Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
November 29, 2016

Trump Is Trying To Divert Us From - What?

Another Trump tweet, another fake scandal:

Donald J. Trump Verified account @realDonaldTrump

Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag - if they do, there must be consequences - perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!

3:55 AM - 29 Nov 2016

That burning flag stuff is no so exiting. The oh so luberal Hillary Clinton tried to punish flag burning too. In 2005, as Senator from New York, she introduced the Flag Protection Act of 2005 to achieve that:

It called for a punishment of one year in jail and a fine of $100,000.

The act was not taken up by Congress. During her recent campaign Clinton strongly condemned the burning of an Israeli flag.

In 2006 a vote for a constitutional amendment to punish flag burning failed in the Senate. The Supreme Court had ruled in 1989 that the burning of the U.S. flag, or any other flag, is free speech covered by the first amendment. It is settled law and there is little to no chance that it will change. The issue is a political gimmick that is used every once a while to set up certain conservative groups against certain free speech defenders.

As such it is a diversion.

More important is that Trump is suggesting a "loss of citizenship" as a punishment. That should really enrage people. Loss of citizenship for using free speech rights?!? If Trump would try to implement that a real revolution would be justified.

But I believe it is, like many other things Trump says, just red meat for the media and his supporters. They will be busy covering this for a full news cycle or even longer.

During his campaign Trump used such gimmicks to divert attention from this or that scandal involving him or his business whenever such threatened to creep up to the top news line. It always worked like a charm. The media fell for each and every new "scandal" he fabricated with a few tweets or lines on the campaign trail. Journalists, "experts" and editors went off to discuss his latest bit while Trump's huge scandals, like his University scam, barely made the headline.

But why is Trump doing this now? Where does he has to divert attention from?

The recounts the Green candidate Stein tries to initiate are not endangering him. Stein collected several million dollars knowing that the legal conditions and time for such recounts do not exist. It is basically a scam to cover her pension.

Trump's cabinet selections are the usual horror troupe of Republican U.S. administrations. There is no real surprise there and no scandal.

So what is Trump trying to cover up here? Is some long-read piece with scandalous details about him and his daughter ready to go to print? Is he doing something else he does not want us to see?

I have been looking around all day and find no answer. Any ideas?

Posted by b on November 29, 2016 at 16:49 UTC | Permalink

Comments
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How does Stein's having raised several million dollars for recounts in three states serve to "cover her pension?"

Posted by: AntiSpin | Nov 29 2016 17:20 utc | 2

He not distracting from anything...he just loves fucking with the MSM/establishment...so why not...

Posted by: Stephen | Nov 29 2016 17:23 utc | 3

Trump is your next President AND the world's greatest twitter troll. Get used to it commies!

btw, Bannon and Sessions are definitely not 'establishment'

Posted by: lemur | Nov 29 2016 17:30 utc | 4

Trump loves to troll on Twitter. This is just some red meat for his base, whom he's busily avoiding doing one damn thing his promised during his campaign. However, his base will love this twit and feel very satisfied that the totally awful terrible nasty Libruls have been told what's what by you know who. IOW, Trump Kabuki Show... per usual.

Posted by: RUKidding | Nov 29 2016 17:32 utc | 5

In the media game there are several techniques, one of which is distraction. The flag issue is more suited as an appeal to common shared values (he is defending the faith) than it is to distraction. In any game the cheerleaders come out to rally the troops... to keep them engaged. I see this as a way to do do just that especially as his troops have not had much to cheer about lately.

It is also a way to gauge the depth of the media antipathy to Trump. It is hard for them not to treat his statement with some degree of credibility. To deride him for this statement puts them on the wrong side of the flag - they definitely do not want to do this. To report his statement seriously is to give Trump the reins just when they were re-grouping to oppose him.

Posted by: les7 | Nov 29 2016 17:33 utc | 6

Burning the flag is the legal way to dispose of worn or dirtied flags. Flags are the way politicians wrap their butts to appear patriotic. Flags should be burnt, preferably with the politicians and their butts within.

Posted by: Formerly T-Bear | Nov 29 2016 17:34 utc | 7

Trump has picked Elaine Chao, wife of Senator Mitch McConnell, to administer $T in proposed infrastructure spending. All those IDIQNB Design-Build infrastructure project contracts will go to Solyndra-esque shell companies formed by former Federal officials and lobbyists, and owned by the Chinese and the Saudis and the US Senators, with design outsourced to India and labor provided by an unlimited stream of 'legal' (sic) H1Bs and H3Bs, that Trump promised will receive higher wages, because ... Chao, baby!

Trump has picked Tom Price, radical Tea Party member, to administer $T in SS and MC program spending. Price has said in the past he wants to privatize MediCare for elderly Americans, and just send out a voucher check every year, for them to find their own insurance plan and medical provider. If these vouchers are cashable auto-deposits or transferrable-for-cash, you can expect an increase in expatriate medical-shopping in Thailand, Cambodia, South Korea, Mexico, and Central America, as Americans flee their extremely high cost of medical care, and its very poor outcomes for America's elderly, who face certain institutionalization on forced medication, using reverse-mortgages, so that they die like they were born: broke, after working their entire lives, while leaving their children only debt, because ... the Price is Right!

Trump has picked Janet Yellen to administer $T in private Fed bank bleedout ... oh, wait ...cut capital gains and estate taxes, increase deficits by $12T, $T/year Defense, $T/year Fed, and $T year Mil.Gov.Fed salaries and pensions for life, and here's OMB saying OMG there will be a -$32T debt once Trump gets done flacking for the NYC Mob!

America, America, God shed his ... Aaaaaaand, it's gone!

Posted by: chipnik | Nov 29 2016 17:36 utc | 8

Quid-pro quo?
President-elect Donald Trump promised to follow through with an investigation into the foundation if he became leader of the free world. But this week he backed away from that stance.

Posted by: Maracatu | Nov 29 2016 17:36 utc | 9

@AntiSpin | Nov 29, 2016 12:20:50 PM | 2

..How does Stein's having raised several million dollars for recounts in three states serve to "cover her pension?"

Simple Dr. Watson (AntiSpin), much of the funds raised by George Soro NGO, Berne and Hillary supporters to discredit Dr. Jill Stein and Green Party.

http://theduran.com/exposed-george-soros-behind-the-hillary-clinton-lawyer-working-with-jill-stein-on-voter-recount/

Posted by: Jack Smith | Nov 29 2016 17:50 utc | 10

Just a quick heads-up re: your "that will never happen" opinion.

Keep an eye on 2018. No, not the congressional elections, the state legislature/governor elections. Since Obama took office, the Republicans have been on a roll so far as taking control of the states. They now control legislatures/governors in 31 states. This has been a huge swing, the likes of which have not been seen since the pre-Great Depression days.

And the reason I raise it in the context of your "that will never happen" opinion is that this is part of the Republican strategy to bigly amend the US constitution. And when they do, a constitutional ban on flag burning and other forms of annoying but free speech will top the agenda.

The Republicans need to get control of 2/3 of the states in order to trigger a constitutional convention and control its agenda. Let's see -- pulls out calculator . . . tap, tap, tap -- that's 34 states when you factor in D.C. IOW the US is now just 3 states short of a constitutional apocalypse. For anyone who thinks Citizens United was a disaster, all I can say is . . . I can't think of anything to say. I just pooped my panties.

You can bet DTDuck will be behind this 100%. There are not enough votes in Congress to force a constitutional convention, but there soon will be enuf states.

There have been some very well written articles about this nightmare. Here's one:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/22/1603047/-How-Close-Are-We-to-the-American-Constitutional-Apocalypse

Posted by: Denis | Nov 29 2016 17:54 utc | 11

You should all understand the political meaning of "flying a kite". Trump is just doing it with Twitter and getting almost immediate feedback.

Posted by: Ghostship | Nov 29 2016 17:57 utc | 12

Wow - this place has devolved to cheer-leading for Trump's twitter trolling. How pathetic

Posted by: aaaa | Nov 29 2016 18:04 utc | 13

But why is Trump doing this now? Where does he has to divert attention from? ...

b, I dunno but the key people in his administration look more like GW Bush. It's gonna be bad, most likely worst then GW Bush. Further who will he nominate associate justice for SCOTUS another Clarence Thomas?

I'm glad I did not vote for Trump, just can't do it. Trump is no better than Hillary - Hillary will starts WW3 immediately and Trump most probably later with China as an excuse?

Posted by: Jack Smith | Nov 29 2016 18:07 utc | 14

i can't believe how blackpill you commies are, even taking into account you only like Trump for his foreign policy and rejection of free trade.

Understand this: Trump is in charge. He doesn't owe the GOP. They owe him. And the Presidency is an enormously powerful office. His cabinet works for him. Meanwhile Kerry is running around supplicating Moscow to save the terrorists in Aleppo because he believes Trump will 'side with the dictator'. Hell, the third point in his victory speech was his desire for peace with the world, and Putin responded favourably a few hours later. Yet you all sit around her gloomy as if Fidel Castro had died...

Posted by: lemur | Nov 29 2016 18:16 utc | 15

Am I seeing things or has there been an increase of mentions of the Muslim Brotherhood lately? Aleppo, Egypt-Qatar, among others.

Posted by: chet380 | Nov 29 2016 18:17 utc | 16

This was so so so obviously one of #TrumpsTraps and I can't believe the media walked right into it https://t.co/JXEU5uwXpv

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) November 29, 2016

Posted by: Adalbrand | Nov 29 2016 18:25 utc | 17

Maybe it's his coded message to begin the Zombie Apocalypse.

Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 29 2016 18:26 utc | 18

Trump gets bored very easily, I don't think it's more strategic than that.

Posted by: WorldBLee | Nov 29 2016 18:31 utc | 19

BEST. TRANSITION. EVER.

Trump is a master twitter troll. He OWNS the MSM asshats. Every. Single. Time. Not only is it endlessly amusing. But it actually enhances his power wayyy before he takes office.

None of this is accidental. It may LOOK spontaneous. It's not. You know who sponsored anti-flag-burning legislation in 2005? That's right. Hillary Clinton. Trump is using Hillary Clinton's politics and positions to bury his enemies in the MSM.

And BTW. Romney is the better choice as SOS. Am NO fan of Romney per se. But he'll execute Trump's orders. Cuz Rudy (ugh) and Petraeus are much more owned by Deep State than Mitt. Tho' its a toss up which is worse. A bunch of dual-citizen zionist jews or idiot mormon neo-cons at DOS. Ugh.

Posted by: Take Me | Nov 29 2016 18:31 utc | 20

b, appointments are scandalous when they betray commitments made just weeks ago. Petraeus at State would qualify.

And you're wrong about Stein. She knows the questions around vote count integrity have traction and that the Rs and Ds aren't serious about addressing them. So on behalf of the Greens, she's running staking out new ground.

Posted by: Berry Friesen | Nov 29 2016 18:50 utc | 21

@Jack Smith | Nov 29, 2016 12:50:24 PM | 10

Correct. Many of the people (me included) who voted Green for obvious anti-Clinton reasons were also very suspicious of Trump. So Green made sense. But all of these people now feel utterly betrayed by Stein's greed or fronting for the Clintons. Why no New Hampshire recount? So good job Stein, you just destroyed the only credible left alternative while the Dems are mortally wounded on the their left flank and the Clinton mob are taking resumes for a new sheepdog to get the wayward Sandernistas back into their stinking little corner of Hillary's big tent where they belong.

Posted by: bigmango | Nov 29 2016 18:52 utc | 22

PSA for you recovering commies: there is an 'alt left' movement starting to cohere around a number of blogs
https://socialdemocracy21stcentury.blogspot.co.nz/

If the 'racism' and counter semitism of the alt-right are a bit much for you, can find pro nation state leftism there.

Posted by: lemur | Nov 29 2016 19:02 utc | 23

@lemur #23:

PSA for you recovering commies: there is an 'alt left' movement starting to cohere around a number of blogs

To me, that's a non-starter. I consider myself to be a member of the real left – a social democrat. What passes for the Left these days is identity politics, multiculturalism, and Islamophilia. I think it makes more sense to call social justice warriors the alt-left, because SJWs are not the legitimate left.

Demian is now known as Adalbrand

Posted by: Adalbrand | Nov 29 2016 19:08 utc | 24

If Stein really is so concerned about voter integrity, why call for recounts only in a few selected battleground states - ones that normally would have gone to Hillary? Why not make a real project out of it - call for a nationwide recount?

Posted by: ian | Nov 29 2016 19:18 utc | 25

When his handlers wanted him to get away for awhile they sent George W. Bush to his "ranch" where he pulled weeds for awhile. Maybe Trump's handlers can get him a little palace somewhere where he can play king when the real world (such as inside the Beltway is) starts getting him down.

Posted by: Bob In Portland | Nov 29 2016 19:19 utc | 26

@Adalbrand

Well that seems to be a debate about nomenclature. I'd like to call myself 'right wing', but that invariably becomes associated with neoliberalism, neoconservatism, and libertarianism. So I go with Rising Right instead (social conservatism, nationalist pro-labour economy, skepticism about liberal theory as a total answer to political questions).

What separates the Old Left like you and me is not economic issues but social issues in particular and the general idea the social order must be embedded in a transcendent understanding

Posted by: lemur | Nov 29 2016 19:22 utc | 27

ian@25

Failure to include NH was a big mistake and I can't conceive of a rationale. But yes, Stein seems to be using/relying on Democrat functionaries and professionals for what she thinks is only technical expertise, but she's getting a whole lot more, including bad advice.

Posted by: Berry Friesen | Nov 29 2016 20:04 utc | 28

Trump could be diverting attention away from his recent twit about him could have won the popular vote except for all those million fake Dem votes....while also twitting that the Jill Stein recount move is bogus......which is it Trump?

I think the recount move is good in the sense that it may show that BOTH the red and blue folks do it....further delegitimize the process and outcome.

Trump is using the twitterverse to counteract and control the MSM memes.....look at that new sparkly thing over there.....is he going to continue this vomitorium process after he is sworn in? I suspect so. Helping the global plutocrats throw Americans under the bus has now become a game show with Trump as the host/president.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 29 2016 20:21 utc | 29

b asked.."Trump Is Trying To Divert Us From - What?"

IMO, the coming cuts in the social safety net, Social Security and Medicare.

Posted by: ben | Nov 29 2016 20:28 utc | 30

@psychohistorian #29:

Trump could be diverting attention away from his recent twit about him could have won the popular vote except for all those million fake Dem votes

Investor's Business Daily editorial

it's almost certain that illegals did vote — and in significant numbers. Whether it was three million or not is another question.

While states control the voter registration process, some states are so notoriously slipshod in their controls (California, Virginia and New York — all of which have political movements to legalize voting by noncitizens — come to mind) that it would be shocking if many illegals didn't vote. Remember, a low-ball estimate says there are at least 11 million to 12 million illegals in the U.S., but that's based on faulty Census data. More likely estimates put the number at 20 million to 30 million.

What's disappointing is that instead of at least seriously considering Trump's charge, many media reports merely parrot leftist talking points and anti-Trump rhetoric by pushing the idea that Republicans and others not of the progressive left who seek to limit voting to citizens only are racist, xenophobic nuts.

But there is evidence to back Trump's claims. A 2014 study in the online Electoral Studies Journal shows that in the 2008 and 2010 elections, illegal immigrant votes were in fact quite high. …

the authors say that illegals may have cast as many as 2.8 million votes in 2008 and 2010. That's a lot of votes. And when you consider the population of illegal inhabitants has only grown since then, it's not unreasonable to suppose that their vote has, too.

When Trump says or tweets something that challenges the establishment view, one shouldn't automatically assume that he is just spouting nonsense.

Posted by: Adalbrand | Nov 29 2016 20:44 utc | 31

Its simple really.

He's distracting from his own mistake in tweeting:

“In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”

The media jumped on this as Trump admitting that voter fraud had occurred in the election so that recounts are legitimate.

And I wouldn't dismiss the recounts. They are more of a threat then they seem, if only because they incite Trump's ego/combativeness which makes Trump even more of a divisive figure. The Presidential electors are already being called upon to save the country from Trump. It will only get worse as we near Dec. 19.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 29 2016 20:51 utc | 32

Well lets see if my crystal ball is warmed up and working,in the mid-term elections the American people, the working class will say we're screwed again seeing the republicans have never done anything for the working class except to exploit them will turn democrat,not that it will help us all that much anyway, then as the recession/depression deepens will turn against Trump making him a one term president.@@@

Posted by: bluedog | Nov 29 2016 21:04 utc | 33

One should be asking how many people have access to Donald Trump's Twitter account. Are all his tweets actually his, and not a couple of others trying to put their opinions into his mouth?

Bear in mind also how seriously (or not) Donald Trump treats his Twitter account. Is he (or perhaps "Are they ...") using the account in a partly flippant way to engage with people and get an impression of their views and feelings on social issues and pop culture?

Saying something like "Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag ..." on Twitter is a good way of engaging with people who aren't of the same background as yourself, who you might never meet because you move in one set of social circles and they move in others. This might actually be important for someone about to become President: one of the reasons that Hillary Clinton was so unpopular as a presidential candidate is that she was perceived as very remote and removed from the people she claimed to represent and to be fighting for.

And an issue like respecting the American flag and suggesting that those who desecrate the flag should be punished severely is bound to get people out of bed and Googling furiously to find information on flag-burning and whether in some circumstances flag-burning is actually legal.

Notice that the Tweet didn't say "Nobody should be allowed to tear / urinate on / soil the American flag ..." because most people will agree that desecrating the US flag in particular public contexts (usually outside an art gallery) should be punished. Burning the flag is another issue altogether.

What Trump's Tweet about flag-burning suggests is dog-whistle politics of a sort.

Posted by: Jen | Nov 29 2016 21:12 utc | 34

It's red meat to distract the rubes. He has already backed away from many of his positions that animated elements of the GOP base: putting HRC in jail, deporting all the illegals, "draining the swamp" among others.

Posted by: duncan idaho | Nov 29 2016 21:15 utc | 35

@lemur #27

The Old Left was socially conservative too. It railed against bourgeois decadence and lack of morality. It embraced traditional gender roles and shunned gays. The "Atheist Communists" were not so Atheist. Their quarrel was with the use of organized religion to promote class obedience, while they often evoked Judeo-Christian morality in the name of revolution. Before the right-"left" culture wars leading to the present day were Old Left - New Left culture wars (the New Left won).

What we call the "left" today is not a left at all. It's a scam for hustlers and careerists to leverage various identities for short-term political and financial gain.

Posted by: Thirdeye | Nov 29 2016 21:18 utc | 36

Another Trump tweet, another fake scandal = fake news wrapped in red, white, and blue bunting,

a spluttered utterance,

like water splattered on a hot griddle.

Posted by: john | Nov 29 2016 21:23 utc | 37

@ Adalbrand who took what I wrote out of context and then misconstrued my message.

What I wrote in full:
"
Trump could be diverting attention away from his recent twit about him could have won the popular vote except for all those million fake Dem votes....while also twitting that the Jill Stein recount move is bogus......which is it Trump?

I think the recount move is good in the sense that it may show that BOTH the red and blue folks do it....further delegitimize the process and outcome.

Trump is using the twitterverse to counteract and control the MSM memes.....look at that new sparkly thing over there.....is he going to continue this vomitorium process after he is sworn in? I suspect so. Helping the global plutocrats throw Americans under the bus has now become a game show with Trump as the host/president.
"

Your ending statement which is "automatically" bogus in light of what I wrote:
"
When Trump says or tweets something that challenges the establishment view, one shouldn't automatically assume that he is just spouting nonsense.
"

I don't appreciate my comment being misrepresented.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 29 2016 21:27 utc | 38

@pyschohistorian #38:

Sorry I misunderstood your comment. No offense indented.

@Jen #34:

One should be asking how many people have access to Donald Trump's Twitter account. Are all his tweets actually his, and not a couple of others trying to put their opinions into his mouth?

A good question, given that tweeting seems to be his equivalent of FDR's fireside chats. I think one can safely assume that all his tweets are his. I think I read somewhere that during the day, sometimes he dictates his tweets.

Googling "does donald trump do his own tweets" gave rise to this:

Does Donald Trump Send His Own Tweets? An Investigation

From skimming through that, it appears that Trump dictates almost all his tweets. But to me, they all seem to come from the same "voice". So I dismiss the idea that there are people who make tweets from his account that he does not agree with.

Posted by: Adalbrand | Nov 29 2016 21:39 utc | 39

Is it legal for non-citizens to donate to a fund for recounting the votes cast in the recent Presidential election? Should there be an investigation?

Posted by: james k. sayre | Nov 29 2016 22:11 utc | 40

15

The Secret Service (the WH SS, not the new, upcoming $B Fed SS) has apparently given code names to our new Executives. Trump is 'Biggy', that's a no brainer. Melania is 'Munchkin'. And Barron is 'Bingo'. I don't think they have a pet dog picked out yet.

VP Pence is apparently 'Penny Loafer' from his Shaker penchant for being so tight, and for achieving nothing in 16 years in Congress, and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has the code name, 'Let's Pray'.

Soon 'Biggy' will be 'on the move' every three-day weekend back to NYC's Trump Tower, code-named 'Extra Cheese', leaving 'Penny Loafer' with the Red Keys. Here's how it will go down.
Their every move will be broadcast deep into the bowels of America's underground bunker at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, code-named Woo Woo, for approval:

"Bingo and Munchkin say Biggy wants Extra Cheese, and Penny Loafer and Let's Pray have the Red Keys, what does the Woo Woo say...over"

Posted by: chipnik | Nov 29 2016 22:14 utc | 41

@31 Adalbrand,

History isn't nature until myths show up. A tendentious hard-right elitist finance daily would have its own tendency to promote an already-dubious history as nature.

Posted by: Jonathan | Nov 29 2016 22:35 utc | 42

@Jonathan #42:

For better or for worse, I am afraid that I have accepted the right-wing narrative that Democrats want to destroy the concept of citizenship. If institutions like UC/Berkeley offer support to illegal aliens, why shouldn't Democratic party operatives facilitate non-citizens voting?

I do not vouch for that editorial I linked to. But I do think that it is sad that Trump can make claims about non-citizens voting, without it being easy to refute them, given how broken the US election system is.

Demian is now known as Adelbrand

Posted by: Adalbrand | Nov 29 2016 23:02 utc | 43

@32 follow-up

He's not just distracting he's also energizing his base in response to the Democrats/Left energizing theirs.

This recount is serious business. The Greens don't have the organizational aptitude or money to have accomplished what needed to be done within days. That indicates that Democrats/Clinton cronies are behind this. And the Clinton press corps have been engaged as well.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 29 2016 23:03 utc | 44

b quote and title of post: "Trump Is Trying To Divert Us From - What?"

i tend to see it like @19 worldblee.. their quote: "Trump gets bored very easily, I don't think it's more strategic than that."

that sounds about right to me.. i might be naive and he's pulling a fast one but until it's shown, i'm with @19..

it's ironic that isis talk about getting rid of false idols while so many folks cling to this idea that a flag is something sacred that can't ever be trashed... i don't see it that way.. it's piece of material/cloth or whatever.. everything else to is holding up some material thing as a type of 'god' or something.. i am not discounting 'those who served in war for their country' another sacred cow catch phrase americans love, that no one is supposed to ever question either.. i could do with a few less sacred cows, and let the world be run by someone other then religious/political fanatics...wishful thinking on my part.

save us from these folks..

maybe trump has shares in twitter? info --> 34K tweets • 1,892 photos/videos • 15.7M followers. Check out the latest Tweets from Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Posted by: james | Nov 29 2016 23:14 utc | 45

Har har har! That Jill Stein sure is fooling those dirty hippies! Everyone knows Stein is a pawn of Hillary/Soros/Putin/Dracula! They can't fool us! Har har har!

Posted by: AlanSmithee | Nov 29 2016 23:16 utc | 46

Why is b so obsessed with the superficiality of Trump? Why is he posting redmeat for the trolls, debasing his own blog?

Posted by: jfl | Nov 29 2016 23:31 utc | 47

Appointed Rep. Tom Price to head Dept. of Health and Human Services. Price has vowed to privatize/destroy both Social Security and Medicare.

Posted by: Shawn Rice | Nov 29 2016 23:34 utc | 48

lemur sez "the general idea the social order must be embedded in a transcendent understanding"

what the hell does that mean?

Posted by: ruralito | Nov 29 2016 23:36 utc | 49

Instead of a recount in states Trump won, Jill and the Greens should be leading a movement to dump the corrupt Democratic Party.

They should appeal to former Sanders supporters and people of all kinds that are disgusted that Democratic Party cronyism mattered more than the needs of the people.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 29 2016 23:38 utc | 50

From twitter "College classmate says Trump's Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, "put the 'douche' in fiduciary"." G-S guy's boychik roomed at Yale with Chalabi's son. Swamp_water_rising

Posted by: S.H.E. | Nov 29 2016 23:47 utc | 51

I just read another reason that Trump may be wanting to divert attention from his cabinet picks

The link:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-29/trump-picks-former-goldman-banker-steven-mnuchin-treasury-secretary-cbs-reports

Some quotes:
"
Even though the nomination is still unofficial, moments ago CBS' reproter Charlie Keye tweeted that it can also confirm that "Trump has chosen financier Steven Mnuchin as his nominee for Treasury Secretary."
"
"
As the NYT adds, his selection fits uneasily with much of Mr. Trump’s campaign rhetoric attacking the financial industry. Mr. Trump, in a campaign ad intended as a closing argument, portrayed the chief executive of Goldman Sachs as the personification of a global elite that the ad said had “robbed our working class.” But, the NYT notes, Mnuchin has said that he agrees with Mr. Trump’s priorities, and he was an early supporter of a candidate who clearly prizes loyalty.

When Mr. Trump won New York’s Republican presidential primary in April, Mr. Mnuchin attended the victory party. The next day, he accepted Mr. Trump’s invitation to become the campaign’s national finance director. A number of Mr. Mnuchin’s friends made comments to various publications expressing shock at the decision. Mr. Mnuchin was unfazed. “Nobody’s going to be, like, ‘Well, why did he do this?’ if I end up in the administration,” he told Bloomberg Businessweek in August.
"

So that is Bannon and now Mnuchin that are "ex" Vampire Squid folks. So much for the delusional finance swamp drainers about Trump. I am glad Hillary lost but, as I have commented before, we are now out of the frying pan and into the furnace.

If this makes Americans a bit less complacent, that will be a good thing.

It is all about protecting private finance and unfettered inheritance, IMO And projecting that power base onto empire for global control....which I hope fails at some point....soon.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 29 2016 23:55 utc | 52

Let me add more ZH stuff about Mnuchin

The link
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-29/trump-treasury-secretary-candidate-anti-fed-libertarian-who-wants-return-gold-standa

Quotes:
"
Mnuchin's background from the NYT:

Mr. Mnuchin, the son of a Goldman Sachs partner, joined the firm after graduating from Yale University. He worked there for 17 years, rising to oversee trading in government securities and mortgage bonds. After leaving Goldman in 2002, he founded Dune Capital Management, a hedge fund named after the dunes near his beach house in the Hamptons.
"
"
What makes Allison's candidacy especially notable is that he happens to be a prominent critic of the Federal Reserve, as well as an advocate of the gold standard. Allison has said his “long-term ambition” for monetary policy “would be to get rid of the Federal Reserve and get back to a private banking system.” He also accurately portrayed the Fed by saying that it is “a scary organization because there’s no control."

In a 2014 paper authored by Allison for the Cato Journal, he said he "would get rid of the Federal Reserve because the volatility in the economy is primarily caused by the Fed." Allison said that simply allowing the market to regulate itself would be preferable to the Fed harming the stability of the financial system.
"
"
Allison also suggested that the government's practice of insuring bank deposits up to $250,000 should be abolished and the US should go back to a banking system backed by "a market standard such as gold."

Additionally, the libertarian ex-CEO also argued for higher capital reserves of up to 20% of assets at banks and has also argued that the government should repeal three of the broadest banking regulations.

"We should raise capital standards, but it is even more important to eliminate burdensome regulations — including Dodd-Frank, the Community Reinvestment Act, and Truth in Lending," Allison wrote. "About 25 percent of a bank's personnel cost relates to regulations. Banks cannot pay the regulatory costs and have high capital standards." This is similar to Trump's desire to roll back regulation — including Dodd-Frank — on financial institutions, though he has since backtracked somewhat.
"

I read all this as a ploy by the elite puppets of private finance throwing Americans under the bus while at the same time retaining their control over the US government so they can project that power over other countries....i.e. The Shock Doctrine applied not just to South America but to the EU and other countries as well.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2016 0:06 utc | 53

Trump lambasted Jill Stein much as you have done here, b, so maybe he does have something to hide. For the reasons why on the recount this is a pretty good article, doing as you have done a historical refresher course that is very helpful with respect to a previous recount:

http://blackagendareport.com/recount-2016

Posted by: juliania | Nov 30 2016 0:23 utc | 54

Trump has won the elections by portraying himself as 'anti-establishment', when really he is about as 'establishment' as they get. He's a billionaire(?) pretending to fight for the interests of the common folk - come on, how "convincing" is that?

Trump's cabinet selections are the usual horror troupe of Republican U.S. administrations. There is no real surprise there and no scandal.

He's getting all these people into his cabinet his voters so desperately wanted to get rid of, which is why they hated Clinton so much. Trump needs a lot of fake scandals to distract people from this fact.

It's an age-old story: If a leader can't offer his people anything 'substantial' i.e. socio-economic progress, he'll go for religion and/ or cultural nationalism. People will fall for that, until it's too late.

Posted by: smuks | Nov 30 2016 0:40 utc | 55

Tuesday November 29, 2016 You cannot make this stuff up


Sultan of Putz makes his power move

Erdogan: Turkey in Syria to end Assad rule

https://www.rt.com/news/368601-erdogan-syria-oust-assad/

http://www.newsweek.com/turkeys-erdogan-aims-ending-rule-cruel-assad-526478

Posted by: ALberto | Nov 30 2016 0:53 utc | 56

ot - alberto.. well, i would like to acknowledge that erdogan is a lot more frank then many of his cohorts who like to say they are going after isis, when in fact they are funding isis directly/indirectly and otherwise.. i will give him credit for that..

remember he is articulating his views of why he entered - past tense.. what his views are at this point might be harder to know.. a lot of the dead syrians are directly a result of his actions, turning a blind eye to isis oil trades, giving a green light to his turkomen freaks to make war on syria, along with all else.. he, the saudis, qatar, usa, britian, france - all have the blood of syrians on their hands, in spite of any high sounding ideals to the contrary..

Posted by: james | Nov 30 2016 1:01 utc | 57

ot 0 further to my comment @57... syria is a sovereign country.. i don't recall any acceptance of turkish troops on syrian soil, let alone everything else turkey is engaged in here. same deal with the usa.. these countries can spin it any way they want in the msm - they have no right to be in syria to begin with.

Connection with two Turkish soldiers lost in Syria: Military.... link : here..

will all of this bring on ww3 - the obvious desire of wall st and the merchants of death? erdogan and his friends are helping the cause.. that seems for sure..

Posted by: james | Nov 30 2016 1:09 utc | 58

I haven't wondered about Trump's flag tweet. Like many others, I've been watching Hillary lose yet again with this recount nonsense, brought about by the "smart choice", the "sane choice", the "anti-Hillary" ........ Jill Stein.

What a riot. File this under "you can't make this stuff up".

Bernie got a beach house. What does Jillie get?

Posted by: woogs | Nov 30 2016 1:22 utc | 59

For me the big issue about this 'recount' is the damage which Stein is doing to the Green movement.
Last time the Greens got caught getting fucked by the dems back in the noughties when the Greens allowed dems stooges to control their leadership, following the Nader scapegoating & Greens cringing obsequiously to avert copping that, it took more than a decade for the Greens to regain any credibility with citizens.
Now Stein has allowed the dems to buy her ass, one has to wonder - why?
This move can only wreck the Greens long term, because if the Greens even look like raising their profile sufficiently to draw votes away from the dem hackopoly, the dems will make sure that all the sleazy details of whatever deal Stein has concocted with the DNC find their way into the media. Even worse will be if what many took to be Stein's aversion to getting Nadered revealed in her failure to really go after Clinton on the details of the Podesta hack, were in fact the result of some arrangement between herself & the ClintonInc team - an arrangement that included a payoff in the form of being given the cushy gig of running a well funded environmental non-profit.
Of course ClintonInc's loss has put paid to that opportunity - no corporate donor is gonna waste millions on underwriting anything requested by that group of political eunuchs, the recently castrated democratic party.
All available funds that former dem corporate donors have is gonna be used to curry favour with either the Trump cabal or the rethug legislative gang. Watching to see which one collects the jackpot will be the best indication which (trumpMob or RethugGang) of the two is on the top and who is having to play bottom.

The plus about all this is that as more states fall to the rethugs more and more dem funding sources will dry up; simple economics will do what the dem leaderships inherent greed & corruption prevented following the ClintonInc debacle - a root & branch clear out of the self serving incompetents.
That is to say, as the dem party loses big donors there simply won't be enough in the kitty to keep the professional democrats in the manner to which they have become accustomed; when being a part of the self-serving pyramid underpinning the DNC ceases paying 6 & 7 figure salaries, it will force the party to take on officials motivated by their values to replace those clinging on for a good spot close to the magically refilling trough.
Imagine that - a dem party peopled by actual humanists not the usual back stabbing careerist greedheads.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Nov 30 2016 1:43 utc | 60

"But there is evidence to back Trump's claims. A 2014 study in the online Electoral Studies Journal shows that in the 2008 and 2010 elections, illegal immigrant votes were in fact quite high. …

the authors say that illegals may have cast as many as 2.8 million votes in 2008 and 2010. That's a lot of votes. And when you consider the population of illegal inhabitants has only grown since then, it's not unreasonable to suppose that their vote has, too."

I would like to make a poll: what is the source of these estimates? Thin air or anal exhalations?

By they way, b is surprisingly naive when real life politics is involved. It is as if he learned the rules of democratic debate from Thucydites. For those who did not read Peloponnesian War, this is an excellent account, first in depth historical text in, well, history, but the author is an utterly rational gentleman. In places, he has dialogues, public debates on burning issues facing Athenian demos, and both sides marshal impassionate rational arguments, something never done in contemporary political live (at least not in countries where I follow the events). As long as we are aware that this is but a rhetorical device to present "true reasons" for the options facing the Athenians it is fine, but literal understanding is not fine.

Trump's strength is not deep intellect but marketing. Brand building. Marketing is about building images and expectations. And cravings. You do not make a fortune by supplying sensible products for sensible prices in competition with similar companies. I mean, Quaker Oats does make some profit, but really, how much it can be? But even so, some people can get habituated to oat flakes etc. and the associated image of the sensible quaker. But Trump is in the red meat business, and the trick is a steady supply that builds a habit and the craving for more. Or to use other metaphor, he has to provide new bait regularly, no dull time. Than switches come as naturally as laying down new bait.

One could wonder, why Trump had mentioned that he will not prompt criminal investigations of Mrs. Clinton, even though he said otherwise, and he could either let it slide or "get legal advise". Actually, it makes a perfect sense. As the bait/red meat consumers are in good post-victory mood, this is a good time to be a bit good natured and avoid pestering questions later. But totally leaving it like that would make for an anodyne week, leaving red meat consumers with growling stomachs. Thus high time to toss new scraps.


Posted by: Piotr Berman | Nov 30 2016 2:26 utc | 61

The American electorate voted lesser evilest, knowing full well: the leopard doesn't change its spots.

Posted by: ruralito | Nov 30 2016 2:32 utc | 62

@47

"Why is b so obsessed with the superficiality of Trump? Why is he posting redmeat for the trolls, debasing his own blog?"

Why do you care? It's not your blog. Might your post have anything to do with avoiding responsibility for your months and months of posts all here endured about your vaunted Stein and voting third party?

The D's are vigorously blaming the Stein camp for peeling off Hillary voters in key states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania that could have made a difference in winning or losing.

And now, others are weighing in suggesting Stein is an 'Idiot' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEScRn-nPvY for demanding said recounts in red states that aren't even close to suggest such an act.

I was trashed a month or so ago for daring to suggest no one had ever vetted Ms. Stein b/c they hadn't, oh, but now they are.

I do recall the more responsible position I believe was made by psychohistorian, but it may have been another poster here, to vote for third party in a blue states to bump up third-party numbers, but few, apparently heeded such a wise warning.

So, b, throw all of the red meat you have in your pail. You're not harming the reputation of your blog.

Posted by: h | Nov 30 2016 2:39 utc | 63

Oh, and btw 47, members of the Green Party have written a letter to voters - Greens Speak Out on Recount and Our Commitment to an Independent Party - http://www.flowersforsenate.org/greens_speak_out_recount distancing themselves from Stein's recount efforts.

Posted by: h | Nov 30 2016 2:43 utc | 64

@ h who suggested I was the source instead of jfl for the suggestion "....to vote for third party in a blue states to bump up third-party numbers..."

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2016 2:45 utc | 65

#14-WHY IS TRUMP DOING NOW ? TO IRITATE LIBTURD/AIRHEADS LIKE YOU JACK SMITH!!!!

Posted by: sejmon | Nov 30 2016 3:00 utc | 66

#55 -SMUCK-SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: sejmon | Nov 30 2016 3:04 utc | 67

Off topic but I've been sort of following this hashtag #PizzaGate @twitter with the below vid recapping pretty well most of it. I say b should investigate this to A-Debunk or B-Help to prosecute..

#PizzaGate: What We Know So Far

https://youtu.be/Z4OP--ZXOjc

Posted by: Lozion | Nov 30 2016 3:30 utc | 68

h@64

Thank you for providing that link. It's an impressive list. There is one thing in the statement that caused me to wonder, however, just who might be serving the Clinton cause in this instance. That is the following phrase:

". . . the racist and undemocratic historical logic of the Electoral College. . ."

Isn't this a claim that supporters of Hillary Clinton are presently making? I don't really know if this has been part of the platform of the Green Party - I tried to find out but wasn't successful in my search. It hasn't been my thought that the Electoral College was racist, since the issue is one between states of low population and big cities as far as the popular vote goes, I had thought. Something similar to the reason for having senatorial representation for every state the same regardless of how big or small the state.

Apologies for my ignorance.

Posted by: juliania | Nov 30 2016 3:42 utc | 69

Should be "states of low population and states having big cities and higher population" above. Sorry.

Posted by: juliania | Nov 30 2016 3:49 utc | 70

@80 juliania,

Yes, the purpose of the Electoral College, as with the rest of the Constitution, is to create a ruling class of property owners and to support their primitive accumulation. I really don't believe there is much more to it than that.

Posted by: Jonathan | Nov 30 2016 3:49 utc | 71

What's Trump distracting us from?

--Not up to Sup Ct if recount incomplete when Electoral College meets Dec. 19. However Pennsylvania has NO paper ballots, so how do recount?
"The recounts, if done by hand, which can be demanded, may take longer than the last day for completing the official counts in a state and directing Electoral College voters. If all 3 states miss the deadline, Trump is at 260, Hillary at 232. No one hits 270.
"Then this goes to Congress, where the House voting 1 vote per state elects Trump, and Senate selects Pence. This would be first time this happened since 1824, but in that case, John Quincy Adams won in the House, though he had fewer electoral college votes than Andrew Jackson." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60nOmmLtJSY&t=771s

-------
NET NEUTRALITY:
--Trump doesn't support net neutrality. His figleaf is it will lead to the censorship of conservative media. “Obama’s attack on the internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media,” he tweeted in 2014. (He's saying that there will be quotas for liberal & conservatives under Fairness Doctrine)

Legislation to revoke net neutrality probably not viable cuz Senate Dems wd filibuster. But he's appointed 2 anti-net-neutrality to "FCC transition team" Mark Jamison and Jeffrey Eisenach.

"Instead, expect quick action at the FCC itself, which will have a 3-2 Republican majority under a Trump presidency. After a June appeals court ruling upholding the FCC rules, the agency has broad authority to basically change its mind and repeal, or pass, regulations without showing a change in market conditions." http://www.pcworld.com/article/3144522/internet/how-trump-will-attack-the-fccs-net-neutrality-rules.html
---
PIZZAGATE: But, mysteriously, the babboons in power have not moved to take down the vids & blogs reporting on this. You'd almost think they WANT this out. Hint: Pizzagate & the election "crisis" that's brewing look a lot like an attempt to cause civil disturbance-- which could be followed by martial law w FULL censorship.

DEATH OF CASH: This has already happened in a couple countries. Much more talk about it now.

Posted by: Penelope | Nov 30 2016 3:54 utc | 72

@65 - I stated "I believe was made by psychohistorian, but it may have been another poster here, to vote for third party..." meaning my recollection is that is was you, but wasn't certain. My apologies to you if it was not.

Posted by: h | Nov 30 2016 3:56 utc | 73

@ juliania who asked about the electoral college

Here is a link that explains the history of the creation of the electoral college in the US

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/11/a-political-scientist-explains-why-theres-no-reason-to-keep-the-electoral-college/

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2016 3:57 utc | 74

One thing not mentioned yet, is Trump getting slammed by his populist base for his Secretary of State picks, which seem to come down to Romney and Giuliani. Romney is the worst of Wall Street, a complete tool of the neoliberal program, and Giuliani has a Hillary Clinton-like record on bloated speaking fees and pay-to-play deals with his law firm, Giuliani Partners. Either one of those clowns as Secretary of State would be a complete betrayal of everything Trump said he stood for on foreign policy. Romney however is drawing howls of protest from Rust Belt Trump supporters, because he's so pro-NAFTA, pro-TPP:
https://www.thenation.com/article/more-nafta-anyone-romney-positions-free-trade-champion/

That's the biggest test case to see whether Trump, like Obama before him, is going to forget about his populist base and take the carrot Wall Street is offering him. Another big one is whether John Bolton, neocon war pig just like Clinton pals Victoria Nuland and Robert Kagan, ends up with a big foreign policy role. Forget about cooperation with Russia on ISIS in that case. So, those are some serious issues that Trump might want to distract his base from, but they're the major issues that will determine what kind of foreign policy, economic and military, Trump will really pursue.

As far as Jill Stein, what the hell is she doing? The biggest Green Party issue right now should be helping block the Dakota Accesss Pipeline debacle, a consortium of short-sighted interests aiming at exporting Bakken crude overseas, including Warren Buffett, billionaire Democratic supporter, whose in $6 billion to DAPL via Phillips 66, and Kelcy Warren, billionaire Republican supported, CEO of Energy Transfer Partners, another DAPL partner. Instead she's playing some dumb political game, totally ignoring the one issue any real "Green Party" would be focusing on right now.

Posted by: nonsensefactory | Nov 30 2016 3:59 utc | 75

@80 juliania,

Adding, there does seem to be a lot of op-ed traffic denouncing the Electoral College as racist and undemocratic (Fusion, Detroit Free Press), and I can't find any such that appeared before the election. It's perfectly consistent with sour grapes IMO.

@42 Demian,

The "narrative that Democrats want to destroy the concept of citizenship[1]" doesn't seem too far from objective, really -- not that their gainsaying Tweedle-Dum offers more light than heat, but that's another topic entirely. Though I think it has more to do with destroying the concept of "birthright" in favor of primitive accumulation through inheritance. You know, because markets.

Posted by: Jonathan | Nov 30 2016 4:01 utc | 76

P.S. If Trump really wanted to shake things up, he could pick Tulsi Gabbard for Secretary of State, that would be a clever move, far better than Giuliani or Romney. Here's something on that:
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/307527-tulsi-gabbard-is-the-pick-for-secretary-of-state-not
That would be a real jack move, slapping both the Democratic and Republican establishments, wouldn't it?

Posted by: nonsensefactory | Nov 30 2016 4:04 utc | 77

@69

What list are you referring to? I posted a vid and a letter from a Green Party member. Are you referring to the individuals who are signing onto the letter?

@71

Give it up, young man. The Electoral College was put in place for a number of reasons and today it serves the more level headed U.S. voters quite well thank you very much. I don't want the larger, more populous states dictating to smaller less populous states who sits in the WH for millennia, that's called a dictatorship. By your definition "ruling class of property owners and to support their primitive accumulation" misses the entire point of how the EC serves the populous today. I, for one, like an equitable playing field for ALL 50 States in the Union to place in the WH the winner of said votes. You, not so much. Fine. Change the U.S. Constitution if you don't like it. Until then, simply, it's the law and has been for more than 200 years of this land.

Posted by: h | Nov 30 2016 4:07 utc | 78

@ juliania more about the electoral college

Here is the link I was looking for
http://cepr.net/blogs/beat-the-press/in-the-electoral-college-white-votes-matter-more

The take away quote:
"
The states that are overrepresented in the Electoral College also happen to be less diverse than the country as a whole. Wyoming is 84 percent white, North Dakota is 86 percent white, and Rhode Island is 74 percent white, while in California only 38 percent of the population is white, in Florida 55 percent, and in Texas 43 percent. White people tend to live in states where their vote counts more, and minorities in places where it counts less. This means that the Electoral College not only can produce results that conflict with a majority vote, but it is biased in a way that amplifies the votes of white people and reduces the voice of minorities.
"

Does this explain the Trump racist dog whistles during the campaign?
America has never really gotten beyond slavery in many ways....sad

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2016 4:18 utc | 79

Last thought and then I'm done.

California elected Arnold Schwarzenegger as their Governor, a body builder, for two terms. New York City elected Bloomberg three times, you know, the guy that fought to outlaw BIG soda drinks due to the sugar content. Well, put Texas into the mix and what kind of leader does one think those three states, the largest population centers in the U.S. today, would elect if the U.S. went to the popular vote?

For heavens sake, doesn't the U.S. deserve a solid leader? Is Trump that leader? I haven't a clue. But I'm at least willing to give the man some time.

And up post, a hell yeah on Tulsi Gabbbard. She'd make an awesome Secretary of State! She's the real deal IMHO. Go Gabbard!!!

Posted by: h | Nov 30 2016 4:24 utc | 80

First of all, the flag without the Constitution is just a rag with stars and stripes. All oaths of office, military and government mention defending the Constitution, not the flag.

So the Constitution takes precedence over the flag; ergo the 1st Amendment takes precedence over how people express their rage with the flag against government injustice.

“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
― Samuel Johnson

“You'll never have a quiet world till you knock the patriotism out of the human race.”

― George Bernard Shaw, Heartbreak House

“People who enjoy waving flags don't deserve to have one”
― Banksy, Wall and Piece

The first one especially applies to Trump. American politicians have been pooping on the flag ever since they took the country into foreign entanglements for regime change and empire building.

Posted by: Circe | Nov 30 2016 4:39 utc | 81

@72 Not sure I agree Penelope, lots of twitter tags or instagram accounts were closed or modded apparently. Reddit deleted its main thread on the subject and Besta pizza just changed its (suspicious) logo. Also, Comet Ping Pong's website has been hacked and shows to have had content removed. I know its all speculative right now but imo this warrants more research..

Posted by: Lozion | Nov 30 2016 4:45 utc | 82

@77,80

You're dreaming; for now.

Posted by: Circe | Nov 30 2016 4:50 utc | 83

What is Trump trying to divert us from?

How about this "cartoon"

http://www.clowncrack.com/2016/11/21/public-enemy/

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2016 4:54 utc | 84

Oh I forgot to add: This site (new to me) seems to cover the issue alot:

https://voat.co/v/pizzagate

Posted by: Lozion | Nov 30 2016 4:55 utc | 85

@Piotr B.

Excellent post. Although the Greek demos was just as susceptible to the poison of obscurantism (the lure of red meat) from their officials. Look at how Alcibiades was able to outmaneuver the more prudent General Nicias regarding the invasion of Sicily to isolate the Spartans. This led to the Athenian collapse. I see so many similarities between our time and theirs (Athenians = maritime empire = US; Spartans = land-based empire = Russians) that when I hear about the victory of Syria I immediately think Sicily and the end of the Athenian empire. One island too far.

I feel for a man in Trumps position, though. He may be brilliant in marketting, but manufacturing a belly full of steak is much harder than telling us how good the steak is going to taste. Believe me!

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Nov 30 2016 5:01 utc | 86

I can't wait for Romney to be appointed!!!!

Posted by: aaaa | Nov 30 2016 5:11 utc | 87

@69 juliania - I respect everything you write, and with no disrespect to psychohistorian, whom I also respect, I think you deserve better sources regarding the electoral college than the 2 links offered so far.

I can't find a really clear source for this - I read one just recently and cannot find it now - but here's the sum of the reasoning and cause for the electoral college.

At the Constitutional Convention that created the Constitution, delegate Wilson argued for the straight majority popular vote to elect the President. James Madison, who is both one of the great heroes of the Convention and its best diarist, responded that on the straight popular vote the more populous states would reign over the small states every time. A more diffused system of representation was needed, he said, so that the popular vote per each state could be tallied together in a representative consensus.

Madison went on to explain that the North would win over the South in every election, simply from larger populations, rather than from the greater number of states. The South would thus never ratify the proposed Constitution, and all the efforts of the Framers would come to nothing, unless a more elaborate system was adopted that represented the force of each state as a a state.

It's crucial to remember that the nation we think of as the USA is in fact a Union of States. The individual states at the beginning each had a democracy of majority popular vote, but the Union itself could not adopt such a simple method of representation. Donald Trump has been crystal clear about this, saying that if the Union had direct democracy he would simply have campaigned in the populous areas such as the east coast and California. But because of the electoral college, he campaigned for 14 states instead of 3 or 4. Either way, says Trump, whichever way he would have had to campaign, he would have won, and I accept this as clearly true.

Running a search for collateral I see a huge bias towards calling the electoral college racist in origin. But the Union itself was formed with the huge systemic flaw of slavery, and always had to be, and all the delegates knew this. Without allowing the southern states to continue with their slavery, there could have been no Union. Not then, not ever. So the slave states were given a 3/5 discount of votes for each of their slaves. One could argue that the keeping of a slave is in material terms an economic obligation deserving of political representation - I don't make this claim, I'm just saying you have to go back into the mind of the age to see the logic of its actions.

I tried this Google search for collateral: https://www.google.com/#q=electoral+college+southern+slavery
and of the sad array of results I picked this piece for some narrative at least of the history: The real reason we have an Electoral College: to protect slave states. I don't like this article, but it's all I can find at the moment. You deserve better. I hope you find it. And I wish I could have written this post better for you.

Posted by: Grieved | Nov 30 2016 5:25 utc | 88

So, what news from Syria?

Posted by: Shh | Nov 30 2016 5:27 utc | 89

"Throw Another Flag on the Fire" was the terrific name of a program on WKDU FM (Drexel University's radio station). Maybe it still is, I haven't kept up.

Posted by: RudyM | Nov 30 2016 6:07 utc | 90

@aaaa #87:

I can't wait for Romney to be appointed!!!!

I follow several right-wingers on Twitter, and they're pretty confident that Romney won't be appointed. I think they have a pretty good feel for Trump. As I've said before, I'm pretty confident that he will decisively abandon neocon foreign policy, but I do not hold out much hope for his economic policy.

@Grieved #88:

I see a huge bias towards calling the electoral college racist in origin. But the Union itself was formed with the huge systemic flaw of slavery, and always had to be, and all the delegates knew this. Without allowing the southern states to continue with their slavery, there could have been no Union. Not then, not ever.

Very good observation. The Electoral College and Senate, I think, are widely recognized to have been instituted to get the southern states to agree to agree to the Constitution. But to today call the Electoral College a racist institution is tendentious and an oversimplification. I used to be against the Electoral College, but in this election, I am very glad it is still used.

Also, today, talk of abolishing it is a complete waste of time. Such talk is just another example of how liberal elites are trapped in a bubble.

Speaking of which, I got banned from the blog that our Oui posts diaries at for a third time. I had rejoined it in August, because I wanted to discuss the 2nd presidential debate with some Democrats, and I remembered some users there. But I ended up getting banned, for expressing ideas that are the consensus view here. That makes me think that people who still identify as Democrats are completely unwilling to undo what the Clintons and Obama have done to the Democratic party, and return it to a more inclusive ideology.

Posted by: Adalbrand | Nov 30 2016 6:10 utc | 91

Lozion, about PizzaGate:
The art & photography of children is what I found so upsetting. However, in looking again at the vids of Truth Media Revolution on youtube I see that most if not all of the "art" is coming from somebody's Instagram-- which has now been closed. So I can't really confirm it; I have only Truth Media Revolution's word for its source.

Since the Fake News campaign I've begun considering whether this particular instance of child abuse might be a hoax, a setup to delegitimate the citizeninvestigators.

Posted by: Penelope | Nov 30 2016 6:11 utc | 92

Dear Jill haters,

The Green's don't have money. She needed the Hillbot's to cough up the cash so she's fooling them into funding the utter destruction of their own party by drawing them into the too close swing state narrative (that's some Sun Tsu shit right there). The machines are hacked, bipartisan but definitely partisan. She only needs two states worth of proven election fraud for a RICO investigation. Check mate.

Posted by: andonandonomous | Nov 30 2016 6:29 utc | 93

Trump is Steel Trap-per - a very talented individual with an excellent memory. He's always ahead of the game, always gets his own way, and knows how to set an agenda and manipulate people to achieve his goals. I met a handful of similar people when I was active in the business world. They're almost impossible to outsmart or second guess and they're very good at picking useful people's brains before they make a decision.
The Trump Presidency will be a non-stop Guessing Game from start to finish.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 30 2016 6:42 utc | 94

Most MoA doesn’t hates Dr. Jill Stein, but puzzles why she aggressively goes for recounts. My opinions she making use the system to extract as much money for the Green Party from the sore looser - George Soro, Hillary and Bernie.

Posted by: Jack Smith | Nov 30 2016 6:53 utc | 95

I say the electoral college is a miserable relic of the Founding Fools. (Many of them thought the common people to be untrustworthy, and the wealthy people to be genteel and magnanimous.)

These three things are completely different:

(1) The popular vote

(2) The national electoral vote

(3) The national electoral college

The national popular vote equals the sum of the votes of the people in the nation.

A state's electoral vote equals the sum of the number of congresspeople and senators in the state. A state's number of congresspeople is determined by the U.S. census, and each state gets exactly two senators (and the District of Columbia also gets three votes). If there were no electoral college, the national electoral vote would be the sum of all of the state's electoral votes.

The Founding Fools set the constitution up so that the national electoral vote does not really count. They did this by creating the electoral college (of "electors"). The "original" constitution said that the state legislatures would appoint a number of electors equal to its number of state electoral votes. However, today we vote directly for these invisible elector people directly, whilst falsely believing we are voting for a presidential candidate. (The real original constitution was the Articles of Confederation, which is still in effect, so the constitution is actually a fraudulent document.)

All of these "electors" from all of the states come together and choose the president. They can choose anyone they desire (who meets the legal qualifications). They are never bound to vote in accordance with the will of the citizens who unknowingly elected them. (However, if they are "faithless" and ignore the will of the citizens, some of them will pay a tiny state fine.) The system is set up this way because the Founding Fools did not trust the peasants to elect the "right" president.

So that is how it really works. (But there is also a deal involving the house of representatives if there is no absolute majority of the electors.)

Check out my favorite lawyer:
It's time to tell the truth; the 14th amendment was never ratified
http://www.thetruthaboutthelaw.com/its-time-to-tell-the-truth-the-14th-amend-was-not-ratified/

Posted by: blues | Nov 30 2016 6:56 utc | 96

@92 Going down the rabbit hole one finds more clues and connections.. 2 unrelated deaths last week:

Max Speirs who was about to give a conference in Germany about the elites occultism and Monica Petersen in Haiti who was investigating child trafficking and possible links to the Clintons.

http://vigilantcitizen.com/latestnews/conspiracy-theorist-max-spiers-found-dead-days-texting-mother-investigate-anything-happened/

http://rebrn.com/re/i-found-a-smoking-gun-monica-petersen-found-dead-in-haiti-days-2965968/

How many people have died since the email scandal erupted?


Posted by: Lozion | Nov 30 2016 7:17 utc | 97

I wonder how Russians react to Soros lefties burning russian flags ? Any dirt on him btw would be out by now.(((The media))) is desperate.

Posted by: Valhalla Rising | Nov 30 2016 7:54 utc | 98

@b

It occurs to me that you may not be aware of the theory that the recount is not meant to overturn the result in each state but to cause the electors of these states to not be counted because the recount could not be completed in time (I think the deadline is Dec. 13). This ensures that Trump doesn't have a majority of electors which means that the election is decided by Congress. The Congress of establishment bozos would likely elect the establishment candidate: Hillary.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 30 2016 9:50 utc | 99

Hey @ b re: your "So what is Trump trying to cover up here?" Maybe the answer to your question is this simply.. that he just hates to see the American flag being burned in protest to his presidency by rioters in the streets, complements of warmonger Hillary and her protege Nazi collaborator globalist George Soros, and that's all there is to it folks, no deep dark twisted conspiracy to be found here eh?...Ray

Posted by: RayB | Nov 30 2016 9:56 utc | 100

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