![]() |
Rift in the Democratic Party - Printable Version +- Cincinnati Bengals Message Board / Forums - Home of Jungle Noise (http://thebengalsboard.com) +-- Forum: Off Topic Forums (http://thebengalsboard.com/Forum-Off-Topic-Forums) +--- Forum: Politics & Religion 2.0 (http://thebengalsboard.com/Forum-Politics-Religion-2-0) +---- Forum: P & R Archive (http://thebengalsboard.com/Forum-P-R-Archive) +---- Thread: Rift in the Democratic Party (/Thread-Rift-in-the-Democratic-Party) |
RE: Rift in the Democratic Party - Dill - 07-09-2019 (07-09-2019, 02:07 PM)hollodero Wrote: But that's exactly what Trump does. Only a hundred times worse. Quite safe to say there has never been a more immoderate, intemperate president than Trump, nor one who appears to draw support precisely BECAUSE of what some have termed his "style," his willingness to degrade the office with boorish behavior. The important "rift" in the nation right now is not between Dem and Dem but between Americans who think the president's behavior essentially affects what the nation is, here and abroad, and those who think his behavior a side issue, and calling it out just "hyperbole." But the Dems need "moderation" if they hope to win against someone like this? (07-09-2019, 02:07 PM)hollodero Wrote: Yeah, those do matter in my view.Agreed. And more. Regarding Trump's policies, again, the effects seem just as invisible to Trump defenders as the effects of his personality. It's not just that there is "no progress" on NK; Trump has legitimized Kim as world leader. As I have mentioned elsewhere, he has now met with six world leaders and was a fixture at the Asian Games in Indonesia in 2018. This makes it next to impossible to ever re-instate sanctions at their previous level, and the US has gotten nothing in return but presidential love letters. Pulling out of the TPP basically left China to dominate the Far East economically, and pushed allies to consider alternatives to US alliance. (Admittedly, the less one knows about foreign policy, the better this probably sounds.) Regarding domestic policy: Under the radar, all manner of capillary changes are occurring in Depts. under control of Trump appointees. Everyone here has probably hashed over Trump's appointments for HUD, Education, Treasury, Interior and EPA, so I'll introduce a new example--the USDA--as typical of what is happening across the executive. Problem one: Trump is far behind on appointments and staffing at the USDA. As a result phones in many offices, taking calls from those agriculture based red states which supported Trump, are ringing without anyone to answer them. https://www.eater.com/2017/10/17/16488890/usda-trump-administration-sonny-purdue Problem two: the USDA is not all muddle, though. Trump's actual policies are coming to surprise his rural constitutents in the red states which supported him. Trump Administration Proposes to Eliminate Most Rural Housing Programs http://www.ruralhome.org/whats-new/menu-policy/1468-trump-fy18-budget-usda 600 organizations oppose Trump administration's rural development cuts. https://www.farmprogress.com/usda/600-organizations-oppose-trump-administrations-rural-development-cuts Problem three: No time for Dems to enjoy the irony. To positions which require scientific competence and background knowledge, Trump appoints unqualified campaign contributors, and that affects all of us. Trump hires campaign workers instead of farm experts at USDA https://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/21/trump-agriculture-department-usda-campaign-workers-242951 Problem four follows from three: He and his appointees then cancel or alter ongoing scientific inquiry important to agriculture, to fit their pro-corporate, anti-science bias. USDA Indefinitely Suspends Honey Bee Tracking Survey as States Get Approval to Use Bee-Killing Pesticide https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/06/politics/honeybees-study-usda-donald-trump-budget-cuts/index.html This includes efforts to stop, stall and distort research into climate change. Betrayal at the USDA (2018):How the Trump administration is sidelining science and favoring industry over farmers and the public https://www.ucsusa.org/our-work/food-agriculture/unhealthy-food-policy/betrayal-usda-2018 USDA Under Trump Hides Studies Proving Effects of Climate Change: Report https://www.thedailybeast.com/usda-under-trump-hides-studies-proving-effects-of-climate-change-politico One acutely disruptive consequence of all this, plus Trump's disciplinary measures against USDA scientists who protest, is the looming massive "brain drain" from the USDA. Vast Majority of Staffers at Agriculture Research Agency Reject Relocation https://www.govexec.com/management/2019/06/vast-majority-staffers-agriculture-research-agency-reject-relocation/158074/ Trump USDA climate science quash squanders US science leadership https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-usda-climate-science-quash-squanders-us-science-leadership-63079493616 So it's not like its just the DOJ or the State Department which are shot through with chaos and incompetence. The RIFT in the US is between those who think Trump's personality disorder flows downward, into all aspects of government (e.g., by his choice of the "best people" of similar competence and ethics), and those who don't see what the problem is--either with personality or policy--but sure like it when liberal heads explode. To the former, this mess is all linked--foreign and domestic policy, State Dept. and USDA; to the latter, this mess is no mess at all, but liberals getting put in the place, America made great again. For them, nothing changes tomorrow because USDA scientists quit today. RE: Rift in the Democratic Party - BakertheBeast - 07-11-2019 (07-09-2019, 11:50 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: They are political comedians. So what exactly do you expect for them to make jokes about? Trump is politics right now. He has inserted himself into every single topic since he began running for president. And, frankly, everything else about politics seems completely boring compared to his outlandish behavior. Colbert is F'n hilarious. Its the perfect setup for a comedian. Point out the exact words that sound like it came out of a sixth graders mouth by a illiterate conman posing as a potus and use them to make him look like the ass he is. No wonder the Trump lovers don't think its funny because by association it makes them look like asses too for backing that moron. Kimmel and Meyers are good at it to. Fallon missed the boat. The only "hacking" going on is at the white house. |