“ I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration”

[exchemist]

When we play cards, I sometimes let her win on purpose.

Does the report confirm/reinforce your bias?
Your attempt to deflect instead of answering the question seems to point to yes, if true then that is what you should probably focus/meditate on- why the story appeals to you.

"An unexamined life is not worth living"
-Plato

I consider it further evidence of the opinion I have formed of Trump. But to call that "bias" is an obvious attempt by you to belittle my views.

So this is not "deflection", on my part. It is pointing out to you that you are trying to manipulate me into conceding an irrational prejudice that justifies you in disregarding my opinion.

Now, speaking of deflection, what have you to say to my response in post 42? Do you not see that there are reasons why someone might take this report seriously?

 

[SkepticThinker]

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

Can you explain how invoking the 25th Amendment would be treasonous?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Take your blessings where you can.

Is this your message to refugees, to immigrant families, to communities of color, or to women fearing a broadscale asult on the rights?

Counting one's blessing is good so long as we do not confuse white male privilege with blessings.

 

[Stanyon]

I consider it further evidence of the opinion I have formed of Trump. But to call that "bias" is an obvious attempt by you to belittle my views.

So this is not "deflection", on my part. It is pointing out to you that you are trying to manipulate me into conceding an irrational prejudice that justifies you in disregarding my opinion.

Now, speaking of deflection, what have you to say to my response in post 42? Do you not see that there are reasons why someone might take this report seriously?

I am not trying to manipulate you into anything, I asked you a simple question.

Post 42:

I'd have thought what is not dubious about it is that the general tenor of it is amply corroborated, by not only Woodward's book and previous leaks and resignations, but by the conduct of Trump on Twitter, which we can all see for ourselves is self-absorbed, reckless, mendacious, shows no understanding of the separation of powers in the Constitution and is close to being unhinged. Also the way that many of the things Trump rashly says are not actually done by his administration. It gives an impression of adults trying to control an unruly child.

What you have said is your opinion which you admit in post #61 "I consider it further evidence of the opinion I have formed" tenor is not evidence much less general tenor, if tenor is a wide net cast, general tenor is an even wider cast net with even larger holes. In a sense you have answered my question as your general tenor suggests that yes it does confirm your bias.

 

[Revoltingest]

... the heck is a "lodestar"? Did they mangle "lodestone" and "North Star"?

International once made a "Loadstar" truck.
That must be it!

 

[Subduction Zone]

"Lodestar" is as I posted earlier an archaic term. But it is a term that Pence regularly uses. As a result there are multiple articles out there claiming that the writer of the oped is Pence:

What is a lodestar, the word from The New York Times Op-Ed people can't stop talking about?

One Word Has People Convinced Mike Pence Wrote Anonymous New York Times Op-Ed | HuffPost

Whether he is the author or not I am sure that Trump is giving Pence the old evil eye today.

 

[suncowiam]

Is this your message to refugees, to immigrant families, to communities of color, or to women fearing a broadscale asult on the rights?

Counting one's blessing is good so long as we do not confuse white male privilege with blessings.

Maybe I'm confusing what you're saying so let me back up a bit.

Summarize to me again what you are suggesting is the problem with the OP?

 

[exchemist]

I am not trying to manipulate you into anything, I asked you a simple question.

Post 42:


What you have said is your opinion which you admit in post #61 "I consider it further evidence of the opinion I have formed" tenor is not evidence much less general tenor, if tenor is a wide net cast, general tenor is an even wider cast net with even larger holes. In a sense you have answered my question as your general tenor suggests that yes it does confirm your bias.

No I'm a baritone. But I can sing tenor at a push, if I don't have to go above G and I can use falsetto.

 

[metis]

I don't think that the NYT would take a risk by making a fabricated story without substance or take it from someone who's not heavily involved in the administration one way or the other. If they are going to be this controversial, their very reputation as a paper is on the line.

 

[ecco]

How does one judge the credibility of the source?

If the source was John Kelly or Mike Pence or Jared Kushner or any other senior member of Trump's staff then the NYT would have accepted the "credibility of the source". It's been reported many times that members of his staff have referred to him in derogatory ways. This OpEd just goes a bit further and tries to reassure the masses that there are people who are stepping in to prevent the worst from happening.

It is both gutless and dangerous and serves, first and foremost, to mitigate the effects of an unstable individual in some instances while enabling the individual in all others. And just who chooses which issues or actions warrant interference? With what authority?

I agree that is troubling. But which is better, ignoring some of his more dangerous views or complying and maybe setting off a really bad chain of events?

Either Article 25 applies or not.

Perhaps at some point in time.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Summarize to me again what you are suggesting is the problem with the OP?

My problem with the OP is its anonymity.

My problem with the implication of the OP is that it claims a self-appointed, right-wing clique, accountable to no one, working in the shadows to render the Trump regime sustainable.

The over-all effect is to

• breath life into the "Deep State" rhetoric of the President, while
• insuring an increasingly draconian witch hunt within his administration.

 

[ecco]

ecco said: ↑​

What, specifically, do you find dubious?

The anonymous source of course, ...

Are you questioning that the source is really a Trump senior official or are you questioning the motives of the Trump senior official?

the timing is also a consideration with mid-terms right around the corner. It comes across as a cheap propaganda hit piece ...

So, you are suggesting that it is someone who wants to get rid of Trump. The person with the most to gain from Trump's ouster is Mike Pence who has stated it is his Godly calling to be President.

that will be retracted and apologized for later with much less fanfare than it's current reporting as fact- that is my gut feeling.

My gut feeling is that your gut feeling is wrong.

IF the story is true and correct, I would imagine that the rat will soon be uncovered...

IF the story is true and correct why use the term "rat"? IF the story is true and correct aren't you glad that someone is stepping in to prevent the worst of Trump's actions?

and I also imagine that are some laws regarding hindering and undermining the POTUS in his official duties.

Probably.

What do you not find dubious about this story?

In terms of what senior staff said about Trump (idiot etc) I'm not surprised at all. That's been mentioned many times.

Does the story/letter appeal to you?
In what ways does it appeal to you?

It's not about whether "the story" appeals to me. It's about whether the actions of staff to tamp down Trump's more egregious behavior appeals to me. To that I'd have to answer - I'm not sure. Part of me says let him do all his crazy $hit and if it really screws us, so be it.

 

[ecco]

I didn't vote for Trump. Get our your own hatred of things you don't like.

Trump called it treason. You said:
"Sounds like treason".

No hate involved. Just logic.

 

[metis]

My problem with the OP is its anonymity.

My problem with the implication of the OP is that it claims a self-appointed, right-wing clique, accountable to no one, working in the shadows to render the Trump regime sustainable.

The over-all effect is to

• breath life into the "Deep State" rhetoric of the President, while
• insuring an increasingly draconian witch hunt within his administration.

I agree that there are some rather nasty implications, but the reality is that nothing much is really new on this as there's been leaks galore even going back to the campaign. Needless to say, this guy is dangerous, and the report cited that even those who could invoke the 25th were worried about creating a constitutional crises.

We're in deep doo-doo, and I'm not exaggerating one iota. When you stick a thorn in the side of a lion, what comes next could be very nasty.

 

[suncowiam]

My problem with the OP is its anonymity.

My problem with the implication of the OP is that it claims a self-appointed, right-wing clique, accountable to no one, working in the shadows to render the Trump regime sustainable.

The over-all effect is to

• breath life into the "Deep State" rhetoric of the President, while
• insuring an increasingly draconian witch hunt within his administration.

I actually don't know what to fully think of this subject. I see both good and bad. I see your points but history has various aspects on it. From Anti-Nazi spies to Anti-American spies. I'm not comparing this to Hitler and the Nazis but isn't there some parallel to whistleblowing in this case? Some support it if it highlights the misdeeds of corporations, governments, organizations... Others want to respect the arbitrary rules of establishments. Again, I can't assert what is best in any general situation.

 

[sun rise]

Trump called it treason. You said:
"Sounds like treason".

No hate involved. Just logic.

Trump thinks he's like Putin and other autocrats and that disagreeing with him is treason and not to be put up with.

 

[ecco]

My problem with the OP is its anonymity.

My problem with the implication of the OP is that it claims a self-appointed, right-wing clique, accountable to no one, working in the shadows to render the Trump regime sustainable.

The over-all effect is to

• breath life into the "Deep State" rhetoric of the President, while
• insuring an increasingly draconian witch hunt within his administration.

When Trump talks about a Deep State, I don't think he is referring to "a self-appointed, right-wing clique".

But if it makes him even more paranoid - OK.
If it makes him give lie detector tests to his own staff (as suggested by Paul) - OK.

 

[Jumi]

The over-all effect is to

• breath life into the "Deep State" rhetoric of the President, while
• insuring an increasingly draconian witch hunt within his administration.

Yes, that it could be a "blessing in disguise" to him and his followers is what I've been thinking all along.

 

[metis]

If it makes him give lie detector tests to his own staff (as suggested by Paul) - OK.

And if he took a lie detector test the machine would blow up an entire city block.

 

[Stanyon]

It's not about whether "the story" appeals to me. It's about whether the actions of staff to tamp down Trump's more egregious behavior appeals to me. To that I'd have to answer - I'm not sure. Part of me says let him do all his crazy $hit and if it really screws us, so be it.

We already have a system in place to deal with that, we did away with kings years ago.

We have heard it all before, remember Fire&Fury? Seemed like a political potboiler and nightstand stroke book for some opposed to Trump.

A fact-checker's guide to Michael Wolff's 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' | PolitiFact

Don’t Let ‘Fire And Fury’ Normalize ‘Fake But Accurate’

Michael Wolff's 'Fire and Fury': Some of the facts just don't stack up