Conspiracy Theories--Are you a Buff or are they Bunk?

[GB Warrior]

Wow, for something that isn't particularly nuanced, there are some nuanced takes on sexual indiscretions & obstruction of justice by presidents as a means to gain/keep power.

[Cheeks]

Is there another reason Trump would have paid Stormy Daniels $130K?

Yes.  Because it is easier and cheaper to pay than to go through an impossible defense of saying she is wrong.

I think her story is credible, but you know as well as anyone that people with a lot of money are extorted all the time and it is easier to write a check for some of them.  There are endless public examples that you or I can find.

[mu03eng]

Likely because there's little public interest, public knowledge or public figures involved in said program. The suicide of Jeff Epstein has all of the above by the truckload.

Certainly less public interest than Epstein, but let's put it this way, I've gotten phone calls from reporters at major media providers asking for comment on something they've heard so it's not nothing. You're point is well taken though.

Moreoever, the have killed Epstein or facilitated his suicide in custody would have required not only the involvement of operative types, but also "regular" people like jail officials, etc., the kind of people who are apt to have a few too many out on the town one night and spill the beans.

Not saying said conspiracies are impossible, just far less likely as some wish to believe.

I certainly agree with this, and I think the conspiracy(if it exists) would have to fall apart within the next 6 months because to your point it is huge undertaking. I think the compartmentalization of such an operation is possible but I agree it's a major risk....but given what it seems Epstein would have known, I just think it makes such an operation probable.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I think that maybe Horshak, Barbarino and Washington did it.

Oh wait ... I thought we were talkin' about Juan Epstein.

Epstein's mother?

[jesmu84]

Trump's one night stand with Story Daniels 10 years before he ran for president had the same effect on his election as Clinton's affairs from his years in Arkansas had on his - almost none.

What Clinton did with Monica Lewinsky is today text book sexual harassment - old, powerful man, young powerless woman in the workplace. Regardless, that's not what he was impeached for - I suggest you read the articles of impeachment. Among other things, lying under oath to a grand jury is serious stuff.

You're correct, of course.

And that's on me for a poorly constructed sentence/attempt to convey my thoughts/intentions.

I'll stop at this point to prevent further discussion from anyone on this tangent.

[StillAWarrior]

As an example, I'm read in on a classified program of which there are at least 150 people read in on it as well.....I have never even seen a whiff of the program out in the world despite the secret being known by a large group of people.

Certainly less public interest than Epstein, but let's put it this way, I've gotten phone calls from reporters at major media providers asking for comment on something they've heard so it's not nothing. You're point is well taken though.

I get what you're saying...but that sounds like a "whiff" to me.  They've heard something; they've the name of at least one person who knows about it; and they're making calls.

[Lennys Tap]

Is there another reason Trump would have paid Stormy Daniels $130K?

Not to me.

[MU82]

I'm certain that the conspiracy to kill Epstein was cooked up in the Comet Ping Pong pizza parlor. They just had to push aside all the children who were being sex-trafficked so they could get to planning Eppie's demise.

[Cheeks]

I'm certain that the conspiracy to kill Epstein was cooked up in the Comet Ping Pong pizza parlor. They just had to push aside all the children who were being sex-trafficked so they could get to planning Eppie's demise.

That, or GW and Dick Cheney cooked it up as part of their 9/11 inside job efforts in conjunction with the Russians, and the hanging Chads (great band name) in Florida.

[Galway Eagle]

That, or GW and Dick Cheney cooked it up as part of their 9/11 inside job efforts in conjunction with the Russians, and the hanging Chads (great band name) in Florida.

A quick Spotify search revealed some thrash metal band named themselves that.

[mu03eng]

I get what you're saying...but that sounds like a "whiff" to me.  They've heard something; they've the name of at least one person who knows about it; and they're making calls.

Very fair. Didn't think of it that way, so yeah it's a less robust point now 😁

[Hards Alumni]

Trump's one night stand with Story Daniels 10 years before he ran for president had the same effect on his election as Clinton's affairs from his years in Arkansas had on his - almost none.

What Clinton did with Monica Lewinsky is today text book sexual harassment - old, powerful man, young powerless woman in the workplace. Regardless, that's not what he was impeached for - I suggest you read the articles of impeachment. Among other things, lying under oath to a grand jury is serious stuff.

Here is the rub though, our current POTUS and his administration do not respect the rule of law and have been non compliant.  Enforcement of rules, checks, and balances in our coequal branches of government are nonexistent because there is no mechanism or there is no real punishment for noncompliance.

[Cheeks]

Here is the rub though, our current POTUS and his administration do not respect the rule of law and have been non compliant.  Enforcement of rules, checks, and balances in our coequal branches of government are nonexistent because there is no mechanism or there is no real punishment for noncompliance.

Did the last POTUS respect the rule of law? My guess is both sides can find ample examples when they did not. Do you disagree?

[Hards Alumni]

Did the last POTUS respect the rule of law? My guess is both sides can find ample examples when they did not. Do you disagree?

This is clearly a false equivalency you're trying to create, but we've handed too many powers to the executive for decades.  This POTUS and his crew are just taking it to an entirely different level.

[Jay Bee]

Here is the rub though, our current POTUS and his administration do not respect the rule of law and have been non compliant. 

^^^^^ ban dis guy

[Cheeks]

This is clearly a false equivalency you're trying to create, but we've handed too many powers to the executive for decades.  This POTUS and his crew are just taking it to an entirely different level.

Hmm, ok.  If you say so, but seems often the other side says something similar about the other whenever they are not in power.  As for the power of the executive, much like you can find Supreme Court justices at opposite sides of the same argument, or 500 economists on opposite sides, you can also find political scientists that agree or disagree with your statement(s) on the power of the Executive.

[Hards Alumni]

Hmm, ok.  If you say so, but seems often the other side says something similar about the other whenever they are not in power.  As for the power of the executive, much like you can find Supreme Court justices at opposite sides of the same argument, or 500 economists on opposite sides, you can also find political scientists that agree or disagree with your statement(s) on the power of the Executive.

Please find me a single political scientist that says the Executive branch has gotten weaker since the 1930's... Hell, I'd go back to the framers.  I'd love to see it.  I'm salivating at the thought of someone with national credentials attempting to make such a foolish argument.  The absolute career suicide would be legendary.  But I guess in the current political climate, that person would probably be given a cabinet post or an ambassadorship.

Article II, Section 1 establishes that the president has the power to run the executive branch of the government. This section, later modified by Amendments XII and XXV, outlines who is eligible to serve as president, establishes the Electoral College (the means by which the president and vice president are elected), and authorizes Congress to determine who will replace the president and vice president should they be unable to serve during their term of office.

POSSIBLY the only time the executive was weakened was when the XXII amendment was ratified... and that was to establish term limits.

Article II, Section 2 establishes the president as the head of the military, and allows him to establish executive agencies, gives the president pardon power, and allows the president to make treaties with other countries (with senate approval of course).  It also allows the president to appoint his cabinet, various officials, and ambassadors....  which need senate approval (Guess who this doesn't seem to be a important detail for?).

Article II, Section 3 states that the president must give a state of the union... in seriously any form.

Article II, Section 4 is just the impeachment/removal from office wording.

That is what the President's job was day one.  If you think that is all the President does these days, I have a bridge to sell you.