AlterEgo
Veteran Member
Were they all American?FBI have seized his passports (he had 3).
Were they all American?FBI have seized his passports (he had 3).
Same exact question.Were they all American?
Been thinking for a while that there is a lot of similarities between trump and TV evangelists, both think they are gods gift and promise that if you given them money all your prayers will be answered, but then spend that money on improving their own lives.
"I believe the lord came to me and said get me $18 million by the weekend, so I may build that social media network for the lord, so that I may pay all of my solicitors for the lord, would I lie to you?"
So, the lawyer who was leading the charge to prove that the election was rigged by people hacking the voting machines has been charged with attempting to hack the voting machines.
I do wonder at what point the Republicans will cut Trump loose, though. They already are cutting him loose to a certain degree, and DeSantis is clearly the favoured candidate among the Republican elite.
While I'm about 60% confident that he'll actually be charged and brought to trial* for at least one of his many offences, I'm doubtful that he'll actually serve any prison timeBy the time he does make it into his orange boiler suit* (state or federal, I'm not fussy) he'll be left with a white dwarf of extreme right supporters intent on violence and disruption and DeSantis will be ruling the Republican roost.
During my nightly trawl of the output from CNN etc on YouTube I came across an interview with Michael Cohen on Australian TV from a year ago, when he had been released from prison but was 'home prisoning' or whatever it's called, a ludicrous concept imo. It was his first media appearance since coming out of prison: it was obvious that he now hated Trump and was going to devote his life to bringing him down and to account. Something he said, though, that I don't think got enough publicity at the time was that he suspected Trump had, in effect, the ultimate trump card in his possession. It seems crazy to think this is legal or possible, but Trump may have given a Presidential Pardon to himself before leaving office, with the details of it lodged with an attorney of his choosing. Bevan was musing that this could well prevent the charges that should be brought against Trump being successful.While I'm about 60% confident that he'll actually be charged and brought to trial* for at least one of his many offences, I'm doubtful that he'll actually serve any prison time
*Much more likely that he'll get a deal.
He well might have done that, but there has been considerable discussion - with no consensus reached - over the question of if a President can pardon themselves. While it can be argued that it's allowed by the letter of the law, it goes against the fundamental principle* of US law which holds that everyone is equal under the law. Also, he could only pardon himself for offences that had already occurred - so it wouldn't apply, for example, to charges brought under the Espionage Act or the Presidential Records Act.It seems crazy to think this is legal or possible, but Trump may have given a Presidential Pardon to himself before leaving office, with the details of it lodged with an attorney of his choosing. Bevan was musing that this could well prevent the charges that should be brought against Trump being successful.
He well might have done that, but there has been considerable discussion - with no consensus reached - over the question of if a President can pardon themselves. While it can be argued that it's allowed by the letter of the law, it goes against the fundamental principle* of US law which holds that everyone is equal under the law.
*Principle, not practice.
Indeed, to roughly quote Sir Humphrey Appleby, "That could never be government policy. Only government practice." And, personally, I wouldn't put anything past Trump. His acts of political escapologism put even Boris to shame.He well might have done that, but there has been considerable discussion - with no consensus reached - over the question of if a President can pardon themselves. While it can be argued that it's allowed by the letter of the law, it goes against the fundamental principle* of US law which holds that everyone is equal under the law.
*Principle, not practice.
Oh, it wouldn't matter at all to him. But, as you say, it wouldn't be up to him to decide if the pardon was valid or not and the arguing could keep him out of prison for years.And what does the principle of the law matter to Trump? Still, arguing about it could hold things up for years.
I wonder if counter-terrorism laws might, in the end, do for him. I'd love to think of him in Guantanamo Bay!!Oh, it wouldn't matter at all to him. But, as you say, it wouldn't be up to him to decide if the pardon was valid or not and the arguing could keep him out of prison for years.
Oh, it wouldn't matter at all to him. But, as you say, it wouldn't be up to him to decide if the pardon was valid or not and the arguing could keep him out of prison for years.
Were they all American?
From what I have seen, DeSantis has very much moulded himself in Trump's image and they did enjoy a cordial relationship early in Trump's presidency. However, the temperature cooled substantially now that it's become more and more apparent that the man from Florida sees 2024 as his year, rather than waiting until 2028.What dealings has Trump had with DeSantis over the years? Are they on good terms or has DT put the boot in at some point?
It could come down to their relationship as to whether this gets stickier in the future.
From what I have seen, DeSantis has very much moulded himself in Trump's image and they did enjoy a cordial relationship early in Trump's presidency. However, the temperature cooled substantially now that it's become more and more apparent that the man from Florida sees 2024 as his year, rather than waiting until 2028.
I don't believe they were ever removed from Mar-a-Lago. The FBI provided a list divided into categories, and passports would not fit into those categories. If they'd been seized and then returned someone (probably Trump himself) would claim they'd been tampered with.He had three, an expired personal one, an in date personal one and his diplomatic one which he should have returned when leaving office.
From what I have seen, DeSantis has very much moulded himself in Trump's image and they did enjoy a cordial relationship early in Trump's presidency. However, the temperature cooled substantially now that it's become more and more apparent that the man from Florida sees 2024 as his year, rather than waiting until 2028.
I'd actually say that tactically, the Democrats made a huge mistake with nominating Biden. He's a perfectly competent President, but he's always going to struggle against a younger and more energetic challenger.
Probably the best thing for the Democrats would be for Biden to make a dignified statement that he will not stand again in good time. Then the party could could choose a younger candidate who could attract swing voters. Whether Kamala (*) Harris is the suitable candidate to step up is a question: she will have the disadvantage in the eyes of some swing voters and some wavering Republicans of being female and black.
* - Spellcheck insisted on Kampala. Is it not kept up to date with current events?
Though there is an element of timing to that. If he'd done straight after inauguration in 2021 then his authority would have instantly drained away as people knew he would be gone in four years and jockeying for the nomination would have no doubt started soon after. I'd be keeping an eye for such a thing happening after the mid-terms personally. Especially if they go badly as he can a) do a bit of falling on the sword for the party and b) he won't be able to achieve much anyway if they lose the Senate or House (or both!) so the loss of authority won't matter much anyway.Probably the best thing for the Democrats would be for Biden to make a dignified statement that he will not stand again in good time. Then the party could could choose a younger candidate who could attract swing voters.
The Republicans could have cut Trump loose as soon as he lost the election and was proved to have incited the riots, but instead they chose to back him en masse even after that, which should have damned them for a long time in the eyes of swing voters.I do wonder at what point the Republicans will cut Trump loose, though. They already are cutting him loose to a certain degree, and DeSantis is clearly the favoured candidate among the Republican elite.
Yes, Trump is even better than Boris as escaping, but that's partly because for all his horrendous traits, he's also cleverer than Boris.Indeed, to roughly quote Sir Humphrey Appleby, "That could never be government policy. Only government practice." And, personally, I wouldn't put anything past Trump. His acts of political escapologism put even Boris to shame.
Yes, Trump is even better than Boris as escaping, but that's partly because for all his horrendous traits, he's also cleverer than Boris.
the main one being that there is no credible opposition to either the Republicans or the Tories.
With the rise of populism, the two are almost at the stage of being mutually exclusive. "Jam tomorrow, and jam yesterday, but never jam today," said Lewis Carroll, and the phrase basically sums up the foundations of populism, and, by extension, modern political charisma. And if they're happy with lying to the entire nation, they're probably happy with other things that could be considered immoral.So is this what we've come to on both sides of the Atlantic? Neither country can produce anyone with political charisma who also has decent morals?
Hmm, I don't entirely disagree, and yes Trump does rely on using people more intelligent that himself. However, he has had so much TV airtime that without a fair amount of intelligence he would have tripped up more than just making gaffs such as suggesting drinking bleach to beat Covid. I would say that neither Boris nor Trump are actually plain stupid, they're just fairly intelligent but prone to incredible self-righteousness.Was with you up to and beyond this sentence, but I vehemently disagree with this particular point. Trump has just enough deviousness and intelligence to surround himself with people who are far cleverer than him in order to progress his agenda. Add to that the prerequisite brass neck to take the credit for anything that actually works out well. For all his (many pages of) faults Boris Johnson strikes me as being more intelligent, and not just because he can quote the odd line of Latin.
All that said it's the dual-edged sword of charisma and deviousness and that really elevated these two to the top. Intelligence had bugger all to do with it.
What a glorious dilemma for the Tories! They hate the idea of releasing control of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but at the same time these parts of the UK provide very few seats for them in Parliament, so it would arguably strengthen their position to release them.The odd thing in the UK is that this is only the case in England. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are large parties who oppose the Tories very well on their own turf. This is one reason why the Tories strongly oppose federalism, because there's a very good chance that Scotland/NI/Wales would block English-originated legislation.
Not quite. Fortunately, this was on the record (at 00:25) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52407177such as suggesting drinking bleach to beat Covid.
Precisely. Charisma and deviousness doesn't necessarily equate intelligence and it certainly doesn't with Trump. Oh yes, he's just smart enough to rally far more intelligent people (relatively speaking) most of the time around him to further his agenda - and to throw under the bus when they're no longer of any use to him - but that's it. He's a thuggish idiot at the end of the day.Was with you up to and beyond this sentence, but I vehemently disagree with this particular point. Trump has just enough deviousness and intelligence to surround himself with people who are far cleverer than him in order to progress his agenda. Add to that the prerequisite brass neck to take the credit for anything that actually works out well. For all his (many pages of) faults Boris Johnson strikes me as being more intelligent, and not just because he can quote the odd line of Latin.
All that said it's the dual-edged sword of charisma and deviousness and that really elevated these two to the top. Intelligence had bugger all to do with it.