Manafort pleading out at 11:00 AM EST

[cytg111]

What about your link is crazy? It's called politics, and _EVERYONE_ has staff selling access.

There's a very simple reason why companies paid Michael Cohen so much money

In most presidential campaigns -- and with most presidential candidates -- this is a seamless process. The vast majority have spent time in elected office. They have interacted regularly with the influence culture of lobbyists and the like. Someone in large-sized company always knows someone in a big presidential campaign.

The Trump campaign was not like most campaigns. Sure, Trump was a businessman. But, his business was selling himself. And the people who worked for him were, largely, just that: People who did stuff Trump told them to do. His inner circle was very, very small and almost entirely composed of family members and a handful of slavishly devoted underlings like Cohen and Dan Scavino.​

Its Cray Cray cause you campaign, you champion, a message to the people, the people that is going to vote you into office, then, when in said office, you let the bastards with the deepest pockets access the president and thus, if not dictate, then influence policy. What people be the top 1%, top 0.1% in the states?
Fuck that.

 

[urvile]

I think it would be a fair assumption that Manafort has deep state connections to Putin's regime. He was trying to legitimatize a Russian stooge for president of Ukraine. While knowingly breaking US laws. I wonder why he was brought in to the Donald's campaign? I read somewhere that he came in for 5 months and he worked unpaid?

I am not saying he would have had contact with GRU operatives during his work to subvert democracy for Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine. However given the stakes involved for Russia and the amount of money it's more than likely.

I am genuinely curious to see how much longer people who support Trump can continue to eat the big plates of shit being served up to them while the evidence continues to mount.

 

[UberNeuman]

I think it would be a fair assumption that Manafort has deep state connections to Putin's regime. He was trying to legitimatize a Russian stooge for president of Ukraine. While knowingly breaking US laws. I wonder why he was brought in to the Donald's campaign? I read somewhere that he came in for 5 months and he worked unpaid?

I am not saying he would have had contact with GRU operatives during his work to subvert democracy for Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine. However given the stakes involved for Russia and the amount of money it's more than likely.

I am genuinely curious to see how much longer people who support Trump can continue to eat the big plates of shit being served up to them while the evidence continues to mount.

You have to remember that these people will never stop supporting Trump. He's a means to a end for the the starry eye Jesus freaks who think they're going to stop women from having a right to choose an abortion and the Nazi/Alt Right types who see Trump as the one to save Whitey from the blacks and the mexicans. They'll keep coming to the table and shoveling the shit in their mouths while thanking Trump all the while.... lol.

 

[urvile]

You have to remember that these people will never stop supporting Trump. He's a means to a end for the the starry eye Jesus freaks who think they're going to stop women from having a right to choose an abortion and the Nazi/Alt Right types who see Trump as the one to save Whitey from the blacks and the mexicans. They'll keep coming to the table and shoveling the shit in their mouths while thanking Trump all the while.... lol.

Hopefully at some point the nuts will go back to the fringe and the rest of the world can move on. When anyone. Especially professional LEOs. Look at Manafort's connections to Russia and his willingness to break the law to enrich himself while in Russia's service.... well it's a tad suspicious. This is not a man of good character.

 

[UberNeuman]

Hopefully at some point the nuts will go back to the fringe and the rest of the world can move on. When anyone. Especially professional LEOs. Look at Manafort's connections to Russia and his willingness to break the law to enrich himself while in Russia's service.... well it's a tad suspicious. This is not a man of good character.

They're not going anywhere - they are the core voters that the GOP counts on. Gullible, stupid and always unflinchingly ready to sniff at the feet of their masters.

 

[urvile]

They're not going anywhere - they are the core voters that the GOP counts on. Gullible, stupid and always unflinchingly ready to sniff at the feet of their masters.

Yeah it's unfortunate we have those arsewipes where I live too. The election of Trump has emboldened the far right here. We even had a recently elected senator use the words "final solution to immigration" and call for a return to white australia policy during his maiden speech.

He was condemned by the major parties. Even the leader of our right wing Nationalist party (One Nation). Who once wore a burkha into the house of reps (they are anti-muslim and pro-white) said his speech was inappropriate. The senator stood by his words though. He is a member of a far right party. Extreme hate is what his base is all about.

Anyway. We are fortunate that these arseholes typically stay on the fringe but our PM was recently rolled. Because he was seen as being to "liberal" by his own party. Now we have a guy who is a Pentecostal christian for PM. I am trying not to hold it against him.

🙂

 

[Josephus312]

Yeah it's unfortunate we have those arsewipes where I live too. The election of Trump has emboldened the far right here. We even had a recently elected senator use the words "final solution to immigration" and call for a return to white australia policy during his maiden speech.

He was condemned by the major parties. Even the leader of our right wing Nationalist party (One Nation). Who once wore a burkha into the house of reps (they are anti-muslim and pro-white) said his speech was inappropriate. The senator stood by his words though. He is a member of a far right party. Extreme hate is what his base is all about.

Anyway. We are fortunate that these arseholes typically stay on the fringe but our PM was recently rolled. Because he was seen as being to "liberal" by his own party. Now we have a guy who is a Pentecostal christian for PM. I am trying not to hold it against him.

🙂

To be fair, you've got a Prime that believes the universe is 6K years old... Your former Prime thought the same thing and so did the one before him...

We would do well to get these people the fuck away from positions of power in both our nations. If you invade us we'll invade you and we'll settle it with a fair vote which neither of our nations has known for some time.

Oh and I love Australians. Spent quite a few years in Melbourne and had a blast. Good people apart from the elders that somehow are only 50 but look like they are a bit over 200 and have the same ideas people had 200 years ago. 😉

 

[Jhhnn]

They're not going anywhere - they are the core voters that the GOP counts on. Gullible, stupid and always unflinchingly ready to sniff at the feet of their masters.

They've just been manipulated at a deep emotional level by decades of right wing agitprop. And they thought Trump was different, somehow more genuine than the leadership they already had. It's hard for them to accept that they made a huge mistake, that they seriously need to reconsider a lot of what they believe in.

 

[urvile]

To be fair, you've got a Prime that believes the universe is 6K years old... Your former Prime thought the same thing and so did the one before him...

We would do well to get these people the fuck away from positions of power in both our nations. If you invade us we'll invade you and we'll settle it with a fair vote which neither of our nations has known for some time.

Oh and I love Australians. Spent quite a few years in Melbourne and had a blast. Good people apart from the elders that somehow are only 50 but look like they are a bit over 200 and have the same ideas people had 200 years ago. 😉

Turnbull was actually too "progressive" for his own party. He forced the gay marriage issue. Which went to the people and came back as a big yes. He was also pushing renewable energy over coal. Which turned out to be a mistake. Whenever a PM goes against the resources/mining sector regardless of politics. They usually get rolled.

Turnbull is a very wealthy former lawyer and investment banker. He has a similar fortune to Trump estimated at 150-200 million dollars. It's funny because the guy that Turnbull replaced as PM who is an arch conservative and former seminarian. Actually had one of the biggest yes votes on gay marriage in his electorate (the people who have voted him in for over 10 years) with over 70% voting yes*.

Are politicians starting to lose touch with the common man?

*I know I am probably stereotyping here but Australia is not America. People are allowed to have their own ideas and opinions regardless of which party they identify with.

 

[shortylickens]

I'm not sure but I think I actually heard Rachel Maddow orgasm from here.

 

[urvile]

I'm not sure but I think I actually heard Rachel Maddow orgasm from here.

Is she a lesbian? I forgot to add that Tony Abbott the arch conservative and former trainee catholic priest. I mentioned above. Has a gay sister. Who the liberal party were contemplating running in Turnbull's now empty seat. You can't make this shit up.

 

[MixMasterTang]

Are politicians starting to lose touch with the common man?

*I know I am probably stereotyping here but Australia is not America. People are allowed to have their own ideas and opinions regardless of which party they identify with.

I am American but moved to Sydney earlier this year. In response to politicians losing touch with the common man I really think it is a 2 part issue. Yes they have lost touch in a sense because there is so much money in polotics that they try to appease the biggest donors. But I think the biggest issue is that the common man generally doesnt want to be involved in polotics beyond their main 1 or 2 issues and will just vote for whatever party supports their main ideals (pro life vs pro choice, immigration, etc.) and dont look at the big picture where their political groups are actually working against them in many other regards.

 

[urvile]

I am American but moved to Sydney earlier this year. In response to politicians losing touch with the common man I really think it is a 2 part issue. Yes they have lost touch in a sense because there is so much money in polotics that they try to appease the biggest donors. But I think the biggest issue is that the common man generally doesnt want to be involved in polotics beyond their main 1 or 2 issues and will just vote for whatever party supports their main ideals (pro life vs pro choice, immigration, etc.) and dont look at the big picture where their political groups are actually working against them in many other regards.

Yeah. I won't disagree. People tend to focus on a few issues that are important to them. While being oblivious. To the fact they are being screwed on multiple levels. I was annoyed that the coalition's tax cuts didn't go through. Because I am in a tax bracket where it would be advantageous. We do have the full political spectrum represented in the federal parliament from the Greens to the Katter party. It's the resources sector that has too much influence. Kevin Rudd proposes a mining tax he gets rolled by Julia Gillard. Turnbull champions renewables and believes in climate change he gets rolled by ScoMo.

I see a pattern forming. But that's politics in general bro. Whoever has the most power and influence wins.

 

[urvile]

Wow this thread has been hijacked. Sorry OP.

 

[urvile]

I would just like to add that wentworth (Turnbull's previous seat I think him and his wife are currently staying in their 4 million dollar New York Apartment) is full of wealthy, very well educated progressive conservatives. Who elected Turnbull in the first place.

I too am highly educated and white. My education is not a result of white privilege but successive government policies. I also hold views that can be considered conservative and views that can be considered "bleeding heart liberal" depending on the topic. My family is the same. The world isn't black and white.

I think America has descended into a form of extreme partisanship where if you are for one party or the other you have to support it no matter what. In Australia you can be a conservative who supports gay marriage and doesn't identify as Christian. I am glad I live in Australia.

OK. I have had a couple of Scotches. In the immortal words of the Marrickville mauler I love youse all.

Ah yes. Peaty.

 

[cytg111]

I would just like to add that wentworth (Turnbull's previous seat I think him and his wife are currently staying in their 4 million dollar New York Apartment) is full of wealthy, very well educated progressive conservatives. Who elected Turnbull in the first place.

I too am highly educated and white. My education is not a result of white privilege but successive government policies. I also hold views that can be considered conservative and views that can be considered "bleeding heart liberal" depending on the topic. My family is the same. The world isn't black and white.

I think America has descended into a form of extreme partisanship where if you are for one party or the other you have to support it no matter what. In Australia you can be a conservative who supports gay marriage and doesn't identify as Christian. I am glad I live in Australia.

OK. I have had a couple of Scotches. In the immortal words of the Marrickville mauler I love youse all.

Ah yes. Peaty.

+1 to that post, though, replace Australia with Europe and Lagavulin with Talisker.

On the flip side of that I can only surmise I would be living a life in crime if I had not been given the chances I got bouncing around the educational system trying to figure out the meaning of life. Now I make bank, pay my taxes and put back in what I took out. Its all good.

 

[urvile]

+1 to that post, though, replace Australia with Europe and Lagavulin with Talisker.

On the flip side of that I can only surmise I would be living a life in crime if I had not been given the chances I got bouncing around the educational system trying to figure out the meaning of life. Now I make bank, pay my taxes and put back in what I took out. Its all good.

Me too. If it wasn't for tax payer subsidized university education I don't know where I would be. I went from driving a forklift to enrolling in a computer science degree and I have never looked back. I am glad I live in a society that provides universal access to advanced education. Now I am paying my share taxation wise and loving what I do.

 

[compuwiz1]

Manafort is guilty of Manfort's crimes, thus should pay the price for his crimes. Trump didn't vet this guy well enough...very stupid, Trump! If he can't even vet those working within his campaign, he needs to STFU about vetting anyone, including his extreme vetting of foreigners. LOL

 

[skull]

Manafort is guilty of Manfort's crimes, thus should pay the price for his crimes. Trump didn't vet this guy well enough...very stupid, Trump! If he can't even vet those working within his campaign, he needs to STFU about vetting anyone, including his extreme vetting of foreigners. LOL

I think you missed the part where hes cooperating and must have something juicy to offer up so he doesn't have to pay the full price for his crimes.

You really think this is a vetting problem and not a this is the kind of people I surround myself with problem?

Remember only the best people.

 

[interchange]

Manafort is guilty of Manfort's crimes, thus should pay the price for his crimes. Trump didn't vet this guy well enough...very stupid, Trump! If he can't even vet those working within his campaign, he needs to STFU about vetting anyone, including his extreme vetting of foreigners. LOL

Your statement is disgusting. Please consider that Trump's culpability here runs far beyond being a bad judge of character and hypocritical for it.

 

[dank69]

Your statement is disgusting. Please consider that Trump's culpability here runs far beyond being a bad judge of character and hypocritical for it.

You are forgetting the golden rules:

Conservatives are innocent until proven guilty. If you can't prove Trump wasn't replaced with a liberal body double when he committed crimes then there is enough reasonable doubt to acquit. If any investigator has ever said anything even slightly negative about any conservative or conservative policy, the investigation is a witch hunt and can be dismissed.

Liberals are guilty even when proven innocent. The fact that multiple investigations have turned up no evidence of wrongdoing is just proof that the liberal is a very good crook capable of covering any tracks. Even when the highly partisan investigators openly admit that they are only investigating for purely partisan intentions it is still necessary to investigate. And investigate again. And again. And again. And then continue to call for more investigations for years to come.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Manafort is guilty of Manfort's crimes, thus should pay the price for his crimes. Trump didn't vet this guy well enough...very stupid, Trump! If he can't even vet those working within his campaign, he needs to STFU about vetting anyone, including his extreme vetting of foreigners. LOL

It isn't a matter of vetting well enough it's a matter of him not giving a rat's ass. Manafort is of sufficient moral standing, perfect in fact for his lack of it.

What will be interesting is what Manafort's cooperation reveals and if and how hard it bites back on Trump et. al.

 

[interchange]

I think Trump is an excellent judge of character, and he vetted his associates very well. Without skillful intention, you could never find such a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I think Trump is an excellent judge of character, and he vetted his associates very well. Without skillful intention, you could never find such a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Well, yeah. Your professional ethics aside he's mentally unfit for office. Not everyone is sold on the Goldwater Rule in certain contexts and I agree. IMO there is a difference between an official diagnosis and a professional observation of demonstrable actions and what they may indicate when there is a continual and long standing consistent history of behaviors.

As someone not bound by any such restrictions he meets criteria that qualifies him for the 25th, which does not require anything but a demonstration of unfitness. That's demonstrated time and again.

 

[Indus]

I think Trump is an excellent judge of character, and he vetted his associates very well. Without skillful intention, you could never find such a wretched hive of scum and villainy.

You must be cautious!