U.S. lawmakers slam Trump as 'weak' in Russia summit; some push new sanctions

[jerojero]

Trump is definitely making history and a name for himself in the annals of world politics. Too bad his thoughts, words, and actions are pulled out of his anal canal. Thus will be well remembered as the biggest buffoon President of the USA.

[Trouble]

From the Reuters article: "Trump, speaking in Helsinki after his first summit with Putin, said he saw no reason to believe his own country's intelligence agencies over the Kremlin leader's assurances that Russia did not interfere in the U.S. election."

 

Those were not Trumps words during the press conference after the meeting.  He neither specifically discounted the intelligence agencies findings nor did he fall for Putin's denial.  He kind of left it where it is.  While the Democrats and some Republicans are shouting for Trump to denounce Putin, what is that going to get anyone. We don't know what was said in private and Trump surely brought up the subject. Putin, of course, denied any wrong doing. That being said the Democrats are so incensed by the loss of Hillary, and the fact that no information has come forth showing collusion between Trump and Putin that the shift is now to blame the Russians for the loss.  While the Dems condemn Trump for throwing diplomacy out the window on on hand, on the other hand they want him to confront Putin in a public forum.  

 

Having read the 29 page indictment of the Russians, and while the indictment provides no evidence supporting the claims, it appears to me the the indictment basically is looking to go after some of the members of the Russian GRU based on their position as managers of two GRU units rather than providing a link directly between the men and the actual hacking.  Mueller might as well have indicted the head of the GRU, the head of the Defense Ministry, and Putin himself.  Further, while not being a computer expert, I would be interested to know how the Mueller team (FBI) obtained some of the information without doing some nefarious work themselves.  Nothing in the indictment surprises me nor should it surprise the American public.  Where are the indictments against the Chinese for hacking into US Government computers and stealing the names and personal information of hundreds of thousands of government employees?  What this indictment shows is that Mueller wants to show results from the millions of dollars spent although he knows nothing will happen from the indictment.  The intelligence agencies told us a year ago that hacking had occurred so what does this indictment really do for us?  I would also like the US intelligence agencies to confirm that they are not hacking into computers in other countries and reading emails.  

 

This whole issue of confronting Putin is just political hype to keep everyone and everything in turmoil for political reasons.  It's time to move on.  It's time for Mueller to give us a reason for his continued investigation or close it out and report what he found. These indictments don't in my mind justify anything.

 

 

 

[pegman]

now saying he mis-spoke. 555555555555555!

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, pegman said:

now saying he mis-spoke. 555555555555555!

Anyone that believes that please ask them to send me all their money right now because I'm Nigerian royalty  and I have a golden opportunity for them. 

[pegman]

1 hour ago, Trouble said:

From the Reuters article: "Trump, speaking in Helsinki after his first summit with Putin, said he saw no reason to believe his own country's intelligence agencies over the Kremlin leader's assurances that Russia did not interfere in the U.S. election."

 

Those were not Trumps words during the press conference after the meeting.  He neither specifically discounted the intelligence agencies findings nor did he fall for Putin's denial.  He kind of left it where it is.  While the Democrats and some Republicans are shouting for Trump to denounce Putin, what is that going to get anyone. We don't know what was said in private and Trump surely brought up the subject. Putin, of course, denied any wrong doing. That being said the Democrats are so incensed by the loss of Hillary, and the fact that no information has come forth showing collusion between Trump and Putin that the shift is now to blame the Russians for the loss.  While the Dems condemn Trump for throwing diplomacy out the window on on hand, on the other hand they want him to confront Putin in a public forum.  

 

Having read the 29 page indictment of the Russians, and while the indictment provides no evidence supporting the claims, it appears to me the the indictment basically is looking to go after some of the members of the Russian GRU based on their position as managers of two GRU units rather than providing a link directly between the men and the actual hacking.  Mueller might as well have indicted the head of the GRU, the head of the Defense Ministry, and Putin himself.  Further, while not being a computer expert, I would be interested to know how the Mueller team (FBI) obtained some of the information without doing some nefarious work themselves.  Nothing in the indictment surprises me nor should it surprise the American public.  Where are the indictments against the Chinese for hacking into US Government computers and stealing the names and personal information of hundreds of thousands of government employees?  What this indictment shows is that Mueller wants to show results from the millions of dollars spent although he knows nothing will happen from the indictment.  The intelligence agencies told us a year ago that hacking had occurred so what does this indictment really do for us?  I would also like the US intelligence agencies to confirm that they are not hacking into computers in other countries and reading emails.  

 

This whole issue of confronting Putin is just political hype to keep everyone and everything in turmoil for political reasons.  It's time to move on.  It's time for Mueller to give us a reason for his continued investigation or close it out and report what he found. These indictments don't in my mind justify anything.

 

 

 

Settle down buddy. This may not even be the halfway point for Mueller. Were you saying the same thing 14 months in during WhiteWater? Starr was at it for >4 years. We may have just started the 2nd quarter. 

[neeray]

10 hours ago, BuaBS said:

Another Trump bashing thread ! These are as numerous and boring as all the cave rescue threads. At least they are fading away.

Trump spoke some truths we all know and of course that upsets the media , lawmakers , ....

We still have to wait 2 years for trump to fade away. But with a little luck, and at the rate he's disintegrating, that may come sooner. I and many can only hope!

[mamypoko]

15 hours ago, mamypoko said:

I'm an American and I certainly would not use the word ashamed.

To be clear, disgusted and outraged better fits how I feel. Sorry Buabs, better untap that like, boy.

[Scott]

A post advocating illegal activity has been removed.  

[PhonThong]

11 hours ago, Skywalker69 said:

 

Double post. 

Oh, but I guess it's OK to sell them uranium?

[bristolboy]

24 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

Oh, but I guess it's OK to sell them uranium?

False.

https://www.factcheck.org/2017/10/facts-uranium-one/

[Scott]

Continued deflection and trolling WILL result in suspensions..  

 

[ballpoint]

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Anyone that believes that please ask them to send me all their money right now because I'm Nigerian royalty  and I have a golden opportunity for them. 

You'd get a better response from Trump's team if you said you're Russian royalty and you have a golden shower for them.

[Becker]

1 hour ago, PhonThong said:

Oh, but I guess it's OK to sell them uranium?

Congratulations!!! You win 1st price for the stupidest deflection post of the week - well done.

[Brunolem]

10 hours ago, Opl said:

 

PUTIN's world vision in 60 sec…food for your thoughts..

https://www.nationalreview.com/videos/putins-world-vision/

I am not following other peoples' thoughts, Putin's included.

 

I develop my own thoughts, based on facts (which, by the way you are not refuting) and extended reading, contrary to the hysterical masses who blindly follow and gobble whatever the MSM is throwing at them.

 

In most of the posts above, there is zero reasoning and a lot of ignorance I am afraid.

 

For example, some believe that Russia wants to invade Western Europe, ignoring the fact that it doesn't have the military means for that, far from it!

 

France, Germany and the UK together have more than double Russia's military budget.

 

Russia's military budget is mostly spent on deterence...all these hypersonic gadgets presented a few months ago...that can only be used in a desperate situation, the famous M.A.D. theory.

 

When it comes to influencing elections, it is public knowledge that all the countries who can do it do it, starting with the US who heavily meddled during the 1996...Russian elections...how ironic!

 

Try to inform yourself independently instead of relying on publications and networks whose owners have an agenda...

[spidermike007]

16 hours ago, ravip said:

Trump is “thinking outside the box”. Hence, very few can understand him. Time will speak for itself, later - for the better or worse!

Yes, clinical insanity combined with a dangerous degree of narcissism, tends to compel one to think in a way that few can understand. Believe me, history will judge this president very harshly, and he is accomplishing little, unless you consider the placement of hundreds of young, ultra hawkish judges, and a tax plan that gives corporations a tax break they did not need while benefitting only the top 10% to be a good thing. 

[Becker]

1 hour ago, PhonThong said:

Oh, but I guess it's OK to sell them uranium?

Congratulations!!! You win 1st price for the stupidest deflection post of the week - well done.

[Opl]

8 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

I am not following other peoples' thoughts, Putin's included.

 

I develop my own thoughts, based on facts (which, by the way you are not refuting) and extended reading, contrary to the hysterical masses who blindly follow and gobble whatever the MSM is throwing at them.

 

In most of the posts above, there is zero reasoning and a lot of ignorance I am afraid.

 

For example, some believe that Russia wants to invade Western Europe, ignoring the fact that it doesn't have the military means for that, far from it!

 

France, Germany and the UK together have more than double Russia's military budget.

 

Russia's military budget is mostly spent on deterence...all these hypersonic gadgets presented a few months ago...that can only be used in a desperate situation, the famous M.A.D. theory.

 

When it comes to influencing elections, it is public knowledge that all the countries who can do it do it, starting with the US who heavily meddled during the 1996...Russian elections...how ironic!

 

Try to inform yourself independently instead of relying on publications and networks whose owners have an agenda…

 

CYBERWAR costs are null  regarding ROI in spreading propaganda, Putin gets it, Trump denies, so do you.

Trump achieves  Putin's agenda, try to get the larger picture.  

[Brunolem]

2 minutes ago, Opl said:

 

CYBERWAR costs are null  regarding ROI in spreading propaganda, Putin gets it, Trump denies, so do you.

Trump achieves  Putin's agenda, try to get the larger picture.  

And cyberwar is fought only one way?

The NSA is not spying on everyone, including its allies, including Merkel's personal phone?

The larger picture certainly don't show a world which is all black or white...

[Opl]

16 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

And cyberwar is fought only one way?

The NSA is not spying on everyone, including its allies, including Merkel's personal phone?

The larger picture certainly don't show a world which is all black or white...

Facts are:

- Trump got played by Putin,

- Trump followers got played by Trump

- Putin helped Trump get elected to achieve his own agenda.

Now go on for a second term? 

 

[spidermike007]

13 hours ago, Skywalker69 said:

 

Double post. 

Five years in prison would be sweet, but not nearly enough, as payment for a lifetime of crimes, and the crushing of thousands of families of small contractors along the way, all in the cause of amassing more money. Now, with this, I think death would be a just penalty. The entire planet would rejoice, as never before. If she were alive, not even his mother would miss him. 

[Brunolem]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes, clinical insanity combined with a dangerous degree of narcissism, tends to compel one to think in a way that few can understand. Believe me, history will judge this president very harshly, and he is accomplishing little, unless you consider the placement of hundreds of young, ultra hawkish judges, and a tax plan that gives corporations a tax break they did not need while benefitting only the top 10% to be a good thing. 

It is fascinating to see the deflection at play in many posts above.

 

Trump didn't arrive in the White House after a coup!

At least the Romans had the excuse of not chosing their emperor when Caligula rose to power.

 

Yet, a large number of Americans can't fathom the idea that roughly half of them voted for a character like Trump.

So they look for a bogeyman, preferably from abroad, and Putin is the obvious choice.

And those on the losing side of the elections are too happy to feed these fantasies.

 

That would be funny, but for the fact that this mass hysteria is actually piting one half of America against the other half, and instead of the war with Russia that so many fear (or expect), they may well end up with a civil war...

[Brunolem]

14 minutes ago, Opl said:

Facts are:

- Trump got played by Putin,

- Trump followers got played by Trump

- Putin helped Trump get elected to achieve his own agenda.

Now go on for a second term? 

 

I agree with that.

 

As for a second term...who are the potential candidates for the Democrats?

No one! So much so that there is now talk about a Hillary comeback!!!

That shows how desperate the situation is...

 

Now, like others, I think that if Trump is reelected, the US could well be plunged into its second civil war...if the war doesn't break before that...

[spidermike007]

4 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

It is fascinating to see the deflection at play in many posts above.

 

Trump didn't arrive in the White House after a coup!

At least the Romans had the excuse of not chosing their emperor when Caligula rose to power.

 

Yet, a large number of Americans can't fathom the idea that roughly half of them voted for a character like Trump.

So they look for a bogeyman, preferably from abroad, and Putin is the obvious choice.

And those on the losing side of the elections are too happy to feed these fantasies.

 

That would be funny, but for the fact that this mass hysteria is actually piting one half of America against the other half, and instead of the war with Russia that so many fear (or expect), they may well end up with a civil war...

Terribly wrong facts. Sounds like you are listening to the deflector in chief once again. First of all you accuse the other half of starting this fight? When he was elected I had an open mind. I was willing to see what happened, and what he accomplished. Not much has been accomplished, and he managed to demonize "the left" and the media, and all others who did not bow down and speak favorably of him, no matter what he said, or what he did. And you said roughly half of Americans voted for Tiny Don? That would be humorous. More fake news. 26% of Americans voted for your Master. Please. Roughly half? Who are you trying to fool? You are about as convincing as Carrot top was during the Helsinki news conference. The American people did not elect Trump. The electoral college did. Hillary won by 3,000,000 votes. Remember?

 

11/09/2016Ryan McMaken

Note: The vote totals have been updated as of 9 pm EST, November 9. (Updated again at 1pm EST, November 10)

According to the popular vote-count provided by The New York Times, Donald Trump, as of today, has received 59,705,000 votes. Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote, but not the electoral college, has received 59,994,000 votes. 

At the time of the election, it is estimated there were 231,556,000 eligible voters. This means Trump won the electoral college with votes from approximately 26 percent of eligible voters. Hillary Clinton also received votes from approximately 26 percent of eligible voters. 48 percent of eligible voters, however, abstained from voting for either Trump or Clinton. In other words, 74 percent of eligible voters did not vote for the winner. 

 

https://mises.org/wire/26-percent-eligible-voters-voted-trump

 

[Opl]

6 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

I agree with that.

 

As for a second term...who are the potential candidates for the Democrats?

No one! So much so that there is now talk about a Hillary comeback!!!

That shows how desperate the situation is...

 

Now, like others, I think that if Trump is reelected, the US could well be plunged into its second civil war...if the war doesn't break before that...

I can't tell,  all I can guess is actually Russian newspapers applaud Putin who ridiculed the USA live on the world stage

but maybe you do not call that "war" 

[Brunolem]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Terribly wrong facts. Sounds like you are listening to the deflector in chief once again. First of all you accuse the other half of starting this fight? When he was elected I had an open mind. I was willing to see what happened, and what he accomplished. Not much has been accomplished, and he managed to demonize "the left" and the media, and all others who did not bow down and speak favorably of him, no matter what he said, or what he did. And you said roughly half of Americans voted for Tiny Don? That would be humorous. More fake news. 26% of Americans voted for your Master. Please. Roughly half? Who are you trying to fool? You are about as convincing as Carrot top was during the Helsinki news conference. The American people did not elect Trump. The electoral college did. Hillary won by 3,000,000 votes. Remember?

 

11/09/2016Ryan McMaken

Note: The vote totals have been updated as of 9 pm EST, November 9. (Updated again at 1pm EST, November 10)

According to the popular vote-count provided by The New York Times, Donald Trump, as of today, has received 59,705,000 votes. Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote, but not the electoral college, has received 59,994,000 votes. 

At the time of the election, it is estimated there were 231,556,000 eligible voters. This means Trump won the electoral college with votes from approximately 26 percent of eligible voters. Hillary Clinton also received votes from approximately 26 percent of eligible voters. 48 percent of eligible voters, however, abstained from voting for either Trump or Clinton. In other words, 74 percent of eligible voters did not vote for the winner. 

 

https://mises.org/wire/26-percent-eligible-voters-voted-trump

 

It is often said that those who abstain implicitely vote for the winner...

 

And yes, Trump won thanks to the electoral college system, which has always been here, but was apparently discovered only after the 2016 elections...

 

The fact is that Trump was elected, like Mussolini or Duterte more recently, and that those who could remove him from power if his election had been a fraud have not done it...and it is certainly not because they wouldn't want to do it...

[Brunolem]

2 minutes ago, Opl said:

I can't tell,  all I can guess is actually Russian newspapers applaud Putin who ridiculed the USA live on the world stage

but maybe you do not call that "war" 

But Trump is always ridicule anyway!

He is no match for leaders like Putin or Xi who have been in the game for decades.

Trump is a guy who can barely read and has an attention span of less than a minute...what can one expect from such a character?

 

I think that he is sincere when he changes tack 180 degrees every day, and contradicts himself...it is just that he doesn't remember what he said 10 minutes ago.

 

The mistery if why article 25 of the constitution is not invoked to remove and replace him? It doesn't take much in fact, just a few signatures.

 

Are they so afraid of the population's reactions?

[spidermike007]

11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

As for Sen Rounds assessment, I'll give him this -- if anyone is an expert at all forms of lying and deceit, it's certainly our traitorous president.

 

Meanwhile, come on.... How could you leave out a direct quote of this little pearl from the above article?:

JUST IN: VP Pence offers a rose-colored view of Trump's Putin summit: "What the world saw, what the American people saw, is that President Donald Trump will always put the prosperity and security of America first."

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) July 16, 2018

It's amazing that some people literally have no shame...or moral conscience.

Petty Pence is obviously as big a buffoon as Don the Orange. They make a nice pair. Pence does not say much, but virtually everything he has ever said was either ridiculous, fake news, or way, way off the wall. Just a few whoppers this incredibly lightweight and minor character has been quoted as saying.

 

"Time for a quick reality check. Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesn’t kill. In fact, 2 out of every three smokers does not die from a smoking related illness."
When he said it: In a 2000 editorial during his House campaign. Pence did later admit that "smoking is not good for you," but asked: "What is more harmful to the nation, second-hand smoke or back handed big-government disguised in do-gooder healthcare rhetoric?" It was later reported that Pence accepted $13,000 from tobacco companies and pro-tobacco political action committees.

Under Donald Trump, our deals will be smarter, our soldiers will have what they need, and our veterans will have what they earned. We will secure our borders, protect our nation. In all this, we will be more serious. And when we do, this nation will start winning again.
My reply- Totally fake statement. Veterans are still waiting over 9 months for treatment, and many continue to kill themselves due to lack of treatment. The way the VA takes care of veterans is one of the great blights on the face of America. Shame on them. Shame on the presidents who drag us into war, and then ignore their obligations to the veterans.

 

More ghastly remarks from the vapid VP-

He refused to say whether he believed in evolution or not in exchange with Chris Matthews

What he said: (Matthews): "You say you want to educate the American people about science and its relevance today, do you believe in evolution sir?" (Pence): "Do I believe in evolution? I embrace the view that God created the heavens and the Earth and the seas and all that's in them."

When he said it: In this 2009 interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews.

 

 

He denied (and continues to deny) climate change/global warming
What he said: 

"Global warming is a myth...There, I said it. Just like the 'new Ice Age' scare of the 1970s, the environmental movement has found a new chant for their latest 'Chicken Little' attempt to raise taxes and grow centralized governmental power. The chant is 'the sky is warming! the sky is warming!'"

When he said it: On his House campaign website in 2001. In a 2014 interview with MSNBC's Chuck Todd, Pence stated: "I don't know if (climate change) is a resolved issue in science today," even though 97% of the world's scientists agree that man-made climate change is real.

 

He thinks George Washington was a Republican

What he said: "Republicans, from George Washington to George W. Bush just have better ideas."
When he said it: In a 1990s op-ed on his campaign website. Washington was not a member of any political party, and even warned against the rise of political parties in his farewell address, stating: “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

 

 

He believed sending "values" would be the best way to combat the HIV virus in Africa
What he said: 

"The timeless values of abstinence and marital faithfulness before condom distribution are the cure for what ails the families of Africa. It is important that we not just send them money, but we must send them values that work."
When he said it: In a 2003 speech to Congress regarding then-president Bush's response to the AIDS epidemic in Africa. In 2015, the community of Austin, Ind. (population 4,200), suffered an outbreak of the HIV virus with 153 confirmed cases. CDC director Tom Frieden stated that the city has a higher incidence of HIV than "any country in sub-Saharan Africa."

 

https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Most-outrageous-things-Mike-Pence-has-said-done-8404048.php#photo-10631575

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mtls2005]

20 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

It is often said that those who abstain implicitely vote for the winner...

 

 

BINGO, we have a WINNER.

 

Yes, this why suppressing the vote, especially in key swing states, was such an important factor in the Russian-backed Giles-Parscale/Cambridge Analytica/FB efforts, aided in no small part by the Russians stealing the Clinton campaign's analytics, and feeding it back to the Trump campaign.

 

 

[Neurath]

1 hour ago, Brunolem said:

And cyberwar is fought only one way?

The NSA is not spying on everyone, including its allies, including Merkel's personal phone?

The larger picture certainly don't show a world which is all black or white...

True that the US has meddled in the elections of other countries and true also that the US spied on Merkel's phone and spy on the telecommonications of those with whom they negotiate trade deals.

 

BUT, any President/Prime Minister/Chancellor of ANY country that encouraged, assisted or tried to cover up such meddling by the US in their country .....well, they would be a Traitor to that country. Even and especially if they were the President.

 

That the US meddles in the election of other countries does not in any way mean that one should encourage, assist, cover up or deny Russian meddling in the US when it is a fact that Russia has done so. To do that is .....well, treasonous.

[Redline]

On 7/17/2018 at 4:22 PM, Thingamabob said:

I thought Trump did a good job in Russia. These puerile, hysterical reports are ridiculous. 

Even Russians would disagree with you ?