Cult 45 The politics catch-all thread

**Sunnygirl** · August 13th, 2019, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by ShimmeringGlow

Anyone will be better than this fool we have now.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but this whole situation with Hong Kong and China has me nervous. But have no fear, POTUS has it under control, he is dialed in and handling it like a boss.

**tulip** · August 13th, 2019, 08:13 PM

He's such a moron.

**ShimmeringGlow** · August 14th, 2019, 08:06 AM

**kasippu** · August 14th, 2019, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by ShimmeringGlow

Anyone will be better than this fool we have now.

Sounds like he is trying to answer a question he has no idea about. Is something going on in Hong Kong? i will answer tricky and hope it will cover it

**ShimmeringGlow** · August 14th, 2019, 10:25 AM

Today's take. Epstein had videotapes of many very powerful people engaged in compromising and illegal acts. Now someone else has that Kompromat. And thus immense power over them. That person is Bill Barr and his boss. Donald Trump. Truth must out so they cannot be blackmailed.

https://twitter.com/jentaub/status/1161603218436218880?s=20

**louiswinthorpe111** · August 14th, 2019, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by sputnik

Sadly, it doesn’t. Democrats have the cards stacked against them as a result of decades of republican gerrymandering and control of the courts and the simple fact that elections aren’t a public holiday and lower income people can’t always take time off to go vote, which mostly affects young and minority voters, who are more likely to vote democrat). So they need higher than usual voter turnout and they can’t afford a less than stellar candidate and they have to prioritise electability (and yeah that includes overall likability) over qualifications. Sad but true. But half the party seems to be in denial about this. What do all democratic candidates have in common and that most republican presidents sorely lack? Charisma. Clinton, Obama, Kennedy. Carter is the only exception, and it probably cost him.

That's why the Democrats need to get out early to get them signed up for absentee ballots. I haven't voted in person in a decade. All absentee.

**MontanaMama** · August 14th, 2019, 11:45 AM

Huh, this doesn't seem like a conflict of interest or a violation of the emoluments clause at all...

China Contributing $500 Million to Trump-Linked Project in Indonesia

By JACK CROWE

May 14, 2018 1:56 PM

Boss of China — but boss of the whole world, too? (Jason Lee / Reuters)The Chinese government is extending a $500 million loan to a state-owned construction company to build an Indonesian theme park that will feature a Trump-branded golf course and hotels.
A subsidiary of Chinese state-owned construction firm Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) signed a deal last week with the Indonesian firm MNC Land to build an “integrated lifestyle resort,” as part of Beijing’s global influence-expanding “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative. ill include a number of Trump-branded hotels, a golf course, and a residence. While the $500 million loan will not be directly allocated to any of the Trump-branded features, Beijing’s contribution of half the project’s total operating budget ensures the success of the broader theme-park venture.
The Trump properties are considered flagship elements of the theme park, according to MNC marketing materials, and internal documents obtained by Agency France-Presse show Trump’s sons have been directly involved in its planning.
Though negotiations began prior to Trump’s election and his pledge to cease engaging in new business dealings with foreign governments, the project raises questions about the extent to which the Trump organization is dependent on Beijing amid contentious trade negotiations with the U.S.

“Even if this deal is completely and entirely above board, it simply furthers the perception of impropriety” surrounding Trump’s business dealings, Christopher Balding, an economics professor at Shenzhen’s HSBC Business School, told AFP. “Especially with the potential trade war, this is not a good look….Critics will be entirely right to demand answers.”
Trump refused to divest his Trump Organization holdings upon taking office, much to the consternation of government-ethics experts, opting instead to place his holdings in a blind trust and hand over control of the business to his sons.

JACK CROWE is a news writer at National Review Online. @jackrcrowe

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...ect-indonesia/

**MohandasKGanja** · August 14th, 2019, 11:52 AM

Interesting that the article is from the National Review.

**twitchy2.0** · August 14th, 2019, 12:27 PM

"I don't know what the hell you're going to do. You don't want to make widgets, right? You don't want to make -- do you want to learn how to make a computer, little tiny piece of stuff? You put it with those big beautiful hands of yours, look. Going to take these big hands, he's going to take this little tiny part. He's going to go home, 'Alice, this is a tough job.'" - Donald

**Novice** · August 14th, 2019, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by MontanaMama

Huh, this doesn't seem like a conflict of interest or a violation of the emoluments clause at all...

China Contributing $500 Million to Trump-Linked Project in Indonesia

By JACK CROWE

May 14, 2018 1:56 PM

Boss of China — but boss of the whole world, too? (Jason Lee / Reuters)The Chinese government is extending a $500 million loan to a state-owned construction company to build an Indonesian theme park that will feature a Trump-branded golf course and hotels.
A subsidiary of Chinese state-owned construction firm Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) signed a deal last week with the Indonesian firm MNC Land to build an “integrated lifestyle resort,” as part of Beijing’s global influence-expanding “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative. ill include a number of Trump-branded hotels, a golf course, and a residence. While the $500 million loan will not be directly allocated to any of the Trump-branded features, Beijing’s contribution of half the project’s total operating budget ensures the success of the broader theme-park venture.
The Trump properties are considered flagship elements of the theme park, according to MNC marketing materials, and internal documents obtained by Agency France-Presse show Trump’s sons have been directly involved in its planning.
Though negotiations began prior to Trump’s election and his pledge to cease engaging in new business dealings with foreign governments, the project raises questions about the extent to which the Trump organization is dependent on Beijing amid contentious trade negotiations with the U.S.

“Even if this deal is completely and entirely above board, it simply furthers the perception of impropriety” surrounding Trump’s business dealings, Christopher Balding, an economics professor at Shenzhen’s HSBC Business School, told AFP. “Especially with the potential trade war, this is not a good look….Critics will be entirely right to demand answers.”
Trump refused to divest his Trump Organization holdings upon taking office, much to the consternation of government-ethics experts, opting instead to place his holdings in a blind trust and hand over control of the business to his sons.

JACK CROWE is a news writer at National Review Online. @jackrcrowe

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...ect-indonesia/

From 2016...

NYT report: Trump owes money to Bank of China, Goldman Sachs

by Joshua Axelrod
| August 20, 2016 11:44 AM

The New York Times published on Saturday a detailed analysis of Donald Trump's business dealings and found that his real estate holdings are racked in debt and he owes money to some organizations he has consistently criticized on the campaign trail.
The report into the " financial maze" of Trump's business dealings found that companies he owns have accrued $650 million in debt.
Trump released a 104-page federal financial disclosure form earlier in the campaign, which, according to the Times, claimed he only owed $315 million in debt, less than half of what the report found.
According to the Times, a building on the Avenue of the Americas in New York City's Manhattan borough that is partially owned by Trump has a loan of $950 million that was paid for by a few different entities, including the Bank of China and Goldman Sachs.

In most of his rallies, Trump will mention his plans to stop China's financial influence over the U.S., and bring up his theory that Goldman Sachs owns Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton because it once paid her $675,000 in speaking fees.
Trump has shrugged off calls for him to release his tax returns, leading many to suspect that there are facts he doesn't want to reveal or that he is worth less than he has suggested.
The Trump campaign did not return a Washington Examiner request for comment on the report

**tulip** · August 15th, 2019, 07:05 AM

I get headaches reading quotes from him because he's such an idiot when he speaks. It's all stream of consciousness and makes absolutely no sense. He always talks about either 1) how great something is or 2) how much he likes it. No substance. Then, when he tweets, it's all middle school bully with the name calling. I've set my bar pretty low for the next POTUS. I just want someone who can string a full sentence together that makes sense.

**ShimmeringGlow** · August 15th, 2019, 07:56 AM

George Conway continues to troll Trump with hashtags.

#TestTrumpsMind

There are also so many occasions, occurring now with seemingly increasing frequency, where he’s just completely incoherent, and here’s one:#TestTrumpsMind

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1145218160720842752?s=20

**ShimmeringGlow** · August 15th, 2019, 04:42 PM

In conversations with aides, Trump has—with varying degrees of seriousness—floated the idea of buying Greenland, WSJ reports. Trump has asked advisers whether the U.S. can acquire Greenland and reportedly asked his W.H. counsel to look into the idea.

https://mobile.twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1162114259930755074