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[smjjames]

Least it wasn't Clinton around to remove him from office, he'd probably be mysteriously killed by now.

Yeah... I'm not sure whether you should take your meds or stop taking your meds.

(ETA: ditto as per Lord Shonus.)

He said he was joking around.

Least it wasn't Clinton around to remove him from office, he'd probably be mysteriously killed by now.

You actually believe that idiotic and thoroughly debunked conspiracy theory that has absolutely no basis in fact whatsoever? I find it difficult to believe anybody that stupid could manage to use a computer.

I'm obviously joking about that last part, please, this is a classy place, there is no need for personal attacks.

edit: Half expected replies between the previous and this post.

[Neonivek]

Holy shit.  During a massive active investigation.

What the actual fuck.  I bet he'll lose half a percentage point on his Republican approval rating that's how bad this is.

Trump will probably get a bit of a boost from both parties since Comey isn't real popular with either.

Now we are going to have to REALLY watch who is picked to replace him because of the all too obvious massive conflict of interest right there.

I think we know that Conflict of interest is Trump's MO far more then "He actually deserved to be fired" (actually I find it odd he was fired in the first place... Given well... Collusion)

[smjjames]

Holy shit.  During a massive active investigation.

What the actual fuck.  I bet he'll lose half a percentage point on his Republican approval rating that's how bad this is.

Trump will probably get a bit of a boost from both parties since Comey isn't real popular with either.

Now we are going to have to REALLY watch who is picked to replace him because of the all too obvious massive conflict of interest right there.

I think we know that Conflict of interest is Trump's MO far more then "He actually deserved to be fired" (actually I find it odd he was fired in the first place... Given well... Collusion)

Hm, CNN mentioned Nixon, BUUUT, lets see where this goes. Definetly not usual for a President to fire a FBI director, especially when they're in the middle of investigating something the WH did.....

[Starver]

He said he was joking around.

Yes, and I find myself with the same response as I discovered LS had to make.

If that was intended as a joke, then I apologize. I see too much conspiracy bullshit seeping into public discourse not to attack it whenever I see it.

Poe's Law clearly applies.

[EnigmaticHat]

Out of everything that has happened in the Trump presidency thus far, this is the most historic I'd say.  The understaffed white house is historically unusual but that's more of a prelude to maybe something happening the future.  The healthcare repeal would have been significant if it went through but it didn't.  But this... its not analogous to anything else I think.  Its not Watergate, because while he did just fire someone actively investigating him (way more highly placed than the official fired in Watergate), this guy actually deserved to be fired and would have been under anyone else.  A closer analogy to me is the revelation that J. Edgar Hoover blackmailed presidents.  But that whole scandal made very few outwardly visible waves.  Comey... Comey may have actually decided who the president is.  Opinion polls demonstrably tanked for Clinton when people heard about the reopened investigation, presumably afraid it would turn something up and they'd have buyers remorse.  Now we learn a core fact used to justify reopening the investigation was a lie.  Holy shit.

I don't know what's going to happen here, to be honest.  All of recent history with the cabinet appointments and the senate investigations subcomittee suggests that Trump is going to try and put a personal supporter into the position and it might work.  Maybe it doesn't and we get a headless FBI.  What's going to happen to the investigation, what's going to happen to the FBI?  What has the investigation even found?  Things are happening so quickly and this is so unheard of.  We're steering rudderless into unknown waters.

Edit: Also, Comey's name is mud and everyone is questioning him.  If he abused his power in any other ways, we're likely to hear about it in the coming weeks.  "We live in interesting times" someone who's a lot less frightened and angry than me would say.

[smjjames]

Apparently the official reason is the investigation into the clinton emails, or rather, his conduct.

Pretty sure this is what broke the proverbial camels back. A week ago he had told Congress that hundreds or thousands of emails had been linked to Huma, but it turns out that he had err'd and it was only a handfull or something.

@EnigmaticHat: I assume his deputy or whoever will be the acting director. I suppose the cleanest move for Trump would be to make that person the director. However, I agree with you that he heavily tends to hire supporters.

Due to the fact that the FBI is currently investigating Trump stuff, this is going to have a much harsher microscope than normal.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I sense the firing is going to be one of those "everyone agrees for entirely different reasons" moments. Perhaps diametrically opposed reasons, in fact.

(Meanwhile, Wikipedia has already been updated with the information, before half of the news-sites. Madness.)

The problem I have is that Trump typically only hires sycophants... so I WONDER what will happen to that FBI investigation.

I'm sure the matter be looked into very carefully! Although to be fair, I want to say any material related to the investigation would or could be freely available for some other agency to look into with all the Homeland Security-intended intelligence sharing laws in place and the freedom of information act.

That said, it might wind up getting picked up by ANOTHER lackey in the state department and they'll conclude 'Oh, it's not illegal to be friends with a Russian spymaster, come on guys' or something.

I'm curious as to who will be the new FBI director though

He said he was joking around.

Yes, and I find myself with the same response as I discovered LS had to make.

If that was intended as a joke, then I apologize. I see too much conspiracy bullshit seeping into public discourse not to attack it whenever I see it.

Poe's Law clearly applies.

Who is the real Hitler here now? I was dead serious about Clinton being a piece of shit though. Conspiracy shit I agree goes way out of hand. That 'death council' shit over Obamacare was a great example. I apologize if I seemed sincere, but this is a classy place with Dwarf Fortress playing people and I know conspiracy theories are not going to be believed without overcoming several internal [Citation Needed] type mental filters.

[smjjames]

He said he was joking around.

Yes, and I find myself with the same response as I discovered LS had to make.

If that was intended as a joke, then I apologize. I see too much conspiracy bullshit seeping into public discourse not to attack it whenever I see it.

Poe's Law clearly applies.

Who is the real Hitler here now? I was dead serious about Clinton being a piece of shit though. Conspiracy shit I agree goes way out of hand. That 'death council' shit over Obamacare was a great example. I apologize if I seemed sincere, but this is a classy place with Dwarf Fortress playing people and I know conspiracy theories are not going to be believed without overcoming several internal [Citation Needed] type mental filters.

Nobody is the real Hitler here now, and chill would you.

[wobbly]

You are right that nothing is that simple, but generally the government wants revenue spent where it came from. Some services benefit everyone, police, courts, national defense so everyone gets taxed for that.

Out of curiosity do you count the health system as 1 of those that benefits everyone? Besides anything else there's the economic cost of sick leave there. A bunch of other stuff.

[misko27]

First off, Rusty I seem to recall you saying at some point that you planned to steer clear of this thread so you wouldn't be banned for your "differing opinions". Am I to suppose that you've decided that's not really necessary anymore?

I've just been wondering about it as you involve yourself further in this thread. It seemed sort of strange to me.

[EnigmaticHat]

Apparently the official reason is the investigation into the clinton emails, or rather, his conduct.

Pretty sure this is what broke the proverbial camels back. A week ago he had told Congress that hundreds or thousands of emails had been linked to Huma, but it turns out that he had err'd and it was only a handfull or something.

@EnigmaticHat: I assume his deputy or whoever will be the acting director. I suppose the cleanest move for Trump would be to make that person the director. However, I agree with you that he heavily tends to hire supporters.

Due to the fact that the FBI is currently investigating Trump stuff, this is going to have a much harsher microscope than normal.

It'll, it'll be interesting that's for sure.  I don't even know who that guy is and suddenly he's one of the most important people in government.

Apparently its this guy.  He's in his late fourties, he's a Republican, and there's very little news or public history related to him it seems.  He was appointed to the position very recently but he's been with the FBI for over twenty years.  Literally Google is turning up a joke article about someone who received scam mail pretending to be from him, before anything else about him and none of it is interesting.  Does anyone here know who Andrew G McCabe is?

[Starver]

Poe, then Godwin.

(I'm temped to take bets on whether the next Law to be invoked is Moore's, Bushnell's, Seagal's, Segal's or Wheaton's.)

[Reelya]

Poe, then Godwin.

(I'm temped to take bets on whether the next Law to be invoked is Moore's, Bushnell's, Seagal's, Segal's or Wheaton's.)

Hey, if his differing opinion is that everyone else in the thread is Hitler who are we to judge him?

Also note that "who is the real Hitler now?" works on so many levels. By throwing that out completely blind you can Godwin someone else while also acting like a special snowflake who's merely defending themselves.

[Starver]

who are we to judge him?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Rusty Shackleford]

You are right that nothing is that simple, but generally the government wants revenue spent where it came from. Some services benefit everyone, police, courts, national defense so everyone gets taxed for that.

Out of curiosity do you count the health system as 1 of those that benefits everyone? Besides anything else there's the economic cost of sick leave there. A bunch of other stuff.

Yeah, but some people are decidedly less healthy than others. Its much more difficult to rationalize taxes going to healthcare than something like social security or unemployment even other minor welfare because it relieves the financial burden of a company from needing to offer retirement plans or severance packages to folks they lay off. Going from a health insurance model, where you get charged dependin on how healthy you are, to single payer where an individual who may not ever need medical care is paying a portion of his income to individuals that need expensive healthcare all the time.

First off, Rusty I seem to recall you saying at some point that you planned to steer clear of this thread so you wouldn't be banned for your "differing opinions". Am I to suppose that you've decided that's not really necessary anymore?

I've just been wondering about it as you involve yourself further in this thread. It seemed sort of strange to me.

Sorry, classic case of recidivism. I am strangely compelled to post here even though I mostly started a new account to discuss DF since I started playing it again. I feel that I have reformed over the years and will try to avoid playing devils advocate and other such activities that got me in trouble. Also most posters here are better debators than I and I realize the folly of taking a deliberately provocative position I don't even necessarily believe in.

Please remind me if I cross the line.