Where are the Russian Sanctions...?

[Allandavid]

Perhaps one of my US friends could explain...

I understand that Trump signed into law a round of sanctions against Russia for their meddling in last year’s elections. Those sanctions were supposed to be enacted by October 1. Despite the fact that he and his best friend, Tillerson, were not in favour, is he not bound to enact those sanctions? Can anyone force him to act?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

Honestly? We don't care. We know it was a lie.

Forgive me...

 

[LoAmmi]

Honestly? We don't care. We know it was a lie.

Forgive me...

What was the lie? The question is if Trump colluded. Russia definitely attempted to influence the election with the likely goal of destabilizing the country and weakening us. They achieved that goal in my opinion and would have no matter who won.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

What was the lie? The question is if Trump colluded. Russia definitely attempted to influence the election with the likely goal of destabilizing the country and weakening us. They achieved that goal in my opinion and would have no matter who won.

They have always done so. The entire world takes part in our Presidential elections. Influencing us one way or another. Americans know this and ultimately do what they want to do when they get to the voting machine. There is no collusion. Trump won the electoral college. Why, because his team paid attention to that while the Democrats thought best to go after large areas with lots of people.

Forgive me...

 

[LoAmmi]

They have always done so. The entire world takes part in our Presidential elections. Influencing us one way or another. Americans know this and ultimately do what they want to do when they get to the voting machine. There is no collusion. Trump won the electoral college. Why, because his team paid attention to that while the Democrats thought best to go after large areas with lots of people.

Forgive me...

It's amazing to me that people are just so dismissive of this. Oh, Russia might have been behind the hacks of voting records and then targeted ads through social media to influence people? Yawn-o-rama.

Reminds me of how people just don't care that the Equifax breach was potentially the work of the Chinese government. 140 million plus people's information stolen? Who cares? Football is on!

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

As for the other question, no, we can't make him do something. Not really. Those "hoops" are set way too high for a reason.

That's because we have a system of checks and balances where he is one third of the system.

Law makers (Congress and the Senate)
Law arbitrators (Courts)
Law enforcement (Presidency)

Forgive me...

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

It's amazing to me that people are just so dismissive of this. Oh, Russia might have been behind the hacks of voting records and then targeted ads through social media to influence people? Yawn-o-rama.

Reminds me of how people just don't care that the Equifax breach was potentially the work of the Chinese government. 140 million plus people's information stolen? Who cares? Football is on!

High tolerances and filtering learned over time.

Forgive me...

 

[LoAmmi]

High tolerances and filtering learned over time.

Forgive me...

So, two pieces of information. In 2015, OPM was hacked revealing the personal information for people associated with the government including those with security clearances. Recently, Equifax was hacked revealing financial infomation for millions of Americans likely including people from the OPM hack. Both have evidence of Chinese involvement and both together could be used to compromise national security.

I'm constantly bothered by Trumps latest attempt to be upper-class twit of the year dominating the news cycle instead of this stuff which is very dangerous.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

So, two pieces of information. In 2015, OPM was hacked revealing the personal information for people associated with the government including those with security clearances. Recently, Equifax was hacked revealing financial infomation for millions of Americans likely including people from the OPM hack. Both have evidence of Chinese involvement and both together could be used to compromise national security.

I'm constantly bothered by Trumps latest attempt to be upper-class twit of the year dominating the news cycle instead of this stuff which is very dangerous.

He appears to be using his twitter account quite effectively if engendering an emotional response is what he's looking for...

Some of this passivity you see is from information overload, not being able to tell what is true and what is faked and a sheer exhaustion of the pace coupled with an inability to DO anything that would matter.

I do think we just narrowly missed another civil war.

Forgive me...

 

[LoAmmi]

He appears to be using his twitter account quite effectively if engendering an emotional response is what he's looking for...

Some of this passivity you see is from information overload, not being able to tell what is true and what is faked and a sheer exhaustion of the pace coupled with an inability to DO anything that would matter.

I do think we just narrowly missed another civil war.

Forgive me...

If Hillary had won there would have been civil war?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

If Hillary had won there would have been civil war?

I mean the riots that were going on...

While the Ferguson and Baltimore riots were going on everyone reached for their ammo.

Forgive me...

 

[Allandavid]

They have always done so. The entire world takes part in our Presidential elections. Influencing us one way or another. Americans know this and ultimately do what they want to do when they get to the voting machine. There is no collusion. Trump won the electoral college. Why, because his team paid attention to that while the Democrats thought best to go after large areas with lots of people.

Forgive me...

You’re missing the point...

The sanctions were approved, overwhelmingly by Congress. Trump did not exercise any veto, he signed them into law. One of the provisions was that they were to be enacted by October 1, nearly two weeks ago.

But his administration has failed to do so. Why?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

You’re missing the point...

The sanctions were approved, overwhelmingly by Congress. Trump did not exercise any veto, he signed them into law. One of the provisions was that they were to be enacted by October 1, nearly two weeks ago.

But his administration has failed to do so. Why?

Because he put it at the bottom of his stack.

Forgive me...

 

[Allandavid]

As for the other question, no, we can't make him do something. Not really. Those "hoops" are set way too high for a reason.

That's because we have a system of checks and balances where he is one third of the system.

Law makers (Congress and the Senate)
Law arbitrators (Courts)
Law enforcement (Presidency)

Forgive me...

All 3 ‘thirds’ agreed on the sanctions....

 

[Allandavid]

Because he put it at the bottom of his stack.

Forgive me...

But he has no right to. He (his administration) was required to enact those sanctions two weeks ago.

Why do you think he is bending over backwards to be so nice to Russia?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

Presidential prerogative is very wide. Presidents are basically "hands off" while in office.

Forgive me...

 

[LoAmmi]

I mean the riots that were going on...

While the Ferguson and Baltimore riots were going on everyone reached for their ammo.

Forgive me...

Why? Were you afraid you were going to be suddenly transported to either of those locations?

 

[LoAmmi]

But he has no right to. He (his administration) was required to enact those sanctions two weeks ago.

Why do you think he is bending over backwards to be so nice to Russia?

Something to consider. If a tape were released tomorrow where Trump and Putin directly talk about rigging the election, Trump loyalists wouldn't care. So, I doubt him not enforcing the law will matter to them.

 

[Allandavid]

Presidential prerogative is very wide. Presidents are basically "hands off" while in office.

Forgive me...

Why do you think he has so much energy to attack football players and mayors of storm-ravaged islands, but can’t organise his people to enact legislation that he signed? Why do you think that Twitter tirades have a higher priority than fulfilling legislative responsibilities?

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

But he has no right to. He (his administration) was required to enact those sanctions two weeks ago.

Why do you think he is bending over backwards to be so nice to Russia?

He does have the right.

Look, the last two years of the last administration had me thinking treason at some points. However, when you get down to the nuts and bolts of the Presidency he had the authority to make a deal with Iran.

I'm a cold war vet. De-escalation is tactical in nature.

Forgive me...