2024 OT Election Day Thread: Donald Trump elected POTUS, GOP wins Senate and House of Representatives

You keep trying to duck and cover but you still refused to answer any of my three questions, two of which had citations and the other was a general question. It doesn't work that way. I didn't even read your responses becuase they didn't address the three questions yet. Until you do so, I'm not engaging. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS STEVE.

Also to correct your disinformation, I linked the sources when you asked and they were not social media.

My apologies, cup. We're both guilty of going off at tangents sometimes, and I probably tried to reel too many threads from your response back to my question.

I think we're in agreement that Zelenskyy has become memeified by Russian trolls, which is affecting public perceptions of Ukraine and Russia in the US, and likely elsewhere. That's kind of the point I'm getting at. It might suit Ukraine's cause well to remind everyone that Ukraine is not just one guy in combats who occasionally gets (understandably) very passionate about his cause. You know, roll out some other sympathetic figures to speak on the country's behalf in an official capacity too. It's a European democracy, not Russia's scrappy little brother. Incidentally, it's filled with some of the most beautiful women on Earth.

I watched Zelensky's speech and it's almost a bit painful. You can see he is visibly shaken by recent events. Frustrated, angry, sad, but still defiant. So gross that after everything the Ukrainians have suffered over three years, they get stabbed in the back by Trump. The icing on the cake is the idea to plunder Ukraine of rare earth minerals.

Trump officials pitch Ukraine on US owning 50% of its rare earth minerals

He was more frank than I expected. I thought he would be more careful not to anger Trump further. But I guess when you have experienced what he has, you just don't care as much about subtlety anymore.

Anyway, a great speech by a genuinely impressive man!

I really didn't intend this to be a defense of Musk, more so a denigration of Trump by comparison.

I don't even care for Musk at all, or even like him.....and saying he holds a vision isn't a defense of Trump or his allegiance to him, which everyone seems to be taking this as. But yeah.....as you say, when you get to the point of being worth upwards of $400 billion and one of the richest people on the planet......I can't ascribe that to just being lucky, scheming, or corruption....his success transcends bad faith initiatives.....the man is obviously doing something right business-wise to accrue such wealth and success.

I'll throw you a bone, had to peruse back to see what citations you had...

So, looks like your "general question" was answered here.

Agree with what though? Is there something specific in the USA Today story that you're confused about, or want insight on? (I'm not giving huffpost any traffic tho, that's pretty entertaining that's a go-to source for you lol, not sure if that's better or worse than social media)

Now then, do you want an example of you failing to properly source a post? I'm more than happy to facilitate a recent glaring example (cancellation of ethnic holidays/Tuskegee Airmen/Christmas bonus story all come to mind). You declaratively stated "I always tell my sources" afterall. :P

I do find it rather entertaining for the bury-head-in-sand mantra, while proclaiming "I'm not interested in your attempts to change the topic" as the goal posts are moved rapidly; instead of answering a simple yes or no qyestion, I'll copy and paste two links! How dare you change the topic! I won't address anything until you answer! *stomps feet* Reminds me of my son when I tell him why he can't have pancakes for every single meal. lol

@bigballs: Ohaider SargentD. Hope you learned your lesson about trusting your fellow Trumpers especially when they happen to be moderators. 🤭

Bit of a weird one, European leaders being excluded from Ukraine peace talks. What with Ukraine being Europe and being primarily of concern to Europe's future. How does that make any sense?

This RFK Jr. Is a real dick.

Would it be possible for US to cut millitary spending in half if there is a mutual agreement with China and Russia to do so as well?

He really is.

Anyone wanting for some background on him, and a good podcast, give this a listen:

Behind the Bastards - RFK Jr, Part 1

It's a four-parter, and most people covered by the show only get one or two episodes, so RFK Jr really has quite a resume of being a dick.

High points are him being directly responsible for killing a lot of people in America Samoa due to his anti-vaccine hysteria.

...Months after Kennedy’s visit, the question of what would happen to Samoa’s unvaccinated babies was answered. A measles outbreak swept the country, sickening thousands and killing 83, mostly small children. As measles raged, Kennedy stayed connected to the island, writing to the prime minister to raise concerns about the vaccine and providing medical guidance to a local anti-vaccine activist who posted false claims about the vaccination campaign and promoted unproven alternative cures...

Just another example of the elite failing upward.

"Hey, this guy is saying a bunch of crazy shit"
"Who cares?"
"Well, he is a Kennedy. And rich. Also he is married to the lady from Curb"
"Oh, well, in that case let's give him a lot of power in the most powerful country in the world. He's a Kennedy, after all!"

Did Sargent get banned?

He's not representative of the policies of the rest of his family and I have a feeling his father would be disappointed in him.

Yep.

Oh I know, I'm just saying that the name has weight in this world, he is essentially American royalty. In fact, to many of the family's credit, I think they essentially said "we don't support our relative RFK Jr."

I wasn't being critical of the Kennedy's, more critical of American culture for worshipping and/or elevating people of a certain name, status, wealth, etc.. that don't deserve it.

Meritocracy, my ass.

@agent_stroud said:

@mrbojangles25 said:

@agent_stroud said:

@bigballs: Ohaider SargentD. Hope you learned your lesson about trusting your fellow Trumpers especially when they happen to be moderators. 🤭

Did Sargent get banned?

Yep.

Hmm, not sure how I feel about that.

On one hand, he was kind of fun.

On the other hand, he was batshit.

@mrbojangles25 said:

@agent_stroud said:

@mrbojangles25 said:

Did Sargent get banned?

Yep.

Hmm, not sure how I feel about that.

On one hand, he was kind of fun.

On the other hand, he was batshit.

I bet he'll be back under a new name.

Umm what?

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_end_justifies_the_means

Don't know if it counts if you're the one threatening the country in the first place?

Maybe he's encouraging people to riot or attempt insurrection or something.

**** knows.

Well looks like he has:

1. Fired park rangers...

2. And locked all the New York attorneys associated with that Adams case in a room and said "pick one person or you all get fired".

Straight up mafia shit.

I wonder if firing the rangers will be a lot of people's limits. Like, Americans generally don't care about the arts or education or anything like that...but is firing park rangers our "don't **** with cats" moment? I hope so.

Oh boy...

I'm legit kind of getting a bit worried.

Well, if any ban dodging is observed it will be dealt with accordingly and swiftly. Also, VPNs aren't perfect and when there's a slippage, we'll know. :)

I'm still waiting on your reply, or has the LJS method struck again? lol

I asked you a question that you refuse to answer. You don't get to try to change the subject. Are you afraid to answer those questions?

Oh yes, very afraid of the LJS method! ... Huffpost and social media are pretty frightening places! This is also hence why I asked if you were going to respond tho... Wait does that help or hurt that argument? Hmm.

Your two questions were addressed, I can't address the third because I don't plan on clicking on a huffpost link (ew). Feel free to link a different source with an actual question. Let's me know if you missed the other two tho. :) especially if that helps you finally come to terms with addressing the initial point (the Lacking Justifiable Sources). lol

Some of that respect MAGA is giving America.

https://x.com/acnewsitics/status/1890953250867728858

Trump really did think he was stupid. Litterally thought he'd be desperate and just sign any old shit put in front of him.

He also clearly has a better grasp of what's going on than Vance.

https://x.com/Mylovanov/status/1890881728530550812

Zelensky: I blocked the agreement with Trump on mineral rights as it does not protect Ukraine interests. Then he goes diplomatic. It must be legally correct regarding investments and security guarantees. I don’t yet see in the document. 1/

Zelensky about meeting in Saudi Arabia: I haven't seen any invitations for Ukraine to meet with envoys. We have no documents or negotiations with our strategic partners. Russia is not one of them. 2/

Zelensky: To defend against a potential Russian offensive, we need not 50, 100, or 300 thousand. European leaders understand this and are considering the financial implications. 3/

Losing the alliance between Europe and the U.S. would benefit only Putin and North Korea. 4/

Zelensky: If Putin only wants a ceasefire to ease his isolation, that’s not real peace. The U.S. holds key political power, and its approach to Russia matters. 5/

If Trump can push Putin toward genuine peace, we may achieve real security guarantees for the first time - if all sides, especially America, are ready. 6/

Zelensky: European leaders, once more skeptical than the U.S., are now more ready to support Ukraine. They understand the danger - Putin will come, not if he comes. 7/

He may test NATO, and without strong sanctions and unity between the EU and the U.S., that is very dangerous. 8/

Everyone needs to get used to the fact that Ukraine can no longer be told where to be. 9/

Zelensky: Strong security guarantees are not possible without U.S. Troops on the borders or front lines must include U.S. and European partners. 10/

Without the U.S, it’s weak. The number of troops matters, and for now, Europe alone is not enough. 11/

I don't know what your hangup is with social media but I don't use that as a source. No, you did not answer my questions. You're afraid to and that's why you keep trying to change the narrative. Also it's bad form for mods to troll.

That's sad and I don't blame them, to be honest.

Love my country, but very disappointed in it right now. I don't have kids but I don't know, sort of feels like waking up one day and finding out your child is a bully and has been picking on kids at school. You're ashamed and disappointed, sure, but you're also mad at what a big pussy they turned out to be.

Anyway, don't mind me, just being a bit dramatic as my country goes down the shitter and clogs the toilet in the process.

Well, that's where the Christmas bonus story stemmed from (per snopes). lol Thus, the only way you would have gotten wind of that was from social media and not from any news outlets (because it was debunked quickly). It's okay to admit that you have social media and peruse through the memes and blurps. I do as well, but before I give any accounts... I try to always get the context of something before I give knee-jerk reactions. Otherwise you may look silly following the shenanigans.

Again, I underlined and highlighted the answer to the generic question. I asked what specifically you wanted me to address in the second question... And the third I can't address because your source sucks. lol if you want to find a different source and then ask a question based on that, feel free! Yes, I'm clearly afraid by asking you (multiple times) to be specific on what your question is. Oh the Lacking Justifiable Sources definitely ringing true tho.

Let's try again ...

I'll quote this for you again. :)

I really wished the GOP realized that it's OKAY to disagree with one another IN their party, especially the president.

Just look at the Dems. Their disagreements are the reason the Right bask in it's chaos. But there's a reason you'll never see the Democratic Party back an outright Tankie.

Has anyone here been affected by the cuts or are you on the chopping block? RFK Jackass wants to ban my anti-depressants? WTF? That's 33 million people without meds. Is that really a good idea?

I'm starting to feel that this administration is more a provocation than anything. Now they have us in a corner and we are taking hits. Mostly peppering us with body shots but saving up for the real humdinger. We need to take action. But i feel like we are reeling from the shots.

That deal was as bullshit as it could be:

- ruzzia gets to keep everything they took and pay no reparations

- trump gets half of all Ukraine's resources (total value being about $6T) in exchange for the $80B in support

- Ukraine gets jack shit.

Might as well could tell US to **** off and at least not lose half their stuff.

It's a good idea if he wants you depressed and to debilitated to even think of resisting.

I don't know what it is with these narcissists and making these RIDICILOUS deals. That one would have to be absolutely out of their mind to accept.

They made the dunce the king, and now

The Hockey guy at 33 looked like he was legit about to cry.

You mean like with the eerie silence surrounding Tulsi Gabbard's appointment?

Maybe that explains why the Democrats seemed to embrace that whole redefining of "left" as having something to do with trans rights and pronouns. Meanwhile, that other guy in the White House shoots off to Germany to publicly push the idea that Hitler was actually a full-on commie while America sleepwalks into authoritarianism. I guess that's why online folks are having so much difficulty defining far-right lately. Doesn't exist apparently. There's only an infinitely redefinable "centre" right, and wrong.

Yeah but they blame mass shootings on anti-depressants, they think the "globalists" are "doping" our kids with "mind-altering" drugs that turn them into zombies that want to shoot people.

They'll then spin this as they always do, because guess what? Gun and ammo sales are never higher in the US than after a school shooting. Go figure...

Imagine how bad things will get when depressed, anxious, and folks with other mental health conditions don't have their meds What should be general and manageable existential dread about the state of one's country turns into very real, impending, just-around-the-corner doom.

If this goes through, I expect to see a suicide epidemic in the US that rivals Japan.

I already miss when the worst a Canadian and an American beefed was a rap feud.

If we are being fair, that family doesn't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to criticizing others. Plenty of examples exist of immoral and unethical behavior yet continued support by others.

@Stevo_the_gamer: Those particular news items were reported on multiple sites. You're wrong as usual.

Their government policies, which is the actual discussion here, not whataboutism, is beneficial to the average American. Also they aren't in positions were they're causing diseases to spread due to mis/disinformation.

Snopes was wrong? Oh man, must be easy for you to correct the record then. I can't wait. :)

Don't hold your breath. I linked that long ago. I'm still waiting for two or three days now for the answer to the questions I asked. You keep ducking and want to rehash the past to deflect. I'm not going to forget that you refuse to answer a few simple questions.

@LJS9502_basic: He's just doing crowd control for Gamespot. Just like he does in his profession. I wouldn't wait any longer. Waste of time.

RFJ Jr didn't support the right party or person.

I don't give a damn what the family says, thinks, etc..., especially when they have supported and ignored the sins of their own throughout government actions or their private lives or the lives of others.

Do you think everything Teddy and JFK touched in the government was beneficial? I guarantee it wasn't but by god, that family will defend those two with every last drop of blood in their bodies.

I mean, you didn't though. lol ... notice how when you're called out on the silliness, it's the hands-over-ears mantra. It's like playing chess with a chicken, where the chicken stomps all over the board and declares victory. I mean it is amusing, especially since the trademark Lacking Justifiable Sources is frequently in action.

Your questions were addressed though. Let me know when you want to actually reply to my comment here. :)

Interesting hearing from Chinas POV.

(spoiler: They also think he's an idiot)

Truly a big brain.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china-tells-eu-it-is-willing-enhance-communication-2025-02-15/

It's almost, like acting like a cock head, telling everyone they are a piece of shit and randomly announcing you will invade countries, give enemies everything they want and threaten NATO has some sort of effect.

The worst leader in history. The worst. A fucking moron.

Been barely a month, barely 1 month.

Just amazing.

https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraines-senior-officials-discuss-kyivs-peace-vision-with-chinas-foreign-2025-02-15/

Ukraine's senior officials discuss Kyiv's peace vision with China's foreign minister

REUTERS/Nadja Wohlleben/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Feb 15 (Reuters) - Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said late on Saturday that they had discussed Kyiv's vision of a path to peace in Ukraine with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi.Peace talks on ending the Russian war in Ukraine are to start in the coming days between Kyiv and Moscow negotiators and senior officials from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, but without EU officials."We met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi together with Andriy Yermak to reaffirm mutual respect for territorial integrity," Sybiha said on X about the meeting that took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference."We discussed the development of bilateral relations and trade. We also shared Ukraine's vision of the path to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace."On Friday, Wang told the Munich conference that China believes all stakeholders in the Russia-Ukraine conflict should participate in the peace talks, underscoring Europe's role in them after a flurry of U.S. messaging on how to end the war.Yermak said in his post on the Telegram messaging app that in addition to talking about Kyiv's visions of how to achieve a sustainable peace in Ukraine, the development of bilateral relations was also discussed.

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Lidia Kelly; Writing by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama

It's so ugly. They tried to get Ukraine to sign it without any security guarantees. They thought Zelesnky would be desperate enough to do it... If you give aid you can't come after and plunder the country to get your money back. That is just evil.

More bad news imo: Lavrov, Rubio discuss removal of 'barriers' set by previous US administration, Russia says | Reuters. Russia is already fishing to get US to lift sanctions. The deal between the two "great" powers will probably be much broader than just about Ukraine.

Lavrov and Rubio, in a call initiated by the U.S., agreed to maintain contacts to resolve problems in bilateral relations, "in the interests of removing the unilateral barriers to mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment cooperation inherited from the previous administration," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

They will also start to cooperate on the Middle East:

Russia said Lavrov and Rubio "expressed their mutual willingness to interact on pressing international issues, including the settlement around Ukraine, the situation around Palestine and in general in the Middle East in general".

I fear the broader scope will be very bad for Ukraine. I'm sure Trump is happy to sacrifice Ukraine for benefits in other areas (such as enriching himself...).

Europe needs to urgently ramp up military spending! This is way worse than I thought it would be. US is not just negotiating with Russia. They are becoming Russia! US is adopting the Russian world view of strong countries doing what they want and taking what they want, as opposed to international law.

LOL, you guys really think US will leave Europe or that Europe is free to do anything on its own? Europe is at best US's protectorate and at worst its colony, has been that way since the end of WWII. All European politicians knew that, it's just that they didn't account for someone like Trump to come along and started speaking the quiet parts out loud. What if I were to tell you that that to bring Ukraine in NATO was originally a US idea (Bush to be precise) and European leaders at the time (Germany and France) were against it. It was pushed down their throats and now US don't want it. The European militaries were kept weak precisely because of US's own design.

As for the 5% spending. Do you think it will make Europe stronger or that Trump wants to actually bolster Europe's defense capability? No, with 5% he wants Europe to buy more equipment from US's MIC. Another thing I keep hearing about is that Europe took advantage of US when they don't spend money on military or US foots the bill for Europe's security. It's not true. It's the other way around. US and US's MIC benefited immensely from Europe adopting the US military standard and giving up much of their own in terms of worldwide market.

The problem is not military budgets but not being strong enough to be independent of US and always being a US lackey.

Nothing like banning differing opinions for a complete echo chamber of the ages. Just keep sitting above that ant hill with the magnifying glass wondering why over half the country is finally pulling their heads from the sand and only gaining momentum.