Stephen King: Here's the takeaway, simply put:

[kpete]

Trump asked the Russians to help him get elected. They did. Now he owes them.

Link to tweet

[guillaumeb]

1. And....

Putin owns Trump.

Epstein may also own Trump.

[rzemanfl]

2. +1. n/t

[NCjack]

12. When Putin demands Trump pay his bill, Trump will pass the bill to the American public.

And, the Republican politicians and voters will stand on the sidelines, mumbling "I never expected this -- I sure hope this comes out OK."

[RVN VET71]

24. I don't think they will mumble anything

They'll just repeat, over and over again, "fake news" and "Hillary's emails" and "AOC says we pay soldiers too much." Republican politicians and Republican voters share the same fact-denying delusions about Trump and his coterie's disloyalty to the principles of the constitution.

If Trump ordered his storm troopers to machine gun one of his rally crowds, the survivors would say it was the only way to root out muslim terrorists in attendance and Louie Gohmert would insist there were no Americans injured in any way -- only muslims and latino-narco-terrorists.

We have entered the final era of America. Just off-stage and waiting is the America of loyalty to the Leader, the America where you and I will have to communicate by whispers and coded messages.

[bucolic_frolic]

25. He will sell Alaska back to them

So Sarah Palin can see Russia from her house! Prescient woman. It's as if she knew.

[Bettie]

27. LOL...SELL!

He'll gift it to Putin!

[southerncrone]

17. Epstein owns MANY, all across the globe.

[RVN VET71]

26. Time and the jury will tell

if he does. If Epstein can take down the rich and powerful to get a better deal, he will do so. But, even if he has the goods on Trump, Clinton, Prince Andrew, Dershowitz the underpants lawyer, and others, he can't cut a deal if the people in power fear his testimony will disrupt there own money carts. It's simple dilemma: if you nail the leaders and prominent citizens of the international power structure, all the wealthy and powerful lose. It's one of the reasons why so many international banks have been permitted to get away with laundering drug money in the 100s of billions of dollars for decades. Remember HSBC? And do you think Deutsche Banke's criminality was unknown until Mueller's people scrutinized it?

Epstein's biggest hope, at this time, is to escape from prison using the same methodology that the criminal but less-evil Chapo did. (And, yes, I believe that Chapo, despite the murders and ruined lives he brought about, is not as vile and filthy a pig as Epstein.)

[dem4decades]

3. Here's Valdy.

[paleotn]

4. So simple, even a Republican can understand it.

They understand it perfectly well. They simply don't care. That's what we're up against. I never, ever want to hear any kind of patriotic bullshit spew from the pie hole of any rethug ever again. They are anti-American by definition. They don't deserve this country. They're the ones who should be shown the door.

[Rebl2]

5. Agreed!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. they certainly care

They care a lot about maintaining power and control. Assistance from foreign enemies has given them more control than they ever could achieve on their own.

[southerncrone]

18. Exactly! And they are the ones who are treasonously selling our democracy out from under us.

[ProfessionalLeft]

21. I fucking HATE republicans

What hypocrites! What nerve!

What stands out in my mind is their flag-shaming Obama into wearing a flag on his lapel. As if not wearing one was an indicator of lack of patriotism.

The bastards wear their fucking pins. Then turn a blind eye to the traitor(s) amongst them.

It makes my blood boil.

[AMAGAtsNTD365]

28. You and me both.

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. Which is why whenever I see a congressman with a R next to their name, I immediately put the TV on mute or change the channel. I don't care if they are trying to extend an olive branch. I'd snap that branch in two and throw it in their face because like you, their hypocrisy has made me completely wash my hands of them.

I can't find the right words to describe my vitriol towards them.

[NurseJackie]

32. Welcome to DU! Many people feel the same way. Also...

Welcome to DU! Many people feel the same way. Also...

What does your username mean? Is it an acronym? (Normally I'm pretty good at figuring things out, but this one has me stumped.)

[FakeNoose]

6. Further down the twitter thread

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. I want to see that nation wide!

[ProfessionalLeft]

19. Hear! Hear!

[renate]

20. That is absolute perfection nt

[renate]

9. This Stephen King fellow has a way with words

But seriously, this is a wonderfully clear and succinct assessment of the situation. It can't be spun without outright lying.

[YOHABLO]

10. I think Trump was way deep in the weeds with Russia before his run for President.

Money laundering and loans to keep his ''empire'' running. I don't think we know for sure all of it.

[not_the_one]

13. And Mueller didn't go down that road

because turdface said it was a redline he shouldn't cross. How accommodating.

I thought Mueller originally said that he could follow whatever lead the investigation exposed...

The finances are what Americans are going to understand. They must be investigated, and Schiff said it was going to be pursued. But they can't get any documents, nor his tax returns, and it is only 15 months until the election. This stuff takes FOREVER to follow. After the election is going to be too late.

[anarch]

22. well, yeah...to the point that his "business" was almost entirely financed by Russian mob money

I had thought this was more or less common knowledge, but I've mentioned the fact to several people who have seemed surprised...much of this is pretty well documented, even, although not outright described in these terms.

But it's not like those associations were hidden...fucking hell, he had a bunch of them living in his damned apartment building, and certainly enough of them buying property from him at ridiculous and nonsensical prices that only begin to make sense if Bonespurs is just laundering their dirty cash; and then all the shenanigans with money laundering at his "failed" casinos...

The fact that this...person...could even be considered by anyone for the office of president is enough proof that our country is just absolutely fucked. That we are where we are now is just...ugh.

[amb123]

11. And they OWN him.

[calimary]

30. Which means they own us, too.

We’re a satellite country now.

[amb123]

31. United States of America, Inc.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin President and CEO.

The Cold War is over and the Russians won.

[Xolodno]

14. Interestingly...

...Trump has made a LOT of enemies over the decades...

He eats at fast food destinations purely because of fear of being poisoned. Like a former Putin critic had a dose of radioactive food.

Yes, he owes Putin. And given the country is run like the mob, if he can't pay up, he get's offed.

[sandensea]

15. And Bibi the Bomber

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Former-Mossad-agents-formed-company-that-targeted-Clinton-campaign-580506

"Let's do this again next year, ok?"

"You give me a few more billion and some more of your top secrets, and I'll think about it Donald."

[Grasswire2]

36. prelude to a kiss? nt

[sandensea]

37. For enough money, the Orange Oaf will do anything.

Except perhaps Sara Netanyahu.

Even Cheeto has his standards.

[certainot]

16. they pushed him from the start, he was their candidate.

Last edited Thu Jul 25, 2019, 08:16 AM - Edit history (1)

while that tweet is appealing, he was set up. they didn't help him because he asked for it, they helped him because they could use him and they had been using him and many others like him.

his team studied talk radio in 2014 to help trump team and russians coordinate

[anarch]

23. I agree; in my opinion, he was forced into this

by cynical political operatives from several camps, who played on the stupid bastard's vanity and convinced him to run for the office--I don't think he expected to win; he just wanted the attention. But his "sponsors" weren't having any of that; he's really the perfect figurehead "leader" to act as a lightning rod, and deflect attention away from all manner of nefarious shit that people are now able to get away with in the background.

[Grasswire2]

35. the 60s book "True Believer" - Eric Hoffer.

I gave my copy away to a young man. Need to find another.

[jimlup]

29. I suspect it goes much deeper

We need to see his tax returns. Then we will have the clue we need to see why he is their puppet.

[keithbvadu2]

33. Putting money into Trump was the best investment Putin ever made.

[Grasswire2]

34. and McConnell knows that Trump cannot win without Russian help.

Hence the refusal to bring the election security vote to the Senate.