2017 American Political Scene

[astralis]

antimony,

This has got nothing to do with "position", everything to do with laws and rights. Prisoners then had right, just like they do now.

GVChamp's referring to the Overton Window here. having said that, i disagree with his assessment that this was particularly "extremely liberal", because this was already a pretty widely debated issue around 2000. left? sure, but not looney-left, which is probably why this pretty much became widespread policy across the US 8-10 years later, and DOJ policy by 2014. (helped, of course, by said Obama being POTUS.)

the point would be a better one if say the issue was gay marriage, which HAS had a very dramatic shift in the Overton Window in a surprisingly short period of time.

[JAD_333]

Aziz Ansari, the creator of the Netflix show Master of None, is the last person you'd expect to abandon social media, delete all his browsers, and cancel his e-mail accounts. During an interview for GQ, he defended himself using the example of Trump news. He's not a Trump supporter, nor am I, but I agree with him.

Interviewer: What about important news and politics?

Ansari: I was reading all this Trump stuff, and it doesn't feel like we're reading news for the reason we used to, which was to get a better sense of what's going on in the world and to enrich yourself by being aware. It seems like we're reading wrestling rumors. It's like reading about what happened on Monday Night Raw. When you take a step back, it all just seems so sensationalized. Trump's gonna get impeached! No, he's not. None of that shit's happening. But you are going to read all the articles. So if you take yourself out of it, you're not infected with this toxicity all the time. Also, guess what? Everything is fine! I'm not out of the loop on anything. Like, if something real is going down, I'll find out about it.

Amen.

[Double Edge]

Agree too and it saved me tons of time bypassing the unimportant stuff during the election. Not infected with toxicity, exactly. Except it hasn't stopped and it won't until Trump leaves.

Lots of unpredictability this year and there is still another half to get through.

[snapper]

What about it ? wasn't there supposed to be a blow up in there somewhere. Trump isn't surprising here , his position was known.

Would you be happy if Modi spoke to another Head of Government the same way? The guy is an ignoramus narcissist; "I am the world’s greatest person that does not want to let people into the country." What sort of sane person even says that? I know I was brought up in England and we are taught to be 'depreciative' of our own personal contribution because in truth it is always a team effort but this guy is a loon. A President who will moan on twitter about an actress (Meryl Streep) but has not said a damn word about the expulsion of 755 US staff from the Muscovite Embassy? Obama expelled 36 named people. (As it happens the US employs alot of local staff in Muscovy - unlike Muscovite Embassies anywhere so many of the 'fired' staff are likely to be the locals). Something is very very wrong with this loon.

[tantalus]

Aziz Ansari, the creator of the Netflix show Master of None, is the last person you'd expect to abandon social media, delete all his browsers, and cancel his e-mail accounts. During an interview for GQ, he defended himself using the example of Trump news. He's not a Trump supporter, nor am I, but I agree with him.



Amen.

Like.

Imagine the global loss in real knowledge we could all be acquiring...

[tantalus]

Difference is really that this current item is seen in Europe as solely a move aimed towards establishing a wider US hegemony over specifically us. The other things before can - and are - passed off as more of a cultural difference. This time it's about actual power.

Can you explain what mechanisms that the sanctions can act upon that can give this perception?

[kato]

Can you explain what mechanisms that the sanctions can act upon that can give this perception?

The sanctions package specifically targets companies that have a stake in Nord Stream. These are currently Royal Dutch Shell (UK), Uniper (Germany), OMV (Austria), Wintershall (Germany) and Engie (France) - which together own 50% of Nord Stream 2. Flanking the sanctions package the US recently commenced LNG deliveries to Europe, and is currently aiming for long-term contracts. Eliminating other European sources in gas supplies is vital to that. There's a few more hidden items, but the Nord Stream bit is the big, public one. Meanwhile there's nothing in the sanctions package that actually hurts Russia, increasing the perception that this is solely aimed at European interests.

Realistically, due to government and media response over here - narrowing in on that - the perception is that the sanctions package in itself is an act of commercial warfare, and, should sanctions against the above companies be applied the opening of a trade war between Europe and the USA.

[Mihais]

There's a saying here for that. If you vote that way you vote for whoever will win.


I doubt this would go down as the beginning. There's been other items of similar importance to its allies violated before by the current US government.

Difference is really that this current item is seen in Europe as solely a move aimed towards establishing a wider US hegemony over specifically us. The other things before can - and are - passed off as more of a cultural difference. This time it's about actual power.

Oh no.Not over ''us''.Is simply about you not making deals with our actual opponents while screwing Europeans.

[kato]

Oh no.Not over ''us''.Is simply about you not making deals with our actual opponents while screwing Europeans.

And that's why I should narrow my definition of "us" to the four countries the above companies are from - which constitute around 60% of the GDP and 45% of the population of the EU...

[Mihais]

Perhaps you should.But then you should also call an end to the EU.

[Double Edge]

Would you be happy if Modi spoke to another Head of Government the same way? The guy is an ignoramus narcissist; "I am the world’s greatest person that does not want to let people into the country." What sort of sane person even says that? I know I was brought up in England and we are taught to be 'depreciative' of our own personal contribution because in truth it is always a team effort but this guy is a loon. A President who will moan on twitter about an actress (Meryl Streep) but has not said a damn word about the expulsion of 755 US staff from the Muscovite Embassy? Obama expelled 36 named people. (As it happens the US employs alot of local staff in Muscovy - unlike Muscovite Embassies anywhere so many of the 'fired' staff are likely to be the locals). Something is very very wrong with this loon.

Nothing in your reply answers my question. I understood there was a big blow up between the two leaders and your post doesn't reflect any of it. Trump shouldn't have done this or said that bla ba. Maybe what actually happened was a disagreement which the media then hyped into something more on the basis of hearsay from those anonymous sources..

In other words there wasn't a blowup between Trump & Turnbull to begin with. Given the extent of Aussie commitment to American interests over several decades, the story was far fetched and suspect to begin with.

I find the media most unreliable on the subject of Trump because of this. Have to wait a month or so to see what the truth is & track developments.

He says or does this or that. What is the actual result. Did the US accept them in the end ?

Have learnt to ignore these cheap personal attacks, they said the same thing about dubya too...then we in India got to see what Dubya delivered.

The people who can't speak as well do more than those that can speak better. Pols who can't speak english very well have a harder time lying in that language.

[Double Edge]

The sanctions package specifically targets companies that have a stake in Nord Stream. These are currently Royal Dutch Shell (UK), Uniper (Germany), OMV (Austria), Wintershall (Germany) and Engie (France) - which together own 50% of Nord Stream 2. Flanking the sanctions package the US recently commenced LNG deliveries to Europe, and is currently aiming for long-term contracts. Eliminating other European sources in gas supplies is vital to that. There's a few more hidden items, but the Nord Stream bit is the big, public one. Meanwhile there's nothing in the sanctions package that actually hurts Russia, increasing the perception that this is solely aimed at European interests.

Realistically, due to government and media response over here - narrowing in on that - the perception is that the sanctions package in itself is an act of commercial warfare, and, should sanctions against the above companies be applied the opening of a trade war between Europe and the USA.

Has an in depth study of these sanctions been made. Maybe there are clauses that allow for flexibility. When Iran got sanctioned, countries had to reduce their dependence on Iran's exports not go cold turkey. It did however put a freeze on any new developments. Does grand fathering apply here. Can't make rules and apply them retro actively.

[snapper]

DE, how about the end?

Trump: I have no choice to say that about it. Malcom [sic], I am going to say that I have no choice but to honor my predecessor’s deal. I think it is a horrible deal, a disgusting deal that I would have never made. It is an embarrassment to the United States of America and you can say it just the way I said it. I will say it just that way. As far as I am concerned that is enough Malcom [sic]. I have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most unpleasant call all day. Putin [surprise!] was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous.

Turnbull: Do you want to talk about Syria and DPRK?

Trump: [inaudible] This is crazy.

Turnbull: Thank you for your commitment. It is very important to us.

Yea they got on great.

Nor do I think there is anything wrong at hitting North Stream 2 contractors with sanctions. If Germany is committed to a Europe "whole, free and at peace" it should not be trying to act in a way that is economically and strategically detrimental to it's eastern neighbours on whom it tries to force Islamic migrants in the name of 'unity'. You cannot have it both ways. As it the whole North Stream 2 idea is needless - the current North Stream operates at around 50% capacity so the whole project is basically a money laundering exercise to buy influence in Berlin.

PS "Royal Dutch Shell (UK)" As you rejoice about the UK is leaving the EU.

[Double Edge]

DE, how about the end?

Yea they got on great.

bottom line

I have no choice but to honor my predecessor’s deal.

The remainder is some one learning what it means to be president. What strikes me about trump is the level he talks at. Everybody understands. Has to be the easiest president for interpreters.

hey, this is what the Americans wanted.

[kato]

If Germany is committed to a Europe "whole, free and at peace" it should not be trying to act in a way that is economically and strategically detrimental to it's eastern neighbours on whom it tries to force Islamic migrants in the name of 'unity'.

Let's look at it the other way around. Our eastern neighbors - and less our eastern neighbors within the EU, more those beyond that border who cavort with the Americans, and you know who i'm talking about - act in a way that is economically and strategically detrimental to us. And as for Islamic migrants, we're talking about countries where literally two thirds of the population have never seen a single foreigner in their life.

PS "Royal Dutch Shell (UK)" As you rejoice about the UK is leaving the EU.

Leaving Shell's headquarters within The 27...