Trump's First 100 Days

[Rotobeast]

(03-29-2017, 12:38 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: There have been improvements as to the pollutants that are the end result of coal's use. That being said, the "clean coal" situation doesn't address the environmental impact of the extraction of the coal. The is why the non-PR, non-fluff term is coal pollution mitigation. Coal use continues to have a wide range of negative environmental impacts and those aren't being focused on, just cleaning or storing the very last byproduct. Some of the methods, there is still uncertainty about. Pumping the emissions underground could result in impacts we have yet to discover.

Proceeding with this route often takes attention away from investment in alternative sources. It's easier to look at mitigating the pollutants from something you already use instead of coming up with newer methods. But make no mistake, there is no such thing as clean coal if you don't ignore the entire process.

Good point.
I have many friends in WV and I've seen the effect of "topping" mountains.
I would also add, I'm not in support of ignoring research of cleaner alternatives.

[BmorePat87]

So a known opponent of gay and trans rights was put in charge of the HHS office of civil rights.

Sorry guys.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(03-29-2017, 06:08 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: Good point.
I have many friends in WV and I've seen the effect of "topping" mountains.
I would also add, I'm not in support of ignoring research of cleaner alternatives.

I'm all for researching cleaner alternatives, but I hope they stop dumping billions into clean energy companies that instantly go bankrupt.

Pretty much all the clean energy movements it seemed were either instantly bankrupt... or overpriced while underproducing, while still being ecological hazards.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/26/solyndra-misled-government-get-535-million-solar-p/

Quote:Solyndra, the solar panel manufacturer who took more than $500 million from President Obama’s stimulus then went bust, sticking taxpayers for the loss, lied to federal officials to secure the loan, the Energy Department’s inspector general said in a report released Wednesday.


But the Obama administration goofed too, and may have cut corners in fully vetting the project because of “political pressure” from top Democrats and Solyndra itself, the investigators said in their report, which took four years to complete.

(And that case is nowhere near a rarity.)


Saw some article recently about an experiment using a ton of film projector lights to simulate the sun, so they could try to make more efficient panel placement. The problem was.. the experiment in 4 hours of use, used the same amount of energy as a household of 4 did in an entire year. So they use obscene amounts of non-renewable energy to try to make renewable energy more efficient. Lol

[BmorePat87]

W reportedly said "that was some weird shit" after Trump's inauguration speech. lol

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/326438-george-bush-after-inauguration-that-was-some-weird-s-t-report

[GMDino]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/326639-flynn-offers-to-testify-on-russia-ties-in-exchange-for-immunity

Quote:President Trump's former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has reportedly told the FBI that he is willing to testify about the Trump campaign's potential ties to Russia, in exchange for immunity from prosecution, according to a Wall Street Journal report.



Flynn resigned in February, after it was reported that he misled White House staff on his interactions with Russia and had discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak ahead of President Trump's inauguration.

The Journal reported, citing officials familiar with the matter, that the FBI and the House and Senate Intelligence committees that are investigating Russia's attempts to interfere in the U.S. election have not taken his lawyers up on the offer. 

Flynn's lawyer said in a statement that “General Flynn certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit.” 

“Notwithstanding his life of national service, the media are awash with unfounded allegations, outrageous claims of treason, and vicious innuendo directed against him. He is now the target of unsubstantiated public demands by Members of Congress and other political critics that he be criminally investigated,” Flynn’s lawyer Robert Kelner said in a statement.

“No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicized, witch hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution," he added.

Kelner said there have been discussions with the House and Senate Intelligence panels. 

Flynn spoke with Kislyak multiple times during the transition, including on Dec. 29, the day then-President Obama retaliated against Moscow for its hacking of Democratic political groups and individuals, which intelligence agencies say was done to aid Trump’s campaign. 
 
Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, whose ties to Russia have been under scrutiny, and son-in-law Jared Kushner earlier this week volunteered to interview with the House Intelligence Committee's probe of Russian interference.
Former aides Roger Stone and Carter Page, who have also been in the spotlight in the Russian investigations have also offered to talk with the committees — but none with any conditions of immunity.

 
FBI Director James Comey last week confirmed that the bureau is investigating Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election — including any links or coordination between members of Trump's campaign and Moscow.

Following his resignation, other revelations have been made surrounding Flynn, including that he was paid tens of thousands of dollars by multiple Russian companies for speeches made prior to becoming a formal adviser on Trump's campaign.
 
Flynn received $56,250 in payments for work done for two Russian firms and Kremlin-backed news outlet RT.

He also reportedly discussed ways to take a man wanted by the Turkish government out of the United States without going through the legal extradition process.

The conversation, which took place during the presidential race while Flynn was serving as an unpaid adviser to Trump, centered around Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.
 
In September, criticizing Hillary Clinton over former aides being given immunity deals as part of an investigation into her private email server, Flynn said, "When you're given immunity that means you've probably committed a crime."
 
Intelligence agencies first announced beliefs of possible Russian election interference in October. Since then, the intelligence community has concluded interference from Moscow did occur, and multiple investigations have been launched into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia and communications amid the Russian hacks.

[CKwi88]

(03-30-2017, 10:35 PM)GMDino Wrote: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/326639-flynn-offers-to-testify-on-russia-ties-in-exchange-for-immunity

Look at that swamp being drained.

[GMDino]

(03-31-2017, 10:01 AM)CKwi88 Wrote: Look at that swamp being drained.

[Belsnickel]

(03-31-2017, 11:05 AM)GMDino Wrote:

Well, to be fair, he has only sought immunity, he hasn't had it given to him. This could mean several things:

1. The government can make a case without Flynn's testimony.
2. There are no bigger fish to fry that Flynn can hand them.
3. He really isn't in too much trouble and Flynn is only trying to protect himself from an aggressive independent investigation.
   

There could be more reasons, but those are the big three that come to mind for me.

[GMDino]

(03-31-2017, 11:17 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Well, to be fair, he has only sought immunity, he hasn't had it given to him. This could mean several things:

1. The government can make a case without Flynn's testimony.
2. There are no bigger fish to fry that Flynn can hand them.
3. He really isn't in too much trouble and Flynn is only trying to protect himself from an aggressive independent investigation.
   

There could be more reasons, but those are the big three that come to mind for me.

Agreed on all three points.  Just pointing out (again) how they switch sides when they are in trouble.  

That quote is legit.  Video exists.  Of course THEN he was talking about Clinton's emails.

[Belsnickel]

(03-31-2017, 11:21 AM)GMDino Wrote: Agreed on all three points.  Just pointing out (again) how they switch sides when they are in trouble.  

That quote is legit.  Video exists.  Of course THEN he was talking about Clinton's emails.

I know, I just wanted to throw that out there for discussion. But yeah, does go to show the flip-flopping. It's like Trump bitching about Obama playing golf.

[GMDino]

(03-31-2017, 11:23 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I know, I just wanted to throw that out there for discussion. But yeah, does go to show the flip-flopping. It's like Trump bitching about Obama playing golf.

Having recently watched some stuff on Watergate (unrelated to Trump...just love historical things) I wonder if you think this is reaching the point where the "cover up" is getting as bad as any potential crime/misdeed?

I don't even know what happened, if anything.  But the constant diversions and the intrigue with Nunes is baffling to me.

[Belsnickel]

(03-31-2017, 11:32 AM)GMDino Wrote: Having recently watched some stuff on Watergate (unrelated to Trump...just love historical things) I wonder if you think this is reaching the point where the "cover up" is getting as bad as any potential crime/misdeed?

I don't even know what happened, if anything.  But the constant diversions and the intrigue with Nunes is baffling to me.

I said from the onset that I wanted to see an independent investigation. Not because I think anything is there, but because it will move us past it so that we can actually get to policy. I'm still in that camp, but at this point I feel more and more like something is rotten in this mix because of all of the stuff going on.

At this point, I just keep calling for the independent investigation and otherwise I am focusing on policy issues.

[GMDino]

(03-31-2017, 11:37 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I said from the onset that I wanted to see an independent investigation. Not because I think anything is there, but because it will move us past it so that we can actually get to policy. I'm still in that camp, but at this point I feel more and more like something is rotten in this mix because of all of the stuff going on.

At this point, I just keep calling for the independent investigation and otherwise I am focusing on policy issues.

Does seem that would at least settle everything one way or the other.

I get a chuckle out of the same crowd that insists that if you "have nothing to hide" you shouldn't mind all the surveillance to "keep us safe" also doesn't want independent investigations of their own actions because they don't want it to get into other things.

[*michaelsean*]

(03-31-2017, 11:05 AM)GMDino Wrote:

Liddy volunteered himself to be killed.  This guy's a wuss.  

[GMDino]

Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2017

Jason Chaffetz to Trump: Stop the ‘Witch Hunt’ Claims, This Is not a Witch Hunt (VIDEO) https://t.co/teDBhWCPUB pic.twitter.com/J271uy21Mh

— CitizenSlant (@CitizenSlant) March 31, 2017

[GMDino]

[GMDino]

CBS reporter asked about Flynn, so President Trump left.

Trump leaves executive order signing without signing executive orders | WATCH https://t.co/icZ19Van1Y pic.twitter.com/0Lu2FgaKQ3

— The Hill (@thehill) April 1, 2017

[Rotobeast]

(03-31-2017, 11:37 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I feel more and more like something is rotten in this mix because of all of the stuff going on.

(04-01-2017, 10:24 AM)GMDino Wrote: CBS reporter asked about Flynn, so President Trump left.

Trump leaves executive order signing without signing executive orders | WATCH https://t.co/icZ19Van1Y pic.twitter.com/0Lu2FgaKQ3

— The Hill (@thehill) April 1, 2017

Because they threw Flynn to the wolves.
He was the sacrificial lamb.
Flynn probably had it explained as more of an "Ollie North", but they totally Judas'ed him.
Not saying Flynn was without fault though.
He just got the green swamp-weenie.

[Dill]

(03-31-2017, 11:17 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: Well, to be fair, he has only sought immunity, he hasn't had it given to him. This could mean several things:

1. The government can make a case without Flynn's testimony.
2. There are no bigger fish to fry that Flynn can hand them.
3. He really isn't in too much trouble and Flynn is only trying to protect himself from an aggressive independent investigation.
   

There could be more reasons, but those are the big three that come to mind for me.

One that comes to mind for me is that there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian hackers.

[GMDino]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/04/03/trumps-meeting-egyptian-leader-push-human-rights-background/99962308/

Quote:Trump's meeting with Egyptian leader to push human rights to the background


This world leader was never welcomed at the Obama White House because of his record of human rights violations. But he has been invited for a meeting with President Donald Trump. Susana Victoria Perez (@susana_vp) has more. Buzz60





WASHINGTON — President Trump's meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the White House Monday may represent the strongest signal yet that Trump is making counter-terrorism a top priority — even if it comes at the expense of human rights in the region.

White House aides said Trump hopes to use Monday's meeting to "reboot" the relationship and reestablish a connection made when they first met in New York last September. It's a reversal from President Obama, who gave a cold shoulder to the Egyptian leader after he helped depose the democratically elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Since then, Sisi's regime has been responsible for jailing and killing thousands of protesters. "He took control of Egypt. And he really took control of it,” Trump told the Fox Business Network last September.

One senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House press office, said Trump would address human rights issues, but would handle it in a more "discreet" way.

"Do we believe it, given that this administration has gone out of its way to avoid talking about human rights?" said Neil Hicks, an Egypt specialist at Human Rights First. "I think we're entitled to be skeptical."

The Trump administration has already taken a number of steps to de-emphasize human rights in its foreign policy. Last week, the administration approved the sale of 19 F-16 fighter jets to the Kingdom of Bahrain, despite human rights concerns that had held up the sale under the Obama administration.

And when the State Department released its annual human rights report last month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did not hold a press conference to detail the findings of the human report.

That report cited Egypt for a long list of human rights violations. Among them: excessive use of force by state security forces, including impunity for the killing and torture of political opponents; the use of military courts to try civilians in mass trials, and widespread practices that include female genital mutilation, human trafficking, forced marriage and child abuse.

In one closely watched case, Egyptian officials arrested Aya Hijazi, an Egyptian-American citizen who ran a charity for street children. White House officials would not make any assurances that Trump would bring up her two-year detention. "We are going to address this issue with Egypt in a way that he hope will maximize the chances of getting it resolved," said a second official, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

Trump has said his first foreign policy priority is to "defeat radical Islam." And in a speech outlining his strategy last year, he mentioned only two world leaders by name as natural allies in that effort.

"We will partner with King Abdullah of Jordan and the president of Egypt, President Sisi, and all others who recognize this ideology of death that must be extinguished," he said in a speech in Youngstown, Ohio last August. Abdullah also visits the White House this week for a separate meeting focused on the campaign against the Islamic State and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Trump aides say the president will assure both leaders that he would "continue to maintain a strong and sufficient level of support to Egypt and Jordan," despite a budget outline that slashes foreign humanitarian and development aid — aid that has helped Jordan deal with a torrent of refugees from Syria's Civil War.