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[Yawkey way]

Bernie?

No he is an old curmudgeon with some unfortunate skeletons in his cupboard.

I don’t think he has a hope in hell of being the dems nominee.

 

[gringo2011]

Look a bit deeper, she’s an idiot who would make a good green candidate here or perhaps a local councillor.

Why an idiot, I like her, she's a bit flammable but that adds to her publicity gathering. She's copping a lot of negative press but most is basic social democrat stuff that wouldn't even get people to look up in other parts of the world. As Trump has proven, being a caricature that garners strong media attention is half the battle in the internet age.

 

[gringo2011]

No he is an old curmudgeon with some unfortunate skeletons in his cupboard.

I don’t think he has a hope in hell of being the dems nominee.

He's about 300 years old too.

 

[Yawkey way]

Trump is an outlier.
I have been listening to people for the better part of four years telling me he will change.
I have been telling people for the better part of four years that he won’t and what you see is what you get.
So far, I’m right.
And not likely to be wrong anytime soon.
He will respect the will of the people, just as he promised to respect the will of the people in 2016: as long as he won....
You, like everyone else I’ve had this discussion with, do not appear prepared to accept that Trump has stretched conventions and norms continually since being appointed.
And will continue to do so.
This is simply the mark of the man.
You cannot discount Cohen’s testimony on the basis of his criminal convictions. Given that Individual #1 is also an unindicted co-conspirator.
Nor can you do so on the basis of his conviction for lying to Congress.
The testimony provided in February was subject to the same criteria upon which his first testimony was found to be criminal. No one has charged him with lying during his second effort. Perhaps difficult with his documentary evidence.
Nor can you discount Cohen’s commentary on the basis of his general shady behaviour, given he had a decade relationship as Trump’s attorney.
And taped Trump discussing said behaviour.
($150k hush money to a pr0n star).

If Cohen is a liar and a convicted criminal, and if that is your criticism of him, then the criticism equally applies to Trump. Just that Trump is unindicted.

The politics of Trump is not the issue.
Rather it is the trampling of norms and conventions, and the damage that inflicts on the body politic, and the nation as a whole.
That simply provides the excuse for similar behaviour from the other side.
(We saw that behaviour with the Liberal sham pairing in the Legislative Council and the Labor document dump payback in the last State election).

So: when Trump pays hush money to pr0n stars, and lies about it, or claims to have the best words, or know the most about (almost) any topic, or that he is a very stable genius and that he went to the best schools (but will litigate to prevent publication of his grades), or had four deferments from conscription (three due to college and one due to bone spurs in his ankles) but can criticise an opponent for not being a hero because they were a POW for five years, or who lies about his address to the Boy Scout Association of America, or claims the biggest electoral college win ever, or that 3 million votes were illegal, or won’t release his tax returns, or claims a crisis at the southern border that demands executive action under Emergency Powers yet takes two and a bit years to act on the crisis, or who ignores the Article 1 power of Congress, or who shuts down the government for 35 days, or who calls women “dog” or “horseface”, or his opponents “rats” and “traitors”, or has spent two years debasing the national legal institutions yet those institutions still eventually issue a report apparently in his favour, or I could go on and on and on because there is just so much of this stuff.

That’s not even touching Russia or all the criminal investigations into his businesses, his inauguration committee, his family trust.

My point being: all that behaviour simply provides an excuse for successors to behave in the same way. The precedent has been set they will argue.

And none of it, the behaviour of either Trump or his successors, will be in the best interests of the country.

But with respect to your specific observations:

Maureen Dowd from the NYT also didn’t believe he would lose when she was here last year. Given she has known Trump for thirty years, I’d take that observation keenly. She may have changed her mind.
Given the vagaries of the US electoral system (electoral college x non compulsory voting x 50 state systems x quality of opponent x voter suppression), who would know?
But given the Dems choose someone at least better than Clinton, the odds would not be in his favour.

I don’t know if Trump supporters are more violent than Trump opponents, or vice versa.
You well know it is a much more violent society than Australia.
But for each of the examples you’ve offered, I am sure there would be examples I could find that demonstrate the opposite.

With respect to both Abrams and Gillum; they were both exercising their legal rights. Not unexpectedly, given both the closeness of the contests. And particularly so in the case of Abrams given the demonstrated, and subsequently judged illegal, voter suppression activities of the Georgia Secretary of State. Who just happened to be her gubernatorial opponent.
Nor it must be said unexpected, given the vote rigging undertaken by the Republican candidate in NC9 last November.

Avenatti is a dick.
Just so happens he is a dick who exposed Trump and led him to being named as Individual #1 and as an unindicted co-conspirator with Cohen.

With respect to the current Democratic contenders: too early to say.
Sanders/Biden; no thanks.
Warren/Gillibrand/Harris/Globuchar/Gardner; not really.
Others; no.
O’Rourke: lightweight.

I’d keep an eye on Buttigieg.
He is intelligent, ex-military, Christian, moral and from the Midwest.
A candidate well placed to heal the country, and perhaps reverse the trampling of norms and conventions. Which is what the country desperately needs.
Just don’t know if the country is ready for an openly gay President just yet.

As you can tell from the above, I’m quite familiar with the States.
I’ve had the pleasure of living there twice.
A great country.
Love it.
But all too aware of it’s faults.
My observations above are driven by a cynicism born from being an old fart who has seen too much malpractice and spin over his journey.

But back to Trump: over the last four years I have seen his behaviour become ever more extreme. There is nothing there that tells me he will modify that trend going forward. And that’s why I don’t discount Cohen.

PS: wrt to my friends. They do live in a Trump bubble. If I had pierced that, the friendship would be over. Not something I am prepared to do after 25 years and great times. After all, it is their country, not mine.

I’m not a trump supporter and I don’t expect him to change at all, I’m a supporter of the office and he gets my support within reason as the current holder of that office.

I watched his debates as I’ve mentioned before including his exchange with Clinton. Like Abrams I didn’t conclude it was anything other than him being a knucklehead. I thought it was just Trump alluding to Clinton’s ongoing problems and reserving his right to wait and see in he had a potential legal challenge had she won. I still wouldn’t give any weight to sinister muttering from Cohen.

Buttigieg is educated, well spoken and a smart guy who has plenty of support already. That being said I’ve already seen other dems questioning his credentials, I wonder if they’ve very short memories or are just plain stupid. It was straight back to the entitled attitude that Clinton had, questioning why he had so much press and support compared to firstly female candidates and specifically a black female. The question was asked is a white male gay guy less threatening than a black female. I doubt he will get the nomination and I really doubt his ability to defeat trump outside of democratic strongholds. Look for what’s its worth I think uncle joe will run and has a great chance to win the nomination and a very good chance to defeat trump.

 

[Yawkey way]

Why an idiot, I like her, she's a bit flammable but that adds to her publicity gathering. She's copping a lot of negative press but most is basic social democrat stuff that wouldn't even get people to look up in other parts of the world. As Trump has proven, being a caricature that garners strong media attention is half the battle in the internet age.

She just blurts out the first thing that pops into her head no matter how outrageous, you think there’s some substance to her I don’t.

That was an own goal for her district with amazon and the green new deal is just complete dribble along with the world will end in 12 years stuff. I think increasingly other dems are tolerating her rather than embracing her, Nancy Pelosi didn’t miss her with the glass of water observation.

Time for some football and a quite ale, enjoy your Easter and stay safe on the roads.

 

[gringo2011]

She just blurts out the first thing that pops into her head no matter how outrageous, you think there’s some substance to her I don’t.

That was an own goal for her district with amazon and the green new deal is just complete dribble along with the world will end in 12 years stuff. I think increasingly other dems are tolerating her rather than embracing her, Nancy Pelosi didn’t miss her with the glass of water observation.

Time for some football and a quite ale, enjoy your Easter and stay safe on the roads.

She sounds awfully similar to a left wing version of the orange man with the wispy hair.

I didn't book anything this weekend and the weather is awesome. I wish I was on the road.

 

[sunny3193]

She sounds awfully similar to a left wing version of the orange man with the wispy hair.

I didn't book anything this weekend and the weather is awesome. I wish I was on the road.

You sold the car for that.

 

[StFly]

Whelp that was an experience.

Old man is waiting on his first flight to Newcastle, we drive up, he uses his card to gain access to parking, we walk in he goes to the gate I go leave.

Only since he used his card, I can't leave parking, or pay.

So I ask for help, run through a couple things to see what I can do, and have to park to sort it out. They ask me for his credit info and his info and obviously I'm like "I have NFI since I'm not him" but hey, I'm here and willing to pay for the space.

20mins later I feel as though 3:30am is the bane of my existence and should be slept though entirely.

However, just been informed Newcastle is foggy so delayed for an hour and a bit. Sucked in us, goddamn. Screw you mother nature and happenstance!

Kudos to Tulla parking guys though, obviously had their coffees this morning.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Anyone think Ivanka has politics in her future.
She seems to be pretty good at damage control from the old man.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Dumb question. Where is the hooper room at the Imperial hotel? I'm seeing titus o'reily tommrow and have no idea where to go.

 

[Sir Skid]

Happy Easter everyone

 

[gringo2011]

When did Australia become so nationalistic, I heard some people wanted the AFL to remove Birds of Tokyo from the Anzac Day game because the name was Japanese and they are the enemy and that the government was reminding small retailers that making Anzac biscuits that failed to stick to a traditional recipe were up for $50,000 fines. My grandfather was a returned serviceman and I'm sure he would have thought that was ****-wittery

 

[SaintsSeptember]

When did Australia become so nationalistic, I heard some people wanted the AFL to remove Birds of Tokyo from the Anzac Day game because the name was Japanese and they are the enemy and that the government was reminding small retailers that making Anzac biscuits that failed to stick to a traditional recipe were up for $50,000 fines. My grandfather was a returned serviceman and I'm sure he would have thought that was ****-wittery

Anzac biscuits is a consumer type thing.
Its like advertising leather, its got to be leather. ( ok poor example cos there are lots of cheats in that one ).

 

[pebblesofsand]

Wow - just as the AFLW has demonstrated how quickly the womens game has progressed, I'm watching the girls take on some wild out of control surf at Bells Beach - some very very aggressive surfing happening.

Can't wait to see the blokes take on the swell as it increases during the day - 10 to 15 ft by late this afternoon. 1981 - bring it on!!!

 

[joop]

Wow - just as the AFLW has demonstrated how quickly the womens game has progressed, I'm watching the girls take on some wild out of control surf at Bells Beach - some very very aggressive surfing happening.

Can't wait to see the blokes take on the swell as it increases during the day - 10 to 15 ft by late this afternoon. 1981 - bring it on!!!

Its huge out there right now.

 

[StCicatriz]

I tell you what. Never buy a place with bougainvillea growing on it. What a crazy ****er of a plant. Grows at the slightest sign of water and proceeds to thorn the absolute **** out of anything near it.

Next time I'm just gonna douse the campaigner in unleaded and burn it. If the house goes with it so be it.

 

[Mowman]

I tell you what. Never buy a place with bougainvillea growing on it. What a crazy ****** of a plant. Grows at the slightest sign of water and proceeds to thorn the absolute **** out of anything near it.

Next time I'm just gonna douse the campaigner in unleaded and burn it. If the house goes with it so be it.

LOL

 

[StCicatriz]

LOL

One thorn 1 inch into my foot. Scrapes all over my legs and hands.

It's crazy. Plant is pretty though.

Should have renamed the ****er "marriageVillea"

 

[Mowman]

One thorn 1 inch into my foot. Scrapes all over my legs and hands.

It's crazy. Plant is pretty though.

Should have renamed the ****** "marriageVillea"

Charge $200 an hour to move that sh1t lol normally works a treat and they say i will get someone else

 

[Yawkey way]

Its huge out there right now.

It’s big and sloppy but still entertaining, John John Florence absolutely nailed it considering the conditions.

I think it will be a bit cleaner tomorrow with any luck we will see some great surfing.

 

[Yawkey way]

One thorn 1 inch into my foot. Scrapes all over my legs and hands.

It's crazy. Plant is pretty though.

Should have renamed the ****** "marriageVillea"

We had one down the back when I was a kid, I got a thorn in my finger right in the joint.

I went to the doctors and he had a look and couldn’t see it even through his scope but I couldn’t bend the joint so I knew something was in there. He gave me some drawing cream and a couple of days later the bloody thorn popped out, I swear it must have had 1ml or less clearance on either side but you couldn’t see it.

Ever since then I have admired the beautiful flowers from a distance but refused point blank to plant one.

 

[joop]

It’s big and sloppy but still entertaining, John John Florence absolutely nailed it considering the conditions.

I think it will be a bit cleaner tomorrow with any luck we will see some great surfing.

Man so entertaining, thought Medina looked best out there.
Tomorrow morning still gonna be big but N-NW so should be epic.

 

[StCicatriz]

Charge $200 an hour to move that sh1t lol normally works a treat and they say i will get someone else

$200 sounds like a treat right now. the bush can go **** its self. then come back tommorow and **** its self again

 

[StCicatriz]

We had one down the back when I was a kid, I got a thorn in my finger right in the joint.

I went to the doctors and he had a look and couldn’t see it even through his scope but I couldn’t bend the joint so I knew something was in there. He gave me some drawing cream and a couple of days later the bloody thorn popped out, I swear it must have had 1ml or less clearance on either side but you couldn’t see it.

Ever since then I have admired the beautiful flowers from a distance but refused point blank to plant one.

ouuuuuuuucccchhhhhhhhhhhh how much did the finger swell up?

 

[Yawkey way]

ouuuuuuuucccchhhhhhhhhhhh how much did the finger swell up?

Not a lot really it was just right in the last joint and I couldn’t bend it.

The bloody thing was right behind where we played backyard cricket so we were forever getting scratched and pricked by it.