US 2024 Presidential Election
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Saw an interesting thread on Twitter the other day:
The gist of it is that Ghislaine Maxwell plans to reveal all she knows about Trump come September, and it could be damaging enough that he might have to drop out.
Since I was linked there by someone that despises Trump and since I don't know this Twitter user and I believe Trump is a massive Narcissist I would take it with a truckload of mountain salt and would normally not even post about it, but I also thought Biden would not drop out of the race so "What do I know?".
Anyway, Project 2025 is the true agenda of the Republican party for the election. An agenda that wants many things, among others ban pornography and define being trans in public as pornography.
The gist of it is that Ghislaine Maxwell plans to reveal all she knows about Trump come September, and it could be damaging enough that he might have to drop out.
Since I was linked there by someone that despises Trump and since I don't know this Twitter user and I believe Trump is a massive Narcissist I would take it with a truckload of mountain salt and would normally not even post about it, but I also thought Biden would not drop out of the race so "What do I know?".
Anyway, Project 2025 is the true agenda of the Republican party for the election. An agenda that wants many things, among others ban pornography and define being trans in public as pornography.
Dunno if Trump is on board with it:
"Trump’s Involvement
While Donald Trump has publicly disavowed Project 2025, claiming he has “nothing to do with them” and finds some ideas “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” the plan’s authors include at least 140 former Trump administration officials, including six former Cabinet secretaries and four ambassadors nominated by Trump. This has led many to question the sincerity of Trump’s denials."
I'm MAGA and I recall all the rage about Q'Anon. Trump was asked about it and he said he didn't know what that was. The interviewer said, "of course you do". I don't really know what it is, so it is not hard for me to believe Trump on this. Maybe about this Project 2025 too.
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Yes, and the moon is made of green cheese.
If by some extraordinarily unlikely chance Maxwell has got dirt on Trump, it would need to be massive and uncontestable (e.g. clear photo/video evidence) to shift the dial.
Trump has a long record of having substantial interactions with people, sometimes heaping praise on them, and then claiming he "doesn't know" them when being associated with them becomes inconvenient. The list is quite long. At the kindest, we could call this exaggeration. What Trump means by saying someone is a "great guy", "good friend" is often that the person is an acquaintance that did something useful to him. And when he says he "doesn't know" a person - possibly the same person he previously eulogised - he often means that person is an acquaintance out of favour. (Or maybe he genuinely doesn't know them. You can't tell without some external information.)
He totally knows about QAnon. He totally knows about Project 2025. Not necessarily well: maybe not many of the details, or that he's not heavily involved/invested in either. What he's really saying is he doesn't want to be associated with them... Even though he's busy doing stuff like retweeting their memes and bullshit, or about to place the people involved in positions of power.
Trump is in a sense "genuine"... in the sense that he is true to himself rather than to anything else. "Authentic". He is genuinely (/authentically) a man who exaggerates, bullshits and lies just like we'd expect from a narcissist who has never had to suffer catastrophic consequences from exaggerating, bullshitting and lying. Trump is as reliable as a metronome for his complete disinterest in accurately describing reality, even in a legal deposition. Sometimes he's right, sometimes he's wrong, but be sure he doesn't care which as long as he thinks it will benefit him.
And in a sense, I think there is a level of authenticity about denying he knows anything about QAnon or Project2025, if we take the above that what he means is that he doesn't care about them. He genuinely doesn't care about them: because there is no room in his head for caring about anything other than himself. If they are useful to him, he will cling tightly to them, and he will drop them like a hot potato if they are not useful. He perceives Project2025 could cause him political harm because it is extreme and radical, could alienate voters, so he says he "doesn't know" it. But if it gives him power as a president, he would enact it wholesale. That's how he works.
I mean the assumption in this tweet is that anything can damage Trump to his followers. Went to Epstein island and raped dozens of kids? Fake news. Deep state manipulation. Deep fake!
Hell you could actually have his movement implode somehow and he wouldn't give up his death grip on the party. I mean that would be the ideal outcome, but I just don't see it happening.
2nd edit: I bring up flip flops because I think it goes to the heart of what you writing about, that Trump will be your buddy or enemy based upon the way the wind blows
Dunno how helpful vs. harmful it is in politics to easily flip flop. Something to review.
I think Biden, for instance, thought this a skill he possesses that made him invincible against Trump. Maybe, by comparison, Trump has core beliefs while Biden has none. This is the guy that can boast of his part in passing the Defense of Marriage Act in one breath and in the other tell you his father told of his support for gay relationships back in the 1960s after seeing two men kissing in public in Delaware. Say anything for power. All that matters is getting elected as if you don't? You don't get to do anything in that office.
I think flip flopping can hurt. I recall a TV attack add of a suited man doing physical gymnastic flip flops and attributed to a bad pol and his flipping on decisions.
A major one for Kamala will be what Gabby pointed out in the 2020 primary: she had a "too tough" on crime history including allegedly keeping men in prison past time when they could be released in order to exploit them for cheap labor. Now I think of her as being part of the de-fund the police way of thinking.
EDIT: Reviewing
"Does flip flopping help politicians
Based on the analysis of various sources, flip-flopping - a sudden change in position or policy - can have both positive and negative consequences for politicians.
Positive aspects:
- Adaptation to changing circumstances: Politicians may flip-flop to respond to shifting public opinions, new information, or evolving circumstances, demonstrating their ability to adapt and evolve their positions.
- Pragmatic decision-making: In some cases, flip-flopping can be a sign of a politician’s willingness to set aside ideology and prioritize effective governance, even if it means changing their initial stance.
- Erosion of trust: Frequent or perceived flip-flopping can lead to a loss of trust among voters, who may view the politician as insincere, opportunistic, or lacking in conviction.
- Perception of pandering: When politicians flip-flop to appease specific groups or interests, it can be seen as pandering, damaging their credibility and reputation.
- Inconsistent messaging: Flip-flopping can create confusion among voters, making it difficult for them to understand the politician’s true stance on an issue, which can harm their ability to build a cohesive platform.
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They are statistically tied, which is why right now the RNC is trying to decide how to best fake evidence because clearly if Trump loses it can only be due to cheating.
Trump gave a speech to the Heritage Foundation (the group behind Project 2025) in April 2022: "But this is a great group, and they're going to lay the groundwork and detailed plans for exactly what our movement will do and what your movement will do when the American people give us a colossal mandate to save America, and that's coming." Project 2025 was established in April 2022 and published their plans in 2023. It's hard to believe he knew nothing about a detailed policy plan by a group that he gave a speech before talking about how they were going to create a detailed policy plan the same month they officially started working on writing up and publishing said detailed policy plan.
Flip-flop suggests an opinion. Like, in 1985 someone is against gay marriage, and is not in 2015. The facts maybe haven't changed that much, but the opinion is not necessarily about facts, it's about values and perceptions. If a person flip-flops on a fact, it means that on at least one of those occasions, they were wrong: and if they knew or didn't care they were wrong, they're dishonest.
Wait, what? Are you seriously arguing Trump has not flip-flopped?
Trump and Biden have something in common: expediency. But they're expedient for different aims.
Trump's core belief is... Donald Trump. Nothing more, beautifully simple. Trump will say and do whatever is expedient to benefit himself. Biden probably does have more complex values and ethics, things he believes in. His expediency is different: it's about navigating the currents of power to achieve political change. Sell one value down the river to buy progress on another value. And maybe in the future, that value sold down the river in 1980s can be progressed in the 2010s.
I would actually argue many, if not most politicians (Biden included) do have as a key value the betterment of their nation. The issue is whether voters agree with their vision of a better country, or how the politician tries to achieve it. Trump has no belief in a better USA at all. It's merely dumb luck whether a better USA happens to coincide with what he's really out for: power, admiration and wealth for Donald Trump.
I think Biden literally called for the assassination of Donald Trump. They have engaged in Lawfare, censorship of the Laptop story and more. They seem willing to stop at nothing. And after calling 2020 the most secure election ever, Rasmussen found about 20% of mail in voters admit to engaging in voter fraud. And those are only the ones admitting to it. Doesn't sound particularly secure to me. This after they boasted they'd "fortified" the election and now their Attorney General Garland is out campaigning against voter ID, MAGA has a right to be concerned.
That is interesting but I suspect Trump likes porn too much to really sign on. And just as he likely wanted Roe over-turned on process grounds, he's likely pro choice. He's probably funded a few choices in the past.
I have seen a bit of humanity in both of them that I buy. No matter how monstrous I think Biden, his affection for his son Hunter appears to be genuine.
And I look back to Trump and his full page add on the "Central Park" jogger. I don't see an upside for him in that add. He, like so many was just shocked and outraged at what happened... like an actual human being might feel and how they might act out have they the $.
I feel things were great under Trump (minus COVID) and he genuinely wants what is best for his country (as long as it serves his interests too I suppose) and we got judges that could tell you what a woman is. But I do take your point: it may have just been happenstance that things seemed good under Trump. If he is re-elected and his time in office is horrible, I'll have a lot of egg on my face.
This may be happening tonight:
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There would be nothing wrong with voter ID if you could guarantee that literally everyone who can legally vote can get a valid voter ID without cost of any kind, without exception. And that includes being able to obtain any required documentation to get such an ID without cost of any kind for literally everyone who can legally vote. And that includes planning for the weird edge cases that occasionally pop up (up to possibly having to reimburse any resultant costs in those cases). Otherwise, it's literally just a poll tax under another label.
Oh, and also sufficient availability of locations and hours so as not to exclude anyone who could otherwise legally vote from being able to get such an ID.
That's not a set of conditions you can reasonably reach before the election. That's probably not a set of conditions you can actually completely reach without a federal photo ID card program (and the same people who promote voter ID tend to oppose those).
Doubt it, or it probably wouldn't have been some 20 year old kid registered Republican who voted once in his life and donated $15 to ActBlue once doing the shooting. Also, he could have just hypothetically ordered the military to do it and then pardoned them and the worst case would be Kamala becoming president sooner than might otherwise happen if and only if he got impeached for it (and then she could pardon him for it before any criminal trial, assuming the "president can pardon himself" brigade would switch sides if Biden did it).
He probably either figures that the law won't apply the same in practice to rich white guys (like shipping mistresses elsewhere to dodge local laws as part of funding "choices"), that as former President he's just immune to all laws forever (which SCOTUS may just deign to assist him with), or that that part is sufficiently blatantly unconstitutional and sufficiently unpopular that he doesn't have to worry about the porn thing actually passing and holding up. Or that his tech guys can get him around it.
So, will 2024 be the first time we elect a woman, and Indian and a black woman as president or the first time we elect someone who has been impeached and is a convicted felon?
So here is the plan. Harris cannot run for President at is stands right now, because there isn't enough time to process her nomination and put all the pieces together to make her official.
HOWEVER Biden can resign, which would immediately make Harris the president and she can then run basically as the defending champ, and thus get her name on the ballots without all the campaign legwork. So this is what I expect Biden to do with this address.
The Heritage Foundation has been releasing that since the 80s. It was just called Mandate for Leadership beforehand and Project 2025 is more marketable and scary sounding. Acting like Project 2025 is some new scary thing is pretty ridiculous. Also, I'm guessing it doesn't include banning porn or being trans in public would be considered porn if you actually go and read the thing.
Its honestly quite funny that Trump can literally send his cultists to hang Pence and his base loudly shouts that he's innocent. But when a right winger shoots at Trump THEN suddenly Biden is to blame.
Also why is it lawfare to go against Trump when he commits crime? Why should the state handle him with kid gloves just because he's named Donald Trump? In fact the state did just that only for Trump to then try and overthrow it anyway.
Its really weird that when Trump does crimes his supporters insists the judiciary should just say ''Oh what a silly little boy Trump is!' and leave it at that. Why? What has Trump ever done to deserve that amount of leeway?
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This isn't true. Officially Biden was not yet nominated-- he would've been the presumptive nominee until the Democratic convention, at which time it would've become official after delegates made their submissions.
Biden's delegates are now uncommitted. The party can 1) Try to organise an extremely last minute mini-primary contest (which would be an unprecedented tall order); or 2) Allow delegates to vote as they will. And enough delegates have already indicated they will follow Biden's endorsement and submit for Harris.
"Processing the nomination" isn't an issue at all, because nothing was official beforehand. You can argue that undermining the primary system is an issue, though-- and you'd kinda have a point.
Aside from doubting Maxwell would even do so, I mostly doubt this having any effect. Trump's ties to Epstein are already an open secret. Its known information and his base and the media alike have been crystal clear about them not caring about this. Maxwel could send a video that ends with Trump cooking and eating an underage victim and I still suspect his base will start glorifying it, or at least imply the victim ''seduced'' Trump.
I think the exact phrase went akin to ''I don't know them but I hear they're strongly against pedophilia which I think is a good thing''
That's not a trustworthy statement. For someone who not know them Trump sure took pause to deem Qanon exactly as how they want to portray themselves and say he's on board with that. Its a dog whistle. He claims not to know them because associating with complete lunatics is toxic, but he does at the same time promote their prefered image and voices support.
I dont know if it was Biden specifically. But it wouldn't surprise me that someone put Trump on a hit list for sure. Especially the way the Secret Service completely half-assed security of his rally. That kind of incompetence that somehow feigns normal procedure scream foul play to me. But maybe not, it's really not surprising that someone finally got brave enough to take the shot considering all the media coverage and social media screaming about how much of a Hitler Trump is and how anyone who supports him is a Nazi or Facist or whatever the fuck. They made him the face of Evil and eventually someone was gonna try to be a misguided hero.
I will say that the last 8 years have been the most nonsense political demonizing I can ever remember. Both sides used to run TV ads being like "Bush kicks puppies and hates ice cream" #thisadwaspaidforbyRossPerot, but a most of it kept strictly to policies or like past naughty behavior. "He gets blowjobs at truck stops! Vote for me instead!" Kind of stuff.
But the divide they've created over this last decade has been just nonsense and it should be clear to everyone that it's not even for the good of the people anymore. It's not even pretending to be that anymore. It's strictly to manipulate power and ruin the working classes in order to maintain corporate interest and line the pockets of corrupt boomers. Fuck all these old bastards.
Oh jesus, banning porn is never, ever, evereverevereverevereverever, gonna happen. they can try with that puritan Christian bullshit but Nord VPN exists and they'd have to find a way to ban it across the whole damn world to make sex stop selling.
The secret service have messed up a lot of time, remember the shoe throw at Bush? If Biden, or anyone high up, wanted Trump dead, he'd be dead. The kid almost certainly didn't want to be a hero, he was just a dumb kid who wanted to be remembered.
Everybody know Trump fucked kid with Epstein, women came out specifically saying so. His follower either don't care (state that are okay with child marriage overwhelmingly vote GOP) or deny it, everybody remotely close to sensible has long ago decided not to vote for him. Even if Maxwell came out with HD footage of Trump doing it with a baby, it wouldn't even move the needle.
My own instincts are this would be an excellent idea for the Dems. It would calm the public letting them know she wasn't going to bring poverty, slavery and death to the nation day one. Her being the incumbent would also add gravity to her. Being the incumbent does come with electoral advantages. Looking forward to hearing from Biden tonight.