Trump and His Pennsylvania speech/confabulation, etc....

[CathyA]

I just heard a portion of Trump's speech to his followers in PA. I just can't believe that this man is allowed to continue to be our president. He is shameful. He is arrogant. He cares for nothing except the adoration he gets from his fans. He will say or do anything to get applause. I think it's time for the men in the white coats to take him. His speech was unbelievable and a total embarrassment to our nation (not to mention the people who were so happy to hear him talk this way). What's happening to us???

[iris lilies]

What specifically do you object to?

We listened fo his St. Louis speech last fall and it was good in that he connected with the audience and was warm and funny. I dont remember specifics of what he talked about but nothing lept oit at me as awful.

[Yppej]

I caught part of it, where he said if you kill one person you get the death penalty or life without parole, but if you are a drug dealer whose products kill many people you don't. He also said the drug companies have to be held accountable, but he didn't propose the death penalty for the makers of oxycontin who for years would not spend a few pennies more per pill to add a coating to make crushing the pills difficult, or who overmarketed it, and lied about its risks. The color of the drug dealer collar determines everything.

[iris lilies]

I caught part of it, where he said if you kill one person you get the death penalty or life without parole, but if you are a drug dealer whose products kill many people you don't. He also said the drug companies have to be held accountable, but he didn't propose the death penalty for the makers of oxycontin who for years would not spend a few pennies more per pill to add a coating to make crushing the pills difficult, or who overmarketed it, and lied about its risks. The color of the drug dealer collar determines everything.

Determines everything? Oh come now, I think the legality ( not the lethalness) of the drug has a little somethIng to do here with who goes to jail.

And as someone feom the ‘hood I can assure you that too few DO go to jail. Lets legalize it all and let the street boys fight it out with big pharma, haha, guess who will win.

the current trend is to yammer about oxy etc. addictions and
I dont mean to minimize that for people who are affected, but c’mon, that is the social problem du joir, that and heroin. Scary stuff for sure.

[Rogar]

I read a summary. To me it was just another self-promotion talk. It included his usual rail against the media and fake news. His hints at the death penalty for drug dealers was unrealistic and probably just thrown in there to get some bonus points from his base, but more evidence of his and Sessions policy of filling up our prisons and jails with more strict penalties for drug offenses. I thought it was basically a long unimportant ramble that did not say anything new.

I didn't hear the tone of his speech and I can imagine how he is capable of inspiring his base, but I wonder how parents explain to children how it's OK for the president of the United States to routinely use vulgar language. It's offensive.

[CathyA]

He insulted Maxine Waters ("low IQ"), Elizabeth Warren (Pocahontas), Chuck Todd and others. He's an absolute jerk. Whatever he ever says, he says it like a spoiled, obnoxious brat. He makes me nauseous. Let's see if he ruins the U.S. Time will tell.

[JaneV2.0]

He defines the word lowbrow; he can't make a speech without sounding like a carnival huckster constantly patting himself on the back. He's the ultimate proof that money can't buy class. What an international embarrassment he is.

[Teacher Terry]

Cathy and Jane I totally agree with you both.

[Williamsmith]

Why do you gals torture yourself, you will never understand.

”if you want to tell people the truth, you better make them laugh, or they’ll kill you.”

[LDAHL]

Why do you gals torture yourself, you will never understand.

”if you want to tell people the truth, you better make them laugh, or they’ll kill you.”

Believing the claim that Donald Trump conveys truth through humor would require more expansive definitions of "truth" and "humor" than I am prepared to accept.

[iris lilies]

Both you guys made me laugh out loud this morning, a good way to start off a Monday.

[Tybee]

I did not read the speech and am not a big fan of Elizabeth Warren, as she did not back Bernie when she should of but instead backed Hillary, in hopes of getting the VEEP--BUT,

as a descendant of Pocahontas's sister, I stand for the name Pocohontas as being a badge of honor. So maybe this will backfire on him, for his scorn of the Pamunkey people!

[LDAHL]

I did not read the speech and am not a big fan of Elizabeth Warren, as she did not back Bernie when she should of but instead backed Hillary, in hopes of getting the VEEP--BUT,

as a descendant of Pocahontas's sister, I stand for the name Pocohontas as being a badge of honor. So maybe this will backfire on him, for his scorn of the Pamunkey people!

I have read that she has taken herself out of contention for 2020.

Can't she settle the issue by spending $49.95 for one of those mail-in-your-spit tests?

[Tybee]

I did not know she had taken herself out of contention, how interesting.

She says she has Cherokee ancestry. I have Cherokee ancestry, too, but do not qualify for tribal membership. She would not, either. I know the names of my Cherokee ancestors; she does not. Neither of us could "become" Cherokee, unless she has someone on the rolls I don't know about--I think her ancestors were supposed to be from Oklahoma, so they should be on the rolls.
Mine are from North Carolina and lost their land before the rolls.

[Alan]

I did not know she had taken herself out of contention, how interesting.

She says she has Cherokee ancestry. I have Cherokee ancestry, too, but do not qualify for tribal membership. She would not, either. I know the names of my Cherokee ancestors; she does not. Neither of us could "become" Cherokee, unless she has someone on the rolls I don't know about--I think her ancestors were supposed to be from Oklahoma, so they should be on the rolls.
Mine are from North Carolina and lost their land before the rolls.
On Meet The Press yesterday, she said she was not running for President (present tense), she was running for re-election to her Senate seat. When asked if she would serve a complete 6 year term in that seat, she hemmed and hawed a bit without actually answering the question.

According to my family lore, my Great Grandfather on my father's side was full-blooded Native American although DNA tests on several relatives in his line show no Native American influence. They do show African American influence and I tend to think he was actually of mixed race and the family decided it was culturally more acceptable at the time to present him as Native American rather than African American. That's just a theory though.

I don't think anyone in my extended family ever used this family lore to advance themselves in circles where diversity is prized higher than ability, or made any attempt to engage in cultural appropriation. When Harvard promoted then Professor Warren as the only Native American woman on staff, I doubt they simply took it upon themselves to do so, she obviously prompted them to do it using her family lore as a basis. It seems to me that the fact she used it to promote herself should require proof, but that doesn't seem likely as she yesterday re-asserted her position that she doesn't require proof as she knows who she is.

I'm beginning to think I know her as well.

[Williamsmith]

I would be willing to vote for Elizabeth if she promised to move her Oval Office to a Wigwam on the south lawn, wrap herself in deerskins, beads and wampum and dance around in moccasins. Refusing to do that, I’d be satisfied if she drank cans of “Cherokee Red” during her cabinet meetings.

[Tybee]

I would be willing to vote for Elizabeth if she promised to move her Oval Office to a Wigwam on the south lawn, wrap herself in deerskins, beads and wampum and dance around in moccasins. Refusing to do that, I’d be satisfied if she drank cans of “Cherokee Red” during her cabinet meetings.

See, Williamsmith, I find that offensive on a personal level, dishonoring my Native American ancestors. Can you see why that might be?

[Williamsmith]

Of course, but no more offensive than lumping all white Christian males into one basket of deplorables, Bible in one hand...AR-15 in the other.

[Tybee]

Williamsmith, I have never done that to you or anyone else. So why do you feel free doing that to me?

[Williamsmith]

Williamsmith, I have never done that to you or anyone else. So why do you feel free doing that to me?

I don’t know Tybee, I didn’t address you specifically but as a person of that culture you became offended. Isn’t that how we all end up taking offense? My wearing Chief Wahoo on a baseball cap is suddenly offensive even though I’ve attached that mascot to the Cleveland Indians for half a century. It’s gotten to the point where we have to have a list of offensive things to check everyday. I’m offended by the use of pejoratives for police officers...like “cop”, but a lot of people don’t realize it and so I don’t hold it against them. I don’t have that right. People’s toes stick out really far and then they wonder why they get stepped on.

You personally, are a wonderful person based on your posting here and I certainly apologize for any hurt I might have caused.

[Tybee]

Thank you for your apology, Williamsmith. I'm offended when people deride your occupation and call you names, as well. And thank you for your lifetime of service to the public, it is much appreciated.

[iris lilies]

Our interactions here are so limited in many ways.

I often use the word “cop” but you can’t hear the love in my voice when I say it!

What you dont know is that I have two big ass signs wired to our front and back fences that say “Thank you Police!” And I work for my neighborhood organization that spends $7,000 each year on our local police substation, that is private money not tax money.

[dado potato]

The 18th District of Pennsylvania will have an election Tuesday 3/13. Both the Republican (Saccone) and the Democrat (Lamb) have expressed approval of Trump's announced 25% tariff on steel. Since the announcement, exemptions were carved out for Canada and Mexico ( and maybe more "allies" will be added to the exempt list before long). The United Steelworkers union is vigorously supporting the Democrat and sending volunteer canvassers to talk to voters on their doorsteps (typically 3-4 times in lower- and middle-income neighborhoods).

Since the last election the boundaries of the district were changed by order of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and I understand the net effect of the boundary changes was to make the district more heavily Republican (in terms of past election results).

The latest two polls indicate no advantage to either candidate... in either case the statistical "lead" is within the margin of error of the poll. The Gravis poll March 1-5 gave a spread of +3 to Saccone. The Emerson poll of March 1-3 gave a spread of +3 to Lamb. Did Trump's speech in Pennsylvania change any likely voter's mind?

I have a hard time believing that Trump's speech and the news coverage about it would have changed any minds at this stage. I doubt that Trump's blunt and wide-ranging attack language offended Republicans to the extent that they would stay home on election day. I believe Democrats in the district are riled up and will demonstrate their disgust by turning out in large numbers. I expect Saccone will win it by a margin of 5% to 10%.

[Williamsmith]

I happen to know a little about the 18th district. If one wanted to know who was going to win the primary tomorrow, one would drop his buttocks in a seat at the bar of a local volunteer fire department in the district, order a ginger and jack and sit and listen. Even an incompetent pollster ought to be able to get this one right. My instinct is that since the odds have it Saccone will win, it is up to his opponent to prove he’s a better option.

Lamb, His opponent, couldn’t be more different than most of the constituents because of the filthy rich Pittsburgh suburbs where he was raised. Born in Washington DC, raised in the area populated by some of the most arrogant upper crust in Western Pennsylvania.....son of the political elite, educated in private schools and an Ivy League Law graduate, served as a lawyer with the Marines and prosecuted other Marines, matriculated seamlessly to work for very influential Judges and set up in politics by the good ole boy system, albeit with pinky extended. If Lamb wins, it would not just extend the Democrats momentum from last year.....it would be a sunami event signaling the end of life as we know it.

My unlearned opinion is that Trumps speech was well received and couldn’t have hurt Saccone at all. The wonderful reports on the expansion of the economy and increases in jobs.....well what more has to be said?

[CathyA]

I've said before that I really think so many things that happen in the country (more jobs, better economy, etc.) are from the previous administration. Not just this time, but always. Hopefully someone good will be our President next term.........but then it would look like they're doing a crap job, but will be just showing from Donald's stint.

[iris lilies]

I've said before that I really think so many things that happen in the country (more jobs, better economy, etc.) are from the previous administration. Not just this time, but always. Hopefully someone good will be our President next term.........but then it would look like they're doing a crap job, but will be just showing from Donald's stint.
Does the Trump bump in the stock market really belong to Obama, an obvious and continuing runup?

[bae]

Does the Trump bump in the stock market really belong to Obama, an obvious and continuing runup?

Wait, I thought we were blaming the stock market on Bush still?

[iris lilies]

Wait, I thought we were blaming the stock market on Bush still?
No silly, the market is GOOD! That requires an automatic switch to responsibility of a Democrat.

[flowerseverywhere]

. When Harvard promoted then Professor Warren as the only Native American woman on staff, I doubt they simply took it upon themselves to do so, she obviously prompted them to do it using her family lore as a basis. It seems to me that the fact she used it to promote herself should require proof, but that doesn't seem likely as she yesterday re-asserted her position that she doesn't require proof as she knows who she is.

I'm beginning to think I know her as well.

If she did use her background to encourage a promotion don’t you think it would have come out. I am half African American and I never mentioned it to anyone for any advantage. I’m pretty light skinned if I stay out of the sun, and straight hair. I don’t really know my exact percentage but my dad was dark skinned, briefly met grandparents but my entire genealogy is a blank. Knew very few relatives and they pretty much disowned us. Sometimes people ask and I say American. I think to be a professor at Harvard you can’t be a dummy. Maybe she was qualified to be promoted? Much more fun to suggest someone you don’t like is a liar.

ps. I am not especially fond of warren either, but if 19 women can accuse Trump of sexual harassment and assault and they are all considered to be liars I guess any woman could be a liar. You know how they are.

[Alan]

If she did use her background to encourage a promotion don’t you think it would have come out. I think we're using the word 'promotion' differently. Harvard promoted or advertised Professor Warren as a Native American to show their dedication to diversity. I can't help but think it helped her get the job although I doubt it helped her advance.



I am not especially fond of warren either, but if 19 women can accuse Trump of sexual harassment and assault and they are all considered to be liars I guess any woman could be a liar. You know how they are.
No, how are they?

[Williamsmith]

Just for anyone interested, the race for the 18th congressional district in Pennsylvania is going to come down to absentee ballots. There is less than 100 votes separating the two knuckleheads......er candidates. Probably won’t know the results until tomorrow night. May even be a recount. Perhaps the Russians are at it again.

That this race is so close in a district that voted for Trump by 22 points over Hillary.......indicates an undercurrent of disrespect for Republicans. I think no matter the outcome, one could rightly claim the pendulum is swinging back.

I can’t help also but wonder if real progressives are looking at the environment and considering if they could actually dethrone neoliberals and neocons altogether. There is an obvious vacuum to be filled. Whom shall I send and who will go for us? “Here am I Lord, send me.”

[LDAHL]

I happen to know a little about the 18th district. If one wanted to know who was going to win the primary tomorrow, one would drop his buttocks in a seat at the bar of a local volunteer fire department in the district, order a ginger and jack and sit and listen. Even an incompetent pollster ought to be able to get this one right. My instinct is that since the odds have it Saccone will win, it is up to his opponent to prove he’s a better option.

Lamb, His opponent, couldn’t be more different than most of the constituents because of the filthy rich Pittsburgh suburbs where he was raised. Born in Washington DC, raised in the area populated by some of the most arrogant upper crust in Western Pennsylvania.....son of the political elite, educated in private schools and an Ivy League Law graduate, served as a lawyer with the Marines and prosecuted other Marines, matriculated seamlessly to work for very influential Judges and set up in politics by the good ole boy system, albeit with pinky extended. If Lamb wins, it would not just extend the Democrats momentum from last year.....it would be a sunami event signaling the end of life as we know it.

My unlearned opinion is that Trumps speech was well received and couldn’t have hurt Saccone at all. The wonderful reports on the expansion of the economy and increases in jobs.....well what more has to be said?

Looks like the bar stool commentariat got it wrong.

[Williamsmith]

Looks like the bar stool commentariat got it wrong.

I was slick enough to add the disclaimer that predicts the end of life as we know it! It’s obvious that Trump has pissed off his base with the gun control hoopla and the appearance of disorder in his cabinet. Permitting Betsy DeVos to do a 60 minutes interview was an unforgivable error in judgement. Life Under the Big Top.

[CathyA]

Life Under the Big Top.

How unfortunately true these days. :(