1. #26551
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    significant possibility of SCOTUS ruling on trump's taxes at 9 PM thai time tonight.

  2. #26552
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    Question for the yanks.
    Who's she talking to?
    Does Trump have to confront the opposition in a parliament type situation as in PMs question time?
    If not that's a huge flaw in the system like the college electors thing.

  3. #26553
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    SCOTUS decisions coming in minutes....


  4. #26554
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    significant possibility of SCOTUS ruling on trump's taxes at 9 PM thai time tonight.
    only two decisions today (ACA/birth control and 1st amendment)...but they announced that the remaining decisions will come tomorrow.....including trump's tax returns.

  5. #26555
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Inside The Dysfunctional Family That Gave Us Trump

    The president’s father fueled division and detested weakness, says Mary Trump. Now the country is paying the price.

    Happy families are all alike, Leo Tolstoy observed, while every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Then there are the Trumps, who sound like they were incapable of getting through a Thanksgiving or Christmas without blood on the walls.


    In a tell-all memoir Mary L Trump, psychologist and niece of Donald Trump, portrays the US president’s father, Fred, as the domineering, stone-hearted patriarch of a “malignantly dysfunctional family” that she says explains much about Donald’s empathy issues.


    “The atmosphere of division my grandfather created in the Trump family is the water in which Donald has always swum, and division continues to benefit him at the expense of everybody else,” she writes in Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created The World’s Most Dangerous Man, to be published later this month.


    “It’s wearing the country down, just as it did my father, changing us even as it leaves Donald unaltered. It’s weakening our ability to be kind or believe in forgiveness, concepts that have never had any meaning for him.”


    Mary L Trump, 55, is the daughter of Trump’s older brother, Freddy, who died in 1981 aged 42 after a struggle with alcoholism. The president has identified his brother’s experience as one of the reasons he does not drink.


    The Trumps took sibling rivalry to a new level, the president’s niece writes. “Even for the 1950s, the family was deeply split along gender lines,” she says, noting that Fred and his wife, Mary, were “never partners” and “the girls were her purview, the boys his”.

    Donald saw his younger brother, Robert, as weaker and relished tormenting him. He repeatedly hid Robert’s favourite toys, a set of trucks that were a Christmas gift, and pretended he had no idea where they were.


    The author writes: “The last time it happened, when Robert’s tantrum spiraled out of control, Donald threatened to dismantle the trucks in front of him if he didn’t stop crying. Desperate to save them, Robert ran to his mother.


    “Mary’s solution was to hide the trucks in the attic, effectively punishing Robert, who’d done nothing wrong, and leaving Donald feeling invincible. He wasn’t yet being rewarded for selfishness, obstinacy or cruelty, but he wasn’t being punished for those flaws, either.”


    At one point Donald, who was tormenting Robert again, was given a taste of his own medicine, according to the book. “When Freddy, at 14, dumped a bowl of mashed potatoes on his then seven-year-old brother’s head, it wounded Donald’s pride so deeply that he’d still be bothered by it when [their sister] Maryanne brought it up in her toast at the White House birthday dinner in 2017.”


    Family dinners were often an awkward affair with certain subjects – such as where babies come from – taboo. “Table etiquette at my grandparents’ house was strict, and there were certain things Fred did not tolerate. ‘Keep your elbows off the table, this is not a horse’s stable’ was a frequent refrain, and Fred, knife in hand, would tap its handle against the forearm of any transgressor.”


    Fred, “a high-functioning sociopath”, lived by rules of “never show weakness” and “never apologize”, his granddaughter writes. If Freddy ever did say, “Sorry, Dad,” his father “would mock him. Fred wanted his oldest son to be a ‘killer’.”


    Donald took the lesson to heart, Mary L Trump continues. “The lesson he learned, at its simplest, was that it was wrong to be like Freddy: Fred didn’t respect his oldest son, so neither would Donald.”


    Fred’s sons frequently lied to him. For Freddy, “lying was defensive – not simply a way to circumvent his father’s disapproval or to avoid punishment, as it was for the others, but a way to survive”; for Donald, “lying was primarily a mode of self-aggrandizement meant to convince other people he was better than he actually was”.


    Things hardly improved when the siblings reached adulthood. Freddy hated working for his father’s property business and eventually quit to become an airline pilot. Fred Trump had little compassion for his son. As employees look on, he once shouted at Freddy: “Donald is worth 10 of you.”


    Donald did not endure similar scorn because “his personality served his father’s purpose”, Mary L Trump writes. “That’s what sociopaths do: they co-opt others and use them toward their own ends – ruthlessly and efficiently, with no tolerance for dissent or resistance.”


    When Freddy went to hospital in 1981 on what would be the night of his death, no family members accompanied him, according to the book. Indeed, Donald, for his part, went to a cinema.

    Asked to comment on the book on behalf of the president, the White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, said Tuesday: “I have yet to see the book, but it is a book of falsehoods.”


    Even the genesis of the book has exposed a family riven by factions at each other’s throats, however. Robert Trump, the president’s younger brother, sued Mary L Trump to block its publication, citing a 20-year-old agreement between family members that emerged from another dispute over Fred Trump’s inheritance. A New York appellate court cleared the way for the book’s publication.


    When Donald ran for president, his sister, Maryanne, who used to do his homework for him, took the view: “He’s a clown – this will never happen.” Mary L Trump writes that she turned down an invitation to attend her uncle’s election night party in New York in 2016, convinced she “wouldn’t be able to contain my euphoria when [Hillary] Clinton’s victory was announced”.


    But in fact she found herself wandering about her house a few hours after Trump’s victory was announced, fearful that voters “had chosen to turn this country into a macro version of my malignantly dysfunctional family”. Or as the poet Philip Larkin warned: “Man hands on misery to man. / It deepens like a coastal shelf. / Get out as early as you can, / And don’t have any kids yourself.”

    Inside the 'dysfunctional family' that gave us Trump, according to his niece | Donald Trump | The Guardian

  6. #26556
    Thailand Expat AntRobertson's Avatar
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    Ouch!



    In other news, Trump's throwing a tantrum about schools not reopening when other countries are and -- like a child who sees a sibling being rewarded when they haven't done the work them self -- conveniently ignores that it's because they have handled the pandemic better, accuses the Dems of making it a political issue and then immediately makes it a political issue by threatening to withhold funding from schools that don't reopen. Needless to say he lacks the authority to do that and his turd-polishers have set about rephrasing his threats as wanting to increase school funding.

    Another day in Trump's post-factual world.

    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

  7. #26557
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AntRobertson View Post
    Ouch!
    The 'mashed potato on head' anecdote conjures up a particularly pleasing image.

  8. #26558
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyrille View Post
    Mary L Trump, psychologist
    If a psychologist, then her account surely is weighing more than from a non-psychologist... (where is her office, anyway?)

    What to Know About Mary L. Trump, Donald Trump's Niece and Author of Too Much and Never Enough
    She's largely stayed out of the spotlight—until now.

    Donald Trump's niece, Mary Trump, has written a tell-all book about the President and their family.

    Mary and the book's publisher, Simon & Schuster, are currently embroiled in a legal battle about their right to publish it. Most recently, they've been given the go-ahead to continue working towards publication in advance of a July court date.

    In the book, Mary will reportedly reveal that she was a source for a landmark New York Times investigation.

    When Donald Trump moved into the White House, more than a few of his family members stepped into the spotlight alongside him. It seems not a day goes by that the public doesn't hear about a Trump kid's exploits, whether it be Ivanka's poorly-timed Instagram posts or Don Jr.'s right-wing pronouncements; even lesser-known figures, like Donald's sister Maryanne Trump Barry, have found themselves under renewed scrutiny.

    But until very recently, the President's niece, Mary Trump, had been hardly heard from at all. With the announcement of her forthcoming book about Donald Trump—and the ongoing legal battle over its publication (more on that below)—that's about to change. Here, what you should know about Mary Lea Trump.

    She's the daughter of Fred Trump Jr., Donald's older brother.

    Mary is the eldest grandchild of patriarch Fred Trump Sr., and the daughter of Fred Trump Jr.—the second of Fred Sr. and Mary Trump's five children. Fred Trump Jr. died from a heart attack, due to complications from alcoholism, at age 42 in 1981. He left behind two children—Mary L. Trump and Fred Trump III, teenagers at the time—with Linda Lee Clapp, his onetime wife.

    Fred Jr.'s death left enduring scars on the family, including the now-President. Fred Sr. had hoped that Fred Jr. would take over the family business, but Fred Jr. was reticent to do so, preferring to pursue a career as a pilot. "There was a lot of tension between not only the old man but also between him and Donald," one of Fred Jr.'s friends, Annamaria Forcier, told the Washington Post in 2019. "There was a lot of tension because they didn’t want him to be an airline pilot."

    Famously, Fred Jr.'s struggle with alcoholism would put Donald off drinking entirely. Donald Trump told the Washington Post, "I do regret having put pressure on him."

    Mary has mostly stayed out of the spotlight.
    Unlike some other members of her family, Mary has chosen to live largely under the radar. Not much is known about her personal life, other than that the 55-year-old lives with her daughter in New York, and is an expert in psychology. Mary holds a master's degree in literature from Columbia University and a doctorate in psychology from Adelphi University, per CNN; according to her biography on the Simon & Schuster website, she's taught courses in trauma, psychopathology, and developmental psychology.

    She does have a Twitter account, in which she hints at her political views. In her bio, she writes "Black Lives Matter," and has an emoji of the LGBTQ rainbow flag.

    She did speak out once about the Trump family.
    Mary publicly slammed her extended family about the way Fred Trump Sr.'s estate was handled after his death in 1999.

    After Fred III and Mary learned that they would received a far smaller portion of Fred Sr.'s estate than they expected, they filed lawsuits to challenge the outcome, alleging that Donald had pressured Fred Sr. to change his will while Fred Sr. was suffering the effects of dementia.

    Her brother, Fred III, had recently had a child with cerebral palsy, who required pricey medical care. The expenses had been covered by a Trump company insurance plan. But after Fred III and Mary challenged Fred Sr.'s will, Robert, Maryanne, and Donald dropped the medical coverage for Fred III's young son in retaliation.

    "When [Fred III] sued us, we said, 'Why should we give him medical coverage?'" Donald told the New York Daily News in 2000.

    Mary also spoke to the Daily News for the article. "Given this family, it would be utterly naive to say it has nothing to do with money. But for both me and my brother, it has much more to do with that our father be recognized," she said. "He existed, he lived, he was their oldest son. And William is my father's grandson. He is as much a part of that family as anybody else. He desperately needs extra care."

    The dispute was settled confidentially.

    Now, she's about to make a big splash.
    In June, the Daily Beast broke the story that Mary was set to publish a tell-all about the Trump family. The highly-anticipated Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man is slated to hit shelves on July 28, 2020.


    COURTESY AMAZON
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    "Mary L. Trump has the education, insight, and intimate familiarity needed to reveal what makes Donald, and the rest of her clan, tick," promises the description on publisher Simon & Schuster's site, adding that Mary will disclose "a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships, and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse" in the forthcoming book.

    Per the Daily Beast, Mary also reveals in Too Much and Never Enough that she was a primary source for the New York Times's landmark investigation into Donald Trump's taxes.

    On June 21, Donald Trump told Axios that Mary is "not allowed to write a book" because she had signed a non-disclosure agreement in 2001, following the dispute over Fred Sr.'s estate. Trump's statements to Axios confirmed a separate Daily Beast article, which reported Mary's NDA.

    Robert Trump sued Mary to attempt to stop the book's publication, citing the 2001 NDA. On June 3o, a New York state Supreme Court judge temporarily blocked the publication of Mary's book, ahead of a July 1o hearing for the case. Both Mary's attorney and Simon & Schuster pledged to appeal—and on July 1, an appellate judge reversed the lower court's decision, allowing the publication of the book to move forward while both sides await the court date.

    Who Is Mary L. Trump, Donald Trump's Niece? - Too Much and Never Enough Author Details

  9. #26559
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by panama hat View Post
    If only there was a thing where one could type questions into an electronic device . . . to be given a plethora of answers . .

    Ah well, I guess we're not that far yet
    I'm sure there is such a tool. Let me check on Google.

  10. #26560
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    Quote Originally Posted by panama hat View Post
    Good idea - please send Klondyke a PM if you've found something
    Pity of the man, he sees klondyke behind every corner and in his dreams... even opening a fridge, seeing klondyke

    Perhaps he should visit a psychologist (it could be the lady doctor ^ when finding her address)...

  11. #26561
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by panama hat View Post
    Good idea - please send Klondyke a PM if you've found something

    Apparently you have to "Bing" things.

  12. #26562
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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  13. #26563
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    Trump v. Vance (wins, kind of)

    "Rejecting a heightened need standard does not leave Presidents with 'no real protection.' To start, a President may avail himself of the same protections available to every other citizen."

    It is by Roberts. The vote is 7-2.

    SCOTUSblog - The Supreme Court of the United States blog - https://www.scotusblog.com/wp-conten...9-635_o7jq.pdf
    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

  14. #26564
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    "Given these safeguards and the Court's precedents, we cannot conclude that absolute immunity is necessary or appropriate under Article II or the Supremacy Clause. Our dissenting colleagues agree," the chief writes.



    but it seems he's been given a lifeline.....it's going back to the district court.

    In a footnote, Roberts notes that the "daylight between our opinion" and the Thomas "dissent" is "not as great as that label might suggest." "We agree that Presidents are neither absolutely immune from state criminal subpoenas nor insulated by a heightened need standard." Here's some key language: "We agree that Presidents may challenge specific subpoenas as impeding their Article II functions." "And although we affirm while Justice Thomas would vacate, we agree that this case will be remanded to the District Court."

  15. #26565
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    ^held up in court

  16. #26566
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    scotus website just crashed.


  17. #26567
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    trump v mazars

    7-2

    but they kicked it back down just like vance.

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinion...9-715_febh.pdf

  18. #26568
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    ^ back to the lower court

    from: SCOTUSblog - The Supreme Court of the United States blog

    The Court has vacated the decisions below in Mazars, and it holds that congressional subpoenas may be enforceable but that the courts below did not take account of all the possible separation of powers concerns. The case will this go on. So this issue is back in the hands of the DC and Second Circuits for now.

  19. #26569
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    long story short....we won't be seeing his tax returns before the election.

    unless they're leaked.

  20. #26570
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    "Given these safeguards and the Court's precedents, we cannot conclude that absolute immunity is necessary or appropriate under Article II or the Supremacy Clause. Our dissenting colleagues agree," the chief writes.



    but it seems he's been given a lifeline.....it's going back to the district court.
    In time Vance will get those documents and Trump will/might end up in jail

  21. #26571
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Trump whining like a bish on Twitter.

    https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump

  22. #26572
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    ^ he knows he's in trouble

    Statement from Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance, Jr. on U.S. Supreme Court Opinion in Trump v. Vance

    “This is a tremendous victory for our nation’s system of justice and its founding principle that no one – not even a president – is above the law. Our investigation, which was delayed for almost a year by this lawsuit, will resume, guided as always by the grand jury’s solemn obligation to follow the law and the facts, wherever they may lead.”: Statement from Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance, Jr. on U.S. Supreme Court Opinion in Trump v. Vance – Manhattan District Attorney's Office

  23. #26573
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    Trump whining like a bish on Twitter.
    .....
    Trump has fought relentlessly to keep his financial records secret. The two Supreme Court justices that he appointed — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — sided against Trump, with Kavanaugh writing in a concurring opinion: "In our system of government, as this Court has often stated, no one is above the law. That principle applies, of course, to a President."


    What Trump's tweeting:


    10:38 am: "The Supreme Court sends case back to Lower Court, arguments to continue. This is all a political prosecution. I won the Mueller Witch Hunt, and others, and now I have to keep fighting in a politically corrupt New York. Not fair to this Presidency or Administration!"


    10:38 am: "Courts in the past have given “broad deference”. BUT NOT ME!"


    10:46 am: We have a totally corrupt previous Administration, including a President and Vice President who spied on my campaign, AND GOT CAIGHT...and nothing happens to them. This crime was taking place even before my election, everyone knows it, and yet all are frozen stiff with fear...


    10:46 am: "...No Republican Senate Judiciary response, NO “JUSTICE”, NO FBI, NO NOTHING. Major horror show REPORTS on Comey & McCabe, guilty as hell, nothing happens. Catch Obama & Biden cold, nothing. A 3 year, $45,000,000 Mueller HOAX, failed - investigated everything...


    10:46 am: ."...Won all against the Federal Government and the Democrats send everything to politically corrupt New York, which is falling apart with everyone leaving, to give it a second, third and fourth try. Now the Supreme Court gives a delay ruling that they would never have given...


    10:46 am: "...for another President. This is about PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT. We catch the other side SPYING on my campaign, the biggest political crime and scandal in U.S. history, and NOTHING HAPPENS. But despite this, I have done more than any President in history in first 3 1/2 years!"

  24. #26574
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    I reckon the only reason he's got his tits in a wringer is that his financial records will show he's a tax evader as opposed to just a tax avoider.

    But yes, it appears this case is going nowhere this year unless they find more evidence and quickly refile an impregnable case.

    Supreme Court splits on Trump tax cases, potentially shielding returns until after election - POLITICO

  25. #26575
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by panama hat View Post
    Interesting. What would this 'Bing' thing be in Russian?
    I don't think the Russian version would produce the same results.


    You know, if you googled "Putin murderous bastard" it would give you a page of links saying "Putin is lovable leader make happy all people".

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