I dont think there's much he could do because his power is dwarfed by that of corporate interests. — frank

Corporations are not sovereign entities. They must comply with government regulations. And this is the crux of the matter. Trump has rescinded environmental regulations. This benefits the corporation, but does not impose, as some would have you believe, undue burdens. Corporate profits are at an all time high. Income disparity is also at an all time high. When Trump rolled back regulations on the coal industry it did not create jobs it simply increased profit margins.

There are many products produced overseas in order to avoid regulations. The best way to prevent this is by rejoining the Paris climate accord and establish global environmental regulations. Upon withdrawing Trump followed a familiar pattern of lies - it was a terrible deal, not good for the American people, and he is going to replace it with something much better.

I hear you. I was just trying to drag you out for a broader and longer look at history.

I've been fascinated lately with convergent evolution, where, for instance, a mammal, fish, and reptile all end up with similar body structure because they're all responding to the same environmental pressures.

Trump doesn't mean anything at all from that broad a view. Neither does global warming.

Trump doesn't mean anything at all from that broad a view. Neither does global warming. — frank

In so far as evolution is a response to environment, global warming is of enormous importance. How could it not be? It will bring about significant environment change, that is, environmental pressures.

In so far as evolution is a response to environment, global warming is of enormous importance — Fooloso4

It's happened before. The only thing unusual about this time is the speed of the emission. We're also just at the beginning. After the petroleum and natural gas are gone, hundreds of years worth of coal wait to be burned. That's the main reason that the solution evades us. Even if we completely stopped emitting CO2, how could we keep the coal from being burned in the future? Can you imagine following a law that was established 1000 years ago? 10,000 years ago? See the problem?

BTW, the common ancestor of all primates evolved on a run-away greenhouse earth.

The conditions of Earth now are conducive to the flora and fauna that exist. If those conditions change the conditions will no longer be conducive to some and more conducive to others. One large question is how conducive they will be to man and the plants and animals we depend on and the population increase of disease carrying organisms.

After the petroleum and natural gas are gone, hundreds of years worth of coal wait to be burned. — frank

Hence the need to develop energy alternatives. It is not simply a matter of following the law but of survival.


Added: the topic is not global warming. I am not going to continue discussing it.

Cool. It's always nice to talk with you (even when you're mostly wrong).

It's always nice to talk with you (even when you're mostly wrong). — frank

Perhaps that is why you think it is nice.

Perhaps that is why you think it is nice. — Fooloso4

No, it's because you're intelligent and good-hearted.

No, it's because you're intelligent and good-hearted. — frank

Thank you.

Another victory for the plutocrats: the merger of t mobile and sprint. Trump once again demonstrating that his being a champion of the average citizen against the "elite" was a con. It is crony capitalism and Trump benefits financially. https://www.vox.com/2019/7/29/8932025/trump-sprint-tmobile-hotel

Trump attacks Sharpton. Is it just a coincidence that he has attacked yet another minority? To see this as just examples of Trump's racism misses the point. Trump is playing a version of the child's game "I know your are but what am I" or "I am rubber and you are glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you", accusing others of what you have been accused of. If he is a racist then so are they. As with words such as 'truth' and 'facts', they come to loose their meaning.

Trump nominates a "loyalist" as Director of National Intelligence. To be clear, a loyalist to Trump. As with Barr, Trump moves to protect himself from investigation by putting people loyal to him in charge. The fox guarding the hen house.

The Zoolander-in-chief is now on Twitter celebrating a break-in at Elijah Cummings' residence. Democrat = Bad. Criminal hurt Democrat = Good. So, Criminal = Good. :party:

Trump attacks Sharpton. Is it just a coincidence that he has attacked yet another minority? To see this as just examples of Trump's racism misses the point. — Fooloso4

The Dems have yet to understand the nature of Trump's offensive tactics. Perhaps they need an instructional video:

Trump attacks Sharpton. Is it just a coincidence that he has attacked yet another minority? — Fooloso4

Either that or it's that Sharpton is as bad as Trump says. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/opinion/al-sharpton-trump.html

To be a Democrat are you required to support every person of every minority group regardless of how vile?

The picture of Trump, Sharpton, and Don King speaks volumes. All self-promoters desperate to have their face in front of the camera and willing to say or do whatever is necessary to make it happen.

Those who live in the New York area know that making Sharpton out to be the good guy is ridiculous, but it may play well elsewhere. I think that Trump's Archie Bunker move that a black guy can be a racist too is intended to put a gap between white and racist.

Whether by design or lucky accident, [Trump] has given himself a singular armor, a special inoculation, which is that no one expects more from him. After all, he never managed or earnestly promised to be any better. There’s no shock factor. He’s caught on tape bragging about the unwanted touching of women and much of the electorate’s reaction is:Yeah, sounds about right.

None of the Democratic candidates enjoy this perverse protection because none of them sought it. None wagered that the road to the White House was paved with gratuitous offense, a disregard for pesky facts and the determination never to say you’re sorry. Trump made that bet, which few observers thought was a wise or winning one.

And he prevailed. Now he reaps the rewards. — Frank Bruni

https://nyti.ms/2ZJ0myS

...and the whole world suffers the consequences.

Should be impeached immediately for ‘degrading the office’. The only reason he hasn’t been is because he has succeeded in so doing.

2020 isn't that far away!

And Sanders really stands a chance after the DNC leaks the last election. I think...

Call me pessimistic but I just can’t see Bernie beating him.

Call me pessimistic but I just can’t see Bernie beating him. — Wayfarer

Supposedly when Bernie was running in 2016, he had the highest comparative advantage over Trump among other presidential candidates.

Call me optimistic but it's either Biden making concessions to Sanders/Warren or bust for him. The other contenders are focused squarely on scoring points by making Biden look bad.

If it comes down to Biden or Trump, I will be really disappointed.

So Jeffery Epstein "commited suicide". Going full conspiracy on this one

Apparently he hanged himself. Whilst on suicide watch. What incompetence by the prison.

Sure, right, incompetence, hmmm

At least Trump did the Trumpian move here: A hideously ugly scandal that he is intrinsically involved with, he brings it up and starts attacking Bill Clinton on twitter. Nice move for Trump, actually, Trump loyalists will surely buy this. After all, wasn't Trump totally exonerated by the Mueller report?

Why are so many people so quick to jump to a conspiracy theory? More than likely, Epstein simply committed suicide (and BTW, it's been reported that the suicide watch had stopped). What did the guy have to live for? It kinda seems the rational thing to do.

Call me optimistic but it's either Biden making concessions to Sanders/Warren or bust for him. The other contenders are focused squarely on scoring points by making Biden look bad. — Wallows

I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few Republicans vote in the Democratic primaries out of being sick of the orange one. I'd expect Biden to be the Democrat they would choose.

Why are so many people so quick to jump to a conspiracy theory? — Relativist

Because @Michael @Baden is overseeing his autopsy. That can't be a coincidence.

Why are so many people so quick to jump to a conspiracy theory? More than likely, Epstein simply committed suicide (and BTW, it's been reported that the suicide watch had stopped). What did the guy have to live for? It kinda seems the rational thing to do. — Relativist

I think Maw has said going full conspiracy theory.

It's still a hideously ugly scandal if Epstein committed suicide. Trump knows what to do: in a huge scandal, go and poke yourself the hornets nest even if it has fallen and the hornets are coming out angrily. Then you can say that every allegation or upcoming video is part of the democratic smear campaign. And they will come and believe you.

I don't at all know what to do about that Trump is president. That it's like having a New Jersey mob boss as the acting head of the United States of America is precisely inciteful campaign that the American Right has promoted. You can't say anything negative about the guy because you're just right and that is exactly what the American Right is ready, willing, and able to ostensibly defend. Activist campaigns need to become non-compliant. By virtue of that they can always make an appeal to being further reactionary, there is nothing to gain by just simply being against them anymore. The best that anyone can do with politics as such is to actively withdraw. I stopped reading the news during Trump's presidential campaign. Their strategy is something like sensationalism as a form of entrapment. Apathy has ceased to be consentual and has become a sought-after repreive from a generalized disgust and anger. The most commonly criticized attitudes on the Left now bear the dint of being virtues. Active disengagement is much more effective than inapt righteous revolt. When Poe's law becomes an excuse, all that a person can do is to refuse to engage in politics as such.

Note: I don't really think that it's fair to dis New Jersey like that. I'm just not quite sure how else to put what it is that I think about Trump. Tidus Andronicus, after all, is from New Jersey. So is Bruce Springsteen. Jersey can't be all that bad. I'm sure that that place just gets a lot of guff because it's outside New York City.

Tidus Andronicus, after all, is from New Jersey. — thewonder

:love:

:death: :starstruck:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epstein-camp-sends-pathologist-michael-baden-to-watch-over-his-autopsy