2024 US Presidential Election

[ZFire]

@just1morething, care to explain why your beloved Mike Johnson has suddenly flip-flopped on supporting Ukraine now? It took this fool long enough, Stalling us with his BS politics for months as a speaker and causing harm in the process. If aid had passed last year when it was supposed to, perhaps Avdiivka would still be in Ukrainian hands. Lots of Ukrainian civilians (and soldiers) have been killed who wouldn't have been if he put this up to a vote last year. Also lots of infrastructure would still be functional as well. What an absolute muppet.

Now, he wants to do the right thing because he finally realizes that Russia is part of the axis of evil.

Mike Johnson Gives Impassioned Ukraine Speech as He Defies MAGA

My philosophy is you do the right thing and you let the chips fall where they may. If I operated out of fear of a motion to vacate, I would never be able to do my job.

I could make a selfish decision and do something that's different but I'm doing here what I believe to be the right thing. I think providing legal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important - I really do believe the intel and the briefings that we've gotten

I believe Xi [Jinping] and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think they are in coordination on this. I think that Vladimir Putin would continue marching through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our Nato allies.

To put it bluntly I would rather send bullets to Ukraine that American boys. My son is going to begin in the Naval academy this fall. This is a live fire exercise for me as it is for so many American families.

We can't play politics with this. We have to do the right thing. And I'm going to allow an opportunity for every single member of the House to vote their conscience and their will on this. And think that's the way this institution is supposed to work and I'm willing to take personal risk for that because we have to do the right think and history will judge us.

Is this the part where you turn on him now?

 

[Luman]

Trump is doing great in NYC, where the trial is being held. He's meeting with world leaders from the U.N. and campaigning among the working people. There has never been anything like this; he's the first ex-president to face criminal charges. The Democrats are doing this, and they will regret it.

 

[Jammer]

@just1morething, care to explain why your beloved Mike Johnson has suddenly flip-flopped on supporting Ukraine now? It took this fool long enough, Stalling us with his BS politics for months as a speaker and causing harm in the process. If aid had passed last year when it was supposed to, perhaps Avdiivka would still be in Ukrainian hands. Lots of Ukrainian civilians (and soldiers) have been killed who wouldn't have been if he put this up to a vote last year. Also lots of infrastructure would still be functional as well. What an absolute muppet.

Now, he wants to do the right thing because he finally realizes that Russia is part of the axis of evil.

Mike Johnson Gives Impassioned Ukraine Speech as He Defies MAGA

Is this the part where you turn on him now?

Republicans have done a good job of normalizing their support for Russia and Putin. This really came into play with Trump's candidacy, and it's no coincidence.

It turns out that propaganda and useful idiots like Mike Johnson finally opening their eyes after the shit in Ukraine are a far more cost-effective way to destroy a democracy than conventional warfare ever was.

There was also a bit of good news today for Trump; the jury has been seated, and he can get busy clearing his good name. /s

 

[Luman]

 

[just1morething]

Bill O'Reilly said the Progressives and the Green New Deal drive him nuts. Then you have the open border. Trump governed this nation in a responsible way, where everyone prospered. If you don't believe that, then you're a moron. More people should watch the No Spin News.

 

[Jammer]

The guy the Republicans call 'MAGA Mike' just pulled a fast one over his fellow Republicans by indicating that he planned to bring four separate votes to the floor: aid packages for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan and a bill to require Russian assets to be confiscated for Ukraine.

Well, I never expected the guy who shares a porn-tracking app with his son and believes the world is 10,000 years old to work with the Democrats on anything. It seems like old-guard Republicans are finally starting to see just how much Russia has infiltrated Congress with the far right and pushed Johnson to act; his caucus is more reluctant to see the world blow up.

Yes, better late than never. However, he should have done it months ago. MAGA GOP has cost our Ukrainian allies lives and territory. It's shameful. Blood is on their hands.

Mike probably believes that God will protect him from Trump's terrorist GOP. I expect any attempt to remove him to fail. In the current state of the House, they'd probably find it just about impossible to replace him. That won't stop the crazies from still trying to vote him out, but any of the other Republicans won't support it for that reason.

Now if Miss Space Laser tries to remove him, I will laugh so hard if it backfires and a joint coalition elects Jeffries, who will bring a calming presence to the House and hopefully pass legislation that helps Americans for a change.

 

[ZFire]

Republicans have done a good job of normalizing their support for Russia and Putin. This really came into play with Trump's candidacy, and it's no coincidence.

It turns out that propaganda and useful idiots like Mike Johnson finally opening their eyes after the shit in Ukraine are a far more cost-effective way to destroy a democracy than conventional warfare ever was.

There was also a bit of good news today for Trump; the jury has been seated, and he can get busy clearing his good name. /s

Putin's poisonous effect on US and Western politics over the last two decades has been far more effective than I'd initially thought.

Yes, better late than never. However, he should have done it months ago. MAGA GOP has cost our Ukrainian allies lives and territory. It's shameful. Blood is on their hands.

It's crazy how now, Mike Johnson is basically saying, "We cannot politicize this aid." Like, what the hell has this moron been doing the last six months, then?

Almost sounds like someone dug up some dirt (something incriminating) on this fool, and now he's forced to play nice. Then again, it could, like you say, old guard Republicans are finally realizing how compromised their party is by the Russians.

Now if Miss Space Laser tries to remove him, I will laugh so hard if it backfires and a joint coalition elects Jeffries, who will bring a calming presence to the House and hopefully pass legislation that helps Americans for a change.

Only in the US can someone as nuts as Marjorie Taylor Greene run for office and actually win. What an absolute whack job. Her constant horse crap about Ukraine being Nazis triggers the absolute hell out of me, and I just can't believe anyone in the West would take that BS seriously. I really hate this clueless nutjob with a passion.

I honestly hope Hakeem Jeffries gets elected as House speaker. Show these clowns in the GOP how to properly legislate and do the job.

By the way, did you hear what happened outside the NY courthouse today where Trump's trial is being held? A MAGA cultist nutjob setting himself on fire. These nutjobs just keep raising the stakes. Inflicting self-harm to "own the libs."

 

[just1morething]

Franklin Graham:

Speaker of the House has a hard job and not everyone is going to like every decision he makes. There are some people in Washington who just want to eat his lunch. He's trying to do the best job he can for our country. I like this guy—we need to pray for him.

 

[Jammer]

By the way, did you hear what happened outside the NY courthouse today where Trump's trial is being held? A MAGA cultist nutjob setting himself on fire. These nutjobs just keep raising the stakes. Inflicting self-harm to "own the libs."

I agree with your assessments of the Republicans, Putin, Mike Johnson, and MTG. They're all cheering the way toward the end of Ukraine and lying to the MAGA crowd while broadcasting their bullshit via right-wing media. I'm happy Mike Johnson finally got off the pot (kompromat or not) to bring Ukraine funding to a vote in the House.

I watched the video, and it's a shame that someone who is so deep into the MAGA cult and brainwashed to the point that they believe that their fiery display and potential death would mean nothing in the long term. Trump doesn't care at all about this person's death; he only cares about the publicity it brings to the MAGA cause. But I'm sure MAGA will add his name to the list of martyrs for Trump who've suffered in the name of their "freedom'.

Did you hear about Trump getting extremely perturbed Friday about his inability to attack witnesses and jurors before reportedly dozing off again in court?

Florida man spotted saying "They've taken away my right to speak" while speaking...

If a President doesn't have IMMUNITY, he/she will be nothing more than a 'Ceremonial' President, rarely having the courage to do what has to be done for our Country.

"I'm being silenced!" he announced to the worldwide press gathered at the courthouse to hear him speak. Then how'd you tell us?

The guy's mad that others tell him he can't talk while on trial for cooking the books to cover up the money he used to keep others from talking. Trump is a black hole of irony.

This is probably the most time he's ever spent with the common masses and likely the first time he's ever had to be somewhere Monday through Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, like the majority of working Americans.

He's actually getting a four-day workweek with Wednesday off and enjoying a shortened workweek that his followers scream and rail against. He has never had to keep an actual work schedule in his whole life; he'd saunter into the Oval Office around noon to see what his minions have been up to after his morning of watching TV, rage tweeting, and giving marching orders to right-wing talking heads (Hannity & Tucker).

He was the most special president; he had to have his precious nine hours of "Executive Time" every morning. This was actually a benefit to the nation as it helped limit the amount of damage he could do.

 

[just1morething]

Almost sounds like someone dug up some dirt (something incriminating) on this fool, and now he's forced to play nice. Then again, it could, like you say, old guard Republicans are finally realizing how compromised their party is by the Russians

I don't think so. Speaker Johnson explains his situation in an audio interview with Mark Levin. Mike Johnson also frequently asks Trump for his opinion on different matters. Hopefully, Johnson and Trump will work together in the next administration.

 

[Luman]

 

[Jammer]

New York AG Letitia James has asked Justice Engoron to reject the Knight surety and declare Trump's bond void because the surety doesn't meet the "requirements of trustworthiness and competence." The fact that the firm only has $138M in policy surplus should be enough to void the bond on its own.

Justice Engoron will hold arguments on the bond on Monday morning, 4/22. If the judge declares the bond void, the NYAG will request another bond within seven days. Only Trump has been given such leeway to delay and delay—a two-tiered justice system on full display.

Knight Specialty Insurance Company, is "a small insurer that is not authorized to write business in New York and thus not regulated by the state's insurance department, had never before written a surety bond in New York or in the prior two years in any other jurisdiction, and has a total policyholder surplus of just $138 million.

Oh, look, more fraud... Trump really loves crime. He is the most Criminal President ever, and his cult followers want him in power again. Billionaires want more tax cuts, which in turn will increase inflation; Trump is just the tool for that.

They don't care if he burns it all down in the process. The right wants an autocracy, and they are preaching democracy is bad. They want to make the government small enough so they can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.

But no matter what shenanigans Trump pulled with his bond, he's still liable for the entire >$450M.

The court effectively asked for the $175M to try to ensure they got some cash. They know his real estate assets are heavily leveraged, so selling them and paying back all the loans on them will take a lot of time and not leave that much to pay off the judgment.

Sure, it's annoying how much deference he's getting, but the NY AG is doing the smart thing by being extremely careful to make sure Trump can't win on appeal. Also, they don't exactly want one of his cultists to go terrorist again in revenge for Trump getting jailed.

It's time to call in the auctioneers. I am also waiting for The Pawn Stars episode, in which Don Jr. tries to sell the family heirlooms.

 

[grate_biff]

How about that Moscow Marjorie? That shit would not have floated well in the 80s...

What happened to the good old-fashioned fear of communism?

 

[Joey72]

How about that Moscow Marjorie? That shit would not have floated well in the 80s...

What happened to the good old-fashioned fear of communism?

This is not the 80s, and the Russian government is no longer communist. Try and keep up.

 

[grate_biff]

the Russian government is no longer communist.

Putin is a former KGB. He is as commy as they come.

 

[Jammer]

Putin is a former KGB. He is as commy as they come.

Putin is functioning as a dictator/autocrat.

They no longer follow or recognize their 1993 constitution, which declares Russia a democratic, federative, law-based state with a republican government. But the population still votes to keep the charade going.

It's hard to have this type of government with Russian police at the polls ensuring that almost all votes are for Putin. Putin won 87.8% of the vote in 2024, with Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov finishing second with just under 4%, newcomer Vladislav Davankov third, and ultra-nationalist Leonid Slutsky fourth. Putin always wins and has held office since 1999.

Anyone who says there are free and fair elections in Russia is in servitude to Russia.

 

[just1morething]

 

[Jammer]

As Donald J. Trump goes on trial in the New York criminal case, other investigations and prosecutions in five crucial swing states are continuing to scrutinize his and his allies' actions in trying to circumvent voters' will after the 2020 election.

The investigations focus largely on the plan to deploy fake electors in states that Mr. Trump lost. Documents emerging from the state cases highlight divisions among Trump advisers after the 2020 election about whether to use hedging language in the phony certificates they sent to Washington purporting to designate electoral votes for Mr. Trump. They also undercut claims by some Trump aides that they played little role in the fake-electors plan.

This will include leaving him as the nominee even if he's a federally or state-convicted felon. Of course, there's no actual legal recourse for the party to remove him as the nominee since he has the delegates in the first place, and I'm sure they've never had to consider this type of situation occurring before, but they'll damn sure need to do it now. And what happens if he is convicted and receives prison time? Does section three of the 25th Amendment come into play? If he's convicted of federal crimes, does he legally have the power to pardon himself? All of these things have no legal precedence because they've never happened before, and I'm sure the framers of the Constitution never expected the country would be dealing with a convicted felon having the realistic possibility of being elected as POTUS.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Putin is functioning as a dictator/autocrat.

They no longer follow or recognize their 1993 constitution, which declares Russia a democratic, federative, law-based state with a republican government. But the population still votes to keep the charade going.

It's hard to have this type of government with Russian police at the polls ensuring that almost all votes are for Putin. Putin won 87.8% of the vote in 2024, with Communist candidate Nikolai Kharitonov finishing second with just under 4%, newcomer Vladislav Davankov third, and ultra-nationalist Leonid Slutsky fourth. Putin always wins and has held office since 1999.

Anyone who says there are free and fair elections in Russia is in servitude to Russia.

There have never been free or fair elections. Looking back at Khrushchev, he disappeared after trying free and fair elections. And anyone else throughout communist Russia who tried to have elections that were not ruled by communism.

Putin is the number one communist. When he was a child under communism, he turned two young friends of his into the KGB for thinking against communism. That's a fact.

 

[Jammer]

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) says that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has "betrayed" Americans by allowing a vote on a series of foreign aid bills that includes aid for Ukraine and said Johnson doesn't have the votes to stay in power.

We can all thank McCarthy for dipshits like MTG and Gaetz, as well the rest of their nutjob cohorts, to be able to stir up shit and bring votes to remove the Speaker. He's the one who changed the rules just to be able to buy his way into the Speaker role that he so desperately craved but likely didn't deserve. That and the whole Tea Party garbage that is still plaguing our government.

Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat representing Florida's 23rd congressional district, has openly mocked Marjorie Taylor Greene by saying he submitted an amendment appointing her as "Putin's Special Envoy to the United States Congress."

Moskowitz also introduced a second amendment trolling Greene, seeking to rename her office in the Cannon House Office Building to the "Neville Chamberlain Room" - a reference to the former British prime minister famed for his failed attempts at appeasement toward Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the 1930s.

Love Rep. Moskowitz.

 

[ZFire]

Putin is a former KGB. He is as commy as they come.

Correct, a bitter ex-KGB who's still butt hurt over all the territories his rotten country has lost (that aren't rightfully theirs) over the past few centuries, which he's been trying to reclaim back since coming to power.

Whether it's the autocratic monarchy of the 17th-19th centuries, the Soviet Union, or the fake-ass Russian Federation, they're all the same. Russia will always be driven by a desire for territorial expansion at its very core.

 

[Jammer]

Press release issued by the Southern District of New York on Monday:

As a part of the agreement, AMI admitted that it made the $150,000 payment in concert with a candidate's presidential campaign, and in order to ensure that the woman did not publicize damaging allegations about the candidate before the 2016 presidential election. If AMI fully complies … no testimony or other information given by it will be used against it in any criminal tax prosecution.
AMI further admitted that its principal purpose in making the payment was to suppress the women's story so as to prevent it from influencing the election...(AMI) provided substantial and important assistance...and has made various personnel from AMI available for numerous interviews.

This is in connection with Karen McDougal, a former Playboy Playmate, who signed a $150,000 deal with AMI owner David Pecker in August 2016 that transferred to the company the rights to her story of her 10-month romantic affair with Trump. They performed a 'catch and kill' on her story to protect Trump's political aspirations.

Per the Southern District of New York, it appears that his best buddy, past friend David Pecker is going to be a dick to Trump and be called the first witness. This is devastating and uber-bad news for Trump.

But what's interesting to me is that every day outside the courthouse, before and after, he speaks to the cameras as if that's going to save him. Then, in court, he closes his eyes and falls asleep (for the fourth day in a row). Is it a cognitive defense to protect his narcissistic ego from seeing his true self?

The courtroom sketch artist has really captured the realistic images of Trump: bored, sullen, hostile, occasionally happy, and with a look of contempt and disgust on his face. Trump looks very tired and drained of energy. While sleeping in court, his mouth hangs open, and his head has lost the battle against gravity.

Trump is apparently upset with the courtroom artist's depiction of him. As Rolling Stone reports, "Trump has also privately asked people close to him if they agree that the courtroom sketch artist must be out to get him."

But what truly gives me hope is that Trump is finally being tried for his crimes. His ambition drove him to seek the highest office at any cost, even committing more crimes. It's not like magically, everyone suddenly wants to get an old man and convict him out of nowhere. He compounded his problems progressively as he kept failing morally and financially and engaging in ever more crime, with a lust for greed, power, and privilege. His prior failings could never have humbled him to live a quiet retirement like the rest of us, but he, of course, thinks he is better than everyone, and he continued committing fraud to con his way to the top. At the end of the day it's almost like he doesn't really care what happens to him, just what people think of him.

I'm not sure Trump's life experiences have allowed him to develop any sense of 'fear' around accountability or repercussions. He's spent a lifetime committing crimes, bankrupting people, raping women, cheating on his wives, and just being an overall nasty man.

All he had to do was not become president, and he could have coasted right to the end.

 

[Luman]

Today, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Donald Trump is scheduled to receive a $1.3 billion dollar bonus from the business behind his media company, Truth Social. This will increase his ownership total to about $4.1 billion. He is probably the richest president of all time.

 

[just1morething]

I'm not sure Trump's life experiences have allowed him to develop any sense of 'fear' around accountability or repercussions. He's spent a lifetime committing crimes, bankrupting people, raping women, cheating on his wives, and just being an overall nasty man.

All he had to do was not become president, and he could have coasted right to the end.

Some may be true, and others exaggerations. I would still vote for him any day over an incompetent Biden. Trump listens to "We the People." Nobody wants 10 million illegal immigrants, Fentanyl poisoning, human trafficking, criminals, potential terrorists crossing our border, etc.

It's a travesty that every single Democrat in the Senate voted against impeaching Mayorkas and having a trial. From what I have heard, that has never happened before when the House of Representatives impeached a Cabinet member.

 

[Jammer]

Today, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Donald Trump is scheduled to receive a $1.3 billion dollar bonus from the business behind his media company, Truth Social. This will increase his ownership total to about $4.1 billion. He is probably the richest president of all time.

Maybe he can buy himself some happiness. He is sorely lacking it. Being in court everyday must drain what little remains of his capacity to seize the day.

Right-wing media's sentiment/expectation that "Trump's going to dominate the courtroom" has fallen flat. As someone who has never faced consequences, Trump looks truly miserable in court as the Washington Post notes:

Rather than dominate the proceedings or leverage his court appearance to appear in control and demonstrate no court could corral him, Trump day by day has become smaller, more decrepit and, frankly, somewhat pathetic.

There are contexts you cannot shout or bully your way out of. Trump has, for the most part, avoided these all his life and has basically no idea what they're like. Maybe that's why he's been unable to keep his eyes open in court and has taken frequent naps - to avoid what is befalling him in real time.

There is no family there to support him in court. He has no true friends and no ability to make any. He has just a lifetime of lies, anger, insecurity and contempt for the rest of humanity. As a malignant narcissist, even if he got everything he ever wanted and all of his wishes came true, he can still never truly experience happiness, joy or love.

 

[just1morething]

 

[Luman]

Yesterday, in NYC, Donald Trump met with former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and welcomed him to Trump Tower. Recently, in NYC, when he was not in court, Trump met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Donald Trump with Taro Aso, at Trump Tower:

 

[Rainer]

explain why your beloved Mike Johnson has suddenly flip-flopped on supporting Ukraine now?

Johnson bowed his head in prayer while showering opened his eyes, and discovered a pair of tiny yet perfectly operable balls.

 

[just1morething]

Johnson bowed his head in prayer while showering opened his eyes, and discovered a pair of tiny yet perfectly operable balls.

I keep getting text messages from Speaker Johnson, probably for money. I still like my beloved Mike Johnson. He is very intelligent and does good press conferences, unlike Biden. Johnson told me he's praying for @ZFire.

 

[Jammer]

Johnson bowed his head in prayer while showering opened his eyes, and discovered a pair of tiny yet perfectly operable balls.

Just like Mike Johnson, even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut.

Yesterday, in NYC, Donald Trump met with former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and welcomed him to Trump Tower. Recently, in NYC, when he was not in court, Trump met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

While some leaders of the free world show up to shake Trump's hand, just in case he wins, and while Trump rubbed shoulders with his mutual bromance partner Orban, a fellow lover of illiberalism who presided over the radical decline of democracy in Hungary, something amazing was happening in Washington: the Senate debated and then passed the national security package that's been consuming the Capitol for the last six months. With a lopsided vote of 79-18 and after Johnson finally realized the seriousness of the situation, military aid came through for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

It's been a really bad run for Trump and Greene these past few weeks, as Trump is turning his back on Green and continuing to support Johnson, recently telling a radio host:

Look, we have a majority of one, OK? It's not like he can go and do whatever he wants to do. I think he's a very good person. You know, he stood very strongly with me on NATO.

But you know who's having a great run? President Joe Biden. One of his biggest achievements was avoiding a costly debt limit/government shutdown, along with the FISA extension and now the big national security package: the ugliest sausage-making extravaganza ever.

"Sleepy Joe" my ass. For someone supposedly afflicted by dementia, he keeps winning and grinning. The only sleepy one is Trump.

Biden's an incredibly effective president, one of the best in a long time. It's unfortunate his accomplishments fly under the radar because they're not very sexy or dramatic. He just gets stuff done, which helps the average American.

The GOP/Fox News/right-wing media doesn't yet know it - but they destroyed the Republican party. It's just a matter of time before it's all over, similar to when the Republicans had a win with the bi-partisan border modernization legislation that Joe Biden offered them until Trump stuck his nose in and screwed that up. Fox News/right-wing media has been very effective at hooking the most fragile conservatives, like my mother-in-law, and the dangerous Trump followers of our society. These people will never vote for a sane person again; they much prefer a fringe president.

It's going to be this way for a long time until the GOP ends its relationship with Fox News and finally wakes up to smell the coffee; the lying and cheating will have to stop - then the truth might return.