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notthegoatseguy posted:This. All of these special elections are mainly because Trump appointed someone to the Cabinet or some other other federal agency. He's not going to appoint someone in a swing state or some poo poo like that so these are all deep red areas that are holding these special contests. While it is nice that Democrats are doing better than expected, I don't think it should be seen as a negative if the Dems don't win any of them. Yeah, this whole narrative is getting hosed up by the people complaining that Dems aren't "winning." Whether Ossoff grabs 1 Congressional seat is relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. The fact that he's got a real chance to do it in a district a Dem had no chance in 6 months ago and that its a pattern that's popping up in a lot of places is a really big deal and a great sign for Democrats and opponents of Trumpism. There's no lock it will keep up in 2018 or that the pattern will hold, but its a really good sign that people should be taking heart in and driving them to keep working. Not to freak out that a House Candidate who should have had no chance got 48% instead of 50% and decide its all hopeless.
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Apr 20, 2017 21:04
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We have the first Cabinet in the country's history that is rich and motivated enough to use their position (and the inside information that comes with it, both official and back-channel), contacts, and wealth to completely remake the entire government in their image. People have *no loving idea* what is coming in 2018. There is a reason that Mitch McConnell is wearing that smug, cunty grin 24/7 nowadays...except when Elizabeth Warren tries to speak to him.
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Apr 20, 2017 21:38
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The answer to a bad government changing things in bad ways is to fight for change in that government and resistance to what they're doing. The Kansas and Georgia elections are signs that people are voting against those people, even in deep red special elections where you wouldn't expect to see that. That's a good thing and should encourage more resistance and action, not depression and anger that enough hasn't been done yet.
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Apr 20, 2017 21:47
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Craptacular! posted:Maybe a good idea but it definitely needed more work. The EFF was firing the old SOPA/PIPA alarm bells over what it meant for intellectual property. If I remember it just continued the general dumb consensus on IP and was by no means any more horrific than any other treaty on that front. Yeah, our IP laws are dumb and juggle the balls of corporations, but that's true of virtually all countries and the TPP standardization of dumb IP decisions wouldn't have actually changed much at all other than being another brick in the wall. TPP largely would have done little other than nudge the nations of the Pacific away from China and towards the US. Predictably as soon as TPP was killed China started working on their version that excludes the US and is highly likely to be worse, though still largely just be a tool in the pissing match between the two giants of the Pacific. Turning TPP into a scary boogeyman was short sighted and did little to effect any change in the areas of actual concern.
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Apr 21, 2017 00:50
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Gyges posted:TPP standardization of dumb IP decisions wouldn't have actually changed much at all other than being another brick in the wall. It was so bad that even the loving weebs living in their attics were suddenly woke on the subject of foreign trade deals because the US law enforcement would be able to able to bust people for breaking Japanese copyright law (i.e. fan-translated anime torrents) and the other countries would have to make their IP laws more closely resemble the United States (i.e. porn manga featuring Magical Girl Lunar Princess instead of just straight up Sailor Moon Sucks Cock 18+). It was a horrible idea that was basically designed to allow Disney etc to start going after Asian piracy. It's death is the only bright spot on the Trump administration's dark cloud.
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Apr 21, 2017 01:34
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Yes, yielding ground in getting an upper hand on trade vs China was indeed a plus for this administration. If we are to make America great again, we may as well do so in a trade environment increasingly based on China's terms. That'll teach us. At least attic dwellers don't have to worry about violating Japanese copyright law.
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Apr 21, 2017 23:46
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Just out of curiosity, if TPP would have given the US an advantage in trade negotiations with China, why was Trump against it? Other than Trump doesn't really understand TPP or international trade in general, which he obviously doesn't given that he seems to believe that "trade deficit" means "Mexico owes us money".
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Apr 21, 2017 23:48
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The Cheshire Cat posted:Just out of curiosity, if TPP would have given the US an advantage in trade negotiations with China, why was Trump against it? Other than Trump doesn't really understand TPP or international trade in general. He and much of the right literally didn't know what it was about. gently caress, much of the left doesn't either. Most of America, Trump included, spoke of the TPP as a China-US NAFTA. Even unto election day, I had yet to converse with irl or online a Bernie->Trump, straight Trump, or "both sides the same" dropout who actually realized China was not a signatory party. The answers to, "Who are the largest TPP parties?" nearly always included China through my canvassing and personal experience.
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Apr 21, 2017 23:52
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Craptacular! posted:It was so bad that even the loving weebs living in their attics were suddenly woke on the subject of foreign trade deals because the US law enforcement would be able to able to bust people for breaking Japanese copyright law (i.e. fan-translated anime torrents) and the other countries would have to make their IP laws more closely resemble the United States (i.e. porn manga featuring Magical Girl Lunar Princess instead of just straight up Sailor Moon Sucks Cock 18+). Yes, it would have enabled member countries to enforce IP among themselves, and existing IP law is not good. However still being able to draw name brand porn in Japanese while reading it in fan translated English isn't really that big a deal. The main thrust was that everyone would agree on IP law, which as it exists is not good but the across the board agreement didn't really change anything. The problem isn't that Disney is suing dudes in Vietnam for ripping off their copyright. The problem is that Disney still has copyright over poo poo from before color was in movies. Something which wouldn't have changed much with the TPP as the signing countries all had their own dump IP laws that would also still give Disney control over poo poo that was first seen in the last days of the Ottoman Empire. It mostly just made Disney's enforcement of it's stupidly still valid copyright easier. TPP's IP components were not good, but the degree of their badness was overstated by opponents. The various forms of Corporate dick sucking in the TPP were the payment for it's limited increase in overall environmental and worker protections. When you take into account the tariffs and restrictions on US agricultural and industrial output as well as tying a block that accounts for 40% of world trade into a US friendly treaty, killing it was bad economically for the US. Plus the limited but real worker and environmental protections pushed the overall deal into ok territory.
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Apr 22, 2017 00:57
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There was nothing good or redeemable about the TPP and I'm so glad it died. Clinton said she wouldn't pursue the TPP's ratification but she invested a lot of time into it and she doesn't seem like the kind of person to walk away from something like that. I don't believe she was being truthful on that point and would have ultimately pursued its ratification. Lord knows I don't like Trump but yeah, the TPP's death is a solid consolation prize for the clusterfuck of 2016.
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Apr 22, 2017 02:43
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basic hitler posted:There was nothing good or redeemable about the TPP and I'm so glad it died. Clinton said she wouldn't pursue the TPP's ratification but she invested a lot of time into it and she doesn't seem like the kind of person to walk away from something like that. I don't believe she was being truthful on that point and would have ultimately pursued its ratification. Lord knows I don't like Trump but yeah, the TPP's death is a solid consolation prize for the clusterfuck of 2016. Yeah, she would have passed it.
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Apr 22, 2017 03:53
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Gyges posted:When you take into account the tariffs and restrictions on US agricultural and industrial output as well as tying a block that accounts for 40% of world trade into a US friendly treaty, killing it was bad economically for the US. Plus the limited but real worker and environmental protections pushed the overall deal into ok territory. This sounds great for American corporations but not that great for Americans. American support for ending sweatshop conditions in China only extends as far as the American's ability to afford an ethical alternative. But we have had no appreciable increase in incomes in forty years, so gently caress 'em and work 'em to the bone. Craptacular! fucked around with this message at 04:42 on Apr 22, 2017 |
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Apr 22, 2017 04:40
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Killing off TPP was extremely short-sighted so it's not at all surprising that Trump was all for it and Hillary was only happy to jump on the bandwagon.
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Apr 22, 2017 08:34
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Craptacular! posted:This sounds great for American corporations but not that great for Americans. American support for ending sweatshop conditions in China only extends as far as the American's ability to afford an ethical alternative. But we have had no appreciable increase in incomes in forty years, so gently caress 'em and work 'em to the bone. The sweatshops will be *in* America soon, more than likely. "I said I'd bring back manufacturing jobs...I might have even said GOOD jobs...but note that I never said both things in the same breath." 
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Apr 22, 2017 09:46
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Gyges posted:When you take into account the tariffs and restrictions on US agricultural and industrial output as well as tying a block that accounts for 40% of world trade into a US friendly treaty, killing it was bad economically for the US. Plus the limited but real worker and environmental protections pushed the overall deal into ok territory. TPP was only good for corporations and US hegemony, everything else suffered. As for tariffs on US ag. and industrial output how much of that changed over previous trade deals? For Australia I know we have no tariffs on US imports, the US has a heap of them though and none changing with the TPP.
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Apr 22, 2017 11:44
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Here you go: https://www.google.com/search?q=what%27s+up+with+jared+kushner%27s+dad Edit: real link: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,665059,00.html 404notfound fucked around with this message at 06:58 on Apr 24, 2017 |
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Apr 24, 2017 06:52
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They're right about Kushner. We assume he's capable because of how he looks, carries himself, and he bagged Ivanka. But is he really? That comment from his high school about not having the GPA or SAT scores for Harvard is pretty damning.
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Apr 24, 2017 10:00
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The only specific good thing I can say about Kushner is that he might be the one guy who's keeping Chris Christie away from the White House, other than Chris Christie himself. But yeah, I agree with the overarching sentiment of the bit. People need to stop creating their White House headcanon. I pretty much assume Ivanka's views are as bad as Eric and Don Jr.'s. The last thing we need is Ivanka or Jared accepting all the credit and none of the blame and launching their own political brands after Donald is finished. Edit: I remember after the Trump issued his order loving over trans people that Ivanka and Jared supposedly "fought" against it internally but lost. But my assumption was "the kids are protecting their own asses by getting this story out". They don't give a gently caress. Echo Chamber fucked around with this message at 14:59 on Apr 24, 2017 |
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Apr 24, 2017 14:57
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Why is Christie so bad? I moved to NJ last year and the guy seems at least outside of the thing with bridges, seems like a decently moderate Republican. The drug addiction line seems like a pretty nice program too. He does remind me a lot of Fred Flintstone though I'm unsure of that's a plus or a minus
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Apr 24, 2017 15:24
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Servaetes posted:Why is Christie so bad? I moved to NJ last year and the guy seems at least outside of the thing with bridges, seems like a decently moderate Republican. The drug addiction line seems like a pretty nice program too. He's not a moderate at all. He was just moderate showhorsing before reelection and Bridgegate. He's a guy who took the whole bipartisan education "reform" movement to its logical conclusion and used to viciously attack public teachers as much as possible. He vetoed gay marriage and transgender rights. He vetoed a minimum wage hike that would've raised my salary. After Bridgegate, he had nothing to lose and became total Law & Order shithead. Took the hard line on immigration (despite New Jersey's diverse immigrant communities). Took the hard line on the war on drugs and terror. Used Hurricane Sandy money as a slush fund to effectively give money to politicians who support him. Policy-wise, he was totally in line with Bush/Cheney orthodoxy. Except immigration, which he took the Trump position. His endorsement of Trump probably did more to legitimize him than the endorsement of any other mainstream politician. And worst of all, he was the type of bullshit "Reasonable Republican" that MSNBC liberals ate up. gently caress that guy. He's one of the big reasons why I hate Cory Booker too. I still brag that I voted for Buono.
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Apr 24, 2017 15:40
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Fair enough, I'm baffled as to how a he won a governorship in one of the bluest regions in the country. Like I said previously, I just got here and I haven't really heard much about him but I do like the addiction line thing I'm told he implimented.
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Apr 24, 2017 15:49
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This was the scariest episode of this show. The idea that J-Kush is basically the lynchpin of MAGA but has, uh, no skills, is craaaaaaazy.
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Apr 24, 2017 16:49
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Once Oliver said they found a clip of his voice, I knew it was going to be Gilbert Godfried and I still cracked up. It was a good episode, but I think its interesting that in most of his shows, you walk away having learned something. The goal of this episode was the exact opposite, to get us to realize we don't know anything about these two and there is not really any good way to learn.
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Apr 24, 2017 19:30
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Echo Chamber posted:The last thing we need is Ivanka or Jared accepting all the credit and none of the blame and launching their own political brands after Donald is finished. 8 years of the Donald, 8 years of Kuchner, 8 years of Ivanka
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Apr 24, 2017 19:36
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Josh Lyman posted:But is he really? That comment from his high school about not having the GPA or SAT scores for Harvard is pretty damning. It's actually just more faceless dice to cast in the divining pile. Not having the GPA or SAT scores for Harvard means you, more or less, averaged less than a 4.2 and got less than a 15[X]0 on the SAT. Which narrows it down to somewhere between barely passing and being close to Validictorian.
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Apr 24, 2017 20:22
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Yeah, the GPA/SAT quote really doesn't mean a lot. Besides the fact that we have no idea if its true he wouldn't be the only person getting into an Ivy league because of money or his parents. It doesn't tell us anything about his intelligence, and the whole thing is about his intelligence as a teenager anyway so who cares? The greater point was that its one of the few things people say about him to justify his role or describe it but it tells us nothing.
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Apr 24, 2017 21:26
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He doesn't read much, that's everything you need to know.
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Apr 25, 2017 03:21
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Die Sexmonster! posted:He doesn't read much, that's everything you need to know.
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Apr 25, 2017 13:19
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Bust Rodd posted:This was the scariest episode of this show. The idea that J-Kush is basically the lynchpin of MAGA but has, uh, no skills, is craaaaaaazy. It really reminded me of that story during the election campaign, where someone (I want to say McCain but maybe not) was offered the VP role. When asked what would be expected of Trump's VP, the response was "domestic and foreign policy". Trump of course would be busy "making America great again".
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Apr 25, 2017 18:52
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webmeister posted:It really reminded me of that story during the election campaign, where someone (I want to say McCain but maybe not) was offered the VP role. When asked what would be expected of Trump's VP, the response was "domestic and foreign policy". Trump of course would be busy "making America great again". It was Kasich that was offered that.
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Apr 25, 2017 19:02
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webmeister posted:It really reminded me of that story during the election campaign, where someone (I want to say McCain but maybe not) was offered the VP role. When asked what would be expected of Trump's VP, the response was "domestic and foreign policy". Trump of course would be busy "making America great again". Don't bother. Interview was mostly a bunch of platitudes on Kasich's part.
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Apr 25, 2017 19:03
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webmeister posted:It really reminded me of that story during the election campaign, where someone (I want to say McCain but maybe not) was offered the VP role. When asked what would be expected of Trump's VP, the response was "domestic and foreign policy". Trump of course would be busy "making America great again". Yeah the fact that Trump has basically delegated "solve all of the world's problems" to Kuchner isn't surprising at all. Trump never wanted to actually do the job of president, he just wanted to BE the president. He wants the prestige of the position with none of the responsibility. It's why he spends more time obsessing about public opinion than he spends on policy; that's the only part of the job he actually cares about.
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Apr 26, 2017 02:35
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I don't even think he wanted the position or the prestige. He just wanted to be validated as being popular, big ratings, and respected. If 4 years ago New York society had at least pretended to accept him and someone highly placed in either party had publicly pretended Trump was worth a drat dude never would have run. Unfortunately dude's addicted to Fox News so he believed Obama was a Kenyan Muslim and Obama was more or less forced to dunk all over the dumbass at the Correspondents' Dinner. If only either Fox wasn't total dog poo poo or the New York Post didn't invite him in 2011.
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Apr 26, 2017 03:45
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It's easy to see how Kushner and Ivanka get mythologized, because they act like actual human beings next to this horrible weird orange goblin creature. Not like in a way that you actually empathize with, but the bare minimum facade that most politicians and businessmen do.
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Apr 30, 2017 21:14
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So, no episode tonight and the writer's strike will go into effect on Tuesday if talks fail in the next 24 hours. I'm guessing we may be without LWT for quite awhile.
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Apr 30, 2017 22:44
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bull3964 posted:So, no episode tonight and the writer's strike will go into effect on Tuesday if talks fail in the next 24 hours. I'm guessing we may be without LWT for quite awhile. I wouldn't be so sure, the late night guys pulled some really weird poo poo during the last strike.
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Apr 30, 2017 23:06
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bull3964 posted:So, no episode tonight and the writer's strike will go into effect on Tuesday if talks fail in the next 24 hours. I'm guessing we may be without LWT for quite awhile. Probably depends on whether the researchers fall under the "writer" umbrella. Most of the interesting stuff in the show is their work.
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Apr 30, 2017 23:25
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The Cheshire Cat posted:Probably depends on whether the researchers fall under the "writer" umbrella. Most of the interesting stuff in the show is their work. Stewart and Colbert managed to still do their show with the writer's strike, they just did improv bits with Conan instead of field pieces. Noah, Bee, Oliver will just have to lean on their own writing and lean harder on clips and stuff.
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Apr 30, 2017 23:30
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It's going to be pretty hard for him to do pretty much anything seeing as how heavily they lean on research and pre-produced stuff.
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Apr 30, 2017 23:35
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Servaetes posted:Fair enough, I'm baffled as to how a he won a governorship in one of the bluest regions in the country. Like I said previously, I just got here and I haven't really heard much about him but I do like the addiction line thing I'm told he implimented. The guy he ran against in 2010 (the big ol Tea Party Wave) was pretty poo poo and turned out later to be massively corrupt. His re-election got a boost from Sandy which at the time was still considered to have been handled reasonably well. We didn't realize at the time that he was done repairing the damage. He also put out a wave of ads after Sandy (prominently featuring him, even more than the current anti-opiate ads) that were intended to try and revive tourism but were really just a not so subtle campaign ads showing "Hey, look at the great job I did!" which his supporters just wrote off as an innocent mistake. Also, he raided the transportation fund for tax cuts for the rich early in his administration then recently acted like it definitely wasn't his fault that the fund was low when he passed his lovely transportation fund bill.
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May 1, 2017 00:03
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