Retired AF Guy
Army.ca Veteran
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All the theoretical worriers who have tied themselves in knots about how lawless another Trump administration might be have essentially had their political nuts cut off by the recent revelations of just how lawless the current administration is being with respect to enforcing laws of the country.
To paraphrase Macauley, a democracy cannot tolerate a prolonged significant breach of its laws, let alone its constitution. Political parties are like two-year-old children and dogs - pass a fault, and a precedent is established.
Republicans who are down on the supposed immigration reform deal are in that position because they see an old gambit being played out again - go-along-to-get-along Republicans negotiate to accept nothing (more laws on top of the ones already not enforced) for something (money for Ukraine). The same Republicans also want the money for Ukraine, but they have some fuzzy notion that they have to try to get something in exchange, and an even fuzzier notion that most voters haven't gotten tired of their something-for-nothing deals. A sizeable fraction of American conservatives have been despising McConnell for just this kind of thing, and he is trying to do it again. This is what leads to "more Trump".
But that’s not what he said/wrote, hence people reading it as suggesting Putin was more trustworthy.
I take it you never did read the report.He didn't say he supported Putin over the American intelligence community. He was making a point that is obviously lost on those who still believe the Russia collusion hoax was legit and not one of the biggest scandals in American political history.
Mueller or Durham? Either way Trump was cleared.I take it you never did read the report.
Trump being cleared from direct involvement yes. But there were significant areas of Russian interference, including some very shady campaign finance issues from some Reps both GOP and DNC.Mueller or Durham? Either way Trump was cleared.
For my part, I'm still trying to figure out what the point of them is.Have you followed the bills and offers at all?
He was not "exonerated". They tried very hard to leave the taint of suspicion hanging over the obstruction issue.Mueller or Durham? Either way Trump was cleared.
It’s not even real money for the most part. It’s stuff from us. Which in turn allows us to get new toys.For my part, I'm still trying to figure out what the point of them is.
I understand the obvious scenario: the Democrats and some Republicans want to give more money to Ukraine, but that's a difficult political sale if Americans can't be convinced they're getting something for the money. Simply handing more money to Ukraine pisses off some Democratic voters, and some potential Republican establishment voters. So "something" is more border control legislation.
The issue is that the Republicans asked for a Border deal, and when POTUS and the DNC came with one, the GOP balked (and censored some GOP Senators for their comments about how can you ignore the crisis when the Democrats came to deal on it).Equally obviously, there's nothing anyone can say that will convince skeptical voters that new laws will be meaningfully enforced if existing laws are not.
So what's the case for the bill(s), then (other than the aforementioned scenario)?
Everyone wants to solve the border issues, but it’s not nearly as easy as that. There needs to be immigration reform at the same time to give people a path forward to legal immigration.Anyone believing that weak border control isn't an issue may not have thought through some of the implications. In particular, Ukraine hawks should want that border tighter than a duck's ass, at least past the 2024 election.
Agreed, but the efforts of Abbot aren’t doing much, other than making a scene.Unfriendly terrorist-sponsoring countries undoubtedly see a weak border as an opportunity for infiltration. If a major terrorist attack occurs, Americans will be angry. Their anger will be directed at the perceived responsible nation(s). They are unlikely to be persuaded a second time that any other nation ought to be a target, or ought to be receiving funds. Their anger is also going to be directed at the federal administration that they most blame for insufficient risk mitigation
Trump will line his pocket and ignore everything as per SOP if he gets in.So the shortest route to severing American funding from Ukraine might just be a major terrorist attack that embarrasses the Biden administration by leaving a trail of evidence pointing to infiltration at the southern border, resulting in a new administration that is disinclined to support Ukraine and has an excuse to focus blood and treasure somewhere else.
Maybe 'Ignorance is Strength' is more appropriate, especially as some people now seem to deliberate cultivate it and are proud they have never read a book.George Orwell:![]()
He sure didn't say he supported the int community over Putin either, right?He didn't say he supported Putin over the American intelligence community ....
You're right, my mistake. I thought the 'innocent until proven guilty' philosophy still applied.He was not "exonerated". They tried very hard to leave the taint of suspicion hanging over the obstruction issue.
He sure didn't say he supported the int community over Putin either, right?
I’m Roy Cohn’s Cousin. He Would Have Detested Trump’s Russia Fawning.
As dangerous as Cohn was to American institutions, he never wavered in defending the U.S. against the ‘evil empire.’
He smeared Jews even though he was Jewish. He tarred Democrats even though he was a Democrat. He persecuted gay people even though he was gay.
Yet throughout his life, he held fast to one certainty: Russia and America were enemies. Roy often told me the Kremlin blamed the U.S. for Russia’s failure to prosper, so Russian leaders were bent on destroying our democracy.
Here's what Biden is offeringThe issue is that the Republicans asked for a Border deal, and when POTUS and the DNC came with one, the GOP balked (and censored some GOP Senators for their comments about how can you ignore the crisis when the Democrats came to deal on it).
But it is. Pick up the pen. Stop the increasing flow of illegals and then negotiate immigration reform. If you get a hole in a dam, flooding the valley, you don't sit there arguing about fixing the old one or building a new one. You plug the hole first, which gives you the room to figure out follow on action. Give people a path forward to legal immigration? You had working legal immigration paths for years before Biden ripped the border open and invited everyone to come. And now those that legally applied are in bureaucratic limbo because of this crisis. Or are you advocating a fast tracking of all illegals, current and future, to become citizens without all the hoops legal immigrants are currently required to go through to establish their claim? Of course, you need to ask why even bother to make millions of illegals US citizens. They already have, cell phones, drivers licenses, free access to medical and social programs, credit cards, free housing, if they can find it (a problem already existing for citizens, only exasperated by the influx of millions of undocumented, illegal aliens). Why bother with making them legal. They have everything they need, thanks to the US taxpayer. They lose all their freebies if they sign up.Everyone wants to solve the border issues, but it’s not nearly as easy as that. There needs to be immigration reform at the same time to give people a path forward to legal immigration.
Agreed, but the efforts of Abbot aren’t doing much, other than making a scene.
From everything that is happening and coming out maybe he was.But that’s not what he said/wrote, hence people reading it as suggesting Putin was more trustworthy.
Just because America's enemies seize on its domestic discontents to stir the pot, doesn't make one side in the domestic dispute treasonous. Texas isn't responsible for how Russia or China or anyone else spins it.Saddest aspect is some don't even understand their treason...