Draining the Swamp begins...

[Sheik Yerbouti]

The left has turned into Alex Jones.

You know where you're going
THE LIST™

 

[realibrad]

I mean you realize how incredibly easily this 'ban' is circumvented, right? All people have to do to join the team is de-register as a lobbyist and then they can immediately join, which people are already doing. This is actually a step back from Obama, who had a year long ban from whenever you terminated your lobbyist status. After leaving they can't be a lobbyist for five years maybe but they can be 'advisers' or 'consultants' or other such nonsense, which is how people already circumvent current lobbying bans. This was not very effective under Obama and it won't be very effective here. As was already said it's pure posturing.

The corruption I'm worried about from this administration has little to do with lobbyists, it has to do with a president who has a vast array of business interests that are totally opaque to the government that he has refused to divest his interests in. The potential for massive corruption in a Trump administration is unprecedented in all of American history. He better hope the Democrats never retake a single house of Congress during his administration as the scandals that will pour out of that will be endless.

I mean surely even you can admit the sheer scale of potential (likely?) corruption is worrying, no?

I can.

I worry that this lobbyist ban is all for show. Just enough of the right words to get people to believe he is sticking to his campaign without sticking to his campaign. So much of what this man says is to trick people into believing him and his BS. That is what makes him like every other politician in my view.

 

[realibrad]

You know where you're going
THE LIST™

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

and now you must go
TO THE LIST™!!!

 

[realibrad]

and now you must go
TO THE LIST™!!!

I actually made the list back in the evolution thread.

 

[Jhhnn]

The left has turned into Alex Jones.

I haven't. OTOH, Pence is a Fundie zealot & a bigot when it comes to LGBTQ people. His record as governor proves it. He's standard Teahad-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Pence#Abortion_and_sex_education_policy

 

[SP33Demon]

I mean you realize how incredibly easily this 'ban' is circumvented, right? All people have to do to join the team is de-register as a lobbyist and then they can immediately join, which people are already doing. This is actually a step back from Obama, who had a year long ban from whenever you terminated your lobbyist status. After leaving they can't be a lobbyist for five years maybe but they can be 'advisers' or 'consultants' or other such nonsense, which is how people already circumvent current lobbying bans. This was not very effective under Obama and it won't be very effective here. As was already said it's pure posturing.

The corruption I'm worried about from this administration has little to do with lobbyists, it has to do with a president who has a vast array of business interests that are totally opaque to the government that he has refused to divest his interests in. The potential for massive corruption in a Trump administration is unprecedented in all of American history. He better hope the Democrats never retake a single house of Congress during his administration as the scandals that will pour out of that will be endless.

I mean surely even you can admit the sheer scale of potential (likely?) corruption is worrying, no?

I'll take a possible high ceiling for corruption over a guaranteed high floor any day of the week.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

How would you even know if you had reason to be worried? The whole point of financial disclosure is so that third parties can evaluate if they need to be worried about corruption or not, which is something Trump refuses to do. This is why presidents divest their interests and place them in a blind trust, because the potential for corruption is massive.

If you think pointing to massive and obvious conflicts of interest for the most powerful person in the world is 'FUD' then you're delusional. It's a pretty sad day when partisanship has become so strong that people are willing to defend or brush off even basic good governance principles.

I heard that he was going to use the same firm that Obama used to set up his blind trust. Oh snap, I forgot he didn't use one! Joking aside...this is a thorny issue and I don't see how this can be reasonably resolved using a blind trust since it would require liquidation of most all of his assets in order to be reasonably effective.

 

[SP33Demon]

THE LIST™ YOU MUST GO TO!!!

lol Sheik, funny gif. I was watching someone on Youtube that made a good point about not unfriending anyone over political views on facebook and there's something to be said for that. I guess everyone has their limits tho.

 

[fskimospy]

I heard that he was going to use the same firm that Obama used to set up his blind trust. Oh snap, I forgot he didn't use one! Joking aside...this is a thorny issue and I don't see how this it can be reasonably resolved using a blind trust since it would require liquidation of most all of his assets in order to be reasonably effective.

Wouldn't one really, really easy way to start be to disclose his tax returns which would give a picture of his financial interests and potential conflicts?

We all know that the 'I can't release them while under audit' is false, so what possible excuse could he have other than he finds it politically inconvenient? That's no excuse for enabling conflicts of interest on this scale.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Wouldn't one really, really easy way to start be to disclose his tax returns which would give a picture of his financial interests and potential conflicts?

We all know that the 'I can't release them while under audit' is false, so what possible excuse could he have other than he finds it politically inconvenient? That's no excuse for enabling conflicts of interest on this scale.

Perhaps, for a start...but I highly doubt that would even come close to satisfying your ilk. For the record, what reasonable solution would you find satisfactory.

 

[Homerboy]

I sort of wanted to start a new thread with this, but figured I would toss it in here as its basically the same topic:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/po...appointment/57MFSBYKGNI0RcP0nVwIWL/story.html

More than 150 House members urge Trump to rescind Bannon appointment
Not a single Republican though...
*sigh*

 

[fskimospy]

Perhaps, for a start...but I highly doubt that would even come close to satisfying your ilk. For the record, what reasonable solution would you find satisfactory.

I like how people advocating for even the most basic anti-corruption controls are an 'ilk', lol. The partisanship is so, so strong.

The reasonable solution would depend HIGHLY on what is in those tax returns. I mean what other answer would you want? We simply have no idea what's in them and so determining what an acceptable solution would be is impossible. That's kind of why releasing them is so important.

 

[Homerboy]

Perhaps, for a start...but I highly doubt that would even come close to satisfying your ilk. For the record, what reasonable solution would you find satisfactory.

As stated, lets see the returns, and then based on what they contain, we can take the next step towards satisfying us "ilk."

 

[buckshot24]

I like how people advocating for even the most basic anti-corruption controls are an 'ilk', lol. The partisanship is so, so strong.

When it comes to Trump, you're a hack and you will never be satisfied with any disclosure. That is what he was talking about with "ilk" I'm guessing. You have a basic belief that Trump is a crook and no contrary information is going to dissuade you of these beliefs, ever.

 

[fskimospy]

When it comes to Trump, you're a hack and you will never be satisfied with any disclosure. That is what he was talking about with "ilk" I'm guessing. You have a basic belief that Trump is a crook and no contrary information is going to dissuade you of these beliefs, ever.

Blah blah. If you have a shred of integrity (doubtful?) you will agree that releasing his tax returns should be a no brainer.

Basic good governance.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

When it comes to Trump, you're a hack and you will never be satisfied with any disclosure. That is what he was talking about with "ilk" I'm guessing. You have a basic belief that Trump is a crook and no contrary information is going to dissuade you of these beliefs, ever.

actually we have drumpf's own words, and...
TO THE LIST™!!!

 

[MooseNSquirrel]

" It's a pretty sad day when partisanship has become so strong that people are willing to defend or brush off even basic good governance principles."

Or good basic morals.

You just summed up the election of our new President.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I like how people advocating for even the most basic anti-corruption controls are an 'ilk', lol. The partisanship is so, so strong.

You've shown extreme partisanship on countless occasions over the years and I find your feigning offense at my "ilk" reference to be quite amusing. Honest broker...you're not.

 

[fskimospy]

You've shown extreme partisanship on countless occasions over the years and I find your feigning offense at my "ilk" reference to be quite amusing. Honest broker...you're not.

I didn't feign any offense as I'm not offended. I just thought it was funny that you seemed to be so excited to attack people over a request for the absolutely most basic anti-corruption measures possible.

Glad to see you're already back to accusing people of being dishonest though. Remember awhile back when you wanted me to stop being so mean to you and I said that was fine so long as you behaved better yourself? Sorry to see you're throwing that away so quickly.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I didn't feign any offense as I'm not offended. I just thought it was funny that you seemed to be so excited to attack people over a request for the absolutely most basic anti-corruption measures possible.

Glad to see you're already back to accusing people of being dishonest though. Remember awhile back when you wanted me to stop being so mean to you and I said that was fine so long as you behaved better yourself? Sorry to see you're throwing that away so quickly.

You're right...I continue to profoundly disrespect you. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[fskimospy]

You're right...I continue to profoundly disrespect you. Thanks for the reminder.

Of course you do, it's part of that vaunted DSF defense mechanism against contrary evidence.

I will remain deeply saddened that an ignorant, thin skinned hypocrite such as yourself doesn't respect me. And here I thought we had made progress! Sad to see it didn't stick.

 

[NostaSeronx]

Just in Paul Manafort is selected for Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Joking... of course. [15 days later DJT announces Paul Manafort in Cabinet.. *wince* totally jinxed the joke] - America annexed into the Federation.

 

[zinfamous]

You have a basic belief that Trump is a crook

Here you are again, confusing concepts of "belief" with those that are known, observable truths. tsk tsk.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Let me say that I must apologize for not seeing this sooner. Trump is draining the swamp....to make room for the sea monsters.