ChrisWeigant.com

Could Trump And Pelosi Actually Get Some Things Done?

[ Posted Monday, September 10th, 2018 – 16:37 UTC ]

The 2018 midterm elections are less than 60 days away. Today, though, I am going to speculate not on the outcome in November, but on the possible aftermath. In doing so, I'm going to make a few rather large assumptions, just for the purposes of this speculative column. By doing so, I am in no way predicting this as the most possible future, but I'm going to go ahead and assume that Democrats take back control of the House of Representatives, and furthermore they then go on to elect Nancy Pelosi for her second stint as speaker of the House. As I said, those are both pretty large assumptions because while it is the most probable outcome according to many pundits, as we all know the improbable occasionally surprises everyone. If that weren't true, then we'd all be currently speculating whether President Hillary Clinton was about to lose congressional seats in her first midterm.

Interestingly enough, it doesn't really matter to today's thought experiment whether Democrats take control of the Senate, or whether Republicans keep control of the upper chamber. Since the Senate now requires 60 votes to move any important piece of legislation, the only real difference is whether Democrats have to pick up fewer than 10 GOP votes (if they win control and Chuck Schumer is in command) or slightly more than 10 votes, plus Mitch McConnell's support (since McConnell would control what gets voted on should the Republicans retain control in the Senate). Either way, to get anything passed into law is going to require the cooperation of at least some Republican senators, no matter what the actual number turns out to be.

So, assuming for the sake of argument that Nancy Pelosi does become speaker again and that Donald Trump is still president (there's another rather large assumption), the question that occurred to me was whether the two of them could actually work together to pass some decent new laws. Because that's not as unbelievable (or, if you will, downright laughable) a proposal as it might first sound.

Let's examine how it might play out. Election night will be a Democratic triumph and a serious political defeat for Trump. Democrats across the country will experience profound joy in seeing Trump get the comeuppance they feel he so richly deserves. Trump, no doubt, will immediately have some handy excuse for why getting shellacked at the polls is somehow not his fault at all, but sane people will know the reality of the situation. Trump's demonization of Democrats (and most certainly Pelosi) will have failed to inspire enough Republican voters for him to keep his subservient Congress intact. From now on, he'll have to deal with Pelosi on a regular basis, at least if he wants to get anything done in Congress. She'll be sitting across a table from him far more than he would have liked, in other words. And she'll have much more power, too.

After Democrats take control of things in January, the immediate change will be breathtaking. It wouldn't surprise me if Trump's tax returns are publicly released by March, in fact, because with control of the chamber comes control of all the committees and subcommittees -- including those with the mandate to oversee and investigate the government itself. For the newly-seated Democratic chairs of these committees, the Trump administration is going to be what the military folks like to call "a target-rich environment."

This, obviously, is going to annoy Trump no end. He will indeed lash out, in unpredictable ways. But it will likely all end up being a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Witnesses will be heard, documents will be examined, and the public will get an inside look into how Trump is running the country that will make the recent anonymous New York Times opinion piece look like a walk in the park, by comparison.

While all of this plays out, Congress will still need to get things done. And Trump is going to have to deal with them if he's going to score any political wins before the 2020 presidential race heats up and pushes everything else in politics to the sidelines.

Donald Trump and his supine Republican Congress have not managed to create much of a legislative legacy so far, it's worth pointing out. They have precisely one signature piece of legislation to their names -- a tax cut bill that is (so far) wildly unpopular with the public. This will likely change somewhat (for better or for worse) when everyone has to fill out their 2018 taxes next April, which is when everyone is really going to be able to see the effects of the new tax structure. Some will win, some will lose. The question of how many there are of each will likely determine how the public at large sees the new changes. But either way, this still remains the only legislative achievement the Republicans and Trump have managed over the past two years. After all, their other huge legislative effort -- repealing Obamacare and replacing it with nothing -- crashed and burned badly. Trump's wall remains unfunded, Social Security remains intact, official immigration policy hasn't changed, and almost all of Paul Ryan's personal wish list never materialized at all. The festering rift between the Tea Partiers in the House and the rest of the Republican caucus prevented anything from getting done -- whether from the Tea Party's agenda or from Ryan's.

Trump will continue to use the executive powers available to him as much as he can (you know, the things that Republicans used to hate Barack Obama for doing), but he will only have one legislative victory he can point to. If the GOP tax cut actually goes down in popularity after everyone does their taxes, however, that's not going to be much for Trump to run for re-election on. Of course, that may not matter to him -- he ran an unconventional campaign before, so why should he try to run a conventional one the second time? But he may get primary challengers from within his own party who will point out the singular lack of legislative achievements, which might be harder for Trump to ignore than what Democratic candidates are saying.

This is where my speculation begins. Perhaps -- just perhaps, mind you -- Trump will want some big bills to sign so badly that he winds up not really caring what's in them. This isn't as crazy as it might sound, because beyond a few signature issues that he seems to really believe in, Trump doesn't seem to be much of an ideologue on any number of other things. He'll parrot the Republican Party line on them occasionally (and half-heartedly, for the most part), but he is equally prone to positioning himself 180 degrees from Republican orthodoxy (such as on trade, to name just one such issue), just to watch the feathers fly.

So what could Nancy Pelosi talk Trump into supporting? Well, any number of things. Trump might demand some of his own things in return, but Pelosi likely won't cut any deals which her own Democrats won't support. Such as ending all the House investigations into Trump's doings -- that'll be a non-starter for Pelosi. Trump offering to support a Pelosi immigration overhaul if she'll only agree to his wall is probably not going to happen either, since Pelosi knows there'd be open revolt among Democrats if she agreed to such a thing. All Pelosi has to do is say: "There's no way I can get the votes for that in the House," and the subject will be dead. Pelosi knows full well the limits of compromise her own caucus will accept, although with Trump and the Republicans it is much more of a moving target.

If Pelosi meets with Trump and sells him on one of her agenda items, and if Trump gets something in return (some face-saving rider to the larger bill -- putting on that military parade Trump wants, perhaps?), then his vocal support could be all it takes to sell the idea to Republicans -- especially those in the Senate. If Trump starts tweeting his support, and then starts verbally raking over the coals the Republicans who oppose the idea, then it will be interesting to see who blinks first.

This is where control of the Senate might be an issue. House Republicans will already know that Trump's political coattails only go so far (since if Pelosi is now in charge, it would mean a whole bunch of House Republicans lost their elections), but if Republicans keep the Senate then the message to GOP senators will still be that you can't cross Trump without paying a big price at the ballot box. So it may come down to their loyalty to Trump versus their loyalty to a traditional Republican agenda. Even Mitch McConnell is going to feel this heat, if a bill sails through the House with Trump's support and then lands on his desk. If Trump is goading him daily on Twitter to hold a vote on the bill, then McConnell may find it impossible to do what a Senate leader normally does in a divided Congress (which is to ignore the bill completely, effectively making it go away). Either way -- whether McConnell is in charge or not -- Democrats might be able to pick up the votes they need to pass some bills in the Senate, from Republicans who are terrified at the prospect of crossing Trump.

What exactly could be achieved by this dynamic is more speculation than even I am willing to engage in, at this point. What items on the Democratic (or even Progressive) agenda could Trump actually be talked into? That's a fascinating question, but it's wide-ranging enough to be worthy of an article on its own, really.

If Democrats win in November, Donald Trump is quite likely to throw a presidential-level tantrum. But he'll have a few months to get it out of his system before the Democrats actually take control of the House. He'll go through the stages of grief, one hopes, and be ready to deal with the new reality in a practical way after the new year dawns. He can rant and rave at the committee chairs who are investigating him, but Pelosi might be able to largely avoid this heat ("The committee chairs are not under my direct control, Mr. President, that's not how it works...").

Democrats will also have a few months to get their wild enthusiasm out of their system as well. Seeing Trump get an electoral comeuppance will be fun, no doubt, but even if Democrats win a razor-thin majority in the Senate, it still means they'll need some Republicans to get any bills passed by Congress. They may choose to just symbolically pass lots of good ideas out of the House and watch them fail in the Senate, because this will give them all sorts of political ammunition to use in the 2020 contest. "See what could be done with more Democrats?" will be their rallying slogan, in other words. This could even work wonders for Democrats at the 2020 ballot box, although I prefer to keep my rampant speculation contained to one election at a time.

But as odd as it might sound now, maybe Nancy Pelosi can manage to co-opt Donald Trump enough to get some good legislation actually signed into law. Trump is reportedly impressed when Democrats say things like: "We could put this on your desk inside of a week," and then can actually deliver on such promises (as they've already managed to do on a number of budget bills, much to congressional Republicans' consternation). Trump likes seeing things move swiftly, and he may like it so much that he doesn't much care about the details of what's in the bills. If Pelosi and the rest of the Democratic negotiating team properly feed Trump's ego during these negotiations ("You'll go down in history as being the best president ever on the issue of X!" for instance), then they just might win over his full-throated support. Doing so would mean putting incredible pressure on Senate Republicans to go along with Trump and the Democrats on issues that normally would make them cringe.

As with any purely speculative column, I make no predictions about whether this scenario could actually happen or not. Trump might just decide to create the mother of all government shutdowns while demanding full funding for his beloved wall. With Democrats in control of the House, Trump can conveniently try to blame such a shutdown on Pelosi. Trump might be so annoyed at his midterm losses that he refuses to ever negotiate in good faith with Pelosi for the next two years, in fact. We've never seen a Trump political comeuppance, so who really knows how he's going to react?

Even so, while the probability of Pelosi and Trump working together is impossible to predict, it is still within the realm of possible outcomes. Trump already occasionally lashes out at Republicans in Congress for not being able to achieve anything, so if Nancy Pelosi offers him an easy way to have many more of those bill-signing ceremonies Trump so dearly loves, who knows what she might talk him into? It may be pure speculation at this point, but it certainly is an interesting possibility to ponder about, that's for sure.

-- Chris Weigant

 

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant

 

76 Comments on “Could Trump And Pelosi Actually Get Some Things Done?”

  1. [1] 
    TheStig wrote:

    I'm going to go out on a limb here.

    If Pelosi gets a second shot then Trump becomes a prepper. He knows the handwriting is on the wall for himself and his family. Trump Organization begins stashing (more) assets in safe haven countries, sewing diamonds into seams and all the other tricks needed to make wealth both low volume and portable, if not light. There has got to be a YouTube video on the fine art of keastering. Master it. Safe houses and a long range aircraft must be fitted out. Can you get KFF in freeze dried pouches? That just might be the make or break technology for the whole enterprise. The big guy has gotta eat...and also excrete. A solid gold toilet is a practical and fashionable accessory which can be melted down to meet unanticipated "relocation gratuities."

    "You are my wife!"

    "Goodbye D.C. Life"

    "Former backwater of the Soviet Empire we are there!" Thump, Thump!

  2. [2] 
    TheStig wrote:

    RE-3

    The notion of Trump having to climb onto a rooftop satellite dish every time he wants to Tweet is amusing.

  3. [3] 
    LeaningBlue wrote:

    Mr. Harris, regarding [1], I have two quotes.

    I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.

    -- Abraham Maslow, The Psychology of Science

    and

    Until Donald Trump is no longer President, don't talk to me about any cause other than Democrats winning elections.

    -- New Rule, on Real Time with Bill Maher, Sept. 7, 2018

  4. [4] 
    Michale wrote:

    Because that's not as unbelievable (or, if you will, downright laughable) a proposal as it might first sound.

    Back before the onset of HHPTDS, you had mentioned how many of Trump's were downright liberal...

    Donald Trump and his supine Republican Congress have not managed to create much of a legislative legacy so far, it's worth pointing out.

    According to NeverTrumpers..

    The FACTS and REALITY prove that President Trump has accomplished quite a bit..

    Do you want a list?? No?? Of course not.. :D

    It's all a moot point, really.. Democrats have been shellacked in the last 4 elections. They have not changed their strategy one single iota..

    There is absolutely NO REASON to think that Democrats won't get shellacked again..

  5. [5] 
    Michale wrote:

    Stig,

    He knows the handwriting is on the wall for himself and his family.

    Facts to support??

    Any facts at all??

    No?? Of course not..

  6. [6] 
    Michale wrote:

    President Trump,

    Airlines say booming US economy led to record summer travel

    Major U.S. airlines said Monday that the booming U.S. economy is what led to a record-breaking level of travel over the summer.

    "With a growing economy, steady employment gains, and household net worth at an all-time high in the first quarter of 2018 ($100.8 billion), passengers are taking advantage of persistently low airfares," a spokesperson for Airlines 4 America, which represents the largest U.S. airlines, wrote in an email to the Washington Examiner.

    From the Wednesday prior to Memorial Day and the Tuesday after Labor Day, the Transportation Security Administration processed 253 million passengers and crew, a 6 percent jump from last summer. 3/8
    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/airlines-say-booming-us-economy-led-to-record-summer-travel

    Making America GREAT Again..

    No wonder Odumbo is whining like an envious biatch.. :D

  7. [7] 
    Michale wrote:

    CAROLE COOK ON TRUMP
    'WHERE'S JOHN WILKES BOOTH WHEN YOU NEED HIM?'

    http://www.tmz.com/2018/09/10/carole-cook-donald-trump-john-wilkes-booth-assassinate-president/

    Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you your peaceful, tolerant and respectful Dumbocrats :^/

  8. [8] 
    Michale wrote:

    https://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/afb091018dAPR20180910024510.jpg

    Heh....

    "It's funny cuz it's true.."
    -Homer Simpson

    :D

  9. [9] 
    Michale wrote:
  10. [10] 
    Michale wrote:

    https://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/Spartacus!20180907084307.jpg

    :D

    Democrats didn't have ANY effect of Judge Kavanaugh other than to show how lame they are and how ineffective they are at stopping President Trump's Making America Great Again agenda.. :D

  11. [11] 
    Michale wrote:

    https://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/bg090618dAPR20180905074507.jpg

    That perfectly sums up the Democrat response to Judge Kavanaugh's nomination..

  12. [12] 
    Michale wrote:

    Obama’s Return May Energize Republicans More Than Democrats
    https://townhall.com/columnists/markdavis/2018/09/10/obamas-return-may-energize-republicans-more-than-democrats-n2517385

    Yup... And when the numbers are counted MINUS the 15% black Americans that Dumbocrats have LOST since 2016???

    DUMBOCRAT SHELLACKING 2018...

    The latest in the series of Dumbocrat Shellackings that started way back in 2010... :D

  13. [13] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    6

    There is absolutely NO REASON to think

    Confessions of the board troll... whose mindless spew and hysterical repetition provide ample proof. :)

  14. [14] 
    Michale wrote:

    FLORENCE UPDATE

    While the news is very good for us here in Florida (likely minimal wind and rain) the news is very VERY bad for North Carolina..

    On 13 Sep 0500, Florence will make a VERY slow approach to North Carolina as a VERY strong Category 4 hurricane..

    On 14 Sep 0500, Florence will stop just short of the southern NC Barrier Islands.

    On 15 Sep 0500, Florence will meander VERY slowly northward a VERY short distance to the northern NC Barrier Islands.

    On 16 Sep 0500, Florence will, once again, VERY slowly move *SOUTHWARD* and be in the area just southeast of Wilmington.

    On 17 Sep 0500, Florence finally makes landfall in the Wilmington area and will be over Charlotte as a Tropical Storm.

    This is the worst possible scenario for North Carolina.. You will note that each point mentioned above are 24 hrs apart.. If the current forecast holds, NC will have a STRONG CATEGORY 4 hurricane right off their front porch for **4 Solid Days**...

    If any Weigantian is on the coast of NC or northern SC???

    Get Out... If not now, then soon...

  15. [15] 
    Michale wrote:

    Confessions of the board troll... whose mindless spew and hysterical repetition provide ample proof. :)

    Nothing but personal attacks from the board crack whore/welfare girl with absolutely NO FACTS...

    Same ol same ol...

    Hurry up and go cash your welfare check.. Yer boyfriend needs new batteries..

    Or did your latest "love" leave some money on the dresser for you last night??

  16. [16] 
    Kick wrote:

    TS
    3|4

    Great posts! *laughs*

    The notion of Trump having to climb onto a rooftop satellite dish every time he wants to Tweet is amusing.

    The notion of Orange Manboobs trying to climb anything is amusing. Trump is more likely to land in ADX Florence drooling into a sippy cup versus anywhere else... unless he makes a deal with BTS.

    _______________

    Key
    ADX - Administrative Maximum Facility
    BTS - Bobby Three Sticks

  17. [17] 
    Michale wrote:

    LB

    Until Donald Trump is no longer President, don't talk to me about any cause other than Democrats winning elections.

    -- New Rule, on Real Time with Bill Maher, Sept. 7, 2018

    That kind of singular focus didn't help much for the Democrats in 2016..

    Why on earth do they think it will help in 2018???

    That's the problem with Democrats.. They don't have ANY policies or issues that Americans like, so they don't talk about that..

    They just talk about how much they hate Trump and how they wish Trump would be assassinated and how much they hate Trump...

    That's the Democrat Party in a nutshell..

  18. [18] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    17

    There's not a person on this board who didn't know the exact mindless spew and hysterical repetitive drivel you were going to project and projectile vomit on cue.

    .
    Thank you ever so much for proving my exact point.
    .

    There's no reason for you to ever think, board troll, just keep spewing the same old shit over and over; that way, you'll never need wonder why the majority believes you're a monotonous moron with very little to offer except the same mindless drivel along with your hysterical snowflake projection about you and your family of poor ignorant trailer trash and your lives in your stench-hole in the swamps of Whore-ida. :) *laughs*

  19. [19] 
    Michale wrote:

    And, as usual, when the crack whore welfare girl gets her ass kicked by constantly, the cunt has to go after my family...

    So typical of the crack whore..

    Victoria, why do you do EVERYONE a favor and kill yourself..

    Weigantia AND the world would be a MUCH better place without you in it..

  20. [20] 
    Michale wrote:

    Yes, let's wipe out Trump. But take neoliberal Democrats with him, too
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/10/trump-neoliberal-democratic-party-america

    Typical hysterical Left Winger...

    Kill everyone that disagrees!!!

  21. [21] 
    Michale wrote:

    The Party of Kaepernick

    Nike has set a political trap for Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections, and the party’s candidates are walking right into it.
    The Democrats’ winning midterm campaign message would seem simple enough: Trump is bad and must be opposed. Yet at the moment the party risks being associated with a somewhat less attractive message: The American flag is bad and must be opposed.

    Last week, left-wing Democrat Ayanna Pressley ousted long-term incumbent Michael Capuano from the John F. Kennedy/Tip O’Neill House seat in the Democratic primary while praising the NFL anti-flag protests, which her opponent called “wrong.” Democratic Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke says — in Texas! — that there is “nothing more American” than kneeling for the national anthem. The judicious center-left New York Times columnist David Leonhardt notes in his daily newsletter that “the anthem is a trap for Democrats.”

    That Nike rolled out Colin Kaepernick as its new spokesman not only knocked a couple of billion dollars off the value of the company, it also amounts to an in-kind campaign contribution to the Republican party. The Left and its base of activists, pundits, and (increasingly) woke capitalists simply can’t let this issue go, much less acknowledge that its flag-dissing is conceptually flawed. Demonizing a huge population based on stereotypes derived from the actions of a few of its members is exactly the kind of anti-American impulse that liberals once stood so valiantly against.

    The Kaepernick-led anthem protests were wrong-headed to begin with. Try to follow this logic: The misbehavior of a few police officers means the police in general should be reviled. And if we revile the police the entire American project is to be rebuked by protesting the anthem. Martin Luther King Jr., by contrast, said his stirring vision was “deeply rooted in the American dream.” He called upon us to live up to American ideals. That isn’t Kaepernick’s message. 4/10
    https://tinyurl.com/yapg38a3

    NBC News poll finds that, by an 11 point margin, Americans are saying that the hate the cops, hate America, hate the flag protests are inappropriate..

    NIKEs approval rating has plummeted 34 points since they deified Kapernutz...

    Now, *I* don't listen to polls, but I know ya'all SWEAR by them..

    No matter HOW you spin it, it's a huge mistake for Nike and signals a very bad issue for Democrats..

    If Democrats had a single brain cell to share between them, they would tell patriotic Americans that hating cops, shitting on the flag and hating America is NOT the way to protest..

    But, alas, Dumbocrats do NOT have a single brain cell to share between them so they are going to double down on Hillary's bone head "deplorable irredeemable" play...

    By all means, Dumbocrats... GUARANTEE yerselves another
    shellacking in 2018..

    A Double Trifecta..

  22. [22] 
    Michale wrote:

    The Party of Kaepernick

    Nike has set a political trap for Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections, and the party’s candidates are walking right into it.
    The Democrats’ winning midterm campaign message would seem simple enough: Trump is bad and must be opposed. Yet at the moment the party risks being associated with a somewhat less attractive message: The American flag is bad and must be opposed.

    Last week, left-wing Democrat Ayanna Pressley ousted long-term incumbent Michael Capuano from the John F. Kennedy/Tip O’Neill House seat in the Democratic primary while praising the NFL anti-flag protests, which her opponent called “wrong.” Democratic Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke says — in Texas! — that there is “nothing more American” than kneeling for the national anthem. The judicious center-left New York Times columnist David Leonhardt notes in his daily newsletter that “the anthem is a trap for Democrats.”

    That Nike rolled out Colin Kaepernick as its new spokesman not only knocked a couple of billion dollars off the value of the company, it also amounts to an in-kind campaign contribution to the Republican party. The Left and its base of activists, pundits, and (increasingly) woke capitalists simply can’t let this issue go, much less acknowledge that its flag-dissing is conceptually flawed. Demonizing a huge population based on stereotypes derived from the actions of a few of its members is exactly the kind of anti-American impulse that liberals once stood so valiantly against.

    The Kaepernick-led anthem protests were wrong-headed to begin with. Try to follow this logic: The misbehavior of a few police officers means the police in general should be reviled. And if we revile the police the entire American project is to be rebuked by protesting the anthem. Martin Luther King Jr., by contrast, said his stirring vision was “deeply rooted in the American dream.” He called upon us to live up to American ideals. That isn’t Kaepernick’s message. 4/10
    https://tinyurl.com/yapg38a3

    NBC News poll finds that, by an 11 point margin, Americans are saying that the hate the cops, hate America, hate the flag protests are inappropriate..

    NIKEs approval rating has plummeted 34 points since they deified Kapernutz...

    Now, *I* don't listen to polls, but I know ya'all SWEAR by them..

    No matter HOW you spin it, it's a huge mistake for Nike and signals a very bad issue for Democrats..

    If Democrats had a single brain cell to share between them, they would tell patriotic Americans that hating cops, shitting on the flag and hating America is NOT the way to protest..

    But, alas, Dumbocrats do NOT have a single brain cell to share between them so they are going to double down on Hillary's bone head "deplorable irredeemable" play...

    By all means, Dumbocrats... GUARANTEE yerselves another
    shellacking in 2018..

    A Double Trifecta..

  23. [23] 
    Michale wrote:

    Was so important and factually accurate, it needed to be said twice.. :D heh

  24. [24] 
    Michale wrote:

    Real 'Collusion' — Deep State's Failed Effort To Elect Hillary Clinton Unravels
    https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/collusion-deep-state-hillary-clinton/

    This comes from INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY who Weigantian's own Neil swears by....

    When President Trump declassifys the full documentation on Democrats malfeasance and downright illegal activities (October Surprise anyone???) Dumbocrats will be lucky to get elected county dog catcher...

  25. [25] 
    Michale wrote:

    President Trump

    Small business optimism surges to highest level ever, topping previous record under Reagan
    https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/11/small-business-optimism-surges-to-highest-ever.html

    Making America Great Again

    Once again, I am simply gabberflasted that ya'all could be so completely and utterly **WRONG** about President Trump...

    I mean, the embarrassment much be almost too much for ya'all to bear!! :D

    I guess that's what comes from letting Party slavery think for ya'all... :D

  26. [26] 
    Michale wrote:

    https://fm-static.cnbc.com/awsmedia/chart/2018/8/11/nfibindex.1536662717986.PNG

    Look at that HUGE increase in business optimism towards the end of 2016....

    Hmmmmm I wonder what happened towards the end of 2016 that caused such a **YYYYUGE** increase in business optimism!!???

    It's a boggle.. :D

  27. [27] 
    Michale wrote:

    Isn't it amazing how the Big Money Democrats only have a hammer and yet they still manage to keep on screwing us!

    Heh...

    Now *THAT* was funny!! :D

    Well played, sir.. Well played...

  28. [28] 
    Michale wrote:

    Well played, sir.. Well played...

    "You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you!? {WHAAAMM} You hit a guy WITH glasses.. He he... Well played."
    -King Candy, WRECK IT RALPH

    :D

  29. [29] 
    Michale wrote:

    While we are discussing improbable outcomes, wouldn't it be great if the Browns tied all their games and ended up 0-0-16 with the Steelers, Ravens and Bengals all ending up 5-9-2 so the Browns could get in the playoffs without winning any games?

    Hehehehehe

  30. [30] 
    neilm wrote:

    So, I got my copy of "Fear" onto my Kindle and have read the opening couple of chapters or so.

    Just what you'd expect from a Woodward book about the traitor - a sensible, well researched volume about a complete idiot.

    The best fun is that, while he probably can't read the book himself, he also can't avoid the character portrayals of himself over the next few weeks on TV and the News. I'll bet Melania tells him all the worst ones every time he tries to get romantic with her to nip that in the bud, so to speak.

    He obviously worships the NY Times, and was probably also desperate to get Woodward's approval, so this one will really hurt him where he feels it most, his pathetic ego.

  31. [31] 
    neilm wrote:

    Quiet posting for this column. I skip Michale's posts if there are more than one-in-a-row obviously, and anything by Don over 3 lines now because we know what that is going to be about, so that left 6 posts.

    If you are reading but put off by the trolling, use the system above and you'll enjoy the blog a lot more.

  32. [32] 
    Michale wrote:

    Quiet posting for this column. I skip Michale's posts if there are more than one-in-a-row obviously, and anything by Don over 3 lines now because we know what that is going to be about, so that left 6 posts.

    If you are reading but put off by the trolling, use the system above and you'll enjoy the blog a lot more.

    So, you got tired of pushing my buttons because I pushed back and now yer hiding?? :D

    BBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  33. [33] 
    Michale wrote:

    You see, neil. Yer problem is you are on record as approving of and supporting Investors Business Daily (IBD) and now you have NO facts to counter their facts about President Trump and how good he is for the country.. :D

    I accept yer concession...

  34. [34] 
    Michale wrote:

    So, I got my copy of "Fear" onto my Kindle and have read the opening couple of chapters or so.

    Just what you'd expect from a Woodward book about the traitor - a sensible, well researched volume about a complete idiot.

    Just what you would expect from a NeverTrump who wants to rekindle old glory and attack a POTUS...

    Mattis and Kelly, BOTH people that Weigantians have said they respect, have stated that Woodward is full of shit with his claims..

    This is just another Wolff book that's going to go no where...

  35. [35] 
    neilm wrote:

    If I were on Woodward's book's publicity team, I'd be tweeting as many humiliating clips to @realDonald as possible - he can help get this from 1 million copies to 5 million if he keeps reacting like Pavlov's dog.

  36. [36] 
    Michale wrote:

    If you are reading but put off by the trolling, use the system above and you'll enjoy the blog a lot more.

    Ya see, Neil.. Everyone's problem here is ya'all define "trolling" as "Factual Comments There Is No Rational, Logical Or Factual Response To."

    So, since ya'all HAVE no factual counter, ya'all just resort to name-calling and personal attacks..

    As I said.. I accept ya'all's concession.. :D

  37. [37] 
    Michale wrote:

    If I were on Woodward's book's publicity team, I'd be tweeting as many humiliating clips to @realDonald as possible - he can help get this from 1 million copies to 5 million if he keeps reacting like Pavlov's dog.

    Thereby proving it's ALL about the $$$....

    Woodward is just another scumsucking money hungry NeverTrumper.. No different than Wolff or Omaraso...

  38. [38] 
    Michale wrote:

    OC Principals Duel Over Alleged Racist Signs At High School Football Game
    https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/09/10/high-school-football-game-trump-signs-racist-santa-ana/

    "America Was Never That Great"
    -Democrat Party

  39. [39] 
    Michale wrote:

    "If I hear 'USA USA' one more time, I am taking my team and going home!!!"
    -Snowflake Football Coach...

  40. [40] 
    Kick wrote:

    This Just In : Trump cancels Trip to Ireland

    Luck of the Irish? Oh, hell no! They simply promised to greet him and pay him exactly the proper respect he deserved.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/trump-ireland-visit-november-protests-us-president-trip-armistice-day-a8517996.html

  41. [41] 
    neilm wrote:

    If I were on Woodward's book's publicity team, I'd be tweeting as many humiliating clips to @realDonald as possible

    And Melania's twitter account if she has one :)

  42. [42] 
    neilm wrote:

    This Just In : Trump cancels Trip to Ireland

    Maybe O'bama can go instead - they love him over there.

    If I were on the DNC I'd try to get Obama to do a Dublin speech on the weekend before the midterms just to wind up the "Stupid Tweet Machine" installed at 1600 Penn.

  43. [43] 
    Michale wrote:

    If I were on the DNC I'd try to get Obama to do a Dublin speech on the weekend before the midterms just to wind up the "Stupid Tweet Machine" installed at 1600 Penn.

    Yea, cuz NOTHING says AMERICA FIRST like going to foreign countries and whining and bitching and stomping yer feet because yer a sore luser..

    I guess that proves yer not a patriotic American, eh? :D

  44. [44] 
    Michale wrote:

    Perhaps Odumbo could be like that moron, Hogg and convince the Irish to donate to Dumbocrat candidates and vote for Dumbocrats..

    What *IS* it about Dumbocrats that they are so frakin' STOOPID!???

    Present company excepted, of course.. :D heh

  45. [45] 
    Michale wrote:

    Once again, there is ya'all's hysterical NeverTrumpism, devoid of facts???

    "We respect the long-standing tradition of relationships between our two countries, we’re two democracies and of course the president of the United States is welcome to visit Ireland."
    -Irish Government

    And then there are the FACTS....

    Ya'all get yer asses handed to ya on the FACTS every time!!!

    BBBWWAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHHAHAHAHA

  46. [46] 
    TheStig wrote:

    Kick-44

    Team Trump (aka Team CooCoo) feared he would be pelted with potatoes. Like stoning, but slower.

    CW - A major stumbling block I see to any potential cooperation between Trump and Pelosi is that legislative deal making takes abundant time. Trump's time is dominated by his insatiable need for self promotion, by score settling and by his ever growing legal troubles. Trump also seems to have memory issues, so any agreement on Tuesday will have dropped down the memory hole by Wednesday. Throw his golf and TV habits into the mix and the whole idea becomes untenable.

  47. [47] 
    Michale wrote:

    Ya'all get yer asses handed to ya on the FACTS every time!!!

    And, yunno... I am actually starting to feel a little bad about that.. I feel sorry for ya'all that ya really have no logical or rational FACTUAL argument to counter all the facts and reality ya'all are being hit with...

    So, if ya'all want a kinder, gentler less hostile Weigantia, just say the word....

    I'll be happy to oblige...

    IF....

    If ya'all actually follow thru... :D

    Like I have always said..

    "Ya wouldn't start none... There wouldn't BE none.."

    Well, actually Will Smith said that in INDEPENDENCE DAY.. My version's a lil different but conveys the same concept...

    I am willing to dial it back if ya'all are... :D

  48. [48] 
    Michale wrote:

    "Blessed are the peacemakers"
    -Matthew 5:9 NIV

    heh :D

  49. [49] 
    Kick wrote:

    TS
    50

    Team Trump (aka Team CooCoo) feared he would be pelted with potatoes. Like stoning, but slower.

    I know, right!? *laughs*

    But one of the Irishmen actually commented he had a "soft spot" for Donald Trump: A bog in the west of Ireland. :)

  50. [50] 
    goode trickle wrote:
  51. [51] 
    Michale wrote:

    THAT is what passes for entertainment these days?? :D

    OK OK.. I have to admit, some of that was funny.. :D

    The only South Park episode I ever watched was THE DAY THE INTERNET DIED or something like that..

    SP must be an acquired taste.. :D

  52. [52] 
    James T Canuck wrote:

    I like quizzes.
    The reality is, November will put the cat among the pigeons. The Democrats will take House, and the Senate, regardless of change, will take the heat. If the House is the birthplace of legislation, the Senate can either be a mid-wife or an abortionist...or Dingo, depending on how deftly crafted the legislation is.

    I suspect that Pelosi is savvy enough to play Trump into a hole from which he's unable to dig himself, just in time for 2020...

    In the meantime, it will be fun to watch Trump react to properly run committees, and those committees releasing the GOP notes and MEMO's on previous attempts to strive for oversight and truth.

    Not that it matters, Trump will resign if he's not 100% he'll win in 2020...Biden won't issue pardons, Pence will. It's what Pence wants most, the ability to offer absolution, his earthly seat next to his god.

    LL&P

  53. [53] 
    Michale wrote:

    The Democrats will take House,

    It's amazing how much THAT sounds like "The Democrats will take the White House"

    :D

    Remember, Democrats have been shellacked in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016...

    And their playbook is the EXACT same it was in all those shellackings.. :D

    The result of 2018 is pre-ordained... :D

  54. [54] 
    neilm wrote:

    Well Mueller is running 11 days over the deadline Giuliani insisted would be the end of the investigation.

    Maybe he still has some money launderers and "useful idiots" to keep investigating.

    Also, the RCP polling average is looking pretty bleak for Republicans ahead of the midterms - seems like their dear leader might be a drag on their electoral chances - who'd'a guessed? ;)

    https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_trump_job_approval-6179.html

  55. [55] 
    Michale wrote:

    Watching SOLO now.. Great flick.. :D

  56. [56] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    Do you want to see how pathetically hypocritical one person can be?

    [22] Yes, let's wipe out Trump. But take neoliberal Democrats with him, too
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/10/trump-neoliberal-democratic-party-america

    Typical hysterical Left Winger...

    Kill everyone that disagrees!!!

    He posted this immediately following his comments in [21]:

    And, as usual, when the crack whore welfare girl gets her ass kicked by constantly, the cunt has to go after my family...

    So typical of the crack whore..

    Victoria, why do you do EVERYONE a favor and kill yourself..

    Weigantia AND the world would be a MUCH better place without you in it..

    So he is claiming to be a hysterical Left Winger now!??!

    Nah, not a left winger... more likely just a coward! Cannot handle a woman being more intelligent than him putting him in his place on here!

    A person who resorts to telling someone they disagree with to kill themselves has no idea what makes the world a much better place!

  57. [57] 
    Michale wrote:

    A person who resorts to telling someone they disagree with to kill themselves has no idea what makes the world a much better place!

    I wasn't telling someone who I disagree with to kill themselves..

    I was telling a scumbag piece of shit who attacked my wife and children in the most vile and disgusting manner possible to do everyone a favor and take themselves out of the gene pool..

    Of course, YOU can't see the difference because yer nothing but a Party slave and ANYONE who agrees with your ideology is OK with you, no matter how vile and disgusting their actions are..

    I bet you have a poster of James Hodgkison on your wall don't you and kiss it lovingly every morning.

    By accepting Victoria's actions and even DEFENDING the crack whore's actions, that makes you NO BETTER than she is... Just another piece of shit Party slave...

    So, you and crack whore and James Hodgkison can all enjoy your hatred and bile together..

  58. [58] 
    Michale wrote:

    I knew you couldn't NOT talk about me, Russ.. :D

    Yer so damn predictable.. :D

  59. [59] 
    Michale wrote:

    Well Mueller is running 11 days over the deadline Giuliani insisted would be the end of the investigation.

    Haven't heard a peep from Mueller OR the Russian/Election/Collusion investigation since 1 Sep..

    Guess me and Rudy called it dead on ballz accurate.. :D

  60. [60] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    Hey CW:

    Just looking over your comment policies... Doesn’t a poster telling someone to take their own life seem to ignore one or more policies listed?

    I am all for “free speech”, but this would seem to carry some liabilities for you...kinda like allowing someone to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater. Name calling and insults don’t bother me, encouraging someone to end their life because you disagree with them I have a real problem with! Anyone who has ever buried a loved one who got bullied into taking their own life by online trolls will probably find this offensive.

    I asked the person to stop as I find it offensive and cowardly, but they don’t give a sh*t about what I think and most likely have continued to say it because they know it is offensive. So I ask you, does telling someone to kill themselves violate your commenting policies?

  61. [61] 
    Michale wrote:

    I asked the person to stop as I find it offensive and cowardly, but they don’t give a sh*t about what I think and most likely have continued to say it because they know it is offensive. So I ask you, does telling someone to kill themselves violate your commenting policies?

    I really didn't want to drag you into this as I know you like to maintain a "hands off" and let us work things out for ourselves..

    Towhit:

    . Much of what I read on popular blogs is merely "gotcha-ism" personally directed against other bloggers, or mainstream media types. I find these tempests-in-a-teapot boring, myself, and hope never to get dragged into such a contest.
    http://www.chrisweigant.com/about-this-blog/

    But, since Russ can't leave you out of it, let me add my question to his..

    Does a commenter who doesn't address the comment/issue/debate, but rather attacks another commenter's wife and children in the most vile and disgusting manner possible.... Is the first commenter violating commenting policies, to whit:

    Don't engage in ad hominem attacks on people -- feel free to attack ideas (in other words), but be warned when you attack people you may reap our wrath,
    -Weigantian Commenting Policy

    You mention "when you attack people" which implies other people on this forum.. How do you feel about when people's INNOCENT wife and children are attacked??

    As I said, it wasn't my intent to drag you into this.. But since Russ knows no such courtesy..... Well...

    encouraging someone to end their life because you disagree with them I have a real problem with!

    Oh fuck you, Russ...

    If I had attacked Victoria's family and she encouraged me to kill myself, **THEN** you wouldn't have a problem with someone encouraging suicide..

    **THEN** you would have a problem with attacks on commenters' families..

    So fuck you and the horse you rode in on..

    What you have a "problem" with is TOTALLY and COMPLETELY determined by your Party Slavery..

    So, take your "problem" and shove it up your ass.....

    Don't engage in blatant racism, sexism, or any other "-ism" to the extent that your comments are deemed offensive by a huge majority of the American public,
    -Weigantian Commenting Policy

    And lookie there.. Crack Whore's homophobic comment violates THAT commenting policy..

    You didn't care about THAT, did you?? You had NO PROBLEM with Crack Whore's gay slur..

    So, once again.. Take yer "problem" and shove it up yer ass...

  62. [62] 
    Michale wrote:

    As usual, Will Smith's wisdom is at the forefront..

    "Ya wouldn't START none, there wouldn't BE none.."

  63. [63] 
    neilm wrote:

    "People who make decisions at Nike aren’t influenced by polling. Their bonuses aren’t based on elections. Hostility from millions of semi-literate racists in one particular country has no influence on their choices. Votes that matter are cast in stores and online globally. Nike won the election that matters and looks set to keep on winning."

    https://www.politicalorphans.com/social-democracy-wont-save-liberal-democracy/

  64. [64] 
    Kick wrote:

    Russ
    60

    Do you want to see how pathetically hypocritical one person can be?

    The troll wants a board atmosphere where he freely hurls insults at the group, spams everyone with right-wing rag conspiracy theory bullshit in comment after comment, hijacks posts from one to another, and disrupts the flow of political dialogue ad nauseam to discuss everyone personally because in his tiny little mind, it's perfectly acceptable to troll everyone incessantly with the "bigot," "slave," "hypocrite," and "ya'all have a disease I made up" insults because it's his "regular" routine that he has deemed acceptable... the constant one-sided trolling everyone, spamming the board, and ad hominem attacks in lieu of political discussion that he can control.

    The problem arises if certain posters kick it back in his general direction. The slightest verbal push back is met with the hurling of gender-specific expletives, which I am not constrained to point out sounds exactly like him and his family life that he's bragged about multiple times on this blog and archived herein for all posterity. I mean, if he's going to hurl descriptive expletives that resemble his own admitted situation, even if somebody points out how his admitted "most vile and disgusting" language is some nifty projection on his part, it still doesn't change the incontrovertible fact that the insults he's whining about are generally coming from his very own keyboard, and he's the hysterical halfwit who's hurling them!

    He posted this immediately following his comments in [21]

    I noticed the back-to-back "killing" comments myself. I sure hope nobody out there is taking the troll's bullshit seriously. I work regularly with service members who just might... so it's reckless, thoughtless, and unnecessary from that POV, and it's not at all a hard concept to grasp that if you're going to hurl out insults regularly and near daily to the entire group on this board, you best be prepared to receive them back.

    _______________

    SO TO RECAP:

    Kindly ignore the regular calls for violence/suicide from the so-called "law enforcement officer" with control/anger issues. He is the quintessential ever aggrieved victim who can dish it out but sure can't take it. Additionally, never doubt for a moment that the whiny asshat who keeps claiming to kick everyone's ass while simultaneously regularly begging others to kill themselves because he can't handle the itty bitty words on the screen is the one losing bigly and just too much of a hysterical mouth breathing knuckle-dragger to realize it. :)

  65. [65] 
    James T Canuck wrote:

    [64]I did, in my subtlety, make the same point in a previous thread. I think I also might have suggested I had gone 'alee' to the rules on occasion too...

    I was more proud of mastering the CW, art of the spiffy post.

    ;)

    LL&P

  66. [66] 
    James T Canuck wrote:

    ...damn, forgot to add my 1.7 cents.

    There are much nicer ways to express yourself if you try.

    LL&P

  67. [67] 
    Kick wrote:

    neilm
    67

    Great article, Neil. Thanks for posting it.

    I've actually heard multiple instances of some right-wing halfwits who purchased some Nike footwear just so they could burn it! That should show those "leftie" capitalists at Nike for having the temerity to advertise using the spokesman of their choice and encouraging people to aim high: "just do it" and "dream crazy."

    Nike being the Greek goddess of victory and the equivalent of her Roman counterpart, Victoria, I am quite sure she's laughing all the way to the bank at the level of their sheer stupidity. Add to that, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if their next ad campaign capitalized on this phenomenon of ignorance and sounded something like this:

    In need of some footwear for your political demonstration? Introducing Nike Infernos... because fanning the flames of your fear will be the pinnacle of our pleasure... one size fits all, available in white only. Each pair of limited edition combustible sneakers comes packaged with a commemorative lighter that you can enjoy long after the blaze of your vitriol has ended. Fire extinguisher sold separately.

  68. [68] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    Kick,

    Trust me, the littlest troll’s rants and bitching may be annoying but I would have left this site long ago if that sort of behavior got under my skin. And as I said before, I am not too worried about him getting to you; but there could be others on here that he could mess with their minds at a time when they are in a dark place mentally with comments like that, and that would be tragic. And I am sure CW would not want that sort of thing occurring on his site, personally or professionally.

    Anyone who has to constantly announce that they have won imaginary battles to the world might as well tattoo “Loser” on their forehead. You put him in his place and he cannot stand it; you can take what he throws at ya and return it back at him even harder and he doesn’t know what to do about it....so he resorts to mimicking his Man-Baby master and throws a fit. I just could resist pointing out today’s hypocrisy!

  69. [69] 
    ListenWhenYouHear wrote:

    “Could NOT”, not “could”

  70. [70] 
    Kick wrote:

    Russ
    72

    Trust me, the littlest troll’s rants and bitching may be annoying but I would have left this site long ago if that sort of behavior got under my skin.

    Of this I have zero doubt!

    And as I said before, I am not too worried about him getting to you; but there could be others on here that he could mess with their minds at a time when they are in a dark place mentally with comments like that, and that would be tragic.

    Exactly why I wrote that recap under that line I drew... which I should have made myself more clear was not remotely intended for you but for anyone out there who was reading the troll's utter nonsensical bullshit and was even remotely taking that repetitive spew of his seriously.

    Anyone who has to constantly announce that they have won imaginary battles to the world might as well tattoo “Loser” on their forehead.

    Yes, sir... or "Hoser" as JTC would say. ;)

    so he resorts to mimicking his Man-Baby master and throws a fit.

    Exactly like the Fascist Loofa-Faced Shitgibbon Benedict Donald through which he lives vicariously! :)

  71. [71] 
    Michale wrote:

    I just could resist pointing out today’s hypocrisy!

    And you CONTINUE to respond to me, even though you promised not to..

    I guess, in addition to being a scumbag and an asshole, you are a liar too.. :D

  72. [72] 
    Michale wrote:

    It's sad that, on a day of national reflection and honoring those who died on 9/11, scumbags like Victoria and Russ have to spew their bile and bullshit..

    America haters thru and thru...

    Sad...

  73. [73] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    75

    And you CONTINUE to respond to me, even though you promised not to..

    Russ wasn't responding to you, moron; that was a response to me. Pity you won't crack a book or do anything about your reading comprehension problem, but it is a daily source of joy watching you regularly make a fool out of yourself. :)

    I guess, in addition to being a scumbag and an asshole, you are a liar too.. :D

    You are a lousy guesser, Mr. Scumbag A. Hole, but thank you for playing Jeopardy! Remember to always give your answers in the form of a lie. :)

  74. [74] 
    Michale wrote:

    Russ wasn't responding to you, moron; that was a response to me.

    He was posting to you IN RESPONSE to my comment.

    Hence, he was RESPONDING to me...

    Logical thinking isn't your strong suit, is it crack whore??

    I see yer pissy. What's the matter?? Your latest boyfriend ran out of batteries??? Or didn't leave you money on the dresser??

    BBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  75. [75] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    76

    It's sad that, on a day of national reflection and honoring those who died on 9/11, scumbags like Victoria and Russ have to spew their bile and bullshit..

    It's sad that on a day of national reflection and honoring those who died on 9/11, Your Orange Worship and his ilk were doing high fives and thumbs up and hurling out their regular insults on cue.

    America haters thru and thru...

    Yes, they're confessing they are, and that's why they're now pleading guilty and begging for America's mercy and being tried regularly in courtrooms and inhabiting prisons scattered throughout our great nation. *laughs* :)

  76. [76] 
    Kick wrote:

    Michale
    78

    He was posting to you IN RESPONSE to my comment.

    Slice and dice your lies however you choose, moron, he was nevertheless "posting to me" and responding to me... and not you.

    Hence, he was RESPONDING to me...

    Reading is fundamental. It's never to late to learn how to read and comprehend the written word and recognize salutations.

    Logical thinking isn't your strong suit, is it crack whore??

    If you would like to have a discussion with your wife about the family business, please do so in commentaries not addressed to me. Now is the part where you whine like a stuck pig. I think you must enjoy it... otherwise you'd naturally stop peppering EVERY SINGLE COMMENT with descriptions of your family life. :)

    I don't care to discuss ya'alls "vile and disgusting" situation (your definitions) so ya'all just carry on among yourselves. TMI :)

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