Keeping up with Trump

Chat about a topic supported by books, TED Talks, podcasts, personal experience, philosophies of mankind mingled with humor (shout out to IOT), and maybe we’ll even do a google hangout or conference call once a month.
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by moksha »

Trump's latest idea to have Rep. Liz Cheney shot by rifles was to reinforce his hold on gun lovers. That should help shore up his hold on Mormons in Arizona.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
hmb
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by hmb »

Interesting days ahead. Clinging to hope, but not super optimistic. If Trump takes it, there will be a lot of his supporters disappointed when grocery prices don't suddenly drop. But maybe we'll finally get that healthcare plan he keeps promising. I'm sure my Medicare and Social Security will be safe. (yes, sarcasm)
hmb
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by hmb »

moksha wrote: Fri Nov 01, 2024 4:22 pm Trump's latest idea to have Rep. Liz Cheney shot by rifles was to reinforce his hold on gun lovers. That should help shore up his hold on Mormons in Arizona.
I wonder how they'll feel about his...ahem...shenanigans with the microphone? Shouldn't he get the Little Factory speech?
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

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Here is an interesting letter in the Salt Lake Tribune (front page).
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

hmb wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2024 6:38 am
moksha wrote: Fri Nov 01, 2024 4:22 pm Trump's latest idea to have Rep. Liz Cheney shot by rifles was to reinforce his hold on gun lovers. That should help shore up his hold on Mormons in Arizona.
I wonder how they'll feel about his...ahem...shenanigans with the microphone? Shouldn't he get the Little Factory speech?
They won't understand the joke. Kimball erased that from our knowledgebase. Actually, I should have said they won't say anything because they will pretend to not understand it.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
hmb
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by hmb »

moksha wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2024 9:08 pm Here is an interesting letter in the Salt Lake Tribune (front page).
Pffft...It's written by a woman, so it doesn't count for much.
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

I see the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, etc. are planning to show up at voting locations with their assault weapons to ensure there is no cheating. But not AT ALL to intimidate anyone.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by moksha »

If he ratchets up the bronzer level anymore, his staff might accidentally try to deport him.

Image



Trump can always explain how the microphone fellating was a demonstration of how he will persuade Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un into a new era of cooperation.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

I'm sure Mormons feel like the constitution was just saved from hanging by a thread. Evidence that people will happily believe any lie that relieves them of the burden of thinking.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
hmb
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by hmb »

I'm not surprised that Harris lost to Trump. I am surprised by the blowout win he got, including the popular vote. I surprisingly feel strangely calm. It isn't shock, since it's what I expected from about 2 weeks ago. Maybe it's resignation and an acceptance because democracy did its thing. I just hope democracy didn't do its thing for the last time. We'll know more in the coming months.
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Linked
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Linked »

Man, what a night. It makes sense that the US wouldn't escape the incumbent backlash going around the world right now, but I was hoping. The post-COVID inflation shock was real and probably drove much of this, despite the US rebound significantly outperforming most other developed countries.

I fear what a Trump presidency is going to do to the global order - Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Iran obviously but also spurning our democratic allies for more autocratic governments. I fear what a Trump presidency is going to do to global warming, rolling back the progress the US was making with the Inflation Reduction Act and pushing increased fossil-fuel production. I am concerned that violence against people not in the right-wing in-group will increase - racial minorities, LGBTQ folks, democrats. I am not looking forward to the tax cuts coming which will just increase the deficit because elected officials don't have the guts to actually reduce spending with their tax cuts even though that's what they campaigned on (I am ok with government spending, just not perpetual deficits). I fear for women with pregnancy complications. I fear what Elon Musk and Robert Kennedy might do if given power within the government to pursue their goals. I fear Trump will find a way to erode American democratic institutions in a way that will be difficult to repair, from future elections to using the government to punish people for political reasons.

The thing that is hardest to come to terms with is that the majority of voters prefer this to a Harris presidency. I live in a different reality than that majority, and them having control over my country, my life, my kids, with that reality is terrifying.

There's a good chance that my life and my family will not be disrupted much. My 401k is up on the news. I will likely have the same freedoms I have now. But it will be difficult not to have very high anxiety about possible terrible outcomes. I could try to ignore politics for 4 years. But what kind of person ignores those who ARE affected by the things Trump will do?

Time to find what is in my control to accomplish the good things I care about and do that.
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

I am soooo looking forward to an anti-vaxxer science denier running our health system. It feels like about time for the return of polio and smallpox. I'm sure we'll see equal disrespect to every corner of science-based departments. And I can't wait to see what benefits will go to the likes of Elon Musk, Mike Lundell, Marjory Taylor Greene, and the Jan 6 insurrectionists. Start popping the corn; the clowns are running the circus!
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
hmb
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by hmb »

Hagoth wrote: Wed Nov 06, 2024 5:02 pm I am soooo looking forward to an anti-vaxxer science denier running our health system. It feels like about time for the return of polio and smallpox. I'm sure we'll see equal disrespect to every corner of science-based departments. And I can't wait to see what benefits will go to the likes of Elon Musk, Mike Lundell, Marjory Taylor Greene, and the Jan 6 insurrectionists. Start popping the corn; the clowns are running the circus!
And by a majority, we let them. Not all of us, but the majority. Wow. SMH!!!!!
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

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Trump announced that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which will eliminate much of the federal government and federal spending such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Food Stamps. This will include eliminating business and safety regulations and instituting tax cuts for the wealthy.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

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Further changes: Trump said he was going to get rid of the Department of Education. How would that transform education in the United States? Would Florida opt for ending education in the 6th grade?
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

moksha wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2024 6:15 pm Trump announced that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which will eliminate much of the federal government and federal spending such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Food Stamps. This will include eliminating business and safety regulations and instituting tax cuts for the wealthy.
How many Trump voters realized they were electing Elon Musk? I guess we'll finally have a Russia-style oligarchy. Good job, Republican party, passively watching your regime go to hell.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

How do you choose an EPA director? Easy, just find the guy in the legislature who has the worst voting history regarding the environment. Makes perfect sense.

How do you control Big Pharma? Remove all regulations on medications, so other interests can compete, like people selling Ivermectin and other snake oils. That will show that Big Pharma. everybody knows they won't be smart enough to take advantage of having all ethical restrictions taken from them.

Image
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
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Hagoth
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by Hagoth »

Matt Gaetz Attorney General? Epstein is unavailable now.
“The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly teaches me to suspect that my own is also.” -Mark Twain

Jesus: "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Buddha: "Be your own light."
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by moksha »

Trump has appointed Rep. Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. This would fit Trump's agenda in that Gaetz wants to eliminate the FBI.

From Mormon Discussion and Dr. Steuss:
If anyone needed to know, S.15360 is the bill to prevent human trafficking, that every single Senator voted for, and every single Representative voted for, and Trump signed into law.

*checks notes*

Oh, wait. There was one single person that voted against it. Matt Gaetz. I'm sure him having an unrelated minor from another country that he called "my helper" living with him, and his friend pleading guilty to trafficking a 17-year old and being part of a scheme to get fake IDs for other minors, had nothing to do with it.

But hey, it's not like the President himself has a history of walking in on children getting dressed, or being friends with known human traffickers, or assaulting women.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
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moksha
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Re: Keeping up with Trump

Post by moksha »

The new Secretary of Defense is a weekend talk show host on Fox.

The new Senate Majority Leader John Thune will enact the Senate recess so Trump's nominees will not have to answer any questions.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
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