Humberts post was a good one and worth a read. So I am going to post the article for those who can not access the NYT.
During my first year as an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times, I wasn’t allowed to use the word “lie.”
That first year coincided with the 2000 election, and George W. Bush was, in fact, being systematically dishonest about his economic proposals — saying false things about who would benefit from his tax cut and the implications of Social Security privatization. But the notion that a major party’s presidential candidate would go beyond spin to outright lies still seemed outrageous, and saying it was considered beyond the pale.
Obviously that prohibition no longer holds on this opinion page, and major media organizations have become increasingly willing to point out raw falsehoods. But they’ve been chasing a moving target, because the lies just keep getting bigger and more pervasive. In fact, at this point the G.O.P.’s campaign message consists of nothing but lies; it’s hard to think of a single true thing Republicans are running on.
And yes, it’s a Republican problem (and it’s not just Donald Trump). Democrats aren’t saints, but they campaign mostly on real issues, and generally do, in fact, stand for more or less what they claim to stand for. Republicans don’t. And the total dishonesty of Republican electioneering should itself be a decisive political issue, because at this point it defines the party’s character.
What are Republicans lying about? As I said, almost everything. But there are two big themes. They lie about their agenda, pretending that their policies would help the middle and working classes when they would, in fact, do the opposite. And they lie about the problems America faces, hyping an imaginary threat from scary dark-skinned people and, increasingly, attributing that threat to Jewish conspirators.
Both classes of lie are rooted in the real G.O.P. agenda.
What Republicans truly stand for, and have for decades, is cutting taxes on the rich and slashing social programs. Sure enough, last year they succeeded in ramming through a huge tax cut aimed mainly at corporations and the wealthy, and came within one vote of passing a health “reform” that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would have caused 32 million Americans to lose health coverage.
The G.O.P.’s problem is that this agenda is deeply unpopular. Large majorities of Americans oppose cuts in major social programs, while most voters want to raise, not reduce, taxes on corporations and high-income individuals.
But instead of changing their agenda to meet voters’ concerns, Republicans have resorted to a strategy of deception and distraction. On one side, they have gone full black-is-white, up-is-down on policy substance. Most spectacularly, they are posing as defenders of protection for people with pre-existing conditions — protection that their failed health bill would have stripped away, and which they are now trying to take away through the courts. And they’re claiming that Democrats are the ones threatening Medicare.
On the other side, they’re resorting to their old standby: race-based fear.
But selling racial fear was easier in the 1980s and early 1990s, when America really was suffering from high levels of inner-city crime. Since then, violent crime has plunged. What’s a fearmonger to do? The answer is: lie.
The lies have come nonstop since Trump’s inauguration address, which conveyed a false vision of “American carnage.” But they have gotten ever more extreme, culminating in the portrayal of a small caravan of refugees still 1,000 miles from the border as an imminent, menacing invasion — somehow full of diseased Middle Eastern terrorists.
And now there’s the added insinuation that sinister Jewish financiers are the real culprits behind this invasion. Because that’s where people doing this kind of thing always end up.
The crucial thing to realize is that these aren’t just ugly, destructive lies. Beyond that, they shape the G.O.P.’s nature. It is now impossible to have intellectual integrity and a conscience while remaining a Republican in good standing. Some conservatives have these qualities; almost all of them have left the party, or are on the edge of excommunication.
Those who remain are either fanatics willing to do anything in pursuit of power, or cynics willing to go along with anything for a share of the spoils. And it’s foolish to imagine that there are any limits on how far a party of fanatics and cynics will be willing to go. Anyone who might have had a sticking point, some uncrossable red line of bad behavior, has already taken the offramp.
That’s why a Republican campaign built entirely on lies should itself be a political issue — a reason to vote Democratic even if you want tax cuts. For we’re not just talking about a party selling bad ideas on false pretenses. The addiction to lies has also — let’s be blunt — turned it into a party of bad people.
So what will this party do if it retains full control of Congress next week? What we’ve seen over and over again is that for these people there are no limits and no bottom. If they pull this midterm election out, expect the worst.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/o...n8jOBnq8-hj2Rg
I couldn't agree more and it's basically what Jon Steward said. If CNN and it's ilk spent as much time calling out the president's blatant lies and his shite policies as they do whining about what name the president has called them, they'd be miles ahead.
They shouldn't be nice. They should be saying stuff like: "Trump Lies Again To Motivate His Base", "Trump Forcing Soldiers To Miss Thanksgiving" and never use the two words "president" and "Trump" together.
By the way, how much is his campaigning costing the taxpayer and when is he finding time to do the job he was hired for?
"I was a good student. I comprehend very well, OK, better than I think almost anybody," - President Trump comparing his legal knowledge to a Federal judge.
I'll answer you. Trump is personally benefiting financially from his abuse of the presidency by forcing the secret service to rent rooms at his properties, golf carts, etc. This is a clear violation of the emoluments clause (well, except to Kavanaugh I expect).
If Obama had even sniffed at doing something like this the GOPtards would have been squealing like little fucking schoolgirls, the hypocritical wankers.
Another Fox reporter gets a nice job....
The former Fox reporter and current State Dept spokesperson is the front runner to be the UN ambassador.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/01/p...dor/index.html
Why am I not surprised?
will "it's the economy stupid" trump the mainstream media's tds?
(trump derangement syndrome)
we shall see:
news in this hour:
sure obama/the fed did a good job of bringing the u.s. back from the brink.https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/02/us-c...-expected.html
Jobs smash estimates with gain of 250,000, wage gains pass 3% for first time since recession
trump took the obama recovery and zapped it with a jolt of business tax cuts and business deregulation.
it's working.
the blue wave isn't being talked about much anymore (senate?) and it's because trump has pleased the republicans who put him into office.
if trump had taken his mandate and did nothing (performed like the moron ant/bsnub and boys make him out to be), the dems would be taking the senate and would take more house seats than obama lost in 2010.
that's not going to happen.
CNN and it's ilk are as biased as Fox, (although Trump does bullshit more than all the past presidents of the USA.)
All I see here is you all calling Trump a kunt.....and then you all agree with each other. Again and again and again....
Talk about a jerk circle. You should all get a room.
Mind you, the american economy is doing quite well.....
^Tell me when the US economy hasn't had a zillion dollar overdraft?
hollywood has put it's full support behind ted cruz's (now: "beautiful ted") opponent.
will it work?
this is good from variety which knows hollywood well:
https://variety.com/2018/politics/ne...es-1203016096/
Texas: Ted Cruz vs. Beto O’Rourke. No other race has quite captured the imagination of Democrats like this one, due to O’Rourke’s personal charisma and the prospect of scoring an upset in red state Texas. Kimmel, Rian Johnson, Chelsea Handler, John Slattery, and Susan Sarandon are among those who have made contributions to O’Rourke’s campaign, while Willie Nelson and Stephen Stills have been out on the campaign trail for him. Actress Nancy Stephens and director Rick Rosenthal held a fundraiser for him in July, and Sony’s Andy Given and attorney Barney Given hosted an event for him last year. in Los Angeles. As polls tightened and O’Rourke started to close the gap with Cruz, he started drawing national attention. A viral video in which he defended the right of NFL players to kneel in protest helped land him a guest spot on “The Ellen Show.” While there’s a lot of buzz about big turnout in early voting, polls still show O’Rourke several points behind Cruz, who has hammered his opponent for taking out-of-state Hollywood money.
If you are going to try and quote me, quote me accurately.
I said "and spent it".
The answer is, of course, when Clinton was in charge.
Obama probably would have done brilliantly with the economy if he wasn't
- repairing the enormous fuck up that Bush Jr. left
- stymied at every turn by a bunch of hyperpartisan GOP c u n t s.
As it was he bailed out the US - and probably the world - quite brilliantly.
All baldy orange cunto is doing is blowing up another fucking fiscal balloon - SOP for the GOP, while they cream their take off the top.
Harry,
Whilst I don't disagree that Obama acted in a manner necessary in 2010 given the global financial implosion, he did so with a global network of consensus inc major European and Asian economies. Undoubtedly at the time he carried sufficient respect, and luckily given his time in office he was able to distance himself from the previous regime sufficiently to allow this to happen, but it was not the US alone that stopped the financial catastrophe worsening it was a joint effort.
I'm not being picky here just that during this bleak, entirely self inflicted (politically, due a lack of financial oversight) mess, they, the global politicians for once had to work together for their and their countries futures else risk the complete collapse of a system they'd created and supported.
The constant infighting, and this is true of politics globally serves no one well, particularly the people they are elected to serve and that is why i find this thread disappointing. The juxtaposed views reflect the lack of consensus required to move us all forward - standing on opposing sides using language like shitbird, fukwit, fucktard et al doesn't move parties closer together and toward a common goal but perhaps that is not the desire of some posters as it would render their raison d'etre obsolete eh princess.
I think that you have established, that he is a baldy orange cunto.
Never heard the 'bailout' being called quite brilliant before.
In a nutshell. Everything that a Democrat has done = Good. Everything that a Republican has done = bad.
The end.
Please repeat ad nauseam .
Unfortunately that is it, there are two factions on here that seem quite content to act as self licking lollies - no intention of moving the country forward just a slanging match. I know not what some posters would do if they had no one to rail against, probably go back to being important in their middle management bubble.
It's up to the people to move the country forward but they're too stupid to do it.
It wasn't the world that created the 2008 global meltdown, it was eight years of Bush and the Republicans enabling greed and crime across the board, selling products they knew to be toxic - criminally in my mind - around the world in their lust for money.
Obama and the Democrats tried to put in backstops to prevent it happening again - try googling Dodd-Frank - but the Republicans have ripped them up again and you have to be a fucking moron to be unable to predict the inevitable consequence.
The Democrats use the EPA to Protect the Environment (there's a fucking surprise) but baldy orange cunto puts the energy industries' pals in there.
The Democrats set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop predatory financial practises - the Republicans gutted it.
Fucking right there are two factions, those that care and those that don't give a fucking shit about anything other than sticking their porcine snouts in the trough. **
** Yes, there are Democrats at it, but on the whole it is a better party for society than the GOP parasites.
If only it were that simple, but unfortunately, as in most countries if people believe its as simple as a democratic vote then it ain't ever going to change. i'd love to believe in a democratic vote but this jaded old gasser has seen the money behind the politicians and just because you call yourself x or y its still the money talking unfortunately, the worst part is America is gene central of lobbyists - alongside lawyers i'd fukin shoot them next.
Sing me your little lullaby again Uncle 'arry.
from: https://www.epsilontheory.com/its-twue-its-twue/Reuters, a good service and not the one I would usually peg for this kind of thing, published a textbook, innocent-looking example of what we mean by fiat news this morning. The headline is just glorious: “Elections could put Wall Street’s favorite lawmaker in top finance role.” Now, typically I’d counsel withholding judgment on the story itself until you read it. After all, headline writers looking for clicks (and their bosses badgering them for clickworthy headlines) can be a bit overzealous. But I’ll spoil the surprise: The lede uses the same language.
Let’s be fair. There is obviously nothing inherently wrong about using the term Wall Street. It can be a loaded term, but it is also a useful term. It’s more specific than “the financial services industry” and also has a more expansive definition that can go beyond specific companies and individuals to convey its lobby, its government influence and the like. Furthermore, assuming that people have the same understanding as we do of a loaded term is a recipe for counterproductive interactions. Full Hearts.
But the context for a loaded, pointed and intentional use of the expression “Wall Street’s favorite lawmaker” is compelling. Mr. Luetkemeyer’s sources of campaign funding are the focus of the article. They are linked (along with the potentially loaded language), to his rise to the Chairmanship of the Financial Services Committee and to his policy views. Congresswoman Waters, on the other hand, is referred to as a “vocal Wall Street critic”, with little in the way of exploration of any funding-related inducements that might guide that view. On this basis alone, it doesn’t seem at all unreasonable to guess that “Wall Street’s favorite lawmaker” was consciously or subconsciously used as a pejorative – and expression of opinion as fact.
When pressed, I suspect that the authors would contest that, and defend the assertion as being exactly that: a fact. After all, look at what the Center for Responsive Politics data says about donations from commercial banks. It’s true, it’s true! Maybe there’s a bit of poetic license here in calling this candidate ‘Wall Street’s favorite lawmaker’ just because commercial banks gave him the most money this cycle, but is that so bad? No. It’s worse. The problem is that CRP’s definition of ‘Commercial Banks’ isn’t ‘Wall Street’, something Reuters and the authors – both of whom are actually quite effective journalists who have written some dazzlingly good pieces – know quite well. It doesn’t take much digging to start calling the narrative here into question. Five minutes at the CRP website is enough. I wonder what it would say if we started with the CRP industry categorization that best aligns with what most people on Wall Street would call ‘Wall Street’: Securities and Investment Firms.
Political donations from several Wall Street related "industries" and the top 20 recipients in each category. Data from Center for Responsive Politics.
Securities and Investment Firms.
HEDGE FUNDS
Venture Capital
Investment Management Companies and Private Equity.
Is that money talking about benefiting the greater society? Fuck no it isn't...
Eat the Elephant...
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