Near as I can tell, Trump would have to be his own kind of Superman to be screwing with and screwing up as many things as the news is reporting that his administration is screwing up. Granted in some cases and areas the GOP has been practicing for years, but I feel the presence of master hands. But who? The only reasonable explanation that occurs to me is that he gets advice and suggestion from Russia. Not orders, because probably that wouldn't work. But suggestions the substance of which he follows. And of course this implies that he is not alone.

Does anyone have an alternative explanation that makes more sense? Since coming into office he has been working to corrupt, ruin, spoil, incapacitate every federal agency beyond ordinary rhyme or reason. And who but an implacable enemy would want that?

^ Fucking liberals man.

Update; Supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died. All sorts of fans are about to be hit by all sorts of shit. :/

Granted in some cases and areas the GOP has been practicing for years, but I feel the presence of master hands. But who? The only reasonable explanation that occurs to me is that he gets advice and suggestion from Russia. — tim wood

This shit is becoming qanon for liberals.

This is a nice way to think about it. Russia as the original Qanon.

Supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died. — MSC

This brings us beyond philosophy to the realm of politics, where the lives of individuals hang in the balance. This is utterly devastating news. Make no mistake Trump will place someone on the court and there's nothing the Left will be able to do about... the weak, incompetent, arrogant Left.

the weak, incompetent, arrogant Left.

Are you describing the left here or humanity in general? I see it as the latter but I hesitate to call any politician human.

Update: Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has suggested that she will not confirm a new justice, until after the January 2021 presidential inauguration. If three more Republican Senators decide to do the same, then no new justice will be appointed until after then. McConnell needs at least 50 votes to confirm a new justice, assuming the 51st vote will come from Vice President Mike Pence.

So in your view(s), Trump may be viewed essentially as without 'masters,' leverage, or otherwise outside influences and any other supposition would lead to a conspiracy nut?

Oh Trump has his masters, but they are the same masters as every other American president: American capital.

So in your view(s), Trump may be viewed essentially as without 'masters,' leverage, or otherwise outside influences and any other supposition would lead to a conspiracy nut? — Kevin

This isn't what was originally stated. What was originally stated and implied was that "Russia" was pulling Trump's strings. Putin isn't some all powerful puppet master. This is just an unhinged liberal explanans for Trump's election, the actions of his administration, and the overall disaster that has been the last 4 years.

Antifa are anarchists or anti-capitalists and there’s no dirtier word to a Trumpian than anti-capitalist. — praxis

To the right, anti-capitalist = communist = totalitarian = fascist, so if anti-fascist = anti-capitalist then anti-fascist = fascist, in their dictionary.

Be funny if Trump nominated Cruz and Murkowski and a few others torpedoed it.

My money is on Amy Barrett

Funny you say that, Cruz is one of the people on Trumps list. Along with Tom Cotton.

@Maw Amy Barret is also on that list. However she may rub Protestant Republicans the wrong way.

If Cruz or Cotton are nominated, expect Roe v Wade to be one of the first things to go.

Are you describing the left here or humanity in general? I see it as the latter but I hesitate to call any politician human. — MSC

In this context I'm specifically referring to the Left. What I believe will happen, specifically due to the Left's polemical incompetence, is that they will literally have to begin from scratch, back to the streets where Dr. King marched. It wasn't the Right that set the Left back 60 years, it was the Left's arrogance and polemical incompetence. Who stood up to Ayn Rand when she was alive? Who refuted Milton Friedman? Hayek? The Left just called them names and comforted themselves with the thought that no real intellectuals would ever take them serious. It's the exact same story today.

Near as I can tell, Trump would have to be his own kind of Superman to be screwing with and screwing up as many things as the news is reporting that his administration is screwing up. Granted in some cases and areas the GOP has been practicing for years, but I feel the presence of master hands. But who? The only reasonable explanation that occurs to me is that he gets advice and suggestion from Russia. Not orders, because probably that wouldn't work. But suggestions the substance of which he follows. And of course this implies that he is not alone.

Does anyone have an alternative explanation that makes more sense? Since coming into office he has been working to corrupt, ruin, spoil, incapacitate every federal agency beyond ordinary rhyme or reason. And who but an implacable enemy would want that? — tim wood

This shit is becoming qanon for liberals. — Maw

So in your view(s), Trump may be viewed essentially as without 'masters,' leverage, or otherwise outside influences and any other supposition would lead to a conspiracy nut? — Kevin

This isn't what was originally stated. What was originally stated and implied was that "Russia" was pulling Trump's strings. Putin isn't some all powerful puppet master. This is just an unhinged liberal explanans for Trump's election, the actions of his administration, and the overall disaster that has been the last 4 years. — Maw

I read this as one possibility considered:

Granted in some cases and areas the GOP has been practicing for years — tim wood

So we've got the GOP named as logical body to which Trump is beheld. Sounds reasonable. But:

I feel the presence of master hands. But who? — tim wood

So we're not positive the GOP is the best explanation for Trump.

The only reasonable explanation that occurs to me is that he gets advice and suggestion from Russia. — tim wood

Here's one candidate supposedly. Putin hasn't been referenced yet. But Russia has. I also think it's fair to say that sometimes when people reference a leader - especially casually - and even in a "philosopy forum" - they may conflate things like the individual, an individual's circle, an individual's influences, an circle's influences, etc. You seem to me to have conflated Russia with Putin. And then went on to ask:

This isn't what was originally stated. What was originally stated and implied was that "Russia" was pulling Trump's strings. Putin isn't some all powerful puppet master. This is just an unhinged liberal explanans for Trump's election, the actions of his administration, and the overall disaster that has been the last 4 years. — Maw

So you agree implications can take place - but you don't think the logic you suppose for Putin holds for Trump - compare:

Putin isn't some all powerful puppet master. — Maw

With:

Near as I can tell, Trump would have to be his own kind of Superman to be screwing with and screwing up as many things as the news is reporting that his administration is screwing up. — tim wood

A reasonable comparison?

Keep in mind: I'm not saying Putin-Russia is behind Trump. I just think your supposition that individuals aren't "all powerful" and that, this being the case, the question of their influences makes the questioners akin to Qanon - is at odds with itself. Let's continue:

Not orders, because probably that wouldn't work — tim wood

Sounds reasonable.

But suggestions the substance of which he follows. And of course this implies that he is not alone. — tim wood

Well you and Tim seem to agree on this, no?

Does anyone have an alternative explanation that makes more sense? — tim wood

This seems to me a reasonable question. Agree to disagree I guess on the supposition that this is on par with Qanon.

Since coming into office he has been working to corrupt, ruin, spoil, incapacitate every federal agency beyond ordinary rhyme or reason. And who but an implacable enemy would want that? — tim wood

Ermergerd.

Can you just summarize whatever it is you are trying to say because whatever this is is unreadable.

Lol. Agree to disagree. I think it's readable.

ok I won't waste my time then

My Qanon spell must be working.

I see what you mean. This is why I'm part of the fuck all your factions faction.

I'll fold - not sure why. I'm up?

If you actually look at my post - most of it was quotes already posted with my effort at some commentary. Unless I formatted incorrectly or it displayed wrong - this should be completely readable.

I interspersed quotes with comments - I was trying to be brief for reasons I thought would be obvious.

We could spend twenty pages, get more involved arguing over such things - or we could just look more closely at what has already been said. That was my thought.

My summary:

I do not think your view and Tim's are as divergent as you and StreetlightX say with comparisons to Qanon.

And/in other words:

I just think your supposition that individuals aren't "all powerful" and that, this being the case, the question of their influences makes the questioners akin to Qanon - is at odds with itself — Kevin

Edit: I do use hyphens a lot. *shrugs*

I'll fold - not sure why. I'm up? — Kevin

It's very simple: it's 2am where I am, I'm pretty drunk and I just took another shot of Eagle Rare, and I don't have the patience to read some deconstructed argument consisting of over 10 quotes
and pedantic commentary about qanon and Russia

Yeah, well - I'm drunk also. Cheers.

Yeah, well - I'm drunk also. — Kevin

Well that would certainly explain your post

That's fair. I'll have to get back to you on that tomorrow.

It's very simple... — Maw

Maybe it's contagious.

Go to fucking sleep already! Alkies.