THIS---is just one example of the abject STUPIDITY of much of what passes for "political

[Atticus]

discussion" recently:

The White House's own version of Trump's "quid pro quo" phone conversation with Ukrainian president Zelensky states---ON THE FIRST PAGE---------

"CAUTION: A memorandum of a telephone conversation (TELCON) is not a verbatim transcript of a conversation."

But, since Trump repeatedly refers to the document as "a word for word, comma for comma verbatim transcript" of his "perfect" phone call, we are seeing numerous panel discussions on TV concerning WHETHER the "transcript" is in fact an accurate verbatim transcript as Trump says every time he gets near a microphone.

If Trump announces tomorrow that that was not him speaking on the Access Hollywood tape, should we "discuss" that nonsense also?

[malaise]

1. Atticus

I have serious doubts whether the Con can define verb let alone verbatim - he is the master of unmatched ignorance not wisdom.

[erpowers]

2. A Problem With the Current News Media

That is what some people think is a problem with the current state of the news media. The desire to give both sides of an issue instead of just saying one side is inaccurate. There are many who would like for the news media to stop putting out both sides of an issue and just state when one side is being inaccurate. It is believed that the news media puts out both sides of an issue in order to shield against charges of bias.

[unblock]

3. the media's bothsiderism is decidedly one-sided.

they always put the right-wing view in so they can't be accused of left-wing bias.

but they often seem quite unworried about being accused of right-wing bias and have no problem being relentlessly negative about democrats or positive about republicans without any balance.

their hugely unbalanced coverage of donnie and hillary in 2016 is merely the most obvious example.

[unblock]

4. yes the state of political discourse is horrendous, and it affects even ordinary interactions.

i recently had a conversation with an otherwise intelligent and informed person about various political matters, and it was really depressing. he retired at 40, having made millions at a hedge fund. he understanding finance and the economy.

yet, he parrots the same fact-free ideology of about a rising tide lifts all boats so the best way to help poor people is to give a tax cut to rich people so they can boost the economy.

so infuriating. the last several decades have been an obvious case study in how a rising tide can raise all yachts while leaving the rest of us to drown. it's never been better to be a billionaire, yet most ordinary people have seen wages stagnate while cost of living has increased.

moreover, he knows damn well that we're in a credit bubble and businesses and rich people are awash in cash and easy credit. whatever ails the economy now, it's most certainly not that rich people don't enough cash to invest.

he *knows* this too, an his current investment mix reflects this, because he can see what's going on in the economy. but he can't carry that thinking over to his attitudes about policy....

[pecosbob]

5. I don't forget when folks lie to me

Life's too short to waste time listening to liars, thieves and grifters.

I've shaken the hand of two presidents and refused to shake that of a third when it was offered. That cost me a promotion and helped me decide to leave the military. I'd been around the world more than once by that time and had learned the difference between being rained on and being pissed on. The recent political weather has made it pretty easy to see who is willing to jump the shark for the criminals in our White House.