Trump met Putin without staff or note takers present — again

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

https://www.vox.com/2019/1/29/18202515/trump-putin-russia-g20-ft-note

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I really hope Mueller has this guys phones tapped.

[Green Line]

Detain Melania until we figure out what she knows.

[Nyvin]

We'll have to spy on the Russians to figure out what the President said....it's almost comical if it weren't terrifying.

[Santander]

You generally don't record conversations with your boss, yes.

[Stranger in a strange land]

The pee tape is real.

[PSOL]

You know, I really wanna know if our security forces has a plan when someone leaks our nuclear capabilities or codes. Seems like such a thing is urgent right now, considering the security risks.

[GP270watch]

 How could Trump be a Russian patsy and also be allowed to be President for 2 years? This is the part that does not add up. He seems obviously compromised but would US intelligence agencies and government officials really allow a President who was compromised to govern and to be trusted with national security secrets for this long?

[PSOL]

How could Trump be a Russian patsy and also be allowed to be President for 2 years? This is the part that does not add up. He seems obviously compromised but would US intelligence agencies and government officials really allow a President who was compromised to govern and to be trusted with national security secrets for this long?

They care more about their jobs and status than their country.

[Crumpets]

How could Trump be a Russian patsy and also be allowed to be President for 2 years? This is the part that does not add up. He seems obviously compromised but would US intelligence agencies and government officials really allow a President who was compromised to govern and to be trusted with national security secrets for this long?

What other choice do they have? The intelligence community can't exactly conduct a coup and install James Clapper as President.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

How could Trump be a Russian patsy and also be allowed to be President for 2 years? This is the part that does not add up. He seems obviously compromised but would US intelligence agencies and government officials really allow a President who was compromised to govern and to be trusted with national security secrets for this long?

A coup would be even more damaging. And it's not a binary thing. If Trump is not secretly FSB Colonel Trumpov, that doesn't mean he's acting in America's interests.

He could be compromised - blackmailed over recent or past dealings.

He could be afraid he's compromised, and is trying to curry favor or wheedle information.

He could be a stupid, greedy SOB who is selling out his country for promises of a hotel deal and bribes.

He could be a scared white-collar crook, making sure he does right by his ewually crooked "friends".

Or maybe he's just a useful and easily manipulated idiot.

In any case, "he can't be a Russian agent because if he was he wouldn't be president" is circular reasoning. He is President because the GOP values power more tha  anything else. Russian connections aside, Trump is both grossly unfit and actively works against America's interests both at home and abroad. He might as well be a Russian agent, because he is slowly killing our institutions, like a radioactive poison. We ought to call him Trumpolonium.

[GP270watch]

In any case, "he can't be a Russian agent because if he was he wouldn't be president"

 I'm not saying that. I think it seems pretty obvious and in plain site that's he compromised by Russia. So I'm wondering what the hell is going on behind the scenes? Outside of Republican leadership there are other members of government who are pretty independent. Intelligence agencies for instance run their own plans and objectives no matter who the President is, so I wonder how they are dealing with somebody like Trump?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

In any case, "he can't be a Russian agent because if he was he wouldn't be president"

 I'm not saying that. I think it seems pretty obvious and in plain site that's he compromised by Russia. So I'm wondering what the hell is going on behind the scenes? Outside of Republican leadership there are other members of government who are pretty independent. Intelligence agencies for instance run their own plans and objectives no matter who the President is, so I wonder how they are dealing with somebody like Trump?

Quietly reassuring allies. Occassionally speaking out publicly. Working around him, as you do with any bad management. And trusting that a meticulous investigation by a respected and relatively non-partisan figure will help resolve the situation.


What more can they do? Openly breaking our more or less democratic system of government is going to do even more damage than Trumpolini himself. Doing more than they are risks turning "the Deep State is out to get me!" from fantasy to plausible.

It's got to be pretty shocking to them how completely the GOP has turned. Up until three years ago, the assumption was doubtless that Congress would be a check on compromised President.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

How could Trump be a Russian patsy and also be allowed to be President for 2 years? This is the part that does not add up. He seems obviously compromised but would US intelligence agencies and government officials really allow a President who was compromised to govern and to be trusted with national security secrets for this long?

They care more about their jobs and status than their country.

Ultimately, we are aligned more by class than by nationality, so these folks are aligned with the classiest human being around.

[Badger]

How could Trump be a Russian patsy and also be allowed to be President for 2 years? This is the part that does not add up. He seems obviously compromised but would US intelligence agencies and government officials really allow a President who was compromised to govern and to be trusted with national security secrets for this long?

They care more about their jobs and status than their country.

Ultimately, we are aligned more by class than by nationality, so these folks are aligned with the classiest human being around.

Morgan Freeman?

[ProudModerate2]

We'll have to spy on the Russians to figure out what the President said....it's almost comical if it weren't terrifying.