The Trump/Russia connection thread

[Michael Murphy]

Trump does not control the G7, the people who can allow the USSR (it’s what Putin is trying to recreate) back in is if the members of the G7 allow him back after trumps performance at this meeting my guess he couldn’t get anything passed.

[iolaire]

At least six people close to Trump almost certainly knew about offers from Russians of dirt on Clinton
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/06/18/at-least-six-people-close-to-trump-almost-certainly-knew-about-offers-from-russians-of-dirt-on-clinton/
So we are confident the following people were offered or told about information allegedly incriminating Clinton:
* George Papadopoulos
* Roger Stone
* Michael Caputo
* Donald Trump Jr.
* Jared Kushner
* Paul Manafort

It is possible that the following other people knew about or received similar offers, too:
* Stephen Miller
* Carter Page
* J.D. Gordon (if Page was offered dirt)
* Donald Trump

[MooseMom]

Again, it's all about money and the push for permission to build a Trump building in Moscow.  The connection is financial and is evidence of how the Trump family is using the presidency to plunder America.

There is a reason the RNC changed their platform in favor of Russia before the election.

How do you say "Drain the Swamp!" in Russian?

[Bill Peckham]

How do you say "Drain the Swamp!" in Russian?

Слейте болото! Продать землю (Вашингтон) до Путина

[MooseMom]

OK, now, how about "I've got all the best words!"

"Believe me!"

"This country is a disaster."

"When you're a star, they'll let you do anything!"

[iolaire]

So our president's administration is doing everything it can to break with our allies and still is trying to setup summits with Russia.  If this is the goal Bolton said he was looking forward to discussing "how to improve Russia-U.S. relations and find areas where we can agree and make progress together." why are we not doing the same with our own allies?
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/06/27/bolton-due-in-moscow-to-talk-possible-us-russia-summit.amp.html

[MooseMom]

I really don't understand the lure of authoritarianism we are seeing in this country.

I really don't understand why we are insulting CANADA and cozying up to the despots like those in Russian, N. Korea, Hungary and other countries who are also willingly throwing away their democracies (Turkey).

I thought Americans liked small government and freedom and liberty for all. 

Why are we distancing ourselves from our allies?  Why are we aiming to pull out of NATO?  Why are we welcoming Russia and Putin into our governance?

These are not rhetorical questions.  I am truly baffled why those who are claiming to be the "most American" are so willing to repeal our democracy and replace it with authoritarianism.  Does anyone know the answer(s)?

My fear is that we are unclear as to who the enemy is when we fight to protect the United States from enemies both foreign and domestic.  We have lost sight of Putin as our foreign enemy and have instead focused on defining "the other side" as the domestic enemy.  The horror is that it was Russia that did this to us; they've warped our vision, and all of our intelligence services confirm this.  Why does our Administration allow this to happen?

[Rerun]

Keep your friends close.  Keep your enemies CLOSER!   That's why!

 

[MooseMom]

Keep your friends close.  Keep your enemies CLOSER!   That's why!

 

So, meaningful discussion about the nature of democracy and our distancing ourselves from what our Founding Fathers had in mind has been diminished to a cliche? 

[Rerun]

You are entitled to your opinion.  If that is what you want to think. 

IMO, Trump knows exactly what he is doing.

[MooseMom]

Yes, he does.  He does what Putin wants.

[Rerun]

Putin must love Sanctions......

    

[Michael Murphy]

Sanctions by and large were set by congress and the law instructs the Presidunce to create them.

[MooseMom]

Putin must love Sanctions......

 

Yes, he will tolerate them for a greater purpose.  What Putin really wants is the destruction of NATO and the EU, and that is what Trump is giving him.  Trump has offered France and Germany favorable trade deals if they would agree to leave the European Union.  Why do you think Trump would do this, Rerun?

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/29/politics/trump-europe-nato-tension/index.html

[Bill Peckham]

Sanctions are just the price of doing business. With oil going above $70 barrel it is a price the Russians can afford.

At this point there is no question the Trump campaign collaborated (by any reasonable definition of the word) with Russia to harm the Clinton campaign and directly support the Trump campaign. Legally this is a conspiracy to commit election fraud, and I imagine a long list of other felonies.

The question for Jean, Rerun and other supporters of the President: Does it matter? Does it matter to you if it is shown that the Trump campaign's actions fit the legal definition of a criminal conspiracy?

There are many other concerns with this administration - graft, corruption, policy incoherence, and general malpractice - but putting those aside. Does it matter to you if it shown that Trump's campaign conspired with the Russians?

[MooseMom]

If any of you want a fact based timeline on this very topic, have a read of "The Plot to Destroy Democracy:  How Putin and His Spies Are Undermining America and Dismantling the West" by Malcolm Nance, who is a career US intelligence officer for 35 years.  Because, you see, it's not just the US that Putin wants to obliterate. 

The horror of it is this Congress' participation in the continuation of this crime. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-is-seizing-on-a-gop-trip-to-moscow-to-carefully-craft-its-narrative-ahead-of-the-trump-putin-summit/ar-AAzDzed

The other horror of it is that Trump supporters really don't care.  I thought they were supposed to be all "America First" and patriotic.  I don't understand why the Trump administration is so enamoured by Putin.  PLEASE, can someone explain it all to me?  What is it about Putin that makes Trump slobber so much?

And btw, there SHOULD NOT be "direct contact between lawmakers in Washington and Moscow"!  Why don't our members of Congress stand up for the American people?  Why are they just rolling over for the Russians?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/republican-lawmakers-come-to-moscow-raising-hopes-there-of-us-russia-thaw/2018/07/03/1213130c-7e94-11e8-b0ef-fffcabeff946_story.html?utm_term=.b562c3339bd4

[kickingandscreaming]

I think they've all been compromised and/or bought off.

[Jean]

Bought off?? Are you talking about me??? Seriously folks, I am a die hard Republican ( now) Mainly it is because the Liberals are crazy people. Shall we talk about Maxine Waters? Or is that not true. ( Either). On one other post, rerun and I used a couple of derogotory  names for the liberal party and a couple of you were very offended, yet, in the same post DJT was referred to as tRump and presidunce and NOBoDY said a word. Nobody. So one of the reasons we are so loyal to Trump is that the party that lost is for ever throwing vague truths that he is dumb or he is crooked. Well, they never mention that he works for FREE and he works over 20 hours a day and he is working like a maniac to MAGA. This trend of F___ Trump on T-shirts of little children. Seriously?? Is that how you teach your children to hate? Nowhere have I seen any one make a statement that Donald Trump is crooked, except of course the die hard Liberals. When it is proven, which has not happened yet, maybe I will think otherwise. I do remember meeting you Bill at a meeting at DaVita conference and I was totally in awe of you. It is people like you that give us a reason to continue with our lives rather than commit suicide because of CKD. That has nothing to do with anything, I just wanted to let you know.
In the meantime, so many people and that includes some in this group are vicious and hating and it is hard to see any one talked about like that, never mind our President who won the election fair and square. So, you asked and I answered, IMHO. Do as you will.

[Michael Murphy]

Actually I think Putin won and breaking into your opponents computer systems is nether fair nor square.

[MooseMom]

Jean, there is mounting evidence that Trump did NOT win the election "fair and square"; that's the whole point behind the work of the US intelligence agencies and the Mueller investigation.

Donald Trump is not working for free.  He said he would, but we have no proof that he is giving his salary to charity as he claimed he would do.  And why do we have no proof of this?  Because he will not make public his tax returns.  And there is no proof that he is working like a maniac.  He is either on the golf course, or he is having campaign rallies in front of his base.  He does NOT work 20 hours a day as his daily calendar has shown for months.

The Trump family is making a lot of money off of the fact that he is President.  This is another issue that is under investigation.  The Trump family has been granted an unprecedented number of Chinese patents in an ungodly short amount of time.

But the question posed was not the one you think you've answered.  The question is why this Administration and the Trump-led Congress is so eager to be friendly with Putin.  While I wholeheartedly agree that talks between enemies should be facilitated when possible, I don't understand why being friendly with Putin has to mean that we have to be antagonistic to our allies.  Actually, I DO understand it; as I've said, Putin's dream all along has been to break up NATO and the Western alliance, and this is what is being accomplished with the help of the President of the United States.  So, the question to you, Jean, is why do you think the US has switched its alliance from Western Europe and NATO to the Kremlin?  It's a simple question, and I'm asking for your opinion on the topic.

As for Maxine Waters, why are her actions so much crazier than Trump's on the campaign trail?

And don't forget that it was Trump that started the whole birther movement, claiming that he had his "people" in Hawaii investigating Obama's birth certificate.  Mr. Trump can't speak about any opposition figure without giving him/her some sarcastic and nasty nickname.  So for any Trump supporter to whinge about people calling Trump names is a bit rich.

[kickingandscreaming]

Amen, MM.

[Bill Peckham]

Nowhere have I seen any one make a statement that Donald Trump is crooked, except of course the die hard Liberals. ...

Is Joe Scarborough a die hard liberal? https://youtu.be/1LrlNx5w49E

I do remember meeting you Bill at a meeting at DaVita conference and I was totally in awe of you. It is people like you that give us a reason to continue with our lives rather than commit suicide because of CKD. That has nothing to do with anything, I just wanted to let you know.

I was at a DaVita conference?   lol  Thanks Jean when was it? I had lunch with George Harper and  his better half yesterday - he inspired me in the '90s by telling his story of putting his full size FMC machine and RO in his RV. Keep paying it forward 

[willowtreewren]

Quote from: Jean on July 05, 2018, 10:04:47 PM

    Nowhere have I seen any one make a statement that Donald Trump is crooked, except of course the die hard Liberals. ...


Is Joe Scarborough a die hard liberal? https://youtu.be/1LrlNx5w49E

And herein lies the really hard question. Those who say they are die-hard Republicans, do you simply refuse to accept that the current *president* is lying or do you realize that he is and don't really care? The question came up in this video clip.

This is not a rhetorical question. I am truly trying to understand this on-going support despite the numerous and well-supported reports of the frequent lies and wrong-doing committed by the occupant of the White House.

Aleta

[Rerun]

When is this going to be over?  It is a waste of tax payer money.  I'm "Listening" to the book "Killing the Deep State."  Wow, interesting.   

I think it will come down to the assassination of Trump.  Heartbreaking!  As much as I didn't like Obama I knew it would only be 8 years.  I wished no harm to him or his family.  Not the FBI or the CIA.  They will get Trump one way or the other.  The left is desperate to have their own way.  Open borders, more taxes to pay other countries off, more rights to left wing wackos.   

This Russia, Russia, Russia thing needs to end.  The Russia collusion starts and ends with the Clintons'.   

[willowtreewren]

This Russia, Russia, Russia thing needs to end.  The Russia collusion starts and ends with the Clintons'.

Can you give any credible evidence of that? If you are willing to make those kinds of claims, you have to be able to back them up with evidence.