USA - США - SAD

Sotir wrote:
Скупи се свадба, пуцају у ваздух, ови им рокну бомбетину. 

Another day, another Paleolithic Biden moment.

A young woman is asking him a serious, critical question.

He grabs her hands. Why?

As she persists, he pats them patronizingly and says “Thank you for admiring me so much.”

This is a man from another time. pic.twitter.com/SpZYAGFi9j

— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) September 23, 2019

China’s economic policies undercut American workers. Its military ambitions and coercive diplomacy threaten peace in Asia and beyond. Its repression at home, including its treatment of the Uighur minority, and attacks on norms abroad risk eroding liberal values around the world.


Despite Beijing’s promise to maintain Hong Kong’s autonomy, in recent years, it has eroded key democratic institutions, leading hundreds of thousands of citizens to take to the streets to protest peacefully. In return, the government of Hong Kong has responded with repression and increasing violence.


Instead of standing up for the people of Hong Kong, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly sent Chinese President Xi Jinping an unmistakably clear and dangerous message: The United States doesn’t care about Hong Kong and the principles at stake there—it cares only about a trade deal that serves Trump’s own interests.

...

This is a moment for American leadership. The country needs a president capable of both advancing U.S. economic interests and standing up for America’s values, not one who sees the two as in conflict with one another. It needs a president who will rally America’s partners to counter aggression and repression and who will stand up to authoritarians around the world. The values the United States stands for—democracy and freedom of expression and assembly—are part of what differentiates it from autocracies like China and one of the reasons why the people of Hong Kong and others around the world look to this nation for hope. We cannot let them down.

A man flew from Norway to Florida to surprise his father-in-law for his birthday. When he jumped out of the bushes to yell “Surprise!” his father-in-law shot him in the heart. Police said they won’t file charges because it was a “tragic accident.” #flapol https://t.co/YWFCMkfu9T

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 4, 2019

"They're slow. They have thick fingers. You have to explain to them again and again..."

- a Chinese supervisor, talking about American factory workers in "American Factory"

— Noah Smith (@Noahpinion) October 12, 2019

Gargantua wrote:dobar taibi

https://taibbi.substack.com/p/were-in-a-permanent-coup

As a reporter covering the 2015–2016 presidential race, I thought Trump’s campaign was disturbing on many levels, but logical as a news story. He succeeded for class reasons, because of flaws in the media business that gifted him mass amounts of coverage, and because he took cunning advantage of long-simmering frustrations in the electorate. He also clearly catered to racist fears, and to the collapse in trust in institutions like the news media, the Fed, corporations, NATO, and, yes, the intelligence services. In enormous numbers, voters rejected everything they had ever been told about who was and was not qualified for higher office. Trump’s campaign antagonism toward the military and intelligence world was at best a millimeter thick. Like almost everything else he said as a candidate, it was a gimmick, designed to get votes. That he was insincere and full of it and irresponsible, at first at least, when he attacked the “deep state” and the “fake news media,” doesn’t change the reality of what’s happened since. Even paranoiacs have enemies, and even Donald “Deep State” Trump is a legitimately elected president whose ouster is being actively sought by the intelligence community. Trump stands accused of using the office of the presidency to advance political aims, in particular pressuring Ukraine to investigate potential campaign rival Joe Biden. He’s guilty, but the issue is how guilty, in comparison to his accusers. wrote:

(CNN) Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Thursday the Russians are currently "grooming" a Democrat running in the presidential primary to run as a third-party candidate and champion their interests.

The comment appears to be directed at Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has been accused of being cozy with Russia in the past.

"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate," Clinton said, speaking on a podcast with former Obama adviser David Plouffe. "She's the favorite of the Russians."

Clinton never names Gabbard, but there are only five women running for President -- Gabbard, California Sen. Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and author Marianne Williamson -- and none of the other woman have been accused of being boosted by Russia.

Clinton did not provide proof about how Russia is "grooming" Gabbard. She and her team pointed to allegations that Russian news and propaganda sites often report on Gabbard's campaign and that moments in Gabbard's campaign have been reportedly amplified by trolls and bots on Twitter with ties to Russia. Gabbard has denied those allegations.

"They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far," Clinton said.
Clinton's team also noted that some of Gabbard's foreign policy views align closely with Russian interests.

Gabbard responded on Twitter Friday afternoon to Clinton's comments.
"Thank you @HillaryClinton. You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain," she tweeted.

"From the day I announced my candidacy, there has been a concerted campaign to destroy my reputation," she added. "We wondered who was behind it and why. Now we know — it was always you, through your proxies and powerful allies in the corporate media and war machine, afraid of the threat I pose."
"It's now clear that this primary is between you and me. Don't cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly."

Responding to Gabbard's attacks, Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said, "Divisive language filled with vitriol and conspiracy theories? Can't imagine a better proof point than this."

Asked earlier if the former secretary of state was referring to Gabbard in her comment, Merrill told CNN, "If the nesting doll fits."

"This is not some outlandish claim. This is reality," Merrill said. "If the Russian propaganda machine, both their state media and their bot and troll operations, is backing a candidate aligned with their interests, that is just a reality, it is not speculation."

On Friday evening, after Clinton's comments drew considerable criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, Merrill backed away from the former secretary of state's allegation, tweeting, "She doesn't say the Russians are grooming anyone. It was a question about Republicans."

Gabbard, in a late August interview with CNN, ruled out a third-party bid.
"I will not," the Hawaii Democrat told CNN. "No, I have ruled that out."

MSNBC panel: Tulsi Gabbard didn’t deny being a Russian asset. pic.twitter.com/5Ok9crnjUD

— Ibrahim (@ibrahimpols) October 19, 2019