Election 2024

Editorial:

Donald Trump’s cognitive decline becoming a troubling concern

Donald Trump’s racism, sexism, xenophobia and penchant for corruption have long made him unfit for any public office, let alone the presidency. But as he continues his bid for a second term in the White House, there is an unsettling and undeniable shift that is leading many experts, observers and even some Trump supporters to conclude that the former president’s mental acuity and sharpness are also in decline, that his physical health and stamina are waning and that his frustration and anger are boiling over.

Americans from both sides of the political spectrum should be alarmed by Trump’s words and behavior. The nation must confront the fact that beyond his hateful character, he is crippled cognitively and showing clear signs of mental illness.

There’s no need to resort to armchair psychology to interpret what’s apparent. If victorious, Trump would be the oldest president ever inaugurated. In recent weeks, he has canceled an increasing number of public appearances, with Trump’s own campaign citing the candidate’s exhaustion. When he does appear publicly, Trump struggles to complete sentences or sustain coherent thoughts, and has shown a pronounced difficulty concentrating and a tendency to repeat himself, sometimes within the same sentence.

At a recent rally in New Hampshire, for example, Trump began to ....

CONTINUED
 
Editorial:

Donald Trump’s cognitive decline becoming a troubling concern

When he does appear publicly, Trump struggles to complete sentences or sustain coherent thoughts, and has shown a pronounced difficulty concentrating and a tendency to repeat himself, sometimes within the same sentence. #581
How much of this is age, meaning result of something a good night's sleep can't fix,
and fatigue from a challenging campaign, from which a few days rest may prove therapeutic?


Like the difference between lightning, and the lightning bug:

"... as president of the United States I will be a president for all Americans, whether you vote for me or not." VP Harris 24/10/30 CBS

"I wanna protect the women of our country." "I'm gunna do it whether the women like it or not." Trump Green Bay, WI 24/10/30 CBS


Almost similar?
 
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This is verbatim from his closing message in crucial North Carolina:

"When I say insane asylums, and then I say, Doctor Hannibal Lecter, does anybody know? They go crazy they say, oh, he brings up these names out of - well, that's genius, right, Doctor Hannibal Lecter. There's nobody worse than him. Silence of the Lambs. Who the hell else would even remember that? I have a great memory but they always hit me. I don't bring it up too much because they have to take such a - he brought up Hannibal Lecter. What does that have to do with this? What is it? It has everything to do with it, right? He was - that’s who we are allowing into our country and we can’t allow it in our country. So I've done something for you for you that I haven't done in 20 speeches, I brought up Doctor Hannibal Lecter and we're allowing him, you watch, you watch these fake people will say again, he brought up Hannibal Lecter has absolutely nothing to do. You know I do the weave, right, the weave it’s genius. You bring up Hannibal Lecter, you mention insane asylum. Hannibal Lecter. You go out, now there'll be a time in life where the weave won't finish properly at the bottom and then we can talk. But right now it's pure genius hey, I have an uncle, my uncle, Uncle John, my father's brother, 41 years at MIT longest serving professor has so many degrees he didn't know what the hell to do with them all in the most complicated, I understand a lot of this stuff, you know, I believe in that. Like, I mean, Jack Nicklaus is not gonna produce a bad golfer. Right you know, that's the way it works it's just one of those things and it's in the family and it's whatever.”
 
This is verbatim from his closing message in crucial North Carolina: #587
- Makes sense to us Donald ! - as the horde of Trump voters barge to the polls in support.

All we have to do is beat them.

Vote Harris / Walz ! Then, enjoy a generous sip of a refreshing adult beverage.
 
"RIP" #589
I don't feel so good.

U.S. presidential history recap:
The Republican party (GOP) had not put any of its candidates into the white house by popular vote in the new millennium. SCOTUS' Bush v. Gore installed President GWB [R-"TX"].
The electoral collage installed President Trump over the popular choice, Secretary Hillary Clinton.

At long last the GOP has come through, beating the Democrat team by over 50 electoral college votes. source: https://www.foxnews.com/elections

The candidate that won an unfettered victory? A convicted felon. A candidate members of his own cabinet have declared unfit for the office.
There are a variety of lowlights to this impending Republican administration.
- tax cuts for the rich
- Trump tariffs crippling consumer markets
- jeopardized NATO membership (while Russia is at War in Europe)
- numerous etc.

The glimmer of hope? Donald Trump has frequently refused or failed to make good on his campaign commitments.

Keep an eye on Musk & Kennedy in the 2nd Trump administration, the United States of Trump.

"When the President [of the United States of America] does it, that means it is not illegal." President Richard M. Nixon

"Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of Liberty at home will be charged to dangers real or imagined from abroad." James Madison

"If we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us." Francis Bacon 1561 - 1626
 
"recrudescence" #591
Recrudescence derives from the Latin verb recrudescere, meaning "to become raw again" (used, for example, of wounds). Ultimately, it can be traced back to the Latin word for raw," which is "crudus." (If you suspect that "crude" is also derived from "crudus," you are correct; another well-known descendant is "cruel.") In its literal sense, "recrudescence" is a medical word denoting a renewed outbreak of a disease. In extended use, it most often describes the return of an undesirable condition, such as a war or a plague, or the return of an undesirable idea. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recrudescence
"Words mean things." Rush Limbaugh
 
from TikTok, allegedly a potential threat from China:
"Putin will be happy" link @ #593

Published March 13, 2024
Recent legislation in the House of Representatives highlights the discussion of national security risks from the use of TikTok have identified three potential sources of danger. The first is that TikTok is part of a nefarious Chinese government influence operation designed to sway U.S. politics. The second is that TikTok can be used to collect personal data on Americans. The third is that voluntarily downloading TikTok onto phones or devices allows for the injection of malicious software by China. https://www.csis.org/analysis/tiktok-and-national-security

There may be room for speculation about the future. There's little if any ambiguity about Trump's campaign commitments, or his 4 year executive history.

Is TikTok a ChiComm instrument?
In this case, does it matter?
 
Trump was allowed to remain on election ballots despite being ineligible to hold office because of his January 6 insurrection.
They allowed it to avoid a constitutional crisis?
Just wait until Trump pardons his co-conspirators.
 
"Trump was allowed to remain on election ballots despite being ineligible to hold office because of his January 6 insurrection.
They allowed it to avoid a constitutional crisis?" t #595

I haven't figured it out t #595.
NPR says the decision was unanimous.

A unanimous Supreme Court restores Trump to the Colorado ballot​

Updated March 4, 202411:12 AM ET / Carrie Johnson
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled to restore former President Donald Trump to Colorado's ballot.
The U.S. Supreme Court restored Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump to the Colorado primary ballot, ruling that the state lacked authority to disqualify him after his actions three years ago during the siege on the U.S. Capitol.

SCOTUS members are (as is the president) sworn to uphold the Constitution.

ARTICLE #14: Ratified July 9, 1868
SECTION3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.


Bush v. Gore was 5:4 along party lines. This decision to leave Trump on the ballot is remains a head-scratcher.

"Just wait until Trump pardons his co-conspirators." t #595
Didn't Trump campaign on that? As a selling point? Vote for me and I'll obtain justice for these poor abused patriots who only tried to stop the steal?
"The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it." Trump 23/04/09 on FOX Easter Sunday
... said the criminal with dozens of felony convictions.

BTW: Isn't Trump awaiting sentence? And further litigation? What's the status on that?
 
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Here it was a landslide. As of Wednesday morning, Kamala and Coach Tim led by nearly 1.7 million votes, more than the entire population of many states.

Sure, it’s expensive to live here but we sparkle.
⭐️


Repost from @latimes

The last time Donald Trump was president, California led the liberal resistance to his agenda. Now it is poised to reprise the role.

In fact, as Trump’s return to power came into focus late Tuesday, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said he already had a plan to do so — that the state was “1000% focused” and ready to fight, in court and beyond, for California’s progressive way of life.

“If Trump doesn’t break the law, if he doesn’t violate the Constitution, if he doesn’t overreach his authority in unlawful ways, there’ll be nothing for us to do,” Bonta said. “But if he does what he did last time, and if he does what Project 2025 suggests he will do, of course we will clash with him in court — because he will be breaking the law.”

There could be big fights over a host of major issues that the Trump administration and California hold vastly different positions on — including the distribution of abortion pills in the mail, the focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and race-conscious education in public universities and colleges, and protections for vulnerable populations such as transgender people and children.

Read more at the link in @latimes bio.

📷
Josh Edelson / For The Times

Given the current makeup of the Supreme Court I wouldn't bet that they'll come down on the side of the law or the Constitution. I'm sure they'll find some 17th century precedent to support any ruling they want to issue.
 
NY Post

Mike Bloomberg slams Democrats for concealing Biden’s decline: ‘Probably wasn’t great to cover up infirmities’​

Ariel Zilber / Fri, November 8, 2024 at 10:24 AM EST

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took aim at the Democratic Party for concealing President Biden’s condition all the way through the middle of this year before tapping Vice President Kamala Harris as a replacement White House candidate just months before Tuesday’s election.

Way to sound the alarm Mike, after the rubble has stopped smoldering.

It's easy to criticize Republicans for prioritizing party over country, partisanship above citizenship.
But here it seems Democrats, Biden administration insiders took that treachery a step further, prioritizing loyalty to person, President Biden and his failing faculties, ahead of the party, which in turn subordinates patriotism yet more flagrantly than Republicans.

The electorate lacked clear glimpse of Biden's severe decline until the televised candidate debate with Republican presidential candidate Trump.
By then the primary was over. Post-election reports indicate Biden didn't step aside as graciously as it may have seemed.

The following headline seems to over-state the case, but may still help explain events.


The Wrap

Harris Surrogate Says Joe Biden Gave a ‘Big F You’ to Fellow Democrats With Kamala Endorsement​

Bruce Haring / Sat, November 9, 2024 at 2:47 PM EST
Democratic National Committee women’s chair and Kamala Harris surrogate Lindy Li unloaded her frustrations to Fox News on Saturday, saying the Harris campaign was a “$1 billion disaster” and pinning the blame for it on Joe Biden.

Li, a donor to Harris, told Fox News host Will Cain that the problems began with Biden’s swift endorsement of Harris on the day he left the presidential race.

“I actually think President Biden, the whole endorsing her 30 minutes after he dropped out, I think that was a big, ‘F you’ to the party. ‘If you don’t want me, here’s somebody you may not like, deal with it,’” Li said.
Cain asked if she meant Biden was “sticking the party with Kamala Harris?”

The post Harris Surrogate Says Joe Biden Gave a ‘Big F You’ to Fellow Democrats With Kamala Endorsement | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
 
From FB (you can expect this list to get longer soon)

I’ve been critical of the Trump presidency and am still exhausted from the experience.

But to be fair President Trump wasn’t that bad, other than:
• when he incited an insurrection against the government.
• mismanaged a pandemic that killed over a million Americans
• separated children from their families.
• lost those children in the bureaucracy
• tear-gassed peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square so he could hold a photo op holding a Bible in front of a church
• tried to block all Muslims from entering the country
• got impeached
• got impeached again
• had the worst jobs record of any president in modern history
• pressured Ukraine to dig dirt on Joe Biden
• fired the FBI director for investigating his ties to Russia
• bragged about firing the FBI director on TV
• took Vladimir Putin’s word over the US intelligence community
• diverted military funding to build his wall
• caused the longest government shutdown in US history
• called Black Lives Matter a “symbol of hate”
• lied nearly 40,000 times
• banned transgender people from serving in the military
• ejected reporters from the White House briefing room who asked tough questions
• vetoed the defense funding bill because it renamed military bases named for Confederate soldiers
• refused to release his tax returns
• increased the national debt by nearly $8 trillion
• had three of the highest annual trade deficits in U.S. history
• called veterans and soldiers who died in combat losers and suckers
• coddled the leader of Saudi Arabia after he ordered the execution and dismembering of a US-based journalist
• refused to concede the 2020 election
• hired his unqualified daughter and son-in-law to work in the White House
• walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl
• called neo-Nazis “very fine people”
• suggested that people should inject bleach into their bodies to fight COVID
• abandoned our allies the Kurds to Turkey
• pushed through massive tax cuts for the wealthiest but balked at helping working Americans
• incited anti-lockdown protestors in several states at the height of the pandemic
• withdrew the US from the Paris climate accords
• withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear deal
• withdrew the US from the Trans Pacific Partnership which was designed to block China’s advances
• insulted his own Cabinet members on Twitter
• pushed the leader of Montenegro out of the way during a photo op
• failed to reiterate US commitment to defending NATO allies
• called Haiti and African nations “shithole” countries
• called the city of Baltimore the “worst in the nation”
• claimed that he single-handedly brought back the phrase “Merry Christmas” even though it hadn’t gone anywhere
• forced his Cabinet members to praise him publicly like some cult leader
• believed he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
• berated and belittled his hand-picked Attorney General when he recused himself from the Russia probe
• suggested the US should buy Greenland
• colluded with Mitch McConnell to push through federal judges and two Supreme Court justices after supporting efforts to prevent his predecessor from appointing judges
• repeatedly called the media “enemies of the people”
• claimed that if we tested fewer people for COVID we’d have fewer cases
• violated the emoluments clause
• thought that Nambia was a country
• told Bob Woodward in private that the coronavirus was a big deal but then downplayed it in public
• called his exceedingly faithful vice president a “p---y” for following the Constitution
• nearly got us into a war with Iran after threatening them by tweet
• nominated a corrupt head of the EPA
• nominated a corrupt head of HHS
• nominated a corrupt head of the Interior Department
• nominated a corrupt head of the USDA

Continued below
 
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