Read the Trump team's pathetic anti-Comey talking points

Could be a Mexican or a Muslim baby. They’ll be fine with that.

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What, both of them? :wink:

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Coats & Rogers got away with contempt of Congress just this week. Trump’s going to be here until Congress turns blue.

Though he can be further isolated, weakened and prevented from enacting more of his platform. Everyone is terrified of going down before or with him.

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The intra-GOP civil war between the Trump and Pence factions is heating up.

The Pence faction would like to get rid of Trump, but they know the base would eat them alive if they did. They need to find some way to dislodge the base from Trump; nothing is working so far.

The Trump faction wants to cow the Pence faction into submission, but they’re ready to primary the disloyal congressional reps at the midterms if required. Few red-district congresscritters could survive active opposition from Trump during a primary.

It looks like the main question is will the Pence faction pull the trigger before the midterms, or are they too chicken? If they go against Trump, can they get the base to go with them? And if they do, which faction will the USSC favour when it inevitably gets to them?

(unsure, unlikely, Pence would be my guesses…)

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I like how having a majority is nearly every for of government across the US is not enough to prevent “the media and the Left” from obstructing tackling “the real issues,” and they have to include it on nearly every speech or press release to try and make it mean something.

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The institutions won’t save us, but we have to find a way to actively save them. The existence of civilian, democratic institutions that guarantee environmental health, secular freedom, equality and balancing wealth and power inequality are themselves what are at stake here. The battle lines, to whatever degree they can be brightly drawn are between people who fundamentally believe that secular governmental institutions are destructive to humanity, and those who think they are absolutely necessary. This makes the fight incredibly dangerous for the anti-Trump side, as preserving institutions through defensive violence or popular protest is a lot harder than tearing them down. The children have to become the parent.

We have to learn to find a way to actively protect, support and nurture them, and steer them in positive directions. Even if it’s as simple as forming a human shield around the EPA buildings, rather than just randomly-placed street protests, or forming an alternative. An institutional resistance has begun, in part, as the left rediscovers states’ rights, and even county, and city rights. But rather than using them to tear down or avoid institutions the way the right does, it’s a way to continue their work, and also preserve them, and build a seedbank of knowledge and experience for when the federal institutions are ready to grow again.

Even this Comey bullshit is being used to protect Trump and republican interests in the lens of the Russia scandal, while simultaneously continuing the consolidation of trust into figureheads. The left hated Comey, for sure, but can still be shocked by such an unceremonious beheading of an institution. That’s why a huge chunk of these talking points will totally work on a person who wants to be lulled back into their Trump-will-save-us beliefs. They didn’t give a shit about balance of power of the sanctity of branches of government (even if respect for the FBI was less explicit that the judiciary and congress…). Trump could start axing judges he doesn’t like without a blink from his base.

ETA: shuffled around for clarity

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Better get working on organising that strike, then. 'Cos electoral campaigning and symbolic protests ain’t gonna cut it.

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This logic train never fails to amuse me.
• our current president is clearly incompetent
• the folks in his party clearly know he’s incompetent but are forced to support him for now
• there’s a whole lot of propaganda out there that dumb people believe
• THE COUNTRY IS DOOMED, LET’S NUKE IT FROM ORBIT, MOVE TO CANADA

Yes, this is dumb. Yes, the president is a moron. The situation is super fucked up.
We’ve seen way worse. We’ll get through it.

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Finally signed up just to post this (stolen from HoboDeluxe @ FARK) as a counterpoint to the RNC counterpoints:

Rush Limbaugh: "James Comey … Really Is A Guy With Impeccable Integrity."On the April 12 edition of Premiere Radio Networks’ The Rush Limbaugh Show, Limbaugh praised FBI Director James Comey, saying he “really is a guy with impeccable integrity, especially measured against most people in Washington.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 4/12/16]
Fox’s Kimberly Guilfoyle: "I Trust In Jim Comey Completely."When asked about the State Department Inspector General report on Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state, The Fiveco-host Kimberly Guilfoyle said she believes the FBI is going to do a “really thorough job” in their investigation and that she trusts in FBI Director James Comey “completely.” From the May 25 edition of Fox News’ The Five:
DANA PERINO (CO-HOST): Kimberly, do you think there’s any connection or any information that can be gleaned from today’s IG report that might tell us what the FBI is thinking or doing?
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE (CO-HOST): I think the FBI has all of that already, so it shows you that they’re on the track, you know, they’re proceeding forward. Because if the IG has it, then so does the Justice Department and the FBI. So I think this is very bad news for Hillary Clinton. And no surprise to the Justice Department. They’re on top of this. You know, the FBI is really going to do a thorough job, I trust in Jim Comey completely to make sure – and this really flies in the face and shows, lying, lying, better strip it off of Mr. Cruz, poor Mr. Cruz, and apply it to Hillary Clinton. Because she lied when she said she had the authority, and that she did nothing wrong. [Fox News, The Five, 5/25/16]
Fox Contributor George Will: "Comey Is A Big Boy."Washington Postcolumnist and Fox News contributor George Will lauded Comey as a “big boy” who Will said will move “quickly” on the FBI investigation into Clinton’s email server. From the June 12 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.‘s Fox News Sunday:
BRET BAIER (HOST): We don’t have the timing, George, but we do have these nuggets about the actual emails and the classified nature of them, and what they discussed, and the CIA personnel, and the drone operations, and more and more every day we seem to get little things that suggest that maybe there is more there.
GEORGE WILL: And we don’t have a timetable, but Director Comey of the FBI is a big boy and he’s vastly experienced in Washington, and he knows this is taking place in the context of the selection of the next chief executive, so it’s inconceivable to me that they’re not going to act with more than deliberate speed on this. So much attention has been focused on this, however, that I think she stands to win big if nothing happens. That is if there is no criminal referral sent to the Justice Department, people will say this took a long time, it was extremely thorough, they found nothing. That’s the way it will be presented, this is a binary choice, yes or no. And the way it comes out is potentially very good for her. [Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday, 6/12/16]
**Fox’s Bill O’Reilly: I “Trust Director Comey” And “Believe An Honest Investigation Is Being Done By The FBI.”**On the March 2 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor, host Bill O’Reilly said, “some Americans don’t trust Director Comey. Talking Points does. I believe an honest investigation is being done by the FBI.” [Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, 3/2/16]
**Fox Guest David Bossie: “I Trust” Comey And “He’s A Very Squared-Away Individual.”**On the May 11 edition of The O’Reilly Factor, Fox guest and president of Citizens United David Bossie said that Comey “seems like he’s a very squared-away individual and I trust him.” Host Bill O’Reilly also said, “he’s an honest guy, yes.” [Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, 5/11/16, via Nexis]
Fox Contributor Arthur Aidala: “James Comey, By All Accounts, Is A Very Decent Man, He’s Very Even-Keeled.” On the April 1 edition of Fox News’ Outnumbered, Fox News contributor Arthur Aidala referred to FBI Director James Comey as “a very decent man, he’s very even-keeled.” [Fox News, Outnumbered, 4/1/16]
**Fox Legal Analyst Peter Johnson Jr.: “James Comey [Is] A Straight-Shooter And A Guy That’s Got A Great Reputation For Integrity.”**Fox legal analyst and Fox News CEO Roger Ailes’ personal lawyer, Peter Johnson Jr., praised Comey, calling him “a straight-shooter and a guy that’s got a great reputation for integrity.” From the April 1 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends:
PETER JOHNSON JR.: Will there be any indictments at all? So it’s fraught with tension in terms of the political landscape in America, and there’s all kinds of rumors. One rumor is that James Comey is, in fact – who is the head of the FBI, and a straight-shooter and a guy that’s got a great reputation for integrity – will interview Hillary Clinton. I discount that. I don’t believe he’s going to put himself in that position, because he will be the ultimate decision-maker on the FBI side. There’s another rumor that says, well, there’s a grand jury that’s already been impaneled. I don’t believe that. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/1/16]
**Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Andrew Napolitano: James Comey “Is A Very, Very Straight Shooter. He’s Very Apolitical.”**On the April 21 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor, Fox senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano said that Comey “is a very, very straight shooter. He’s very apolitical.” [Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, 4/21/16]
**Fox’s Martha MacCallum: “James Comey Is A Very Serious Operator And A Man Who Is Respected Pretty Much Universally.”**On the March 28 edition of Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, host Martha MacCallum praised Director Comey for being “a very serious operator and a man who is respected pretty much universally.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 3/28/16]
**Fox Guest Rudy Giuliani Agrees The FBI Is “Doing An Honest Investigation,” And Comey Is “Straight As An Arrow.”**Fox host Bill O’Reilly stated that he “believe[s] the FBI is doing an honest investigation” and that Director Comey “is an honest man.” Fox guest Rudy Giuliani agreed and also said Comey is “straight as an arrow and very smart.” From the March 9 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor:
BILL O’REILLY (HOST): I believe the FBI is doing an honest investigation, do you believe that?
RUDY GIULIANI: Absolutely, no doubt about it.
O’REILLY: OK.
GIULIANI: And Jim Comey was one of my assistant U.S. attorneys, and he’s –
O’REILLY: He’s an honest man.
GIULIANI: – straight as an arrow and very smart. [Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, 3/9/16]
Fox Guest Ron Kessler: Comey "Has An Impeccable Reputation For Integrity."Fox host Bill O’Reilly said that he does not believe that Director Comey “is going to succumb to pressure from anybody, including Barack Obama,” to which his guest, anti-Clinton author Ronald Kessler, replied saying that Comey “has an impeccable reputation for integrity.” From the February 3 edition of Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor:
BILL O’REILLY (HOST): Director Comey is an interesting guy. I, myself, and I could be wrong, do not believe that this man is going to succumb to pressure from anybody, including Barack Obama. Do you know anything about him?
RONALD KESSLER: Well he has an impeccable reputation for integrity. He is the guy who threatened to resign over illegal issue in the Bush administration. And he is also a former prosecutor. So he knows exactly what’s needed. I believe that he never would have authorized this investigation in the first if he didn’t already believe that the FBI had evidence to indicate that she should be indicted. [Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, 2/3/16, via Nexis]
**Fox’s Chris Wallace: “Everybody I Talk To Say That [Comey] Is A Straight-Shooter, That He’s A Serious Guy, That He’s Non-Political, And … You Got To Give Him The Benefit Of The Doubt.”**Host of Fox’s Fox News Sunday Chris Wallace stated that everyone he talks to says that Director Comey “is a straight shooter, that he’s a serious guy, that he’s non-political” and concluded by saying that “you got to give him the benefit of the doubt” to conduct the investigation properly. From the March 1 edition of Fox News’ Outnumbered:
CHRIS WALLACE: I will say that James Comey, who is the FBI director, that everybody I talk to say that he is a straight-shooter, that he’s a serious guy, that he’s non-political, and, you know, I think you got to give him the benefit of the doubt. Let’s wait and see if there is a criminal referral or not. That’s a different issue than does the Justice Department take that referral and actually indict. But let me say this, if there were a criminal referral and they didn’t indict, I don’t think there’s any question it would get out. I suspect Comey would resign, and, in a sense, it would be even a bigger firestorm than an indictment. [Fox News, Outnumbered, 3/1/16]
**Fox’s Geraldo Rivera: “I Have No Doubt That James Comey Is The Straightest Shooter In Washington, D.C.”**On the February 25 edition of Fox News’ Outnumbered, correspondent Geraldo Rivera stated that he has “no doubt that James Comey is the straightest shooter in Washington, D.C.” and that “f there’s something there, he will recommend it for prosecution.” [Fox News, Outnumbered, 2/25/16]
**Sean Hannity: James Comey Is “Respected By Both Sides Of The Aisle.”**Fox News host Sean Hannity said that “James Comey [is] respected on both sides of the aisle,” to which his guest, Fox News contributor Julie Roginsky, replied, “If the FBI finds nothing improper took place, you’re going to have to sit here and say, you know what, she’s not guilty of these things she’s being accused of.” From the February 4 edition of Fox News’ Hannity:
SEAN HANNITY (HOST): All right, so this is amazing to me. So you got James Comey, respected by both sides of the aisle, alright? So he has 100 agents looking into this whole e-mail scandal. You have the inspector general of the intelligence community, appointed by a democratic President Obama, confirmed by a Democratic Senate. And then, of course, the Benghazi lie and the sniper fire Bosnia lie and the Sir Edmund Hillary lie. And everything’s everybody else’s fault. Is she ever to blame for anything?
[…]
JULIE ROGINSKY: But let me tell you this. You just said that Comey is respected. You, Sean, just said Comey is respected. If the FBI finds nothing improper took place, you’re going to have to sit here and say, you know what, she’s not guilty of these things she’s being accused of. And you’re not going to do that. He’s only reputable if he recommends an indictment. [Fox News, Hannity, 2/4/16, via Nexis]
**Fox Guest Jay Sekulow: “James Comey Is A Man Of Principle.”**On the January 29 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, frequent Fox News guest Jay Sekulow said that “James Comey is a man of principle” and “a serious guy.” [Fox News, Hannity, 1/29/16, via Nexis]
**Breitbart News: Comey "Seems Sincerely Dedicated To Keeping [The Investigation] Above Politics, And Has A “Law-And-Order Reputation.”**A December 1, 2015 Breitbart News article stated that “FBI Director James Comey is one of the most intriguing figures in Washington today: a key official who evidently gives little thought to White House narratives before speaking his mind.” The article noted that Comey has a “law-and-order reputation” and that he “seems sincerely dedicated to keeping [the investigation] above politics.” The article also stated, “He has expressed a particular dedication for taking the protection of classified material seriously.” [Breitbart News, 12/1/15]

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These talking points represent how dumb and desperate the Republican party has gotten. They have the sheen of kid’s excuses to adults, a la “Timmy’s mom let’s him stay out until 11pm”, “but all the kids are doing it” and “the dog ate my homework.”

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See if Corbin or May wins the election tonight.

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Let me provide the abbreviated study guide to the Comey Testimony talking points:

Comey: He obstructed me.

Trump: See, I’m vindicated.

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Yeah, um… That’s all taken out of context?

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@NickyG @anon75430791 Vancouver’s a great place to live. We do have a large Asian and Indoasian population here but they are a vital part of the cosmopolitan community vigor. Everyone’s adjusted to the variety of ethnicities quite nicely.
Real estate is insanely expensive because everyone wants to live here instead of dealing with real winter.
It’s also true that you can snow ski and windsurf on the same day in Springtime. :sunglasses:

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The entire western coast of N. America (above Mexico and below the Klondike) is very, very popular with Asians in general. It makes sense; liberal environments, greater acceptance of immigrants than the norm, mild weather, and proximity to Asia are all strong inducements.[quote=“nungesser, post:28, topic:102355”]
This logic train never fails to amuse me.
• our current president is clearly incompetent
• the folks in his party clearly know he’s incompetent but are forced to support him for now
• there’s a whole lot of propaganda out there that dumb people believe
• THE COUNTRY IS DOOMED, LET’S NUKE IT FROM ORBIT, MOVE TO CANADA

Yes, this is dumb. Yes, the president is a moron. The situation is super fucked up.
We’ve seen way worse. We’ll get through it.
[/quote]
That logic works exactly until it fails utterly. Yes, it IS possible to pass a point of “no return”.

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I found it interesting when reading about “How the West Was Won” (killing people mainly, plus a healthy dose of oppression), that America blocked immigration from China. It hadn’t occurred to me that the West Cost of America is just a trans-Pacific voyage from China.

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If that’s your point of view then you’d best not come here. We take a dim view of racism, for the most part.