Summary

Barack Obama sharply criticized Donald Trump’s presidency during a speech at Hamilton College, condemning attacks on the press, immigration crackdowns, and threats to civil liberties.

He called it “unimaginable” that Trump’s actions—such as barring the AP and threatening law firms—would have been tolerated under past presidents.

Obama warned that Trump’s behavior, though “goofy,” poses real danger, and he labeled Trump a “wannabe dictator.”

He also referenced former Trump aide John Kelly’s “fascist” remark and urged Americans not to mistake chaos for leadership.

  • Nougat@fedia.io
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    23 hours ago

    The only reason we have a 22nd amendment is because the shitheels were mad they didn’t get a turn. They could have stopped being shitheels, but that’s just out of the question.

    • HubertManne@piefed.social
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      23 hours ago

      Its something they should have put into the original consitution. They were never supposed to be careers. Given the terms of the various branches they should have maxed 12 years in any federal role besides judicial and that should have had a retirement cut off of 60.

      • monarch@preferred.social
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        22 hours ago

        Maybe a hot take but career politicians are something that make sense in a democracy that is properly functioning. If a politician is sure that they won’t have to go work in industry after they are out of office they are less likely to feel the need to bend to the will of the oligarchs. But that is not how it has worked out so the idea itself seems much worse than it inherently is.

        • HubertManne@piefed.social
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          7 hours ago

          not to me. Sure there are some great folks but the population is large and there are equally great folks out there. We need being a politician for a bit to be an accessible thing. We definitely need guardrails for quid pro quo but if guaranteed lifetime political is the solution its not a solution. Our system should work if everyone is one termer. Heck I would like every election to have a recall ballot were the electorate can vote to recall any position they vote for. If it cresta 50% of the electorate then the position goes up for election at the next election.

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          11 hours ago

          Which is also why term limits (in many cases) are low-key a terrible idea, despite sounding great on the surface.