Trump

[red assassin]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/sta ... 4163892226

Trump still thinks that wildfires in California are because they're not cleaning their forests, and definitely not because of climate change, and is (again) threatening to cut off federal emergency management funding.

[Vertigo 7]

He's so full of shit. The first person that dies due to his pulling of emergency funding will be his ass and he knows it.

He's been trying to punish California ever since they tried to force income tax disclosures for presidential candidates. He tried and failed to hit them on EPA violations. The fires have provided another opportunity for him to try to enact some twisted form of revenge.

[Tycow]

He's released a campaign email in readiness for 2020, and oh boy... it's a doozy!

https://twitter.com/GalloVOA/status/119 ... 92/photo/1

[Vertigo 7]

lol the only things on there that I can see any legitimate claim to is appointing two SCOTUS judges. But he left off a ton of other accomplishments...

Most civil and criminal investigations of a sitting president, ever.
Most racist president since Andrew Jackson.
Bigliest narcissist to occupy the oval office.
Single handedly lowered the bar for moral and intellectual capacity necessary to be president.
Most hamburders consumed in the west wing.
Most children locked in cages since World War 2.
Highest turn over rate of "only the best people" to work in the white house.

Applause worthy indeed.

[Vertigo 7]

public releases of the depositions of Ambassadors Yovanovitch and McKinley:

https://www.scribd.com/document/4334215 ... from_embed
https://www.scribd.com/document/4334211 ... from_embed

ol' Rudy Colludy definitely appears to be up to no good at the behest of the Orange Overlord. If I were Ukraine, I would try to go to the UN for assistance and tell Trump to kmfa.

[RegisterMe]

public releases of the depositions of Ambassadors Yovanovitch and McKinley:

https://www.scribd.com/document/4334215 ... from_embed
https://www.scribd.com/document/4334211 ... from_embed

ol' Rudy Colludy definitely appears to be up to no good at the behest of the Orange Overlord. If I were Ukraine, I would try to go to the UN for assistance and tell Trump to kmfa.

Why? With Russia and China as permanent members of the Security Council, even if you could count on the "sensible" help of the US, UK, France, and the other rotating positions you'd be shit for bust.

It sucks. But it is.

[Vertigo 7]

Well, if I were leader of another country, and Trump tried to strong arm me, I wouldn't take too kindly to it. Russia has plenty of other enemies in the UN that would have an interest in stopping their aggressive pursuits in Crimea. Surely, at a minimum, the UK and Germany would be willing to aid Ukraine in such efforts.

[Olterin]

Well, if I were leader of another country, and Trump tried to strong arm me, I wouldn't take too kindly to it. Russia has plenty of other enemies in the UN that would have an interest in stopping their aggressive pursuits in Crimea. Surely, at a minimum, the UK and Germany would be willing to aid Ukraine in such efforts.

This is beginning to get off-topic for this thread, but, like it or not, the only country to lend significant military aid to Ukraine when it was most needed... was the US. Europe could have, but didn't. The EU chose to instead provide civilian aid credits. Something about not wanting to anger Russia further ... which brings me to the point to tie this in to the Trump thread. You may say a lot of things about him, but he was right when being furious with Europe for the reliance on Russian gas (just like even a broken clock is right twice a day, if it's the old 12-hour model).

Spoiler

Show

The UK is too busy with Brexit and keeping itself together to lend much help to anyone else, and Germany, well... exporting weapons to the Middle East is fine, it's profitable, but providing military aid of any kind to a country that Russia, a key supplier of natural gas, considers in its sphere of influence, would be (and has thus far been) a major no-go. If I were the leader of a country being strong-armed by Russia, I would not count on any of the EU countries.

[RegisterMe]

Well, if I were leader of another country, and Trump tried to strong arm me, I wouldn't take too kindly to it. Russia has plenty of other enemies in the UN that would have an interest in stopping their aggressive pursuits in Crimea. Surely, at a minimum, the UK and Germany would be willing to aid Ukraine in such efforts.

Sorry, but I think that's a little naive. The whole world is terrified of the whipsaw that is US - China relations at the moment. Pre-Trump that was... manageable, if only because the US position was at least a little predictable. But with the US going off reservation, that means China HAS to go off reservation, which means.... let's be charitable and call it "unpredictability".

Globally.

And whilst Europe (let's call it the EU + the UK ) might not be keen on Russian expansionism you think there's a) the leadership or b) the capability for Europe to actually do anything about it? Whilst sucking on a Russian gas teat?

Lastly, and to your "surely, at a minimum, the UK and Germany would be willing to aid Ukraine in such efforts." comment, well, yes, but... But:-

1. Your comment plays to the Trump narrative* - the EU collectively, and individual states within the EU, have provided Ukraine with more aid than the US. Fine, it's not all pointy sticks, but it's aid just the same.
2. It ignores MASSIVE historical baggage.
3. It implies that countries like the UK and Germany don't have other, perhaps higher, perhaps competing priorities {cough}Brexit{cough}.
4. The biggest set of lips on the Russian gas teat, after (or including?) Ukraine belong to.... Germany.

[*Google is really shit for search when you want to search for terms that are related to something that is topical, but what you're looking for is not recent ./rant over]

[RegisterMe]

lol @Olterin we cross-posted but... yeah .

[Observe]

Remind me why we need to be in the Ukraine? Aren't they fighting a civil ware over whether they should ally with Russia or the EU? I recall something about natural gas reserves in Crimea that would have benefited US companies, but Crimea is already a closed chapter for practical purposes. So why the Ukraine? Is it just to stop bad-boy Russia taking more control than they already have?

[Vertigo 7]

You guys are right, I'm not saying the EU would be fawning all over themselves to provide pew pews to Ukraine. I'm simply saying, had it been me, I would have given Trump the middle finger and sought help elsewhere. Whether that help would be forthcoming or not is another story, but I sure would have made a spectacle of Turd Buckets McGee, by way of Tooth Rot Rudy, holding my country for ransom. But, sadly, Zelensky is too afraid to speak against the Orange One. I dunno, pride vs his people. I can see it both ways.

[RegisterMe]

Remind me why we need to be in Ukraine? Aren't they fighting a civil ware over whether they should ally with Russia or the EU? I recall something about natural gas reserves in Crimea that would have benefited US companies, but Crimea is already a closed chapter for practical purposes. So why Ukraine? Is it just to stop bad-boy Russia taking more control than they already have?

I really don't even know where to start .

[Vertigo 7]

Remind me why we need to be in Ukraine? Aren't they fighting a civil ware over whether they should ally with Russia or the EU? I recall something about natural gas reserves in Crimea that would have benefited US companies, but Crimea is already a closed chapter for practical purposes. So why Ukraine? Is it just to stop bad-boy Russia taking more control than they already have?

2 reasons.

1, Russian expansion is bad for the world. They're unstable enough as is, and further expansion invites even more instability. For a leading nuclear power, if they collapse, you can bet those nukes would be let loose on the world as they go down. Not to mention their energy exports are relied upon for whatever reason by many in Europe.
2, We intervened in Ukraine to throw out the pro-Russian oligarchs that started the civil war in the first place. It was in our interests to stabilize their democracy so that they could stand on their own, eventually, against Russia after the annexation of Crimea.

[Observe]

Thank you. That's about what I thought...

[Vertigo 7]

NATO was formed after WW2 specifically to counter the Soviet Union and German expansion. Post cold war, NATO has been more focused in the middle east, but naturally, being a leading member, when Russia invaded Crimea, we couldn't let it go unchallenged.

[RegisterMe]

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

[RegisterMe]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-50293139

Not easy to sum that up in a one liner, so, you have a url. Click on it.

[Grim Lock]

So today the US govt. is formalizing the retreat from the Paris accords, pompeo announced this with the following statement:

"Today we begin the formal process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. The U.S. is proud of our record as a world leader in reducing all emissions, fostering resilience, growing our economy, and ensuring energy for our citizens. Ours is a realistic and pragmatic model."

World leader in reducing all emissions?!?!?!? WTF Last i checked the US is still the biggest polluter per capita. Selfish bastards. The US as a whole has always been pretty narcissistic with their whole "greatest country on earth", "gods own country" flag on everything, etc BS, but since Trump happened it's really reaching truly sickening levels. You can't even take proper care of your citizens let alone prevent massive amounts of them getting so desperate they turn to crime and get put in jail. Realistic and pragmatic are words that just not apply in any way to the US.

[Vertigo 7]

This was Trump's doing. He announced that in his first year claiming it was a "bad deal", even though the entire thing is non binding. He has no concern for the environment and has dismantled many EPA regulations to favor businesses earning profits above all.

When we have a real president again, we'll be back in the Paris Accords. I have no doubts on that.