Assholes's Speech

Btw now that I see you read the Economist, my opinion of you just went up a notch. Originally Posted by lustylad

So you were so obsessed with this guy you saw he was starting threads in another city and decided that could not stand? And then came across others in a city you aren't associated with and decided I must now argue with people I think are confused (when you probably aren't reading what is said or inferring). Bambino was here and then left. Yet you can't seem to. I thought by now you would just stick to your city or the beloved national forum. Nope, you still come here. Since you've told us once your Austin origin story, can you now go and the horse you rode in on.

No, I don't live in an alt-right universe. I'm more of an independent. Anyway, do you remember when Obama wiretapped Angelia Merkel's phone back in 2010? He was told about it and he allowed it to continue.
He has a history of doing this so it would not be out of character for him.
And the reason for doing this - simple - because he could.
Power makes men crazy sometimes.

Comey asked the WH/DoJ to publish his refutation and they refused. Ellen, do you ever check independent news sources or do you live in a alt-right, sketchy facts, bubble? http://www.npr.org/2017/03/05/518630...tapping-tweets

There is a firewall between the FBI and DoJ/WH to prevent undue politicization. They are not supposed to be on the same page.

Read the Economist article I previously posted.

If Trump did this simply to misdirect, without any backing facts, it really would be unprecedented. It weakens the office of the President and his credibility, not just here, but with allies (and enemies) abroad. Originally Posted by EagleEye

Btw now that I see you read the Economist, my opinion of you just went up a notch. Originally Posted by lustylad

I really don't care about your opinion of me. Water off a duck's back. And your name calling is juvenile, as is your critical thinking.

Your cited NYT article says NOTHING ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA ORDERING A WIRETAP!! This is the key claim President Trump made over the weekend. And your comment that Obama went along or was sympathetic is simply conjecture on your part that has no verifiable basis at this point.

To resolve this, it is REALLY SIMPLE. POTUS (and only POTUS) has the ability to declassify ANY classified information. President Trump can request that the DNI and DoJ declassify any information related to the claimed wiretap and then make it public, for all the world to see. Then, criminal and civil actions can be started against the perpetrators.

Here is another interesting article. I don't necessarily fully buy into this, but Max Boot is no liberal patsy (more of a neo con, which also are not pro Trump, so you must take that into account): https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/03/06...ing-in-on-him/

Hope the Steelers kick the Pats ass in 2017.

No, I don't live in an alt-right universe. I'm more of an independent. Anyway, do you remember when Obama wiretapped Angelia Merkel's phone back in 2010? He was told about it and he allowed it to continue.
He has a history of doing this so it would not be out of character for him.
And the reason for doing this - simple - because he could.
Power makes men crazy sometimes. Originally Posted by Austin Ellen

Ellen, Merkel is a foreigner. We can and do listen/wiretap foreigners. We have done this FOR DECADES! Just like they do to us. This is not an Obama specific activity.

Have you seen the US embassy in Israel? It is in Tel Aviv and literally is wrapped in metal. Why? To prevent eavesdropping. By whom? Shin Bet and the Israeli NSA equivalent. We are about their only really ally in the world and yet they attempt to eavesdrop on us.

This is real world. Real politik. There are power hungry people (the men comment is sexist) all over the world.

No, I don't live in an alt-right universe. I'm more of an independent. Anyway, do you remember when Obama wiretapped Angelia Merkel's phone back in 2010? He was told about it and he allowed it to continue.
He has a history of doing this so it would not be out of character for him.
And the reason for doing this - simple - because he could.
Power makes men crazy sometimes. Originally Posted by Austin Ellen

You are right, he could request a tap on Merkel because she's a foreigner. There would have to be a FISA warrant to tap Trumps associates. And that would mean the judge saw cause for said warrant. And what if he did allow the tap to continue on Trumps associates, not Trump. If the judge thought there was cause and agencies thought there was cause, he shouldn't interfere in their investigation. He actually didn't interfere when he could have in the election. He went to ranking members and gave them proof of Russian interference. Asked for a bipartisan response and the Republicans said no. Obama didn't leak it or come out saying Russians were trying to help Trump and the intel community has proof. He let it play out and then Trump surrogates used him staying out of it against him. Obama doesn't have a history of illegally wire tapping Americans, which is the claim Trump threw out. Let's be clear and truthful if we want to go there.

Don't say power makes men do crazy things. I mean we can already see what it's done to Trump. Imagine what will happen in a year? Wire tapping will be the least of our worries.

And while I'm here and people want to complain about Obama doing it because he could. How's that promise Trump made to not take vacations because he would be too busy to leave the White House. Or when he said Obama golfed too much? Funny Trump has been to his vacation resort golfing how many weekends? And it's costing businesses money because they can't operate and the city has to pay for extra security that they may not get back from the government. Not to mention the cost to taxpayers. He does it because he can. That power.

Also let's talk about your reason for voting for him, the VA. I mean I hear increase in defense but I didn't see anything about the VA. But he's the guy who cares about the soldiers. Yeah right.

Yes, you are correct. I haven't heard anything on the VA... yet. I mean really, he hasn't even been in office 6 months. Let's give him some time. Plus, he's busy with Obamagate now.

You are right, he could request a tap on Merkel because she's a foreigner. There would have to be a FISA warrant to tap Trumps associates. And that would mean the judge saw cause for said warrant. And what if he did allow the tap to continue on Trumps associates, not Trump. If the judge thought there was cause and agencies thought there was cause, he shouldn't interfere in their investigation. He actually didn't interfere when he could have in the election. He went to ranking members and gave them proof of Russian interference. Asked for a bipartisan response and the Republicans said no. Obama didn't leak it or come out saying Russians were trying to help Trump and the intel community has proof. He let it play out and then Trump surrogates used him staying out of it against him. Obama doesn't have a history of illegally wire tapping Americans, which is the claim Trump threw out. Let's be clear and truthful if we want to go there.

Don't say power makes men do crazy things. I mean we can already see what it's done to Trump. Imagine what will happen in a year? Wire tapping will be the least of our worries.

And while I'm here and people want to complain about Obama doing it because he could. How's that promise Trump made to not take vacations because he would be too busy to leave the White House. Or when he said Obama golfed too much? Funny Trump has been to his vacation resort golfing how many weekends? And it's costing businesses money because they can't operate and the city has to pay for extra security that they may not get back from the government. Not to mention the cost to taxpayers. He does it because he can. That power.

Also let's talk about your reason for voting for him, the VA. I mean I hear increase in defense but I didn't see anything about the VA. But he's the guy who cares about the soldiers. Yeah right. Originally Posted by Milly23

And while I'm here and people want to complain about Obama doing it because he could. How's that promise Trump made to not take vacations because he would be too busy to leave the White House. Or when he said Obama golfed too much? Funny Trump has been to his vacation resort golfing how many weekends? And it's costing businesses money because they can't operate and the city has to pay for extra security that they may not get back from the government. Not to mention the cost to taxpayers. He does it because he can. That power. Originally Posted by Milly23

Ellen, Would you be so kind as to answer Milly's question about vacations, golf and cost to tax payers? Thanks!

Yes, you are correct. I haven't heard anything on the VA... yet. I mean really, he hasn't even been in office 6 months. Let's give him some time. Plus, he's busy with Obamagate now. Originally Posted by Austin Ellen

Yes he's been in office a short while but he hasn't even tweeted that he's working on fixing the VA. He has no issue tweeting policy other times. I mean we see an increase in the budget for military defense. He could have talked about some of the funds going to help those in the military who have been forgotten. It's just funny, in one breath I hear look how much he's getting done in a short time, then you point to something and it's while it's only been a month give him time.

And this "Obamagate" is something he made an issue. He's POTUS, he can declassify anything. Show the people Obama illegally wire tapped him. Or he can show us the FISA warrants for the taps. Or he knows that they were tapped for cause and is trying to muddy the information. Either way, he doesn't need Congress to investigate. He has the power to find out. But hey, let's get a special prosecutor on Russian interference and Trump Tower wire tapping. And I wager to see what side comes of that investigation with egg on its face.

And while I'm here and people want to complain about Obama doing it because he could. How's that promise Trump made to not take vacations because he would be too busy to leave the White House. Or when he said Obama golfed too much? Funny Trump has been to his vacation resort golfing how many weekends? And it's costing businesses money because they can't operate and the city has to pay for extra security that they may not get back from the government. Not to mention the cost to taxpayers. He does it because he can. That power.
Originally Posted by Milly23

You are seriously attempting to monitor how many campaign promises are kept/broken?

SPOILER ALERT! The jackasses who run for elected office will say anything to win your vote. They are all full of crap and have absolutely no intention of following through with whatever line of shit they can get you to buy.

Take a look at some/most of Cap'n Crunch's posts. That particular handle is literally obsessed with what Trump has said or done. Freaking hillarious!! I don't know the individual behind the handle, but he/she must be one funny SOB, because the Cap'n Crunch handle is a hoot!

I believe that Key Largo is a working White House on the weekends therefore justifying it's expense. Plus, he does not take a yearly salary so there's that. But having said that -all President's and some President's wives too come under fire for vacation expenses. I always felt bad for Michelle Obama because she really got some push back and she did not do anything that previous occupants of the White House hadn't done.
And thank you for asking so nicely!!!!!!

Ellen, Would you be so kind as to answer Milly's question about vacations, golf and cost to tax payers? Thanks! Originally Posted by Cap'n Crunch

And this "Obamagate" is something he made an issue. He's POTUS, he can declassify anything. Show the people Obama illegally wire tapped him. Or he can show us the FISA warrants for the taps. Or he knows that they were tapped for cause and is trying to muddy the information. Either way, he doesn't need Congress to investigate. He has the power to find out. But hey, let's get a special prosecutor on Russian interference and Trump Tower wire tapping. And I wager to see what side comes of that investigation with egg on its face. Originally Posted by Milly23

OR, Trump could just take the information (assuming anything even exists that implicates Obama or the intelligence infrastructure) and tuck it away to use as a get-out-of-jail-free card. After all, isn't this what politics has become? Digging up enough dirt on your opponents so that when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, you whip out some incriminating evidence and VOILA! your activities are swept under the rug.....

Digest that for a moment. Donald Trump given carte blance to the intelligence infrastructure with complete immunity. That child-like, temper tantrum throwing, illiterate could wreak some serious havoc; in addition to lining the fuck out of his pockets.

Gotta admit, Trump's distractions have managed to keep Pee-Pee-Gate out of the news for a while.

But if you think that's the end of the news "stream", urine for a big surprise

Yes, I have heard that too.

Gotta admit, Trump's distractions have managed to keep Pee-Pee-Gate out of the news for a while.

But if you think that's the end of the news "stream", urine for a big surprise Originally Posted by Cap'n Crunch

I believe that Key Largo is a working White House on the weekends therefore justifying it's expense. Plus, he does not take a yearly salary so there's that. But having said that -all President's and some President's wives too come under fire for vacation expenses. I always felt bad for Michelle Obama because she really got some push back and she did not do anything that previous occupants of the White House hadn't done.
And thank you for asking so nicely!!!!!! Originally Posted by Austin Ellen

Working White House? It's a resort. If he wants to go away to get work done, go to Camp David. It's set up as a working White House and wouldn't need things Mar-a-lago needs and those extra costs. He goes to golf and be around people wanting to kiss up to him. And please with the yearly salary thing. He could take a salary for all I care if he signed an agreement saying he wouldn't take a penny of the money his company gained during his time in office. That's not the case so it's all show. He's making more from his company than he would as President so he's doing us no favors. It's like the CEO taking a salary of $1 like that negates the billions they get in stock. Or how about keep the money he makes from the company but have his children pay the bill not taxpayers when they are overseas doing business deals but require protection from SS. I don't care if he's taking vacations. But he's the one who criticized Obama for it and he's doing the exact same thing in such a short amount of time. People seem to have given Trump so much slack for things they were killing Obama for, I just can't seem to figure out why??

So you were so obsessed with this guy you saw he was starting threads in another city and decided that could not stand? And then came across others in a city you aren't associated with and decided I must now argue with people I think are confused (when you probably aren't reading what is said or inferring). Bambino was here and then left. Yet you can't seem to. I thought by now you would just stick to your city or the beloved national forum. Nope, you still come here. Since you've told us once your Austin origin story, can you now go and the horse you rode in on. Originally Posted by Milly23

Yeah I left. I would have never stopped by. I decided to stop in so Yssup didn't have to poison the PGH forum to stalk me. He's done it a couple times in the past. But since his bet was paid in full, he just stalks me now in the political forum.