PLAYPEN: Covid-19 Everything Political

[Robert Roaldi]

No, they're not.  They are interviewing federal political appointees: individuals who serve at the pleasure of the current national administration and who are expected to offer to resign when that administration ends; if they fail to do so, they may be summarily dismissed by the next Administration (even if it is of the same political party and even if it is headed by a re-elected president).

Federal civil service employees in the United States are career employees.  They are required by law to behave in an apolitical manner, they serve regardless of what party is in power, and they are expected as professionals to implement the policies of the incumbent administration regardless of their personal political opinions.  A variety of statutory and regulatory mechanisms exist to protect them from political manipulation.  These are mostly effective, although I have witnessed occasional attempts―most flagrantly, in my experience, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan―to circumvent those protections.  Civil service job applicants typically are hired by career civil servants, not by political appointees, and asking questions regarding the applicant's political views or requiring a political profession of loyalty is likely to result in the dismissal of the hiring official.

I have seen a number of instances where career employees, at their own initiative, attempted to ingratiate themselves with administration appointees by expressing personal political loyalty.  But they tended to be shunned thereafter by their colleagues.  Most left the government before too long.

Thanks, I misunderstood the distinction.

[TechTalk]

Are we bussing illegals back into Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador from the US?    Are we bussing them back to Mexico? 

Yes.

as far as I know the only place south of the border where we use buses to return illegal criminals and other is Mexico.   So he was taking about Mexico as well.  But of course if I have that wrong, I'll be happy to be enlightened.

I've already had the experience of running around in dizzy circles with you. I suggest that you try to enlighten yourself.

[Craig Lamson]

Yes.

So you claim we are running buses from the US to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador? That must be making Greyhound very happy. 

I've already had the experience of running around in dizzy circles with you. I suggest that you try to enlighten yourself.

Nice out....not.

[faberryman]

You missed my point.

Undoubtedly.

I should have been clearer.

Undoubtedly.

I raised the point about the Clinton's corruptness because in 2016, Hillary Clinton was running against Trump.

Yes, in 2016 Clinton was running against Trump.

That was one of the two candidates we had to choose from.

Actually, there were quite a few candidates on the ballot. I think Jill Stein got 5%.

Voting for Trump was the better choice.

In 2016, a majority of Americans disagreed with your assessment.

Whatever finagling he did was done in private life before he became a politician.

Right, it is a fundamental tenet of our democracy that we should never judge the character of a man by his past actions.

The Clintons were crooks as politicians and used their positions to get rich.

I don't know about being crooks, but they were politicians and they did get rich.

Likewise, we're going to have a choice in November.

That seems to be the consensus. Of course, there has been some talk about Trump dropping out. I mean if he is way down in the polls, he may decide to drop out and lie about why rather than actually lose, so we'll just have to see.

Vote for a non-politician, who's tough and takes no prisoners to fight for America, or a guy who believes in nothing other than he wants to be president, who's changed his position on everything he ever believed in, who will help turn AMerica into a socialist state and who does not have the wherewithals to defend America against some pretty mean people and countries.

What about Trump and Biden? They'll be on the ballot too.

[Peter McLennan]

Yes.

I've already had the experience of running around in dizzy circles with you.

Precisely my experience.   

Just like his idol in the White House, he will distort, distract and deny.  This despite the fact that there are several highways connecting the US and the aforementioned Central American countries.

I suggest that you try to enlighten yourself.

That will never happen.  However, he has repeatedly suggested that everybody else do precisely that.

[Craig Lamson]

Precisely my experience.   

Just like his idol in the White House, he will distort, distract and deny.  This despite the fact that there are several highways connecting the US and the aforementioned Central American countries.

That will never happen.  However, he has repeatedly suggested that everybody else do precisely that.

Just like clockwork...

Thanks so much for your comments...

Now about those highways.  The US is running buses full of Asyum seekers from the Southern US border all the way to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador?  Do tell!

[John Camp]

You missed my point.  I should have been clearer.  I raised the point about the Clinton's corruptness because in 2016, Hillary Clinton was running against Trump.  That was one of the two candidates we had to choose from.  Voting for Trump was the better choice.  Whatever finagling he did was done in private life before he became a politician.  The Clintons were crooks as politicians and used their positions to get rich.   Likewise, we're going to have a choice in November.  Vote for a non-politician, who's tough and takes no prisoners to fight for America, or a guy who believes in nothing other than he wants to be president, who's changed his position on everything he ever believed in, who will help turn AMerica into a socialist state and who does not have the wherewithals to defend America against some pretty mean people and countries.

I'm no big fan of the Clintons, but I will make the point that they didn't get rich while they were in the White House -- they got rich by exploiting their contacts and prestige after leaving the White House. Nothing illegal about that. (Mrs. Clinton most likely took a bribe back at the beginning g of their careers in Arkansas, but that's never been proven or taken to court.) Trump, on the other hand, made his money by stealing it from Americans in the form of tax fraud. Just about every legitimate business he's tried to run has gone bankrupt. That's already been clearly demonstrated and I suspect that as soon as he leaves office, he will be indicted or sued by the state of New York for humongous back taxes.

[faberryman]

I'm no big fan of the Clintons, but I will make the point that they didn't get rich while they were in the White House -- they got rich by exploiting their contacts and prestige after leaving the White House. Nothing illegal about that. (Mrs. Clinton most likely took a bribe back at the beginning g of their careers in Arkansas, but that's never been proven or taken to court.) Trump, on the other hand, made his money by stealing it from Americans in the form of tax fraud. Just about every legitimate business he's tried to run has gone bankrupt. That's already been clearly demonstrated and I suspect that as soon as he leaves office, he will be indicted or sued by the state of New York for humongous back taxes.

In a post White House interview with I don't remember who, Hillary said that they were "dead broke" when they left the White House because of all the legal fees Billy Boy had run up. Everyone shed crocodile tears. I think that Terry McAuliffe, former governor of Virginia, loaned them the money to buy their house in Westchester. Can't have a former President living out of a Motel 6. Of course their penury didn't last long.

[Alan Klein]

So it seems Canadian PM Trudeau is the one using his political position to help family make money. First it's racism. Then it's corruption.   Maybe the Canadians here should look home instead of constantly pointing fingers at others.  Looks like you have to clean up your own house.

"Now the Liberal party leader, who once promised unprecedented transparency in government, faces accusations of cronyism and self-dealing, his third ethics probe as prime minister and the revival of long-standing questions about his judgment."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/trudeau-said-he-took-many-lessons-from-his-last-ethics-scandal-now-hes-in-another-one/2020/07/15/cf3b7b3e-c60b-11ea-a99f-3bbdffb1af38_story.html

[faberryman]

So it seems Canadian PM Trudeau is the one using his political position to help family make money. First it's racism. Then it's corruption.   Maybe the Canadians here should look home instead of constantly pointing fingers at others.  Looks like you have to clean up your own house.

"Now the Liberal party leader, who once promised unprecedented transparency in government, faces accusations of cronyism and self-dealing, his third ethics probe as prime minister and the revival of long-standing questions about his judgment."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/trudeau-said-he-took-many-lessons-from-his-last-ethics-scandal-now-hes-in-another-one/2020/07/15/cf3b7b3e-c60b-11ea-a99f-3bbdffb1af38_story.html

Anything to deflect the conversation away from Trump.

[Alan Klein]

I'm no big fan of the Clintons, but I will make the point that they didn't get rich while they were in the White House -- they got rich by exploiting their contacts and prestige after leaving the White House. Nothing illegal about that. (Mrs. Clinton most likely took a bribe back at the beginning g of their careers in Arkansas, but that's never been proven or taken to court.) Trump, on the other hand, made his money by stealing it from Americans in the form of tax fraud. Just about every legitimate business he's tried to run has gone bankrupt. That's already been clearly demonstrated and I suspect that as soon as he leaves office, he will be indicted or sued by the state of New York for humongous back taxes.

First off, bankruptcy is not fraud.  That's just a cheap shot.

Well, the Clintons did walk out with around $200,000 worth of White House furnishing they claimed belong to them returning most of it after a scandal erupted.  Only the Clintons would do something so tawdry.

Second, the Clintons made around $100 million while Hillary was Secretary of State for Obama after Bill's terms were over.  Bill Clinton was overpaid millions and millions for speeches and foreigners especially paid millions into the Clinton Foundation for access and consideration from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Millions were paid by Russian to buy American nuclear material that she approved as Secretary.  Frankly, that's what her private cell phone and server were all about. If she used  a government cellphone, all the messages would be kept by the State Dept.  The issue wasn't secrets that may have been sent on unprotected lines, as bad as that might be.  That was a diversion to all the personal calls and messages regarding the foundation "fees" and other access arrangements she made that were erased along with her mother-in-laws recipes that she claimed were the only things on the server.  Her mother-in-law must have been a hell of  cook since Hillary deleted 30,000 messages.

[faberryman]

First off, bankruptcy is not fraud.  That's just a cheap shot.

Well, the Clintons did walk out with around $200,000 worth of White House furnishing they claimed belong to them returning most of it after a scandal erupted.  Only the Clintons would do something so tawdry.

Second, the Clintons made around $100 million while Hillary was Secretary of State for Obama after Bill's terms were over.  Bill Clinton was overpaid millions and millions for speeches and foreigners especially paid millions into the Clinton Foundation for access and consideration from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Millions were paid by Russian to buy American nuclear material that she approved as Secretary.  Frankly, that's what her private cell phone and server were all about. If she used  a government cellphone, all the messages would be kept by the State Dept.  The issue wasn't secrets that may have been sent on unprotected lines, as bad as that might be.  That was a diversion to all the personal calls and messages regarding the foundation "fees" and other access arrangements she made that were erased along with her mother-in-laws recipes that she claimed were the only things on the server.  Her mother-in-law must have been a hell of  cook since Hillary deleted 30,000 messages.

Does anybody, except you, really care any more?

[Alan Klein]

Anything to deflect the conversation away from Trump.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Their daily insults of our president and the people who voted for him like me is getting old.  Why don't they show a little humility and clean up their own houses. They have no shame that they re-elected a racist and a corrupt politician. Meanwhile they spend  every post insulting my president calling him a racist and me a Nazi for electing him.  If they can't take it, they shouldn't dish it out.  Maybe they should show a little respect of me if not the president.

[Alan Klein]

Does anybody, except you, really care any more?

You must care.  You'll still here after 313 pages.

[Peter McLennan]

First off, bankruptcy is not fraud. 

Unless you do it six times and stiff your creditors.


.

[kers]

First off, bankruptcy is not fraud.  That's just a cheap shot.

Well, the Clintons did walk out with around $200,000 worth of White House furnishing they claimed belong to them returning most of it after a scandal erupted.  Only the Clintons would do something so tawdry.

Second, the Clintons made around $100 million while Hillary was Secretary of State for Obama after Bill's terms were over.  Bill Clinton was overpaid millions and millions for speeches and foreigners especially paid millions into the Clinton Foundation for access and consideration from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Millions were paid by Russian to buy American nuclear material that she approved as Secretary.  Frankly, that's what her private cell phone and server were all about. If she used  a government cellphone, all the messages would be kept by the State Dept.  The issue wasn't secrets that may have been sent on unprotected lines, as bad as that might be.  That was a diversion to all the personal calls and messages regarding the foundation "fees" and other access arrangements she made that were erased along with her mother-in-laws recipes that she claimed were the only things on the server.  Her mother-in-law must have been a hell of  cook since Hillary deleted 30,000 messages.

We live now and are looking at 140.000 dead US citizen and many more to come... & an economy that will not run until the virus is contained.

Fauci made one mistake... not being President.

[Peter McLennan]

Just like clockwork...

Thanks so much for your comments...

Yer welcome!

Now about those highways.  The US is running buses full of Asyum seekers from the Southern US border all the way to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador?  Do tell!

Trump specifically mentioned those countries.  He never mentioned Mexico.  Just sayin'.

[hogloff]

So it seems Canadian PM Trudeau is the one using his political position to help family make money. First it's racism. Then it's corruption.   Maybe the Canadians here should look home instead of constantly pointing fingers at others.  Looks like you have to clean up your own house.

"Now the Liberal party leader, who once promised unprecedented transparency in government, faces accusations of cronyism and self-dealing, his third ethics probe as prime minister and the revival of long-standing questions about his judgment."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/trudeau-said-he-took-many-lessons-from-his-last-ethics-scandal-now-hes-in-another-one/2020/07/15/cf3b7b3e-c60b-11ea-a99f-3bbdffb1af38_story.html

His mom and brother are two well recognized inspirational speakers that get paid by many organizations around the world for their talks. Yes they did talks for this organization and got paid their normal rates. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Now Trump being photographed with a smile like he has something up his butt to promote products of a company that supports him...that feels dirty to me.

[hogloff]

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Their daily insults of our president and the people who voted for him like me is getting old.  Why don't they show a little humility and clean up their own houses. They have no shame that they re-elected a racist and a corrupt politician. Meanwhile they spend  every post insulting my president calling him a racist and me a Nazi for electing him.  If they can't take it, they shouldn't dish it out.  Maybe they should show a little respect of me if not the president.

Little touchy Allen. That usually comes from the result that you feel like you are cornered...sort of like Trump feels these days...and looks for anything to deflect the focus. Strategy the Trumpster has used in the past and continues to use daily. Trapped animals get desperate.

[Alan Klein]

Unless you do it six times and stiff your creditors.


.

If you can pay your creditors, you don't need bankruptcy. Nobody's stiffing anyone.  Trump got money for his real estate investments from sophisticated banks who did their due diligence before they gave him money.  I do have to admit that 5 of his 6 bankruptcies were casino/hotels.  You'd think after the first couple of bankruptcies, the banks would stop financing the rest of his casino investments. Before the Covid virus ends, I think we're going to see a lot more casinos go broke in Las Vegas and elsewhere.

Personally, I would never do business with Trump.  As a small contractor in NYC for 20 years, I learned my lesson getting stiffed early on by another real estate developer and learned to watch who I did business with.  The banks must have had real schmucks working for them.  They should have checked with me.  I could have saved them a lot of money.