One Argument in defense of trump and against his critics is his supposed toughness on Russia . Setting aside the Russian investigation (of which Trump is his own worst enemy ) This narrative falls apart for various reason .


Sanctions
The problem with pointing to sanctions as proof Trumps tough on Russia is the simple fact none of them are his initiative . It's congress that been tough in this regard . As for Trump he wants to weaken sanctions especially on the oligarchs and drags his heels on all this . And sanctions are great for Putin they are a catch all excuse he can use on the domestic and geopolitical fronts .


Arrests and Impounding's and expulsions
I'm sure these are great theater for Trump .Too bad they don't actually do anything . Putin does not care if Russians are arrested . The Diplomats are freaking and American won't keep anything impounded . So it's again great for Putin and moderate theater for Trump


Policies that declare Russia hostile
Empty theater that's states the obvious but does not really get into the issue

Yes, if I recall, Trump was originally opposed to sanctions and had to be dragged to them by congress. Hardly exculpatory.

(December 31, 2018 at 1:02 am)Fake Messiah Wrote: Leaked prototype for President Trump's new limo

I love how the phrase "hate drugs" flanks the SS insignia badge. Ever hear of Panzerschokolade, idiot?

(December 31, 2018 at 4:14 pm)Nomad Wrote: I love how the phrase "hate drugs" flanks the SS insignia badge.  Ever hear of Panzerschokolade, idiot?

I hadn't, so I looked it up. Very interesting.

Quote:One of the earliest uses of amphetamine and methamphetamine was during World War II, when they were used by Axis and Allied forces.

As early as 1919, Akira Ogata synthesized methamphetamine via reduction of ephedrine using red phosphorus and iodine. Later, the chemists Hauschild and Dobke from the German pharmaceutical company Temmler developed an easier method for converting ephedrine to methamphetamine. As a result, it was possible for Temmler to market it on a large scale as a nonprescription drug under the trade name Pervitin (methamphetamine hydrochloride). It was not until 1986 that Pervitin became a controlled substance, requiring a special prescription to obtain. Pervitin was commonly used by the German and Finnish militaries. Adolf Hitler is said to have begun using amphetamine occasionally after 1937, and to have become addicted to it in late 1942; Albert Speer claimed that this use of amphetamine caused Hitler to have increasingly erratic behavior and inflexible decision making (for example, rarely allowing military retreats).

It was widely distributed across German military ranks and divisions, from elite forces to tank crews and aircraft personnel, with many millions of tablets being distributed throughout the war for its performance-enhancing stimulant effects and to induce extended wakefulness. Its use by German Tank (Panzer) crews also led to it being known as Panzerschokolade ("Tank-Chocolates"). It was also colloquially known among German Luftwaffe pilots as Stuka-Tabletten ("Stuka-Tablets") and Hermann-Göring-Pillen ("Herman-Göring-Pills"). More than 35 million three-milligram doses of Pervitin were manufactured for the German army and air force between April and July 1940. From 1942 until his death in 1945, Adolf Hitler was given intravenous injections of methamphetamine by his personal physician Theodor Morell. In Japan, methamphetamine was sold under the registered trademark of Philopon by Dainippon Pharmaceuticals (present-day Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma [DSP]) for civilian and military use. It has been estimated that one billion Phiporon pills were produced between 1939 and 1945. As with the rest of the world at the time, the side effects of methamphetamine were not well studied, and regulation was not seen as necessary. In the 1940s and 1950s, the drug was widely administered to Japanese industrial workers to increase their productivity. In Finland, Pervitin was colloquially known as höökipulveri ("pep powder").[citation needed] Its use was essentially restricted to special forces, especially to long-range commandos.

Amphetamine was given to Allied bomber pilots during World War II to sustain them by fighting off fatigue and enhancing focus during long flights.[4][9] During the Persian Gulf War, amphetamine became the drug of choice for American bomber pilots, being used on a voluntary basis by roughly half of U.S. Air Force pilots. The Tarnak Farm incident, in which an American F-16 pilot killed several friendly Canadian soldiers on the ground, was blamed by the pilot on his use of amphetamine. A nonjudicial (UCMJ Article 15) U.S. Air Force hearing rejected the pilot's claim.

Wikipedia || History and culture of substituted amphetamines

Quote:As with the rest of the world at the time, the side effects of methamphetamine were not well studied, and regulation was not seen as necessary.

This isnt entirely true.

By 1940 (after the conquest of France) it was very well known to high echelon Generals of the german army as well as the highest medical staff what benefits and risks Pervitin has, particularly the devastating effects when (ab)used for a sustained amount of time. Many saw making use of the benefits necessary in future campaigns, trying to downplay/ignore the risks.

Counterexample: Leonardo Conti the Reichgesundheitsführer (Reich Health Leader, highest ranking doctor in Germany) tried to regulate and limit the use of Pervitin, explicitly warning of its abuse.

Jerry Falwell Jr.: 'You don't choose a president based on how good they are'

Quote:Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. said voters don't choose a president based on a candidate's morals, saying that leaders should be elected based on policies.

"When Jesus said we're all sinners, he really meant all of us, everybody. I don't think you can choose a president based on their personal behavior," Falwell said.

[And yet that doesn't stop him to harass LGBTQ people for their supposed sin]

https://thehill.com/homenews/administrat...-good-they

This isn’t surprising or new. I tend to subscribe to the “every President is shit” view, but Falwell has been selective in his criticism for a while. Buried in the old Internet is are some things he wrote in the mid-90’s. Look how he talks about Clinton as a depraved criminal vs how he praised Reagan and the bulwark of all things good. In 1996 it was mentioned that he was silent on misconduct but right wingers while lancing those on the left for any small indiscretion.

- Worst stock market since Great Recession
- Worst December for stocks since Great Depression
- 800K federal workers (>200K Vets) with no pay
- Record China trade deficit
- Nearly $1T budget deficit
- National debt $22T
- Life expectancy dropped
- 40K gun deaths

Winning?

(January 2, 2019 at 2:56 pm)Fake Messiah Wrote: - Worst stock market since Great Recession
- Worst December for stocks since Great Depression
- 800K federal workers (>200K Vets) with no pay
- Record China trade deficit
- Nearly $1T budget deficit
- National debt $22T
- Life expectancy dropped
- 40K gun deaths

Winning?

Freezing all government employees wages (after telling troops he was raising their's by 10%), plus looking for to cut even further into the numbers directly employed by the state (despite the fact that in the US it costs twice as much to outsource a civil servant's job as it does to directly employ one, at much lower work and outcome standards).