Join the Schiffettes for covfefe in the SCIF as they await Comeys return from behind the curtains...Trump cont.

[MicrowaveSpy]

Will get link to previous thread

I don't think we should discourage the golfing. Don't a frighteningly high number of human-lightning strikes happen on golf courses? Fingers crossed.

I would have absolutely no objection to the golfing if it was a physical way to relax and tone up after hours of reading, study and work.

Lightning is way quicker than the impeachment process. I say pack him off golfing every day.

Pence and Palin.

Pence and Palin.

It tells you that we are approaching the End Times that this is not the terrifying prospect it once was.

For me, the Aftermath is the most difficult prospect of all and something about which I think frequently. Whatever your current views, there is now a quite massive divergence of opinion in the States and I would welcome the views of the American posters on how that might start to be resolved.

I think you may be right, illegitimate.

For me, the Aftermath is the most difficult prospect of all and something about which I think frequently. Whatever your current views, there is now a quite massive divergence of opinion in the States

That's a thought-provoking post Cozie. I, too, am interested in our American posters' views.

Did any of the UK posters see Grayson Perry's Brexit documentary/art project on C4 earlier this week? It was similarly thought-provoking about a 'culture war' and concluded that we have more in common than we appreciate. It was really insightful & pointed towards a way of stepping back from the brink/healing.

Some discussion at White House of possible London trip later in week to show solidarity after attacks

Surely we've suffered enough?

Mind you, if May meets him with anything other than a firm demand to sod off, it could kill her chances of re-election.

cozie Really, it's all spelled out in the Constitution as far as if Trump resigns or is impeached. The 'next in line' will become President in a peaceful transition of power, just as it was in the Nixon/Ford transition. There are 17 people in the line of succession starting with the VP and ending with the Secty of Homeland Security. One of them is sure to avoid the Trump Taint and be deemed appropriate. Naturally, they're all Republicans but Americans understand that impeachment/resignation doesn't change the party in power and by and large we believe that it's best for the country to have that peaceful transition. As Dems, we won't like it, we'll wish that could assume the presidency, but we'll respect it and look forward to the next election to change things.

TBH, I don't think the divergence of opinion is much wider than it was before, it's just LOUDER and more 'in your face'. Vile opinions are now shouted instead of whispered. With a less obnoxious and divisive president, things will quiet down between factions and people will go back to working for their causes in a quieter manner because you don't have a fucking idiot stirring up his fanbase. And the alt-right has always been there, they've just been empowered by Trump's obnoxiousness and ignorance. With a 'quieter' more dignified president they'll crawl back under their rocks where they belong. The presidency of GW Bush is an example. The alt-right tried to get their shit out there, but GW basically ignored them so they slunk away. You certainly never heard him quoting Fox News or Rush Limbaugh. It's why you didn't see the protests under Bush that you see now. Because Bush, for all his faults, didn't pander to the alt-right, he didn't try to create the divide like Trump has. There were war protests and such, yes, but not protests against the President as a person that we see these days. Don't get me wrong, GW wasn't a very good president IMO, but at least he wasn't evil.

So, when the time comes that Trump is out of office, we will again resume 'business as usual' in America. The alt-right will throw tantrums and the Dems and more moderate GOPs will work to put things to rights. Hopefully the damage won't be too bad to completely repair.

I hope you're right, Across. My fear is that you may not be - that it's gone too far. The Founding Fathers did a remarkable job in framing the Constitution, but even they could not have foreseen the stresses that it might be subjected to in the 21st Century. I'm still thinking about it, though.

I will add that I do think that the majority of Americans are forever changed by this terrible regime. I don't think any of us will ever take a major election for granted, ever again. Nor will we ever get over the feeling that we really never truly knew how mean and vicious many of our friends and neighbours are. I think we'll be just a bit more suspicious of things. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I mourn that loss of belief in 'our way of life' that we all had. It's gone forever.

Perhaps I should quote some of First Corinthians 13?

You can mourn for the way things were in the same way as you might mourn for the safety of childhood. But now the time has come to 'put away childish things'. A new challenge may be what is needed.

(And I haven't even been at the cooking sherry! )

Nor have I.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/alt-right-rally-counter-protestors-joey-gibson-donald-trump-portland-oregon-a7772801.html

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Pres. Trump expected to announce Monday that he will move to privatize the nation's air traffic control system. abcn.ws/2sFbyvb

I don't know enough about that, I fear.

Cozie It's the beginning of 'selling off' Govt duties and services to private (probably foreign) companies. Instead of having reliable civil servants doing air traffic control, you'll have 'contractors' hiring people at the lowest possible wages so they can make the highest possible profit. Next it will be selling off bridges, roads, etc for foreign interests to charge the states to 'maintain'.

Imagine if the UK Govt started selling off hospitals and medical clinics to foreign businesses. Discharging the staff and bringing in 'low ball bid' contractors as staff. If they started selling off the state schools to foreign companies who brought in their own unvetted teachers and paid them peanuts.

It's a recipe for ruin. I just hope that it requires congressional approval.

I posted this upthread:

Joy Reid @JoyAnnReid
Now Trump wants to privatize air traffic control and sell off our roads, bridges and airports to private companies.
t.co/WiBl4rL7tR?amp=1 [Trump plans week-long focus on infrastructure, starting with privatizing air traffic control
washingtonpost.com ]

And recall what he said in Saudi Arabia: that the royals there were looking to make US infrastructure investments. Get ready for Saudi roads

...and bridges and airports owned and operated for a profit by Trump's overseas pals and tolls and jacked up fees paid to Saudi princes!

I definitely will cut way back on flying if they privatize air traffic control. Who would vet the private companies controlling air safety??

Once Trump lifts sanctions, could Russia buy in? No thanks, Donald. I'll take the train.

And once private companies own the airports will they hire private security contractors instead of TSA? Like say, Erik Prince's mercenaries?

The opportunities for graft are literally endless. As @sarahkendzior has said, he's stripping America for parts.

Will there be any prohibition on the Kushners buying up roads, bridges and airports? How about the Trump boys, or anonymous foreign LLCs?

What Trump seems to be proposing is a graft bonanza allowing private companies, perhaps some foreign, to sell us access to our own roads.

By the way this is happening already, with states putting toll highways up for sale since the Bush II years: t.co/rTo5EKPtvP?amp=1 [Why sell toll roads to foreign companies? slate.com]

But it sounds like Trump wants to take a bad Republican idea and accelerate it, to include our air safety infrastructure and airports too.

This is madness, and you've got to wonder what won't he sell? Our national parks? Our rail lines? Anything. Ugh.

Are there any statistics yet to show if there has been a reduction in tourism to the US from Europe (or anywhere else, why not?) since this golf-playing lunatic has been in power?

On a purely anecdotal basis, we have decided to avoid the US for the current 4 year term. Which is a shame because DS2 suggested Hawaii & we all agreed it would be a good destination for our interests.

Wall Street Journal @WSJ
The $1.6 trillion U.S. tourism industry could suffer this summer -- Heard on the Street

t.co/4UPHiouI72?amp=1

Re travel, I'm not sure of the reliability of the source but this May update seems optimistic: www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/Media%20Root/Outlook_Front_Page_May_2017.html It includes links to more detailed reporting. I guess the huge internal travel market (US citizens holidaying within the US) would be a protective factor.

Thank you to all our american friends for explaining so much.

Across your post regarding Bush and the fractured differences now was very interesting. I did see a twitter thread that I found absolutely horrifying. It was mostly inhabited by Dems talking about what will happen when this nightmare is over and how they know people who are Trump fans and they are buying more guns ready for the day etc. I presume no one in the chain who takes over will pander to the alt-right so much or be so divisive.

As far as tourism, I remember arguing with the famous claig last year that I could see tourism being hit badly. This fairly recent article states that there's been a drop of 4 million visitors and in the UK many are put off. One of my DDs has a logstanding boyfriend whose roots are Muslim, and he has the sort of name that would not allow him easy entry into into the US. A year ago this was where they were planning to go on holiday this year. Not now. They're off to the Far East. Don't blame them. Why put yourself through that.