The writers of this dystopian political satire we're all living through are getting a bit heavy handed with their symbolism.
Amy S. Rosenberg
The defunct Trump Plaza in Atlantic City is currently wrapped in black netting to keep people nearby from getting hurt by random pieces of its eroding facade.
It will be imploded altogether in January.
The writers of this dystopian political satire we're all living through are getting a bit heavy handed with their symbolism.
Amy S. Rosenberg
The defunct Trump Plaza in Atlantic City is currently wrapped in black netting to keep people nearby from getting hurt by random pieces of its eroding facade.
It will be imploded altogether in January.
In the UK, the BBC has broadcast the first part of'The Trump Show' (3 parts), a wonderful distillation of the turnover of personnel in the Trump White House in 2017; next week come the events of 2018, all as told by the disgruntled participants. Not news to those whohave been following events closely, no doubt, but a helpful reminder to those who haven't. A competent demolition job, and as such, I suppose, unlikely to be accessable in the US.
I've just been watching part 2 on Iplayer - got as far as the Stormy Daniels stuff after Trump took women who had accused Clinton of offences to the debate with Hillary, about 15 minutes in. Can only take a short dose at once.
But what is the point of showing it over here? There are a few US voters, but they won't be the ones who need to switch.
But what is the point of showing it over here? There are a few US voters, but they won't be the ones who need to switch.
I'm not sure about the BBC, but I know that in Canada, reporting on American wackadoodlery often has an undertone of "See how much superior our system up here is?"
So probably not really presented with a US audience in mind.
On another level, Dear Mr. T has announced that if he loses the election he will move out of the country. I saw a meme the other day that showed him calling Vlad(imer) pleading for him to not hang up. Vlad did, so he calls Kim Un wondering if Kim has a place for him to stay. If he moves out of the country, it will have to be a place that does not have an extradition treaty with the US, IMHO.
His private plane would still need takeoff clearance.
Or he can try to sneak into Mexico. Since he claims he is an excellent swimmer (He is excellent at everything), maybe he can swim to Cuba. It is only 90 miles (145 klicks) away. He can swim it in a day
Raul: "But, you know, at the south end of our island, there's this lovely bay with a lovely resort. I'm sure they'd love to have you--in fact, I bet you could make a deal to have the whole place to yourself! Buena suerte! (Good luck!)"
{Raul whistles a strangely-familiar tune as he hangs up.}
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
edited October 2020
I thought the broadcasting tangent deserved a thread of its own so I've split the comments away. New thread title "The Independence and Objectivity of State Broadcasters".
So the latest revelation from the New York Times' analysis of Trump's tax returns is the existence of a secret Chinese bank account.
And it turns out that China is one of only three foreign nations — the others are Britain and Ireland — where Mr. Trump maintains a bank account, according to an analysis of the president’s tax records, which were obtained by The New York Times. The foreign accounts do not show up on Mr. Trump’s public financial disclosures, where he must list personal assets, because they are held under corporate names. The identities of the financial institutions are not clear.
The Chinese account is controlled by Trump International Hotels Management L.L.C., which the tax records show paid $188,561 in taxes in China while pursuing licensing deals there from 2013 to 2015.
The tax records do not include details on how much money may have passed through the overseas accounts, though the I.R.S. does require filers to report the portion of their income derived from other countries.
Well, I'm sure this secret, never disclosed financial tie to a sometimes hostile foreign country is completely above board with no suspicious activity at all, right?
In 2017, the company reported an unusually large spike in revenue — some $17.5 million, more than the previous ten years' combined. It was accompanied by a $15.1 million withdrawal by Mr. Trump from the company's capital account.
On the president's public financial disclosures for that year, he reported the large revenue figure, and described it only as "management fees and other contract payments."
What could possibly have happened in 2017 that made people want to give Donald Trump a bunch of money, I wonder?
This seems like the perfect metaphor for both the Trump campaign and the Trump administration*.
Omaha Trump Rally Attendees Stranded, Several Taken to Hospital Suffering Hypothermia
Backers of President Donald Trump were left stranded overnight, with several taken to hospital for hypothermia after an Omaha campaign rally ended in chaos.
Hundreds were bussed in to the Eppley Airfield site, leaving their cars in parking lots, but were left wandering up to four miles in the cold after coaches failed to pick them up.
"President Trump took off in Air Force One 1 hr 20 minutes ago, but thousands of his supporters remain stranded on a dark road outside the rally," CNN reporter Jeff Zeleny tweeted at 10:21 p.m. CDT.
Jeff Zeleny
President Trump took off in Air Force One 1 hr 20 minutes ago, but thousands of his supporters remain stranded on a dark road outside the rally. “We need at least 30 more buses,” an Omaha police officer just said, shaking his head at the chaotic cluster that is unfolding.
Zeleny, who was at Tuesday night's event, described the scene as a "chaotic cluster" as Omaha police officers scrambled to provide transportation for those stranded.
"It's hundreds and hundreds of people who came on buses - forced to park miles away - who were stranded," he wrote.
It's the overly obvious and on-the-nose symbolism that makes me think that the hacks writing this dark political satire we're all living through have given up and are just phoning it in now.
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
It should kill some of the idolising of this selfish, worthless, deeply flawed man.
Not sure about that. Remember Nazi Germany: Hitler'a most fervent supporters said, had the Führer known about the atrocities, he would have stopped them; so there's always mad people willing to defend the undefendable.
This seems like the perfect metaphor for both the Trump campaign and the Trump administration*.
Omaha Trump Rally Attendees Stranded, Several Taken to Hospital Suffering Hypothermia
Backers of President Donald Trump were left stranded overnight, with several taken to hospital for hypothermia after an Omaha campaign rally ended in chaos.
Hundreds were bussed in to the Eppley Airfield site, leaving their cars in parking lots, but were left wandering up to four miles in the cold after coaches failed to pick them up.
"President Trump took off in Air Force One 1 hr 20 minutes ago, but thousands of his supporters remain stranded on a dark road outside the rally," CNN reporter Jeff Zeleny tweeted at 10:21 p.m. CDT.
Jeff Zeleny
President Trump took off in Air Force One 1 hr 20 minutes ago, but thousands of his supporters remain stranded on a dark road outside the rally. “We need at least 30 more buses,” an Omaha police officer just said, shaking his head at the chaotic cluster that is unfolding.
Zeleny, who was at Tuesday night's event, described the scene as a "chaotic cluster" as Omaha police officers scrambled to provide transportation for those stranded.
"It's hundreds and hundreds of people who came on buses - forced to park miles away - who were stranded," he wrote.
It's the overly obvious and on-the-nose symbolism that makes me think that the hacks writing this dark political satire we're all living through have given up and are just phoning it in now.
Oddly, just a few days later, Trump held a similar rally in Florida where the heat was so oppressive that several people succumbed and had to be taken to the hospital. At that point, the local fire department began spraying the people with water to help cool them down. Huffington Post video story here.
When you break it down, he's just a broke guy, with outstanding warrants, five kids from three different women, who's about to be evicted from public housing.
OMG, that's *real*? With the neighboring businesses mentioned? I feel sorry for whoever accidentally scheduled it wrong (if it was an accident--and *more* sorry for them if not). Maybe Giuliani???
I'd heard T was playing golf, and didn't look so good when he got back to the WH. Handling this is beyond him. Maybe he'll take a trip down to Mar-a-Lago?
*LC*, thank you so much for this. Had many laughs!
ETA: I think "Saturday Night Live" is new tonight. I wonder if they've had a chance to work this into the opening?
Trump will be busy firing his entire team and expecting to run the election again with a new one. Maybe he's having some kind of breakdown. In denial anyway.
Has anyone heard anything about Pence's reaction to T's loss? I did a quick look just now, and didn't see anything. I'm not sure total silence is a good sign.
Has anyone heard anything about Pence's reaction to T's loss? I did a quick look just now, and didn't see anything. I'm not sure total silence is a good sign.
Might Pence be trying to make himself invisible, so as to distance himself as much as possible from Trump?
Has anyone heard anything about Pence's reaction to T's loss? I did a quick look just now, and didn't see anything. I'm not sure total silence is a good sign.
Might Pence be trying to make himself invisible, so as to distance himself as much as possible from Trump?
Well, I was trying to be polite (dunno why), but yes, ISWYM.
I did also wonder if Pence was biding his time until Trump goes completely and utterly bananas, when he (Pence) would step forward to save the Republican party.
Has anyone heard anything about Pence's reaction to T's loss? I did a quick look just now, and didn't see anything. I'm not sure total silence is a good sign.
He did make a statement about standing by Trump a few days ago.
Esper had been on shaky ground with the White House for months, a rift that deepened after he said in June that he did not support using active-duty troops to quell the large-scale protests across the United States triggered by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. Esper also said military forces should be used in a law enforcement role only as a last resort.
On the other hand, maybe this is just Trump having a tantrum and lashing out at someone he never much liked anyway.
Barnabas62Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
edited November 2020
Venting his frustration. What a nasty human being he is. Talking about holding rallies to sound off and undermine the new President.
"No class" as someone once observed about Nixon. But Nixon was pretty classy compared with Trump.
Nixon was! And he was a deranged, drunken, lying son of a bitch. At least he had the sense to resign.
I'm afraid that Trump will pretend to have won all the way to inauguration day, as Pompeo is pretending. There will be no transition. Who will the Secret Service obey? The armed forces?
Nixon was! And he was a deranged, drunken, lying son of a bitch. At least he had the sense to resign.
I'm afraid that Trump will pretend to have won all the way to inauguration day, as Pompeo is pretending. There will be no transition. Who will the Secret Service obey? The armed forces?
They will obey the President as soon as he is sworn in. I don't think there's serious doubt about that.
Nixon was! And he was a deranged, drunken, lying son of a bitch. At least he had the sense to resign.
I'm afraid that Trump will pretend to have won all the way to inauguration day, as Pompeo is pretending. There will be no transition. Who will the Secret Service obey? The armed forces?
They will obey the President as soon as he is sworn in. I don't think there's serious doubt about that.
SO as long as the Supreme court is not as mental as the president...
There's a lot of concern in American media that Biden won't get the full transition experience, thanks to Trump's sulks. While I appreciate a handover is useful, from an outside perspective it seems like a luxury. In the UK one PM goes, and another starts at once. What happens in other countries?
Comments
I'm not sure there are enough conveniently placed mountains to take out Trump and all his works, not without excessive collateral damage.
No subtlety whatsoever.
On 20th January, I hope!
But what is the point of showing it over here? There are a few US voters, but they won't be the ones who need to switch.
I'm pretty sure anti-Trump reportage is allowed in the US.
I'm not sure about the BBC, but I know that in Canada, reporting on American wackadoodlery often has an undertone of "See how much superior our system up here is?"
So probably not really presented with a US audience in mind.
Or he can try to sneak into Mexico. Since he claims he is an excellent swimmer (He is excellent at everything), maybe he can swim to Cuba. It is only 90 miles (145 klicks) away. He can swim it in a day
{Raul whistles a strangely-familiar tune as he hangs up.}
Barnabas62
Purgatory Host
Well, I'm sure this secret, never disclosed financial tie to a sometimes hostile foreign country is completely above board with no suspicious activity at all, right?
What could possibly have happened in 2017 that made people want to give Donald Trump a bunch of money, I wonder?
Well, yes, but surely you wouldn't want to prevent him leaving?
Unless it was to haul him off to jail, of course...
It's the overly obvious and on-the-nose symbolism that makes me think that the hacks writing this dark political satire we're all living through have given up and are just phoning it in now.
Oddly, just a few days later, Trump held a similar rally in Florida where the heat was so oppressive that several people succumbed and had to be taken to the hospital. At that point, the local fire department began spraying the people with water to help cool them down. Huffington Post video story here.
What a bunch of...people rhyming with bankers!
Evolution in action.
When you break it down, he's just a broke guy, with outstanding warrants, five kids from three different women, who's about to be evicted from public housing.
OMG, that's *real*? With the neighboring businesses mentioned? I feel sorry for whoever accidentally scheduled it wrong (if it was an accident--and *more* sorry for them if not). Maybe Giuliani???
I'd heard T was playing golf, and didn't look so good when he got back to the WH. Handling this is beyond him. Maybe he'll take a trip down to Mar-a-Lago?
*LC*, thank you so much for this. Had many laughs!
ETA: I think "Saturday Night Live" is new tonight. I wonder if they've had a chance to work this into the opening?
Yes, I'm sure heads will roll, but that was going to happen anyway in the wake of the election loss.
Might Pence be trying to make himself invisible, so as to distance himself as much as possible from Trump?
For the time being, anyway.
Or is he a rat abandoning a sinking ship?
I did also wonder if Pence was biding his time until Trump goes completely and utterly bananas, when he (Pence) would step forward to save the Republican party.
On the other hand, maybe this is just Trump having a tantrum and lashing out at someone he never much liked anyway.
"No class" as someone once observed about Nixon. But Nixon was pretty classy compared with Trump.
I'm afraid that Trump will pretend to have won all the way to inauguration day, as Pompeo is pretending. There will be no transition. Who will the Secret Service obey? The armed forces?
They will obey the President as soon as he is sworn in. I don't think there's serious doubt about that.