final shots (for humor purposes only)

[ronjanec]

Congratulations! I hope you get exactly the miracle you deserve.

Thanks Serpent! And I am also hoping that you and your fellow liberals get exactly what all of you deserve with the new Trump administration.

[curiosity]

As some Americans practice the quaint custom, of assassinating presidents they are not happy with. Should Donald be a worried man?

(Apologies to those who don't appreciate dark humour.)

[BadgerJelly]

I hope Trump visits the Philippines.

[ronjanec]

The EU was in big trouble before, and now one of their biggest detractors has been elected President of the United States: I really doubt it will survive 2017.

[DragonFly]

ronjanec went to sleep early one night, due to a rain delay, and woke up the next morning to find out that the Chicago Cubs won the world series. Then he does the same on election night, due to counting delays, and wakes up to see that Trump won.

Now ronjanec notes that he can get whatever he wants whenever he wants, likely or not, just by going to sleep early.

[ronjanec]

ronjanec went to sleep early one night, due to a rain delay, and woke up the next morning to find out that the Chicago Cubs won the world series. Then he does the same on election night, due to counting delays, and wakes up to see that Trump won.

Now ronjanec notes that he can get whatever he wants whenever he wants, likely or not, just by going to sleep early.

I'm on a roll like you just said DF! I just need my one dollar lottery ticket to win tonight for a triple play!

[Braininvat]

When I go to sleep early, I just wake up with a very full bladder. I guess if my fondest wish was a full bladder, Ron's system would work for me.

Jeezus this has been a long day.

[vivian maxine]

In a two horse race between what are in fact pair of donkeys, is it really so surprising that a donkey won? I find it hard to believe that given the number of gifted and intelligent citizens residing in the USA you couldn't field two competent candidates to contest a presidential election.

BREXIT was a warning that unfortunately got ignored. It seems that a majority of the inhabitants of both the UK and the USA, are saying they have had enough of the same-old-same-old. Toss in some voter apathy and the result is ....

Que sira sira.

Our gifted and talented are too gifted, talented and smart to get into that game.

[BioWizard]

In a two horse race between what are in fact pair of donkeys, is it really so surprising that a donkey won? I find it hard to believe that given the number of gifted and intelligent citizens residing in the USA you couldn't field two competent candidates to contest a presidential election.

BREXIT was a warning that unfortunately got ignored. It seems that a majority of the inhabitants of both the UK and the USA, are saying they have had enough of the same-old-same-old. Toss in some voter apathy and the result is ....

Que sira sira.

Our gifted and talented are too gifted, talented and smart to get into that game.

Fair enough!

[Serpent]

[Our gifted and talented are too gifted, talented and smart to get into that game.]

Fair enough!

No! Not fair at all. Every time a gifted and talented candidate does show up - including the much-maligned Mr. Obama - he or she is torn apart by jackals. If you let jackals run the show, donkeys wouldn't be safe participating - what you need is much tougher, more predatory animals. What you had this time were not even the same species and there is nothing at all fair about equating them.

[vivian maxine]

Good point, Serpent, but not quite the whole story. Part of the blame has to fall directly on President Obama's shoulders. He tried too hard to please. He worked too hard to be sure anyone who would be touched by his plans got a piece of the pie. He tried to ignore the jackals as a gentleman would. All of this trying brought him failures. People who had so looked forward to his promises were becoming disappointed before the first early months had passed. The handwriting was already on the wall. President Obama was not a fighter. He is not a tough, predatory animal - as you so succinctly put it. He could have been one of our greatest presidents if he'd had more fight in him. More like FDR? He would not have been as well liked personally but he would have gotten more of what he had hoped for.

We may not like Donald Trump. We may fear his agenda. But we have to admit one thing - fearfully. This fighter will get his agenda through and we won't like it.

[ronjanec]

I tried to tell everyone here that "Lying Ted" and the rest of those other Republicans had no chance of beating Hillary in this election: I knew very early on that Trump was our only (slim) hope, and everyone here questioned my support for him right from the very beginning. Now, we Republicans control congress and the executive branch, and soon we will also have a majority in the Supreme Court(!). I try not to gloat, but I again took an awful lot of personal heat here on the forum from everyone for again supporting him right from the very beginning.

The powers that be in the Democratic Party wanted HRC instead of Bernie and rigged the election in her favor. I really believe Bernie would have beaten Trump as the democratic nominee, and he then would have continued to promote the liberal/progressive movement in our country, and it would then have been basically over for us conservatives in this country.

Despite my having said all this, the education system, the news media, and the changing demographics in our country are still all against us, and we are probably fighting a losing battle in the long run against the liberal/progressive movement. But on the other hand still again, you are really going to get clobbered in at least the short term.

[Serpent]

He could have been one of our greatest presidents if he'd had more fight in him. More like FDR? He would not have been as well liked personally but he would have gotten more of what he had hoped for.

The sabotage started long before he tried anything at all. The intimidation of congresspeople started immediately, and I don't know whether you recall the posters and malignant accusations that were circulated. In a concerted, heavily funded campaign of hate and lies. FDR had nothing like that to contend with: he had a legislature of vertebrates that may have opposed him, but could never imagine sinking to the level of the last 3 decades of entrenched Republican antisocialism.
In spite of all that, he got quite a lot done.
What were you all expecting - loaves and fishes?

We may not like Donald Trump. We may fear his agenda. But we have to admit one thing - fearfully. This fighter will get his agenda through and we won't like it.

This opportunistic freeloader doesn't have an agenda. He can't even remember - and certainly doesn't care - what he's promised anybody. How is his record? Why imagine he will be more assiduous in performing the first actual job of his life than he had been in performing his civic duty or fulfilling contracts?
If there is any kind of coherent agenda - besides installing a gold throne and humungous selfie in the oval office - it extends to vindictive sniping and immoderate looting.
The jackals have done their work; now come the vultures.
America is about to have its bones picked clean.

[vivian maxine]

Maybe we should leave the choice of candidates to the populace as a whole instead of limiting it to the upper echelons of the parties? How many states still have no primaries? And how often do the representatives of those states that so have primaries refuse to vote the way their followers asked in their primaries?

[Serpent]

The whole electoral system is FU. Has been since its inception and got steadily worse. But it's too late to fix.
If this thread were really humorous, I know who would get the last laugh.

[vivian maxine]

He could have been one of our greatest presidents if he'd had more fight in him. More like FDR? He would not have been as well liked personally but he would have gotten more of what he had hoped for.

The sabotage started long before he tried anything at all. The intimidation of congresspeople started immediately, and I don't know whether you recall the posters and malignant accusations that were circulated. In a concerted, heavily funded campaign of hate and lies. FDR had nothing like that to contend with: he had a legislature of vertebrates that may have opposed him, but could never imagine sinking to the level of the last 3 decades of entrenched Republican antisocialism.
In spite of all that, he got quite a lot done.
What were you all expecting - loaves and fishes?

We may not like Donald Trump. We may fear his agenda. But we have to admit one thing - fearfully. This fighter will get his agenda through and we won't like it.

This opportunistic freeloader doesn't have an agenda. He can't even remember - and certainly doesn't care - what he's promised anybody. How is his record? Why imagine he will be more assiduous in performing the first actual job of his life than he had been in performing his civic duty or fulfilling contracts?
If there is any kind of coherent agenda - besides installing a gold throne and humungous selfie in the oval office - it extends to vindictive sniping and immoderate looting.
The jackals have done their work; now come the vultures.
America is about to have its bones picked clean.

Oh, I agree whole-heartedly. It was all well planned long before he walked into the White House. He had a battle on his hands before he raised the right one to take the oath. Do you know - I'm sure you do - that most of the lowest level of people needing ACA are already losing it because insurance companies have a say in how it will be run. I don't have time to go into all the long details as I have company coming in a few minutes. Not necessary anyway. You do keep a good eye on things. You know how it is going.

As for DT, the fact that he doesn't remember what he promised yesterday doesn't mean he can't do more harm tomorrow. Maybe we should all just pray for a big surprise. I'm a dreamer!

Carry on.

[vivian maxine]

The whole electoral system is FU. Has been since its inception and got steadily worse. But it's too late to fix.
If this thread were really humorous, I know who would get the last laugh.

I was just preparing to comment on the same. Quote: final shots (for humor purposes only) Unquote. Sorry Biv.

[BioWizard]

[Our gifted and talented are too gifted, talented and smart to get into that game.]

Fair enough!

No! Not fair at all. Every time a gifted and talented candidate does show up - including the much-maligned Mr. Obama - he or she is torn apart by jackals. If you let jackals run the show, donkeys wouldn't be safe participating - what you need is much tougher, more predatory animals. What you had this time were not even the same species and there is nothing at all fair about equating them.

I don't disagree with any of that. Being gifted and talented isn't enough to survive this kind of fight, and hence people who are smart enough to know that will likely not apply their smarts to it if they don't feel they have the rest of what it takes. That's what I thought Vivian meant and what I said fair enough to.

[Serpent]

I don't disagree with any of that. Being gifted and talented isn't enough to survive this kind of fight, and hence people who are smart enough to know that will likely not apply their smarts to it if they don't feel they have the rest of what it takes. That's what I thought Vivian meant and what I said fair enough to.

Any good reason an egalitarian democratic republic should require "this kind of fight" to choose its administrators? And I've been watching the kind of fight it is since Kennedy-Nixon.
You remember Nixon? The crook? It's been a great slide!
Now2, back to humour.

[BioWizard]

You tell me, Serpent. What has been your observation?

[Braininvat]

Will click the vid when I'm not at work. Have no earbuds here. Looks hilarious, will say that.

Ron - tis true you caught some heat here - that's just the nature of politics in all its contentious glory. I won't give you a hard time now, since I'll be too busy watchdogging Trump when he does crazy stuff like....well, appointing a climate change denier to helm the EPA (it's happening, folks!). You may want to kick yourself, though, when the first indictments start rolling in after Thanksgiving.

Now back to humor, because we definitely need some.

[Braininvat]

http://www.gocomics.com/marshallramsey/2016/11/09

[Braininvat]

[BioWizard]

lol

[ronjanec]

http://www.gocomics.com/marshallramsey/2016/11/09

Good one Biv!

[ronjanec]

Will click the vid when I'm not at work. Have no earbuds here. Looks hilarious, will say that.

Ron - tis true you caught some heat here - that's just the nature of politics in all its contentious glory. I won't give you a hard time now, since I'll be too busy watchdogging Trump when he does crazy stuff like....well, appointing a climate change denier to helm the EPA (it's happening, folks!). You may want to kick yourself, though, when the first indictments start rolling in after Thanksgiving.

Now back to humor, because we definitely need some.

What "indictments" are you talking about good sir?

[Serpent]

You tell me, Serpent. What has been your observation?

Just the vocabulary alone is telling. Do a syllable-count of the words in a political speech and you can see dumbing-down in process. Couple of other things. During Kennedy, LBJ and even Nixon.1 there was a palpable progress toward resolving racial and working-class issues, probably due to growth of the middle class. This is not paradoxical: a flourishing and widening middle class is the most socially progressive base of any society. It means that whether under a conservative or liberal government, the laws, regulations and taxes tend to become fairer, news reporting becomes more thorough, education is encouraged and supported. It also means something that terrifies the skimming classes: a demand for more inclusive social programs and safety net. IOW, a well-informed middle class insists on its share of the benefits, as well as the responsibilities, and a responsible middle class demands accurate information.

What must be done? Propaganda, desensitization, division. It's so easy, when you own the mass communication outlets, to send your own message. It's so easy to blame your own depredations on the government or some anonymous 'elite' or greedy factory workers. It's easy in a system with so much money involved in everything that even the priesthoo- - uh, no, they were always corrupt - even the union representatives are called not to the service but the pelf, to point to actual corruption - but fail to mention that you yourself have bought the politician, embezzled the pension fund, outsourced the production and pocketed the bailout.

and this

Wallace was elected governor the first time in 1962, with what was the largest popular vote in state history and with the declaration: "I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say, segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."

(from Washington Post obit) was always present, under the surface. Maybe something could have been done about the discontent of the Bible Belt, and wasn't. Instead, Nixon's second term campaign designers began harnessing that discontent - an artful manipulation cultivated by the Bushes and harvested by the Trump.

The wind was sown back then.

[Braininvat]

What "indictments" are you talking about good sir?

Sorry, Ron, I shouldn't tease. I was kind of joking, and any serious court action looks unlikely at this point. I don't know what will happen with the Trump University suit, however, and last I checked it is proceeding to trial in (fact-check me) San Diego? If that happens, we can do a separate thread on that, so long as it doesn't go in Political Theory. Maybe the Lounge would be suitable.

[Braininvat]

It has been reported that the 1st Lady and Ms. Trump had tea together.

According to some, the conversation went like this:

Michelle: "Hi, I'm Michelle."

Melania: "Hi, I'm Michelle."

[Serpent]

On the Late Show, Colbert did a pretty good job on this historic [fateful] meeting.