***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[frenchbreadbuilds]

The only people name called here are people who constantly engage in intellectual dishonesty. I’m all about discourse and hearing the other side. But you’re going to have a hard time getting people to respect your opinion while making disingenuous arguments.

 

[MalcolmNewton]

Wow, I am so glad that you endorse postings with alternative perspectives! What a novel concept - hearing the other side out ... Now, if we could just work on the name calling and sensationalism we could really make progress ...

I'm not saying that anything you write, will write, or have written has any factual basis. Most likely, I may consider it a steaming pile. But I'll read it, because I'm sure others think the same way. Everything Trump says is 100% horse crap, but I want to know what he said regardless.

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

 

[AEA18]

https://www.businessinsider.nl/john...-policy-shift-2018-6/?international=true&r=US
John Bolton just did a complete 180 on his Russia stance after meeting with Putin

• National security adviser John Bolton once said Russia’s election interference was “truly an act of war” against the US, and that a policy based on trusting Russia was “doomed to failure.”
• Bolton’s tune changed completely after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
• He also said President Donald Trump and Putin will likely discuss Trump’s recent calls for Russia to be readmitted to the G7 alliance.
• When confronted by a reporter about his shift on Russia, Bolton said he would not address the discrepancy.

Putin has a pee tape of him too?

 

[chao7]

 

[elpablo21]

jesus man

 

[IATT]

Ummm.. what??

 

[EddieDoyers]

Remember when conservatives were supposedly about fiscal responsibility

 

[nomnom]

They only complained about the debt when Obama was in office

 

[EddieDoyers]

Ummm.. what??

Theoretically, Trump is half right here. EU does benefit from the US being a defense partner and do take advantage of that. However, the EU serves also as a trade partner for the US and as a buffer from Russia.

We do know what Trump is trying to do really, and it has to do with the latter (getting rid of the buffer).

 

[nawghtyhare]

Theoretically, Trump is half right here. EU does benefit from the US being a defense partner and do take advantage of that. However, the EU serves also as a trade partner for the US and as a buffer from Russia.

We do know what Trump is trying to do really, and it has to do with the latter (getting rid of the buffer).

could u explain to me
what them being a buffer means
like what they do specifically
how it helps
rep will follow

 

[EddieDoyers]

could u explain to me
what them being a buffer means
like what they do specifically
how it helps
rep will follow

In short detail, the European Union acts an agreement of European countries that will defend each other when a country like Russia or any other foreign country attacks them. The US has also been partners with the EU too. Now, Russia has been the main foe of the US and the EU for decades in terms of trade and security. The Trump admin is clearly in bed with the Russian government and want to eliminate this alliance with the EU to help out Putin.

 

[Belgium]

If the EU didn't exist Russia would probably own much of the Baltic nations by now. Russia is one of if not the most important factor in the Baltic states' EU membership.
I think it was Estonia that even has a manual on what to do in the event of a Russian invasion and they provide that manual to all citizens.

Edit: We have several kinds of agreements with Ukraine for example but they are not a formal EU member. They were pretty close but Yanukovich put a stop to that. If they were in the EU, there either wouldn't have been a Crimea invasion and subsequent annexation due to the military deterrent or we would've had to honor a military defense contract as they would presumably join NATO as well.

 

[MalcolmNewton]

In short detail, the European Union acts an agreement of European countries that will defend each other when a country like Russia or any other foreign country attacks them. The US has also been partners with the EU too. Now, Russia has been the main foe of the US and the EU for decades in terms of trade and security. The Trump admin is clearly in bed with the Russian government and want to eliminate this alliance with the EU to help out Putin.

The EU is an economic/political union. Not a mutual defense pact. That would be redundant because they already have NATO as "an attack on one is an attack on all" since the end of WW2.

 

[EddieDoyers]

The EU is an economic/political union. Not a mutual defense pact. That would be redundant because they already have NATO as "an attack on one is an attack on all" since the end of WW2.

Thanks for correcting me.

 

[IATT]

 

[EddieDoyers]

"civility"

 

[MalcolmNewton]

Thanks for correcting me.

I can’t look up now but I believe there are countries that are members of one but not the other.

 

[Belgium]

The EU is an economic/political union. Not a mutual defense pact. That would be redundant because they already have NATO as "an attack on one is an attack on all" since the end of WW2.

For the most part. We have the PESCO, which is a military defense agreement. But yes the EU primarily focuses on trade and providing a common political governing body.
Members can opt out of PESCO but the vast majority has signed on. Denmark is one of the countries that opted out and there's a few neutral states like Finland and Sweden too.
NATO is the primary defense agreement though and has been in place far longer. EU membership and NATO membership generally go hand in hand but not all nations who signed the PESCO agreement are in NATO.

 

[EddieDoyers]

Speaking of EU and NATO

 

[Belgium]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/us/politics/roger-stone-andrew-miller-subpoenaed-trump.html
Ex-Aide to Roger Stone Is Subpoenaed in Russia Investigation
A former aide to Roger J. Stone Jr., the longtime Trump adviser and self-described “dirty trickster,” was subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury hearing evidence in the Russia investigation and to hand over documents, and his lawyer said he planned to move on Thursday to quash it in court.

The aide, Andrew Miller, has not been mentioned before publicly in the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III.

Mr. Miller, a registered Libertarian, worked briefly for Mr. Stone around the Republican convention in 2016, helping to arrange media interviews and conducting other tasks, according to a person close to Mr. Stone.

A lawyer, Paul Kamenar, said he planned to file a motion on Thursday on behalf of a client who was subpoenaed to be questioned in front of the grand jury, though he did not identify Mr. Miller. Mr. Kamenar said the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit organization, was paying for his services.

His motion will argue that Mr. Mueller’s appointment “was unconstitutional,” he said. Peter Flaherty, the chairman of the NLPC, said, “The founders feared exactly what we see in Mueller: a runaway federal official. We hope to see Mueller’s operation disbanded, once and for all.”

Though that argument has gained prominence in conservative circles, two federal judges have rejected it, including this week in the financial fraud case against Paul Manafort, the president’s former campaign chairman. The deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, who appointed Mr. Mueller, has also repeatedly said he has seen nothing untoward in Mr. Mueller’s conduct.

Mr. Stone has become a focal point for Mr. Mueller’s investigators in the inquiry into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia’s election interference. During the 2016 campaign, Mr. Stone publicly foreshadowed the released by WikiLeaks of information damaging to the Hillary Clinton campaign.

He has since said that he was informed by an intermediary about the plans of the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, and has denied allegations that he helped collude with foreign powers.

 

[chao7]

From Vox:

• The shooting began around 2:35 pm at the Capital Gazette offices, Fox 5 reported.
• Five people were killed, according to the acting chief of police. Multiple people were also injured, Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh said at a press conference.
• An individual is in custody, Schuh said.
• The individual is reportedly not cooperating with investigators, according to CBS News reporter David Begnaud.
• Phil Davis, a Gazette reporter, tweeted, “A single shooter shot multiple people at my office, some of whom are dead.” He added, “Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can’t say much more and don’t want to declare anyone dead, but it’s bad.”

 

[AEA18]

He should be the one being deported

 

[blastercombo]

Trump supporters are terrorists/terrorist supporters