Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

Another big win for President Deals

US negotiators walk out as talks with South Korea fall apart. Trump demands they pay $5 Billion annually to cover the costs of stationing troops in S Korea, 5 times what they have actually offered.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-talks/us-breaks-off-defense-cost-talks-as-south-korea-balks-at-5-billion-demand-idUSKBN1XT0EN

[iam416]

Strangelove's preferred Squaw is really trying to get out from under her Medicare for All plans. SHE HAS A PLAN FOR THAT! Well, she does, but she now says she won't get around to that until her 3rd in year. Good thinking. Probably doesn't want to hurt D chances in the midterms. Smart.

So, now she's officially on board for Medicare for All, but she's not really THAT committed like, say, Comrade Trotsky. She seems like sees really trying to do as much damage as possible -- alienate those who want to keep private insurance while not being able to attract those ardent young Bolsheviks that are about to run the D party. And that is your D frontrunner.

Good fucking god.

[Dr. Strangelove]

If your boy Mayor Pete wins Iowa she's not the frontrunner. She might win NH (don't count out Bernie), but then Biden will take Nevada and S Carolina and it could be all over Super Tuesday

[iam416]

God, I hope to fuck you're correct.

I'm sure you've posted this already, as you're consistently posting court rulings re PDJT, but the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the DC CIrcuit's ruling re PDJT's financial records. The Court will likely decide whether to enter a longer stay in the near future. They could easily opt not to. But, for now, the stay is in place.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Instead of using his time to defend President Trump, Devin Nunes wisely uses it to bash every media outlet he has a grudge against.

[iam416]

Re PDJT and subpoenas, there are a couple of different cases and different issues. For example, a Congressional committee is a very different separation of powers issue than a state court subpoena.

[Dr. Strangelove]

God, I hope to fuck you're correct.

I'm sure you've posted this already, as you're consistently posting court rulings re PDJT, but the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the DC CIrcuit's ruling re PDJT's financial records. The Court will likely decide whether to enter a longer stay in the near future. They could easily opt not to. But, for now, the stay is in place.

Right, about 10 days until the Court decides if they're going to grant a certiorari. They need 4 for that, right?

[iam416]

Correct.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Re PDJT and subpoenas, there are a couple of different cases and different issues. For example, a Congressional committee is a very different separation of powers issue than a state court subpoena.

I was thinking the New York case had a better chance of succeeding but maybe not. I mean, Trump's argument is that not only can I not be prosecuted while President, I cannot be even investigated. Not by any level of criminal justice or governmental authority. Not only that, but you can't investigate any of my businesses either. Not only that, but 3rd parties such as the people that do my taxes don't have to comply with ANY subpoenas, whether they're from Congress, the FBI, the NY State AG, no one.

That's an IMMENSELY broad interpretation of Presidential immunity that few judges have been impressed with so far.

[iam416]

I'd have to think about it. The NY case is a federal case, I think. SDNY, I believe. There are also, I think, state court subpoenas. Maybe I'm wrong.

I think it's extremely problematic if States investigate a sitting President. I'm less concerned about Federal courts investigating a sitting President, but still concerned. I'm not concerned about Congress doing so within the context of an impeachment hearing.

And I would emphasize SITTING. I don't think the President is immune from prosecution simply because he's President, but I do think he's temporally immune. When he's in office it's a matter of impeachment. When he's out of office then everything is fair game.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I'd have to think about it. The NY case is a federal case, I think. SDNY, I believe. There are also, I think, state court subpoenas. Maybe I'm wrong.

I think it's extremely problematic if States investigate a sitting President. I'm less concerned about Federal courts investigating a sitting President, but still concerned. I'm not concerned about Congress doing so within the context of an impeachment hearing.

And I would emphasize SITTING. I don't think the President is immune from prosecution simply because he's President, but I do think he's temporally immune. When he's in office it's a matter of impeachment. When he's out of office then everything is fair game.

BTW, got nothing to do with his taxes, but Trump just got ordered to be deposed by Jan 31 in the defamation lawsuit ex-Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos has against him. Would imagine the same sort of immunity issues are present there?

[iam416]

They would seem relatively well-settled in view of Clinton's civil case.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I should have mentioned this in my prior South Korea post. They are signing a defense agreement with China as "anger grows over Washington's $5 Billion demand"

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/18/china-signs-defence-agreement-south-korea-us-angers-seoul-demand/

[Dr. Strangelove]

Some skepticism is warranted but this would be a major breakthrough in solar tech, if true

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/19/business/heliogen-solar-energy-bill-gates/index.html

[Dr. Strangelove]

Kurt Volker, one of the witnesses the Republicans picked and thought was going to be a friendly witness for them, just testified that he's known Joe Biden for 24 years and he's an honorable man "who I hold in the highest regard". Says any implication that Biden did corrupt deals in Ukraine is a "conspiracy theory".

Oh and he says in retrospect he should have put two and two together and realized that Giuliani's demand for a investigation into Burimsa meant the Bidens. If he had realized that at the time, he too would have objected to it.

LOL...going great for Team Trump! Killing it, as Trump said!