EPTBut if only there weren't so many vandals. Vandals and wreckers. Cutting 290, or 300 foot slit in the Reflecting Pool without anyone noticing. Amazing.
US Politics Mega-thread - Page 5806
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Falling
Canada11607 Posts
But if only there weren't so many vandals. Vandals and wreckers. Cutting 290, or 300 foot slit in the Reflecting Pool without anyone noticing. Amazing. | ||
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Geiko
France2045 Posts
On June 23 2026 14:56 Falling wrote: Very good to know that the Arab HUSSEIN Obama and Biden spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the reflecting pool, but he, Donald J Trump, has only spent $14 million (so far) on a no vid contract to donor and neighbour to Donald J Trump. But if only there weren't so many vandals. Vandals and wreckers. Cutting 290, or 300 foot slit in the Reflecting Pool without anyone noticing. Amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY08SA92fQA I have a pavlovian reflex to ask oblade what his thoughts on the reflecting pool controversy are ? Is it A) Ninja vandals B) Obama left too much of a mess to fix the pool C) We don't have all the facts yet and oblade'll give his opinion on this when the official reports comes out in 2 years | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States46552 Posts
On June 23 2026 17:53 Geiko wrote: oBlade might also choose: I have a pavlovian reflex to ask oblade what his thoughts on the reflecting pool controversy are ? Is it A) Ninja vandals B) Obama left too much of a mess to fix the pool C) We don't have all the facts yet and oblade'll give his opinion on this when the official reports comes out in 2 years D) Who cares because Biden is a bigger criminal than Trump | ||
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oBlade
United States6613 Posts
On June 23 2026 17:53 Geiko wrote: I have a pavlovian reflex to ask oblade what his thoughts on the reflecting pool controversy are ? Is it A) Ninja vandals B) Obama left too much of a mess to fix the pool C) We don't have all the facts yet and oblade'll give his opinion on this when the official reports comes out in 2 years Controversy lol. | ||
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Acrofales
Spain18473 Posts
Is that your way of saying "all of the above?" | ||
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Doublemint
Austria8760 Posts
Washington politics was terrible to begin with, so props to him giving much needed attention to no bid contracts among the bestest of buddies on the tax payer's dime! | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States46552 Posts
On June 23 2026 20:45 Doublemint wrote: it indeed is not a controversy, more a literal representation and microcosm of the swamp Trump created. Washington politics was terrible to begin with, so props to him giving much needed attention to no bid contracts among the bestest of buddies on the tax payer's dime! Yeah, so much for free-market capitalism and open competition: The federal government awarded a company owned by a Trump donor a $1.7 million contract to install a new water cleaning system for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, federal records show, as President Trump pushes to overhaul the pool — and struggles with a bout of algae and a peeling paint job. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/company-trump-donor-cafaro-reflecting-pool-no-bid-contract/ The no-bid contract to install a "Nano Bubble" filtration system went to Green Water Solutions, an Ohio-based company whose owner is listed on federal contracting documents as "JJ Cafaro Investment Trust." The president and CEO of that trust is identified as John J. Cafaro on Federal Election Commission filings. Cafaro has donated to several GOP candidates and conservative causes in recent years. He has donated extensively to Mr. Trump's campaign and to Trump-linked groups, giving $250,000 to the Trump Victory fundraising committee at one point in 2020. FEC records show he also made donations to Democrats at various points. A businessman and real estate developer, Cafaro pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in 2010 over donations to his daughter's congressional campaign. Nearly a decade earlier, he pleaded guilty to conspiring to bribe Democratic Rep. James Traficant, and cooperated with prosecutors. I love how the name of the company is literally "Green Water" lol. | ||
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LightSpectra
United States3380 Posts
On June 23 2026 20:07 Acrofales wrote: Is that your way of saying "all of the above?" That didn't happen. And if it did, it wasn't that bad. And if it was, that's not a big deal. <-- you are here And if it is, that's not my fault. And if it was, I didn't mean it. And if I did, you deserved it. | ||
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Vivax
22424 Posts
On June 23 2026 20:45 Doublemint wrote: it indeed is not a controversy, more a literal representation and microcosm of the swamp Trump created. Washington politics was terrible to begin with, so props to him giving much needed attention to no bid contracts among the bestest of buddies on the tax payer's dime! They're not much better in Germany or Austria anyway, so it's a pick your poison situation. Often literally. At the end of the day they're mostly dominated by industry lobbies and economic interests that make politicians surprisingly rich overnight. Germany has to juggle compromises between a lot of countries so it's always a difficult situation, Austria has pretty strong influences from Israel. Italy has organized crime lobbying for concessions or attempting to bag EU funding, or Israeli funding. People used to eat their prime ministers for less. | ||
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Geiko
France2045 Posts
I feel, based on your two-word answer, like you don't understand why there would be a controversy, or if there is, that it's a meaningless or unimportant one. So let me break it down in some more specific questions: A) How do you feel about no-bid contracts being given out by washington for Millions of tax-payer dollars to possibly friends and donors ? Is it ok for the president/government to hand these out ? B) How do you feel about the president unilaterally deciding on renovations, major changes to landmarks (reflecting pool, white house) without approval from the responsible federal authorities? Are you generally fine with the president bypassing all legal process to get things moving faster ? C) What is your opinion on the cause of the new-reflecting pool being filled with algae and the coating being damaged ? If the answer is not "Vandals", are you generally fine with the president blatantly lying about it on TV ? If the answer is "Vandals", could you provide a quick and plausible explanation on how the vandals managed to to pull this off with guards and cctv around ? Thank you for your attention to this matter. | ||
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DarkPlasmaBall
United States46552 Posts
On June 23 2026 21:20 Geiko wrote: Thank you for your attention to this matter. Well played. | ||
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Doublemint
Austria8760 Posts
the difference is the indifference in the US and other parts to it, especially once someone's tribe/party is implicated. and people getting numb to it is the death of accountability. same as with rights/laws or other nice things like transparency and freedom of expression, if people don't demand what's theirs it's over. and that includes a decently functioning government with at least somewhat capable people. I would like to point to a rare Austrian W here - the causa Wöginger. politicians feeling public pressure for aggressively and ruthlessly firing "politically undesired" positions/people in positions in a bureaucracy and installing their "reliable" people is indeed some outcome that should not be accepted, especially for higher level positions. DOGE and Trumps people like Voight are going for the motherload of exactly that... and they can't point to a successful budget reduction doing it. all they did was government less effective in doing its job. just a collossally stupid plan. Elon Musk 'needs to answer' for 4.5 million kids 'sentenced to death' over DOGE cuts, Ro Khanna argues@Fox here they laid the foundation of another refugee crisis due to political instability made worse by a manufactured food crisis. here you have the current screwworm outbreak response that apparently was quite a bit delayed due to staff shortages in those agencies. Screwworm spread tests US readiness after Trump staffing cuts@TheHill I mean we will see how well things are going, time will tell. given Trump's track record though... | ||
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oBlade
United States6613 Posts
On June 23 2026 21:20 Geiko wrote: I feel, based on your two-word answer, like you don't understand why there would be a controversy, or if there is, that it's a meaningless or unimportant one. So let me break it down in some more specific questions: A) How do you feel about no-bid contracts being given out by washington for Millions of tax-payer dollars to possibly friends and donors ? Is it ok for the president/government to hand these out ? Dude. The pool is broken. In the 4th Century, Aristotle wrote: For it is a characteristic of an educated man to look for as much precision in each subject as the nature of a particular area of enquiry admits. Fix the pool. Millions of dollars is exactly correct. It's not a $200 job and it's not a billion dollar job. On June 23 2026 21:20 Geiko wrote: B) How do you feel about the president unilaterally deciding on renovations, major changes to landmarks (reflecting pool, white house) without approval from the responsible federal authorities? Are you generally fine with the president bypassing all legal process to get things moving faster ? Today you learned, to your chagrin, that as actually elected president, whether you like it or not, Trump is the top figure in the entire government and has valid and significant legal authorities that the, let's say, "hall monitor" class of "real government" that you imagine he reports to, does not overrule. You also learned that no-bid contracts are EXPLICITLY allowed by statute SPECIFICALLY because of urgency, like for example my beautiful country's upcoming 250th birthday. On June 23 2026 21:20 Geiko wrote: C) What is your opinion on the cause of the new-reflecting pool being filled with algae and the coating being damaged ? If the answer is not "Vandals", are you generally fine with the president blatantly lying about it on TV ? If the answer is "Vandals", could you provide a quick and plausible explanation on how the vandals managed to to pull this off with guards and cctv around ? Refer to A: The pool is broken. This can be because it's a 2,000 foot long pool that has been subsiding for decades. It can be because of vandals. It can be because of both. The answer is: Fix the pool. You do not know DC. I've seen people smoking weed in gazebos* on the grounds of the Capitol. Your faux skepticism outrage worldview of "How could the people who did this without being arrested or identified possibly do anything to the reflecting pool? Why would any mentally ill person exist who wants to vandalize something they see as being connected to Blumpf?" lacks persuasive merit. ![[image loading]](https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/7718f15f-6b39-4edc-b773-e1ed17255dda/dc-8647-1-rt-gmh-260611_1781209424805_hpMain.jpg) Was there a vandal who did something to the reflecting pool? Certainly plausible. Is that the single and main and but-for cause of the pool needing more work? Answer: Fix the pool. If today's the day you want to pretend to be a pool expert also I'll entertain your good-faith detailed theories so long as France will agree to foot the bill for the Statue of Liberty's centennial renovations. On June 23 2026 21:20 Geiko wrote: Thank you for your attention to this matter. "Even my personality and speech is being assimilated into the person I'm obsessed with" | ||
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Billyboy
2594 Posts
Will be an interesting (confusing and scary as well) time, one was saying how Tucker is the true patriot and will defeat Trump when he runs for his third term. Maybe they are finally getting tired of winning so hard and often? | ||
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Billyboy
2594 Posts
On June 23 2026 23:04 oBlade wrote: Dude. The pool is broken. Fix the pool. Millions of dollars is exactly correct. It's not a $200 job and it's not a billion dollar job. Today you learned, to your chagrin, that as actually elected president, whether you like it or not, Trump is the top figure in the entire government and has valid and significant legal authorities that the, let's say, "hall monitor" class of "real government" that you imagine he reports to, does not overrule. You also learned that no-bid contracts are EXPLICITLY allowed by statute SPECIFICALLY because of urgency, like for example my beautiful country's upcoming 250th birthday. Refer to A: The pool is broken. This can be because it's a 2,000 foot long pool that has been subsiding for decades. It can be because of vandals. It can be because of both. The answer is: Fix the pool. You do not know DC. I've seen people smoking weed in pagodas on the grounds of the Capitol. Your faux skepticism outrage worldview of "How could the people who did this without being arrested or identified possibly do anything to the reflecting pool? Why would any mentally ill person exist who wants to vandalize something they see as being connected to Blumpf?" lacks persuasive merit. Was there a vandal who did something to the reflecting pool? Certainly plausible. Is that the single and main and but-for cause of the pool needing more work? Answer: Fix the pool. If today's the day you want to pretend to be a pool expert also I'll entertain your good-faith detailed theories so long as France will agree to foot the bill for the Statue of Liberty's centennial renovations. "Even my personality and speech is being assimilated into the person I'm obsessed with" He nailed it! Nothing celebrates your country better than an embarrassing public fuck up, fueled by incompetence, funded by grift, and surrounded by conspiracy. USA USA USA You must be so proud! | ||
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KwarK
United States44393 Posts
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LightSpectra
United States3380 Posts
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Billyboy
2594 Posts
Keep in mind these are the same people who believe that someone secretly cut a 250 foot or 350 foot depending on what Trump clip you are seeing hole, and no one saw them do it, and no one can take a picture of the hole. | ||
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Vivax
22424 Posts
Why is it so expensive to not make it look like one though. Shouldn't a top priority be to curb the warmongering ? Seems like a better use of money than having socmed grands running around with gasoline canisters. | ||
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Geiko
France2045 Posts
On June 23 2026 23:04 oBlade wrote: Dude. The pool is broken. Fix the pool. Millions of dollars is exactly correct. It's not a $200 job and it's not a billion dollar job. Today you learned, to your chagrin, that as actually elected president, whether you like it or not, Trump is the top figure in the entire government and has valid and significant legal authorities that the, let's say, "hall monitor" class of "real government" that you imagine he reports to, does not overrule. You also learned that no-bid contracts are EXPLICITLY allowed by statute SPECIFICALLY because of urgency, like for example my beautiful country's upcoming 250th birthday. Refer to A: The pool is broken. This can be because it's a 2,000 foot long pool that has been subsiding for decades. It can be because of vandals. It can be because of both. The answer is: Fix the pool. You do not know DC. I've seen people smoking weed in gazebos* on the grounds of the Capitol. Your faux skepticism outrage worldview of "How could the people who did this without being arrested or identified possibly do anything to the reflecting pool? Why would any mentally ill person exist who wants to vandalize something they see as being connected to Blumpf?" lacks persuasive merit. Was there a vandal who did something to the reflecting pool? Certainly plausible. Is that the single and main and but-for cause of the pool needing more work? Answer: Fix the pool. If today's the day you want to pretend to be a pool expert also I'll entertain your good-faith detailed theories so long as France will agree to foot the bill for the Statue of Liberty's centennial renovations. "Even my personality and speech is being assimilated into the person I'm obsessed with" I never said we shouldn't fix the pool ? Why are you repeating "fix the pool !" ? I understand your argument is "There was urgency for ´fixing' the pool before July 4th, therefore a no-bid contract is acceptable and legal.". My questions to you: 1) Couldn't this have been forseen since the 250th birthday is not a surprise ? 2) If one is forced to do a no-bid contract, in a normal presidency, wouldn't they want to chose a company that they do not have any links to ? Wouldn't one also want to chose a company that has experience in the sort of works that are required ? I'm asking for your personal opinion, I'm not asking you to tell me "Trump did it, he's the authority and therefore it's legal" Regarding your answer to B), are you saying that congress (and the people that congress have given power to) are mere "hallway monitors" and the president can disregard the law when he sees fit ? If I understood correctly, your answer to C) is you don't know why the pool is full of algae with paint pealing off. (And also "fix the pool!"). I agree with you the pool must be fixed. With that out of the way, here is my theory as to why the pool is broken today. Trump gave away a multi-million no-bid contract to his friends and donors who had no prior experience working on a structure of this scale. The team made mistakes, applied an improper coating and didn't take into account temperature rises that come from painting something a darker color. Now Trump os lying about it to protect his friends saying vandals did this. This seems very unlikely seeing that the paint is pealing off over 300feet. That's my theory regarding why a pool that's just been fixed for millions of dollars is still broken today. I'm not saying it's the absolute truth, I'm just saying that that is what makes the most sense to me currently. Can you give me your reasonable explanation for why the pool is still broken a week after it has been repaired ? | ||
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