Liberal Forum

Cannonpointer » 01 May 2025, 7:32 pm » wrote: ↑

01 May 2025, 7:32 pm

What you are describing is precisely what Putin does - off the cuff, regularly.

He fields questions routinely - and I'm not talking about from friendly media. I'm talking about from western media - the unfriendliest kind. He has absolute command of the facts, never falls into gotchas, always comes off classy and a winner. He doesn't make fools of reporters. He lets them do that to themselves.

I think a better response Trump could have made would be to tell the reporter that he would trust his agents in the field to identify gang members, rather than agents of the MSM.

I think if Trump pointed out that the American people and their Constitution tasks federal agencies - not news reporters - to identify and deport illegal aliens, most viewers would respond audibly to their televisions, "Damn straight." Then he might pitch a deal to the reporter - "Tell ya what. If you'll let my guys file your news reports, I'll let your guys go out and decide which aliens to deport." Then throw out a hand as if to shake on it.

And if he takes the hand, do that creepy middle finger thing. WTF IS that thing? Where ya fold in your middle finger on a hand shake? Some kind of man bun on a ten speed thing?

Putin is very skilled at answering questions.  You're right, he knows the facts backwards and forwards.  Then, he calculates what facts he wants to discuss and in which color light he wants to discuss them. He knows the questions he's going to be asked, because, ****, reporters really are that stupid and predictable. Putin, however will remain calm and calculated delivering his long-winded answers, not completely devoid  of emotion.  He can feign emotion as well as any skilled psychopath. Putin's verbal game is unbeatable for those who are stupid enough to come at him head-on.  But, Putin himself is not unbeatable. He has hidden vulnerabilities.

Trump is an entirely different animal. He is nothing like Putin.  For that matter, I can't really compare Trump to anyone else. Trump says he's a deal-maker.  I wouldn't confuse "deal-maker" with negotiator - his opponents often make this mistake. Still, I don't see Trump as a deal-maker, do you? Right now, in Trump's mind, he is America.  He scans the room, the city, the state, the country and the world, then makes a list of what he wants; what America wants. He sees a lot of strengths in America and then sizes up the weaknesses of his opponents. Trump's (America's) list of wants is a large and complex one.  Items which might appear to be independent may actually have hidden strings of varying strengths tied to other things on his list. He targets opportunities; actively searches for them, notes and analyzes these opportunities in light of his strengths and others' weaknesses.  Then, as all good real estate developers know, timing is 70% and meticulous preparation is the other 30%; also, no successful developer has only one iron in the fire!

As an example, Trump wants Greenland, among other things on his list. He sees Greenland and Denmark as "weak", and he thinks, given the right set of circumstances he can exploit this to his advantage. He floats out there the idea of Greenland becoming a territory of the US, just as he floated the idea that Canada become a state. He knows his ideas will initially be viewed as preposterous, and that many of them may never come to fruition. However, some will, and after a slow-burn, that's when Trump goes in for the kill. Timing is 70%.  He just did this with Zelenskyy and Ukraine.

It's just that sometimes I lose sight of what Trump is capable of or what he's doing in the moment when I just hear him talk.

 
 

MR-7 » 02 May 2025, 6:05 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 6:05 am

The Mother **** was trafficking ILLEGALS
Tennessee authorities release bodycam of Kilmar Abrego-Garcia traffic stop | Fox News

maybe he was transporting them to work 

Skans » 02 May 2025, 8:03 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 8:03 am

Putin is very skilled at answering questions.  (... for space) He has hidden vulnerabilities.

Putin's vulnerabilities are beyond the evil west's (evil as in pushing perversion and child molestation on the entire world, flying the pride flag at embassies, etc.) ability to capitalize on. The west just KNEW the Russian people would turn on Putin and oust him when the sanctions made them suffer. Retards do not learn from history. Suffering is a Russian family value. "Come, children," loving parents will say to the kids on a weekend, "Let us play Time to Suffer. Which shall we do? Hunger, or exposure to the elements?" And it is not at all uncommon for the children to squeal excitedly, "BOTH, Pa-pah! Let's do BOTH!"

Russia's economy has continued to grow as the evil west's economies have atrophied. Europe is a **** basket case. Putin is loved by his people - no matter what the DC swamp propaganda tells you. They are cock-proud of the man for DEFEATING NATO.

And if you don't understand that Russia has defeated NATO, you're swamp-fed.

Skans » 02 May 2025, 8:03 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 8:03 am

Trump is an entirely different animal. He is nothing like Putin.  ...(again, for space)  Then, as all good real estate developers know, timing is 70% and meticulous preparation is the other 30%; also, no successful developer has only one iron in the fire!

I will not disagree with any of this, except the implied patriotic motivations. His methods are as you describe. But he is not committed to the republic. He is committed to the empire. He is a swamp creature. He has highly positioned folks from blackrock and soros - NOT friends of the republic. You cannot just wish that away. Not as an adult. It's pure 2.0 - second verse same as the first.

Skans » 02 May 2025, 8:03 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 8:03 am

As an example, Trump wants Greenland, among other things on his list...

Again, not going to argue - but those are not the motivations of a fellow looking to restore the republic. Those are the motivations of a fellow looking to enlarge the empire. Republics have citizens and empires have subjects. Our Constitution is realized through a republic and negated through an empire. Trump has chosen. And everything you have described is done to further empire - not to restore the republic. Even the tariffs are for empire.

And not fer nuthin? Just notice that Kennedy is hawking a vaccine he wrote a BOOK warning people not to **** with - the MMR. He completely exposed it as a poison and warned parents off of it and started an NGO to fight its being forced on people - and now he is pushing it as a cabinet member. Should have kept his dick in his pants. Rubio is Rubio - if you defend THAT appointment, I don't even know what to say to you. Kash is fighting fentanyl - the DEA's job. Will the DEA start fighting bank robbers? What Kash is NOT doing is ****-all to restore the integrity of the FBI. That marketing campaign has come to a full stop.

 
 

BuckNaked » 02 May 2025, 8:14 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 8:14 am

maybe he was transporting them to work

I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing.   
 

MR-7 » 02 May 2025, 8:50 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 8:50 am

I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing. 

Or to school 

The Status of Democracy

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZca ... Tra_A_PpeN

Cannonpointer » 02 May 2025, 8:40 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 8:40 am

Putin's vulnerabilities are beyond the evil west's...

No, they aren't. His vulnerabilities are very much in the reticles of the West's sniper scopes.  Just for starters....

Roman Abromovich - Israeli-Ukranian Jew and Oligarch who backs Putin. Mossad has this one covered 9 ways to Sunday.

Alisher Usmanov - of Muslim heritage married to a Jewish gymnast - made fortunes through metal and mining operations and supports Putin for access to Russia's resources.

Gennady Timchenko - Russian-European with discrete globalist ties to Germany, Luxembourg and Ukraine, Russian oil Barron.  NATO spys are on this guy like flies on ****.

Arkady and Boris Rotenberg – Jewish Brothers who are close to Putin entrenched in Russia's construction and infrastructure sectors. They have long been associated with Putin’s inner circle, and their businesses have flourished due to their "western" connections. "Western" intelligence know every last detail about these guys.

Maria Putina and Jorrit Faassen - living comfortably outside of Rotterdam; and not very inconspicuously apparently.

Yekaterina and Kirill Shamalov - Oh, boy, the Ukrainians sure are keeping a keen eye out for these two. They fond their little "love retreat" in the Basque mountains. Well, they supposedly aren't together any longer and haven't used that place in some time. I wonder who else is watching them? 

And, I'm just some F-ing moron.  Think about what smarty-smart folks actually know. 
 
 
 

Skans » 02 May 2025, 9:22 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 9:22 am

No, they aren't. His vulnerabilities are very much in the reticles of the West's sniper scopes.  Just for starters....

Roman Abromovich - Israeli-Ukranian Jew and Oligarch who backs Putin. Mossad has this one covered 9 ways to Sunday.

Alisher Usmanov - of Muslim heritage married to a Jewish gymnast - made fortunes through metal and mining operations and supports Putin for access to Russia's resources.

Gennady Timchenko - Russian-European with discrete globalist ties to Germany, Luxembourg and Ukraine, Russian oil Barron.  NATO spys are on this guy like flies on ****.

Arkady and Boris Rotenberg – Jewish Brothers who are close to Putin entrenched in Russia's construction and infrastructure sectors. They have long been associated with Putin’s inner circle, and their businesses have flourished due to their "western" connections. "Western" intelligence know every last detail about these guys.

Maria Putina and Jorrit Faassen - living comfortably outside of Rotterdam; and not very inconspicuously apparently.

Yekaterina and Kirill Shamalov - Oh, boy, the Ukrainians sure are keeping a keen eye out for these two. They fond their little "love retreat" in the Basque mountains. Well, they supposedly aren't together any longer and haven't used that place in some time. I wonder who else is watching them? 

And, I'm just some F-ing moron.  Think about what smarty-smart folks actually know.

Psst. 

Check the economic performance of the respective parties.
Check the military performance of the respective parties. 

All that ****? It's ****. Russia beat NATO on the ground, and Russia beat NATO's economic assaults. And NO ONE saw that coming - NO ONE. That is in fact why they are having such an incredibly hard time accepting reality. It's why they continue to use CoupKrainians in meatwave assaults on better equipped, better trained, better supported units of the Russian military. It's why Trump is dumping his tar baby on his european vassals. Trump fed that tick. And now he is picking it off and running from it.
 
Russia emptied its prisons, right-sized Wagner, and enlarged its territories in response to the west's economic and proxy attacks. That is winning. "Knowing" who beat you isn't a W. 

NATO lost to Russia. Lost on the battlefield. Lost on the economy. NATO economies have withered as a DIRECT RESULT of the Ukraine war and the evil western economic blockade. Russia's economy continues to grow. 

There are metrics. That **** that you just posted references precisely zero of those metrics. "Ha ha - I know your name" doesn't change the realities on the battlefield or in the respective economies. I know George Soros' name - but there isn't ****-all I can do to stop him. You can reference non-metrics and shout "WINNA WINNA CHICKEN DINNA!" - but only if you're Polish. 
 
 
 

Skans » 02 May 2025, 9:22 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 9:22 am

No, they aren't. His vulnerabilities are very much in the reticles of the West's sniper scopes.  Just for starters....

Roman Abromovich - Israeli-Ukranian Jew and Oligarch who backs Putin. Mossad has this one covered 9 ways to Sunday.

Alisher Usmanov - of Muslim heritage married to a Jewish gymnast - made fortunes through metal and mining operations and supports Putin for access to Russia's resources.

Gennady Timchenko - Russian-European with discrete globalist ties to Germany, Luxembourg and Ukraine, Russian oil Barron.  NATO spys are on this guy like flies on ****.

Arkady and Boris Rotenberg – Jewish Brothers who are close to Putin entrenched in Russia's construction and infrastructure sectors. They have long been associated with Putin’s inner circle, and their businesses have flourished due to their "western" connections. "Western" intelligence know every last detail about these guys.

Maria Putina and Jorrit Faassen - living comfortably outside of Rotterdam; and not very inconspicuously apparently.

Yekaterina and Kirill Shamalov - Oh, boy, the Ukrainians sure are keeping a keen eye out for these two. They fond their little "love retreat" in the Basque mountains. Well, they supposedly aren't together any longer and haven't used that place in some time. I wonder who else is watching them? 

And, I'm just some F-ing moron.  Think about what smarty-smart folks actually know.

This post is so nice, I'm going to answer it twice.

It's clear tome that you conflate revenge with winning. 

"Revenge is a dish best served by losers, as winning is its own vengeance" - Cannonpointer, just now. 
 

Cannonpointer » 02 May 2025, 9:45 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 9:45 am

This post is so nice, I'm going to answer it twice.

It's clear tome that you conflate revenge with winning. 

"Revenge is a dish best served by losers, as winning is its own vengeance" - Cannonpointer, just now.

My only point is - Putin is vulnerable. His supporters are vulnerable; more vulnerable than Putin is. In global politics, winning is about getting what you can for your people - through bolstering your country's strengths if you can, but also by exploiting an opponent's weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

You're right, revenge is for losers. However, it is you who conflate the art of exploitation with revenge. Even when engaging in the art of exploitation, there doesn't always have to be a loser. You can ask Kevin O'Leary about that.
 
 

Cannonpointer » 02 May 2025, 9:39 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 9:39 am

Psst. 

Check the economic performance of the respective parties.
Check the military performance of the respective parties. 

All that ****? It's ****. Russia beat NATO on the ground, and Russia beat NATO's economic assaults. And NO ONE saw that coming - NO ONE. That is in fact why they are having such an incredibly hard time accepting reality. It's why they continue to use CoupKrainians in meatwave assaults on better equipped, better trained, better supported units of the Russian military. It's why Trump is dumping his tar baby on his european vassals. Trump fed that tick. And now he is picking it off and running from it.
 
Russia emptied its prisons, right-sized Wagner, and enlarged its territories in response to the west's economic and proxy attacks. That is winning. "Knowing" who beat you isn't a W. 

NATO lost to Russia. Lost on the battlefield. Lost on the economy. NATO economies have withered as a DIRECT RESULT of the Ukraine war and the evil western economic blockade. Russia's economy continues to grow. 

There are metrics. That **** that you just posted references precisely zero of those metrics. "Ha ha - I know your name" doesn't change the realities on the battlefield or in the respective economies. I know George Soros' name - but there isn't ****-all I can do to stop him. You can reference non-metrics and shout "WINNA WINNA CHICKEN DINNA!" - but only if you're Polish.

You're so emotional.

I hardly give a crap about NATO.  NATO is a hold-over from WWII era.  A money-sucker.  An entity that political leaders like to use as a distraction when they get caught with their dick inside a young intern's mouth.  Should the US need allies for something, it's not like the President and 10 staff members can't get Western leaders on a super-secret-Zoom conference within an hour.  The hard part is getting those stingy European bastards to part with their weird, 2€ coins.

 
 

Cannonpointer » 01 May 2025, 7:52 pm » wrote: ↑

01 May 2025, 7:52 pm

The only point he has is on the top of his head. .3% is well within the margins of error when measuring something the size and complexity of the U.S. economy. .3% is not a contraction. It's a rounding error.

I love how the media is relishing in it, blaming the tariffs...

quarter referenced Jan 1 - March 31st

Liberation Day - April 2nd....      
 
 

Skans » 02 May 2025, 9:59 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 9:59 am

My only point is - Putin is vulnerable. His supporters are vulnerable; more vulnerable than Putin is. In global politics, winning is about getting what you can for your people - through bolstering your country's strengths if you can, but also by exploiting an opponent's weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

You're right, revenge is for losers. However, it is you who conflate the art of exploitation with revenge. Even when engaging in the art of exploitation, there doesn't always have to be a loser. You can ask Kevin O'Leary about that.

You are the one more informed by zero-sum gamers. Don't project that **** onto me. I believe in and root for the multi-polar world that Russia is bringing about. If you are not a proponent of empire - of the "**** them before they **** you" foreign policy philosophy of both democ rats and republicans, then your proximity to that camp makes one wonder - makes you a first cousin once removed. In my career and in my personal life, I have always embraced a win/win/win policy. In my view, the only losers are the ones who fail to see that we can all win - it's how the planet is designed. God's natural law is ABUNDANCE. Shortages are artificial and of the devil. 

And MY point in response to YOUR point is that the west has been incompetent to exploit those vulnerabilities. 
 

Skans » 02 May 2025, 10:08 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 10:08 am

You're so emotional.

I hardly give a crap about NATO.  NATO is a hold-over from WWII era.  A money-sucker.  An entity that political leaders like to use as a distraction when they get caught with their dick inside a young intern's mouth.  Should the US need allies for something, it's not like the President and 10 staff members can't get Western leaders on a super-secret-Zoom conference within an hour.  The hard part is getting those stingy European bastards to part with their weird, 2€ coins.

Yeah, Idunno about that whole "super secret" thingy. Pretty sure this administration prefers to communicate by ham-handed radio on stupid-band. 

Given that the war against Putin is a NATO creature, any **** you give about Putin and Russia is a **** you give about NATO. And whether you give a **** or not about NATO, it is the cause of the war in CoupKraine. 
 

ROG62 » 02 May 2025, 10:18 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 10:18 am

I love how the media is relishing in it blaming the tariffs...

quarter referenced Jan 1 - March 31st

Liberation Day - April 2nd....    

In fairness, when the whitehouse sneezes, markets catch colds. And trump was doing plenty of sneezing about tariffs. Pretending they will have no effect until IN effect is the opposite of reality. As I stated in my first post of a recent thread onj the topic, I adjusted my own spending based on the coming tariffs, stocking up on cheap durables. If I - a mere end of the teat consumer - am changing my practices, how much more are major players in the market doing so?
 

Cannonpointer » 02 May 2025, 11:00 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 11:00 am

In fairness, when the whitehouse sneezes, markets catch colds. And trump was doing plenty of sneezing about tariffs. Pretending they will have no effect until IN effect is the opposite of reality. As I stated in my first post of a recent thread onj the topic, I adjusted my own spending based on the coming tariffs, stocking up on cheap durables. If I - a mere end of the teat consumer - am changing my practices, how much more are major players in the market doing so?

well stated....however, talk is cheap, especially with DJT...

On April 2, 2025, global stock markets began to experience a downturn and increased volatility following the introduction of new tariff policies by United States President Donald Trump during his second term. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_stock_market_crash

 

Cannonpointer » 02 May 2025, 10:51 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 10:51 am

You are the one more informed by zero-sum gamers. Don't project that **** onto me. I believe in and root for the multi-polar world that Russia is bringing about. If you are not a proponent of empire - of the "**** them before they **** you" foreign policy philosophy of both democ rats and republicans, then your proximity to that camp makes one wonder - makes you a first cousin once removed. In my career and in my personal life, I have always embraced a win/win/win policy. In my view, the only losers are the ones who fail to see that we can all win - it's how the planet is designed. God's natural law is ABUNDANCE. Shortages are artificial and of the devil. 

And MY point in response to YOUR point is that the west has been incompetent to exploit those vulnerabilities.

At my core, I am a zero-sum gamer. Yet, I also understand and concede two things: 1) that we do not know all of the variables (or even know the number of variables we don't know, or whether that number is even constant), and 2) there is always a degree of randomness that can't be modeled.  So, sure, two "teams" can cooperate to sometimes produce a temporary and limited net positive gain. 

This World of ours (I say ours, but its not really ours) has limited resources, and shortages can be a natural consequence of this.  Or, it can be a consequence of man creating shortages. Or, both. The Devil does not cause shortages, he doesn't need to. Mankind is capable of doing this all on its own without any assistance from the Devil. God gave us free will. Or, do you believe that Man is incapable of doing "evil" all on his own, without any expert assistance from the Devil?  That the Devil is Man's servant and not God's?
 

Cannonpointer » 02 May 2025, 10:55 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 10:55 am

Yeah, Idunno about that whole "super secret" thingy. Pretty sure this administration prefers to communicate by ham-handed radio on stupid-band. 

Given that the war against Putin is a NATO creature, any **** you give about Putin and Russia is a **** you give about NATO. And whether you give a **** or not about NATO, it is the cause of the war in CoupKraine.

Let me put it this way, if you haven't noticed.  I give a much bigger, all caps ****, about China than I do about Russia. Russia is the fat yappy 40-something commiserating with her 2 lonely ugly girl friends planted in a booth in front of the Bar. Trying to get my attention so I might send them drinks.  But, for right now, I'm working something better.  If that doesn't work out and I'm still sitting at the Bar by myself at 2:00 am, then poor, ugly, fat Russia might get my attention.  Ugh, the thought of having to gag fatty so I don't have to listen to her incessant yapping while I'm plowing her resources.
 

ROG62 » 02 May 2025, 11:22 am » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 11:22 am

well stated....however, talk is cheap, especially with DJT...

On April 2, 2025, global stock markets began to experience a downturn and increased volatility following the introduction of new tariff policies by United States President Donald Trump during his second term. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_stock_market_crash

See that? Not the introduction of tariffs. 

The introduction of NEW TARIFF POLICIES.

Frankly, I find it hard to disagree. But then, I don't much care. Eyes on the prize, ay wot?
 

Skans » 02 May 2025, 12:40 pm » wrote: ↑

02 May 2025, 12:40 pm

At my core, I am a zero-sum gamer. Yet, I also understand and concede two things: 1) that we do not know all of the variables (or even know the number of variables we don't know, or whether that number is even constant), and 2) there is always a degree of randomness that can't be modeled.  So, sure, two "teams" can cooperate to sometimes produce a temporary and limited net positive gain. 

This World of ours (I say ours, but its not really ours) has limited resources, and shortages can be a natural consequence of this.  Or, it can be a consequence of man creating shortages. Or, both. The Devil does not cause shortages, he doesn't need to. Mankind is capable of doing this all on its own without any assistance from the Devil. God gave us free will. Or, do you believe that Man is incapable of doing "evil" all on his own, without any expert assistance from the Devil?  That the Devil is Man's servant and not God's?

I believe that all is of one or another domain, and man is a passenger.