This is also NOT from the Onion

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This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Libertarian666 » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:06 am

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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:23 am

Libertarian666 wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:06 am
But it is extremely accurate!

https://twitter.com/nypost/status/11944 ... 68/photo/1
Maybe because he IS??!!!

I'm listening to this testimony and it is fairly devastating. And, within the first two sentences of Nunes's opening statement I could see that the Republicans strategy is to ignore facts and engage in distraction. Too much to expect them to put country ahead of party.

Vinny
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by dualstow » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:27 am

That's a curious use of "not the Onion." Usually it's employed when something really happens. O0
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Libertarian666 » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:33 am

vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:23 am
Libertarian666 wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:06 am
But it is extremely accurate!

https://twitter.com/nypost/status/11944 ... 68/photo/1
Maybe because he IS??!!!

I'm listening to this testimony and it is fairly devastating. And, within the first two sentences of Nunes's opening statement I could see that the Republicans strategy is to ignore facts and engage in distraction. Too much to expect them to put country ahead of party.

Vinny
It is devastating, all right... to the impeachment hoax.
You're going to be very disappointed when he is re-elected in a landslide due to all of this made-up idiocy.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Libertarian666 » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:35 am

dualstow wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:27 am
That's a curious use of "not the Onion." Usually it's employed when something really happens. O0
But that really did happen. It's today's NY Post cover.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by dualstow » Wed Nov 13, 2019 11:07 am

Right, but it's just a joke, and a predictive one at that.
If someone is put in jail and then has a trial, that's Oniony territory.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by flyingpylon » Wed Nov 13, 2019 12:01 pm

vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:23 am

I'm listening to this testimony and it is fairly devastating. And, within the first two sentences of Nunes's opening statement I could see that the Republicans strategy is to ignore facts and engage in distraction. Too much to expect them to put country ahead of party.

Vinny
What specifically do you find to be devastating? What facts are being ignored?
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Libertarian666 » Wed Nov 13, 2019 2:33 pm

dualstow wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 11:07 am
Right, but it's just a joke, and a predictive one at that.
If someone is put in jail and then has a trial, that's Oniony territory.
Well, in this case there's no "going to jail" component, so that's not very likely to happen.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Cortopassi » Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:53 pm

Just to confirm to everyone that I do not have TDS, or am in remission, I have listened to multiple hours today.

And my conclusion is the democrats are screwed. If they wanted a clear argument that he deserves to be impeached, it is not happening in the least.

While I have great respect for the people testifying, my overall sense is this kind of talk and "quid pro quo" likely goes on all the time and they just decided to call Trump on it because they don't like him.

I 100% believe he withheld aid to try to get what he wanted. Can the democrats clearly make that case? I highly doubt it.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by dualstow » Wed Nov 13, 2019 4:48 pm

I agree. I also wonder if they’d want a President Pence anyway. They’re basically nervous that if Trump is not impeached (whatever the word is for real impeachment, post indictment), he’ll be re-elected, and yet they can’t do anything about it.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Kriegsspiel » Wed Nov 13, 2019 4:51 pm

Cortopassi wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:53 pm
While I have great respect for the people testifying, my overall sense is this kind of talk and "quid pro quo" likely goes on all the time and they just decided to call Trump on it because they don't like him.

I 100% believe he withheld aid to try to get what he wanted. Can the democrats clearly make that case? I highly doubt it.
Quid pro quo is kind what diplomacy is all about, right? It's pretty much always used in the sense that it's nefarious (ie, two illegal things are done), but it doesn't have to. Pretty much all international relations and diplomacy are conducted as quid pro quos. Look at a list of treaties and you see a big list of "you give us this land, and we'll stop attacking you" and "you let me be king of Spain, and I'll stop trying to be king of France" or whatever.

In addition, is it a Bad Thing to withhold aid from a country? Do we just have to give them stuff, no questions asked? I think it depends on the circumstances. If you're negotiating (quid pro quo-ing) with a country, and you threaten to withhold aid unless they stop investigating your son's company for illegal activities, that's a Bad Thing. But if you threaten to withhold it if they don't help you investigate corruption among your own politicians, that's a Good Thing. Though last I heard, Trump didn't tell the Ukrainians he would withhold aid if they didn't help, but I may be behind the times.

When I try to sort out what actually happened and whether it was kosher or not, I gather that Trump asked Ukraine to help determine whether we have a corrupt politician (Biden) on our hands. This is precisely what we have a treaty with Ukraine to do. Biden doesn't get immunity from investigation just because he's campaigning for president. I get why some people are queezy about the whole thing, since tyrannical 3rd world governments suppress (or attempt to suppress) political opposition with made-up charges against their opponents*, but this one seems legit from the available information.

* which does seem to be what the Left in America has been doing to Trump for a while now, with various made up charges like Russiagate, sexual assaults, etc. One of the rules that seems slavishly followed is Saul Alinsky's for accusing your opponents of what you're doing to them.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:15 pm

SImple matter is that we have a president who based the granting of aid to another country simply based upon what the other country would do SOLELY for HIS interest. And, absolutely NOTHING to do with the country's interest.

If anyone cannot see that I cannot add anything to the above. In this specific case we interpreting it entirely differently. Which is not an earth shattering conclusion. That seems to be the normality in life. Two people interpreting the same things in opposite ways.

Vinny
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Kriegsspiel » Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:16 pm

vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:15 pm
SImple matter is that we have a president who based the granting of aid to another country simply based upon what the other country would do SOLELY for HIS interest. And, absolutely NOTHING to do with the country's interest.
That is what Biden did, since America doesn't benefit from his son's company escaping a corruption investigation.

But it is in America's interest to shed light on a politicians corrupt activities (Biden's), especially if he's campaigning for president.

This is the same point I made in my last post. You're just re-arraigning Biden and Trump in a way that doesn't make sense to me.
If anyone cannot see that I cannot add anything to the above. In this specific case we interpreting it entirely differently. Which is not an earth shattering conclusion. That seems to be the normality in life. Two people interpreting the same things in opposite ways.
Is it fair to say that your position is that rooting out corrupt political actions IS in line with America's interests, but Trump being president is worse than a corrupt politician who threatened to withhold aid to a national ally for the benefit of a family member's company, and so it isn't in the country's interest? Or you don't think Biden did anything wrong?
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:43 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:16 pm
vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:15 pm
SImple matter is that we have a president who based the granting of aid to another country simply based upon what the other country would do SOLELY for HIS interest. And, absolutely NOTHING to do with the country's interest.
That is what Biden did, since America doesn't benefit from his son's company escaping a corruption investigation.

But it is in America's interest to shed light on a politicians corrupt activities (Biden's), especially if he's campaigning for president.

This is the same point I made in my last post. You're just re-arraigning Biden and Trump in a way that doesn't make sense to me.
If anyone cannot see that I cannot add anything to the above. In this specific case we interpreting it entirely differently. Which is not an earth shattering conclusion. That seems to be the normality in life. Two people interpreting the same things in opposite ways.
Is it fair to say that your position is that rooting out corrupt political actions IS in line with America's interests, but Trump being president is worse than a corrupt politician who threatened to withhold aid to a national ally for the benefit of a family member's company, and so it isn't in the country's interest? Or you don't think Biden did anything wrong?
Where is your proof for what you say regarding Biden? I detest Biden. Would never vote for him. Have searched high and low for what you say. But all I find is that the rest of the world supported Biden / our request in the desire that Ukraine remove a corrupt prosecutor. That is what I presently believe unless you can point me to some reliable sources that show otherwise.

I don't accept the premise of your last paragraph because there is no evidence of Biden being corrupt in this particular action. Now when it comes to credit card companies (MBNA) (https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... im-behind/) that might be a different story. Was there any other focus for Trump's regarding corruption in Ukraine outside of someone who (he thought) could be his formidable political opponent? Why not? Your last paragraph makes a more specific allegation regarding Biden that I have not seen even close to being proven. And, I really have more emotional dislike for Biden than I do for Trump. At least Trump is entertaining. Whenever he comes on C-Span I keep it tuned on to him.

Vinny
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:53 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 4:51 pm
Cortopassi wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:53 pm
While I have great respect for the people testifying, my overall sense is this kind of talk and "quid pro quo" likely goes on all the time and they just decided to call Trump on it because they don't like him.

I 100% believe he withheld aid to try to get what he wanted. Can the democrats clearly make that case? I highly doubt it.
Quid pro quo is kind what diplomacy is all about, right? It's pretty much always used in the sense that it's nefarious (ie, two illegal things are done), but it doesn't have to. Pretty much all international relations and diplomacy are conducted as quid pro quos. Look at a list of treaties and you see a big list of "you give us this land, and we'll stop attacking you" and "you let me be king of Spain, and I'll stop trying to be king of France" or whatever.

In addition, is it a Bad Thing to withhold aid from a country? Do we just have to give them stuff, no questions asked? I think it depends on the circumstances. If you're negotiating (quid pro quo-ing) with a country, and you threaten to withhold aid unless they stop investigating your son's company for illegal activities, that's a Bad Thing. But if you threaten to withhold it if they don't help you investigate corruption among your own politicians, that's a Good Thing. Though last I heard, Trump didn't tell the Ukrainians he would withhold aid if they didn't help, but I may be behind the times.

When I try to sort out what actually happened and whether it was kosher or not, I gather that Trump asked Ukraine to help determine whether we have a corrupt politician (Biden) on our hands. This is precisely what we have a treaty with Ukraine to do. Biden doesn't get immunity from investigation just because he's campaigning for president. I get why some people are queezy about the whole thing, since tyrannical 3rd world governments suppress (or attempt to suppress) political opposition with made-up charges against their opponents*, but this one seems legit from the available information.

* which does seem to be what the Left in America has been doing to Trump for a while now, with various made up charges like Russiagate, sexual assaults, etc. One of the rules that seems slavishly followed is Saul Alinsky's for accusing your opponents of what you're doing to them.
Just read this. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/10/us/p ... raine.html Found nothing in it to support what you say above. Conforms with what I have previously known regarding this.

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by dualstow » Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:47 am

Convicted, yes, thanks.
The Dems are indeed crazy! Plenty of Onionlike material coming out of them these days.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Libertarian666 » Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:50 am

vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:15 pm
SImple matter is that we have a president who based the granting of aid to another country simply based upon what the other country would do SOLELY for HIS interest. And, absolutely NOTHING to do with the country's interest.

If anyone cannot see that I cannot add anything to the above. In this specific case we interpreting it entirely differently. Which is not an earth shattering conclusion. That seems to be the normality in life. Two people interpreting the same things in opposite ways.

Vinny
You are completely wrong on this. It is precisely in the country's interest to get other countries to investigate corruption by US officials overseas.
If you don't see that, then all I can conclude is that you are a blind partisan who cannot be reached by reason.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Mountaineer » Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:55 am

Breitbart provides a balance for the NYT as the NYT has largely turned in to all OpEd and commentary, as has Breitbart ..... and Hollywood ..... and the House of Representatives (who needs to change their name to House of the Rising Sun ;) ). YMMV.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:25 pm

Libertarian666 wrote:
Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:50 am
vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:15 pm
SImple matter is that we have a president who based the granting of aid to another country simply based upon what the other country would do SOLELY for HIS interest. And, absolutely NOTHING to do with the country's interest.

If anyone cannot see that I cannot add anything to the above. In this specific case we interpreting it entirely differently. Which is not an earth shattering conclusion. That seems to be the normality in life. Two people interpreting the same things in opposite ways.

Vinny
You are completely wrong on this. It is precisely in the country's interest to get other countries to investigate corruption by US officials overseas.
If you don't see that, then all I can conclude is that you are a blind partisan who cannot be reached by reason.
Again don't agree with the premise. It is ONLY Republicans (and the like minded) who believe he was investigating corruption by US officials overseas. The REST of the world supported Biden's "corrupt" activities. He did in in the wide open. He did it NOT for his benefit but for our benefit, Ukraine's benefit, and the rest of the World's benefit. Major difference between Trump's many corrupt activities that benefit no other entity except for him!

Vinny
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:27 pm

Libertarian666 wrote:
Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:52 am
vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:53 pm
Kriegsspiel wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 4:51 pm


Quid pro quo is kind what diplomacy is all about, right? It's pretty much always used in the sense that it's nefarious (ie, two illegal things are done), but it doesn't have to. Pretty much all international relations and diplomacy are conducted as quid pro quos. Look at a list of treaties and you see a big list of "you give us this land, and we'll stop attacking you" and "you let me be king of Spain, and I'll stop trying to be king of France" or whatever.

In addition, is it a Bad Thing to withhold aid from a country? Do we just have to give them stuff, no questions asked? I think it depends on the circumstances. If you're negotiating (quid pro quo-ing) with a country, and you threaten to withhold aid unless they stop investigating your son's company for illegal activities, that's a Bad Thing. But if you threaten to withhold it if they don't help you investigate corruption among your own politicians, that's a Good Thing. Though last I heard, Trump didn't tell the Ukrainians he would withhold aid if they didn't help, but I may be behind the times.

When I try to sort out what actually happened and whether it was kosher or not, I gather that Trump asked Ukraine to help determine whether we have a corrupt politician (Biden) on our hands. This is precisely what we have a treaty with Ukraine to do. Biden doesn't get immunity from investigation just because he's campaigning for president. I get why some people are queezy about the whole thing, since tyrannical 3rd world governments suppress (or attempt to suppress) political opposition with made-up charges against their opponents*, but this one seems legit from the available information.

* which does seem to be what the Left in America has been doing to Trump for a while now, with various made up charges like Russiagate, sexual assaults, etc. One of the rules that seems slavishly followed is Saul Alinsky's for accusing your opponents of what you're doing to them.
Just read this. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/10/us/p ... raine.html Found nothing in it to support what you say above. Conforms with what I have previously known regarding this.

Vinny
Wow, so the New York Times doesn't agree that Biden was corrupt?
Imagine my shock that they wrote this after saying that we should celebrate the Deep State: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/26/opin ... state.html
So if it is in the New York Time is is ALL "Fake News"?

i will bet that 100 years from now that more historians will be citing the New York Times as a source than any other "reliable" source you can cite.

Vinny
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by jacksonm2 » Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:57 pm

vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:23 am
Libertarian666 wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 10:06 am
But it is extremely accurate!

https://twitter.com/nypost/status/11944 ... 68/photo/1
Maybe because he IS??!!!
I think he should plead guilty to trying to get the Ukrainians to look into the Hunter Biden/Burisma affair. Let the facts come out about that and then the American people can decide whether he was trying to "dig up dirt" on his opponent or faithfully executing the laws of the land which he swore on oath to do.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by Kriegsspiel » Thu Nov 14, 2019 6:39 pm

vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:43 pm
Where is your proof for what you say regarding Biden? I detest Biden. Would never vote for him. Have searched high and low for what you say. But all I find is that the rest of the world supported Biden / our request in the desire that Ukraine remove a corrupt prosecutor. That is what I presently believe unless you can point me to some reliable sources that show otherwise.


Proof? LOL, I don't have proof, but I'll tell you why I think Biden was into some shady shit. His son gets kicked out of the military for pissing hot, then a few months later gets a $50,000/month spot on a Ukrainian company's board, who are being investigated for corruption. He says he never discussed it with his dad but, pppffftttt, that sounds like bullshit. Then Joe Biden volunteers to work on Ukrainian anti-corruption stuff, brags about getting the prosecutor who's sitting on the Burisma file fired, and the new prosecutor settles with them after a few months. Even according to the NYT article you posted, Joe Biden would get angry if people asked him about his son. It also said that the "thing that would make all questions vanish" was Hunter Biden stepping down from the board of Burisma, but what about Joe Biden doing something else, since people knew it was going to look bad?

I'll admit that I was being a tad hyperbolic earlier, conspiracy theories can be pretty fun, but an investigation to see if we can shed some light on everything still seems like a cool idea to me.
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Re: This is also NOT from the Onion

Post by vnatale » Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:40 pm

Kriegsspiel wrote:
Thu Nov 14, 2019 6:39 pm
vnatale wrote:
Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:43 pm
Where is your proof for what you say regarding Biden? I detest Biden. Would never vote for him. Have searched high and low for what you say. But all I find is that the rest of the world supported Biden / our request in the desire that Ukraine remove a corrupt prosecutor. That is what I presently believe unless you can point me to some reliable sources that show otherwise.


Proof? LOL, I don't have proof, but I'll tell you why I think Biden was into some shady shit. His son gets kicked out of the military for pissing hot, then a few months later gets a $50,000/month spot on a Ukrainian company's board, who are being investigated for corruption. He says he never discussed it with his dad but, pppffftttt, that sounds like bullshit. Then Joe Biden volunteers to work on Ukrainian anti-corruption stuff, brags about getting the prosecutor who's sitting on the Burisma file fired, and the new prosecutor settles with them after a few months. Even according to the NYT article you posted, Joe Biden would get angry if people asked him about his son. It also said that the "thing that would make all questions vanish" was Hunter Biden stepping down from the board of Burisma, but what about Joe Biden doing something else, since people knew it was going to look bad?

I'll admit that I was being a tad hyperbolic earlier, conspiracy theories can be pretty fun, but an investigation to see if we can shed some light on everything still seems like a cool idea to me.
It's supposition on your part, albeit not without good logic. Would LOVE for all you say to be true. But just as the way the "mainstream" media was never ending all over Bill Clinton during his impeachment times, they'd also be all over Biden if there was any truth to be found.

Vinny
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