It is apparently the day when 300 some news outlets all conspired to Bash Trump (unlike every other day when they only did it from habit and the complete lack of any ideas). So did anyone notice?
I didn’t notice until I decided to play some YouTubes instead of watching the news. Yes, I usually watch overseas news, but occasionally (now) do Reuters or ABC on the Roku. But today I just didn’t care enough to get around to it. Yeah, me, a self proclaimed news addict is no longer finding anything worth watching in the news… So missed their big day.
The YouTube that let me know was this one from GutFeld. 11 minutes almost. From Fox (who have finally realized the internet “is a thing” ;-) Love his opening statement:
Musings from the Chiefio 
I’ve noticed that the press try to make a situation worse. Of course, that sells more papers and more news. On the BBC, John Sopel (US correspondent, earning around £250k per year to analyse what’s happening there) obviously hates Trump and finds all the bad things he can say in every report I’ve seen. On France24, currently running on the TV behind my back, there’s an obvious bias to denigrate Trump whenever it’s possible. The UK-based politics reporters similarly treat Mrs May as if she’s an idiot who doesn’t know what she’s doing on Brexit, whereas I can see she’s treading a very fine line between irreconcilable demands and expectations, and trying to find a solution that she can sell to the British public, Parliament, the Northern Ireland politicians, and the EU commissioners. I see that as an impossible task, and that she’s actually doing a very clever strategy in getting agreements (and we know the EU will only finalise any deal in the last possible minute anyway). The final deal won’t be what anyone desired it to be, but I expect she’ll succeed in getting something that actually works. Since no-one will like the deal, but can’t see a way of getting anything better, she may then get dropped by the party and leave the job, and we’ll probably get someone less-competent in the position.
The UK press couldn’t even resist putting a knife in Jeremy Corbyn’s back over his wreath-laying ceremony, despite normally trying to ignore his cock-ups. Yep, we know Corbyn sees terrorists as freedom fighters, and he’s done that for a very long time. Sometimes, as in the case of Nelson Mandela, the world ends up agreeing with him. After all, he didn’t kill any of our people…. Gerry Adams also comes to mind here, where today we have to ignore the obvious fact that he killed opponents in the past since he’s obviously tried hard to make the peace work.
Trump has traits I don’t like, but mostly that’s really a love of bling and putting ideas out before they’ve been fully considered, so there’s a large degree of change of direction if you look on a short-term view. On the other hand, his policies do seem to be working, and unemployment is going down in the USA. Corruption and lawlessness also seem to be a major target, but it’ll take a while to fix those – the steps seem to be in the right direction but they need to be surreptitious (or drowned out in “other news”) in order to be successful. Interesting times….
Simon Derricicutt: ” Corruption and lawlessness also seem to be a major target, but it’ll take a while to fix those – the steps seem to be in the right direction but they need to be surreptitious (or drowned out in “other news”) in order to be successful. Interesting times….”
Aha! I see you have discovered what the YSM has yet to figure out. President Trump tweets and says controversial things (usually about people) on meaningless topics with his left hand. Meanwhile he is pursuing a sensible, big picture agenda with his right hand.
You know the old saw, “Small people talk about other people. Average people talk about events. Great people talk about ideas.”
President Trump has a laser pointer that he uses to keep the herd of cats, known as the MSM, chasing all over the place. If you’ll notice, he tweets or says things like, “Low IQ Maxine Waters.” The YSM are definitely small people; never left High School behind them. They go crazy chasing after things that are meaningless in the big picture of MAGA. Meanwhile, President Trump’s right hand has already accomplished quite a few things on his list of campaign promises.
President Trump is being surreptitious by creating “other news,” usually about people, which the YSM can’t resist chasing. President Trump pwns the YSM and they are helpless to resist.
I completely forgot about it! But then this has been a hell week at work where I transitioned from one role to another (meaning 12 hour days). Apparently I was not alone.
Gutfeld is correct. The press is proving Trump right! If I had been in a coma for the past 3+ years., and just woke up and saw what was happening, my first question would be “How much is Trump paying these fools to be his puppets?”
Seems the press works for free, when you know how to pull their strings.
President Trump=Master showman meets ugly actors.
Politicians and media talking heads suffer most.
The press is like those old Chatty Kathy dolls, all you have to do is pull their chain and they make the same noises over and over and over and over again.
Unfortunately the Media at large is so overly impressed with the “importance of the free press” that they forget that phrase has an implied qualification that should not even need to be mentioned.
The importance of a honest free press is critical to a functioning democracy. Unfortunately they are no longer an honest free press they are bought and paid shills for a single agenda. They are propaganda organs not journalists.
An old comment from England (Humbert Wolfe died 1941).
You cannot hope to bribe nor twist,
thank God,
the British journalist.
But seeing what he will say,
Unbribed,
you have no reason to.
@Larry:
I think that the press were taken over, by design, for that purpose. Ditto the Journalism schools.
@Gail:
Would that it were so today…
I (obviously) don’t read every word, or anything near every word, posted on this blog, but I was wondering, just wondering, if anyone here has ever posted anything critical of Mr. Trump. Just saying. I could be wrong…Seems kinda funny.
Yes Many of us expressed reservations during the election cycle trying to figure out like everyone else who was the “real Donald”. Most of us since then have concluded most of the negative info was either FUD or irrelevant to the primary issues of the campaign.
No politician is perfect but since 60 million democrats and 20 million socialists and 20 million uniparty libertarians/Establishment Republicans spend their entire day picking everything apart to put a negative spin on it to achieve balance we focus on the positive items that the Pravda Media ignores or actively suppresses.
This administration is one of the most successful in history if measured by objective achievements but you would never know it based on the media coverage.
I donated funds to several other candidates and had other preferences prior to the election as EM has also expressed, he had other preferences at the time too, but after examination of the facts I am very satisfied with his job performance and very glad he won the Presidency.
serioso – you have to understand that the mind automatically compares him to Obummer – Trump is GREAT compared that. Not perfect, but GREAT nevertheless. And then there’s Bill The Perv Clinton. OMG!
Too good to pass up.
@Serioso:
It would seem you don’t remember everything either. The last time you posted this “point” I gave a listing of things about Trump that I did not like or found inadequate. It would seem you’ve forgotten.
A shorter “refresher”:
He has moved too slowly to drain the swamp. Ought to have fired the whole DOJ pool like Bill Clinton did.
He needs to move more aggressively on pruning the government. Just eliminate whole departments like Dept. Of Ed and Dept. of Ag (we do NOT need to subsidize Giant Agribusiness).
He is too much the gentleman “taking hits” to protect others. For example, to the cries of “RACIST!!” instead of it only coming out later, HE ought to have published the photos of him with his BLACK DATE (about the time he was dating Melania too). But he would rather take the hit than pull an innocent women into the fray.
I don’t like his “abbreviated speech” pattern. It reminds me of my Dad who did the same thing: Say 3/4 of a sentence, the end is obvious so why say it, mind raced ahead to the next topic, so starts the next sentence. I understand it fully (having grown up with it) but still, I like complete grammatical sentences even if they are way too slow for the mind doing the speaking. Idiots interpret this as low intelligence on his part when in fact it is thinking faster than speaking speed.
I find golf stupid and mindless, so don’t understand why people play it, including Trump. (But have come to accept that, like playing bridge or knitting, many people like it as an “activity” – though with knitting at least you get a sweater at the end… even if I don’t like sweaters…)
I I’d rather he didn’t do the divorce and remarry thing. (Dad was Catholic… divorce is a sin). Then again, as I understand it, in a few (all?) of the cases it was not his choice.
Hopefully that sample is enough to (again) demonstrate you are wrong about no criticisms.
Just to document the prior response by me of things I didn’t like about Trump, it is near the bottom of this comment:
https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2018/07/21/the-serf-on-soros/#comment-97854
I (obviously) don’t read every word, or anything near every word, posted by Serioso, but I was wondering, just wondering, if Serioso has ever posted anything critical of Mr. Obama. Just saying. I could be wrong…Seems kinda funny.
“I find golf stupid and mindless, so don’t understand why people play it, including Trump. “
That is exactly why he does play it (the mindless part). We all do mindless things – to let our minds relax and in doing so, come up with new solutions to issues we have been concentrating on! I do not play golf, I do yard work. Mindless, physical (so it is healthy) and it then presents solutions to problems that I have been obsessing on!
I suspect Trump plays golf for that reason.
I understand that it is very useful to business people as the nature of the game reveals the ethics of the players. Someone who cheats at golf probably cheats in business, it also shows how they handle stress and victory (do they gloat, pout, rub your face in it, preen ??) I bet he plays golf as a social distraction to evaluate people and watch them under different conditions. Do they just take the easy way out when they get in the rough or do they try to take the really tough shot?
Just a guess on my part – I don’t play golf either, although a room mate of mine used to and he tried to get me to try it.
@phil: I’ve read that one reason President Trump likes golf is that it gives him an opportunity to take the measure of a person and get to know them.
If you are a good ball-striker, then golf becomes largely a mental game. It also reveals a person’s character.
The prime rule of golf is “Play the ball as it lies.” Always, always you get some bad lies during a round and how you respond is telling; anger? whining? creative solutions? temper tantrums? improve the lie (cheating)? have a laugh and give it go? It shows integrity to call penalties on yourself, when nobody else would know that there was an infraction.
No matter how good a ball-striker you are, the geometry is hugely against you. An eighth of an in difference in where the ball is hit means it will land 5-10 yards away from the aiming point. When a shot doesn’t go exactly as planned, is the equipment blamed or are other excuses given?
And there is pressure, which most often shows up on the putting green. How well does someone respond to pressure when there’s a few bucks or drinks after the round are on the line? Do they choke on a 4-foot putt?
Then there’s the opportunity between shots to chit-chat about personal details
There is also the business deal-making aspect of golf when it is used to get away from all the support flunkies and just have the principals able to talk where no one can hear them. And given the possible things that can go wrong on a hole, perhaps you wait and make certain sticky proposals when the other person has a good hole and makes birdie. Also, deals may be easier to reach when made between people who are enjoying something together versus sitting across some conference table with lawyers all around. Friends instead of adversaries.
Anyhow, I’ve heard that President Trump likes to get to know people over a game of golf for some of the reasons given above. He’s good at the game, which gives him a bit of relaxation, and it is a useful tool to measure someone as well as a tool to build a relationship. President Trump has always been about relationships.
I don’t know that President Trump ever jumps in a cart and takes off to play a round to relax and ‘escape.’ He doesn’t need to escape. He meets challenges head on. The previous occupant of the Whitehouse used golf to escape. Also, according to unnamed sources close to the matter, he cheats.
(P.S. I’ve always thought of golf as just billiards or pool, but played on an enormous table. Same mental skills, same importance of geometry in striking the ball, and same dependence on muscle control to make a good shot.)
I do read every word on this blog. Most people here write something that is useful, or funny, or of interest in one way or another. When I’ve got something that I think others may find useful/interesting, I add in my two pence. The replies can and have led to new insights.
As regards Trump, I can’t vote for or against him, but he’ll change my conditions nevertheless. Understanding what he’s doing is of interest, especially as the media are so against him they can’t report on the surge in wages and profitability of companies in the US or the actual improvements for a lot of the minorities. Friends in the US see business booming. What I hear on the news is that this is a problem and is the prelude to a crash that will be very bad.
Though Trump is not a person who would be in my group of friends, since I was born a peasant and he was born rich and that social divide is hard to get over, I can see that what he’s achieving is good for all (legally there) Americans. It may take a while to fix the really depressed areas, but with less load from government the natural riches of the country will reach everyone over time. Is it fair that the USA has such natural riches and some other countries don’t? No, but then life isn’t fair anyway, it just is what it is. If you’re born in a shithole country, that’s hard luck, in the same way as if you’re born blind or crippled.
Kofi Annan has died. In the news, he’s celebrated as the first Black UN secretary-General. Why is it that his colour is important? Why is it that women scientists are celebrated as women succeeding “in a man’s job”? I figure we’ll have achieved equality once it’s no longer newsworthy that someone is Black, female, disabled in some way, or otherwise “different”, and when we employ people on whether they can do the required job rather than have a quota for various minorities. One bright point there is that on the net we’re all equal anyway. A good friend is actually crippled, but can and does do excellent work from home. Force him to go to an office to work like an able-bodied person and he couldn’t manage it. As far as I can see Trump employs people who can do the job, and doesn’t worry about their race or gender, but the media try to persuade me he is racist because he doesn’t want undocumented aliens moving into the USA and taking the jobs from the people born there.
One thing I learned here was Saul Alinsky’s list of techniques, and I can see them in action in the media. As such, is the public face of Trump actually the truth? I’m pretty sure it isn’t, since there’s just too much evidence to the contrary. I’d urge Serioso to look somewhat deeper into what he’s accepted as the truth simply because it’s what’s in the media all the time. After all, if Trump doesn’t succeed in what he’s doing, Serioso himself will see higher taxes and no job available to him, as is currently happening in Venezuela.
Ha! Larry… same wavelength on Trump and golf.
I used to play and enjoyed playing, but public courses are slow and eat too much time up for any return in fun or other benefits. I still like to play when invited to the occasional golf outing because the course is flooded with friends and acquaintances. It’s like a big lawn party.
On Meet the (De)Press(ed) today, Trump’s revocation of security clearances is being spun as revenge. No mention of how these people were attempting to undermine the Will of the People – which is a great reason to yank their clearance. So Brennon is on now whining about it. It’s really sickening, the extreme bias presented as neutral commentary.
@Jim2:
Thus their plummeting audience… Folks are not all that dumb. They figure out “right quick” when they are being fed a pack of lies.
At this point (judging by their abysmal trust rankings) the only folks watching “Legacy News Outlets” are the True Believers and the Opposition Research folks… and even some of us who used to do Op Res are being sickened enough (and it is Soooo predictable) that it isn’t even useful for that…
What happens when your focus moves from running a business ot political propaganda.
I think they are the tail of the curve the last remaining viewers are probably some of my generation that grew up in a household where Meet the Press and similar programs were a regular event “same time same station” every week – it has become a ritual and little conscious thought is involved in “choosing” to watch them. The other small demographic is like you say the political junkies who want to be able to comment on the most recent stories.
Those audiences will gradually die off, like the households that used to get the paper delivered every morning or every evening (Denver had two papers Rocky Mountain News was a morning delivery aimed at mostly the business community, and the Denver Post was an evening paper)
Then slowly one by one they realize that the reason they got the paper has evaporated, classified ads are now useless in the published papers, and things like recent news and events are easier found on line for those who are comfortable with computers. Over time their audience will simply die off and they will discover they don’t have enough viewership to interest advertisers and once that dries up they will disappear almost over night.
@H.R. – Not being a golfer myself, I like your explanation better than mine. It explains it more completely. Trump does not waste time.
If you have ever seen the movie “Mooseport”, then you will appreciate your explanation even more, and the contempt Trump has for the swamp.
Mr. Smith, it’s no wonder I forgot what you said in criticism of Mr. Trump: Your focus was almost entirely on his style, not the substance of his actions (although you did discuss the things he has not done that you wish he had). What did you have to say about his interaction with Putin at Helsinki? Nada! What about his removing the security clearances of prominent intelligence experts? From you, nada! What about his lack of judgment in choosing cabinet secretaries or campaign staff? What about his tax returns? His hundreds of lies? His (unwarranted) attacks on the press? It’s a long list… And you critique his style? Very weird! Seems to me like wilful and irrational blindness.
@Serioso:
So you complain nobody here has criticized Trump. I show that’s not true.
I provide MY criticisms of Trump (and quote my prior criticisms). A direct response to your “issue”.’
You respond that you don’t like my criticisms as they are not your criticisms. At best, a stupidity, at worst, a disingenuous use of your comment to advance an agenda ala Alynisky and Trolls. (Then you wonder why some folks think you a troll…)
You claim my “focus” was almost entirely his “style”. I had no “focus”. That’s an imagining you bring to the party. I had a list.
In my original numbered list, all six are specific ACTIONS I found lacking. Zero about style. I followed with two paragraphs about my overall reaction to Trump. One item is my impatience at him not locking folks up. That’s about my reaction, not his “style”. I do mention he might have more clue about how to operate that than me; quasi style I suppose but more “ability” IMHO.
I then state I find his speaking style a bother (and why). That’s ONE style point out of 8 items.
Sure sounds like your complaint it’s “all about style” is entirely bogus and a ploy.
Looking at my “from memory” reiteration of it above the quote:
I list more “style” things, but still significant substance issues. One, the speech pattern, is a repeat so will be left out; though do note folks in media frequently criticism him on that which was a part of why I mention it.
Two more are repeats of specific actions ( closing agencies, firing DOJ).
Then there are some new ones.
Not pointing out he dated a Black Woman – a specific action.
Playing golf. I see it as time wasting. Others see it as valuable (for reasons listed). Not seeing that as “style” since it is a specific act for (potentially) specific purposes.
Then there is multiple divorces. Specific acts. Lots of of folks find that a morality issue (see size of Catholic Church…) and at one time it was a disqualifier for public office. Hardly a “style” issue.
I can only conclude that you have a biased and warped view of what is style vs acts vs morality; and that you can’t count well since you claim “mostly style” when there’s an enumerated list of non-style specific actions where I find him inadequate.
Major Conclusion: You are acting as an emotive troll, not bothering to respond to specific points, always turning to “your agenda”, and being dishonest in your assertions.
If something else “is the simplest explanation while accounting for all the known facts”, feel free to present it; but realize it must past logical (as in math / symbolic logic) semantic analysis and Occam’s Razor.
Or, in Texas Uncle terms:
“That boy is all Hat and no Cattle an he don’t shoot straight.”
In a separate comment I’ll go through your list of your concerns (so implied criticism of them on your part) and state my position on them. Why separate? As it is entirely IRRELEVANT to your question about other folks here having criticisms. It is new, made of whole cloth, from you, as an attempt to shift focus from my criticisms (the original topic) to your agend (a troll behaviour) and talking points.
@Per Golf:
OK, y’all have convinced me it isn’t entirely a waste of time. I played it a couple of times (once required to graduate High School), and once with old college roommates post graduation. It was mildly pleasant, but I found the general “small talk” generally boring. I suppose were I more into the whole social schmooze thing I’d feel differently. FWIW, I did rather well and shot about the same as my much more practiced “foursome” members.
OK, I’ll give him the Golf point and withdraw my criticism of it as it is more about my preferences and lack of use for Golf than about the use for others.
serioso: “What about his tax returns?”
What about his tax returns? He’s been audited to death by a hostile IRS for years and… nothing. So what are you asking with that question? What, specifically was wrong with his returns that I should recoil in horror?
You’re listing talking points and YSM innuendo with nothing to back up those claims of transgressions. How can serioso be taken seriously when serioso has seriously said nothing?
For example, you write, “What did you have to say about his interaction with Putin at Helsinki?” Speaking for myself, I say “Nice job.” What specifically did President Trump say to President Putin that bothered you? The nukes hven’t started falling, the Russians aren’t at my door and there will be further talks to see how the two nations can coexist peacefully. Seems to me things went well enough.
Are you asking our host to defend or criticize… nothing? It looks that way to me, but I’ll await E.M.s response, if he bothers. I’d like to see if he can conjure up something from nothing. It will be quite the magic trick.
Aha! E.M., you were responding to serioso while I was typing. I lost the bet with myself. I thought that post from serioso might have pushed you over the edge of the boredom cliff.
It was not serioso’s best effort. From my POV, serioso is starting to mail it in. serioso disappoints.
Per Serioso’s Agenda Talking Points:
1) Interaction with Putin at Helsinki: I didn’t follow it closely, just via random news coverage. I’ve already stated I think it is far far better to be on speaking terms with the country that holds 1/2 the Nuclear Arsenal of the world. So not “nada” In general, I believe in keeping your friends close and your enemies closer (though I’m not very good at it). It looks like he effectively laid out our “issues”, came to understand what Putin wants, and took the measure of the man. All in all, a pretty good result. (That he then put various sanctions on Russia says he wasn’t snowed by Putin). I’d give it about a B+ grade overall. (Mostly loss of “style” points in not being a great orator to the press afterward.)
As the bulk of anything of substance happened out of public view, we can’t know for a few years what the results will be; but that is how diplomacy is best done. I suspect Trump, knowing he was going to give Putin an ear full, chose to follow the wisdom to “Criticize in private, praise in public”. It is something I strongly follow in business and with employees.
2) Removing security clearance of “experts”: Who have left government service, are “in the bag” with the NeverTrump’ers, and are actively attacking the sitting government… Well, I can’t see ANY reason for ANYONE who has left their position of handling classified information to keep their clearance active. Especially if retired. I can see the need for some folks at companies working on Black Projects to have clearance, but absent that: It is a “need to know” question and anyone without a current clear “need to know” ought to have their clearance pulled. Should they ever return to a position where they needed it, it ought to be re-instated with minimal review. So IMHO the whole thing is a big Pissing Match about something that ought to be SOP. So stupid to complain about it.
3) Judgment in choosing Cabinet & Campaign staff: Generally, being a non-Politician, he had to rely on the recommendations of others. As there was a very clear and very aggressive subversion campaign going on (see various leaked emails, news reports, facts on the ground, etc.) it isn’t a surprise some of them were stuck in by the Swamp Critters trying to sink him. He did a pretty darned good job of sniffing them out and dumping their asses (see Manifort for example).
I do wish he’d asked Sessions about recusal prior to the appointment. The Muller All Democrat All The Time Attack Squad ought have been stillborn. We know it is a fraud based on a fraudulent set of “justifications” and with various TLAs including British trying to set him up (see Ohr, Steele, Strzok, etc. etc. emails and texts). The whole thing was the FBI / TLA “insurance Policy” and is a criminal enterprise. Sessions had responsibility for letting that happen and Trump, by appointing him, must carry that disappointment. Not his best judgement, but too late to change players at the DOJ. (My point about he ought to have “Pulled A Clinton” and fired their asses, then he’d not have Muller, Ohr, Rosenstein, and who knows how many other 5th Column members to deal with.)
4) Tax Returns: I don’t care. Showing them is a recent practice anyway and, IMHO, a precedent that ought to be ended. I didn’t elect him for his tax returns. I elected him to fire people.
5) His hundreds of lies: Hyperbole. I’ve not seen them. I don’t care.
6) His (highly warranted) attacks on the press: They deserve every bit of it and twice on Sunday. See the “handing Hillary the debate questions” and the 24 x 7 “get Trump” that on inspection turns out to be flat out lies.
So, in summary, if anyone has “willful and irrational blindness” it is you.
This thing called serioso reminds me of a preteen that is jerking on it’s mothers apron to get attention. No intellect involved just a lot of mommy mommy I want ! !. Maybe a bot or paid troll. Certainly no effort has been expended in research or thought, just mindless regurgitation of scripted propaganda. …pg
p,g.: “Certainly no effort has been expended in research or thought, […]”
Or as I like to term it, “Just mailing it in.”
.
.
.
Hmmmm… Speaking of mail, I wonder if serioso voted for John Kasich? After all, Kasich’s father was a mailman and Kasich can stuff a whole pancake into his mouth. (Why Kasich lost is one of life’s little mysteries.)
Please keep the insult to the person to a minimum… While IMHO Serioso has earned some amount of it (by not responding to specifics, by only tossing back tired talking points, by generally acting as trolls act, by not engaging points raised by others, by refusing to acknowledge being caught in error – say “never criticized” then shown link and quote of criticism – etc. etc.); I would like it to not wander into the area of personal attacks.
I know, it’s hard when someone presents all the external indicia of a Troll to not “Call Troll”. But I’m hoping that with enough exposure to normal discourse, and with simply pointing out that “Troll Like Behaviour” is trivially spotted and called out; well, I’m hoping Serioso can learn to just be a regular person and forget all his Troll Training & Practice. It’s kind of a hobby of mine – to rescue the lost souls of the world.
But we’ll see. So far there’s not much evidence of progress other than short runs where “Don’t be rude and insult people” is followed… for a while. Even occasionally he can avoid “Make it personal” Aliinsky attacks on me and constantly trying to make things about me when they are not about me. (Note he attempted to make it about me in “my criticism” but when that didn’t work out turned to his talking points…) But sometimes for whole days at a time he’s been well behaved.
So please be polite. As much as you can…
Ha, next we will have to talk about Obummers college transcripts! Oh wait…… where are those again?
It is a good thing to inject non-swampers into the mix. Just watching the complacent squirming makes it all the better. Seriousoly!
Oh, and Serioso:
When the other guy knows your Playbook, it’s not going to surprise them to run J-3 for the 12th time.
So look up “What makes a Troll”. Re-read the Alinsky “Rules For Radicals”. Then don’t do those things. They just SHOUT TROLL!!! and ALINSKY!!! It isn’t new anymore and we’ve all seen the playbook now.
Now you may never have had formal introduction to them. You might just be doing some of those things from mimicry of what you’ve seen elsewhere, or you might just be a “natural” at it.
That doesn’t matter.
Your actions will still be seen as driven by those systems of (fraudulent, manipulative) methods. Once people have learned to shoo away the small furry black smelly thing with a white stripe down the back; they don’t in future interrogate each one to find out if this one is different…
Some helpful hints:
1) Do NOT make it personal. (Classical Alinsky. Make it personal and attack the person).
2) Have something positive to say. Not always, but at least some of the time. (Trolls like to start fights with insults and negative statements. The goal is to stir up trouble.) You can avoid “pot stirring” while still being an opposition voice. Attack looks like Alinsky.
3) Address (honestly) points raised by others. The “Ignore what does not work in your favor” and “never respond to a valid point by the other side” just scream “trained troll / douche”. Once folks are sensitive to that “just ignored my points again, always does”, it is like a giant spotlight with a Troll in the center of it. Notice that I almost always specifically address points you raise, no matter how unrelated and biased? Guess why… (hint: I am not a Troll and I am attempting to model how not to be seen as one…)
4) Ask questions which really want an answer. Not just rhetorical questions. Things like: “Why do you like what Trump is doing on immigration?” Then shut up and listen to the answer. Consider what in it might be valid, and why. Think about why that person would see that as important and valid. Trolls just nay-say, denigrate, fling poo, and generally potty mouth things. It is very easy to see the difference in those two… Yes, it is far harder to engage in polite deep thoughtful conversation and far easier to just ignore what the person said / believes and hurl complaints and insults. It also shouts “Troll Alert!!”…
That’s enough of a starter set. See what you can do with them for a while. Then, once you can do that, look at inverting the rest of the Rules For Radicals and Troll Behaviours. In no time at all you can become a decent conversationalist and someone folks want to speak with. Politely.
“I (obviously) don’t read every word, or anything near every word, posted on this blog,”…serioso
“Very weird! Seems to me like wilful and irrational blindness.”…serioso
Seems to me to be “wilful and irrational” Ignorance….pg
@EMSmith; My friend, serioso is not here to engage us. The assignment of serioso is to engage and discredit you. An intellectual child against a Sensi Warrior of the keyboard…. ;-)…pg
@P.G:
Since there will always be some such “assigned” (or self assigned), I figure I might as well try to help him “up his game” so it’s at least a little bit of a challenge and maybe even has some interest in the play of the board… but it tends to remain the play of the bored… Oh Well.
As per “discredit me”: I long ago quit caring about that. To be discredited requires that you have done something wrong (no worries there) or that you have low competency (also no worries).
See, that’s the thing about leading an unexciting moral and honest life: there’s just nothing to worry about…
What “dirt” could be held over me?
1) I like to drink moderately at home. About once a week.
2) I’m not good at parties. Too stiff & technical, so boring.
3) I don’t suffer fools gladly. Yet I do suffer them; politely if possible.
4) I show my work and it isn’t always perfect the first time. But I fix the errors when found.
5) I’m a sucker for a pretty face with a bright mind behind it and will talk with them for hours if allowed to do so. I’d like to fantasize that such “pretty bright something” would hit on me, but I’m too straight laced to do it myself, and too old for them to do it. (Have not so much as kissed a woman other than my spouse or daughter since I got married. 33 years now.)
6) I watch too much TV. Mostly news, and whatever reruns the spouse watches so we can share the time together. Especially old B&W & 50’s to 60s era movies.
7) I’m lazy and procrastinate things like house maintenance and yard work until it must be done.
8) I like to eat too much and exercise too little, so I’m about 30 lbs over my ideal weight.
9) I don’t floss.
I’m kind of running out of “dirt”… But that’s me. Not exactly the stuff graphic novels are made of… No graft or corruption. No “questionable deals”. No sordid affairs. No “pay to play” or kick-backs. Not even cheating at golf… Boring as hell. Not even in debt. No credit cards. Mortgage about 1/2 the available investment portfolio. No car loans (or payments).
When that’s your dossier, attempts at discrediting just are doomed. Heck, even when I’m pissed about something I’m too polite about it. It’s the way I grew up… Polite gentleman in a farm town of rowdies…
So he tries to get me “panties in a bunch” and fulminating about something, and it’s just pointless. First off, I really don’t care what someone thinks of me. I know who I am and that’s enough. “I am a finished person” and I’m comfortable with me. So someone jumping up and down and doing a “fling poo” is more like watching same at the zoo than anything to do with me. Light entertainment, sort of. Maybe fun to toss a peanut at them and see what happens ;-)
When you have passed a Federal Security examination (work at Fed Bank), been NASA examined and certified, are the model personality for selecting Shuttle Astronauts, spent a couple of decades in positions of profound trust (running email and all communications at a few companies and zero data loss, break-ins, ‘leaks’ etc.); well, you have a pretty clean record… and a certain amount of confidence – so don’t ruffle much.
(And did I mention I’m modest,too? 8-) /sarc;
Oh Well… Hopefully now that I’m “outed”, the floss police will not be pounding on the door…
Say, EM, what’s boring about bein’ reliable – handshake’s yr bond?
Maybe a small point, but if we got rid of any politician who lied we wouldn’t have any left. It’s almost a definition of the job. If we removed presidents if there was suspicion of sexual misconduct or not being PC enough by current definitions, again there wouldn’t be many who would have survived unscathed. JFK and Marilyn Monroe, anyone? Sack men for locker-room talk, and the workforce would be vastly reduced. Mind you, women also do that, and it’s just not often so public. Still, when they do tell they try to get paid for it. Stormy Daniels?
There are so many laws it’s probably impossible for any one person to be able to even read them all in a lifetime. Almost certainly, therefore, we all break laws we don’t know about. By extension, if you investigate anyone deep enough you’ll find some reason to prosecute them. Looks like Papadopoulos will go to jail for 6 months for not being precise enough in his answers to the FBI about the date he was actually employed, since it seems he started doing the job before his official papers were completed. Funnily enough, something I’ve done in the past – start on a handshake and get the legal stuff sorted as soon as the lawyers get off their arses. I even bought one house and moved in on a handshake.
Fairly importantly, Brennan converted to Islam. It should be pretty obvious that pretty-well any fundamentalist religious person may do some pretty nasty things in the pursuit of a higher aim than simply keeping their country and its people safe. In Brennan’s case, it seems his aim is to bring Trump down, so removing his security clearance would seem to me to be reasonable. As a convert, his allegiance is not to the USA but to a foreign power, and that isn’t a secret. As a good Muslim, his aim must be to convert the USA to Islam, by the sword if necessary. Read the book.
I wonder if Trump flosses?
Blackswan put this video up on Pointman’s blog. Seems relevant to the conversation here. It’s an explanation of Russian methods of subversion by someone who was trained in them, but defected to the West.
Re: Trump’s tax returns
99% of the folks would never understand them (hell, almost that many would not understand mine). So the question is – did he pay his taxes? That is up to the IRS to decide and since he was audited, THAT is what really matters. If he passed audits (or even won in Tax Court), no one needs to see the actual numbers. As they are meaningless.
So unlike the greedy, envious, lazy folks who think they deserve money from others for nothing, I do not care. I am not greedy, envious or lazy. The same cannot be said for those demanding to see the tax returns.
” (Have not so much as kissed a woman other than my spouse or daughter since I got married. 33 years now.)”
How about your mother and sisters? :-)
@Phil:
I don’t remember ever kissing my sisters, though I suppose that as a baby they might have kissed me. (Youngest one is 5 years older than me…)
Mother? She died just a few years after my marriage, lived over 200 miles away, and, well, was British. We were not a very “kissy” bunch as adults. If you mean “peck on the cheek”, well, maybe? I don’t remember any, but visiting her in the hospital I might have. (Though I don’t think so as passing germs to sick people is a bad idea and we tended to take such protocols seriously.) I did hold her hand to the end.
We didn’t do PDAa (Public Display of Affection) and pretty much every “get together” after the marriage was in some way a public event. Mostly big get togethers at the spouse’s parent’s home. Three Christmasses and maybe a Thanksgiving? Hugs was about it. Most of the time my (new) kids got all the attention ;-) (We went from married to 1st kid in something like one year…)
So, sorry, nope… Nice try though.
Hard to trip the master! But us acolytes will try. :-)
Okay, I get it. You say my statement about Trump’s “hundreds of lies” is “hyperbole” and that you haven’t seen them and don’t care. Maybe you should have a look. This list is over six months old, but it’s a start.
I now understand that you read the news about our president the way I read what the New York Times says about (say) Namibia. I skip or skim. The difference is we’re talking about the country we live in, about the conversation most intelligent and educated people seem to be are having. You appear to have withdrawn from that conversation. The question is “why.” Yes, this is about you, your choices and focus. It would appear you are indeed, as I said, wilfully ignorant. Why??
Have you looked at the list? Apparently not. Most of the list consists of OPINIONS on what Trump said. Not facts. Indeed, one on that list is the bugging of Trump tower which we know to be a fact now (so not a lie). In other words, EM is being generous. He could have said “primarily lies about Trump’s lies”. But instead he was kind and said “hyperbole” which is the best case for that fake news list.
Read your own sources.
@ Serioso
Impressive list, although there were quite a few repeats on there. I can’t seem to find the will to care whether the number of times he’s been on the cover of Time magazine, the size of the inauguration crowd, or whether or not the NY Times officially apologized to name a few are accurate or not. I just don’t care, not because I hero worship him, but because I don’t hero worship any politician. To me, Trump is a ugly, beat up tool that is very effective for the job I want him to do.
And once again Serioso chooses to ignore absolutely everything said, suggested, helpfully offered, advised, etc. etc. and goes for the “Pick one of HIS talking points and try to push it” strategy.
Serioso, I’ve had training in Press Relations for Executives. I’ve had the training that says “Ignore the question and don’t address any of their negative points. Return to YOUR topic and push it.” Do you really think your doing that does not just SHOUT TROLL!!! Really?
Now I could do the same tit-for-tat back at you. Pick one (or a half dozen) of MY talking points and just ignore your gambit. Then where do we all end up?
So, to address your gambit, lame as it is:
Most of those “lies” are what is typically called “sellers puff”. Insubstantial things. Like “I saved the most ever” when it was really “I saved more than 90% but one or two guys maybe did more, I’ll have the lawyers check it and we will spend $100,000 and issue a report that nobody will read.” That kind of thing, being that precise and pedantic, is a real campaign killer. It is generally socially debilitating too (nobody, and I do mean NOBODY, likes that degree of accuracy and precision in speeches or conversations. I’ve had to learn that the hard way).
Assignment: Watch NCIS. Notice the interaction of Gibbs and Abby, or most anyone and Ducky. Notice how precision and accuracy become the butt of jokes and “get to the point”, an abbreviated and not-quite-exact but good enough answer then follows.
Now many of those “lies” are in fact now shown to be facts. The Media, with the NYT in the lead, pushing the actual lies for effect. Bugging Trump Tower being the most blatant, but there are others. (In fact the whole “Russia Collusion” is The Big Lie and all sequale from it are Big Lies.)
Next, consider the source. The New York Times. They are 100% an organ of the Democrats and Swamp Dwelling Government. Show me the last time they had an article advocating gun rights, pointing out the frequency with which gun owners halt crimes. Show me the last article they had praising something, anything, Trump did. No, I have no idea when or even if. I don’t read them, and will not bother reading them unless desiring “opposition research” on the hard core Left. What they do a lot of and often, is “hit pieces” on Trump.
Now, given that, I have zero desire to run down the rabbit hole of checking all their assertions to find all the lies in what they have asserted. I’ve checked enough samples of their stuff in the past to know the percentage of what is “fair and balanced” is near zero and the percentage that is clearly propaganda approaches 100%. Some as flat out fraudulently wrong, some as just “spin”. Never a straight middle America POV.
The NYT, having completely lost anything approaching credibility, is not something I’m going to police for you.
So yes, the claim of “Trumps Lies” looks to me like hyperbole. He has sellers puff at his campaign rallies. Who doesn’t? (“If you like your Dr. you can keep your Doctor” sound familiar?) Yes, he is sloppy with precision on some numbers – did you notice he often puts softening words in those kinds of statements? Things like “I think” or “maybe”? Now compare with “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” and “it depends on what ‘is’ is”. Now those are expert lies…
On the inauguration crowd: I presume you are talking about the count at the start, after Dimocrat efforts to block entrance and prevent folks arriving on time had a lighter than expected crowd, and not the later points when the folks finally got past the folks obstructing and filled in. ( I watched the whole thing on TV…) I do not accept a “set up” as a lie…
Which gets to a third class of “spin”. Picking special moments in time or space as the “See, he lied” and ignoring that at a different moment in time or space it is not a lie; but his statement was not tied to the first, “special pleading” anchor… Playing time warp games is common on The Left…
No, you don’t know how I read the news on Trump.
First off, I don’t read much of it at all. The Yellow Stream Media are so full of spin, lies, propaganda, and Dimocrat talking Points there generally isn’t much reason to read any of it.
What I do is watch actual events in real time. Sometimes I get them on saved recordings. That way there isn’t “spin” put into the mix. I go to WhiteHouse.gov sometimes and watch the press conferences directly. I don’t need a “Spin Master” between me and events.
“the conversation most intelligent and educated people seem to be are having. ”
Oh, that’s rich. An implied insult that if you are NOT participating in that “conversation” you are not intelligent nor educated. Do you even listen to yourself as you spout that kind of insult / spin?
Once Again: It will NOT work on me as I’ve been TESTED. I know I’m intelligent ( and more so than 99.9% of the population which almost certainly means most of those having that “conversation”) and I know I’m educated ( I have the papers on the wall… lots of papers).
Now do note that there is NO CONVERSATION. There’s nobody at the NYT calling me up to talk. What there IS, is an Editorial Point Of View being pushed by a well connected Swamp Community trying to influence public opinion in a “take down” of the sitting president.
Where were all these “intelligent and educated” folks and their “conversation” when Obama and Hillary were busy lying about gun running? Benghazi? Getting debate questions in advance? (That list goes on for way more than 100s… start with 30,000 emails and a few phones hammered).
No, I don’t care at all about a “conversation” with folks who were happy with the prior load of tripe regime and want to do (and have been caught planning and plotting) a take down of a sitting President who’s doing great things to help fix our economy. Don’t think there’s press collusion? Re-read this top posting about 300 of them… then read the document per plotting to ban conservative speech from “social media”. Big red hands in cookie jars all around you…
“The question is “why.” Yes, this is about you, your choices and focus. It would appear you are indeed, as I said, wilfully ignorant. Why??”
Again, you go to Alinsky. Pick a target. Make it personal. No. I refuse.
I am, in fact “willfully propaganda free”.
Key concept: “Consider the source”
Key Concept: “Notice when a source is in obvious collusion”
Key Concept: “Notice when ONE PARTY OWNS THE SOURCE”
Key Concept: “Notice when all journalism schools are run by Democrats or Marxists”.
Key Concept: Keep a tidy mind by noticing such things and ignoring their bias and spin.
Really Key Concept: Think for yourself and work from primary sources. “On the word of no one”.
In short: It isn’t about me, it is about an incredibly biased and distorting news media in the pocket of an ideology and acting for effect as a propaganda organ, then choosing to ignore them as they are fools and charlatans.
serioso, you may want to consider this:
“The press takes Trump literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally.”
~ Salena Zito, The Atlantic, September 23, 2016
Here’s a link to an article that explains why no-one around here but you seems to have their panties in a bunch about that NYT list.
View at Medium.com
By the way, that NYT article was published under ‘Opinion.’ Could it be that the complete picture surrounding those statements that were termed ‘lies’ might reveal that calling his statements lies was not the truth?
Oops! You have to click on the article title, “Taking Trump Literally vs Taking Trump Seriously ” which links to the full article.
I quit. If you won’t read the New York Times you are not worthy of my time and effort. The Times is hardly “biased and distorted.” It is the best we have. Alas, Mr. Smith, you seem incapable of distinguishing fact from fiction. You are a lousy judge of character and a waste of my time. I made a mistake responding to your blog.
I hope you recognise, at a minimum, that my voice and opinions are mainstream, middle of the road, and shared by most educated and intelligent citizens in this country (Yes, I inclide you.). Your opinions, by contrast, are unusual and out of the ordinary. Nothing wrong with that, as long as you are aware. But you don’t seem as well informed as a dissenter needs to be. Being well informed does not seem part of your toolkit, and I wonder why. Afraid of cognative dissonance?
Wilful blindness is evidentally your way of dealing with cognative dissonance. Good luck with that. I hope you have better luck with the stock market. Or is your blindness limited to politics?
Goodbye for now.
Sadly,
Serioso
The New York Times once was considered the best, but since it borrowed $250 million from Carlos Slim, the Mexican billionaire it has become a globalist left leaning propaganda rag.
Sad fall of “The Gray Lady” but that is the fact as uncomfortable as it is. It has repeatedly distinguished itself for producing shoddy and partisan stories that routinely ignore or attempt to impugn any conservative leaning news.
By the way, we read it, it is almost impossible to avoid because every liberal media outlet in the country regurgitates its articles in almost every media venue in the country. Even Fox discusses its articles, we just recognize that it is now producing political spin and garbage journalism rather than sound dependable news.
As ususal Salina Zito says it better than anyone. All the old rules do not apply. Trump voters voted in a kick butt scrapper who gets things done. In essence they tried the Lead Follow part and gave up and have now turned to the “Get the hell out of the way”.
If this does not fix Washington I fear the next move is torches and pitch forks and burn it down.
People are simply fed up with the abuse from Washington from both parties.
https://nypost.com/2018/08/22/why-trumps-supporters-wont-care-about-cohen-and-manaforts-convictions/
serioso: “I hope you recognise, at a minimum, that my voice and opinions are mainstream, middle of the road, and shared by most educated and intelligent citizens in this country […]”
Take a look at this map (link below). If you live in any one of the blue areas, then your self-perception is understandably accurate. If you live in any of the red areas, then you might wish to reconsider who is mainstream, middle of the road. (The map is also a nice visual representation of the importance of the Electoral College.)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/donald-trump-won-2-600-190239430.html
@Serioso:
“I quit.” Oh good. Thanks!
” It is the best we have.” Well that’s a laugh and a 1/2. It WAS the best we had about 20 years ago.
So your opinion at the other end of a blog is “better” than the entire battery of formal Psych testing I went through and the hours of interviews with a professional (PhD & MD) shrink for the NASA program, eh? It is better than my IQ tests and my Kuder Aptitude tests eh? And after decades of successfully judging character in my hires at several companies, and judging character of management at companies wanting to hire me; making my living by doing just that: I ought to just toss that out the window and accept your accusation? Um, no. Thanks.
See, the problem with those “tossing mud” personal attacks is that I’m in the rather unique position of having been professionally evaluated on those things and know my results. I know your insults are baseless and wrong. Just means you are the one who is in error.
BTW, only you can waste your time, no one else. I find benefit even from folks who are very very wrong as they can serve as an example of what not to do, and I can enjoy attempting to help them improve. But that’s just me. Always looking for positive things. YMMV.
“my voice and opinions are mainstream, middle of the road, and shared by most educated and intelligent citizens in this country (Yes, I inclide you.).”
So when did you go out and count all those voices, eh? See, there’s this movement to muzzle and shun the 1/2 the citizens who voted for Trump and the folks who think Catastrophic Global Warming is a fraud and lie. So with all those voices being actively silenced, just how did you count them? Or is it that you live in the echo chamber of the Left and NYT so think that is reality…
“Your opinions, by contrast, are unusual and out of the ordinary.”
Well, aside from the fact that they are shared with a very large number of the folks in the country (see the result of the last election…) so I’m not so sure they are “unusual and out of the ordinary”, but even if they were: So What?
This is just the Consensus argument again. ALL progress happens away from the consensus. At one time the consensus was that the world was flat, that there was no plate tectonics, that blood letting got rid of evil humors, that man could not fly, etc. etc. etc. Being at the 5 sigma end of the bell curve I’m comfortable with being “unusual” and not ordinary. It’s a badge of honor.
Ah, and then you dip back into the Insult toolkit again. Good old Alinsky. Pick a target (me, it would seem), attack it and make it personal. One trick monkey by all appearances. Oh Well, I’ve tried to get you to be more.
“Dissenter”? Dissenter of what? Or is that just an attempt to say “Denier” and avoid being slapped about trying to use the Holocaust for political gain? Again with the “Je Accuse” of asserting ill informed, yet no evidence to support it. Look, I’ve “hit the links” to every NYT article you’ve posted. I’ve read them. And I’ve rejected most of it just due to it being clearly biased, out of touch with reality, and often contradicted by known facts. That isn’t lack of being “informed”, it is a broader information and evaluation tool kit.
For example: I’ve attended an ICCC conference on Climate Change and right now I’ve got the proceedings of the last one running on the TV. How many of the ICCC presentations have you read in the NYT? Seen? Attended? Watch a recording? Now that’s information you don’t like; but unlike The Left I don’t have a “Do I LIKE it?” filter on information. I have a “Veracity” filter.
Similarly, I watch the WH Press Conferences, then I see what is REPORTED about the press conferences, and it is clearly something else, warped to an agenda and POV. How many WH Press Conferences have you watched? Trump Rallies? Street Riot where ANTIFA clearly is trying to start riots and is attacking people? I go to Primary Sources, then compare them with the Media, and the Media bias and agenda is very clear. That is MORE informed, not less. Not filtered through one POV of one Editorial Board at the NYT.
One other example: I *saw* the Benghazi event go down. See “the other side” had some folks filming it. Not a lot but enough. By picking up news (and video) from global sources, often NOT EU or USA… I’ve seen video from both sides of bombings in Syria and other events. Then the US media reports something different… I watched the “revolution” and the sit-in in Egypt from both sides, then in the US media. That’s more information, not less.
So what you choose to insult about is simple: I reject your chosen Bringer Of Truth because I’ve seen them caught in lies, spin, and fabrication more often than not based on what I’ve seen directly.
“Afraid of cognative dissonance? ”
Not at all. I use it frequently as a key part of my Bull Shit Filter. I get clean information from as close to the source as possible; then get cognitive (note the spelling…) dissonance when I read or watch the US / EU MSM and it just shouts “They are lying!”… “Compare and contrast” is one of my key tools.
Then another insult:
“Wilful blindness is evidentally your way of dealing with cognative dissonance. ”
You conflate “evaluate a source and if found lacking or they have clearly lied to you way too often, do not trust it” with ~”willful (note spelling) blindness” (Oh, and check your spelling of evidently and cognitive too) Nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that I looked, I saw, I evaluated (many times over the last decades) and I found liars and spin masters. So tag the source as highly suspect.
Take Global Warming: I even went so far as to download the data myself and process it. For CO2 and acidification of the ocean I went looking at the ocean and found it is alkaline with TONS of alkalizing agents on the ocean floor. It simply can not become acid. Then there’s the NYT saying it’s happening now. Add up enough of those, the NYT looks a bit daft. Inaccurate and imprecise at best. (Acidify is different from neutralize alkalinity).
Similarly Trump: After months of folks shouting dirt about him, and every time I tracked one back it turned out to be a fraud; well, let’s just say they have a big hill to climb to get credibility back. Some examples: They didn’t bother to say a thing (or discover) that Hillary and the DNC funded the Russia Dossier. Haven’t raised the question at all that that makes all Mueller does “Fruit of the poison tree”. Nothing about Hillary exiting the White House / Dept. of State with $Millions and maybe that’s a bit of a suspicious thing. They laud folks advocating for physical attacks on Trump staff and supporters, yet not a peep about that being a crime. Yet you want me to trust them on Trump? Ah, no.
I’ve seen the Antifa rioters attacking folks who were NOT doing anything illegal or aggressive. But for my having somewhere else to be, I could have been standing next to that house-mom who was bloodied just trying to leave a Trump rally in San Jose where I am (while police, ordered by Democrats to “stand down”, would not open the door behind her to protect her). I saw it on recorded video, but it could have been me. Then the response by the “paper of record”… crickets… Where is their editorial condemning ANIFA for causing riots and attacking people with weapons? (Even the Berkeley Police have figured it out and started arresting them…)
Per stock market: I’ve done OK with it, but it has become dominated by machine trading in the last decade. I’m mostly in passive investments ATM as the dynamics have gone a bit strange. It has let me enjoy life without the need for a “day job” for the last few years. I’m OK with that.
So no, there is no “blindness” here (remember I pointed out I’m an augmenter? and a bit Aspe obsessive about digging into things? Maybe you’ve not noticed I’m often too prolix in depth when I have a “Dig Here!” into something?) What there is is just looking in depth and rejecting the obvious fraud and spin of a highly biased media. Once they clean up their act and what they report starts to match what is observable, what I see for myself, then I’d consider them again.
That’s the very opposite of ‘blindness’. It is saying I trust my own eyes more than their lies.
Go for it, Mr smith! If I was still british, I would say “hear hear”.
“I hope you recognise, at a minimum, that my voice and opinions are mainstream, middle of the road, and shared by most educated and intelligent citizens in this country”
I think I’ve just been insulted!……………8-( …………… of course, This is not the first time an Educated Elitist has looked down their noses at this dumb dirt farmer.
“Those that can,will learn. Those that can’t, must be taught”….pg
Educated and intelligent are not equivalent things. One is not proof of the other. Educated people are trained to regurgitate the opinions of their educators. This is not a good indication of being able to think in an independent manner…pg
One thing in favour of Serioso is that he triggers a response from EM that is worth filing.
Most of the people here seem to look deeper than most and follow that “dig here!” sign when something doesn’t smell quite right. For political stuff, where I was never that good at seeing the underlying reasons, that has helped my education. I dig in the foundations of Physics, instead. Whatever the subject, we’re looking for inconsistencies and the things that are consensus view that can’t be right because they produce paradox.
As far as I can see, politics is really all about how to lie and get away with it. I doubt if there’s any large business that could withstand an in-depth investigation either, and if you look hard enough you’ll find laws being broken anywhere there’s a profit. Goldman-Sachs got away with fraud a decade ago, arguing that the buyer had to do their own investigations into the worthless securities the bank was selling them and assuring them was a good investment. Lehman Brothers involved such institutional fraud, too. Banks in the UK sold people Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) that was worthless, too – funnily enough I was offered that around 17 years ago when the bank knew I was out of my job through redundancy (the business moved to Hungary) when there was no way the PPI would pay out. Looks like many people were sold insurance that was effectively useless, too.
Flash news: businessman or politician told a lie! As far as I can see, that’s the normal situation, and I’m not surprised at all. In other news, people who’ve gone to college tend to be more left wing. I’m shocked that some businessman tried to hide gains from the taxman, too. That never happens.
Bomber pilots always said that the flak was strongest when you’re over the target. Seems like Trump must be pretty close to exposing and stopping all the corruption in politics in the USA. I find it pretty amazing how rich politicians end up as on the salaries they officially receive. It seems to me that Mueller could investigate any of them and find something to jail them on. It also seems he’s not innocent, either.
“serioso says: 23 August 2018 at 2:46 am ”
A typical Troll, appears, insults all the poster’s intelligence, gets shot down in flames, takes a parting shot and disappears in a huff.
p.g. wrote in part: “Educated and intelligent are not equivalent things.”
Truth, plain and simple. It is surprising how many people don’t know that.
My maternal grandfather officially had a 2nd grade education, yet he was a highly intelligent, well-informed man. As was common at the time, farm kids attended school only when there was a break in plowing, planting, or harvesting. I’m not even certain how old he was when he quit attending school because he was needed on the farm full-time, though I’m guessing he was 10 or 11 years old. The important thing was he learned the 3 Rs, so he had the tools to continue his education on his own, which he did.
My paternal grandfather, a ‘townie’ and son of a carriage maker, went through the 8th grade. That was common at the time for boys because they were considered old enough to earn their own keep and contribute to family finances at age 14. The typical 8th grade educated boy could read and understand the U.S. Constitution and had a limited background in the classics. They could clearly express themselves in writing. They learned basic U.S. history (admittedly, there was 120 years less history to learn back then compared to now 😜) They had enough math for factory or farm; addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, geometry, solving for one unknown, and practical trigonometry. They were taught the basics of mechanics; levers, screws, gears, pulleys.
My point is that that the intelligence bell-curve applies, regardless of the amount of education one receives. What; wasn’t Edison a 6th grade dropout? What grade did DaVinci finish? You can be educated but still be on the low end of the intelligence bell-curve.
Education, be it formal or self-directed, just accelerates the building of a knowledge base so that every individual doesn’t need to start their thinking with the invention of the wheel and then reinvent everything to catch up with with current society of whatever time. I’ve always marveled that I could read a book in a few hours and acquire the knowledge that the author may have taken a lifetime to gather and compile into that book.
All these things I’ve mentioned are the tools that endow an individual with the ability to continue their self education. But again, the intelligence bell curve applies regardless of how many of those tools were acquired.
But we are now at the point where education largely equals indoctrination. Education is currently being used to shape opinion. Opinions on social issues are being taught in schools and are pushing out the teaching of the basic skills needed to become a truly educated person. The opinions are being presented as facts when they are no such thing.
For example, we now have a full generation of people who, starting about 1990, have been indoctrinated in Malthusian principles and they have not been exposed to the facts that would deconstruct Malthus’ proposition. Another goodie is that Catastrophic CO2-based Anthropogenic Global Warming is an immediate threat and we’re all gonna die real soon now if we don’t cut our ‘carbon footprint.’ Polar bears and penguins are on the verge of extinction due to ‘fact’ of CAGW.
The time spent inculcating the current crop of “skulls full of mush’ with those “facts” has taken away from the time that used to be used to teach the CO2 cycle, and that Earth consists almost entirely of carbon-based life forms dependent on Carbon-Hydrogen-Oxygen-Nitrogen (CHON) chemistry to exist.
Education does not equal intelligence but education, formal or self-education, can enhance intelligence.
I don’t think that what is termed ‘Education’ nowadays means what people think it means. (gallopingcamel has the goods on that story. Wind him up, set him down, and you can get a real education on that topic.)
@Serioso – RTFM
I did read it. And as HR pointed out the “article” is NOT news, it is OPINION, which means it IS BIASED by definition! So even if you want to myopically say that the NY Crimes is not biased, you cannot say the same for the article you linked to! Unless you are totally clueless on what an opinion is (there is ample evidence for that).
In addition, you failed to address a single referenced point about the article. Which indicates you did not read it! Since you cannot discuss the points about the article raised.
Please do not let the door hit you on the way out.
You do not have to be a Trump supporter to be beaten by Antifa – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6086895/Bernie-Sanders-supporter-protesting-right-wing-rally-American-flag-beaten-Antifa-video.html
And the NY Crimes did NOT report that. That is why it is best to have a wide ranging repertoire of sources as US sources are not going to print things that do not agree with their bias.
My children constantly tell me that too! But as I am a math major, I correct them and tell them it was only 30 years less history to learn. :-)
Oh, did I miss something? Sweet takedown of serioso. NYT? Credible? Not since the 1930s, at least with me. Is serioso in the USA? If he were, then he’d know that all of the US “mainstream” media parrot the NYT and the AP; even if they don’t believe it. Media reports not reporting things correctly, or accurately, or both? I’ve seen that with my own eyes for nigh on 60 years now.
@Simon:
Glad I can be of help in some small way!
FWIW, I actively seek out “opposing positions” (usually in news programs or opposition web sites) for just that reason. In fact, it is why I got involved in “Climate Science” and the whole global warming thing.
I first thought “Golly, this Global Warming stuff sounds like it is going to be bad”. Then went to some of the usual suspects of AGW Propaganda and asked some simple “educate me” questions. Well, not being a toilet that just swallows anything, I asked further questions Innocent questions. that got me an “earful” of insults and tripe and called “Denier” and asked was I being indoctrinated by “denier” sites like WUWT… where I went and at that time found reasoned discussion and welcome questioning.
Had it not been for that opposition abuse, I’d not be doing this now. Realizing it had utility, for a few years when I ran out of ideas, I’d go read their stuff and get all worked up again ;-0
@A.C.Osborn:
What bugs me is that folks who do it can’t seem to grasp that it is blindingly obvious to the rest of us and they are NOT improving their case…
@H.R.:
Neither my Mum or Dad finished High School (Dad was one semester away and enlisted in the Army instead). Both were very intelligent and Mum had a stellar memory (Dad was no slouch either). Eventually IIRC Mum got her G.E.D. and then spent a few years collecting classes at the local J.C. as recreation. Dad just went into Real Estate and made money ;-)
He could do math in his head faster than me right up to the end… I got the Bank America Math Award, so I’m not that slow at it…
@Phil:
Yeah, I’ve noticed that the “opposition” often cites links / articles where the headline says one thing but you “Dig Here!” into it and find something else. Bring that point up, it is ignored. Classic sign of Troll Behaviour – “Never give up the Con”. They will not admit blatant inconsistencies even if quoted to their face. Makes a great diagnostic tool. (Even bad things can be used for good ;-)
Antifa are a Marxist Communist Black Shirt Violence Mob and nothing more. As they were started by the Communists to attack the Fascist brand of Socialism, they think National Socialism and any Market Socialism are bad things too. It’s got to be Soviet Style Communism or nothing.
Berkeley has begun arresting them (at last…) so there’s some hope the rest of the nation can learn that these are not just garden variety protestors but Marxists Inciting Riot and conducting violent assaults.
I enjoyed ever single comment. They all have value to me.
I’m sorry I don’t have a more updated list on hand. I hope you’ll take a look at the things accomplished but not acknowledged by the media in general.
Just up to now and not even 2 years yet
May 10, 2018 at 8:38 PM
From Megapill.com which I I have no quarrel with the report.
President Donald J. Trump’s Accomplishments List:
Government
Trump Signs Order Calling for Work Requirements for Welfare Programs
HISTORIC: Trump Nominates First Woman for Head of CIA
Feds collect record taxes in first month under Trump’s tax cuts; runs surplus in January
Trump signs sweeping two-year budget deal – MILITARY FUNDED
Trump proposes biggest civil service change in 40 years – ‘Hire the best and fire the worst’
Trump signs bipartisan bill to combat synthetic opioids
Trump Shrinks Federal Bureaucracy by 16000
President Trump set a record for lifetime appointed judges in 2017
Trump Signed 96 Laws In 2017
Trump Administration Set to Roll Back $900 Million in Obama-Era Offshore Drilling Regulations
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on 52 People and Entities for Abuse and Corruption
Individual Mandate of Obamacare REPEALED
Senate Passes Historic Sweeping Tax Reform
Climate Change REMOVED from ‘Threat List’
Trump Admin is a Deregulation Machine: Eliminating 22:1
Trump signs $700 billion defense bill, gives troops largest pay raise in 7 years
New Space Policy Directive Calls for Human Expansion Across Solar System
Trump Declares Jerusalem the Capital of Israel
Senate Passes Sweeping Tax Reform – 20% Corporate rate – Largest in 31 Years.
Trump Shuts Down CIA funding of Syrian Rebels
House Passes Tax Bill in Major Step Toward Overhaul
Senate Passes Budget Resolution Clearing the Way to pass Tax Reform with a Simple Majority
Trump’s HHS defines life as beginning at conception
President Trump Declassifies and Releases JFK Files
Iran Deal: DECERTIFIED
Trump: ‘We are stopping cold the attacks on Judeo-Christian values’
Trump administration abandons the Obama-era clean power plan aimed at reducing global warming
School Choice tops the list of Priorities U.S. Education Department Grants
Trump Signs Healthcare Order, Expands Choice and Access through associations
US and Israel withdraw from UNESCO citing “anti-Israel bias”
Trump has written 46 Executive Orders
Treasury Deparment to target companies doing business with North Korea
Trump has signed 53 bills into law
Trump Signs Order Rolling Back Environmental Rules on Infrastructure
11,000 government jobs slashed under Trump – downsizing government
UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea
Senate confirms 65 Trump nominees for various positions
U.S. Small Business Administration opens assistance center
800 Obama regulations cut – Saved over $200 billion
EPA’s Pruitt moves to roll back over 30 environmental regulations in record time
Cut the White House budget – Saved taxpayers $22 million
Haley Tells Congress US Assuming More Assertive Role at UN
Trump’s EPA To Repeal Obama’s ‘Waters Of The US’ Rule
Eliminated 1200 man hours of wasteful paperwork requirements including Y2K preparedness
President Trump Announces “Massive Permit Reform” Push
Trump Lays Out Plan to Privatize Air Traffic Control System
Statement by President Trump on the Paris Climate Accord
Treasury to call for rolling back banking regulations
Trump orders a Voter Fraud Commission to investigate 2016 election
Fired corrupt and incompetent FBI Director James Comey
HHS to Rescind Birth Control Mandate in Obamacare
Appointed conservative Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court
Ben Carson Finds $500 Billion In Errors during Audit of Obama HUD
President Trump’s executive order will undo Obama’s Clean Power Plan rule
U.S. Will have Free but Fair and Balanced Trade: Mnuchin
Executive order to reduce operating costs of the Federal Government
Fired all 46 attorney generals hired by Obama
Purging the State Department of Obama loyalists
Fixing lobbying laws – 5 year lobbying ban on White House officials
Put a regulatory freeze on all federal agencies
Cutting regulations in government agencies (add 1, take out 2)
45th PRESIDENT of the United States of America, DONALD J. TRUMP
Department of Justice
Trump DOJ Sues California For Interference With Immigration Enforcement
DOJ Halts Obama’s Operation Chokepoint, Which Targeted Firearm Dealers
More than 1,000 arrests in sex trafficking operation
Four charged with leaks from Trump administration
Jeff Sessions announces new crackdown on ‘so-called’ sanctuary cities
Justice Department announces takedown of AlphaBay, the largest dark web market
Sessions’s New Civil-Forfeiture Rules
400 medical professionals charged in largest health care fraud takedown
The Department of Justice Stands by Texas’s Voter ID Law
Charges: Sex traffickers took hundreds from Thailand to US
AG Sessions is bringing back the harsher sentences for drug dealers
Sex Trafficking Arrests Soar Under Trump; MSM Completely Ignores
DHS is planning on denying green cards to legal immigrants if they receive federal or state aid
Trump takes ‘shackles’ off ICE, which is slapping them on immigrants who thought they were safe
ICE raid hits 77 businesses in Northern California
End of Year Report: Deportations up 40% – Historically Low Crossings
DHS: Announces New Procedures for Refugee Admissions
Deportations Of Noncriminals Rise As ICE Casts Wider Net
Cutting regulations in government agencies (add 1, take out 2)
Veterans Administration
Enhancing Veteran Care Act
VA seeks partnerships to build and improve health-care facilities
VA announces Veterans Coordinated Access & Rewarding Experiences Act
VA, Ginnie Mae create task force to address mortgage refinancing issues
Telemedicine: An important tool for Veterans health
Trump Signs Bill to Streamline VA Disability Claims Appeals Process
Trump signs ‘Forever GI Bill,’ boosting aid to student vets
VA expands Tele-Health access
VA fires more than 500 feds under Trump, even before new accountability law
Trump signs VA accountability act into law, promises better care for veterans
Trump Administration Streamlines Veteran Medical Records
White House to launch veterans’ complaint hotline
Accountability and Whistleblower Protection at VA
Economy
Food Stamp Usage Drops Half Million in Single Month
Highest Ever Manufacturer Optimism over 94 Percent
Unemployment claims have fallen to a 45-year low
Trump Economy Explodes Record Number of Americans Employed Stocks Soar
FEB JOBS BLOWOUT 313K
GREAT AGAIN Household Net Worth Pushes Further Into Record Territory
U.S. Consumer Confidence Is at 17-Year High
US homebuilding permits soar to highest level since 2007
Economy to grow at 5.4% rate in first quarter
Roaring: Economic Optimism Index hits 13-year high, credit to tax cuts
U.S. jobless claims drop to near 45-year low
Wages jump to highest level since 2009 – up 2.9%
U.S. Oil Production Tops 10 Million Barrels A Day, First Time Since 1970
Trump Decreases Debt to GDP Ratio – First Time in Over 50 Years!
Jobless claims drop to lowest level in nearly 45 years
Apple to Invest $350 BILLION in US citing Trump Tax Plan
Utilities cutting rates, cite benefits of Trump tax reform
Over 100 companies giving ‘Trump Bonuses’ after tax victory
Black unemployment rate falls to record low
Trump adds 184,000 manufacturing jobs and continues growth trend
Manufacturing in the U.S. Just Accelerated to Its Best Year Since 2004
Nikki Haley negotiates $285M cut in ‘bloated’ UN budget
WIC Welfare Participation Hits 17-Year Low
U.S. home sales hit 11-year high
Manufacturing Optimism Reaches Another All-Time High – 94.6%
Economy adds 228K jobs in November
Mining up 28.6% – Leads the Nation in Growth
Broadcom will move back to U.S. — and bring tax money with it
US private sector added 235,000 jobs in Oct – Beats Expectations
Consumer confidence highest level since December 2000
Q3 GDP at 3 Percent – Beats Expectations
Ivanka Trump creates new World Bank initiative to foster Entrepreneurship among Women
Consumer Sentiment in U.S. Surges to 13-Year High
63.1%: Participation Rate Reaches Trump-Era High
Unemployment down to 4.2, wages rise .5%
New entrants from outside the labor market made up 3.2
U.S. Factories Expanding at 13 Year high
Dow posting first eight-quarter winning streak in 20 years
Home builder confidence at 12-year high
Manufacturer confidence at a 20-year high
Tech giants pledge millions to Trump initiative
Q2 GDP up 3.1%
Sales of new U.S. homes rebounded in August
Federal Reserve: Household Wealth in America at record high of $1.7 trillion – Rising property values and Financial gain
Surging stock market powers U.S. wealth to $96.2 trillion
Food Stamp Usage Has Fallen Every Month Under Trump
Median Incomes Climbing for First Time Since 2007
Trump has signed a $15 billion relief package for Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey
Jobless claims drop to 240,000 – hottest streak in 43 years
U.S. Consumer Sentiment Rose in August
Recovery Is Finally Trickling Down to Least-Educated Workers
U.S. Job Satisfaction Highest Level Since 2005
American manufacturing expanded in August at fastest pace in six years
Donald Trump Ends Obama Effort to Waive Work Requirements for Welfare
Consumer confidence strengthens in August, second-highest level since late 2000
President Trump Cuts More US Debt for a Longer Period of Time Than Any President
Pennsylvania coal company to open a SECOND coal mine
Summer Youth Unemployment Falls, Level Since 1969
In Trump era, American corporations are seeing their best earnings in 13 years
US trade deficit narrows as exports hit 2-1/2-year high
Milestone for Trump: 1 million new jobs in six months
National unemployment rate at 4.3% (lowest it’s been in 16 years)
13,000 jobs being created in WI – largest job announcement in WI history (Foxconn)
Black Unemployment, Lowest Level in 17 Years
Gas prices at a 12-year low
Some states are experiencing their lowest unemployment rates in their histories
Trump Announces $200 Million in Apprenticeship Funding
U.S. has record 6 million job openings, 6.8 million Americans are looking for jobs
CEO confidence highest since 2014
U.S. jobless rate falls to lowest level in 16 years
Trump signs bills that helps Veterans and Police officers by giving them Priority and Training
Government spending as percentage of GDP down
1000s of jobs being created through pact with Saudi Arabia
Executive Order on the Establishment of the American Technology Council
USA’s small business confidence is spurring a hiring and spending spree
Alibaba Takes First Step To Fulfilling Jack Ma And President Trump’s ‘One Million U.S. Jobs’ Promise
Slashing job-killing regulations left and right
Creating thousands of more jobs for immigration officers and border patrol
Signed a resolution encouraging women in entrepreneurship and STEM
Executive ordered all federal agencies to create task forces to cut regulations that hurt the economy
US Manufacturing Index at a 33-year high
Coal Miners are WINNING. Cut Regulations/Create Jobs/New Plant
US Economic Confidence Surges To Highest Level Ever Recorded By Gallup
State Department
Four Months into FY 2018, Refugee Admissions Plunge to Lowest Level in 15 Years
US increases vetting and resumes processing of refugees from ‘high-risk’ countries
US Delays Payment to UN for Palestinians
US Suspends $2 BILLION in security assistance to Pakistan
Global Magnitsky Act Signed: Targeting Global Corruption and Human Rights Abuse
North Korea Designated as ‘State Sponor of Terrorism’
United States Announces a New Strategy on Iran
Trump Administration Announces ‘Extreme Vetting’ Plans
Trump cuts Obama’s refugee target in half, takes more Christians than Muslims
New Order Indefinitely Bars Almost All Travel From Seven Countries
UN Security Council unanimously steps up sanctions against North Korea
Fewest Monthly Refugee Arrivals in August Since 2002
Trump to stop travel from countries that refuse to help Homeland Security
America has withdrawn almost $300 million in foreign aid to Egypt
Tillerson to shutter war crimes focused State Dept. office: report
Rex Tillerson, Mediating Gulf Dispute, Signs Antiterrorism Pact With Qatar
Canceled Obama Era special immigration program for foreign entrepreneurs
Critical milestone in the global fight against ISIS
Tillerson to back up Trump efforts to bolster Eastern Europe against Russia
Tillerson Tightens Limits on Filling State Department Jobs
Report: Trump plans to cut foreign aid, merge State and USAID
US to make at least $285m cut to UN budget
Tillerson on North Korea: Military action is ‘an option’
It’s a bloodbath at the State Department
Homeland Security
DHS is planning on denying green cards to legal immigrants if they receive federal or state aid
Trump takes ‘shackles’ off ICE, which is slapping them on immigrants who thought they were safe
ICE raid hits 77 businesses in Northern California
End of Year Report: Deportations up 40% – Historically Low Crossings
DHS: Announces New Procedures for Refugee Admissions
Deportations Of Noncriminals Rise As ICE Casts Wider Net
DACA Renewals Drop 21%
30-foot concrete slab prototypes erected along border
ICE has conducted a MASSIVE raid on sanctuary cities this week – 498 illegal immigrants arrested
Trump has updated his travel ban, includes these 8 countries – Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, Somalia – NO EXPIRATION DATE
Crossing The Border Illegally Is Harder Than It’s Been In 50 Years
Withholding Federal Funds from Sanctuary Cities – Must allow ICE access to jails and notify befor release
$1.6 billion down payment to start building the wall
Trump cuts off visas for countries that refuse deported immigrants
Rescinded DACA
Extreme Vetting’ for some green cards
Deportation orders up 31% nationwide under Trump
Deportation Orders Up 30%
Miami has removed its “sanctuary” status
ICE raids targeting families net 650 arrests
Denver To ICE: Stop Arresting Illegal Immigrants At Courthouse. ICE To Denver: Not A Chance.
17 Texas sheriffs approved to partner w/ICE
ICE chief wants smuggling charges on leaders of sanctuary cities
New crackdown on ‘so-called’ sanctuary cities
Raids to target teenaged suspected gang members
Army Corps starts pre-construction work on border wall
Deportations in LA are up 60% alone
80% jump in illegal targets
Feds taking over Texas National Guard mission along border
Border Patrol Morale at Highest Level
Christian refugees admitted now outnumber Muslim refugees admitted
Bill allocates $1.6 billion for Trump’s border wall
ICE crackdown scaring some families back to Mexico
No Sanctuary For Criminals Act – deny federal grants to sanctuary cities – Passed House and Senate
Kate’s Law – harsher penalties for previously deported criminals – Passed House and Senate
Number of refugees taken in is down 50%
Rescinded DAPA
Workers install final panel in upgrade of border fence
Raids turn Oregon city into ghost town
Ending “catch and release” immigration policy
Silicon Valley Staffing Firm Charged in H1B Fraud
Unshackling ICE – told that they can take action against ALL illegal immigrants – increasing presence in sanctuary cities
Department of Defense
Trump signs order to keep Guantanamo Bay prison open
US kills 150 ISIS terrorists in Syria airstrike during government shutdown
ISIS has lost 98 percent of its territory – due to Trump admin
Pentagon Announces First-Ever Audit of the Department of Defense
U.S.-Backed Forces Capture Raqqa from ISIS
ISIS facing imminent collapse in Syria’s Raqqa
Gen. Mattis breaks down New Afghanistan Strategy
US-backed fighters ‘seize 80% of Raqqa from Islamic State’
Mattis sees need for new DOD space programs
Trump calls for Increased Military: Senate passes $700 billion defense bill
US shares technology with India. Enlisting them to fight in Afghanistan
Mattis vows US support for Ukraine against Russian ‘aggression’
U.S. Cyber Command will be elevated to a “Unified Combatant Command”
Mattis decides to withhold U.S. cash from key Pakistani military fund
Mosul liberated from ISIS
Mattis: ‘Annihilation Tactics’ Being Used Against ISIS
US, Gulf countries form new group: ‘TFTC’ to stem flow of terror financing
NATO weighs new ‘Counter Terrorism Post’ following Trump’s demands
ISIS leader ‘admits DEFEAT in Iraq and orders militants to flee
Mattis Gives White House Tentative Plan for Rapid Defeat of ISIS
James Mattis threatens to ‘moderate’ US backing for Nato over budgets
Trade Deals
Trump Blocks Chinese Purchase of Qualcomm due to National Security
TRUMP SIGNS TARIFF ORDER ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM
Trump Slaps 30% Tariffs on Solar Panels imported from China
Japan Freezes North Korea’s Assets after Trump’s Visit
U.S. Trade Deficit falls to 11-month low
Trump Fights for ‘America First’ as 4th Round of NAFTA Negotiations End
Crude Oil Shipment to India Highlights Expanding Energy Partnership
Trump Blocks China from buying Semi-Conductor company, Lattice
Crude oil shipment from Texas opens new vistas in India-U.S. ties
Argentina agrees to allow first U.S. pork imports in 25 years
Trump orders probe of China’s intellectual property practices
New memorandum to protect American IPs from China – Potentially save Billions of dollars and millions in jobs
Coal exports up 60%
China opens rice market for US exports for first time ever
U.S. makes final finding rebar exports from Taiwan
Renegotiating NAFTA with Canada and Mexico in order to make better trade deals – May terminate
United States and Mexico finalize sugar trade deal
First U.S. Natural Gas Shipped to Poland
Signed an Arms Deal worth more than $350 billion and various other investment agreements with Saudi Arabia
China, U.S. reach trade agreement on beef, poultry and natural gas
Trump orders a study on abuses of U.S. trade agreements – WTO
Trump slaps tariffs on Canadian lumber imports
Increased tariffs on Canadian lumber by 20% (worth $1 billion)
China buys more U.S. coal, sends North Korea
Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) TERMINATED
Todo List:
Elect President Trump
100%
Defeat ISIS
98%
Stop Illegal Immigration
75%
Expose the Globalists
66%
Prevent Child Trafficking
40%
Drain The Swamp
25%
Make America Great Again
15%
Build The Wall
10%
Become a Millionaire
1%
Letter to Patriots

Importance of archiving President Trump’s accomplishments
Trump supporters are proud of the job President Trump has done so far.
Donald J. Trump has achieved more in 1 year than the Obama administration did in 8 despite the lack of help he’s received from the Republican Party and the obstructionists in Congress.
With just 1 year in office, President Trump’s accomplishment list is growing and growing, yet you wouldn’t know that if get your news from the “Main Stream Media”.
How long do you see Pro Trump news stay in the headlines?
It’s almost like seeing a shooting star, you have to be in the right place at the right time and then it’s over just as fast as it began.
MAGAPILL was created to preserve President Trump’s Legacy by archiving and listing his accomplishments.
Many of President Trump’s accomplishments you won’t see covered in the news. His achievements are under reported or in many cases, not reported at all.
There is one thing that the establishment Republicans, Democrats and the Deep State Media all have in common… They want President Trump to fail.
The establishment Republicans, who are basically Democrats at this point, are refusing to implement the MAGA agenda. The Democrats don’t have an agenda, at least not one they can say out loud without getting completely rejected by the American people. The establishment Media has become a political arm of the establishment and real journalism is dead. Together, they are all trying their hardest to paint a picture of failure and disaster.
If we don’t capture and archive what’s really going on, we’re leaving it up to the MSM to define Trump’s Presidency and his Legacy.