking, the great spin machine, that is The Don, is on the move. The Don is incensed that anyone thinks he did anything unsavory in his conversation with the Ukranian president. According to The Don, his conversation was appropriate and beautiful. (Most recently it was “perfect,” a perfect conversation.) As far as The Don is concerned, the word appropriate is an oxymoron. Now beautiful is a word that is Donesque. He has used it dozens of times to describe many things. Here are some of my favorites: Chocolate cake during air strikes, sleeping gas, Confederate statues, his temperament and beautiful clean coal. So when The Don says he had a beautiful conversation, well?

So once again, faced with another jaw dropping, egregious act of law breaking, what will the democrats do? (

Here’s my suggestion: When the Director of National Intelligence goes before congress to testify about the whistle blower affair, the head of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, should hold up an orange jumpsuit and ask him if he is a small, medium, or large. Then, if he refuses to reveal the information the whistle blower provided, declare him in contempt of court and have the court authorities take him to jail. And after that, do the same for anyone who defies a subpoena or is in contempt of Congress. No more Corey Lewandowski nonsense. Maybe then we can finally have the beautiful conversation we need and get the truth.

Exciting new development: Nancy Pelosi has finally started an official impeachment investigation. Finally, the democrats can start backpedaling and take our law breaking president to task!

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#IFTTT #WordPress #trump #politics #potus #capital hill #washington dc #white house #america #usa

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humanismtoday · 5 years ago

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Donald is threatening to withhold military aid to Ukraine, which is fighting off militias backed by Donald’s pal, V. Putin.

Donald wants to do this to force Ukraine to engage in a partisan. investigation against Joe Biden and Biden’s son, an investigation that has no merit, or Ukraine would have done it already.

Donald really now is a Mob Boss.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatches/2019/09/08/wapo-trump-extorting-ukraine-to-help-him-win-in-2020/

#Miami #Florida #Orlando #Tampa #FL

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tomorrowusa · 6 months ago

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Putin didn't count on Biden standing up to him. He had gotten used to his client Trump undermining NATO and appeasing Russia's imperialistic and hegemonic actions. This is now Day 797 of Putin's 3-day "special operation".

Appeasement almost never leads to peace but only stokes the ambitions of a ruthless aggressor.

The West normalized Putin as he assumed more dictatorial powers and as he became more aggressive towards his neighbors. And when Trump got elected in 2016 Putin felt he won the geopolitical lottery.

The bottom line is that people in the West need to quit assuming that appeasing Russia will lead to lasting peace. Clueless fringe left tankies and MAGA Putin toadies are in an alliance of denial and naïveté regarding Russia. For decades, Putin has been trying to take advantage of post-Cold War wishful thinking in the West.

Russia has had long term imperialist ambitions and those ambitions didn't end with the Cold War. Putin picked up where Brezhnev left off. And an imperialist Russia is not a democratic Russia.

It's not possible to separate democracy at home and democracy abroad. Donald Trump pals around with international totalitarians who, in turn, use misinformation and election interference to help him politically in the US.

A majority of House Republicans voted against aid to Ukraine because that's what Putin wanted them to do.

Pushing back against Putin supports democracy in America. It's a double win if Putin is eventually defeated.

Opinion: Trump is Putin's only hope now

EDIT: Russian missiles hit the "Harry Potter castle" in Odesa. Putin is doing his best to act, as well as look, like Voldemort.

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• Russia has repeatedly achieved its objectives by exploiting the fact that Western states have prioritized ending conflict over achieving a satisfactory outcome in it. —Keir Giles

"What deters Russia: Enduring principles for responding to Moscow" Chatham House "What deters Russia: Enduring principles for responding to Moscow" Research Gate

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bountyofbeads · 6 years ago

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Stone-Cold Loser https://nyti.ms/2S85c83

Roger Stone, who was arrested in a dawn raid at his home in Fort Lauderdale, has long been fond of the Somerset Maugham line that Florida is a "sunny place for shady people."

"Just as Nixon went down in history as a disgrace to the office of the president, so now will Stone go down as an accomplice to enemies of the republic," writes Eric Caine from Modesto in a comment on @MaureenDowd's column, "Stone-Cold Loser."

"Stone-Cold Loser"

By Maureen Dowd | New York Times Opinion | Published Jan. 26, 2019 |

Posted January 27, 2019 |

WASHINGTON — Roger Stone has always lived in a dog-eat-dog world.

So it was apt that he was charged with skulduggery in part for threatening to kidnap a therapy dog, a fluffy, sweet-faced Coton de Tuléar, belonging to Randy Credico, a New York radio host.

Robert Mueller believes that Credico, a pal of Julian Assange, served as an intermediary with WikiLeaks for Stone. Mueller’s indictment charges that Stone called Credico “a rat” and “a stoolie” because he believed that the radio host was not going to back up what the special counsel says is Stone’s false story about contacts with WikiLeaks, which disseminated Russia’s hacked emails from the D.N.C. and Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman.

Stone emailed Credico that he would “take that dog away from you,” the indictment says, later adding: “I am so ready. Let’s get it on. Prepare to die (expletive).”

As the owner of two Yorkies, Stone clearly knows how scary it is when a beloved dog is in harm’s way. When he emerged from court on Friday, he immediately complained that F.B.I. agents had “terrorized” his dogs when they came to arrest him at dawn at his home in Fort Lauderdale.

The last thing Stone posted on Instagram before his arrest was a video of a terrier, with a high-pitched voice-over, protesting, “Roger Stone did nothing wrong.”

Always bespoke and natty, living by the mantra that it’s better to be infamous than never famous, Stone looked strangely unadorned as he came out of court to meet the press in a navy polo shirt and bluejeans.

As the master of darkness who had been captured in darkness stepped into the bright light of Fort Lauderdale, he was his usual flamboyant, unapologetically meretricious self. He proclaimed his innocence, flashed the Nixon victory sign and reiterated the old saw from his mentor, Roy Cohn, that any attention is good attention.

But it fell flat. Being Roger Stone had finally caught up with him.

He has always said Florida suited him because “it was a sunny place for shady people,” borrowing a Somerset Maugham line. But now the cat’s cradle of lies and dirty tricks had tripped up the putative dognapper. And it went down on the very same day that Paul Manafort — his former associate in a seamy lobbying firm with rancid dictators as clients, and then later his pal in the seamy campaign of Donald Trump — was also in federal court on charges related to the Mueller probe. Manafort’s hair is now almost completely white.

One of Stone’s rules — along with soaking his martini olives in vermouth and never wearing a double-breasted suit with a button-down collar — is “Deny, deny, deny.” But his arrest for lying, obstructing and witness tampering raised the inevitable question about his on-and-off friend in the White House, the man who is the last jigsaw-puzzle piece in the investigation of Trumpworld’s alleged coordination with Russia: Is being Donald Trump finally about to catch up with Donald Trump?

Stone, who famously has Nixon’s face tattooed on his back, is the agent provocateur who is the through line from Nixon, and his impeachment, to Trump, and his possible impeachment.

As Manafort said in the 2017 documentary “Get Me Roger Stone,” Trump and Stone “see the world in a very similar way.” And that way is theatrical and cynical. Do whatever you have to do to get what you want; playing by the rules is for suckers.

In 1999, when I went on a trip to Miami to watch Trump test the presidential waters, Stone orchestrated Trump’s Castro-bashing speech to Cuban-Americans. The bodybuilding, swinging strategist, christened “the state-of-the-art sleazeball” by The New Republic in the 80s, said he was “a jockey looking for a horse.”

Stone, who was mixed up in Watergate at the tender age of 19, “made the transition from the Stone Age of dirty tricks to today,” as David Axelrod puts it.

He watched Nixon rally the silent majority with a law-and-order message and racial dog whistling. He helped Ronald Reagan create Reagan Democrats.

For decades, believing “past is prologue,” Stone urged Trump to be the successor to those pols, revving up angry, white working-class voters who felt belittled or scared of “the other.” It would be so easy to divide and stoke resentment, as Stone and Trump proved when they inflamed the birther controversy against Barack Obama.

“Hate is a stronger motivator than love,” Stone told the documentarians. “Human nature has never changed.”

The tribal tensions in America made Stone’s favorite tricks easier than ever; he didn’t have to operate in the shadows. He wore a T-shirt with Bill Clinton and the word “Rape” at 2016 campaign rallies. As Stone boasted in the documentary, his “slash-and-burn” tactics “are now in vogue.”

Trump has had periods of estrangement with Stone. In 2008, in an interview with The New Yorker, he called the strategist “a stone-cold loser,” a state Trump himself has been relegated to this past week, courtesy of Nancy Pelosi.

Stone will not go gently. When he is asked about the tattoo of Nixon, he says he got it to remind himself, “A man is not finished when he is defeated; he is only finished when he quits.”

At the moment, though, dogged by Mueller, Stone and Manafort are the dog’s breakfast. The pair has given practicing the dark arts a bad name.

"There's one piece of history about Roger Stone that never gets enough press, Ms. Dowd. That is, Roger Stone was involved in the "recount" in Florida and swinging it to George W. Bush. Specifically, he was behind a political group attacking three Democratic state Supreme Court justices threatening Bush's possible victory: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/07/11/fla-may-fine-gop-figure-for-2000-recount-actions/af72ec6a-082e-4292-913c-f8ed14c2fc62/?utm_term=.9e4d3fc6c5f3 These sleazy political operatives, from Lee Atwater to Karl Rove to Paul Manafort to Roger Stone on the Right have been getting away with this disgusting behavior for decades. Trump is a direct result of this cancer. Lock them all up." V of LA

"The ghost of Nixon past still haunts us. Just when you thought it was safe to trust our democracy, we get the Nixon salute and see his face on Stone’s back, just not quite low enough, in my opinion. The president was bad enough, but now it looks as though he’s merely the apex of a vast pyramid scheme so vile and full of duplicity that only Betsy DeVos could fully appreciate it. But it’s clear that the president didn’t accomplish his takeover on his own. He was socially promoted to a position higher than he could have ever reached without dirty tricks, lies and conspiracies galore. If today’s events aren’t disgusting enough, we’re even picking up echoes of Roy Cohen. There’s even a faint whiff of Joseph McCarthy that you can just make out while watching the nightly news. It recalls a time when powerful people weaponized fear and ignorance, and nearly turned us into animals at each others throats. We can only hope that people who voted for the president were among those fearful of going broke during the government shutdown. You can talk to people all day about why an unread, crotch-groping narcissistic moron is not a good candidate for president of the United States, but until they feel it in their guts, and their wallets, they’ll never fully understand. Do we have your attention now? Have you taken note of the sleazy, lying manipulators who manufactured this presidency with your help? Mueller might undo some of the damage, but it's up us not to let it happen again." gemli of Boston

"Imagine assembling a clown show of Trump, Junior, Jared, Manafort, Bannon, Stone, Flynn, KA Conway and some sideshow characters like Carter Page and Papadopoulus. Deliver some memorable campaign promises for America's future like "Lock her up" and "Build the Wall", while encouraging mobs to beat up reporters. Toss in a few surprise tapes about assaulting young women. Then openly conspire with Russian intelligence to interfere in the US election while being watched by the FBI, CIA and 6 European country intelligence services. And make plain as day efforts to relieve sanctions on Russia, support the pro-Russian cause in Ukraine, make over 100 contacts with Russian government officials during the campaign and transition and attempt to set up a secret communication channel through the Russian Embassy that US intelligence cannot monitor. Even after all of this, the chaos and the soaring deficits of the first two years of the Trump Administration, around 40% of Americans still think he is doing a great job. Based on personal experience working in all 50 states, I don't believe that part of the population is going to change much. But we need to take back the government on behalf of future generations and do it soon." Look Ahead of Washington

"Like Trump, Roger Stone is a man with no redeeming qualities and no morals at all. Cohen and Manafort as well. They admire and emulate the tough guys of organized crime without actually BEING those tough guys. But the Russians working for former KGB agent Putin are those tough guys, and that's who the phonies chose to do business with. Stone is blustering but he's counting on a Trump pardon, not realizing 3 things: 1) Trump WILL throw him under the bus. A pardon is unlikely. 2) A Trump pardon means he cannot use the 5th Amendment to keep from testifying--meaning he must tell the truth or face contempt or perjury charges. 3) He will still be liable to state charges, and the new NY AG would love get him in her cross-hairs. Stone is finished and doesn't even know it!"Dad of 2 /NJ

"Roger Stone is a truly mean-spirited figure. No wonder he, like Trump, his soul mate if you will, were proteges of Roy Cohn. One thing is certain, nobody is going to feel sorry for Stone, Manafort or any of Donald Trump's merry band of mean, vindictive misfits. Once our national nightmare is over, it will take a long time to heal, if we ever can. Because Stone and Trump poked the racist beast of a certain segment of the nation, unleashing virulent emotions, conservative-fed conspiracy theories, and disdain for truth, fact checking, and critical thinking. The president, a man who doesn't read, aligned himself with a man who did but used his reading to polish his dark arts, and tries to make ignorance seem cool. As a result, they got an entire political party to totally overhaul its thinking on foreign policy goals, belief in climate science (indeed, belief in any science) and even, I venture to say, the biggie: immigration. Trump, egged on by Stone, has done more damage to our politics, rule of law, and views of government than any foreign invader could have. Stone, more than Trump, grasped an essential truth: the worst damage a country can undergo is from within."Christine McM of Boston

"If Stone and The Donald have used "revving up angry white working-class voters" as a tactic to win elections, one wonders whether they are themselves authentic racists or whether they believe in nothing but power for its own sake. Are they "merely" impersonating bigots or are they true believers? Either way they represent a pestilence that needs to be driven out of the body politic, and yet if they're being disingenuous with respect to their own feelings about white supremacy (a disease that normally infects only the feeble-minded) one wonders how they manage to live with themselves. Can one ever attain enough wealth and power to compensate for the loss of one's soul? Perhaps it's a moot point but I somehow can't get past it."

Stu Freeman of Brooklyn

"No Stone left unturned, no creatures hiding under rocks. Spring IS coming, the flowers will bloom, the stench will dissipate, the gloom will dissolve. Thank you, Mr. Mueller." Stu Freeman of Brooklyn

Phyllis Dalmatian of Kansas

"Stone is Johnny two-face: he threatens to harm a security dog then uses his own two dogs' reaction to his early-morning arrest as proof of the FBI's perceived heavy-handed tactics. He trumpets his dedication to "the truth" while lying (all his life) and throughout the Mueller investigation--threatening former criminal associates if they cooperate with--i.e. tell the truth to--the feds. He professes patriotism while working in league with his country's greatest adversary to undermine an American presidential election. It is no wonder anyone this duplicitous should be an acolyte of Richard Nixon and a life-long driving force in the Republican Party. That's the way the GOP grows its alleged leaders--by rewarding them for wrecking American values without demonstrating any consciousness of guilt. "CMary of Chicago

"Concerning stones method of arrest, he merely found out how it is to be treated by law enforcement in many zip codes in this county, no sympathy whatsoever."No Party of FLA

"Why is it so many Americans believe whatever they are told? People like Trump and Stone commit crimes and lie in plain sight and many of our countrymen lap it up like duck soup. Was it growing up in the era of Disney and Spielberg that has made so much of the public susceptible to political special effects? "Of course President Obama is a Muslim, my TV said so." You can't fool all of the people, but you certainly will have no trouble fooling half of them. These remain dangerous times."Socrates of NJ

" Looking back....as you do in this piece....there is really only one question “Was your desperate focus on stopping Hilary from being elected worth it?”

David Martin of Paris

"Meanwhile, Trump can't stop telling us about women in vans with duct tape on their mouths. Perhaps his past is catching up with him involuntarily." Jerry Summer of NC

Another day, another Trump associate is arrested... What was that you were saying about HRC's emails again, Ms Dowd? Nick Adam of Mississippi

#donald trump #politics #trump administration #republican politics #legal issues #president donald trump #trump #trump scandals #republican party #russia investigation #2016 election #politics and government #white house #must reads #robert mueller #roger stone

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patriotsnet · 3 years ago

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What Do Democratic Republicans Believe In

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/what-do-democratic-republicans-believe-in/

What Do Democratic Republicans Believe In

Famous Republican Vs Democratic Presidents

Republicans have controlled the White House for 28 of the last 43 years since Richard Nixon became president. Famous Democrat Presidents have been Franklin Roosevelt, who pioneered the New Deal in America and stood for 4 terms, John F. Kennedy, who presided over the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban missile crisis, and was assassinated in Office; Bill Clinton, who was impeached by the House of Representatives; and Nobel Peace Prize winners Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter.

Famous Republican Presidents include Abraham Lincoln, who abolished slavery; Teddy Roosevelt, known for the Panama Canal; Ronald Reagan, credited for ending the Cold War with ; and the two Bush family Presidents of recent times. Republican President Richard Nixon was forced to resign over the Watergate scandal.

To compare the two parties’ presidential candidates in the 2020 elections, see Donald Trump vs Joe Biden.

The Third Party System

The Third Party System lasted from about 1854 to the mid-1890s, and featured profound developments in issues of nationalism, modernization, and race. It was dominated by the new Republican Party , which claimed success in saving the Union, abolishing slavery and enfranchising the freedmen, while adopting many Whiggish modernization programs such as national banks, railroads, high tariffs, homesteads, social spending , and aid to land grant colleges. While most elections from 1874 through 1892 were extremely close, the opposition Democrats won only the 1884 and 1892 presidential elections. The northern and western states were largely Republican, save for closely balanced New York, Indiana, New Jersey, and Connecticut. After 1874, the Democrats took control of the âSolid South. â

What Was John Quincy Adamss Childhood Like

John Quincy Adams was the eldest son of and Abigail Adams. Growing up during the American Revolution, he watched the Battle of Bunker Hill from Penns Hill and heard the cannons roar across the Back Bay in . He accompanied his father on diplomatic missions to Europe and studied in and , Netherlands.

Democratic Socialism Vs Trumpism

What probably rankles the Trumpians and scares the bejeebers out of them is the fact that more Americans, especially young folks, are giving democratic socialism a look and liking what they see hence the rise of the Sanders movement.

The old red-baiting and the lies that democratic socialism or social democracy is the same as Stalinism are falling on more and more deaf ears.

Communism is about gone. In Russia, Trumps pal Putin, the ex-KGB guy, has replaced Marxism-Leninism with fascism even after 27 million Russians died fighting Hitler and fascism.

And in America, Trumpism is looking more and more like Putinism. If we can turn back Trumpism in this election, perhaps we can begin the discussion about what sort of nation we really want to be. And that discussion should include democratic socialism.

What Is The Most Distinctive Feature Of Democracy

The most distinctive feature of democracy is that its examination never gets over because:

As people realise the benefits of democracy, they ask for more and want to make democracy even better.

The fact that people complain regarding the working of democracy is a testimony to the success of democracy.

What Does Democratic Mean

Starting alphabetically, the word means pertaining to or of the nature of democracy or a democracy.

Simply put, the lowercase democratic is a word used to refer to anything that resembles or has to do with a , a form of in which the supreme power rests with the people and is exercised by them directly or by politicians that they elect to them. In practice, this is usually accomplished through a fair, organized system of voting, in which or cast votes in support of political or societal issues .

So, the word democratic is used to describe government systems that are or resemble democracies and the people that run these types of governments. The United States of America is a representative democracy in which the people elect representatives to perform the demands of politics on their behalf. This is why we say that the US is a democratic country or that we have a democratic form of government.

The English word democratic dates all the way back to the late 1500 and early 1600s. It is derived from the Greek word dmokratía . The government system of the ancient Greek of Athens, in which the people held the power , is considered the worlds first democracy. Considering that Athens was a slave-owning society, its form of democracy was much different than the democratic governments of today.

Trump Loses Then Attempts A Coup

In Georgia, Trump is attacking the Republican governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state. In Arizona, he is attacking Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who has been a GOP statewide officeholder for more consecutive years than Trump has been a Republican.

The reason? They are not willing to try to overturn duly certified election results in their states.

There has been an attempted coup of the presidential election taking place. But Trump is not the victim. He is the perpetrator.

The legal strategy was to delay certification of election results. The political strategy was to pressure Republican officials to ignore the election results, irrespective of whether they were certified, and have Republican state legislatures chose Trump electors in states where Biden won the vote.

What Are The Basic Ideals Of The Democracy

According to American political scientist Larry Diamond, democracy consists of four key elements: a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections; the active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life; protection of the human rights of all citizens;

Democratic Views On The Death Penalty

Democratic views on the death penalty revolve around the opinion that it must only be used in certain cases. The 2012 Democratic Party Platform stated, we believe that the death penalty must not be arbitrary. DNA testing should be used in all appropriate circumstances, defendants should have effective assistance of counsel, and the administration of justice should be fair and impartial. Previous Democratic platforms have stated, in all death row cases, we encourage thorough post-conviction reviews. We will put the rights of victims and families first again. And we will push for more crime prevention, to stop the next generation of crime before its too late. As a party, Democrats believe that stricter punishment, such as the death penalty, work as a preventative measure to keep crime from happening to begin with. Democrats strongly support the death penalty in cases of those who have murdered policemen and terrorists. Bill Clinton and Al Gore fought to have this punishment put into place for these criminals. The party is currently divided on whether or not the death penalty should be applied to all convicted murderers. However, not all Democrats share this view. Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsome of California says, I think we should repeal the death penalty. Its not a deterrent; there are racial components to it. Martin OMalley, governor of Maryland, believes similarly. He says Its wasteful. Its ineffective. It doesnt work to reduce violent crime.

Regulating The Economy Democratic Style

The Democratic Party is generally considered more willing to intervene in the economy, subscribing to the belief that government power is needed to regulate businesses that ignore social interests in the pursuit of earning a for shareholders. This intervention can come in the form of regulation or taxation to support social programs. Opponents often describe the Democratic approach to governing as “tax and spend.”

Why Did The Democratic And Republican Parties Switch Platforms

02 November 2020

Around 100 years ago, Democrats and Republicans switched their political stances.

The Republican and Democratic parties of the United States didn’t always stand for what they do today.

During the 1860s, Republicans, who dominated northern states, orchestrated an ambitious expansion of federal power, helping to fund the transcontinental railroad, the state university system and the settlement of the West by homesteaders, and instating a national currency and protective tariff. Democrats, who dominated the South, opposed those measures.

After the Civil War, Republicans passed laws that granted protections for Black Americans and advanced social justice. And again, Democrats largely opposed these apparent expansions of federal power.

Sound like an alternate universe? Fast forward to 1936.

Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt won reelection that year on the strength of the New Deal, a set of Depression-remedying reforms including regulation of financial institutions, the founding of welfare and pension programs, infrastructure development and more. Roosevelt won in a landslide against Republican Alf Landon, who opposed these exercises of federal power.

So, sometime between the 1860s and 1936, the party of small government became the party of big government, and the party of big government became rhetorically committed to curbing federal power.

Foreign Policy And National Defense

Republicans supported Woodrow Wilsons call for American entry into World War I in 1917, complaining only that he was too slow to go to war. Republicans in 1919 opposed his call for entry into the League of Nations. A majority supported the League with reservations; a minority opposed membership on any terms. Republicans sponsored world disarmament in the 1920s, and isolationism in the 1930s. Most Republicans staunchly opposed intervention in World War II until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. By 1945, however, internationalists became dominant in the party which supported the Cold War policies such as the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and NATO.

Working Role Of Government And Society

The Democratic point of view sets standards for American society and the role of the government in that society. The fundamental beliefs about society and government is that:

Societies must have laws that the majority of the people support and accept.

Dissenting minorities are protected and have the right to have an opinion different than the majority.

The people rule and thus, the people rule elect a government.

The government should respect and protect individual rights.

The government should also protect and respect individual freedoms.

Civil liberties must be guaranteed for ALL citizens by the government.

The government must work for the common good.

Most, if not all, of these solid Democratic beliefs, are outlined and protected by the United States Constitution. Many of todays hot issues violate some of these tenets. The Homeland Security Act, for example, removes some of the individual freedoms and rights from American Citizens. Republicans feel that the loss of these rights is for the common good; Democrats disagree.

Before pledging membership or allegiance to either political party, Americans should educate themselves about what each party believes and what each party stands for to be sure that their own beliefs agree.

June 27, 2018

Who Created The First Political Parties

It featured two national parties competing for control of the presidency, Congress, and the states: the Federalist Party, created largely by Alexander Hamilton, and the rival Jeffersonian Democratic-Republican Party, formed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, usually called at the time the Republican Party (note:

READ: What does it mean when a girl says talk soon?

Why The Gops Lack Of Party Platform Matters

President Trumps refusal to commit to accepting Novembers election results is the latest example of this president abandoning the norms of constitutional democracy. And although high-profile Republicans have issued statements affirming that they support a peaceful transfer of power, they have also been carefully deferential to Trump.

This is a notable continuation of the party slowly becoming the party of Trump. Nowhere was this clearer than in the decision not to have a 2020 party platform and instead simply affirming enthusiastic support for Trump and his America First agenda. That move, more so than statements pledging fealty to the peaceful transfer of power, signals wavering Republican commitment toward equal rights and democracy.

Platforms declare a partys values and commitments. While the substance of the Democratic and Republican platforms often differs sharply, both have historically used certain key words, like the American Dream, economic opportunity and freedom from discrimination. Examining Republican platforms over time shows that what once had been a big-tent strategy of carefully managing intraparty differences over equality has been replaced by a hierarchical model of leadership where the party faithful should acquiesce to one individuals vision of political community. Indeed, the 2020 resolution ruled out of order any effort to adopt a platform.

Who Are Prominent Democrats

Notable Democrats include Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was the only president to be elected to the White House four times, and Barack Obama, who was the first African American president . Other Democratic presidents include John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. The latters wife, Hillary Clinton, made history in 2016 as the first woman to win the presidential nomination of a major U.S. political party, though she ultimately lost the election. In 1968 Shirley Chisholm won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first African American woman elected to , and in 2007 Nancy Pelosi became the first woman to serve as of the House.

Democratic Party, in the United States, one of the two major political parties, the other being the Republican Party.

political cartoon: donkey Harper’s Weekly

Democrats Think Many Republicans Sincere And Point To Policy

Democrats, however, were somewhat more generous in their answers. More than four in ten Democratic voters felt that most Republican voters had the countrys best interests at heart . And many tried their best to answer from the others perspective. A 45-year-old male voter from Ohio imagined that as a Republican, he was motivated by Republicans harsh stance on immigration; standing up for the 2nd Amendment; promised tax cuts. A 30-year-old woman from Colorado felt that Republican votes reflected the desires to stop abortion stop gay marriage from ruining our country and give us our coal jobs back.

Other Democrats felt that their opponents were mostly motivated by the GOPs opposition to Obamacare, lower taxes and to support a party that reduced unemployment.

Energy Issues And The Environment

There have always been clashes between the parties on the issues of energy and the environment. Democrats believe in restricting drilling for oil or other avenues of fossil fuels to protect the environment while Republicans favor expanded drilling to produce more energy at a lower cost to consumers. Democrats will push and support with tax dollars alternative energy solutions while the Republicans favor allowing the market to decide which forms of energy are practical.

Public Opinion On Foreign Policy

In June 2014 the Quinnipiac Poll asked Americans which foreign policy they preferred:

A) The United States is doing too much in other countries around the world, and it is time to do less around the world and focus more on our own problems here at home. B) The United States must continue to push forward to promote democracy and freedom in other countries around the world because these efforts make our own country more secure.

Democrats chose A over B by 65%-32%; Republicans chose A over B by 56% to 39%; Independents chose A over B by 67% to 29%.

Taking The Perspective Of Others Proved To Be Really Hard

The divide in the United States is wide, and one indication of that is how difficult our question proved for many thoughtful citizens. A 77-year-old Republican woman from Pennsylvania was typical of the voters who struggled with this question, telling us, This is really hard for me to even try to think like a devilcrat!, I am sorry but I in all honesty cannot answer this question. I cannot even wrap my mind around any reason they would be good for this country.

Similarly, a 53-year-old Republican from Virginia said, I honestly cannot even pretend to be a Democrat and try to come up with anything positive at all, but, I guess they would vote Democrat because they are illegal immigrants and they are promised many benefits to voting for that party. Also, just to follow what others are doing. And third would be just because they hate Trump so much. The picture she paints of the typical Democratic voter being an immigrant, who goes along with their party or simply hates Trump will seem like a strange caricature to most Democratic voters. But her answer seems to lack the animus of many.

Democrats struggled just as much as Republicans. A 33-year-old woman from California told said, i really am going to have a hard time doing this but then offered that Republicans are morally right as in values, going to protect us from terrorest and immigrants, going to create jobs.

History Of The Democratic Party

The party can trace its roots all the way back to Thomas Jefferson when they were known as Jeffersons Republicans and they strongly opposed the Federalist Party and their nationalist views. The Democrats adopted the donkey as their symbol due to Andrew Jackson who was publicly nicknamed jackass because of his popular position of let the people rule. The Democratic National Committee was officially created in 1848. During the civil war a rift grew within the party between those who supported slavery and those who opposed it. This deep division led to the creation of a new Democratic party, the one we now know today.

Adams And The Revolution Of 1800

Presidency of John AdamsThomas JeffersonJohn Adams

Shortly after Adams took office, he dispatched a group of envoys to seek peaceful relations with France, which had begun attacking American shipping after the ratification of the Jay Treaty. The failure of talks, and the French demand for bribes in what became known as the XYZ Affair, outraged the American public and led to the , an undeclared naval war between France and the United States. The Federalist-controlled Congress passed measures to expand the army and navy and also pushed through the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Alien and Sedition Acts restricted speech that was critical of the government, while also implementing stricter naturalization requirements. Numerous journalists and other individuals aligned with the Democratic-Republicans were prosecuted under the Sedition Act, sparking a backlash against the Federalists. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Madison drafted the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which held that state legislatures could determine the constitutionality of federal laws.

Early Life And Career

John Adams entered the world at the same time that his maternal great-grandfather, John Quincy, for many years a prominent member of the , was leaving ithence his name. He grew up as a child of the American Revolution. He watched the Battle of Bunker Hill from Penns Hill and heard the roar across the Back Bay in . His patriot father, John Adams, at that time a delegate to the Continental Congress, and his patriot mother, Abigail Smith Adams, had a strong molding influence on his education after the war had deprived Braintree of its only schoolmaster. In 1778 and again in 1780 the boy accompanied his father to . He studied at a private school in in 177879 and at the University of Leiden, , in 1780. Thus, at an early age he acquired an excellent knowledge of the language and a smattering of . In 1780, also, he began to keep regularly the diary that forms so a record of his doings and those of his contemporaries through the next 60 years of American history. Self-appreciative, like most of the Adams clan, he once declared that, if his diary had been even richer, it might have become “next to the Holy Scriptures, the most and valuable book ever written by human hands.”

Religion And The Belief In God Is Vital To A Strong Nation

Republicans are generally accepting only of the Judeo-Christian belief system. For most Republicans, religion is absolutely vital in their political beliefs and the two cannot be separated. Therefore, separation of church and state is not that important to them. In fact, they believe that much of what is wrong has been caused by too much secularism.

Those are the four basic Republican tenets: small government, local control, the power of free markets, and Christian authority. Below are other things they believe that derive from those four ideas.

Democratic Views On Health Care

The Democratic view on health care is based around the idea that accessible, affordable, high quality health care is part of the American promise, that Americans should have the security that comes with good health care. Democrats believe that no American should have to face financial destitution because they fall ill or get injured, stating that no one should have to choose between taking their child to a doctor and paying the rent. They are firm supporters of laws that prevent insurance companies from covering Americans with pre-existing medical conditions, capping or cancelling coverage, or charging women more due simply to gender. They also support allowing young Americans who are just entering the workforce to stay on their parents health care plans. They believe in preserving Medicare benefits for seniors. Democrats are strong supporters of the Affordable Care Act and of strengthening Medicare. Democrats stand in support of stem cell research, as well as other medical research, as a means to develop cures and treatments. They also support tax credits to businesses who offer quality, affordable healthcare, and tax credits to Americans who are approaching 65 and are not working, so that they can continue to afford healthcare until their Medicare benefits come into effect.

Opinion:almost Half Of Republicans Admit Theyre Ready To Ditch Democracy

Almost half of Republicans are now saying the quiet part out loud: Theyd prefer to ditch this whole democracy thing.

So finds CBS News-YouGov conducted in mid-May. The survey asked Republicans a series of questions about the required level of fealty to former president Donald Trump, their views of the 2020 election and priorities for the party going forward.

The results were bleak.

Two-thirds said it was important for Republicans to be loyal to Donald Trump now. The same share said they did not believe President Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 election. recent that I dont think anybody is questioning the legitimacy of the presidential election.)

But the most troubling results came from a question about the partys best strategy for winning in 2022 and 2024. If you were consulting for the party, respondents were asked, would you focus on developing a message and popular policies and ideas to win over more voters? Or would you prioritize changes to the voting rules in states and districts?

A whopping 47 percent chose the latter option. In other words, nearly half of those who still identify as Republicans appear to have given up on a key premise of democracy: that you earn the right to govern by proposing ideas that appeal to a majority of the public. Theyd prefer to short-circuit that process and,instead, make it harder for their opponents to vote.

So much for party of ideas, as the GOP once called itself.

Why Democrats Are Reluctantly Making Voter Id Laws A Bargaining Chip

While party leaders have long worried about the discriminatory effects of such laws, many now see other restrictive voting measures pushed by Republicans as a more urgent threat.

WASHINGTON Congressional Democrats, searching for any way forward on legislation to protect voting rights, find themselves softening their once-firm opposition to a form of restriction on the franchise that they had long warned would be Exhibit A for voter suppression: voter identification laws.

Any path to passing the far-reaching Democratic elections legislation that Republicans blocked with a filibuster on Tuesday will almost certainly have to include a compromise on the bills near-blanket ban on state laws that require voters to present photo identification before they can cast a ballot. As such laws were first cropping up decades ago, Democrats fought them tooth and nail, insisting that they would be an impossible barrier to scale for the nations most vulnerable voters, especially older people and people of color.

But in recent years, as the concept of voter identification has become broadly popular, the idea that voters bring some form of ID to the polls has been accepted by Democrats ranging from Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia on the center-right to Stacey Abrams of Georgia, a hero of the left.

For me, the larger debate that is probably more critical is reforming the filibuster, he said.

The Fight Over Voting Rights

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thisisit747 · 3 years ago

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We must be sure that Donald Trump does not be president ever again. At this very moment his pal Putin is slaughtering people in Ukraine and Donald Trump is praising what he’s doing he’s against what the United States is doing to help Ukraine but he’s praising Putin. Donald Trump is not an American. He’s a traitor he does not belong in the American government or anywhere near power Donald Trump should be with his war criminal friend Putin in prison.

It’s 2023 and Donald Trump has just been indicted in New York City. We’re on our way back to normalcy.

Supposedly over 1mm folks visit @OurProgressive @LiberalResist each month on our social media channels. We aren’t for-profit nor an LLC. USAunify.org is now a 501c4. Democrats, especially Progressive don’t elect themselves. Support nonprofits, #Organize

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1765liberty · 7 years ago

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Please consider sharing widely.

There has been increased pressure from the GOP and FOX lately on Mueller and his team and even rumors that Trump might try and fire Mueller and the GOP might try and shut down the House Intelligence Committee's investigation. There has also been a PR push by FOX and Sean Hannity to both discredit Mueller and try and claim his team is biased. Both FOX and the GOP have claimed that there is not a shred of evidence of collusion and that this is a witch hunt and a PR stunt.

Seth Abramson (who I've mentioned before) has gone and compiled the top PUBLIC evidence (not including what Mueller has available through his investigation) for you to provide any of your friends/family who claim this is all just made up:

#1: In March of 2016, Papadopoulos reveals to Trump—face-to-face—he's a Kremlin intermediary sent to establish a Trump-Putin backchannel (he says Putin is favorably disposed to Trump's candidacy). Trump then and there orders Gordon to coordinate a pro-Kremlin GOP platform change.

#2: In June 2016, Don Jr. knowingly attends a meeting with—and set up by—Kremlin agents. He asks the Kremlin for what he has reason to believe is illegally acquired Clinton material. Afterwards, he (allegedly) tells no one. When caught, he lies about every aspect of the meeting.

#3: In April, July and September of 2016 Sessions meets Russian Ambassador Kislyak in settings in which Russian sanctions are discussed. He holds the latter two meetings *after* it's known Russia is cyber-attacking America. He lies about these contacts under oath before Congress.

#4: Kislyak egregiously violates longstanding diplomatic protocol to attend—as a guest of the Trump campaign—a major Trump foreign policy speech. Having been invited to the speech as a VIP, Kislyak sits in the front row as Trump promises Putin's Russia "a good deal" on sanctions.

#5: Flynn—aided and abetted by Kushner and the full Presidential Transition Team—illegally conducts sanctions and resolution negotiations with Russia during the 2016 transition. When asked about it by the FBI, he lies. When the lies are published, no one on the PTT corrects them.

#6: Carter Page travels to Moscow under the guise of an academic conference—in fact, he meets with top Kremlin officials and top Rosneft executives, speaking with both about Russian sanctions just as the Steele Dossier alleges. When questioned about his activities, he lies on TV.

#7: Trump campaign manager Manafort and Sessions aide Gordon aggressively push to change the GOP platform to benefit Putin under direct orders from Trump. When asked about Trump's involvement, they lie to the media; when asked about their own involvement, they lie to the media.

#8: Shortly after the inauguration, it's revealed that Trump has been holding onto a secret plan to unilaterally drop all sanctions against Russia for months—a plan he's never before revealed, which would *reward* Russia for cyber-attacking America during a presidential election.

#9: When Trump learns the FBI Director plans to indict his ex-National Security Advisor, he fires him—first lying about his reason for doing so, then eventually admitting he did it due to "the Russia thing." Later—in an Oval Office conversation with Russians—he repeats the claim.

#10: In an Oval Office meeting into which no U.S. media are allowed (foreshadowing a meeting with Putin in which no U.S. translators would be allowed), Trump deliberately leaks classified Israeli intelligence to the Russians, who are allies of Israel's (and America's) enemy—Iran.

#11: In late 2016, Kushner and Flynn smuggle Kislyak into Trump Tower to secretly discuss the creation of a clandestine—Kremlin-controlled—Trump-Putin backchannel only a few principals would know about. The men don't disclose the meeting or plan, which would constitute espionage.

#12: In May 2016, Trump NatSec advisor Papadopoulos makes secret trips to Athens to make contact with Kremlin allies. During the second trip, Putin's also there—to discuss sanctions. It's his only trip to an EU nation during the campaign. Papadopoulos meets the same men as Putin.

#13: In 2013, Trump and Putin's developer sign a letter-of-intent to build Trump Tower Moscow—a deal requiring Putin's blessing that only goes forward when Putin dispatches to Trump his permits man and banker. Trump and principals lie about the deal—and events at the Ritz Moscow.

#14: Just before Trump's inauguration, Trump's lawyer Cohen and ex-Russian mobster Sater secretly meet with a pro-Russia Ukrainian politician to help ferry a secret Kremlin-backed "peace deal" to Flynn, Trump's National Security Advisor. All involved then lie about their actions.

#15: After it's publicly revealed Russia is waging cyberwar on America, Trump publicly and in all seriousness invites the Kremlin to continue cyber-attacking America if doing so will result in the theft and release of his opponent's private emails. He never retracts the request.

#16: Trump advisors Bannon, Prince, Flynn, Don Jr., Giuliani and Pirro are involved—to varying degrees—in leaking, sourcing, disseminating, and legitimizing a false "True Pundit" story that seeks to use fraud to blackmail the FBI into indicting Clinton. Russian bots pump it also.

#17: Trump's top advisors—including Manafort, Sessions, Flynn, Clovis, Page, Papadopoulos, Cohen, Sater, Don Jr, Kushner, Prince, Dearborn, Gordon, Gates, Stone and others—lie about or fail to disclose Russia contacts or key conversations on Russian efforts to collude with Trump.

#18: For many months after Trump begins his run, he is secretly working under a letter-of-intent with Russian developers to build Trump Tower Moscow. The deal—brokered by Cohen and Sater—allegedly falls apart only when Putin's top aide won't return an email from Trump's attorney.

#19: In 2008, Don Jr. privately tells investors that "a disproportionate percentage" of the Trump Organization's money comes from Russia—a fact later confirmed by Eric Trump. Trump Sr. then becomes the first presidential candidate in decades to refuse to release his tax returns.

#20: Though he's fully briefed on Russia's cyberwar against America in August 2016, Trump publicly denies it—calling the U.S. intel community Nazis—while accepting Putin's denials he's done anything wrong and proposing the U.S. create a cybersecurity task force with the Kremlin.

#21: Trump NatSec advisor Erik Prince secretly traveled to UAE at the command of the UAE's Royal Family so he could have a clandestine meeting *on Russia sanctions* with a top and Putin ally—the Russian Direct Investment Fund manager. Prince lied to Congress about all aspects of this.

#22: Trump NatSec advisor Flynn secretly worked with Trump pal Thomas Barrack and Iran-Contra criminal Robert "Bud" McFarlane to lobby Trump to drop Russia sanctions—the better to make money off a deal to bring nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia via Russian-built nuclear reactors.

#23: In 2002, Trump tried to rig the Miss Universe pageant—by leaning illegally on judges—to award the title to Miss Russia, whose two boyfriends at the time were a) one of the top real estate developers in Saint Petersburg, a market Trump wanted access to, and b) Vladimir Putin.

#24: In 2003, Trump was saved from bankruptcy by the sudden, miraculous appearance of Russian mobster Felix Sater in his orbit. Sater found Trump new partners and tenants—often, Russians—and they helped make Trump rich again. Trump then perjured himself over whether he knew Sater.

#25: Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort was secretly contacting Putin ally Oleg Deripaska during the 2016 presidential campaign, at one point promising him special access to the Trump campaign—and to Trump's thinking on Russia policy—via clandestine "briefings" on those topics.

#26: After it was revealed Don Jr. met Kremlin agents at Trump's house—Trump Tower—at a time Trump was in the building and meeting with Don, Jared, and Manafort on the same topics they met the Kremlin agents to discuss, Trump witness-tampered by writing his son's false statement.

#27: Trump's campaign hired Bannon/Mercer-run Cambridge Analytica to target voters via "psychographics." There's evidence Cambridge Analytica leaked its data to the Kremlin to aid its massive propaganda campaign. Emails *from Cambridge Analytica to WikiLeaks* have been discovered.

#28: *After* it was known Trump's NatSec team had met to talk Russia policy and receive orders from Trump on sanctions, Sarah Huckabee Sanders lied—from the White House—on how many times the team met. She said once—it was three times, plus innumerable group calls and email chains.

#29: Trump National Security Advisor Flynn dined with Putin in Moscow during the presidential campaign—*while he was advising Trump*. He admits they discussed Russia policy. The chances he didn't brief the man he was advising on what Putin said—and what Flynn said back—are *nil*.

#30: Trump selected as Secretary of State a man who didn't want the job, wasn't qualified, and has revealed himself to be as bad at it as anticipated. But Tillerson had one qualification—he's not just a Putin pal, but had received the *Russian Order of Friendship Medal* from him.

#31: During the presidential campaign—while he was a Trump NatSec advisor—Trump's future National Security Advisor Mike Flynn received tens of thousands of dollars directly from Kremlin propaganda network RT. He then lied about it on TV and failed to disclose it on federal forms.

#32: Months ago, both houses of Congress voted overwhelmingly—517 to 5—to impose new sanctions on Russia for its massive election interference campaign (correctly classified as "cyber-war") on the United States. Trump is now protecting Putin by refusing to impose those sanctions.

#33: Three of Trump's top NatSec advisors—Schmitz, Gordon, Page—went to Budapest in 2016. Budapest is the European HQ for Russia's FSB. It was Gordon's sixth trip to the tiny EU nation in recent years; Page admits meeting an unnamed Russian; *no one knows* what Schmitz was doing.

#34: In 2013, the Trumps developed close business and personal ties with the Agalarovs—a Kremlin-linked family of oligarchs who've acted as Putin agents before (including delivering gifts to Trump from Putin). Trump stayed in touch with them throughout the presidential campaign.

#35: Alexander Torshin—a Putin-linked Russian banker and "long-time Trump acquaintance"—met Trump at an NRA conference weeks before Trump announced his run, then tried to set up a secret Putin-Trump meet in May 2016. He then tried to secretly meet Trump at an event this February.

#36: At a time it was *widely known* that the way to reach Trump was to send an email to Hope Hicks—Trump doesn't use email—Russian intelligence did so several times, suggesting they felt Hicks and Trump would be amenable to the contacts. The FBI had to warn Hicks not to respond.

#37: In 2004, Trump bought a Miami mansion no one wanted for $40 million. After making no improvements to either the land or the property and failing to sell it for *four years*, in 2008 Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev—facing no competing offers—gave him $95 million for it.

#38: In 2014, Eric Trump told reporter James Dodson his father got "all the funding he needed" for his golf courses—a big part of his financial portfolio—from Russian banks. Dodson had no reason to lie, but Eric denied it vehemently—underscoring how dangerous that truth would be.

#39: Trump made his Campaign Manager a man who'd been out of politics for years and is known largely not just for working on behalf of Putin allies in Ukraine but having angled for years to do direct propaganda work for the Kremlin itself—outreach which has since been documented.

BONUS: Though he knows by August 2016 that Russia is committing crimes against America, Trump still lets his top NatSec advisor, Sessions, negotiate sanctions with Kislyak—presumably Trump's plan for a unilateral dropping of sanctions. This is Aiding and Abetting Computer Crimes.

BONUS: During the transition, Trump's son-in-law Kushner secretly meets with Putin's banker—after which discussion the two men disagree wildly as to what they discussed, suggesting that whatever the topic was, it was clandestine. Kushner won't reveal the meeting for many months.

BONUS: Advisors to the Trump campaign, including Trump Jr. and Stone, have contacts with WikiLeaks and/or Russian hackers—the timeline of which conversations dovetails perfectly with consequential changes in behavior by one or both of the parties (including Trump's stump speech).

BONUS: When Acting AG Yates warns Trump that Flynn—his National Security Advisor—has been compromised by Russia, Trump fires her and keeps Flynn on board for 18 days. Either he lies to Pence about what he knows on this or both Trump and Pence lie to America about their knowledge.

BONUS: Fears that the Kremlin recorded "kompromat"—blackmail—on Trump at the Ritz Moscow in November 2013 have been stoked by Trump's repeated lies about his trip, his bodyguard's confession it could've happened, and as many as eight witnesses found by the BBC and intel agencies.

BONUS: After Trump's son Don began engaging in a back-and-forth correspondence with Russian front-operation WikiLeaks in September 2016, the Trump campaign responded to WikiLeaks' pro-Trump overtures by inserting praise of WikiLeaks into then-candidate Trump's daily stump speech.

BONUS: The 4 ambassadors Trump invited to the VIP event before his first foreign policy speech (Mayflower Hotel, 4/27/16)—that'd be 4 of a possible 195—all *breached diplomatic protocol to attend* and were all from nations involved in Russia's sanctions-impacted Rosneft oil deal.

BONUS: Trump has repeatedly angled—almost *desperately*—for private meetings with Putin, including orchestrating pretenses for them. Each time they've met, they've exceeded the allotted time for such a meeting by 300% and breached protocol in how the meetings have been conducted.

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