Jump to content
IGNORED

Mike Pence: Almost as bad as Trump but he might not get us killed


RoseWilder

Recommended Posts

this was quite long so did not read it all but am I the only one who found the story about how he was inspired to change religions a little...odd?

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skimmed the article, but I read enough that I wish he chose the priesthood. 

Oh and a new favorite phrase sycophant-in-chief.  Perfect description! 

Edited by WiseGirl
Spellcheck makes up words again
  • Upvote 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pence says US to stop funding 'ineffective' UN relief efforts

Quote

Vice President Pence on Wednesday said that President Trump has instructed the State Department to stop funding certain "ineffective" United Nations relief efforts and to instead provide humanitarian assistance directly through USAID and "faith-based groups."

In a speech at the In Defense of Christians annual Solidarity Dinner for Christians in the Middle East, Pence excoriated the U.N., saying the international body has "often failed to help the most vulnerable communities especially religious minorities." 

"We will no longer rely on the United Nations alone to assist persecuted Christians and minorities in the wake of genocide and the atrocities of terrorist groups," Pence said to applause.

"The United States will work hand in hand from this day forward with faith-based groups and private orgs to help those who are persecuted for their faith. This is the moment, now is the time, and America will support these people in their hour of need."

He did not specify what U.N. programs or initiatives the U.S. will no longer fund.

Those faith-based groups, Pence said, have repeatedly had funding requests denied by the U.N., despite "proven track records."

"Those days are over," Pence said. "Our fellow Christians and all who are persecuted in the Middle East should not have to rely on multinational institutions when America can help them directly."

In his address, Pence painted a dire picture of Christianity in the Middle East, arguing that groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have singled them out for particularly brutal persecution. The religion, he said, is on the verge of extinction in some areas of the region.

Pence said that driving that persecution is "radical Islamic terrorists."

"Let me assure you tonight, President Trump and I see these crimes for what they are: vile acts of persecution animated by hatred for Christians in the gospel of Christ," he said. "And so too does this president know who and what has perpetrated these crimes and he calls them by name: radical Islamic terrorists."

1

I'm puking so hard as a Christian right now. Lord Jesus.

  • Upvote 2
  • WTF 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I didn't notice this posted elsewhere.  Timothy Egan's take on the Veep.  Nothing really new, but I appreciate the frustration that comes across in the article.

The Vacuity of Mike Pence - Seattle Times article by Timothy Egan
 

Spoiler

 

With Donald Trump in Asia plugging his golf resort and telling his hosts “I never knew we had so many countries,” the leaderless United States has had a week to try out President Mike Pence. Make that Pastor Pence.

It’s not a problem that Pence is a sycophant in chief, perhaps the greatest bootlicker to take up residence at the Naval Observatory. His little stunt, on Trump’s orders, of flying halfway across the country to walk out on people exercising their First Amendment rights at a football game cost taxpayers a pile. So. Veeps are expected to be slavish.

Nor am I overly troubled that Pence reportedly calls his wife Mother or refuses to dine with a woman alone who is not Mom. (Angela Merkel, bring your chaperone.) Ronald Reagan called his wife Mommy.

The big problem with Pence is the vast empty space between his ears and the articulation of thoughts formed in that space. His biblical bromides make Ned Flanders of “The Simpsons” sound like Voltaire. And because his mind is closed to rational thought outside his theocratic construct, everything he says comes out like platitudinous mush.

Take the last week. (Please.) At least, take the part that started on Sunday with a man using a semi-automatic rifle to murder eight children among his 26 victims at a church in Texas. This outrage should stir conscience-stricken leaders to do something — anything — to ensure that it never happens again.

Pence’s response? “We grieve with you and stand with resolve against evil,” he said. I’ll grant him the grieving part. But the resolve has translated into squat. His best solution to the scourge of mass killings, as he told heartbroken families in Texas, is more prayer.

Not even six weeks ago, Pence had a similar answer to the massacre of 58 people in Las Vegas. In a radio interview, he dwelled on how great it was that people sang “God Bless America” just before they were slaughtered by a civilian who converted his rifle into a machine gun. Moving forward, Pence offered this suggestion: “I have to tell you, we find comfort in the Good Book.”

The host, Storme Warren at Sirius XM, asked Pence if we could be assured of never seeing this kind of thing again. Pence fumbled for an answer, then said, “We’re united in our resolve to end such evil in our time.”

But there is no resolve. No legislative action. No executive action. Nothing but meek, passive acceptance of the great horror that makes the United States stand out from every other civilized country. Oh, and since Pence expressed resolve to end evil after Las Vegas, more than 900 Americans have lost their lives to guns.

In Texas last week, Pence told families, “We are working with leaders in Congress to ensure that this never happens again.” That’s a lie, which should be surprising for a man who wears his faith on both sleeves. But it is not unusual for Pence. PolitiFact rated 48 percent of his statements false or mostly false. He has learned from his master.

Here’s what the administration is actually doing: In one of his first acts as president, Trump signed a bill making it easier for the mentally ill to buy guns.

Pence can sound insipid on any topic. When the tape emerged last year of Trump boasting about how to be a sexual predator and get away with it, Pence urged his ticket mate to pray. His piety is the cover for Trump’s amorality.

I’m not against people of faith in public life. The left should be faulted for intolerance of those who express belief in a higher power or religious tradition. But I’m with the first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy, who famously said, “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute.” In that, he stands with the Constitution.

Pence calls himself a Christian first, a conservative second and a Republican third. Since taking the oath of office, he’s supposed to be a citizen first. But Pence is a theocrat — one who hasn’t had a new thought in years — and that’s why he sounds so vacuous.

As governor of Indiana, he signed a measure that legalized discrimination against gays and made his state a pariah. It was only under pressure from the business community that he was forced to retreat. Still, his long record of anti-gay actions prompted even Trump to joke that Pence wants to “hang them all.” The White House denied the quote.

As Jane Mayer documented in her portrait of Pence in The New Yorker, he is also the ultimate corporate tool. The Koch brothers own him. He has called climate change “a myth” and has helped to plant fossil-fuel toadies in crucial Trump administration posts.

Pence learned gasbagging for God as a talk-radio host, calling himself “Rush Limbaugh on decaf.” It’s a job that requires someone to fill hours of empty air with hours of empty nonsense. As vice president, he has refined the role.

 

 

  • Upvote 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Samantha Bee did a great piece on Pence and Mother:

 

  • Upvote 6
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Thank you, Andy Borowitz of the Borowitz Report.  I rejoice at the altar of your pen:  “Some of these people will have to be left behind, for obvious reasons,” the source said. “Jared, for example.”   

Pence Asks Jesus to Rapture Him Up Before Mueller Can Indict Him

Spoiler

 

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Vice-President Mike Pence has requested that Jesus Christ rapture him up before the special counsel Robert Mueller can indict him, a source close to Pence confirmed on Friday.

Shortly after the former national-security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I., Pence contacted Jesus to discuss the early rapture proposal, the source said.

The source characterized Pence’s request to be raptured up as “urgent” but did not indicate whether the Vice-President asked Jesus to rapture up any other senior Administration officials.

“Some of these people will have to be left behind, for obvious reasons,” the source said. “Jared, for example.”

After the news of Pence’s conversation with Jesus leaked to the press, the Vice-President released an official statement, intended to tamp down speculation about his rapture request.

“I had a good conversation with Jesus Christ earlier in the day,” the statement read. “We touched on the timetable of my rapturing-up, along with a broad range of other issues. That is all I have to say at the present time.”

 

 

  • Upvote 1
  • Haha 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, Howl said:

Thank you, Andy Borowitz of the Borowitz Report.  I rejoice at the altar of your pen:  “Some of these people will have to be left behind, for obvious reasons,” the source said. “Jared, for example.”   

Pence Asks Jesus to Rapture Him Up Before Mueller Can Indict Him

  Reveal hidden contents

 

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Vice-President Mike Pence has requested that Jesus Christ rapture him up before the special counsel Robert Mueller can indict him, a source close to Pence confirmed on Friday.

Shortly after the former national-security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I., Pence contacted Jesus to discuss the early rapture proposal, the source said.

The source characterized Pence’s request to be raptured up as “urgent” but did not indicate whether the Vice-President asked Jesus to rapture up any other senior Administration officials.

“Some of these people will have to be left behind, for obvious reasons,” the source said. “Jared, for example.”

After the news of Pence’s conversation with Jesus leaked to the press, the Vice-President released an official statement, intended to tamp down speculation about his rapture request.

“I had a good conversation with Jesus Christ earlier in the day,” the statement read. “We touched on the timetable of my rapturing-up, along with a broad range of other issues. That is all I have to say at the present time.”

 

 

It wouldn't surprise me if he is actually praying for rapture. Yeah, a lot of them are probably doing some serious, and time-consuming praying right now.

  • Upvote 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not American, but I think my opinion applies to Conservatives and Neo-cons in general. At least it seems to for politicans in Canada and Europe.

Trump is extreme and "crazy". Lots of people don't take him seriously, including other politicians. That makes it less easy for him to enact policies or change public opinion to his line of thinking. He is similar to someone like Torontos Rob Ford. He is seen being made fun of on media, apart from the shows that always target politicans (part of that might be because he was in media himself before getting into politics)

Pence on the other hand is more of a traditional politican. He is slimy, but "normal" enough. I think that makes him more dangerous.

  • Upvote 5
  • I Agree 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

And the Sycophant of the Week award goes to Pencey: "In Cabinet meeting, Pence praises Trump once every 12 seconds for three minutes straight"

Spoiler

Back in June, President Trump allowed almost his entire Cabinet to speak, one by one, in praise of him. And praise him they did, with each being more effusive than the last. They called it an “incredible honor” and a “blessing” to serve him. They said they were “humbled” and “privileged” to be part of his team. They talked about how much Americans loved Trump.

At Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, Vice President Pence decided he'd just handle praising Trump for the entire team.

Over nearly three minutes, Pence offered plaudit after plaudit after plaudit, praising Trump's vision, his words, his strategy and his results in light of the passage of tax cuts. By the end, Pence offered 14 separate commendations for Trump in less than three minutes -- math that works out to one every 12.5 seconds. And each bit of praise was addressed directly to Trump, who was seated directly across the table.

Here's the full list:

  1. “Thank you for seeing, through the course of this year, an agenda that truly is restoring this country.”
  2. “You described it very well, Mr. President.”
  3. “You've restored American credibility on the world stage.”
  4. “You've signed more bills rolling back federal red tape than any president in American history.”
  5. “You've unleashed American energy.”
  6. “You've spurred an optimism in this country that's setting records.”
  7. “You promised the American people in that campaign a year ago that you would deliver historic tax cuts, and it would be a 'middle-class miracle.' And in just a short period of time, that promise will be fulfilled.”
  8. “I’m deeply humbled, as your vice president, to be able to be here."
  9. “Because of your leadership, Mr. President, and because of the strong support of the leadership in the Congress of the United States, you're delivering on that middle-class miracle.”
  10. “You've actually got the Congress to do, as you said, what they couldn’t do with [the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska] for 40 years.”
  11. “You got the Congress to do, with tax cuts for working families and American businesses, what they haven’t been able to do for 31 years.”
  12. “And you got Congress to do what they couldn’t do for seven years, in repealing the individual mandate in Obamacare.”
  13. “Mostly, Mr. President, I’ll end where I began and just tell you, I want to thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank you for speaking on behalf of and fighting every day for the forgotten men and women of America.”
  14. “Because of your determination, because of your leadership, the forgotten men and women of America are forgotten no more. And we are making America great again.”

Pence paused from praising Trump only briefly to also praise the other people seated around the table. But in doing so, he made clear that it was because Trump would want him to — and that these were members of a team that Trump was savvy enough to have assembled.

“I know you would have me also acknowledge the people around this table, Mr. President,” Pence said, calling them “your outstanding team” and “your great legislative team.”

Then he got back to the most important bit of business: praising Trump more directly.

I mean, that whole speech is just nauseating. He might has well have donned kneepads. :brainbleach:

  • Upvote 12
  • Disgust 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What the entire fuck did I just watch?! 

I can't believe he thinks Trump has made the United States more credible to the rest of the world. Is he serious

  • Upvote 7
  • Sad 1
  • WTF 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems legit...  the entire UN security council just voted to reprimand the US for the Jerusalem decision so as long as "more credible to the rest of the world" is defined as, "everyone thinks Trump is being a dick" it is absolutely true.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/18/us-outnumbered-14-to-1-as-it-vetoes-un-vote-on-status-of-jerusalem

  • Upvote 16
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I mean, that whole speech is just nauseating. He might has well have donned kneepads. :brainbleach:

As I noted on the Trump thread, the only thing prayerful about that meeting was that everyone was kneeling.   

  • Upvote 7
  • I Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, iweartanktops said:
I can't believe he thinks Trump has made the United States more credible to the rest of the world. Is he serious

If you say it enough, maybe it will be true???

  • Upvote 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you feel the increased international credibility of the United States warming your heart and filling your stockings?

  • Upvote 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, iweartanktops said:

What the entire fuck did I just watch?! 

I can't believe he thinks Trump has made the United States more credible to the rest of the world. Is he serious

Well, that was awkward. Mattis looked very uncomfortable. And why does he sit there with his arms crossed and that hateful look on his face while Pence struggles through that ridiculous nauseating fluff? It's like he thinks he's back on the Apprentice. Waiting to see if Pencey praises him enough or if he gets to say "You're fired". I can't have even the smallest iota of respect for anyone in that room. They are enabling him and putting our country in extreme danger. Traitors. 

  • Upvote 13
  • Love 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The seven countries that voted with the USA  and Israel are super powerful international allies tho.

 Guatemala, Honduras, Palau, Togo, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Micronesia.

Edited by AmazonGrace
  • Upvote 1
  • Haha 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

The seven countries that voted with the USA  and Israel are super powerful international allies tho.

 Guatemala, Honduras, Palau, Togo, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Micronesia.

I, like everyone else, now looking up Nauru.

  • Upvote 8
  • Haha 1
  • Thank You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, GrumpyGran said:

I, like everyone else, now looking up Nauru.

Bless you. I was feeling really dumb. 

  • Upvote 6
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, iweartanktops said:

"I know there are many faiths, but fuck 'em." 

They were probably shocked as hell that anyone showed up. No way was Dumpy going to interrupt Mar-a-lago time for them.

  • Upvote 5
  • I Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The video embedded in this article is a bit nauseating, but it's so true: "The many ways Mike Pence looks at Trump"

Spoiler

If praising President Trump were a contest, the top contestant would surely be, well, Trump.

“I went to an Ivy League college,” Trump said Oct. 25. “I was a nice student. I did very well. I’m a very intelligent person.”

“One of the great memories of all time,” Trump also said, pointing to his temple.

“There has never been a 10-month president that has accomplished what we have accomplished,” Trump said of his record on Nov. 29. “That, I can tell you.”

But in the Trump praise game, the president faces a worthy opponent — Vice President Pence. During their first year in office, Pence has shown he knows a thing or two about cheering on his boss. During a Cabinet meeting last week, the vice president praised Trump about every 12 seconds for three minutes straight.

He's said serving Trump, a leader of “conviction, vision and courage,” has been “the greatest privilege” of his life, and has compared Trump to Theodore Roosevelt.

“In President Donald Trump, I think the United States once again has a president whose vision, energy and can-do spirit is reminiscent of President Teddy Roosevelt,” he said while visiting Panama in the summer.

But Pence’s celebration of Trump extends further than his words. From nods to laughs, The Fix explored some of the ways Pence shows his praise of Trump — sometimes with just a look.

 

  • Upvote 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/23/2017 at 9:16 AM, Howl said:

I'd highly recommend reading the full New Yorker article: The Danger of President Pence

Just click and read; it's not behind a paywall.

I knew Pence was evil, but I didn't realize how evil.  It scares me that we have someone that basically is a male Lori Alexander as second-in-command

  • Upvote 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • GreyhoundFan locked this topic
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.