Every American who believes in defending democracy and despises aggressive dictators should be appalled by former President Donald Trump’s despicable declaration that he might abandon NATO allies and leave them at the mercy of Russia’s Valdimir Putin.
At a recent South Carolina campaign event, Trump was, predictably, boasting about what a macho tough guy he is. Noting that some NATO members have failed to reach the alliance’s goal of having every member devote at least 2% of their budgets to defense, Trump told the crowd that he had delivered the following warning to a NATO official who asked if the United States would come to his country’s aid, even if the funding target had been missed:
“No I would not protect you,” Trump claims to have said, adding, “In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.”
The “them” that he would be encouraging is Russia. And, as we have seen in Ukraine, given the chance to “do whatever the hell they want,” Putin’s forces destroy cities, rape women, kidnap children and engage in atrocities.
Congressional Republicans — toadies, as always, for their party leader — either excused Trump’s South Carolina rhetoric as mere bombast with no real effect or they echoed Trump’s contention that the United States cannot be bothered with defending democracy while the nation’s southern border needs fixing.
It is truly stunning that Trump gets away with making outrageous statements that cause panic in Europe and joy in the Kremlin, while President Joe Biden is branded as senile for getting the name of a foreign leader wrong or stumbling over a word now and then. Biden has restored the NATO alliance after Trump, during his presidency, did all he could to undermine it, yet many people — including many in the news media — seem far more obsessed with Biden’s occasional memory slips than Trump’s malicious statements and ignorant fabrications.
There is zero evidence that Biden’s age has impaired his ability to oversee a steady, rational foreign policy or to get major legislation passed through a dysfunctional Congress. At the same time, there is abundant proof that Trump is unfit for office. Nevertheless, the coming presidential election that will almost certainly pit these two senior citizens against each other is a toss-up.
That should unsettle fans of democracy on both sides of the Atlantic.
good points made last night from guys that might know a thing or two. here’re excerpts from
Laura Barron-Lopez:
Following verbal stumbles on the campaign trail, polls have consistently shown voters are concerned about the mental fitness of both leading presidential contenders.
In a recent poll, an NBC News survey found that 76 percent of voters had major concerns about President Biden’s physical and mental health. Meanwhile, 48 percent of voters had the same major concerns about former President Trump.
To help us understand more about what happens to our brains as we age and for some perspective on these lapses from both men, I’m joined by two experts in memory and cognition.
Dr. Dan Blazer is a professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral studies at Duke University. Charan Ranganath is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California, Davis. He’s also the author of a new book releasing next week called “Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters.”
[…]
Laura Barron-Lopez:
President Biden clearly meant to say the president of Egypt, not of Mexico.
But, Dr. Blazer, do slips of memory like that signal any real deficits or an ability for a person to make hard decisions?
Dr. Dan Blazer, Duke University:
I think that’s the critical question.
First off, these types of slips are not uncommon with older persons, especially when they’re having to recall a number of facts in a fairly brief period of time, and also when they’re under the pressure of having to respond quickly and briefly to questions that are being posed.
That doesn’t necessarily at all relate to their ability in judgment. What — another element of that judgment is something we call executive function. That’s ability to make judgments, to really see the big picture. So, I think the bottom line for me is that you have to test these individuals in terms of how well they’re doing their job, not how well they may perform in a particular situation.
If they slip on a particular topic, forget something, I think you have to look at the big picture.
Laura Barron-Lopez:
Dr. Ranganath, if you watch President Biden now versus eight years ago, there’s no doubt that his speech is at times a little less crisp. He might take some longer pauses.
But what can we know and what don’t we know by watching him?
Charan Ranganath:
So first of all, I just want to be clear that I’m a scientist, and so I can’t diagnose anyone.
What I can say is that these verbal slips that Dr. Blazer brought up, and you said it perfectly, they’re not even memory slips, per se. They’re really difficulties, and you just get a little bit slower to come up with words, and, sometimes, you’re slower to catch the errors when they happen.
So I wouldn’t even call those memory slips, per se. I think, sometimes, people judge the appearance of something like that, and they think that there’s some memory problem, but that’s not really a memory problem.
I know President Biden had a stutter when he was growing up, and that actually also demands more executive function just to articulate. So I think that might be factoring in too. But, again, I totally concur with Dr. Blazer that you really need to ask these questions in a real way, as opposed to just superficial observations.
[…]
Laura Barron-Lopez:
Professor Ranganath, is there a word of advice that you would give to the public or to the press about making assumptions in this moment about memory or age or verbal lapses?
Charan Ranganath:
Absolutely.
I think, when people hear something like a loaded term like an elderly man with a poor memory, it just activates all these stereotypes that people have about aging is this inevitable slide towards senescence, right?
There’s actually a lot of abilities that remain stable or even get better with age. So, for instance, knowledge, like the kind of knowledge that you would hope a president would have, that remains stable or can even improve. Likewise, you see things like compassion and emotion regulation that can be improving with age, or at least remain stable.
I think a lot of what people judge is based on surface characteristics that are dominated by confidence or by physical presence, rather than the more substantive issues. ‘
stephen for some new news
Russia might be pursuing space nukes, Catholic Americans celebrated two very different holidays today, and the former president is desperate for affection.
Again I say, the best way to deal with Biden’s age issue is to promote Kamala and get voters comfortable with her succeeding him if needed. With her strong focus on abortion and voting rights they have gotten her numbers up in the party base, but things are still problematic with swing voters.
“During my four years nothing happened. And there was great pressure on me having to do with guns. We did nothing. We didn’t yield”
The other day I brought up pondering thought regarding President Biden retiring. This morning I have a similar thought about sfb stroking out, or heart failure or just plain off the cliff crazy so bad he does not know who he is or what side of the ground is under him. Although there is the obvious candidate still running, Haley, I tend to think she is unelectable, female and not snow white and second generation. So who in that big swamp full of magats could step in and win the magat vote and then the general election? I am sure the former r’s like Romney are not interested in the battle, plus the magats hate him. Cheney has the same issue, plus the gender thing. None of the magats, Cruz as an example, could get anywhere.
This year comes down to two old men, one is healthy and knows where he is, the other is fat and unhealthy and has to be carefully told where he is and he does not believe it. Both are on the steepening down slope of the bell curve of life. Both have twenty years, at max, of life left. Any actuarial types would bet on a close end date rather than a long toss.
Donald Trump claimed he “purposely” meant to “interpose” the names of former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley during his Jan. 6 mix-up last month.
“It’s very hard to be sarcastic when I interpose. I’m not a Nicki fan and I’m not a Pelosi fan. And when I purposely interpose names they said, ‘He didn’t know Pelosi from Nikki from tricky Nikki, tricky Dicky,’” the former president said at a South Carolina rally Wednesday.
“I interpose and they make a big deal out of it. I said, ‘No, no, I think they both stink, they have something in common, they both stink.’ And remember this, when I make a statement like that about Nikki that means she will never be running for vice president.”
[…]
Critics on X were quick to mock the former president, pointing out that he didn’t accurately use the word “interpose.”
Donald Trump is expected to appear in Manhattan state court on Thursday morning for a hearing in his hush-money criminal case involving the adult film star Stormy Daniels and the playboy model Karen McDougal.
The judge, Juan Merchan, is expected to announce his decision on several issues, including the former US president’s motion to throw out the case.
Merchan is also expected to announce whether Trump’s trial will start on 25 March. Should Trump’s trial begin on this date, it would be the first of four criminal cases against him to go before a jury.
[…]
Trump was charged in April with 34 counts related to the alleged falsification of business records as part of a purported scheme to cover up extramarital affairs. This conspiracy, in turn, was meant to influence the 2016 election, prosecutors said.
Trump’s indictment marked the first time in US history that a former president was charged with a crime. He has pleaded not guilty.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office has accused Trump of trying to sway the presidential race “by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendant’s electoral prospects”.
[…]
The charge Trump faces, falsifying business records, is a class E felony, carrying a maximum prison sentence of four years. The hush-money case is a state prosecution, not federal, so Trump would not be able to pardon himself if he won the presidency in 2024.
[continues]
Well, let me … interpose … this between comments about the old and just plain stupid candidates we are going to choose between in November…
The West Virginia legislature, in its annual 2 month exercise proving that when you don’t pay people who make your laws you get what you pay for. The two bills being featured on the morning news here are:
– The “Women’s Bill of Rights” Act – A bill meant to protect girls and women from the transgender community, which passed the House of Delegates on Valentine’s Day. Isn’t that sweet?
This law explains what “man” and “woman” mean. It also talks about single-gender places like bathrooms and locker rooms. Kathie Hess Crouse from Putnam led the effort. She thinks it’s important to define sex to stop unfair treatment.
After an hour of talking, the bill passed with 87 votes for and 12 against. The state Senate will look at it next. Governor Jim Justice and activist Riley Gaines support House Bill 5243. The bill mainly explains what it means to be “female” and “male”, “men” and “women”, and “girls” and “boys”. These meanings will be used in all places where state law is enforced. WV News
– A new law is being considered that would let teachers carry guns in school. They would be known as protection officers. The House of Delegates has to make the final decision.
Delegate Scot Heckert mentioned that places without someone to protect kids are a risk.
The House Judiciary Committee decided to move the bill forward. There was clear pushback from a group called Moms Demand Action. This group, known for wearing red shirts, tries to find safer ways to protect people from gun violence.
If House Bill 4299 passes, teachers and other school staff might carry hidden guns or Tasers. They would only do this if they volunteered to be school resource officers. WV News
of course i guess it escapes them that, at least in East Bumbuck and the surrounding areas we have what are referred to as School Resource Officers, who drive marked police cars, wear police uniforms and carry tasers and pistols at all time … BECAUSE THEY ARE POLICE OFFICERS.
– And a bonus bill – of course it’s a bill to further restrict abortion access.
The state Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would require patients seeking an abortion procedure to provide “voluntary and informed” consent.
Although the state effectively banned abortion in September 2022, Senate Bill 352 would require medical professionals to provide patients with a host of specific information before the patient can agree to undergo the procedure.
Consent to an abortion would be considered voluntary and informed “if, and only if” the licensed medical professional does the following:
Informs the patient of the medical risks associated with the particular abortion procedure, including the risks of infection, hemorrhage, danger to subsequent pregnancies, infertility and reversal.
Informs the patient of the medical risks associated with carrying her child to term.
Informs the patient of the opportunity to view an ultrasound. WV News
How much fun is this? Welcome to WV – you’re as free as we say you are.
you’re as free as we say you are
Pogo, that’s a bumper sticker!
British joke:
This lady calls her friend about her little dog no longer coming when she whistles. The friend says the dog must have hair in its ears and she should go to the pharmacist and get a hair remover, a depilatory. So the lady goes to the pharmacist and asks for the product, The pharmacist asks where it for, because it’s caustic. “If you put it on your legs or face you can’t leave it on long cause it will burn .” The lady tells him, Well actually, it’s for my Schnauzer.”
The pharmacist thinks a minute and says, “In that case you better not ride your bicycle for a couple of days.”
Judge sets Trump’s New York hush money trial for March — his first criminal trial
Imagine how stupid Americans look to the rest the world, having a shooting at the victory parade for the “World’s Most-Watched Sporting Event “ and still doing nothing about it
“Police searching for answers after deadly shooting”
…what happens when you let every dumb —————- and their brother have a gun, there’s your answer
Also, we need more cops to stand around with their thumbs up their asses while unarmed civilians apprehend shooting suspects #backtheblue
i think you have to fail an IQ test to be a cop in this country
“For Bolton, Trump’s central doctrine with world affairs: No alliance is secure.”
“If he’s willing to knife NATO, then he’s willing to knife the relationship with Israel, with Japan, with South Korea,” he said. “There’s not a us alliance out there that safe with that kind of attitude.”
Oh, look at all the military gear we let our cops wear now, they look like Navy Seals
One of the shooting suspects was apprehended by two civilians wearing t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers
Did you know they sell new trucks in the US with gun safes in them?
Can you guess how many thieves with a crowbar that stops?
ok ✌️ i guess
Bink… you’re on a great roll this morning…
and for those of you who weren’t impressed with Jon Stewart’s first day back at his old job… I read somewhere… sorry, can’t remember where (I must be getting old) that Mary Trump was pissed off at him over his “both sides” stuff.
Former NATO Commander Wesley Clark ACCUSES Trump of treason
Here’s Dr. Mary from her substack:
“In what universe is Donald vibrant, productive or capable?? And this statement wasn’t even tongue-in-cheek. Stewart was making a straight-up comparison.
There are no excuses here. Stewart knows who Donald is.
Donald isn’t vibrant. He is compulsive and unhinged.
Donald isn’t productive. He is inept.
Donald isn’t capable. He is a disaster.
Let me be clear: it’s not the comedy that’s the problem—especially since it’s not clear Stewart was even trying to be funny. I don’t even care that he brought up President Biden’s age… The fact of the matter is, Bidenis old. It’s absurd to pretend otherwise, so, let’s just own it. It’s that Stewart is pretending, for what possible reason I can’t fathom given his stated politics, that Donald can be favorably compared to President Biden by any metric. This is a serious question: What possible purpose does that serve, especially since it is completely wrong?“
Trump’s NY election fraud trial is already going badly for him. Today the judge denied motion to dismiss, refused to postpone March 25 trial date and ended with the judge reprimanding his lawyers, threatening them with sanctions. After a prosecutor alerted the judge that gus attorneys had failed to turn over important exhibits during discovery, the judge made it clear that he would not tolerate such behavior: “There could be sanctions for failure to comply,m”
Too bad his trial calendar may interfere with his “job.” That happens to a lot of indicted folks, some of whom eventually get acquitted. In the meantime, they’re put out of work. Welcome to the real world, Citizen Trump.
Jury duty also interferes with your job. That’s why it’s called duty.
The first-ever criminal trial of a former president is happening.
When Trump’s lawyer objected today that a trial would interfere with campaigning for president, the judge asked, “What’s your legal argument?”
Answer: “That’s my legal argument”.
Judge Merchan: “That’s not a legal argument. See you on March 25”
Judge also quoted Trump’s own words bragging about how the criminal cases were helping his campaign, noting that those public statements undercut his request in court to postpone the trial because it harms his campaign.
And tomorrow he probably loses his business and at least a quarter of a billion dollars. Not a good week for Pumpkin.
David Horsey’s Memory or menace? | The Seattle Times
good points made last night from guys that might know a thing or two. here’re excerpts from
Experts describe what happens to our brains and memories as we age | PBS NewsHour
stephen for some new news
Russia might be pursuing space nukes, Catholic Americans celebrated two very different holidays today, and the former president is desperate for affection.
Again I say, the best way to deal with Biden’s age issue is to promote Kamala and get voters comfortable with her succeeding him if needed. With her strong focus on abortion and voting rights they have gotten her numbers up in the party base, but things are still problematic with swing voters.
Yes.
Now might be a fitting time to remember what Trump told the NRA just one week ago:
The other day I brought up pondering thought regarding President Biden retiring. This morning I have a similar thought about sfb stroking out, or heart failure or just plain off the cliff crazy so bad he does not know who he is or what side of the ground is under him. Although there is the obvious candidate still running, Haley, I tend to think she is unelectable, female and not snow white and second generation. So who in that big swamp full of magats could step in and win the magat vote and then the general election? I am sure the former r’s like Romney are not interested in the battle, plus the magats hate him. Cheney has the same issue, plus the gender thing. None of the magats, Cruz as an example, could get anywhere.
This year comes down to two old men, one is healthy and knows where he is, the other is fat and unhealthy and has to be carefully told where he is and he does not believe it. Both are on the steepening down slope of the bell curve of life. Both have twenty years, at max, of life left. Any actuarial types would bet on a close end date rather than a long toss.
Trump’s Puzzling New Excuse For Pelosi-Haley Blunder Includes A Whole New Gaffe (yahoo.com)
Trump set to attend Stormy Daniels hush-money court hearing in New York | Donald Trump | The Guardian
Well, let me … interpose … this between comments about the old and just plain stupid candidates we are going to choose between in November…
The West Virginia legislature, in its annual 2 month exercise proving that when you don’t pay people who make your laws you get what you pay for. The two bills being featured on the morning news here are:
– The “Women’s Bill of Rights” Act – A bill meant to protect girls and women from the transgender community, which passed the House of Delegates on Valentine’s Day. Isn’t that sweet?
– A new law is being considered that would let teachers carry guns in school. They would be known as protection officers. The House of Delegates has to make the final decision.
of course i guess it escapes them that, at least in East Bumbuck and the surrounding areas we have what are referred to as School Resource Officers, who drive marked police cars, wear police uniforms and carry tasers and pistols at all time … BECAUSE THEY ARE POLICE OFFICERS.
– And a bonus bill – of course it’s a bill to further restrict abortion access.
How much fun is this? Welcome to WV – you’re as free as we say you are.
you’re as free as we say you are
Pogo, that’s a bumper sticker!
British joke:
This lady calls her friend about her little dog no longer coming when she whistles. The friend says the dog must have hair in its ears and she should go to the pharmacist and get a hair remover, a depilatory. So the lady goes to the pharmacist and asks for the product, The pharmacist asks where it for, because it’s caustic. “If you put it on your legs or face you can’t leave it on long cause it will burn .” The lady tells him, Well actually, it’s for my Schnauzer.”
The pharmacist thinks a minute and says, “In that case you better not ride your bicycle for a couple of days.”
Judge sets Trump’s New York hush money trial for March — his first criminal trial
https://www.axios.com/2024/02/15/trump-hush-money-trial-hearing-new-york
Imagine how stupid Americans look to the rest the world, having a shooting at the victory parade for the “World’s Most-Watched Sporting Event “ and still doing nothing about it
…what happens when you let every dumb —————- and their brother have a gun, there’s your answer
Also, we need more cops to stand around with their thumbs up their asses while unarmed civilians apprehend shooting suspects #backtheblue
i think you have to fail an IQ test to be a cop in this country
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-made-up-nato-story/
“For Bolton, Trump’s central doctrine with world affairs: No alliance is secure.”
“If he’s willing to knife NATO, then he’s willing to knife the relationship with Israel, with Japan, with South Korea,” he said. “There’s not a us alliance out there that safe with that kind of attitude.”
Oh, look at all the military gear we let our cops wear now, they look like Navy Seals
One of the shooting suspects was apprehended by two civilians wearing t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers
Did you know they sell new trucks in the US with gun safes in them?
Can you guess how many thieves with a crowbar that stops?
ok ✌️ i guess
Bink… you’re on a great roll this morning…
and for those of you who weren’t impressed with Jon Stewart’s first day back at his old job… I read somewhere… sorry, can’t remember where (I must be getting old) that Mary Trump was pissed off at him over his “both sides” stuff.
Former NATO Commander Wesley Clark ACCUSES Trump of treason
Here’s Dr. Mary from her substack:
Trump’s NY election fraud trial is already going badly for him. Today the judge denied motion to dismiss, refused to postpone March 25 trial date and ended with the judge reprimanding his lawyers, threatening them with sanctions. After a prosecutor alerted the judge that gus attorneys had failed to turn over important exhibits during discovery, the judge made it clear that he would not tolerate such behavior: “There could be sanctions for failure to comply,m”
Too bad his trial calendar may interfere with his “job.” That happens to a lot of indicted folks, some of whom eventually get acquitted. In the meantime, they’re put out of work. Welcome to the real world, Citizen Trump.
Jury duty also interferes with your job. That’s why it’s called duty.
The first-ever criminal trial of a former president is happening.
When Trump’s lawyer objected today that a trial would interfere with campaigning for president, the judge asked, “What’s your legal argument?”
Answer: “That’s my legal argument”.
Judge Merchan: “That’s not a legal argument. See you on March 25”
Judge also quoted Trump’s own words bragging about how the criminal cases were helping his campaign, noting that those public statements undercut his request in court to postpone the trial because it harms his campaign.
And tomorrow he probably loses his business and at least a quarter of a billion dollars. Not a good week for Pumpkin.
Pity, ain’t it?
👍🏻
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