quote:

AUSTIN, TX — A second Republican member of the Electoral College has said he won't be casting his vote for Donald Trump as president, according to an opinion piece published in the New York Times on Monday.

Christopher Suprun, a paramedic from Dallas, wrote in the Times that Trump is not qualified for the office, citing stridently worded tweets the president-elect has recently made on issues as inconsequential as an actor's portrayal of him on "Saturday Night Live."

Such priorities in Trump's tweeted missives even after securing the preside

Suprun referenced an attack at Ohio State University during which a man taking umbrage at the treatment of Muslims went on a stabbing rampage on campus before being killed by police. Trump often takes to Twitter to lambaste his critics, including SNL — ironically a show for which he served as host during his presidential campaign. Within an hour of the last SNL broadcast during which Alec Baldwin offered a reprise of his Trump impersonation, Trump commandeered his Twitter account to slam the performance.

Baldwin later replied via tweet saying he'd stop impersonating him if the president-elect were to release his income tax returns, which he never did during the run-up to the election in spite of mounting pressure for him to do so.

But Suprun's opposition to Trump isn't limited to the president-elect's penchant for tweeting. In his opposition to Trump, Suprun also invoked 9-11, a terror attack to which he was dispatched in rendering medical aid to victims as a paramedic.

"Fifteen years ago, as a firefighter, I was part of the response to the Sept. 11 attacks against our nation," Suprun wrote. "That attack and this year’s election may seem unrelated, but for me the relationship becomes clearer every day."

Calling former President George W. Bush an "imperfect man," he nonetheless lauded the leadership he displayed during the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor.

"That was also the last time I remember the nation united," Suprun wrote. "I watch Mr. Trump fail to unite America and drive a wedge between us. Mr. Trump shows us again and again that he does not meet these standards. Given his own public statements, it isn’t clear how the Electoral College can ignore these issues, and so it should reject him."

Suprun is one of 538 electors scheduled to officially cast their Electoral College ballots on Dec. 19. Trump became president-elect by virtue of his majority of Electoral College votes even as his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, won the popular vote by well more than 2 million votes.

Despite being a lifelong Republican, the paramedic said he will be unable to cast a ballot for Trump come Dec. 19: "I have poured countless hours into serving the party of Lincoln and electing its candidates. I will pour many more into being more faithful to my party than some in its leadership. But I owe no debt to a party. I owe a debt to my children to leave them a nation they can trust."

In addition to Trump's troubling tweets, Suprun wrote that the president-elect lacks the most fundamental characteristics required of the leader of the free world.

"Mr. Trump lacks the foreign policy experience and demeanor needed to be commander in chief," the elector wrote. "During the campaign more than 50 Republican former national security officials and foreign policy experts co-signed a letter opposing him. In their words, 'he would be a dangerous president.' During the campaign Mr. Trump even said Russia should hack Hillary Clinton’s emails. This encouragement of an illegal act has troubled many members of Congress and troubles me."

In his op/ed piece, Suprun appealed to his fellow members of the Electoral College to vote their conscience later this month.

"The election of the next president is not yet a done deal," he wrote. "Electors of conscience can still do the right thing for the good of the country. Presidential electors have the legal right and a constitutional duty to vote their conscience. I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be."

Suprun is the second Texas Republican member of the Electoral College to voice an aversion at the prospect of voting for Trump. Late last month, Art Sisneros of Dayton, Texas, quit his position as a member of the Electoral College to avoid having to cast a ballot for Trump. In a subsequent blog post, Sisneros said casting his ballot for Trump "...would bring dishonor to God."

Trump won Texas and its 38 Electoral College votes in the Nov. 8 general election. The remaining members of the Electoral College will choose Sisneros' replacement when they convene Dec. 19 in state capitals across the country, as well as formally casting their ballots for president.

quote:

DALLAS — I am a Republican presidential elector, one of the 538 people asked to choose officially the president of the United States. Since the election, people have asked me to change my vote based on policy disagreements with Donald J. Trump. In some cases, they cite the popular vote difference. I do not think presidents-elect should be disqualified for policy disagreements. I do not think they should be disqualified because they won the Electoral College instead of the popular vote. However, now I am asked to cast a vote on Dec. 19 for someone who shows daily he is not qualified for the office.

Fifteen years ago, as a firefighter, I was part of the response to the Sept. 11 attacks against our nation. That attack and this year’s election may seem unrelated, but for me the relationship becomes clearer every day.

George W. Bush is an imperfect man, but he led us through the tragic days following the attacks. His leadership showed that America was a great nation. That was also the last time I remember the nation united. I watch Mr. Trump fail to unite America and drive a wedge between us.

Mr. Trump goes out of his way to attack the cast of “Saturday Night Live” for bias. He tweets day and night, but waited two days to offer sympathy to the Ohio State community after an attack there. He does not encourage civil discourse, but chooses to stoke fear and create outrage.

This is unacceptable. For me, America is that shining city on a hill that Ronald Reagan envisioned. It has problems. It has challenges. These can be met and overcome just as our nation overcame Sept. 11.

The United States was set up as a republic. Alexander Hamilton provided a blueprint for states’ votes. Federalist 68 argued that an Electoral College should determine if candidates are qualified, not engaged in demagogy, and independent from foreign influence. Mr. Trump shows us again and again that he does not meet these standards. Given his own public statements, it isn’t clear how the Electoral College can ignore these issues, and so it should reject him.

I have poured countless hours into serving the party of Lincoln and electing its candidates. I will pour many more into being more faithful to my party than some in its leadership. But I owe no debt to a party. I owe a debt to my children to leave them a nation they can trust.

Mr. Trump lacks the foreign policy experience and demeanor needed to be commander in chief. During the campaign more than 50 Republican former national security officials and foreign policy experts co-signed a letter opposing him. In their words, “he would be a dangerous president.” During the campaign Mr. Trump even said Russia should hack Hillary Clinton’s emails. This encouragement of an illegal act has troubled many members of Congress and troubles me.

Hamilton also reminded us that a president cannot be a demagogue. Mr. Trump urged violence against protesters at his rallies during the campaign. He speaks of retribution against his critics. He has surrounded himself with advisers such as Stephen K. Bannon, who claims to be a Leninist and lauds villains and their thirst for power, including Darth Vader. “Rogue One,” the latest “Star Wars” installment, arrives later this month. I am not taking my children to see it to celebrate evil, but to show them that light can overcome it.

Gen. Michael T. Flynn, Mr. Trump’s pick for national security adviser, has his own checkered past about rules. He installed a secret internet connection in his Pentagon office despite rules to the contrary. Sound familiar?

Finally, Mr. Trump does not understand that the Constitution expressly forbids a president to receive payments or gifts from foreign governments. We have reports that Mr. Trump’s organization has business dealings in Argentina, Bahrain, Taiwan and elsewhere. Mr. Trump could be impeached in his first year given his dismissive responses to financial conflicts of interest. He has played fast and loose with the law for years. He may have violated the Cuban embargo, and there are reports of improprieties involving his foundation and actions he took against minority tenants in New York. Mr. Trump still seems to think that pattern of behavior can continue.

The election of the next president is not yet a done deal. Electors of conscience can still do the right thing for the good of the country. Presidential electors have the legal right and a constitutional duty to vote their conscience. I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be.

Fifteen years ago, I swore an oath to defend my country and Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. On Dec. 19, I will do it again.

quote:

Originally posted by Paragon:
....and now FL has joined the recount game. Desperation is really setting in.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The President-elect is doing what he said he would do- he is representing us. He's not representing special interests, because he doesn't need their Goddamned money. Neither is he grubbing for money personally, because he has his own money. Do you think the stupid fucking leftists will ever admit these truths?

Donald Trump, when he balks at an obscene price (that Boeing simply assumed would be accepted without question), is doing what he promised to do- he is representing the American people, and there is not one single chance Hillary Clinton would have done such a thing, and EVERYONE knows it.

quote:

Originally posted by feersum dreadnaught:
Trump Sold All His Stocks In June

Following today's tweet and follow up suggesting that Trump is now targeting Boeing's contract pricing practices, questions emerged whether the President-elect wasn't engaging in a conflict of interest due to his numerous, existing shareholdings. However, according to Trump spokesman Jason Miller, Donald Trump sold all of his stockholdings in June, removing himself from positions in numerous U.S. companies.

Miller made the revelation during a phone call with reporters on Tuesday morning. He was asked about Mr. Trump’s past holdings in Boeing Co., a company the president-elect had criticized earlier in the day for what he alleged were high costs for the next Air Force One, the WSJ reported.

“The President-elect sold all of his stock back in June,” Miller said. He subsequently clarified he was referring broadly to all of Mr. Trump’s stock, not Boeing specifically.

As his publicly disclosed asset list reveals, Trump had at least two brokerage accounts that held roughly 150 separate corporate stock and bond investments, according to a filing he submitted to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics in May. These included investments in a wide range of well-known companies, including Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., Boeing and Visa Inc. Trump's stock portfolio was worth roughly $40 million as of December 2015. The President-elect had between $50,000 to $100,000 of Boeing Co. stock when he filed his personal financial disclosure on May 15.

As a reminder, two months later, in early August, Trump said "it's time to sell stocks" and warned of "very scary scenarios" for investors. We now know that at least he had followed his advice. As to whether it is a very scary time for investors, we look forward to an upcoming tweet, warning that the market is "yuugely overvalued."

Trump has a number of investments, including real estate properties, around the world. Some critics have alleged that parts of his portfolio could pose conflicts of interest, based on policies pursued once in the White House or moves by companies or foreign governments to try to curry favor. Liquidating his stock portfolio could alleviate some of those concerns, but House Democrats have pressed for more information about how he will manage his real estate holdings.

As the WSJ notes, Trump is expected to talk more about his business investments at a Dec. 15 press conference. He has said he would be turning over the operations of the Trump Organization to his adult children, though he hasn’t provided more details about how this will work.


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/...-all-his-stocks-june

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
I think $4B is a bit too expensive for one airplane

hell, the B2 is $1B and it has stealth technology designed into the airframe

Boeing was looking for a quick buck to bolster its bottom line and thought they could go like a pig at the trough

they probably didn't anticipate someone ever saying no

quote:

Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
I love how he has a possible conflict of interest for doing what any American can and should do but Clinton received millions directly solicited from State Department favors to foreign governments and that was totally cool.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ59:
Regarding AF1, in addition to cancelling the bid for two 747-8, why not propose two new AF1 with a newer air frame - like the 787. I'd imagine customizing that bird would be cheaper than the 747-8s. And it also looks like the $4B price tag includes decades of maintenance and modernization.

And my guess is that this is a call by the Secret Service, not the president.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Just relax.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ59:
Regarding AF1, in addition to cancelling the bid for two 747-8, why not propose two new AF1 with a newer air frame - like the 787. I'd imagine customizing that bird would be cheaper than the 747-8s. And it also looks like the $4B price tag includes decades of maintenance and modernization.

And my guess is that this is a call by the Secret Service, not the president.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
The computer guys have been plotting and scheming. Something weird is about to be played.

Cut it out, please.

Just relax.

I'm tired of all the hand-wringing. I thought I had made that clear before.

Paragon, do you understand?

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by Russ59:
Regarding AF1, in addition to cancelling the bid for two 747-8, why not propose two new AF1 with a newer air frame - like the 787. I'd imagine customizing that bird would be cheaper than the 747-8s. And it also looks like the $4B price tag includes decades of maintenance and modernization.

And my guess is that this is a call by the Secret Service, not the president.

Why not just upgrade the existing planes?

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by saigonsmuggler:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Just relax.

Just saw on my google news feed that the recount of the Philadelphia area has netted Clinton a whopping 5 votes.

Yes I am relaxing now.