Mileage Psycho Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Jeff Flake does a good interview while promoting his new book Conscience of a Conservative, the interview is at the link, below is excerpts from the piece he did in Politico. Jeff Flake gets it. Quote GOP Sen. Jeff Flake: Donald Trump is like the biblical flood, and we need to build an ark Jeff Flake, a Republican senator from Arizona, has published a searing piece in Politico accusing his party of being in “denial” about Trump. “We created him, and now we're rationalizing him,” he writes. “When will it stop?” In the piece, Flake traces his own journey of denial, writing about the “defense mechanisms” he deployed to protect himself from facing up to Trump’s behavior: I even found myself saying things like, “If I took the time to respond to every presidential tweet, there would be little time for anything else.” Given the volume and velocity of tweets from both the Trump campaign and then the White House, this was certainly true. But it was also a monumental dodge. It would be like Noah saying, “If I spent all my time obsessing about the coming flood, there would be little time for anything else.” At a certain point, if one is being honest, the flood becomes the thing that is most worthy of attention. At a certain point, it might be time to build an ark. Oof. And yet this is where Flake’s op-ed deserves some scrutiny: What kind of ark does he propose to build? What sort of behavior will he no longer tolerate? The prescriptive portion of Flake’s analysis is a bit thin: So, where should Republicans go from here? First, we shouldn’t hesitate to speak out if the president “plays to the base” in ways that damage the Republican Party’s ability to grow and speak to a larger audience. Second, Republicans need to take the long view when it comes to issues like free trade: Populist and protectionist policies might play well in the short term, but they handicap the country in the long term. Third, Republicans need to stand up for institutions and prerogatives, like the Senate filibuster, that have served us well for more than two centuries. Given the gravity of the problem Flake outlines, his specific recommendations — that Republicans condemn Trump’s most bigoted rhetoric, speak out for free trade, and protect the filibuster — seem a bit small. One part of Flake’s assessment seems particularly neglected in his solutions: his rundown of the Russia story, and Trump’s response to it. Even as our own government was documenting a concerted attack against our democratic processes by an enemy foreign power, our own White House was rejecting the authority of its own intelligence agencies, disclaiming their findings as a Democratic ruse and a hoax. Conduct that would have had conservatives up in arms had it been exhibited by our political opponents now had us dumbstruck. There is much Flake and his colleagues could do to ensure the truth of the Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election is discovered, to strengthen American institutions, and to show that Trump’s efforts to protect himself and his allies from scrutiny will not be tolerated. Congressional Republicans could, for instance, remove the threat of Trump axing his attorney general in order to impede Bob Mueller’s investigation by making clear that any such firing would be met with overwhelming reprisals, up to and including impeachment proceedings. They could punish Trump for firing then-FBI Director James Comey in order to squelch the Russia investigation by refusing to confirm Christopher Wray, Trump’s handpicked choice for Comey’s successor, and instead insisting on a candidate the Senate has chosen. They could pass a law forcing Trump to turn over his tax returns so the public could be certain there aren’t problematic financial ties between Trump and Russia. They could implement the recommendations Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, made to strengthen the ethics laws around Trump. But Flake doesn’t propose, or even mention, any of these ideas. I don’t dismiss the courage it took Flake to write this. Only 17 percent of Arizona Republicans disapprove of Trump’s performance as president. And statements like this one, even if they’re not immediately backed by concrete action, are valuable — they embolden other Republicans, send important signals to the rest of the political system, and create a standard by which Flake’s future behavior can be judged. But if Trump’s presidency is the Great Flood of American politics, it surely requires more than stern words. Flake, to his credit, is no longer denying there’s a problem. But he’s a long way from embracing the hard, controversial policies and votes that might serve as an ark. “Under our constitution, there simply are not that many people who are in a position to do something about an executive branch in chaos,” Flake writes in a particularly powerful passage. “As the first branch of government (Article I), the Congress was designed expressly to assert itself at just such moments. It is what we talk about when we talk about ‘checks and balances.’ Too often, we observe the unfolding drama along with the rest of the country, passively, all but saying, ‘Someone should do something!’without seeming to realize that that someone is us.” http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-sen-jeff-flake-donald-trump-is-like-the-biblical-flood-and-we-need-to-build-an-ark/ar-AApcV6e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtssrx Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 I can't stand Trump but what have Republicans done to push Trumps agenda forward? I say nothing and that's the agenda Trump was elected to put forward. I think republicans are in denial that they will keep their seats if they stand back and do nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecat Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 The longer the Republicans stay quiet the bigger the beating they take in the next election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleepr2 Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 1 hour ago, Mainecat said: The longer the Republicans stay quiet the bigger the beating they take in the next election. Wire to wire ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 1 hour ago, Mainecat said: The longer the Republicans stay quiet the bigger the beating they take in the next election. 0-5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted August 1, 2017 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted August 1, 2017 I'd can't imagine what happens in America if Trump was removed under existing circumstances. I can tell you it wouldn't be pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 10 minutes ago, Highmark said: I'd can't imagine what happens in America if Trump was removed under existing circumstances. I can tell you it wouldn't be pretty. Agreed. So, our democratic system doesn't matter now? ....both sides would take heat and shrapnel. Imagine the happiness of Moto's boy band! Even though they aren't sure what they are about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JEFF Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 No, Flake does not "get it". The people are sick of the bullshit from the left and the right. Donald was a scud missile right to the hart of US politics. The majority of Americans are sick and tired of the status quo over the last 25 years. Watching corporate america grow into a monster that is "to big to fail" while average joe's like all of us get the rusty shaft. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Jimmy Snacks Posted August 1, 2017 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted August 1, 2017 So a sitting Senator writes a book that is critical of a sitting President and goes on MSNBC to promote it....hmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mileage Psycho Posted August 1, 2017 Author Share Posted August 1, 2017 7 hours ago, Highmark said: I'd can't imagine what happens in America if Trump was removed under existing circumstances. I can tell you it wouldn't be pretty. 7 hours ago, Zambroski said: Agreed. So, our democratic system doesn't matter now? ....both sides would take heat and shrapnel. Imagine the happiness of Moto's boy band! Even though they aren't sure what they are about. Crackpots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 15 minutes ago, Mileage Psycho said: Crackpots Remember, you are representing the weak half in America. Both in mind and weapons. Nobody is scared of Antifa and their sticks....stop hiding behind them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member SnowRider Posted August 2, 2017 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted August 2, 2017 Now Flake is bad. McCain is bad. Willard is bad. Any seasonable person speaks out against Dump but the Clown Posse defends him at all costs Dump - a lying narcissist with small hands, Altzhiemers, dementia, a twitter account, and no fucking plans is your new hero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mileage Psycho Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) 55 minutes ago, Zambroski said: Remember, you are representing the weak half in America. Both in mind and weapons. Nobody is scared of Antifa and their sticks....stop hiding behind them. 60 year old voters are not going to rush to the streets to get there ass kicked by riot police, and the neither will the typical GOP voter. Now on the other hand the Occupy voters who supported Bernie supporter wouldn't mind busting up a block or three. Quote Take age, for instance. Trump and Romney both did well in counties with a larger share of older people, but Trump did better. Trump outperformed Romney by 3 percentage points in counties with less than 20 percent of the population age 60 and over but by nearly 12 points in counties where this group constituted over 30 percent of the population.2 (All trend lines in the charts below are weighted by county-level voter turnout in 2016.) https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/where-trump-got-his-edge/ Oh yea I forgot how the stronger half wowed everyone in Oregon. Edited August 2, 2017 by Mileage Psycho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Police? Oh, honey, I was talking a bit sturdier revolt than bottle throwing and a few bodies here and there. Police will have to pick a side, and so will the military. Guess which one they'll pick? Meh.....dream a dream. Reality? PRESEIDENT PENCE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambroski Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Oh, and "Oregon". Yeaaahhhhh. You should meet some of my boys I was with a few months ago. I'm pretty level headed. They HATE LIB-twats! I'm not so sure they haven't already quietly started!!! And one is an attorney now!!!! So, good luck! Hell, we're gonna knock off all the retards hoarding the ar-15 ammo anyway. We'll set up betting stick skirmish matches between Antifa and the fat survivalists. You sweethearts hunker down in "sanctuary". Learn to grow food on rooftops and season human flesh. Survival of the fittest!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted August 2, 2017 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) 12 hours ago, Mileage Psycho said: 60 year old voters are not going to rush to the streets to get there ass kicked by riot police, and the neither will the typical GOP voter. Now on the other hand the Occupy voters who supported Bernie supporter wouldn't mind busting up a block or three. Oh yea I forgot how the stronger half wowed everyone in Oregon. Oh Vince there are much other ways for people to impact govt than rioting and destroying their own business'. Imagine if 30-40 million got together and did the following. Stop paying income taxes. Send some of your tax dollars to an ACLU like group that defends the few who the IRS can go after. That's if Pence would even make them. Pull all their money out of the stock market. We would see a panic drop of 50-75%. Pull money out of Banks and stop paying CC's and other bills. A real run at the banks. Again how many can they really go after? A few hundred thousand at best every couple years. Those people simply pay immediately and get themselves out of trouble yet the impact is severe. A complete boycott of any business that don't come out against the coup. A significant portion of LE support Trump. They simply can refuse to arrest the people doing the things stated above. Same goes with the military. Yeah its all far fetched but so is removing a POTUS under the 25th and without good cause. Edited August 2, 2017 by Highmark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momorider Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Rigid1 Posted August 2, 2017 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted August 2, 2017 21 hours ago, Highmark said: I'd can't imagine what happens in America if Trump was removed under existing circumstances. I can tell you it wouldn't be pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer254 Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 12 hours ago, SnowRider said: Now Flake is bad. McCain is bad. Willard is bad. Any seasonable person speaks out against Dump but the Clown Posse defends him at all costs Dump - a lying narcissist with small hands, Altzhiemers, dementia, a twitter account, and no fucking plans is your new hero Still haven't figured it out yet, have you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mileage Psycho Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 23 minutes ago, Highmark said: Oh Vince there are much other ways for people to impact govt than rioting and destroying their own business'. Imagine if 30-40 million got together and did the following. Stop paying income taxes. Send some of your tax dollars to an ACLU like group that defends the few who the IRS can go after. That's if Pence would even make them. Pull all their money out of the stock market. We would see a panic drop of 50-75%. Pull money out of Banks and stop paying CC's and other bills. A real run at the banks. Again how many can they really go after? A few hundred thousand at best every couple years. Those people simply pay immediately and get themselves out of trouble yet the impact is severe. A complete boycott of any business that don't come out against the coup. A significant portion of LE support Trump. They simply can refuse to arrest the people doing the things stated above. Same goes with the military. Yeah its all far fetched but so is removing a POTUS under the 25th and without good cause. Pipe dreams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum Contributing Member Highmark Posted August 2, 2017 Platinum Contributing Member Share Posted August 2, 2017 Just now, Mileage Psycho said: Pipe dreams. So is removing Trump using the 25th or Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 by declaring him unfit to serve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmo Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 14 minutes ago, racer254 said: Still haven't figured it out yet, have you? They never will. They just keep digging the hole deeper for themselves. Eventually it will sink in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mileage Psycho Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 2 minutes ago, Highmark said: So is removing Trump using the 25th or Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 by declaring him unfit to serve. I agree, nothing more than nonsensical thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momorider Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 13 minutes ago, Mileage Psycho said: I agree, nothing more than nonsensical thoughts. Kind of like every though you have ever conjured up in that of yours Ballsack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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