What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[alfred russel]

Option #2: Scrap the TPP, give a lot of leeway to China to be the dominant economic player in the area, beat the drums of war, send countless US soldiers to die against China, North Korea and stand alone there while you couldn't even win a war against Vietnam.

China also couldn't even win a war against Vietnam. Just saying.

It would be like a losers bracket game in the College World Series. The loser is eliminated from superpower status contention; the winner stays in the tourney.

[Valmy]

Trump threatens to pull all federal funds from the University of California because of the anti-Milo protests in Berkeley.

Oy vey.

It is going to be awesome when Liberty University has all the Federal Funds.

Huh. Well maybe that is the plan after all.

Jerry Falwell Jr. says he will lead presidential task force on education reform

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. says he has been asked to lead a presidential task force on higher education reform.

Falwell told The Associated Press he spoke with Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's senior strategist, on Tuesday about the role. He says the details of the task force are still being sorted out, but the aim will be "to get the government off the backs of higher education."

Falwell says he is scheduled to discuss the task force with Trump Wednesday.

Falwell was an early supporter of the president. He told AP in November that Trump offered him the job of education secretary but he turned it down for personal reasons, including not wanting to relocate his family. He said Tuesday that nominee Betsy DeVos was a great choice.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-jerry-falwell-trump-education-reform-20170202-story.html

[Valmy]

It would be like a losers bracket game in the College World Series. The loser is eliminated from superpower status contention; the winner stays in the tourney.

The problem is then we have to beat Vietnam twice on short rest.

[LaCroix]

lol cnn article on the berkeley riot ended with this

"It allows people on the right to say, 'Look at all these liberal Berkeley snowflakes. They're intolerant of speech.' I don't think it's productive at all. It does nothing to help this country."

hidden in the middle was this

More than 1,500 protesters had gathered at Sproul Plaza, chanting and holding signs that read: "No safe space for racists" and "This is war."

conservatives shouldn't make blanket statements about these liberals. it truly is unproductive 

[Valmy]

Are you illiterate?

The quotes says that something, whatever 'it' is, is unproductive and allows people on the right to say that. Read your damn shit before you start your stupid 'LOL OMG *insert smilie here*' commentary.

[LaCroix]

the violence makes people on the right criticize those on the left. yet, the left is perfectly fine criticizing the right for things conducted by members / small groups of the right

[Syt]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/us/politics/trump-johnson-amendment-political-activity-churches.html

Trump Vows to 'Destroy' Law Banning Political Activity by Churches

WASHINGTON — President Trump vowed Thursday to overturn a law restricting political speech by tax-exempt churches, a potentially huge victory for the religious right and a gesture to his political base.

Mr. Trump said his administration would "totally destroy" the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches from engaging in political activity at the risk of losing their tax-exempt status.

Repealing the law would require approval by Congress. Certain tax-exempt organizations — in this case, churches — are not allowed to openly endorse or campaign for political candidates. If they do, under existing law, they risk losing the benefits of their tax-exempt status.

Speaking to a gathering of religious leaders, the president also defended his immigration policy, brushed aside concern about his harsh phone calls with foreign leaders, and ridiculed Arnold Schwarzenegger for his poor ratings in replacing Mr. Trump as host of "Celebrity Apprentice."

He did not mention an executive order on religious freedom, which critics said would restrict the rights of lesbians and gay men; a draft of the order has circulated, but administration officials have denied that it will be adopted.

In addressing the issue of churches and political speech, Mr. Trump said, "I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution."

He added that "freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it is under serious threat."

During his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump promised to push for repeal of the law, which was passed in 1954 and named for then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas, who proposed the change to the tax code.

Mr. Trump also went off topic in his address to the National Prayer Breakfast. He told the audience not to worry about reports that he had held tempestuous phone calls with the leaders of allies Australia and Mexico, saying a tough approach was long overdue.

"When you hear about the tough phone calls, don't worry," he said. "We're being taken advantage of by countries around the world. It's time for us to be a little tough. It's not going to happen anymore."

Mr. Trump also needled Mr. Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California, for failing to maintain his ratings as the new host of "Celebrity Apprentice." "We know how that turned out," he said. "The ratings went down the tubes."

"I want to just pray for Arnold, for those ratings," he said.

The president spent much of his speech defending the visa ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries, which caused chaos at airports and set off protests across the country.

"Terrorism is a fundamental threat to religious freedom," he declared. "It must be stopped and it will be stopped."

The president described "peace-loving Muslims" who had been killed by jihadi fighters aligned with the Islamic State, as well as a campaign of genocide against Christians in the Middle East. Extremists, he said, took advantage of the "generosity" of Americans to undermine the nation's safety.

"My administration will do everything in its power to defend religious liberty," he said. "We have to feel safe and secure."

Mr. Trump talked about the influence of faith in his own life, referring to the family Bible, which was used when he took the oath of office at his inauguration. His mother, he said, read to him from that Bible during his childhood.

"America is a nation of believers," he said. "The quality of our lives is not defined by our material success, but by our spiritual success."

"I tell you that as someone who has had material success," he added, before noting that many rich people are "very miserable, unhappy people."

The breakfast featured the usual menu of homilies and testimonials to the power of faith. But the proceedings took a show-business turn when Mark Burnett, the Hollywood producer, stepped to the podium to introduce the president. Mr. Burnett recalled the influence Mr. Trump's book, "The Art of the Deal," had on him as a recently arrived immigrant. He later produced "Celebrity Apprentice" as a reality television vehicle for Mr. Trump.

The president led his remarks with an extended reminiscence about the show, recalling that he fired his agent after the agent rejected Mr. Burnett's pitch for the program. "I actually got on the phone and fired him myself," Mr. Trump said with a smile.

[HVC]

Are you illiterate?

The quotes says that something, whatever 'it' is, is unproductive and allows people on the right to say that. Read your damn shit before you start your stupid 'LOL OMG *insert smilie here*' commentary.

I return you to this

But I cannot figure out why all these people cannot just ignore Milo. He is a complete blowhard without any interesting original ideas.

[The Minsky Moment]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/us/politics/trump-johnson-amendment-political-activity-churches.html

The president described "peace-loving Muslims" who had been killed by jihadi fighters aligned with the Islamic State, as well as a campaign of genocide against Christians in the Middle East.

Yes Donald, those people are called "refugees".  They are the same people whose lives you just destroyed last week with your executive order.

[grumbler]

Everyone will learn their place! Shut up or you get no money!

At least maybe not set fires, destroy property, and engage in violence when a guest speaker arrives on campus.

Exactly.  The US government should take all federal funding away from the US military because it failed to prevent American citizens from doing that.  Maybe that should be extended to cut off the entire US government rather than just the military.

[grumbler]

Everyone will learn their place! Shut up or you get no money!

At least maybe not set fires, destroy property, and engage in violence when a guest speaker arrives on campus.

How is the school supposed to prevent that?

Better security, better policing of the student body.

California failed as well.  Cut off federal funding to California.

[grumbler]

I have met Oex in real life and he was a scholar and a gentleman.

his posts just seem consistently condescending regardless of the subject matter. the posts at least might be some of the most consistently condescending that I think I've ever seen on the internet

Hitting a little too close to truth for your comfort?

I don't agree with Oex on everything, but he is one of the cogent posters.  Unlike you, with whom I also disagree, if I understand your posts correctly.

[derspiess]

California failed as well.  Cut off federal funding to California.

Now we're talkin'! 

[grumbler]

We don't know the context so arguments about what it "probably was" are mere ignorant  assertions.

we know he was fuming during the conversation, but you're right that iirc we don't know whether he was fuming when he made the comment

We don't know the context of 'fuming" so any assertions made based on a belief in 'fuming' are unsupported.

[grumbler]

the violence makes people on the right criticize those on the left. yet, the left is perfectly fine criticizing the right for things conducted by members / small groups of the right

Ran this through my gibberish-English translator and it still came out gibberish.  Anyone here speak fluent gibberish?