Merged So what's next for Trump?

[Elixir]

So what's next for Trump?

Apparently, what's next for Trump is to be reported by CNN, FOX News, NBC, MSNBC, ABC (the American one), ABC (the Australian one), BBC, DW, OAN, NewsMax, The Blaze, The Daily Caller, The Daily Wire, Breitbart, Huffington Post, Vox, Vice, The New York Times, The New York Post, WSJ, Washington Post, The Guardian, Sky News, Nine Media, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera International, The Epoch Times (yes even them), Freemantle Media, Independent Australia, Blacktown Community Radio and fucking smoke signals on how he is being "silenced" by Facebook. Apparently, his message isn't coming across and he is being censured. The terrorists still being held at Gitmo aren't even buying into that bullshit.

They all seem to agree he will be re-instated as President by August.
Yawn.
Wake me up when the Qonspiracy morons are disappointed by the failure of these predictions.

 

[lpetrich]

Trump on idea to run for House seat in 2022 in a bid to become Speaker and launch an impeachment inquiry against Biden: 'It's very interesting'
noting
Right Wing Watch on Twitter: "Right-wing commentator Wayne Allyn Root urged Trump to run for a House seat, become Speaker of the House, and then launch criminal investigations into Biden and impeach him. Trump was intrigued: "It's very interesting." (link)" / Twitter

"Why not, instead of waiting for 2024, and I'm hoping you'll run in 2024, but why not run in 2022 for the United States Congress? A House seat in Florida. Win big. Lead us to a dramatic landslide victory. Take the House by 50 seats," Root said.

"Then you become the Speaker of the House, lead the impeachment of Biden and start criminal investigations against Biden. You'll wipe him out for this last two years," the radio host continued.

Trump appeared to be taken by the idea. "That's so interesting," the former president said. "You know, it's very interesting," he added.

He then said that Root's idea "might be better" than the suggestion that he run for the Senate.

Earlier,
Steve Bannon speaks to Boston Republicans: Trump will 'lead us in 2024'

“We totally get rid of Nancy Pelosi, and the first act of President Trump as speaker will be to impeach Joe Biden for his illegitimate activities of stealing the presidency,” Bannon said, leading to applause and hollers from the Boston Republicans.

That seems so bizarre that I'm baffled.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

One third of America doesn't know how to detect propaganda, question sources, or discover reality.

Disagree--it's a lot more than one third. It's just one third has fallen for this strain of propaganda. That doesn't mean that everyone else is immune. Since America divides roughly 50:50, half the population wouldn't have been appreciably vulnerable to the QOP propaganda, thus a better estimate is 2/3 are vulnerable.

4 in 5 likely say they are good at detecting it, 1 in 3 are likely good at detecting it.

My rule is 'If a claim elicits a strong response', whether humor, anger, etc..., double check it.

I've seen how vulnerable people can be to carefully devised tactics.

A bunch of us from work long ago encountered it in the form of one of those stupid self-improvement things. I was unable to get anyone to see the obvious manipulation going on. There was only one other person who saw what was up--and while neither of us had formal training in psychology we both grew up with psychologists.

 

[Elixir]

There was only one other person who saw what was up--and while neither of us had formal training in psychology we both grew up with psychologists.

I was constantly referred to psychologists as a child. Always due to "underperformance" at school. It never made me a "good student" but it did give me some insight into how people are not only manipulated against their will, but also into how their will is bent so they willingly consent to being manipulated. Yeah - 2/3 sounds about right.

ETA: The public school I went to in 11th grade hired a gorgeous young redhead psychologist 2 years after I left. I was living with her a year and a half later.

 

[funinspace]

Trump on idea to run for House seat in 2022 in a bid to become Speaker and launch an impeachment inquiry against Biden: 'It's very interesting'
noting
Right Wing Watch on Twitter: "Right-wing commentator Wayne Allyn Root urged Trump to run for a House seat, become Speaker of the House, and then launch criminal investigations into Biden and impeach him. Trump was intrigued: "It's very interesting." (link)" / Twitter

"Why not, instead of waiting for 2024, and I'm hoping you'll run in 2024, but why not run in 2022 for the United States Congress? A House seat in Florida. Win big. Lead us to a dramatic landslide victory. Take the House by 50 seats," Root said.

"Then you become the Speaker of the House, lead the impeachment of Biden and start criminal investigations against Biden. You'll wipe him out for this last two years," the radio host continued.

Trump appeared to be taken by the idea. "That's so interesting," the former president said. "You know, it's very interesting," he added.

He then said that Root's idea "might be better" than the suggestion that he run for the Senate.

Earlier,
Steve Bannon speaks to Boston Republicans: Trump will 'lead us in 2024'

“We totally get rid of Nancy Pelosi, and the first act of President Trump as speaker will be to impeach Joe Biden for his illegitimate activities of stealing the presidency,” Bannon said, leading to applause and hollers from the Boston Republicans.

That seems so bizarre that I'm baffled.

I read about this being promoted for Clownstick. It is bizarre, but also scary if Clownstick ran with the idea. As he probably could win a Florida district for the US House. And if the Repugs took the majority in 2022, Clownstick would become the Speaker. He could really fuck up the country further with his total disregard for anything but himself over 2 more years. He could probably even ramrod thru an impeachment of Pres. Biden, even if the Senate wouldn't play along (even if the Repugs also won the Senate as well).

On the plus side: I suspect that Clownstick's ego is too big to allow him to step into the much more minor role of becoming a member of the House of Representatives. Even if he could possibly create such carnage. He would also risk, helping make sure the Repugs don't take back the House in 2022. Then he would be just a more famous version of the whack job Greene, with no power beyond getting more media attention again...

 

[ZiprHead]

Trump on idea to run for House seat in 2022 in a bid to become Speaker and launch an impeachment inquiry against Biden: 'It's very interesting'
noting
Right Wing Watch on Twitter: "Right-wing commentator Wayne Allyn Root urged Trump to run for a House seat, become Speaker of the House, and then launch criminal investigations into Biden and impeach him. Trump was intrigued: "It's very interesting." (link)" / Twitter

Earlier,
Steve Bannon speaks to Boston Republicans: Trump will 'lead us in 2024'

That seems so bizarre that I'm baffled.

I read about this being promoted for Clownstick. It is bizarre, but also scary if Clownstick ran with the idea. As he probably could win a Florida district for the US House. And if the Repugs took the majority in 2022, Clownstick would become the Speaker. He could really fuck up the country further with his total disregard for anything but himself over 2 more years. He could probably even ramrod thru an impeachment of Pres. Biden, even if the Senate wouldn't play along (even if the Repugs also won the Senate as well).

On the plus side: I suspect that Clownstick's ego is too big to allow him to step into the much more minor role of becoming a member of the House of Representatives. Even if he could possibly create such carnage. He would also risk, helping make sure the Repugs don't take back the House in 2022. Then he would be just a more famous version of the whack job Greene, with no power beyond getting more media attention again...

That would require him to actually work and follow rules. He's not up to doing that.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well it is good news to know that the Trump, his sycophants, and his idiot followers don't understand that Trump doesn't have to be in the House to be Speaker of the House.

 

[ideologyhunter]

There was only one other person who saw what was up--and while neither of us had formal training in psychology we both grew up with psychologists.

I was constantly referred to psychologists as a child. Always due to "underperformance" at school. It never made me a "good student" but it did give me some insight into how people are not only manipulated against their will, but also into how their will is bent so they willingly consent to being manipulated. Yeah - 2/3 sounds about right.

ETA: The public school I went to in 11th grade hired a gorgeous young redhead psychologist 2 years after I left. I was living with her a year and a half later.

I did the same with a very buxom, giving, progressive-minded teacher. And I was home-schooled.

 

[Treedbear]

Trump didn't look so hot at the North Carolina GOP convention. I saw some of it and he really sounds drained. He didn't seem to be sick or less motivated. Just low energy. My guess is he'll be leaving the stage sooner than expected.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Not only drained -- he's pushing this "I'll be reinstated, sooner than you think" line. I know his followers swallow anything, so far, but, c'mon, aren't there limits? How long can they be pulled along with this narrative? I'm optimistic here, but I'd like to think that some of his base will fall away when August is over and he isn't back in the White House and the Arizona ninjas haven't found the bushels of fraudulent ballots. Maybe that's not optimistic, it's just overestimating the Trumpies.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Not only drained -- he's pushing this "I'll be reinstated, sooner than you think" line. I know his followers swallow anything, so far, but, c'mon, aren't there limits? How long can they be pulled along with this narrative? I'm optimistic here, but I'd like to think that some of his base will fall away when August is over and he isn't back in the White House and the Arizona ninjas haven't found the bushels of fraudulent ballots. Maybe that's not optimistic, it's just overestimating the Trumpies.

Limits on this narrative? Sure. It expires. Then it will be time to switch to a new narrative: House Speaker Trump 2022 or something. Whatever keeps the donations rolling.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Trump didn't look so hot at the North Carolina GOP convention. I saw some of it and he really sounds drained. He didn't seem to be sick or less motivated. Just low energy. My guess is he'll be leaving the stage sooner than expected.

Trump is effectively the Godfather of the GOP. He isn't given that power up any time soon.

 

[Treedbear]

Trump didn't look so hot at the North Carolina GOP convention. I saw some of it and he really sounds drained. He didn't seem to be sick or less motivated. Just low energy. My guess is he'll be leaving the stage sooner than expected.

Trump is effectively the Godfather of the GOP. He isn't given that power up any time soon.

Remember the 1961 movie "El Cid" where Charlton Heston drives the muslims out of Spain?


They're gonna have Trump stuffed and let him ride off into the sunset along the beach on Mar-a-Lago.

 

[ideologyhunter]

I can see Melania signing the forms and licensing Trump's cadaver to be fitted with pulleys, stretch rods, and a voice simulator so that he could be Mar-a-Lago's anthropomorphic greeter. "Wel-come-to-the-big-gest-resort-you-ever-saw. No-shit-hole-people-and-no-fake-news-re-por-ters. In-sert-dol-lar-coin-for-next-part-of-mess-age."

 

[LoAmmo]

Not only drained -- he's pushing this "I'll be reinstated, sooner than you think" line. I know his followers swallow anything, so far, but, c'mon, aren't there limits? How long can they be pulled along with this narrative? I'm optimistic here, but I'd like to think that some of his base will fall away when August is over and he isn't back in the White House and the Arizona ninjas haven't found the bushels of fraudulent ballots. Maybe that's not optimistic, it's just overestimating the Trumpies.

Except I think the Arizona Ninjas absolutely, zero doubt, WILL, um..."find" the bushels of fraudulent ballots.

Of course, by "find," I mean, "manufacture." Or, at least, "insinuate the finding of." And that will be enough, for the purpose of this little exercise. As long as they say "we found the fraudulent ballots! Trust us! You can't see them, because, uhh...reasons"--that will still work. Trump's mouth-breathers will take to Facebook crowing about vindication that "proved Biden stole it," without taking one second to objectively think about any of it:
how insanely unqualified these "auditors" were, how nakedly partisan their motivations were, the secrecy with which they went about their "work," or how many bad ballots were "found" versus how many votes Biden won Arizona by.

Does anyone here think the Arizona Ninjas are suddenly going to discover some professional objectivity deep within themselves, and report to the world, after all this drama, "uh, well, we'll be damned, but we did NOT find any substantive fraud on ballots. Couple here and there, but mostly minor administrative stuff like addresses or what-not, but no real fraud to speak of. And even the minor anomalies we DID find broke both ways--there weren't many of them, and they tended to cancel each other out. Thank you, peace out?"

 

[Ford]

Not only drained -- he's pushing this "I'll be reinstated, sooner than you think" line. I know his followers swallow anything, so far, but, c'mon, aren't there limits? How long can they be pulled along with this narrative? I'm optimistic here, but I'd like to think that some of his base will fall away when August is over and he isn't back in the White House and the Arizona ninjas haven't found the bushels of fraudulent ballots. Maybe that's not optimistic, it's just overestimating the Trumpies.

Except I think the Arizona Ninjas absolutely, zero doubt, WILL, um..."find" the bushels of fraudulent ballots.

Of course, by "find," I mean, "manufacture." Or, at least, "insinuate the finding of." And that will be enough, for the purpose of this little exercise. As long as they say "we found the fraudulent ballots! Trust us! You can't see them, because, uhh...reasons"--that will still work. Trump's mouth-breathers will take to Facebook crowing about vindication that "proved Biden stole it," without taking one second to objectively think about any of it:
how insanely unqualified these "auditors" were, how nakedly partisan their motivations were, the secrecy with which they went about their "work," or how many bad ballots were "found" versus how many votes Biden won Arizona by.

Does anyone here think the Arizona Ninjas are suddenly going to discover some professional objectivity deep within themselves, and report to the world, after all this drama, "uh, well, we'll be damned, but we did NOT find any substantive fraud on ballots. Couple here and there, but mostly minor administrative stuff like addresses or what-not, but no real fraud to speak of. And even the minor anomalies we DID find broke both ways--there weren't many of them, and they tended to cancel each other out. Thank you, peace out?"

Having a front row seat to this (or at least, I live here) I'm not so sure. Our far right politicians (Gosar, Kelli Ward, the literal Karen in charge of the Senate Republicans) are not terribly bright. The "Ninjas" aren't exactly the most competent outfit out there, and between the two of them I wonder aloud if they've got enough brain cells to manufacture any fraud. Will they be able to gin up anything that would fool anyone beyond the most mouth-breathing Trump supporters? I have my doubts about that, as well. I suspect that what might happen will be similar to what happened with Trump's blue-ribbon panel tasked with finding all the alleged "voter fraud" in 2016. Anyone remember that? They actually had some relatively smart fellers working on it, and after not finding anything, they very, very quietly closed up shop and it was never spoken of again.

Because in a way, the results don't matter. They've already accomplished what they came to do...cast doubt on the integrity of the election. It doesn't matter that they didn't find anything back then, and it doesn't matter now. Trump supporters (and over half of Republicans if recent polling is any indication) already accept as gospel truth that the 2020 election was "rigged." It is an article of faith for them, and asking for proof is like asking a young earth creationist for proof. "I have faith, and that's all I need."

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So regarding the E Jean Carroll lawsuit, we get this WTF?! from the DoJ.

The Justice Department argued in a brief filed Monday that it should be permitted to substitute itself for former President Donald Trump as defendant in a defamation lawsuit brought by a longtime magazine columnist, E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of rape, continuing the argument it had initiated under the previous administration even as the White House has changed hands.

"Then-President Trump's response to Ms. Carroll's serious allegations of sexual assault included statements that questioned her credibility in terms that were crude and disrespectful," Justice Department lawyers wrote in a brief to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals. "But this case does not concern whether Mr. Trump's response was appropriate. Nor does it turn on the truthfulness of Ms. Carroll's allegations."
Rather, the lawyers wrote, because they believe Trump was an employee of the government and that he acted "within the scope of employment," the department, rather than Trump personally, should serve as defendant in the case.

In submitting the brief Monday, the department continued the argument it has been making for months: that a president's comments are an official function of his job, even if they pertain to a personal matter. Since it first took that position, however, Trump has been replaced by President Joe Biden, and while the brief the department filed included plenty of unkind words regarding the former President's behavior, it will benefit Trump if it succeeds.

How can the Government itself be sued for defamation?

 

[Elixir]

Will they be able to gin up anything that would fool anyone beyond the most mouth-breathing Trump supporters?

Is there any necessity to fool anyone beyond the bleach drinkers? I don't think so.

They've already accomplished what they came to do...cast doubt on the integrity of the election.

^ THAT. And what ideologyhunter said - whatever keeps the bucks rolling in.

 

[lpetrich]

Sidney Powell gets brutal grilling from Australian reporter: 'Do you ever hear yourself and think it sounds ridiculous?' - Raw Story - Celebrating 17 Years of Independent Journalism
mentions this oddity:

Speaking to the Todd Starnes show, Trump whined that the networks should be covering the crisis in Afghanistan, which the networks have been covering non-stop for the past week.

"And the media... they've got to hate our country," Trump said. "They are in fact the enemy of the people. But the corrupt media shows the hurricane all night long."

What a big baby.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

It is to be hoped the cyber nutters do try to manufacturer fraudulent evidence and get caught at it. And sued and its architects sent to the hoosegow. I'd pay to see that.