A.M. Links: Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 33%, Rand Paul Blasts Civil Asset Forfeiture, John Kelly Reassures Jeff Sessions

• 

  Gage Skidmore / Flickr.com

  President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a new poll.

• The Trump administration wants to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent.
• President Trump is reportedly considering firing Army General John Nicholson, the commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
• New White House Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly told Attorney General Jeff Sessions that President Trump "did not plan to fire him or hope he would resign."
• Sen. Rand Paul: "Civil asset forfeiture turns the justice system on its head."
• "Results from a controversial election for a new Venezuelan political assembly were 'manipulated' and are off by at least 1 million participants, the company that provided the voting system said Wednesday."

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Trump administration wants to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent.

And raise illegal immigration 50%?

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

100%, Fist. It would be 100%.

Trumpistas think that reducing immigration will make Americans work again. Just like Prohibitionists really believed Prohibition would turn America into a nation of teetotalers.

[some guy]

I don't know about most Republicans, but Jeff Sessions would be happy turning everyone into a criminal.

[BestUsedCarSales]

He already knows we all are.

[Tony]

If this isn't a nation of criminals then why are there so many prison cells in it?

[timbo]

I'm tired of explaining it to you

Bless your heart.

[Finrod]

Too late, everyone on average already commits three felonies a day.

[loveconstitution1789]

Some of us commit way more....

[Fist of Etiquette]

Neither 50% nor 100% is correct. We need to take time to do the math on this. The answer is actually 110%, because that's the effort President Trump gives every day.

[timbo]

Trump: a liar, a buffoon, a statist, a war monger, a big government asshole, a protectionist, and does not appear to be very bright when it comes to free market economics.

And yet all of Washington DC and the corrupt propaganda press hates his guts and he has already done some work to roll back business crippling regulations.

There is some value there.

Is the enemy of my enemy my friend or the enemy of my enemy my enemy or is trump just playing foil to the scam and they are all deep down just colluding to protect the FED, the military-ind complex, entitlements, and to keep the debt rolling? Our largest yokes around the neck are untouchable still.

[Tony]

He just bragged about corporate profits and stocks. How are businesses being crippled?

[loveconstitution1789]

Government over-regulation 101

[Eek Barba Durkle]

I'm willing to volunteer to help raise the number of anchor babies being born. Because I'm a patriot.

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

There's no such thing as an "anchor baby". Only adults of 21 years of age can sponsor their parents or siblings.

[Curt]

I think the "anchor baby" fear is both more focused on the longer term implications (i.e. eventually that "anchor baby" will turn 21 and bring their family into US) and the soft feelz implications (i.e. Republicans don't seem so bad when their bouncing illegal immigrants, but they seem horribly cruel when they're throwing out an illegal immigrant who has a baby that's an american citizen; and that parent has to make the heart-wrenching decision of whether or not to leave their baby in the US).

So, yeah, there is such thing. No opinion offered on how valid that concern is.

[Hi Tony!]

Jesus Christ, that's not what an anchor baby is you fucking idiot.

[Tom Bombadil]

I do a lot of work with unwed mothers.
You know, helping them get their start.

[Curt]

Regardless of how much it raises illegal immigration (and it would), it also proves the ridiculous of the position claimed by him and his many supporters that they're cool with legal immigration... just not illegal. But, I'm sure we can all agree that too many legal immigrants was one of the biggest problems we were facing?

"President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a new poll."

Wasn't it at about 20% when he was elected?

[loveconstitution1789]

They are cool with legal immigration, just less of it. They are against any illegal immigrants being here.

Why is ~330M people in America not enough? Why do we HAVE to have hundreds of thousands more immigrants come here rather than thousands each year?

[paranoid android]

1. Making more people into Americans makes the world a better place and is the right thing to do

2. Trump's stated reasons attempting to justify this policy are largely bogus

3. No one in their right mind would trust Trump to find the right setting for a thermostat, much less set immigration levels for an entire nation

[Rhywun]

I don't care about the numbers so much as the "skilled" part.

The legislation would award points based on education, ability to speak English, high-paying job offers, age, record of achievement and entrepreneurial initiative. But while it would still allow spouses and minor children of Americans and legal residents to come in, it would eliminate preferences for other relatives, like siblings and adult children. The bill would create a renewable temporary visa for older-adult parents who come for caretaking purposes.

So the cries of "tearing families apart!" from the usual suspects are largely BS. What a surprise.

[loveconstitution1789]

1. Why is allowing more people into America making the World a better place and is right?

2. Politicians are largely liars and flip-flop. Trump said he wanted to control immigration and he has. Definitely there has been better control on immigration policy than most administrations in the last 40+ years.

3. Is there a "right" setting? I support zero illegal immigration and less legal immigration. 50%+ less legal immigration is fine with me.

[paranoid android]

1. LOL

2. LMAO

3. ROFLMAOWTFBBQMAGA

[loveconstitution1789]

1. Still refusing to answer.

2. laughing at you.

3. still laughing at you.

[paranoid android]

Jokes aside, it's more than you deserve, but I'll try to answer honestly:

1. I wouldn't be here if my ancestors hadn't risked everything they had to cross the ocean to get here, for which I am eternally grateful. Anyone suffering in their own country who is willing to work hard and make a better life for themselves deserves that same chance.

2. Don't feel the need to respond to meaningless pro-Trump propaganda

3. Why do you want any legal immigration at all? What would you say to a Trump supporter who thinks the proper amount of legal immigration is zero?

[loveconstitution1789]

They weren't jokes though. You were trying to be serious.

1. Congratulations on your ancestors probably going thru Ellis Island or San Francisco port authority. They were allowed to come and become Americans because as many new Americans were needed to make develop America. How would letting in immigrants to America make the World a better place? It lets people off the hook to make THEIR country better.

See your assumption is flawed. There are already hundreds of millions of hard working Americans who want a better life. Non-Americans don't deserve shit from America. If we Americans want to let in thousands of immigrants, then so be it.

2. I know propaganda is only things you don't like. You don't like immigration controls, so when Trump ran on immigration controls and is doing it, you call it propaganda.

3. I personally don't care if there is zero immigration. That is not fair to Americans who marry foreigners but for all other non-Americans, I don't really care. I would say that zero immigration should only last a couple years and then re-evaluate the policy.

[paranoid android]

How are the borders being "controlled" more compared to previous administrations? Has illegal immigration fallen to zero? I thought that would have been on the news. Seems to me the amount of control has gone unchanged, but the amount of propaganda about it from the White House has increased several-fold.

If we Americans want to let in thousands of immigrants, then so be it.

As I pointed out below, Americans broadly support maintaining or increasing levels of immigration. It's actually decreasing immigration that is the unpopular minority position. All you have is lies, just like Trump.

[loveconstitution1789]

How are the borders being "controlled" more compared to previous administrations? Has illegal immigration fallen to zero? I thought that would have been on the news. Seems to me the amount of control has gone unchanged, but the amount of propaganda about it from the White House has increased several-fold.
If we Americans want to let in thousands of immigrants, then so be it.
As I pointed out below, Americans broadly support maintaining or increasing levels of immigration. It's actually decreasing immigration that is the unpopular minority position. All you have is lies, just like Trump.

Illegal immigration is down 67% since Trump took office, according to the Washington Times.
WT illegal immigration

Its anecdotal but I know two Mexicans who said their goodbyes to go back and apply. This way they don't get caught and be prohibited from applying for visas to the USA.

I would say your assumption, because it not based on fact, is incorrect that Americans want MORE immigration. Trump ran on controlling immigration and he won. At least 62M people were for Trump, so they knew it would probably happen. I voted for Gay Jay but I support stricter immigration controls.

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

Why wasn't 200M enough? Or 100M? or 4M?

[loveconstitution1789]

Exactly.

[Zeb]

You are asking the wrong questions.

Why is having more people a problem?

Is there a good, compelling reason to limit immigration more than it is?

We may have different answers to those questions. But the assumed default position should never be the one that is more restrictive if you give a crap about freedom. It's like asking why we need 23 kind of deodorant.

[loveconstitution1789]

No. I AM asking the correct question. Why does AMERICA have to take in hundreds of thousands or millions of people?

There does not need to be a compelling reason. There is no current compelling reason to let immigrants live in the USA.

There used to be a reason which was because not many people lived in North America until the 1900s.

[paranoid android]

OK, I've got a policy that gets everyone they want: import more hard-working immigrants, expel useless Trump supporters.

[loveconstitution1789]

Yeah, Hillary lost and Trump won. So your little pipe dream will never happen.

How about expel open border types to some country where their side won an election and they can have open borders?

It must really grind your gears that immigration is being controlled.

[paranoid android]

Yeah, Hillary lost and Trump won. So your little pipe dream will never happen.

lol, almost never gets old watching Trumptards trot out tired lines like this (almost). Next you'll tell me that my real problem is that I hate America and don't want to see it made great again.

In point of fact, only 35% of Americans want immigration curtailed. So Trump's attempt at reducing legal immigration is actually contrary to the wishes of most Americans. But don't let facts get in the way of you sucking the dick of authoritarians like Trump.

[loveconstitution1789]

paranoid android|8.3.17 @ 12:57PM|#
Yeah, Hillary lost and Trump won. So your little pipe dream will never happen.
lol, almost never gets old watching Trumptards trot out tired lines like this (almost). Next you'll tell me that my real problem is that I hate America and don't want to see it made great again.
In point of fact, only 35% of Americans want immigration curtailed. So Trump's attempt at reducing legal immigration is actually contrary to the wishes of most Americans. But don't let facts get in the way of you sucking the dick of authoritarians like Trump.

I know you think anyone who points out the utter flaws in your reasoning must be some Trump supporter. I actually find it annoying that I need to point the things Trump is doing right, since I did not vote for Trump. This is Reason after all but we have numerous LINOs like yourself. I would much rather be discussing the thing Trump is doing wrong like overseas military ventures but the Neo-Cons, Treasonites, and lefties love war.

Gallup? Isn't the same company that has a lefty agenda and had Hillary ahead in the election by 25 points? Clearly you have not figured out there are tens of millions of conservative voters who don't answer polls AND want immigration controlled.

Get all lefty dicks out of your mouth before you choke.

The best thing about Trump in office is that lefties like you are so outed that you can never again say your anything but a lefty retard.

[paranoid android]

I would much rather be discussing the thing Trump is doing wrong like overseas military ventures but the Neo-Cons, Treasonites, and lefties love war.

I want to frame this sentence and put it on a wall. Just beautiful. "Treasonites". That's gold.

Gallup? Isn't the same company that has a lefty agenda and had Hillary ahead in the election by 25 points? Clearly you have not figured out there are tens of millions of conservative voters who don't answer polls AND want immigration controlled.

"I know propaganda is only things you don't like." Someone told me that once, can't remember who. I was actually going to make a joke in my previous post about "The script says this is the part where you call all polls and statistics 'fake news' so you can dismiss them" but forgot.

The best thing about Trump in office is that lefties like you are so outed that you can never again say your anything but a lefty retard.

Oh, no! I'm "outed"! Whatever will I do!? How can I go on now that loveconstitution1789 has exposed my terrible secret!?

[loveconstitution1789]

You exposed yourself. You don't respect rule of law nor that countries have a right to control their borders. That is what lefties are okay with.

I knew you would like that because it fits your kind very well.

I am sure you will keep blabbing about how your a Libertarian this and that. We just laugh at you.

[paranoid android]

lol, oh, the coterie of glue-huffing retards like you and Simple Mikey who think anyone who won't go full authoritarian is a phony are laughing at me? I'm so wounded.

[Azathoth!!]

In point of fact, only 35% of Americans want immigration curtailed. So Trump's attempt at reducing legal immigration is actually contrary to the wishes of most Americans. But don't let facts get in the way of you sucking the dick of authoritarians like Trump.

Actually, when you look at that survey--that triumphantly touts the fact that only 35% of Americans want immigration decreased, you don't immediately notice that 38% of Americans want immigration levels to remain where they are.

So 73% of Americans want immigration levels to stay the same or decrease.

Only 24% want immigration levels increased.

But, fear not--if you report it as "only 35% of Americans want immigration curtailed", stupid people will assume that means that 65% of Americans want it to increase.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Good thing he's not talking to stupid people. Like the people who can't understand that this argument is about Trump's desire to see immigration curtailed.

[Square = Circle]

"AMERICA" can't "take people in." The US Fed Gov can only (try to) keep people out. Of what is, in fact, other people's property.

Liberty assumes freedom of movement. That's a pretty fundamental liberty. The default shouldn't be "US Fed Gov prevents freedom of movement unless we can find justification for it." The default should be "US Fed Gov preserves freedom of movement unless there is a compelling reason to not do so."

[Rhywun]

The default should be "US Fed Gov preserves freedom of movement unless there is a compelling reason to not do so."

Nice fantasy. In the real world, no nation practices that.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Nice fantasy. In the real world, no nation practices that.

This can be said about every libertarian position, and yet here we are...

[loveconstitution1789]

Unlabelable MJGreen|8.3.17 @ 12:50PM|#
Nice fantasy. In the real world, no nation practices that.
This can be said about every libertarian position, and yet here we are...

Actually, no Libertarian position is fantasy. They all are active or used to be active.

Free market exists in many forms with business.
The Constitution protects more rights than any country that I can think of.
Drugs used to be legal and the current prohibition on marijuana is rapidly disappearing.

[loveconstitution1789]

Square = Circle|8.3.17 @ 12:36PM|#
"AMERICA" can't "take people in." The US Fed Gov can only (try to) keep people out. Of what is, in fact, other people's property.
Liberty assumes freedom of movement. That's a pretty fundamental liberty. The default shouldn't be "US Fed Gov prevents freedom of movement unless we can find justification for it." The default should be "US Fed Gov preserves freedom of movement unless there is a compelling reason to not do so."

That "other people's property" is in fact territory belonging to the United States as ratified by the 13 states and every subsequent state admitted to the Union. Majority leadership dictates immigration policy in the USA and that is Trump and a Republican Congress.

You do have freedom of movement in the USA. If you have a passport, you can freely move in and out of the USA.

There is no default to a compelling interest and there should not be one. Americans have the right to control its borders through our elected government.

[Zeb]

That "other people's property" is in fact territory belonging to the United States as ratified by the 13 states and every subsequent state admitted to the Union.

Didn't you just deny believing that the whole country is collective property?

Majority leadership dictates immigration policy in the USA and that is Trump and a Republican Congress.

It also dictates drug laws, health care policy, subsidies for all kinds of stupid crap, the tax code, etc. Are we not supposed to argue against any of those things either?

[Azathoth!!]

Liberty assumes freedom of movement. That's a pretty fundamental liberty

Except it's not. It exists nowhere.

Bacteria have territories. Viruses have territories. It's private property all the way down to the atoms and up to the multiverses. And everyone's gonna shoot you if you don't get permission to step on what's theirs.

You have the right to abandon what's yours--you do not have the right to take what belongs to someone else.

'Freedom of movement' is a leftist construction created to undermine the fact that we let people come and go freely while nations that have succumbed to leftism tend to shoot people who try to leave--it attempts to cast aspersions on the idea that we don't let everyone in.

And it's succeeded beyond anyone's nightmares--because it LOOKS like it should be a right--but it is a
'right' that's based on the idea that no one can own property.

[Zeb]

The correct question for someone who thinks that the whole country is the collective property of something called "AMERICA", I suppose. Not for someone who cares at all about limited government and individual liberty.

Why do we need 23 kinds of deodorant?

[loveconstitution1789]

Ah, yes controlling borders is EXACTLY the same as socialism.

I support very limited government and maximum individual liberty. I can have that and secure borders and limited immigration.

You incorrectly assume that American Liberty means that I have to be okay with allowing in hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

[paranoid android]

"I support very limited government and maximum individual liberty. That's why we need to spend billions of dollars on a see-through wall, hire a small army of border patrol agents to brutalize non-violent people, and entrench a police state that can go all Paper's Please on anyone within a hundred miles of a border crossing"

[loveconstitution1789]

See if you were not such a lefty douche, we could have a discussion about any government agent brutalizing "non-violent" people and a ridiculous 100 mile border zone limiting constitutional rights.

You would rather let foreign invaders into the USA and keep the broken immigration system as is.

Good to know more of your lefty nonsense.

[paranoid android]

See if you were not such a lefty douche, we could have a discussion about any government agent brutalizing "non-violent" people and a ridiculous 100 mile border zone limiting constitutional rights.

You would rather let foreign invaders into the USA and keep the broken immigration system as is.

Good to know more of your lefty nonsense.

Please continue. The impotent rage of statist goons like you is nourishment to me.

[loveconstitution1789]

You have being a statist goon all locked up.

You rage is palpable with your clear TDS.

TDS TDS!

[paranoid android]

And here we see the total collapse into incoherence, incomplete sentences, and meaningless sloganeering, the final stage of one who has truly come to love Trump's tender embrace.

[Zeb]

You incorrectly assume that American Liberty means that I have to be okay with allowing in hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

Nope. I acknowledge that there is room for disagreement on the issue. I just think the burden of justification lies with the people who want the more restrictive government policy. That burden must always be on the people who want to use force to control what people can do.

Leave people alone and don't interfere with their peaceful interactions is the default if you care about individual liberty.

[Telcontar the Wanderer]

I didn't realize lc1789 was a Paul Ehrlich supporter.

Economically speaking, America is as empty today as it was 100 years ago.

[chemjeff]

"They are cool with legal immigration, just less of it. "

No they aren't. Just go to any of the pro-Trump Republican sites out there with comments on this story. You will see a diversity of opinion - all the way from "This is exactly what America needs" to "This is only a start". SOME agree with you, but a large number want ZERO immigration, legal or illegal.

[loveconstitution1789]

AH, I guess 50% less legal immigration means something else to you.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Trump is reportedly considering firing Army General John Nicholson, the commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Well, we voted him in because of that catch phrase.

[Citizen X - #6]

"Results from a controversial election for a new Venezuelan political assembly were 'manipulated' and are off by at least 1 million participants, the company that provided the voting system said Wednesday."

"Trust democracy" - joe from lowell

[creech]

Damned Russian hackers!

[Chinny Chin Chin]

Somehow, I don't think 'Lil Joe said that after Trump was elected.

[Tony]

Trump wasn't elected by a democratic process.

[loveconstitution1789]

So neither was Obama, Clinton, Carter.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

He was elected by same process as every other president since the citizenry was allowed to vote for the office.

[Finrod]

Learn the difference between a democracy and a republic, dimwit.

[loveconstitution1789]

He has many other things he must learn before he can even hope to spell Democratic process

[TrickyVic (old school)]

I find it hilarious when people tell me but Trump didn't win the popular vote. As if it matters.

[some guy]

So where are all the talking heads that were singing Venezuela's praises over the last decade?

It's a hell of a thing, running out of other people's money.

[JWatts]

I saw a Professor yesterday on Marginal Revolution, making his best effort to blame the troubles in Venezuela on the oil 'resource curse'.

To quote: "The comments on this thread yammering about socialism are missing the real story: this is a classic "resource curse" narrative,"

[Citizen X - #6]

Professor of what? Not of making sense, obviously.

[Zeb]

It doesn't have to be one or the other. The oil money somewhat disguised the failures of socialism. WHen oil prices collapsed, it quickly became apparent how much the oil-backed socialism fucked their whole economy and social structure.

[Jgalt1975]

Yes, it seems pretty obvious that it's both -- high oil prices facilitate generous social welfare schemes and paper over other weaknesses in the socialist economy; when oil prices drop, the weaknesses are more rapidly exposed.

[The Last American Hero]

Well, it does explain why Canada, Norway and Sweden are on the verge of revolution. Oh, wait...

[Rhywun]

It does beg the question of how the Middle East is still managing to spend their petrodollars like drunken sailors. Maybe they don't waste it on socialism...?

[loveconstitution1789]

Neutral countries are known for hiding from the World's problems and then there is Canada.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Sen. Rand Paul: "Civil asset forfeiture turns the justice system on its head."

If only there was something someone could do.

[The Last American Hero]

And what would you have the junior senator from Kentucky do?

[Citizen X - #6]

President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a new poll.

Sure, but that 33% is the most presidential approval rating since Lincoln.

[DJF]

On TV if you get 33% of the audience, you are a hit and get renewed

[loveconstitution1789]

Have you seen the shows produced? It is clearly less than 33% and you're a hit.

[BYODB]

These are the same pollsters who said there was absolutely no chance Trump would win, right?

[loveconstitution1789]

One and the same.

It's different THIS time though.

[Jgalt1975]

You do realize that polling for getting national approval ratings and forecasting election results are not the same thing, right? Virtually all polling outfits were within the margin of error on forecasting Clinton's final margin of victory in the popular vote; their errors were in the distribution of votes at the state level. But state level distribution is irrelevant to a national approval rating.

[loveconstitution1789]

Of course they are not the same thing.

Its the flawed process that IS the same. You can make excuses all your want. The simple fact is that polling is a scam and every company and "poll" that I have seen is okay with shoddy statistics and use biased and small pools of people polled.

Its why silent majorities destroy the poll results. Statistics is almost voodoo anyway and then add in companies that are too lazy to actually poll people they should know will oppose their biased predetermined result and you get election 2016.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

The polls I was paying attention to had Trump and Clinton so close it was within the margin of error.

There were polls that had Clinton ahead by as much as 12 points (ABC I think). In one of the DNC emails, Podesta was talking about oversampling in demographics where Clinton does well to inflate her in the polls. That's probably why Clinton friendly media outlets show Clinton with better leads than what reality represented.

[Mickey Rat]

A national approval rating is not really relevent at all.

[Palin's Buttplug]

President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a new poll.

Dubya's record low of 22% might be in trouble next year.

[some guy]

I don't know, Trump seems to have more sycophants than W did.

[some guy]

Maybe sycophant is the wrong word. Worshipers?

[BestUsedCarSales]

Cultists

[Fist of Etiquette]

What's the Trump equivalent of Obamabot? Trumpeter?

[Finrod]

I tend to use "Trumpbot" or "Trumphumper" myself.

[LarryA]

I wish they'd ask the really relevant question:
"Even if you think Trump is the worst president ever elected, would you still vote for him to keep
Hillary out of the Oval Office?"

[Citizen X - #6]

Sen. Rand Paul: "Civil asset forfeiture turns the justice system on its head."

I would have gone with "Civil asset forfeiture is straight up armed robbery and the perpetrators should be in cages," but i understand that's not necessarily politic.

[GroundTruth]

Yeah, I've been saying the same thing about the TSA for years too, but all it gets me is icy glares.

[Citizen X - #6]

It'll also get you a finger up your butt at an airport, so be careful. Unless you're into that. No judgment.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Not in aiports. Only in bus stations.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Results from a controversial election for a new Venezuelan political assembly were 'manipulated' and are off by at least 1 million participants...

What Would Carter Certify?

[Fist of Etiquette]

New White House Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly told Attorney General Jeff Sessions that President Trump "did not plan to fire him or hope he would resign."

Meaning that the president is a doer not a planner.

[GroundTruth]

The Trump administration wants to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent So much for the claim that all the fuss is just about illegal immigrants..

[some guy]

He hates illegal immigrants so much that he's determined to make more of them.

[loveconstitution1789]

Great and we will deport those supposed extra illegals too.

[Zeb]

What could possibly go wrong?

[Bee Tagger]

"Civil asset forfeiture turns the justice system on its head."

And shakes out its money like the helpless nerd it is.

[Fist of Etiquette]

President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a new poll.
Fake news. If you look at other aerial shots of that poll and compare with previous presidents' polls...

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Still more popular than Congress.

[Rhywun]

And yet presidents don't have a 99.44% re-election rate.

[loveconstitution1789]

Actually 3 of the last presidents had a 100% re-election rate.

Obama, W. Bush, and Clinton.

[EscherEnigma]

Eh, only if you look at the aggregate.

When you look at popularity of congressfolk with their respective voters, the picture gets a lot more rosy. So while folk are deeply unhappy with congress-at-large, they think that their congresscritter is doing a good-enough job.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

""When you look at popularity of congressfolk with their respective voters, the picture gets a lot more rosy""

Right. Which is why they have a high re-election rate.

Doesn't change the fact that Congress's approval is less than Trumps.

[Bee Tagger]

New White House Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly told Attorney General Jeff Sessions that President Trump "did not plan to fire him or hope he would resign."

Is the problem that all of the phones only have speaker mode?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Note to President Trump: The stock market has hit an all-time high in 30 of the last 54 months

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/02/.....index.html

the Con Man is trying to take credit for the strong economy he inherited.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

I applaud your nickname creativity.

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

The previous Con Man took credit of the economy he let go from the prison he built, a little at a time.

Both Con Men fancy themselves indispensable.

[Eek Barba Durkle]

"strong economy"

[Tom Bombadil]

Who gives a shit? Just before the last time it crashed, the stock market was at all time highs. Does that mean the economy was super strong one day and then super weak one week later?

Of course the stock market has been climbing steadily since the last crash. And it will continue to set records until it crashes again.

The stock market has some connection to economic reality but it is mainly a giant game of chicken.

[EscherEnigma]

The stock market has some connection to economic reality but it is mainly a giant game of chicken.
Yep.

Which is why it's particularly tragic that it's still the second-best? bet for retirement savings.
________
?The most reliably strategy, of course, is "have rich parents", but the vast majority of folks fail are hopeless at that strategy, and end up turning to lesser options.

[loveconstitution1789]

So Reagan inherited the bad economy from Carter.
So Clinton inherited the good economy from Reagan.
So W. Bush inherited the bad economy from Clinton.
So Obama inherited the good economy from Bush.

At what point does the old president stop getting credit for an good/bad economy, according to you?

[The Last American Hero]

What's HW, chopped liver?

[Citizen X - #6]

Lc1789 spent the years 1988-1993 in a coma.

[loveconstitution1789]

I term pump chump.

[loveconstitution1789]

Oh yeah, forgot H.W Bush's economy!

Long day listening to Paranoid's nonsense.

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 33 percent in a new poll.

People are really getting tired of so much winning.

The Trump administration wants to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent.

Republicans also want to stop all those millions of legal immigrant rapists from getting greencards.... Or something.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

People are really getting tired of so much winning.

Trump is the New England Patriots of politics?

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

Except the New England Patriots are just a tad less DESTRUCTIVE.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

More like Charlie Sheen style winning.

[Bob K]

Maybe if Belichick didn't plan all week for a game.

God thanks for making me defend the Patriots. I have to go shower.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Should you seal your penis shut with a Jiftip sticker during sex? It's risky, doctor says

A new product created in a "desperate attempt to avoid using condoms" involves men using a sticker to seal their urethras shut during sex.

The product, named "Jiftip", is a sticker that covers the urethra during sex, and is touted as a way to "Feel your partner, Feel Freedom, Feel Safe."

The website notes that Jiftip, which comes in a three pack for $6, should only be used with the pull-out method, and that it's not recommended to ejaculate with the patch on during sex.

[Citizen X - #6]

What could possibly go wrong?

Protip: IUDs are just the best.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Lots of possible side effects for the woman though.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Yeah, like an over-eager pecker!

*awaits high fives*

[Citizen X - #6]

Not all women, and the newer types of IUDs are apparently less likely to cause cramping and heavier periods and whatnot.

[Juice]

Ouch!

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Conservatives Are Mad at Jeff Flake, Too

But anyone who's trotting out this ridiculous "Liberty Score" as part of their explanation as to why Flake should be considered an unperson is a joke.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: Trumpism corrupts

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

The moment Hannity staeted to attack Flake, I knew there was something flaky going on here.

I Like Flake. Flake for President!

[Jerryskids]

I don't know much about Flake but as far as I know he's in there with the Rand Paul/Justin Amash/TEA Party group and if he's got shithead swamp creatures like Brent Bozell III (the one who wanted to award Sean Hannity the WFB media excellence prize, and not as a joke, either) then he's probably just getting flak for not towing the party lion in pretending Trump is the second coming of Calvin Coolidge. Fuck these Cheeto Jesus worshippers.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Someone posted that Liberty Score in the Flake article a few days ago and I was never able to find the data used to compute it. So I consider that shady.

That being said, I did go refresh myself on his voting record and he seemed weaker in fiscal issues than I would have liked. He's good on many other things I looked at, but has real issue.

[loveconstitution1789]

Jeff Flake's Senate record is not as Libertarian as is being portrayed.
Jeff Flake's Senate record

[The Last American Hero]

He's like the By-Tor of Congress, sometimes he's good, sometimes he's bad.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Lena Dunham Slams American Airlines For Transphobic Talk

Lena Dunham called out to American Airlines after she overheard two flight attendants "having a transphobic talk." On Tuesday, the "Girls" star took to Twitter to share her ordeal at the JFK International Airport after her flight was delayed.

[$park? leftist poser]

My airport behavior, I must concede, has been outwardly polite but extremely self-destructive (food wise).

So brace!

[$park? leftist poser]

BRAVE!

Fucking phone...

[some guy]

No, it's important to brace yourself before reading anything that person has said.

[Meh.]

I like "brace" better. It was perfect.

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

My airport behavior, I must concede, has been outwardly polite but extremely self-destructive (food wise).

"I'm a disgusting fat pig that can't keep from shoving snack cakes down my pie hole."

[Citizen X - #6]

That Cinnabon never knew what hit it.

[Dillinger]

totally bracing.

[BestUsedCarSales]

As I prepare for surgery today, I had been barely been able to focus. I was too concerned about what was happening with LD.

Thank your Crusty.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

As I prepare for surgery today

Eat a big meal because you will need your strength!

[Eek Barba Durkle]

Isn't a show with a cisgendernormative name like 'Girls' problematic?

[lap83]

"having a transphobic talk."

these euphemisms make me feel un-woke

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

"ordeal" used sarcastically or no?

[Zeb]

What is a "transphobic talk"? The article gives no clues.

And what the hell is the bit about the totally unrelated masturbating passenger at the end?

[Finrod]

Apparently every Lena Dunham story has to have masturbation in it somewhere.

[Jerryskids]

Sen. Rand Paul: "Civil asset forfeiture turns the justice system on its head."

Wait, Rand Paul is in favor of asset forfeiture? I thought the knock on asset forfeiture was that it made it only too clear exactly how the justice system worked, turning the justice system on its head would be a good thing, wouldn't it?

[Citizen X - #6]

It makes more sense once you realize he's conflating "the justice system" with "actual justice." Careers in politics tend to depend in part on pretending that these are NOT often-opposing concepts.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Way to try to ruin the movie I was looking forward to seeing: What's So Hard About Casting Indian Actors in Indian Roles?

Taylor Sheridan, the writer-director, kept that unbridgeable distance in mind when he told his casting team: Hire Native American actors for Native American roles.

"I wasn't going to sit here and tell a story about very real issues," namely sexual violence against women in Indian Country, "and cast people to portray characters in that world suffering those burdens and not have some connection," Mr. Sheridan, who is not Native American, told me. He hired, among others, Mr. Sensmeier (of Tlingit and Koyukon-Athabascan heritage), Graham Greene (Oneida) and Julia Jones (Choctaw and Chickasaw).

Mr. Sheridan admitted, "There was someone far and away that was the best, but I didn't hire them because they were not Native American." He even told his casting directors that when it came to auditioning actors, "Don't even read them unless you can vet the authentic nature of their ancestry."

[Citizen X - #6]

What's so hard about casting Indian actors? You mean, besides the fact that there are only like 20 Indians left?

Ethnic fact: casting a Tlingit, an Oneida, and a Choctaw to play Arapahoes and thinking it's "authentic" is culturally the same thing as casting an Irishman, a Bosnian, and a Swede to play "authentic" French people.

[Rhywun]

Shh!! Someone's signaling!

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

There's such a dearth of Indian actors that Hollywood keeps resorting to casting Lou Diamond Phillips, a Fillipino, to play some of the roles.

The rest all seem to go to Adam Beach, Greene, Wes Studi, and Tantoo Cardinal.

[Rhywun]

I guess that Mexican guy who played Chakotay wasn't believable enough.

[Tom Bombadil]

You gotta admit, for a Filipino, Phillips looks not much like a Flip and a lot like an Injun.

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

He seems to be pretty ethnic-fluid--in La Bamba and Stand and Deliver, he played a Mexican.

[The Last American Hero]

He's like a male Selma Hyak or Catherine Zeta Jones

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

It was easy to cast Tonto for the movie and TV serials but for some reason not for the recent movie?

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Sheridan's been writing some good movies, but dang that's a silly extreme. Can't the "connection" they have be gender or just plain human, rather than tribal or racial? And can't you make one exception for someone who was far and away the best?

[Rhywun]

Not if he doesn't want to be struggle-sessioned out of Hollywood.

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

The Trump administration wants to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent.

Wait, I thought he was just against *illegal* immigration?

[Citizen X - #6]

He's so against it, he wants to make even more immigrants illegal so he'll have more to fight. Seven-dimensional chess, son!

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

Silly you! No! Trumpistas are against market economics, just like their fellow travelers on the Marxian left.

Trumpista rhetoric IS Marxian. Listen to it and you will notice several Marxian tropes.

[$park? leftist poser]

If you're not careful, the Trumpistas and the Marxians will steal all your underwear.

Is it me, or does Marxian make it look like the Martians have finally moved past gender binary norms?

[Jerryskids]

If Trump was really against illegal immigration he'd adopt an open borders policy and overnight there'd be no more illegal immigrants. Kinda like winning the war on drugs - declare them all legal and you can pack your bags and go home.

[EscherEnigma]

Kinda like winning the war on drugs - declare them all legal and you can pack your bags and go home.
Except I'd be fine with doing that with the "war on drugs", but think immigration needs a little more control then such open measures?.
________
?Different then what we have now, mind you, but not willy-nilly.

[loveconstitution1789]

Being against illegal immigration also allows you to deport every illegal immigrant not just getting rid of immigration laws.

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Hella problematic

After reveling in the horror genre for virtually all of his directorial career, Eli Roth is switching gears slightly with his next project as he heads into action-thriller territory with a remake of 1974's Death Wish. Scripted by Joe Carnahan and starring Bruce Willis, the first trailer has now arrived ahead of a November release.

I have read that audiences would applaud during the first film.

[OM Nullum gratuitum prandium]

Will it also have a graphic mother and daughter gang rape one can rewind and see time after time??

/sweats profusely.

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

Knowing Eli Roth, that scene is precisely why he took the project on.

[Juice]

It was the times. Crime was rampant and some US cities were war zones.

Bruce Willis is a poor choice though. He's not craggy enough like Bronson. Can't think of who would be best for the role though.

[Tom Bombadil]

Sarah Jessica Parker?

[pan fried wylie]

The answer is always Idris Elba. Or if you're a casting agent, then, Chris Pratt.

[Dillinger]

zombie bronson.

[loveconstitution1789]

Donald Trump!

[Crusty Juggler - Hero]

Trump's DHS Ordered Agents to Block Congressmen During Travel Ban

On the chaotic day the Trump administration's travel ban went into effect, high-level Homeland Security officials directed their staff at airports around the country to stiff-arm members of Congress and treat lawyers with deep suspicion.

I mean...

A CBP official wrote in an email on Jan. 28 that the agency's employees were forbidden from speaking to members of Congress.

"As stated on the call earlier today, you and your staff are NOT to engage with the media or Congressional representatives at this time," emailed Todd Owen, the executive assistant commissioner of CBP's Office of Field Operations, at 7:49 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28. "Please make sure your subordinate Port Directors are following this direction. Please report any such requests to acting AC[REDACTED] from Congressional Affairs. Thank you."

[lap83]

So is the problem that the staff needed to be told to treat congressmen and lawyers poorly instead of doing it automatically?

[Tom Bombadil]

This is neither surprising nor unusual. In fact, it is probably an affirmation of standard procedure.

DHS agents are supposed to do their job and follow orders, not debate public policy in the middle of an airport with an excited congress critter or CNN reporters.

This applies to almost any civil service employee. They are told to decline speaking to the press and refer any such inquiries to either their superior or to their department PR officer.

[Rich]

President Trump is reportedly considering firing Army General John Nicholson, the commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Fire 'em all. Let Sarah Huckabee Sanders sort 'em out.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

It just hit me again: Donald Trump is President of the United States. His portrait's gonna be in textbooks for hundreds of years at least. His name will be next to Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Lincoln...

It's still funny.

[Citizen X - #6]

You're right. It's even funnier in the long term than it is here and now, and here and now it's pretty goddamn hilarious.

[Tom Bombadil]

I still think in the long run Trump will be good for the USA.
He is being lambasted and criticized unlike the previous God-Emperor. This is a nice reset.
He is making people actually consider the danger of so much power concentrated in one person.
While exposing his foibles, the public is getting a great look at the creeps who inhabit D.C. and the Mainstream Media.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

I'm cynical on that point. I don't think more than a small number of people will take this lesson to heart and remember it after Clinton or Harris or Rubio or whoever 'respectable' gets into the office next.

[Tom Bombadil]

Could be.

I see it as slightly analogous to the SJW's coming out and showing their true colors lately. In the short term, it is disturbing, but in the long term, I predict a massive backlash by the silent, sane populous. In other words, they've been given all the rope they need to hang themselves.

In recent years, there seems to be a significant pushback against 20 years or so of Politically Correct bullshit.

Reality is a hell of a drug.

[paranoid android]

In recent years, there seems to be a significant pushback against 20 years or so of Politically Correct bullshit.

I'll go full cynic for just a second: no such thing as happened. What's really going on is that the right has decided to invent and enforce its own version of political correctness. There's very broad overlap between the people who mock "snowflakes" with their "safe spaces" on college campuses and those who applaud interrupting and shutting down productions of Julius Caesar that offend their own delicate sensibilities. The "silent, sane populous" doesn't exist; to the extent it does, their numbers are absolutely dwarfed by those who are on board for the Red vs. Blue hate-fest 24/7/365.

[Tom Bombadil]

Good points all.

I get a sense that the Trump election was partly that anti-PC pushback I mentioned.
I could be wrong.

As a libertarian, it really is hard to empathize with or figure out what most people are thinking. It's like being from another galaxy.

[pan fried wylie]

As a libertarian, it really is hard to empathize with or figure out what most people are thinking.

Make life easy, join a Team, they tell you what to think and feel, problem solved!

[The Last American Hero]

He's on a Team, it's just that US politics has some pretty severe relegation rules and no salary cap.

[Dillinger]

I predict a massive backlash by the silent, sane populous.

counter-intuitive? the silent and sane remain so, or are no longer silent and sane...mho.

[EscherEnigma]

"He is being lambasted and criticized unlike the previous God-Emperor. This is a nice reset"
... Fox News spent nearly a decade "lambasting" and "criticizing" that "God-Emperor".

[Tom Bombadil]

But overall, not. Obama was a horrible President who emerged basically unscathed.

[loveconstitution1789]

Obama will be compared to Trump's better presidency, so Obama will get his in the annals.

[Tony]

You mean Trump's best presidency. Trump is the best person. He said so himself.

[loveconstitution1789]

Trump has already done better in 6 going on 7 months than Obama's entire 8 years.

Trump has spent much of that time rolling back Obama's horrible EOs.

Obama and LBJ our "war presidents". Their entire terms in office had the USA at war.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

That's because Obama was "presidential" and had "gravitas".

He was perfect for a country that cares more about image than substance in its politics.

[Tony]

Thank god we finally got some substance in the presidency.

[Tom Bombadil]

... said nobody in this thread.

Fuck off, Ignatius.

[loveconstitution1789]

Rolling back Obama EOs is a good start.

[paranoid android]

He is making people actually consider the danger of so much power concentrated in one person.

I wish I could share your optimism. It seems extraordinarily more likely that the next administration will be given even more latitude because it will be seen as a necessary step to "right the ship", "clean up Trump's mess" and so on. This will go double if the next president is a Democrat.

[Rhywun]

When I see magazine covers wishing that Trump would trade places with PM Zoolander or that new guy in France, it doesn't bode well for the future.

[Tom Bombadil]

But look at the magazines we're talking about.

When an insane progtard criticizes someone, for a sane person, that's pretty close to an endorsement.

Again, looking at the last election. Every celebrity rant against Trump might have caused a net gain for him.

[Red Rocks Baiting n Inciting]

Every celebrity rant against Trump might have caused a net gain for him.

Look at the Ossoff race--a blank slate who the Dems thought they could download POPULISM.exe to, like a white Obama, that was relentlessly pimped by celebrity endorsers. As if they should have any influence in a House Rep race in the middle of Georgia.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

"Phone and Pen" Obama also normalized the Bush-era (ok, earlier, too) concept of the unitary executive.

You can bet the next Dem president will go heavy on executive actions, and Team Blue will cheer. Checks and balances be damned when your guy is in office.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

""He is making people actually consider the danger of so much power concentrated in one person""

I wish.

My liberal friends seem to be doubling down on this is why you need the right person, (elections matter)

[Eric]

I think it depends. If we should get into a war with N Korea (increasing in probability daily), he'll be magically restored to god-king status (a-la W in 2002).

[Dillinger]

Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Lincoln...

the Hillbilly Rapist...those idiot Bushes...nobody can carry the Founders' water

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Ha!

Instead of naming an aircraft carrier USS William Clinton, can we call it the USS Rapey?

[Dillinger]

President Trump "did not plan to fire [Sessions] or hope he would resign."

gonna go the voodoo route with Jeff.

[Brandybuck]

"The Trump administration wants to cut legal immigration to the U.S. by 50 percent."

"Don't keep twisting my words! I am not anti-immigrant! Legal immigration is good, I only want to stop the scourge of lawbreaking illegal aliens! Why can't you understand that?!?!?" -- Typical Anti-Immigrant Doofus

[loveconstitution1789]

Because limiting immigration is the same as stopping immigration.

You got some derp.

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