How do you feel about the new president of USA?

[Baruch]

Also, Pence is not a grotesque human being in the eyes of the Repub majority in the House and Senate -- I think many of them would consider him preferable to Asshole, and he has the advantage of actually having experience in a political executive office.  I think he's an odious little theocratic bigot, but the Repubs like theocratic bigots.

This is the major wild card out there right now: the more Asshole goes shooting off his mouth about... well, everything, really, the more his VP looks like a preferable option to the Republicans in Congress.  And while I have no use for Pence, I will not say he is utterly unqualified to hold office, unlike his boss.

This is actually a dangerous scenario for the Dems -- if Asshole gets so toxic that even Ryan and McConnell are ready to throw him overboard, that means keeping him in office is politically to the Democrats' advantage.  And unlike Nixon, Asshole is highly unlikely to resign even in the face of assured removal from office.  But they do not want to be in a position to vote to keep him in office, and they have enough votes in the Senate to prevent a conviction on an impeachment.

Ah, for the good old days of President McCain and VP Palin ;-))  At least Palin is easier on the eyes than Pence.

[Unbeliever]

"Not my President" is technically saying "I no longer consider myself an American" because that's the only way he could not be your President.

Chump's not the president of the United States of America, he's the CEO of the Incorporated States of America. A fine distinction, you say? Just a nuance, you say?

No, a complete change in the running of this country. This country is not, and has never been, a business, and it cannot be run like a business. But we'll soon see if I'm wrong about that.

[Hydra009]

I don't know.  But given their track record for allowing themselves to be run roughshod over, I don't care to make any optimistic predictions.  The best I can offer is the hope that by the midterms, Asshole will be so spectacularly unpopular that the Dems make gains despite their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Yeah, that's pretty much the only realistic option, terrible as it is.  It's baffling to me how the Dems do so poorly despite their policies having widespread support, federally-funded healthcare for example.

This last election should've been a gimme.  A lot of the stuff that Republicans hang their hats on - opposing gay marriage, making abortion illegal, supporting creationism intelligent design (God design wink wink), opposing combating (or even recognizing) climate change - these are not winning positions.  There is no conceivable scenario where abortion is illegal again and the public is cool with that.  So you have candidates with deeply unpopular positions and somehow making out like bandits on election night.  I don't get it.

When the Democrats go up to bat, can we at least tape the bat to their hand so they don't embarrass themselves?

[Baruch]

Politics is a spectator sport, like the Superbowl.  Why do you take it so seriously?  It is Luche Libre.  The candidates should costume like Mexican wrestlers ... I think if they did, Bernie would have won the primaries quickly against Hillary (she would not only be a sight in spandex, she wouldn't even be able to do the fake throws).  The public clearly doesn't take it seriously.  Or it is a conspiracy theory by Independent voters like myself, to get the Ds and Rs to kill each other off ... ehehehe

[AllPurposeAtheist]

They don't have to impeach. They can merely decide he's unable to fulfill his duties and appointment Pence as interim acting president and that doesn't require the majority, just the main players, VP, Speaker and president pro temore can unilaterally decide to depose Trump.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

So in essence it would only take Pence, Orin Hatch and Ryan to shitcan Trump. They of course won't because they're far more loyal to their party than the nation. They would never do anything that pisses off the party to protect the rights of the citizens of the nation.

[trdsf]

They don't have to impeach. They can merely decide he's unable to fulfill his duties and appointment Pence as interim acting president and that doesn't require the majority, just the main players, VP, Speaker and president pro temore can unilaterally decide to depose Trump. So in essence it would only take Pence, Orin Hatch and Ryan to shitcan Trump.

Ooo, that is an interesting prospect.  Of course, Asshole would immediately declare himself capable and the coup leaders would have to scramble to get 2/3 of both the House and Senate to back them -- and I don't think they can.

If they do try to pull this, you can bet they've lined up the necessary votes ahead of time.

[Baruch]

Yes, the only one who can save the Democrats is Strom Thurmond arising from the dead ... bwahaha.  Please massa Jefferson Davis, please save us from the party of Lincoln ;-))  The Democrats have always exploited their hired or purchased help.

If all the Southern Republicans would move in and take over the zombie Left Democrat party ... like they did to the zombie Right Republican party after Watergate, then all the baddies can be in the same sack together again ... and Republicans can shrieve their souls of the Southern Strategy.  Nixon was liberal compared to the politicians today.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Ooo, that is an interesting prospect.  Of course, Asshole would immediately declare himself capable and the coup leaders would have to scramble to get 2/3 of both the House and Senate to back them -- and I don't think they can.

If they do try to pull this, you can bet they've lined up the necessary votes ahead of time.

You can bet that if they try to play the 25th ammendment card they'll have the votes, but the question would be if Democrats would be willing to play along. If republicans decide to turn on the Duckster you can bet he would do an about face and become a democrat all over again.

[Baruch]

I would love if Bernie were President, then declared himself Independent.  Same thing with Ronald Dump ;-)  Kill both parties.

[Mermaid]

The breaches of ethics and common decency are coming at us so fast, we can't keep up with them. I felt disgusted, disenfranchised, demoralized and fucking angry at the stabs at women's healthcare and immigration, but the gag orders on the EPA and USDA and threats to the media outlets? That is nothing short of bone-chilling terrifying.

Terrifying.

Remember when there was a giant uproar about censorship when Tipper Gore wanted to put stickers on record albums with naughty words in them? Doesn't that seem like a day at the fair right about now?

[Shiranu]

So, it looks like the Wall has been approved... and it will be paid for with taxpayer money.

As someone who lives near the border, I know very few people in favour of this. It's all (*ahem*) white people who live further away, where they don't expect to actually see Mexicans, who are in favour of it.

[PopeyesPappy]

So, it looks like the Wall has been approved... and it will be paid for with taxpayer money.

As someone who lives near the border, I know very few people in favour of this. It's all (*ahem*) white people who live further away, where they don't expect to actually see Mexicans, who are in favour of it.

I'm white, live closer to the Canadian border than the Mexican one by a few hundred miles, and see Mexicans every day. Hispanics and Latinos anyway as I assume many of them are from places like El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as well as Mexico.

The states with the lowest percentages of Mexicans are mostly Northeastern blue states.

[Shiranu]

I'm white, live closer to the Canadian border than the Mexican one by a few hundred miles, and see Mexicans every day. Hispanics and Latinos anyway as I assume many of them are from places like El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as well as Mexico.

The states with the lowest percentages of Mexicans are mostly Northeastern blue states.

I didn't mean that far north, I meant like Dallas, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama etc..

[AllPurposeAtheist]

What's he gonna do when people figure out how to get on airplanes and boats or just go to Canada? I know...just build a giant inpenatrable bubble over the entire country which of course would have the added benefit of keeping all that nasty Canadian cold air out . I think it's all that Canadian air that causes all our problems. Eliminate air and we will never have to worry about crime or jobs or, well, anything ever again.

[Baruch]

The breaches of ethics and common decency are coming at us so fast, we can't keep up with them. I felt disgusted, disenfranchised, demoralized and fucking angry at the stabs at women's healthcare and immigration, but the gag orders on the EPA and USDA and threats to the media outlets? That is nothing short of bone-chilling terrifying.

Terrifying.

Remember when there was a giant uproar about censorship when Tipper Gore wanted to put stickers on record albums with naughty words in them? Doesn't that seem like a day at the fair right about now?

Don't fret, the D-media never wanted to keep you informed anyway.  You have to check the Internet, every single day, to keep up ... since about 2000.