Progressive America

[Newt]

Get up, go out and vote. Get off the conspiracy theory websites and quit wining. Democrats are so bad even the Republicans are flailing away from Trump....Is that a conspiracy too? Really is bad when a party is falling apart and the best candidate they can put on the podium for there party won't concede the President after he loses. Like i said before good luck but statistics don't look good for Trump.

So sorry sonny that you haven't figured it out yet.
Pay attention. How many republican career politicians campaigned for Trump?
How many, Bush included, said they were voting for Hillary?
Hillary, has the crookedest public record of any Presidential candidate in my memory and I go back to Johnson vs Goldwater. Johnson was as crooked but it wasn't public record back then. The three networks, CBS, NBC, and ABC were all promoting liberal democrats back then.
MSNBC has Rev Sharpton, a known tax cheat, race baiter, and poverty pimp calling Trump the lowest human being on the the planet, as I type.
Juan Williams, a man who was fired by his on party, NPR, for calling terrorists, Islamic Terrorists, was on FOX last night calling Trump a racist hater.
Pabst, its understandable that you are so misinformed. You are young have a job and family and haven't had the time to keep up.
You have made so many ignorant assertions about Trump in your short time on the board. Open your mind and pay attention. You may end up like PM, but then again there is a good chance that you will see the light one day. Since
Trump is President, there will be many Muslim advisers to the President that will be seeking employment elsewhere. Hopefully Vallery Jarrett, policy maker for Obama, and Huma Abedin, policy adviser to Hillary, will be sent back to their home country where they can wear a Burka and walk behind their man for the rest of their lives. Judging by the way Muslims treat homosexuals they would probably be stoned before sundown of their first day.

[cris axtell/coal hill ken]

Were is PM? I wonder how long he'll stay on the floor in the fetal position crying.

[Newt]

Remember eight years ago when the MSM and Progressives were proclaiming the death of the Republican party.
Obama and Hillary bilaterally reconstructed it.
They beat up on White people until they finally came alive and said, I ain't taking it any longer.
Many democrats, rust belt citizens, uneducated and college graduates all said, I've had enough "change", I want a pay check in dollars.

Too late Hillary, after eight years of you guys pitting one group against another, it too late to preach togetherness six weeks prior to the election.
Even us old farts can remember six weeks ago.

[pabstman]

Wow, wasn't expecting that. I was wrong. They have complete control now. Lets see how it goes. I'll keep an open mind but truly hate this for the American public. Hopefully it works out. God Bless and good luck to all.

[bluemouse]

yeah the early exit polls did not tell the truth. Then came five o"clock and the working people when to the poles ooooops!

[Pine Lakes]

Wow, wasn't expecting that. I was wrong. They have complete control now. Lets see how it goes. I'll keep an open mind but truly hate this for the American public. Hopefully it works out. God Bless and good luck to all.

Can you explain to us in detail why you "truly hate this for the American public"? I want reasons founded on evidence, not how your bleeding heart feels.

While I'm excited to see some changes for America, I'm also watching with a very close "eye". The republicans will have control of all 3 houses and if they fail to accomplish anything then they will have no one else to blame. My message to Mr. Trump is to appoint people that respect the Constitution and to quickly work to mend some differences. There will never be a better time to sway a good portion of the inner city and union vote. Give these people the means(jobs) to provide for themselves and their families and the dems will have a hard time getting elected again. The urban vote is the only reason it's ever close to begin with and the liberal loud mouths will be phased out.

[Newt]

"Republicans have complete control of the government"

Why are you nervous? Were you anxious when the democrats, during the first two years of the Obama Presidency, had complete control?
Did a career bureaucrat /community organizer give you more confidence than a man who has built a business in this great country?
Did a career criminal, Hillary, spark more confidence?

Pabst, I'm curious, does your business depend on government contracts or subsidies?

Trump has promised to change tax laws so investors will bring back trillions of dollars to this country to invest infrastructure.
Already stocks in heavy equipment have started to rise. Investors believe in him because they know it takes heavy equipment to build roads and bridges.

Do you remember "TARP"? Do you remember Obama promising to spend that money on infrastructure, shovel ready jobs?
Did you see the list of recipients of that money. Betcha Hillary and Bill know where some it went.

I also noticed that firearms stock dropped yesterday. Hmmm? Wonder why? Think citizens have more confidence in Trump enforcing the laws that Obama or Hillary?

[pabstman]

My first concern is our carbon footprint. Trump doesn't believe in global warming....
Women have come very far in this country over the past 30 years...
We have freedom of speech and freedom of religion.... We will now have an even more divided country in my opinion. We will have more terrorism within our own country.
The frustrating thing to me is Trump said he likes single payer healthcare but Obama brought this to the table but to play politics the republicans said no.
We need healthcare reform, hopefully Trump adjust affordable care act and doesn't repeal it.
A wealthy business man with an ego problem is not what this country needs.
The divide between the rich and poor has become extreme and will now grow even further quicker.
I love this country and the opportunities people have to flourish in this country, but the problem isn't our subsidy programs for the poor its the lack of control of the wealthy. We as a country (middle class) fit the bill for the sick and poor.
Why do we have to fit the bill for the extreme rich? They dodge paying there fair share but there is no way for us (low to middle) class to dodge taxes. Maybe I'm missing something and please educate me.
We poor people are at the mercy of healthcare, insurance and big businesses. What protection do we have? Give us our TV's, lotto, Cigarettes, and fast food and we are happy but I say give us education.
I drove past a sign the other day after the election that read uncontested divorce $450.00 and thought where have we gone wrong in this country. We not only have fast food but hell fast divorce and cheap enough we the poor can afford it.
We have too many young children growing up in broken homes without mothers and fathers that aren't educated and can't think for there selves.
Lets turn on the tv and watch our new President elect stroll with his 3rd trophy wife and maybe he wont make fun of a women or mentally challenged person. I am proud to say I wasn't part of him being elected. Otherwise I accept it and will keep and open mind and hope that it turns out good for all Americans.

[Pine Lakes]

My first concern is our carbon footprint. Trump doesn't believe in global warming....
Everything about global warming has been proven a hoax. Look at the scientific evidence to see for yourself.
Women have come very far in this country over the past 30 years...
And they will continue to progress. Actually, their progress will compound when there are more jobs for all of us.
We have freedom of speech and freedom of religion.... We will now have an even more divided country in my opinion. We will have more terrorism within our own country.
This doesn't make any sense whatsoever. The Constitution will be followed much closer than it is currently. It's the rights and freedom for all Americans not just a specific race or gender. Stop with the white priveledge BS. Terrorism will be dealt with in the manner it should. They will be destroyed and more will be invested in detecting and preventing the acts of these cowards. You and your party's empathy towards them also empowers them.
The frustrating thing to me is Trump said he likes single payer healthcare but Obama brought this to the table but to play politics the republicans said no.
This is blatantly false and you need to do a little more research before you comment. Obamacare is a disaster and is weighted down by bureaucratic anchors that will be eliminated.
We need healthcare reform, hopefully Trump adjust affordable care act and doesn't repeal it.
It will be rid of as it should be.
A wealthy business man with an ego problem is not what this country needs.
It certainly didn't need a community organizer with ties to every socialist reformer known to man. You want to talk about ego, let's talk about Obama disregarding the checks and balances of our government. What this country doesn't need is a bunch of sheeple misinformed because they're too lazy to seek the truth for themselves.
The divide between the rich and poor has become extreme and will now grow even further quicker.
Based on what? Is this really Rachel Madow?
I love this country and the opportunities people have to flourish in this country, but the problem isn't our subsidy programs for the poor its the lack of control of the wealthy. We as a country (middle class) fit the bill for the sick and poor.
Once again you're sadly mistaken. The top 10% pay over 50% of the federal income tax collected.
Why do we have to fit the bill for the extreme rich? They dodge paying there fair share but there is no way for us (low to middle) class to dodge taxes. Maybe I'm missing something and please educate me.
Most, if not all of us are for a lower flat rate tax that eliminates loopholes. This is not the way of democrats. They like to empower and grow the federal government which is funded through tax dollars. This is why they increas taxes so readily and start by removing military funding.
We poor people are at the mercy of healthcare, insurance and big businesses. What protection do we have? Give us our TV's, lotto, Cigarettes, and fast food and we are happy but I say give us education.
This is ironic coming from you. Your party gives us things like common core and other federal programs that are wasteful and ineffective.
I drove past a sign the other day after the election that read uncontested divorce $450.00 and thought where have we gone wrong in this country. We not only have fast food but hell fast divorce and cheap enough we the poor can afford it.
Ding ding ding! Winner winner chicken dinner! You want to talk about poor education and broken homes. Leftist ideals and progressive government encourage this. Where else in the world can a woman be incentivized to earn money while having children out of wedlock. In fact, to marry would be to cut their ties with their providers. Their providers rob the working public via taxes and disperse those monies into programs like welfare, family planning, and many others that subjugate the recipients to their rule. Buying votes essentially.
We have too many young children growing up in broken homes without mothers and fathers that aren't educated and can't think for there selves.
What we have is too many adults that are liberal/progressive and want to distance themselves away from what made this country the greatest in human history. Read the Constitution. After to the Bible it's the greatest document ever written.
Lets turn on the tv and watch our new President elect stroll with his 3rd trophy wife and maybe he wont make fun of a women or mentally challenged person. I am proud to say I wasn't part of him being elected. Otherwise I accept it and will keep and open mind and hope that it turns out good for all Americans.
What you need to do is focus on is who the president elect appoints to important offices, not his wife. I promise you it will be the upstanding individuals deserving of such positions that respect and base their judgements off of the Constitution. That's more than can be said for Obama's appointees and who Hillary would have appointed. Stop drinking the koolaid and take your own advice. THINK FOR YOURSELF!

[Newt]

I suspect that Pabst is a Troll. Probably one of PM'S children or grandchildren. He talks in circles. The biggest problems as he indicates are the direct result of big government.

[pabstman]

Newt I'm not a troll and know just a few guys on here. Who is Pm anyways?
But Pine Lakes this is for you. Please read. How foolish could the American public be.

Insurgent Trump taps GOP insiders, lobbyists for transition

Getty
By ANDREW RESTUCCIA & ISAAC ARNSDORF & NANCY COOK | 11/11/2016 5:07 AM EST | Updated: 11/11/2016 5:07 AM EST
Donald Trump campaigned as an outsider who vowed to “drain the swamp” in Washington, but the president-elect’s transition team is packed with veterans of the GOP establishment, as well as with lobbyists for the fossil fuel, chemical, pharmaceutical and tobacco industries.
As Trump and his aides vet nominees for his Cabinet and lay out a first 100-day agenda, they are leaning heavily on the sort of DC insiders that the billionaire railed against on the campaign trail — people who cut their teeth working for Presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and former nominee Mitt Romney, as well as on the influence peddlers Trump accuses of ‘rigging’ the system against ordinary Americans.
One Republican lobbyist told POLITICO that the president-elect has no choice but to turn to GOP veterans with government experience to launch a new administration.
“Who else are you going to go to?” the lobbyist said. “Unless you get some used car salesman from Dubuque, Iowa, you go to policy people.”
To be sure, members of the transition team are not guaranteed jobs in the Trump administration — for now, they’ve been enlisted simply to assemble policy papers, vet potential nominees and develop road maps for governing. But their involvement makes it more difficult for the president-elect to portray himself as a political outsider — a development that at least some regard as positive.
“The fact that Donald Trump is reaching into the big pool of his party for some of the most highly qualified candidates is a good thing,” said one former Bush administration official. “It would be a huge mistake to not draw on that talent. I understand the campaign rhetoric. But if he’s not drawing from the Republican Party — and he’s obviously not drawing from the Democratic Party — where would he draw from?”
But some in the original band of insurgents are resentful. "The Bush crew is definitely trying to pretend that Trump’s win is not a direct repudiation of their failed administration," said one early supporter. "I’m surprised by the hypocrisy of the whole thing."
Top members of his transition team with ties to both Bushes include Kay Cole James, director of the Office of Personnel Management for the younger Bush; William Hagerty, an economic adviser to the elder Bush and player on Romney’s transition team; and Jamie Burke, a White House liaison to Health and Human Services for the younger Bush who also served on Romney’s transition.
There’s also Ado Machida, a top domestic policy aide to former Vice President Dick Cheney; David Bernhardt, Interior Department solicitor, and James F. Manning, a senior Education official, both for the younger Bush; and Ken Blackwell, undersecretary at Housing and Urban Development, and David Malpass, deputy assistant secretary of state, both for the elder Bush.
Former Bush officials are expected to find a place in Trump’s Cabinet too. Pamela Patenaude, a potential pick to lead Housing and Urban Development, was an assistant HUD secretary under the younger Bush; and Van Hipp Jr., a former deputy assistant Army secretary for the elder Bush, is seen as a leading candidate to be Army secretary.
William Evers, a possible pick for Education Secretary, worked at the younger Bush’s Education Department; Victoria Lipnic, a candidate for Labor Secretary, worked at his Labor Department; and Robert Grady, who served the elder Bush, is seen as a candidate to lead Interior, Energy, EPA or the Office of Management and Budget.
Trump’s transition team is also flush with lobbyists, raising questions about the president-elect’s promises to limit the influence of lobbyists in government.
During an October speech in Wisconsin, Trump vowed to “make our government honest once again.” He pledged to ask Congress to ban executive branch officials from lobbying the government for five years after they return to the private sector and to issue a similar five-year ban on former lawmakers and their staffs. He also proposed a lifetime ban on senior executive branch officials lobbying for foreign governments. And he said he would “close all the loopholes that former government officials use by labeling themselves consultants and advisers when we all know they are lobbyists.”
But his transition team includes lobbyists who represent powerful corporate interests, according to an organization chart obtained by POLITICO and lobby disclosure filings:
Cindy Hayden of tobacco giant, Altria, is in charge of Trump’s Homeland Security team.
J. Steven Hart, chairman of Williams & Jensen, is in charge of the Labor team. His clients include Visa, the American Council of Life Insurers, Anthem, Cheniere Energy, Coca-Cola, General Electric, PhRMA and United Airlines.
Michael McKenna of MWR Strategies, who is working on the Energy Department team, lobbies for Engie (formerly GDF Suez), Southern Company and Dow Chemical.
David Bernhardt of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck who leads the Interior Department team, lobbies for the Westlands Water District in central California and used to represent Freeport LNG and Rosemont Copper.
Michael Torrey, who has the Agriculture Department portfolio, has his own firm representing the American Beverage Association and the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau.
Mike Catanzaro of CGCN Group, lobbies for the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, a refining group, as well as Hess, Encana, Noble Energy and Devon Energy. Catanzaro is working on energy independence, along with Mike Ference, a lobbyist at the firm S-3 Group, representing Halliburton, Koch Industries and Marathon Oil.
Rolf Lundberg, who’s tasked with trade reform, worked at the Chamber of Commerce until 2013 and spun off his own lobbying firm representing Choice Hotels and the International Franchise Association.
Jim Carter, who oversees tax reform, is an in-house lobbyist for manufacturing company Emerson.
Transportation and infrastructure is being led by Martin Whitmer, the founder partner of lobbying firm Whitmer & Worrall who represents the American Association of Railroads, the National Asphalt Pavement Association and the Utilities Technology Council.
It is not known whether Trump will allow former lobbyists to serve in his administration -- instead of simply limiting what they do after leaving government. Unlike Trump, Hillary Clinton’s transition team banned lobbyists altogether and made staff sign a code of ethics requiring transition officials to recuse themselves from working on any issue on which they have lobbied in the past year.
A person close to Trump’s transition told POLITICO that he has not heard any discussion about limiting the role of lobbyists in Trump’s administration.
“When you lock lobbyists out, you’re really handcuffing yourself,” the person said. “It looks good on paper and it sounds good … But you’re cheating yourself and really limiting the talent pool.”
Indeed, even Obama had trouble keeping lobbyists out of government. The president issued several waivers permitting former lobbyists to work in his administration. Some Democrats privately acknowledge such limits are important symbolically, but are difficult to enforce.
“It is a big error to sweep with a broad brush when it comes to lobbyists,” said another former Bush administration official, “because some of the most seasoned and capable people able to responsibly pull the levers of government are among the lobbying ranks. To deprive yourself from that skill set is a mistake.”
Trump’s decision to rely on veterans of all stripes comes as a relief for many in the establishment.
“Look I don’t want his administration filled with Breitbart and Ann Coulter — those kind of folks,” said Peter Wehner, who served in the last three GOP administrations and who has been an outspoken Trump critic. “I hope for the sake of the country that he gets competent people in place who know how to run the government because he has no earthly idea what to do. I’m sure he’s in the process of figuring out that the presidency is not a reality television show.”
A Trump spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.

[Newt]

Sounds like the author of that article should have been Hillary's campaign manager since he has Trump figured out.
The same democrats tried to paint Trump and the republicans as women haters.

One republican woman, Kelly Anne Conway, outsmarted the entire MSM, the Clintons, as well as the Obamas.

Obama took the democrat party , in eight years, from dominance to a disaster. The MSM did everything possible to prop up the corrupt operation, to no avail. Remember? Seven years ago the left was spreading the word that republicans may as well give up. Republicans may never win another big election. Now the House, Senate, and Presidency are all republican. Not only that but the majority of governors and state representatives are now republican.
What happened. Maybe the electorate realized the MSM is not not honest and not their friend.

I would say that I'm surprised that you are still beating on Trump and supporting Obama and Hillary while their supporters are trying to burn down cities, but I'm not surprised at all.

MSM doing their job. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG6rNcsVOaA

[pabstman]

Newt I'm just stating the fact that people around Washington are seeing how the hypocrisy of our politics shine through. Doesn't matter to me what party they are considered. They all lie and deceive us we just have to realize the facts make our best judgment. When an entire campaign is built on breaking up the establishment and long term stale mate career politicians, then first few days of new President elect starts to fill positions of those kinds of people just starts my thoughts down the road of....here we go again. Like I said earlier I'm open minded and hope for the best.
The deregulation he speaks of worries me and how separate he will put his business interest from the Presidency is another topic....
On the good side of things he did say he would consider trying to keep 2 keys factors in place from the Affordable care act. Took that suggestion from Obama so maybe they can come up another type of Healthcare reform.

[Pine Lakes]

Pabstman, if the ideals you follow and decisions you make are based off of leftist articles like the one you posted from Politico, then there is no common ground that we can discuss this matter on. You are perverted by writers with an agenda. Maybe that agenda is convenient for you because if falls inline with your ideology. Hopefully this is not the case, but I suspect it is due to the fact that you posted it and accepted it as the truth.

Anyway, the article you posted has no factual base therefore is made up of opinion. We don't even know who he is appointing yet. Not a single person has accepted a position. From the rumors that are out there, I don't think there are any "establishment" republicans under consideration. The names I've seen bantered about are Clarke, Carson, Gowdy, Giuliani, and Gingrich. Gingrich has publicly stated that he would prefer to not be limited by an office and help in other ways. In my opinion, outside of Gingrich who actually isn't part of the establishment either, there isn't a single one. Newt is actually one that has rattled the establishment on numerous occasions and he is a good choice for Trump.

The Supreme Court Justices appointed will finally shift it back to the right where it belongs. Where decisions are based off of a non-perverted interpretation of the Constitution. The left wing nut jobs are ruining everything from the family to the economy, and are doing it deliberately with BS law. A monster of wastefulness and destruction fed by bad politics is what the democratic party has become. People are fed up with the empty promises and that's exactly why Trump is president.

If you're worried about deregulation then you are part of the problem anyway. The federal government under liberal guidance has become the proverbial 800lb gorilla on our back. It's expensive, ineffective, constrictive to its citizens, and overcomes state rights. That's not how our country is supposed to work. A republic if we can keep it......remember. Imagine the billions of dollars spent on the auto bailout, Iran deal, and the green energy scams used instead to help our fellow countrymen and women. Hell, we could build 2 walls across the Mexican border with those wasted monies.

[Newt]

If you believe that Newt Gingrich is an "insider" you haven't been keeping up. As Speaker of the house he helped republicans win control of Congress, with his "Contract with America" and passed a balanced budget, projected to control spending. Of course the democrat party and MSM gave Clinton the credit. How many projected balance budgets have the democrats passed when they had total control? Shortly after, the republicans turned on him as they have Trump, and forced him out. Newt proved that democrats and republicans could work together and accomplish something. We haven't had much cooperation since he left. Although both parties agreed that we should go to war with Saddam Hussien's Iraq.
Newt ran for President, won a couple of Primaries and again the MSM, including FOX,turned on him.
So no, Newt is not a political insider.
Senator Sessions has been there several years and has been one of the few to publicly criticize Obama's flaunting the rule of law and the US Constitution.

Pabst, perhaps you could list a few programs that Obama, Hillary, Reid, and Pelosi have instituted that have helped you and or the country?