Trump represents himself as the opposite of everything wrong with Washington DC and Hillary Clinton and the last 8 years.

His agenda to to MAGA. and to drain the swamp.

He is bring jobs back and lowering unemployment. The tag line "Its the economy stupid. " rings true. After 8 years of poor growth and leadership indicating 2% growth is the new norm, Damn right people want someone who promises better. And Trump is delivering on the economy. Hillary really didn't have a message.

World affairs-- Tentative , promising ? still evolving, but hopeful. Got 3 prinisors out of NK, alive. It's a start.

Draining the swamp, dozens not seeking reelection or just leaving.
DOJ, FBI, Fired,resigned , compromised
Anthony Weiner laptop search warrant was unsealed today. Now more bad news for HRC and many more.
But the wheels of justice moves slowly.

Also The Inspector General final Draft is nearly completed--

Also noted that the FBI had a snitch placed in the Trump camp and was feed bogus information -- A total FBI scam.


If Obama delivered solid growth Hillary would have been a shoe in, as repulsive as she is.

Like how you blame Republicans for destruction in 2008. BS but ok lets go with it and take ownership. Obama took ownership in 2008 and was responsible for fixing the mess and he failed.

Clinton stood for what ? LBGTQ and universal healthcare.

This.

There are enough things wrong with Trump that shooting down everything about him in a one sided monologue looks the same as what Fox did with strawman arguments against Obama.

It's not enough to point out Trumps problems to people. You needed to have one of his prominent supporters on air to demonstrated that Trump is OBJECTIVELY worse than any other president. The other upside is actually getting a chance to have the voice of a Trump supporter like Roseanne out there so that maybe, just maybe, left leaning folks can hear the other side and find common ground. Until the democrats steal back people that voted Trump, the train is just gonna keep on rolling in the wrong direction.

Example, talking about rolling back Obamacare as though it should be obvious to poorer Trump supporters that they were screwed by this. You can't just change their opinion by calling them too stupid to know what their daily lives are like. You have to listen to the details of why they think their healthcare under Obamacare was, or would become worse than before it. I know my aunt and uncle in Alabama, although middle class, both swear that after Obamacare their costs went up and benefits went down. You have to listen to people a bit if you care about figuring out how to change their vote next term,

Video he mentions from Healthcare Triage

While Trump is great at being direct if he's trying to say something self-aggrandizing or racist, he is as much of a weasel as any other politician on specific policy questions, just in his own uniquely dumb way :

"My plan for healthcare is that everyone will be covered and have the best doctors and we'll all save money. Trust me people, I'm the best at health, everyone says that, and you know that's true. You're going to get sick of being so healthy, believe me."

Another terrifying angle

At least ten people were injured in a ski-lift crush in Georgia’s mountain resort of Gudauri.

The citizens of Georgia, Ukraine, Russia and Sweden were reportedly taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

A ski lift malfunction was reported at Sadzele mountain ski trail in Gudauri in the morning on 16 March. There was an emergency stop after which the ski lift chairs started sliding back. The riders had to jump off the ski lift to survive.
According to the Georgian Healthcare Minister, David Sergeenko, 8 people turned to the Gudauri-based medical emergency clinic.

“Luckily no one was killed or seriously injured. There are two patients, the nationals of Ukraine and Sweden, who still need to be paid particular attention,” said David Sergeenko. According to the Georgian Healthcare Minister, the Ukrainian citizen has an open fracture of a forearm, while another injured person, a Swedish national, is a pregnant woman. Both of them have been transported from Gudauri to Tbilisi by helicopter.

The Georgian Ministry of Interior has instituted criminal proceedings under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of Georgia – “violation of safety regulations or procedures for the operation of the railway, water, air or cableway transport traffic”.

Hmm. I think Trump's healthcare and economic policies have consequences in human lives. War is not the only injustice.

Idk. Context is important, but then... life is meaningless and ephemeral - soon there will be nothing. It seems there is always a bigger picture to reach for to diminish somebody's argument.

I don't disagree with what Bush said about the state of politics now. If it was an anonymous comment I'd still agree with it, but it would less interesting. Perhaps it is fair to "whataboutbush" because so much emphasis was on the "who" of the comment rather than the "what". I think to the left we hope our acceptance of his comment is evidence to our impartiality. "look", we say, "we even agree with BUSH on this! Objectivity!". It seems to me to entirely be a concession to the opposition...but I can understand those who cannot abide any concession.

Your video, Trump Trumpety Trump (& the NHS and healthcare in general), has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

Think of all the other *quality investments that money could go towards instead of being funneled into the pockets of the rich.

That money could go towards making healthcare more accessible, or reducing the burden of post-secondary tuition for young grads.

from link:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/year-one-list-81-major-trump-achievements-11-obama-legacy-items-repealed/article/2644159

Below are the 12 categories and 81 wins cited by the White House.

Jobs and the economy

Passage of the tax reform bill providing $5.5 billion in cuts and repealing the Obamacare mandate.
Increase of the GDP above 3 percent.
Creation of 1.7 million new jobs, cutting unemployment to 4.1 percent.
Saw the Dow Jones reach record highs.
A rebound in economic confidence to a 17-year high.
A new executive order to boost apprenticeships.
A move to boost computer sciences in Education Department programs.
Prioritizing women-owned businesses for some $500 million in SBA loans.
Killing job-stifling regulations

Signed an Executive Order demanding that two regulations be killed for every new one creates. He beat that big and cut 16 rules and regulations for every one created, saving $8.1 billion.
Signed 15 congressional regulatory cuts.
Withdrew from the Obama-era Paris Climate Agreement, ending the threat of environmental regulations.
Signed an Executive Order cutting the time for infrastructure permit approvals.
Eliminated an Obama rule on streams that Trump felt unfairly targeted the coal industry.
Fair trade

Made good on his campaign promise to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Opened up the North American Free Trade Agreement for talks to better the deal for the U.S.
Worked to bring companies back to the U.S., and companies like Toyota, Mazda, Broadcom Limited, and Foxconn announced plans to open U.S. plants.
Worked to promote the sale of U.S products abroad.
Made enforcement of U.S. trade laws, especially those that involve national security, a priority.
Ended Obama’s deal with Cuba.
Boosting U.S. energy dominance

The Department of Interior, which has led the way in cutting regulations, opened plans to lease 77 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas drilling.
Trump traveled the world to promote the sale and use of U.S. energy.
Expanded energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline snubbed by Obama.
Ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to kill Obama’s Clean Power Plan.
EPA is reconsidering Obama rules on methane emissions.
Protecting the U.S. homeland

Laid out new principles for reforming immigration and announced plan to end "chain migration," which lets one legal immigrant to bring in dozens of family members.
Made progress to build the border wall with Mexico.
Ended the Obama-era “catch and release” of illegal immigrants.
Boosted the arrests of illegals inside the U.S.
Doubled the number of counties participating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement charged with deporting illegals.
Removed 36 percent more criminal gang members than in fiscal 2016.
Started the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program.
Ditto for other amnesty programs like Deferred Action for Parents of Americans.
Cracking down on some 300 sanctuary cities that defy ICE but still get federal dollars.
Added some 100 new immigration judges.
Protecting communities

Justice announced grants of $98 million to fund 802 new cops.
Justice worked with Central American nations to arrest and charge 4,000 MS-13 members.
Homeland rounded up nearly 800 MS-13 members, an 83 percent one-year increase.
Signed three executive orders aimed at cracking down on international criminal organizations.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions created new National Public Safety Partnership, a cooperative initiative with cities to reduce violent crimes.
Accountability

Trump has nominated 73 federal judges and won his nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
Ordered ethical standards including a lobbying ban.
Called for a comprehensive plan to reorganize the executive branch.
Ordered an overhaul to modernize the digital government.
Called for a full audit of the Pentagon and its spending.
Combatting opioids

First, the president declared a Nationwide Public Health Emergency on opioids.
His Council of Economic Advisors played a role in determining that overdoses are underreported by as much as 24 percent.
The Department of Health and Human Services laid out a new five-point strategy to fight the crisis.
Justice announced it was scheduling fentanyl substances as a drug class under the Controlled Substances Act.
Justice started a fraud crackdown, arresting more than 400.
The administration added $500 million to fight the crisis.
On National Drug Take Back Day, the Drug Enforcement Agency collected 456 tons.

Helping veterans

Signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act to allow senior officials in the Department of Veterans Affairs to fire failing employees and establish safeguards to protect whistleblowers.
Signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act.
Signed the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, to provide support.
Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 to authorize $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
Created a VA hotline.
Had the VA launch an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with a way to access wait time and quality of care data.
With VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin, announced three initiatives to expand access to healthcare for veterans using telehealth technology.
Promoting peace through strength

Directed the rebuilding of the military and ordered a new national strategy and nuclear posture review.
Worked to increase defense spending.
Empowered military leaders to “seize the initiative and win,” reducing the need for a White House sign off on every mission.
Directed the revival of the National Space Council to develop space war strategies.
Elevated U.S. Cyber Command into a major warfighting command.
Withdrew from the U.N. Global Compact on Migration, which Trump saw as a threat to borders.
Imposed a travel ban on nations that lack border and anti-terrorism security.
Saw ISIS lose virtually all of its territory.
Pushed for strong action against global outlaw North Korea and its development of nuclear weapons.
Announced a new Afghanistan strategy that strengthens support for U.S. forces at war with terrorism.
NATO increased support for the war in Afghanistan.
Approved a new Iran strategy plan focused on neutralizing the country’s influence in the region.
Ordered missile strikes against a Syrian airbase used in a chemical weapons attack.
Prevented subsequent chemical attacks by announcing a plan to detect them better and warned of future strikes if they were used.
Ordered new sanctions on the dictatorship in Venezuela.
Restoring confidence in and respect for America

Trump won the release of Americans held abroad, often using his personal relationships with world leaders.
Made good on a campaign promise to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Conducted a historic 12-day trip through Asia, winning new cooperative deals. On the trip, he attended three regional summits to promote American interests.
He traveled to the Middle East and Europe to build new relationships with leaders.
Traveled to Poland and on to Germany for the G-20 meeting where he pushed again for funding of women entrepreneurs.


see link above for more complete

This is what happens with socialised healthcare, america. Whatever you do, don't let people being healthy get in the way of profit margins. Luckily, you've elected the right people to make sure you're fucked over again and again.

I suppose you are already sufficiently disgusted with the healthcare system in the US, but here's a piece on the preauthorisation of new drugs and medical procedures. And oh boy, it's a doozy. I should have expected it to be set up this way, but I didn't guess. Need to crank my cynicism up to 12.

Edit: also, Ronan Farrow has a new piece out on Weinstein: Harvey Weinstein’s Army of Spies. Farrow's reporting on the issue has been nothing short of sublime. An absolute must-read if you're interested in the case.

Yeah, this is a "Why NYPD cops" or "Why US cops" won't help, plus a little "US healthcare isn't about caring for people's health" kind of story.

Libertarianism is for teenagers and idiots.

Any well-adjusted adult with any ability for critical thinking can see how stupid this is. Even his premise is idiotic. The government doesn't use guns to enforce parking violations (for example) they certainly don't use guns to provide healthcare to people. When was the last time a bus driver pointed a gun at you and said, "Get on the bus, it's public transit, cars are illegal now!"

Just because America has a lousy political system and therefore generally a string of bad governments, does not mean government is bad. It just means American government is bad. The countries with the highest levels of citizen happiness, the greatest spread of wealth, the highest education standards, the longest lifespans, the lowest infant mortality rates, the lowest crime rates, all have the kinds of governments Libertarians rail against.

Libertarianism, in summary, is childish, stupid, and immoral. No big surprise @bobknight33 is a fan then.

Two words easily dismiss your entire argument: predator drones.

Look, there are plenty of other countries with high gun ownership rates, but a few sensible regulations stop this kind of shit happening, and guess what? Those countries aren’t oppressive dictatorships, they’re modern, progressive societies.

Meanwhile, the USA, for all your talk of guns preventing dictatorship is a disgrace. You have have bigoted asshole running your country, your healthcare is barbaric (and they’re trying to make it worse), your tax system is ridiculous and your minority citizens are being criticised for daring to protest about the systemic racism they have to endure.

Gun control won’t make your country “less free”, because it’s already ranked pretty low there. But it will certainly lower the number of mass shootings.

I'm all in favour of sticking strongly to ones convictions, but politics needs to include compromise. I think part of the current problem in the US is the winner takes all attitude you reference and exhibit that both parties have been playing from since Bush/Clinton days at the least.

Stating that the correct answer on the death penalty debate, war against dictator from whereveristan, public/private healthcare, abortion, federal definition of marriage are ALL non-negotiable moral high grounds where your side will never give an inch and let the country burn if that's what it takes is causing the current chaos. Trump got elected in large part on exactly this course of backlash against not just the political status quo, but additionally the left's steadfast push that all these issues where 'solved' and sacred and must morally never lean back towards the right.