The Russia thing

[Seahawks4Ever]

It is pretty clear that Trump's lawyer, Ty Cobb, who has been predicting for months that the investigation is almost over, is probably right this time. Mueller gave it his best shot, but Paul Manafort is as high up as he is going to get. Manafort is an agent of Russia and therefore of Putin and he is steeped in the law of Omerta. He knows that should he talk to the feds his life and that of many of the people he loves will be forfeit. I am sure that Gates knows that he too is a I dead man walking and talking, maybe Mueller offered him a spot in the Witness Protection Program. P.M. on the other hand is waiting for the pardon he know is sure to come, Mueller must have convinced Gates that Trump would not be able to issue the pardons, for one reason or another.

The only 2 ways that Trump cannot issue a pardon is IF he is also a party to the charges he would pardon someone for or if they were state charges. W/O Manafort, I seriously doubt Mueller could PROVE that Trump was also party to Manafort's crimes and a state judge just may be able to be "convinced" to find him not guilty or even have state AG drop the charges.

So, Mueller gave it quite a shot, but now I believe everything will be hung on Manafort and Gates. It will be said that it was these two who CONSPIRED with Russia and that they had led Donald Jr. and Kushner astray, though Jared was smarter than Junior and left the meeting right away.

The story will be that it was all Manafort, he was in DEEP to the Russian gangsters and what he and Gates did they did for Manafort and not Trump. Chalk it all up to Trump not being a politician and had an inexperienced staff.

Remember, it comes down to what Mueller can PROVE! Manafort, Dos thou Go and No Further.

[c_hawkbob]

I Think history will place Trump as a good President.

Russian influence in the world has declined ever since they broke up the USSR and imo we should continue our relationship with Ukraine to further erode Russia's power.

He's threatening the bottom of the scale.

[burrrton]

He's threatening the bottom of the scale.

I don't agree or disagree, but putting aside personality, what is it he's done so far that threatens the bottom of the scale?

[c_hawkbob]

I don't agree or disagree, but putting aside personality, what is it he's done so far that threatens the bottom of the scale?

If you've read what I've said in this thread and others you know my answer, but in the name of brevity we need go no further than the title of this thread. By the time all the facts come out I believe the man will go down as a colossal embarrassment.

[burrrton]

If you've read what I've said in this thread and others you know my answer, but in the name of brevity we need go no further than the title of this thread. By the time all the facts come out I believe the man will go down as a colossal embarrassment.

Fair, but I've got a sneaking suspicion all you holding your breath for something big to come of this are going to be disappointed. It's been, what, over a year, and the only indictments are non-material, process-related?

Though it's certainly not over, when you consider they (by their own admission) could indict a ham sandwich if they got to question it long enough, it's not looking good for those of you hoping this takes him down. I guess we'll see- I hope he's innocent for the sake of the country.

[edit- and reading back, you haven't said anything in this thread except what you think may come of this investigation- doesn't seem very damning to me]

[RiverDog]

Most of my problems with Trump boils down to his personality, and yes, it is a big deal. Whether you're a football coach, a teacher, a supervisor, or the POTUS, style matters.

But I do feel it's refreshing to see him starting to compromise some, first on immigration reform, more recently on gun control. Not that I necessarily agree or disagree with any of his stances, but it had appeared to me that he never had any intention on seeking common ground, that with him, it was always my way or the highway.

I'll still never cast a vote for him and will vote for the D candidate so long as they're not a reptilian like the last one.

[burrrton]

Style matters.

I agree, but only insofar as it affects their ability to rack up what POTUS success or failure is judged on: accomplishments.

[c_hawkbob]

[edit- and reading back, you haven't said anything in this thread except what you think may come of this investigation- doesn't seem very damning to me]

Then you completely miss my point because, though I'm not "holing my breath" even a little bit, I believe what will come of this investigation will absolutely be his undoing.

[burrrton]

Then you completely miss my point because, though I'm not "holing my breath" even a little bit, I believe what will come of this investigation will absolutely be his undoing.

Respectfully, you're missing *my* point. You may well end up being right- I just don't see anything solid pointing to that being a likely outcome, and with the way leaks pour out of the various agencies, I have trouble believing we wouldn't have caught wind of something more by now (and nobody here, including you, seems to be able to point to anything but indictments on process).

Anyway, we agree the investigation should continue, though, and Trump should STFU about it and just allow it to do so without impugning Mueller et al.

[RiverDog]

...I believe what will come of this investigation will absolutely be his undoing.

It's getting pretty late in the game. The FBI has been investigating the Russian hacking since well before the election and Mueller himself has been on board for over 9 months and we still haven't seen anything that elevates it anywhere close to the level you feel it will eventually end up. They're going to have to tie Trump directly to a collusion effort in the same manner they were able to tie Nixon to the Watergate cover-up if the objective is impeachment. 2/3 majority is a helluva bar to clear.

I agree with burrton that Trump should just STFU and let the chips fall where they may.

[Aseahawkfan]

Dos thou go, but no further Mr. Mueller . Paul Manafort will NEVER turn government witness. He knows that if he tries to "give up" Trump or one of his Russian masters that his life and that of his immediate family members will be forfeit. Manafort is well steeped in the "law" of Omerta. He would not be safe in prison he wouldn't even be safe in the witness protection program. The worst for Manafort is that his former masters would make sure that the people he really cared for would bear his punishment.

Same reason that Donald J. Trump, though he is POTUS will NOT DARE cross HIS master, Vlad Putin. A public person, Trump knows that if he EVER stops doing the bidding of Putin he will be a dead man too. That is why he won't criticize Putin and/or Russia, he is a Russian agent just like Paul Manafort is a Russian Agent.

Are you off your medication again? Trump is doing no one's bidding but Trump. I see nothing we're doing that is helping Russia.

[Aseahawkfan]

C-bo'b's the guy that believed George Bush. Jr. started a war under false pretense, should have been prosecuted, and did nothing when he wasn't touched at all while companies associated with him and his administration made a bunch of money. Now he believes Trump is a traitor who has been put in office by a foreign government that he owes favors to. The part I find amusing that C-bob doesn't seem to understand is even if Trump is somehow removed from office over this or resigns, the tax bill he passed will not change. And at this point if they don't make the charges soon, Trump's lawyers will likely be able to postpone or extend any trial to encompass his four year term. Then he can either make a deal to retire quietly or he leaves office and it doesn't matter. Here is what is guaranteed: Trump will not see a day of jail time and he will still be a billionaire without losing much of anything. But of course we don't need our 2nd Amendment right because it wasn't made to ensure our protection from a corrupt government because they do such a good job of policing themselves.

Our government is beyond fixing. If all these complainers want is a nicer front man (style as Riverdog calls it) that does pretty much the same thing, then we're pretty much done.

[c_hawkbob]

Don't talk about me third person in a conversation in which I am participating, it's incredibly rude.

And between Bush and the current POTUS I'll take a dozen Bushes before another one of this clown.

[Hawktawk]

Don't talk about me third person in a conversation in which I am participating, it's incredibly rude.

And between Bush and the current POTUS I'll take a dozen Bushes before another one of this clown.

Word Bob^^^^^^^^This right here.Give me Jimmy Carter
And for all the folks saying there's no there there, this is it, I didn't see Rick Gates being addressed. Maybe I missed it. Gates continued on through the election and was still visiting the WH until last July. The guy who was going to only hire "the best people" was surrounded by a mixture of incompetent idiots and also some of the most sleazy people imaginable at the very highest level of the campaign in Manafort and Gates and of course their whole existence was getting rich on laundered money in the eastern bloc before he hired them. Kushner is likely as crooked and justice is aware of it which is why he has no security clearance. His repeated lies on financial disclosure documents are a felony offense if your not trump's son in law but it may be in the crosshairs yet. Don't forget in response to a golf writers question how they could finance so many big time golf construction operations in the down market Don Jr said "we get a lot of money coming in from Russia" He has denied he said it but who do you believe? a golf writer or a Trump?

Mueller isn't done. He is only offering deals to get people to roll over up the food chain he probably already knows goes right to the top. The man is thorough and sneaky and does not leak.
He has had people cooperating months before the Trump cabal was even aware. Trumps cooked. it will come down to the congress unless Mueller is fired. Then it probably will too.

[burrrton]

Trumps cooked.[sic]

Pretty bold statement when the rationale behind it is nothing but "may", "likely", "who do you believe", and so on.

I'm ok with a little "where there's smoke there's fire", but speaking for myself, I can't get too invested in an outcome that relies on flimsy "what ifs" after 15 mos of investigating.

Eh, I guess we'll see. Just don't burn down your town if Trump comes out of this unscathed. And same to all the Trump Humpers- don't wreck your city or the country if your boy did something wrong.

[Aseahawkfan]

Don't talk about me third person in a conversation in which I am participating, it's incredibly rude.

And between Bush and the current POTUS I'll take a dozen Bushes before another one of this clown.

And further proof that you don't care about what he's done wrong, you just don't like him. Bush Jr. did so much more that was ethically questionable compared to Trump that they're not even in the same ball park. He was just a better face man than cantankerous, combative Trump.

[Aseahawkfan]

I did some reading on Nixon. I tell you it's been so long since a president was removed from office, I forgot how hard it is. Now I know what Mueller is waiting for: the midterm elections. Absent slam dunk evidence that Trump did something extremely wrong, meaning enough to convince Republicans to impeach a president from their party, they don't have the votes for removal from office. If the Democrats don't take both Houses, they won't have the votes for Trump's removal from office. Mueller has to find evidence at least as bad as what was found on Nixon to get this done. Anything less than a Nixonian-level of evidence of wrong-doing won't come close to impeaching Trump or removing him from office. If the Democrats don't take both houses by a sound majority, they won't have close to the votes to do anything about Trump.

Everything Mueller is doing absent finding out Trump is the Manchurian candidate is riding on the midterm elections. I didn't realize how important the Democrats taking both houses was to the removal of Trump. The Republicans couldn't taken Clinton town even with his blatant lies and perjury charges because they didn't have the votes to do it. Clinton was charged, but not enough votes for removal meant none of it carried any weight.

[c_hawkbob]

And further proof that you don't care about what he's done wrong, you just don't like him. Bush Jr. did so much more that was ethically questionable compared to Trump that they're not even in the same ball park. He was just a better face man than cantankerous, combative Trump.

Not proof of anything but your opinion of what anyone else says. You're so enamored with your own take on the world nothing anyone else says matters, you quickly classify them and put them in these little easy to understand boxes you've got stored away in you mind so you don't have honestly consider what has actually been said.

[burrrton]

Anything less than a Nixonian-level of evidence of wrong-doing won't come close to impeaching Trump or removing him from office. If the Democrats don't take both houses by a sound majority, they won't have close to the votes to do anything about Trump.

Well, a simple majority won't get it done in the Senate- it takes 2/3 to remove from office- but if Mueller finds significant enough criminality for impeachment to be warranted, I doubt they'd need the Senate majority. I think there'd be enough Republicans willing to support removal in such a scenario.

In other words, removal from office depends on what Mueller finds, not them winning a simple majority in the Senate.

[Hawktawk]

Pretty bold statement when the rationale behind it is nothing but "may", "likely", "who do you believe", and so on.

I'm ok with a little "where there's smoke there's fire", but speaking for myself, I can't get too invested in an outcome that relies on flimsy "what ifs" after 15 mos of investigating.

Eh, I guess we'll see. Just don't burn down your town if Trump comes out of this unscathed. And same to all the Trump Humpers- don't wreck your city or the country if your boy did something wrong.

Fair enough Burt . Trump humpers LMAO

There's three plea deals already and the king of eastern bloc sleaze Manafort is twisting in the wind.There aren't too many other steps on the ladder between Manafort and Trump so who is Mueller pressuring him to roll over on?
Kushner and many other aides were interviewed by Mueller along with Jeff Sessions etc WITHOUT KNOWING about cooperating witnesses. These are the facts so far. It's a fact Kushner and much of the WH staff cant get clearance.There's nothing flimsy about the investigation. 13 russians were indicted totally as a shock to everyone. Mueller is a bulldog of a G man and hes on the scent.

Now we get into my opinion and hypothesis about Trump being cooked, along with the whole kit and kaboodle of his inner circle.I think Mueller already has enough evidence to charge others. When the case is lock tight he will reveal it whenever that is but its all got to go down at once when it gets to the Trump family. I believe unless it absolutely overwhelming and awful Paul Ryan might refuse to impeach and so that's what is taking so long. Watergate took over 2 years so this is still way ahead of schedule. Trump and his henchmen know exactly what he's done which is why the withering attack on the FBI and justice By russian operative Devon Nunes coupled with the suddenly kinder and gentler Trump trying to broaden his base all of a sudden.

time will tell. I don't burn stuff down Burt BTW. I don't even rant much anymore
GO BOB!!!!

[Aseahawkfan]

Not proof of anything but your opinion of what anyone else says. You're so enamored with your own take on the world nothing anyone else says matters, you quickly classify them and put them in these little easy to understand boxes you've got stored away in you mind so you don't have honestly consider what has actually been said.

I assess and call it as it is. You been saying hypocritical garbage for years, but people like you because you're friendly c-bob. I remember quite clearly you insulting G.W. Bush Jr. I recall you calling him a liar and a criminal. I remember quite clearly you saying he started a war based on a lie. You weren't one of those believers in a 9/11 conspiracy, but you were quite vocal about Bush Jr. starting a war under false pretense in Iraq. Yet here you are wanting a hundred Bush's in office over Trump who has done nothing close to starting a false war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. You're a hypocrite and I'm just calling you on it.

I can't stand when people pretend to be moral and standing up for what's right, while they practice cognitive dissonance to justify their belief such as you do. You put out false information like we're not sure what the 2nd Amendment is for, then make claims about a president starting a war under false pretense for a less than honest agenda and now illegal Russian intereference installing a president. When this is exactly what the 2nd Amendment is for: to violently dissolve the government with military-style weapons if it should become too corrupt as they did when removing the British Power from America. You apparently don't think that point has been reached and that is fine, but after what you claim to be true I'm surprised it isn't getting close to that point in your mind given the level of corruption you attribute to our government.

Please stop with the false information. You want our Constitution changed in an attempt to improve safety, so be it. Many people trade liberty for security and safety. But stop pretending that we're safe from our government and won't ever need to violently revolt against them. The corruption is high. Business runs this nation. Americans becoming meeker and less capable of fighting back is going to further empower this government to do it as it wishes while placating the masses with smiling, well-spoken clowns as president. If that's what you want, so be it. I want something else and am tired of the hypocritical BS based on your party affiliation (please don't tell me you're undecided. I been reading your posts for like 15 years plus now. You're decidedly liberal and Democrat leaning by a large margin.

[c_hawkbob]

There's nothing hypocritical about hating Trump worse than Bush. Nothing I ever said about Bush have I contradicted, rescinded or equivocated upon. Trump has simply established a new low.

In my opinion of course.

[RiverDog]

I did some reading on Nixon. I tell you it's been so long since a president was removed from office, I forgot how hard it is. Now I know what Mueller is waiting for: the midterm elections. Absent slam dunk evidence that Trump did something extremely wrong, meaning enough to convince Republicans to impeach a president from their party, they don't have the votes for removal from office. If the Democrats don't take both Houses, they won't have the votes for Trump's removal from office. Mueller has to find evidence at least as bad as what was found on Nixon to get this done. Anything less than a Nixonian-level of evidence of wrong-doing won't come close to impeaching Trump or removing him from office. If the Democrats don't take both houses by a sound majority, they won't have close to the votes to do anything about Trump.

Everything Mueller is doing absent finding out Trump is the Manchurian candidate is riding on the midterm elections. I didn't realize how important the Democrats taking both houses was to the removal of Trump. The Republicans couldn't taken Clinton town even with his blatant lies and perjury charges because they didn't have the votes to do it. Clinton was charged, but not enough votes for removal meant none of it carried any weight.

There's never been a president removed from office. The closest wasn't even Nixon, it was Andrew Johnson, who was impeached and was just 1 vote shy after a trial in the Senate of being removed. Nixon almost certainly would have been removed had he not resigned, but I wanted to make the correction as there are so many people out there that are under a false impression. But you're right, it is extremely difficult, particularly finding a 2/3 majority in the Senate, which is what saved Slick Willy's ass.

The Dems stand a good chance of taking over the House but the numbers aren't there for then in the Senate. Only 8 Republican Senators are up for re-election, and several of those are slam dunk'ers, 3 having won their last election by 60%+. Of those 8 seats the R's are defending, the only seat in a state that did not vote for Trump in 2016 is in Nevada. The R's aren't going to lose enough seats to make up for what the Dems stand to lose in the states they have to defend seats in.

The Dems have 25 seats to defend, 10 of those in solidly red states like North Dakota, Montana, and Indiana. To make matters worse, R voters are more likely to turn out in off year, ie non Presidential election year, elections, than are D voters. Unless Trump does something incredibly stupid, and lately he seems to have been toning it down some, the Dems are going to lose ground in the Senate.

Finding 67 votes in an impeachment trial in the Senate would mean that over 1/3 of Senate Republicans have turned against him. I don't see that happening unless there is one huge frigging MOAB of a revelation hiding in the Mueller investigation, something big enough that it would have almost certainly have leaked out by now if it exists. Those of you that think Trump will be impeached and removed from office are engaged in wishful thinking rather than taking an objective look at the facts as we know them today.

[Largent80]

In politics these days there are no longer "slam dunkers". How many people thought Alabama would not elect Moore? (just an example)

A lot of young people are rising up and the educated ones are running for offices and voting based on what these clowns are doing while in there.

It's about time.

Mueller is simply lining up the shooting gallery. Look how long it took the murdering OJ Simpson to get his case into a court.

[burrrton]

In politics these days there are no longer "slam dunkers". How many people thought Alabama would not elect Moore? (just an example)

When it takes running a pedo for the 'other side' to win, I doubt it's representative or instructive (except in showing you don't run pedos).

I think the Repubs just botched that slam dunk.

[Largent80]

As I said it was an example. Moore was the favorite even with the allegations front and center.

There are no more slam dunks. Maybe in the inbred states, (Alabama is one) where everyones dad is their uncle.

Things are changing and thats a fact.

[burrrton]

There are no more slam dunks.

You may be right- I'm just pointing out "ran a pedo" turns that into a poor example because it's more likely a one-off.

Maybe in the inbred states, (Alabama is one) where everyones dad is their uncle.

You also don't do your side any favors characterizing as "inbreds" anyone who disagrees with you on effective firearm legislation and the proper level of the corporate tax rate.

But please keep telling everyone about the sea change you see coming.

[Largent80]

What is"my side"? I have no side, except my backside and as a party, it stinks. And I will always tell it as I see it in my world regardless of what people like you say or think so smell my side burton

[burrrton]

What is"my side". I have no side, except my backside and as a party, it stinks.

Your side is the group of people who agree with your attitudes toward large groups of people you don't know. People who think banning "assault weapons" would be a meaningful move, who think southerners are all "inbred", etc.

[Largent80]

Right Mr know it nothing
That's an actual awesome name for you. I'll use it regularly like my toilet paper which is equivalent to your responses.
Wipe and flush.
So you think citizens should be able to buy weapons that were invented to kill people? Good for you dude, hopefully someone you love or even YOU aren't on the wrong end of the gun you support.

[burrrton]

Right Mr know it nothing
That's an actual awesome name for you. I'll use it regularly like my toilet paper which is equivalent to your responses.
Wipe and flush.

Spend a lot of time on that one, did you?

So you think citizens should be able to buy weapons that were invented to kill people?

Show me a firearm that doesn't shoot BBs that can't kill people.

If I dismiss your arguments as poorly thought-out, this is why.

[RiverDog]

Mueller is simply lining up the shooting gallery. Look how long it took the murdering OJ Simpson to get his case into a court.

Bad example. Nicole Simpson and her friend were murdered on June 12th, 1994. Opening statements in OJ's trial were made 7 months later in January of 1995, most of that time taken up by jury selection and other procedural matters. Mueller has already been on this case for over 9 months and the FBI has been investigating it for going on 2 years and still no smoking gun.

As I said earlier, if there was something large enough to constitute an impeachable offense that Mueller and his team are onto, with the number of people working the case there's no way that it wouldn't have leaked out by now. I'm all for seeing this to its conclusion, but until they start getting into Trump's inner circle, ie cabinet members, campaign managers, Chief of Staff, or special counsel types, people Trump works with on a daily basis, ie Trump's John Dean-HR Haldeman-John Erlichman, they aren't going to be able to pin anything on him. This will become nothing more than an interesting footnote on the Trump presidency, sort of like Reagan's Iran Contra or one of the lesser Clinton scandals....Whitewater, Filegate, Travelgate, Chinagate, take your pick.

[Seahawks4Ever]

I AM GOING TO DRAIN THE SWAMP!!! Candidate Trump promised the American people that he would do that over and over again. I am sure he thought it was going to be a lot easier than it has proven to be.

The fact is, the swamp was a bigger and more insidious than President Trump realized. He also under estimated how many "swamp monsters" he himself would bring to Washington and/or the White House.

There have been times when I have been really disappointed in Chief of Staff John Kelly, but, his job at bringing order to the West Wing rather than the mass chaos that reigned under Lance Priebus has really picked up steam lately.

It has been a gargantuan project of Kelly to separate Trump from those around him that have been killing his presidency. Loyalty means everything to the POTUS, there is nothing wrong with respecting and rewarding loyalty. But, there is also a saying, "loyal to a fault". Ronald Reagan hated to fire aides, especially aides that had been with him a long time. Nancy however have no problem getting rid of anyone who was doing a disservice to her husband.

A CEO or president or any leader has to have that go to person who will "pull the trigger" and fire or reassign someone when it needs to be done.

Kelly has been weeding out the "dead weight" in the West Wing and though many times it appeared he wasn't being successful, in truth, he has and is.

Think about all of the changes, it has taken time, Kelly has had to maneuver many many pitfalls that would have stymied a lesser person.

There have been many people appointed to positions in the administration that had had no business in those jobs. The last two, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner are two of the most egregious picks and the quicker those two step down and return to N.Y. and go back to their regular jobs both the Trump Administration and the nation will be much better off.

O.K. in many ways except in a few areas the first year of the Trump Admin. has been an unmitigated disaster. BUT!!! I expect that the next 3 years will be much better and accomplish much more now that Kelly is replacing incompetents with people who know what they are doing. By this time next year I fully expect the Trump Admin. to be humming along like a well oiled machine.

It is taking longer than the pundits thought it would, or SHOULD but Donald J. Trump is finally starting to demonstrate the leadership that he promised and that the electorate expected when he announced he was a candidate for POTUS.

[RiverDog]

So you think citizens should be able to buy weapons that were invented to kill people? Good for you dude, hopefully someone you love or even YOU aren't on the wrong end of the gun you support.

You might want to re-phrase that statement to indicate a gun with the ability to kill dozens of people within a minute rather than simply a weapon designed to kill people. A knife is designed to kill people.

[Largent80]

Everyone knows what the word ASSAULT means, is an explanation really needed?

[burrrton]

Assault_Rifles.jpg (76.61 KiB) Viewed 6403 times

[RiverDog]

Everyone knows what the word ASSAULT means, is an explanation really needed?

But you didn't say ASSAULT. You only said weapons designed to kill people, which could mean anything from a knife to a nuclear bomb.

[RiverDog]

Assault_Rifles.jpg

Without having the opportunity to look at the weapons closely, one difference between those two weapons would be the pistol grip that the AR15 has that the Ruger does not.

[Seahawks4Ever]

Gates, the former side kick of Paul Manafort only NOW realizes that his and that of his family's life is in danger from Russian gangsters. Should have thought about that BEFORE you came down with a case of diarrhea of the mouth talking to Robert Mueller Mr. Gates. Does Gates actually believe the Feds will keep him safe in the Witness Protection Program?? Hey Gates, don't you know Trump is in Putin's pocket? Atty. General Jeff Sessions has Putin on his speed dial. The "KGB" will know your new address BEFORE the U.S. Marshalls will know. Gates is dead man talking. Manafort and Trump know better than to SNITCH on their Commie Comrades. When Putin commands Donald to "JUMP!" Trump doesn't waste time asking "how high?" he just starts jumping up and down as if someone is throwing fire crackers under his feet. Naw, with Putin he probably throws M-80's... Blew them bone spurs right off LOL.

Now, enough with fantasy, back to the REAL WORLD!

KUDOS to our POTUS for the second day in a row! We have been in a TRADE WAR for YEARS as China and South Korea have dumped millions of tons of steel and aluminum on our shores forces thousands of Americans out of what used to be really GREAT middle class JOBS!!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, there are going to be plenty of people who will complain but THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT ELECTED Donald Trump!!!

Now, there are plenty of areas where I disagree with Trump, but, there ARE a few areas where I agree 1000% and this is one of them. I just wish he would do MORE of the PROGRESSIVE things he campaigned about and quit pushing the TEA Party agenda.

You know, there were plenty of areas where I disagreed with Obama and oh didn't his "true believers" extract their pound of flesh if I aired those disagreements. It made progressive folks look very FOOLISH then just as those on the right are Trump. right or wrong now. That is WHY I have been an independent. I am liberal on some issues and conservative on others and pragmatic on most. Extremism is just WRONG, and it shows.

The electorate will have to HELP President Trump now by electing some BETTER people for congress. In some cases that will mean voting in a democrat to replace a republican, maybe one that understands that it takes compromise to get legislation done. In some cases it will mean the voters throwing out a democrat and replace them with either a younger democrat or a pragmatic republican. In FACT, what I think BOTH the democrats and republicans could use a huge healthy dose of YOUNGER BLOOD to re-energize their political parties.

Oh, and IF there are corrupt members of an administration lets throw them in jail and that goes to any and all corrupt members of congress too because well all know they are out there.

[burrrton]

Without having the opportunity to look at the weapons closely, one difference between those two weapons would be the pistol grip that the AR15 has that the Ruger does not.

Of course. The point is nobody needs any of those differences to kill, and otherwise they're functionally identical. Anyone with 10 minutes of practice could rattle off the same number of shots.

If you're not prepared to argue for a complete ban on all semi-auto weapons, you better find something else to point to besides a different shape or color as a reason to ban "assault weapons" or nobody is going to take you seriously.