…Huh?
To me, I reckon.
Putin didn’t quite say “meh” as he knows the destruction capabilities of Tomahawk cruise missles.
The “plan” I heard was lots of Tomahawk’s heading to Europe and then to Ukraine. And he’s (Putin) is messing around with drones over Germany, the Baltic States, etc… Teasing Article Five. Maybe those drones (even the Migs) trespassing ought to be shot down by stuff from Raytheon. If we can set aside nukes - Tomahawks are a very good offensive weapon.
I’m pretty sure that the Nobel Committee has already disqualified Trump from the running. Not just this year, but probably forever. It is my understanding (picked up from where, I do not know) that anybody who actively campaigns for the Nobel Peace Prize will ever get it. If true, that would disqualify Trump, no matter how many made-up disputes he claims to have resolved, and is blatting about in his quest for the Nobel Peace Prize.
When you look at past recipients—Malala Yousafzai, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Lech Walesa, Martin Luther King Jr.,—they didn’t campaign for the Peace Prize. They just did what they did, and were rewarded for their efforts. Undoubtedly, their winning of the Prize was a surprise to them.
Trump is none of the above. Stopping conflicts, no matter how make-believe, isn’t all there is to it. Leaving the world in a better place does, as the above demonstrates. Trump has left the world in a worse place, has resolved no conflicts, and is actively campaigning for the Peace Prize. If he has not yet been disqualified, he should be.
Okay. Last time I tried he had claimed stopping 7 wars/conflicts/feuds and even giving him credit for things like Pakistan -v- India was a stretch. Yet the DJT administration had some part in the Armenia -v- Azerbaijan agreements/cease fire/all friends now. Did DJT do anything? He couldn’t find them on the map.
So I would like to see the Nobel Peace Prize go to someone like you mentioned. Certainly not someone “campaigning” for it. He’s got Time’s MOTY locked up so let him enjoy that.
As for Putin’s Russia - it needs to be stopped. No more trespassing planes or drones or “accidentally” dragging anchors to tear up fiber optic cables. Shoot those (esp. those trespassing into NATO states) drones / planes down. Let Ukraine have more tactical ability and we’ll see what cruise missiles can do to the situation “on the ground”.
And you can bet that all those Time covers are framed and on display at every Trump golf club. But let’s face it, the MOTY is small potatoes compared to the Nobel Peace Prize.
This year, I cannot think of anybody who qualifies, based on what the Nobel committee is looking for, a la Yousafzai, Tutu, King Jr., et al. But I’m sure that the committee knows better than me, and that there is someone who fits the parameters and who is not Trump.
When are the Peace Prizes to be announced? I think it is in the fall of the year, but I’m not sure.
Soon! Can you wait a week? Next Friday October 10th. AFAIK, Taylor Swift is ahead of him in the running. It has to be someone/some group right? “This year, regrettably, nobody is for peace”
Thanks!
Gosh, Taylor Swift winning the Peace Prize would send Trump into a tizzy, wouldn’t it? “She’s like a pop-tart, just a girl singer, nothing special.”
Sure, but she managed to bring the world together on her “Eras” tour. Everybody, of every nationality and political persuasion, wanted a ticket to see the show. Yes, she brought the world together, political foes sat side-by-side at the show, and had fun. People of different persuasions getting together to enjoy the same thing.
Beat that, Trump. She attracted millions of all political stripes worldwide and made them get along with each other for at least two or three hours.
A worthy candidate. Good suggestion, @Coriolanus !
Entirely based on hearing her first this morning: BBC had some bit where they show (video of) two people speaking into boom mikes on BBC1 Radio. I was putting things away, and said to my wife, “That woman has a voice for radio” (generally meaning Vogue covers = zero) then I looked, and said, “Is that Taylor Swift?” and it was. Talking about music, not peace, yet I reckon she’s for peace. Then she can cop the PotY from Time. (ETA’d for Thanksgiving): November 23 do a concert in Beijing and 24th in Taipei.
Heh. I did radio for some years. On-air host, and all that. Great voice, but as some people said, I had the perfect face for radio. 
Because the one playing the “games” instead of “working for the people” is your fucking Republican president?
I had a friend who worked at the National Archives. I guess during Clinton-era, these shutdown/furloughs really suck. Not sure if they always get paid, yet as a tourist the Smithsonian is closed, Abe and Thomas may be visible and there’s nothing to see inside, same with the Washington Memorial. Get tear-gassed in Lafayette Park if Trump needs another bible shot, this time with his mug shot pose.
Unsure who Johnson is (I’ll assume Dem) yet he ought to know why this is so complicated.
If he’s a Republican then he wants a new Constitution. Lindsey would approve.
Note: while there have been furloughs in the past as they tried to stretch money out, there have only ever been 2 full-on shutdowns of the government in our history.
Guess who was President each time?
Did he get elected to two non-consecutive terms? Grover Cleveland.
I just recall these things sucking for people working or visiting DC. What does “full on” (I reckon off) mean? So DJT took the furloughs as far down as anyone? I reckon there’s further to go.
I was unaware of the simmering war between Azerbaijan and Albania, although the joke is based on Trump announcing that he’d resolved it (because he apparently doesn’t know the difference between Armenia and Albania).
DJT: I don’t like maps of places I don’t know
The nearly Azerbaijan president laughed so I reckon it was some (now furloughed) USA diplomats who had some hand in it. That’s some pretty dry humor all ‘round and good that Albany and Utica are now friends.
Choose any country, and any other country.
There was conflict in Togo, in 1986. Fairly important subregional trouble that spilled over into various countries, including Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal… not all directly related but a bunch of cross border alliances and enemies.
Does he know Togo from Tuvalu? Does he even know either exist?
I can place each of these on an unmarked map.
Trump - and here, this might not be entirely his fault - US gegeographic general knowledge has widely been panned ever since I was a youngster reading National Geograhic’s children publication “World” in the 80s.
I’d be suprised if he even knows where Togo is. Nor Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Chad… I’d be impressed if he could even pronounce the names.
He has shown his disdain for “shithole countries”, which I personally, and without evidence, suggest is due to his innate incuriousity and an unhealthy dose of racism.
I mean, given an unmarked map, could he locate Puerto Rico? Name the contiguous states? Name their capitals?
I weep for the USA.
I believe you meant never.
Not to mention he is actively campaigning for war, both on foreign countries and his own.
Not just he. The magaflateathers en masse would freak. She has my vote!
I’m still stunned at that fucking stupid stunt. Isn’t that church private property? It’s also very near and dear to me. For the last four years my father was stationed at the Pentagon, we attended Saint John’s Episcopal Church and I was an acolyte there. One of the people tear-gassed during that disgrace, IIRC, was the assistant rector of Saint John’s.
He’s identifed in the post you quoted. Johnson is the Speaker of the House and is a Republican. Isn’t it iron a party calling itself republican is going all in to turn the country into a monarchy? What’s worse is they’re doing it for that felon.
He didn’t even fucking know he is Puerto Rico’s president!
I’ve posted this often while the felon’s been in office and I shall likely post it many more times until he’s out.
Cry, the beloved country!
My late compatriot, Alan Paton, would agree.
In other past administrations, things got close to shutdowns several times but the government was able to stay open through a series of measures to extend the time they had until there was no choice but to shut down. That included furloughs at times.
So, while the government never really formally ‘shut down’, some parts of it actually were slowed or stopped. These did not cause quite so much disruption because we never got close to defaulting on our obligations and the government did limit furloughs and other restrictions as much as possible.
Not so much this time. The government has formally shut down twice now, which is considerably more widespread and disruptive.
You might have guessed the late Mr Paton was one of my heroes.