Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Public House › leave Hillary out of it in THIS thread…in his own terms, what is Trump
- This topic has 32 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 6 months ago by wv.
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June 8, 2016 at 11:27 pm #45668znModerator
Besides a racist demagogue.
dem·a·gogue
noun
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argumentJust dive in, forget the “who is the worsterest of evils” thing, and all the different pressures associated with it.
In his own terms, taken by and in himself, what is Trump. What are his policies. What is his vision. What do he stand fer.
Maybe my little wishes won’t count, but I don’t want it to be a “who should you vote for” thread as much as a “who/what is this guy” thread.
IMO there are already enough “vote for HC/I will never vote for HC” threads. I would like a bracketed “who/what is Trump” thread.
If that’s possible.
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June 9, 2016 at 1:22 am #45676waterfieldParticipantHe is just that. How he could even be the nominee is outrageous. But the truly scary thing is what does it say about the level of intelligence of those that put him where he is. Are we really that shallow? I say -sadly- that we are. And that is what is frightening to me. I lost my dad in WW2 and now I wonder if we are really that far removed from Nazi Germany after more than 70 years later.
June 9, 2016 at 1:45 am #45679znModeratorBut the truly scary thing is what does it say about the level of intelligence of those that put him where he is. Are we really that shallow?
I look at it differently. I think that in a stagnating economic time, with a lot of economic instability, many americans fall back on their normative racism and anxiety about “other kinds of people.” It has nothing to do with intelligence and it probably can’t be fought with debate, reason, and arguments. It has to do with the ways that ingrained assumptions dominate peoples’s perceptions. So Trump’s racist stuff is nothing new to me. That kind of thing has just been there all along. It’s easy enough to see it if you look. It’s a huge and significant part of what this society is. Doesn’t have to be that way, and it can change, but, it’s there, and all Trump did when it comes to racial stuff is speak for an already existing mindset.
But this aspect of his candidacy is just starters. The guy has a lot of policies and positions and it doesn’t all come down to just this. There’s more than that. Not that this is minor, but there’s more.
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June 9, 2016 at 6:18 am #45688bnwBlockedHe’s a job creator and a natural communicator. He gets things done. Unlike the Establishment candidates who are always bought long before they ever reach the presidency, Trump is not.
Useful idiots parrot that he’s racist because he wants to follow existing law regarding ILlEGAL immigration realizing that it drives DOWN wages for US citizens. The common sense lacking in establishment policies that unites voters across the political spectrum is his strength. PC is dead. Those that continue to practice it will be marginalized.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by bnw.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by bnw.
The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.
Sprinkles are for winners.
June 9, 2016 at 6:58 am #45690nittany ramModeratorI look at it differently. I think that in a stagnating economic time, with a lot of economic instability, many americans fall back on their normative racism and anxiety about “other kinds of people.” It has nothing to do with intelligence and it probably can’t be fought with debate, reason, and arguments. It has to do with the ways that ingrained assumptions dominate peoples’s perceptions. So Trump’s racist stuff is nothing new to me. That kind of thing has just been there all along. It’s easy enough to see it if you look. It’s a huge and significant part of what this society is. Doesn’t have to be that way, and it can change, but, it’s there, and all Trump did when it comes to racial stuff is speak for an already existing mindset.
…Yeah I agree with that. The racism was already there but hidden. Trump just validates it – makes it ok. He says what many people were feeling but where afraid to express publicly until now. So the bigotry no matter how over the top it is will never hurt him among his supporters because they find the rhetoric liberating.
June 9, 2016 at 7:40 am #45692wvParticipantWell there’s been five posts so far — six including mine — and no-one has said anything about actual real Trump POLICIES. I dont think thats an accident.
Reagan got elected by being vague on real, actual policies. He just kinda tapped into…somethin…’shining cities on hills’ and stuff.
w
vJune 9, 2016 at 7:48 am #45693wvParticipantHe does focus a lot on an issue that does not affect WV much, and i dont follow the issue much: Immigration.
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Trump released a comprehensive policy plan for immigration reform — something many other Republican candidates have yet to do.In it, Trump lays out what he plans to do…Most notably, the plan promises widespread deportation, including the “mandatory return of all criminal aliens,” or undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of crimes.
“We’re going to keep the families together, but they have to go,” he said on Meet the Press. Neither in his interview nor in the plan, however, did Trump say how this would be accomplished.
Trump’s plan said that he would end what’s known as birthright citizenship, which guarantees citizenship to almost all people born within U.S. borders, regardless of the legal status of their parents. That right is guaranteed under the 14th Amendment. A number of other Republican candidates have also expressed support for this idea, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Rand Paul, and Sen. Lindsey Graham.
As for border security, Trump doubled down on his pledge to have Mexico build and pay for an enormous wall across the border. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. would impose various penalties on the Mexican government and its officials until it agreed to build and pay for the wall.
“Mexico must pay for the wall and, until they do, the United States will, among other things: impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages; increase fees on all temporary visas issued to Mexican CEOs and diplomats (and if necessary cancel them); increase fees on all border crossing cards — of which we issue about 1 million to Mexican nationals each year (a major source of visa overstays); increase fees on all NAFTA worker visas from Mexico (another major source of overstays); and increase fees at ports of entry to the United States from Mexico [Tariffs and foreign aid cuts are also options].”
Under Trump’s plan, businesses would be required to hire “American workers first”; monetary penalties would be increased for people who overstay their visas; and the J-1 visa jobs program, which allows kids from other countries to participate in things like summer exchange programs, would be terminated. Trump’s plan also calls for tripling the number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, which are in charge of enforcing immigration laws.
The plan may be difficult to implement. Many of the initiatives, such as tripling the number of ICE officers, would require huge increases in federal funding — increases that would most likely have to be approved by Congress.
Interestingly, the most frequent source Trump cites to back up the ideas in his plan is the right-wing news site Breitbart News. At least six of the conservative site’s articles are linked to in Trump’s plan, far more than any other source. Trump has done numerous exclusive interviews with the site, which on Sunday reported that his immigration plan would “get Americans back to work.”
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by wv.
June 9, 2016 at 7:55 am #45695wvParticipantTrump on Waterboarding, fwiw:
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In December, Trump started demanding that the US target the families of ISIS members in addition to “bombing the sh*t” out of the terrorist organization. He went further in February, advocating for torture as a method of interrogation.“I would bring back waterboarding, and I’d bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding,” Trump declared in the February debate just ahead of the New Hampshire primary. Calls for bringing torture back became a regular applause line at rallies, despite the likelihood that both of these ideas would require the American military to obey orders that violate international laws and federal anti-torture statutes.
Pressed at a debate on March 3 over whether the American military would obey his order to violate international laws and the Geneva Convention to do such things, Trump insisted they’d listen to him, despite condemnation from military leaders and conservatives.
“Frankly, when I say they’ll do as I tell them, they’ll do as I tell them,” he said.
2. The military shouldn’t break the law, after all.
He then reversed this position the very next day, on March 4, in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, saying he “will not order military or other officials to violate those laws and will seek their advice on such matters.”
3. The laws forbidding torture should be changed so no one has to break them.
Not long after terrorist attacks in Brussels killed at least 28 people and injured dozens more on March 22, Trump called in to CNN to expand on his call to legalize waterboarding.
“Look, I think we have to change our law on the waterboarding thing, where they can chop off heads and drown people in cages, in heavy steel cages and we can’t water board,” Trump told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “We have to change our laws and we have to be able to fight at least on almost equal basis.”
When Blitzer reminded Trump that military leaders don’t support torture and that it violates international agreements that the United States has signed, Trump called opposition to torture a “political decision.”
“I would say that the eggheads that came up with this international law should turn on their television and watch CNN right now, because I’m looking at scenes on CNN right now as I’m speaking to you that are absolutely atrocious,” Trump said. “And I would be willing to bet, when I am seeing all of the bodies laying all over the floor, including young, beautiful children laying dead on the floor, I would say if they watched that, maybe, just maybe they’ll approve of waterboarding and other things.”
Current position: Trump says he’s against violating international laws or ordering others to do so, but wants to change the laws to legalize, at minimum, waterboarding.
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/full-list-donald-trump-s-rapidly-changing-policy-positions-n547801- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by wv.
June 9, 2016 at 8:01 am #45697wvParticipantThe Wiki article on Trump is excellent, I’d say. Not that I’ve read it. But it looks like its worth reading.
Here’s the beginning of it:
Trump’s political positions are widely viewed as populist.[8][9] Among academics, political writers, and pundits, Trump and his politics have been classified in greater detail, but in varying ways.
Liberal economist and columnist Paul Krugman disputes that Trump is a populist, arguing that his policies favor the rich over those less well off.[10] Harvard Kennedy School political scientist Pippa Norris has described Trump as a “populist authoritarian” analogous to European parties such as the Swiss People’s Party, Austrian Freedom Party, Swedish Democrats, and Danish People’s Party.[11] Political satirist and columnist Walter Shapiro and political commentator Jonathan Chait describe Trump as authoritarian.[12][13] Conservative commentator Mary Katharine Ham characterized Trump as a “casual authoritarian,” saying “he is a candidate who has happily and proudly spurned the entire idea of limits on his power as an executive and doesn’t have any interest in the Constitution and what it allows him to do and what does not allow him to do. That is concerning for people who are interested in limited government.”[14] Charles C. W. Cooke of the National Review has expressed similar views, terming Trump an “anti-constitutional authoritarian.“[15] Libertarian journalist Nick Gillespie, by contrast, calls Trump “populist rather than an authoritarian”.[16]
Legal experts spanning the political spectrum, including many conservative and libertarian scholars, have suggested that “Trump’s blustery attacks on the press, complaints about the judicial system and bold claims of presidential power collectively sketch out a constitutional worldview that shows contempt for the First Amendment, the separation of powers and the rule of law.”[17] Law professors Randy E. Barnett, Richard Epstein, and David G. Post, for example, suggest that Trump has little or no awareness of, or commitment to, the constitutional principles of separation of powers and federalism.[17] Law professor Ilya Somin believes that Trump “poses a serious threat to the press and the First Amendment,” citing Trump’s proposal to expand defamation laws to make it easier to sue journalists and his remark that Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos will “have problems” if he is elected president.[17]
Republican opinion journalist Josh Barro terms Trump a “moderate Republican,” saying that except on immigration, his views are “anything but ideologically rigid, and he certainly does not equate deal making with surrender.”[18] MSNBC host Joe Scarborough says Trump is essentially more like a “centrist Democrat” on social issues.[19] Journalist and political analyst John Heilemann has characterized Trump as liberal on social issues,[20] while conservative talk radio host and political commentator Rush Limbaugh says that Heilemann is seeing in Trump what he wants to see.[21]
Trump is nativist in the opinion of Washington Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt.[22] Conservative writer and editor Rod Dreher, a Trump opponent, writes that the term “nativist” is laden with negative connotations and is typically used as a pejorative;[23] Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, instead calls Trump an “immigration hawk” and supports Trump’s effort to return immigration levels to a historically average level.[24]…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Donald_Trump
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by wv.
June 9, 2016 at 8:05 am #45699Billy_TParticipantNot sure if it’s particularly useful to say “the racism was always there.” Perhaps. But a key here is that the two parties really are quite different now when it comes to dealing with racism and bigotry. It’s one of the few, real areas of difference. Of course, it wasn’t always that way. Pre-1960s Dems were filled with racists, especially in the South, where they owned that part of the political map. The Republicans own it now. But, it’s really the religious right that swung the balance throughout the country. They decided to “get political” primarily as a reaction to federal efforts to desegregate schools (especially Bob Jones University), businesses, workplaces, etc.
So one party has made a conscious effort to just flat out make the appearance of racism and bigotry unacceptable. The other hasn’t. The other, in fact, encourages it, primarily as a way to deflect attention from its donor class — the real reason for everyone’s economic woes. It’s the 1%, and the system they control, that screws everyone over. Not brown and black peoples, or women.
The Dems have yet to make that clear, though Sanders has started the shift for the Dems. But the GOP is still of the mind to consciously scapegoat POCs, along with the entire public sector, which, for many Republicans, are synonymous.
Boiled down: Trump is just using the GOP playbook, without the usual filters. He has no filters. Which is part of his appeal. The thing is, however, he doesn’t have any policies or programs, either, and every speech he gives is just incoherent word salad, like Sarah Palin. So his supporters are mostly just projecting their own fears and dreams onto him.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Billy_T.
June 9, 2016 at 8:11 am #45701wvParticipantwiki continued, fwiw. Kinda funny seeing all the ways he’s described. Like an inkblot test:
Trump is a protectionist, according to free-market advocate Stephen Moore and conservative economist Lawrence Kudlow.[25]
Scales and rankings
Crowdpac
In 2015, Crowdpac gave Trump a ranking of 0.4L out of 10L. In 2016, Crowdpac gave Trump a ranking of 5.1C out of 10C, shifting Donald Trump more to the conservatism spectrum.[26]
On the Issues
The organization and website On the Issues has classified Trump in a variety of ways over time: as a “moderate populist” (2003);[27] a “liberal-leaning populist” (2003-2011);[28] a “moderate populist conservative” (2011-2012);[29] a “libertarian-leaning conservative” (2012-2013);[30] a “moderate conservative” (2013-2014);[31] a “libertarian-leaning conservative” (2014-2015);[32] a “hard-core conservative” (2015);[33] a “libertarian-leaning conservative” (2015-2016);[33][34] and a “moderate conservative” (2016–present).[35]
Economic policy…
June 9, 2016 at 8:12 am #45702Billy_TParticipantThere were quite a few articles on Trump supporters and their views on race, gay people, Muslims and so on, throughout his campaign.
Here’s one of them:
Measuring Donald Trump’s Supporters for Intolerance
It’s stunning to think so many of his supporters thought the slaves shouldn’t have been freed; love the confederate flag; want all gay people banned from America, along with Muslims, etc. etc.
June 9, 2016 at 8:16 am #45703wvParticipantThere were quite a few articles on Trump supporters and their views on race, gay people, Muslims and so on, throughout his campaign.
Here’s one of them:
Measuring Donald Trump’s Supporters for Intolerance
It’s stunning to think so many of his supporters thought the slaves shouldn’t have been freed; love the confederate flag; want all gay people banned from America, along with Muslims, etc. etc.
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Well he seems to have picked up the David Duke supporters. The angry white racist crowd.But Trump is not David Duke. He’s somethin different. But he’s got that streak in him, looks like.
w
vJune 9, 2016 at 8:17 am #45704Billy_TParticipantThanks for the links, WV.
One thing that strikes me about Trump: It’s really amazing anyone can figure out what he thinks about most things — at least beyond the surface. If you listen to his speeches, they really don’t make any sense, and I think people give him waaay too much credit for his “communication ability,” as they did Reagan.
In reality, he’s one of the worst public speakers I’ve ever had the displeasure to listen to, and is all too much like Palin in his lack of logical progressions. There is no coherency to his bluster. But it seems to work and that is beyond baffling.
June 9, 2016 at 8:25 am #45705Billy_TParticipantYep. White supremacists love Trump, and they’re pretty much all Republicans.
Maher was correct when he said, “Not all Republicans are racists; but pretty much all racists are Republicans.”
The transformation of the Democratic Party on at least this issue has been nothing short of amazing. But it also tells us something tragic. Racism and bigotry don’t go away. They just shift home teams.
. . . . . Though I do think that societal shaming/shunning has strong effects over time, through the generations. A kind of war of attrition. But it’s still not going away. So the best thing to do is to render it impotent. That’s why I think the emphasis should be on class, rather than “identity politics.” As mentioned, if we pull down the pyramids, end hierarchies to the degree possible, end economic apartheid . . . there is no power anymore to support racism and bigotry and its effects. And the effects are really what matter. We can’t control minds, but we can do a ton to destroy those effects.
June 9, 2016 at 9:55 am #45716PA RamParticipantTrump is not that complicated to me. He is, first and foremost–a con man. He will be whatever he has to be to win. If selling racism gets votes he will send out those dog whistles. I’m not saying he doesn’t lean that way anyway–but I’m saying he will play to whatever works.
Trump has supported the Clintons in the past. He will do what makes sense for TRUMP. I can see him using the office to enrich himself first and foremost. As long as the policies do not affect him in any negative way he’ll give the Republicans whatever they want. He doesn’t care.
But he will seek his personal interests above all else.
The NRA endorsement was big for him. I know several gun nuts who are terrified that Clinton will rip up the 2nd Amendment–as they were that Obama would do it, or Clinton would do it, or Carter would do it. The NRA has a lock on these types of voters.
But Trump is also selling himself to Joe Blue Collar with his talk about trade and building his great wall. It’s also a year of the “outsider” and somehow he has convinced people that he’s the ultimate “outsider”. It’s a great year for that. (Although the Democrats still mostly cling to the establishment apparently).
But no one can tell you they know exactly what they’ll get in Trump. They have no idea. He lies all the time. He will say something and an hour later say he didn’t say it.
He is the candidate of “reality” television . He’s dramatic–pretending to be authentic and the press fuels his ratings with non-stop coverage. He can get a full days coverage with just a tweet. People laugh at him. He’s funny. Man–he says what he wants. He says what they would. He’s them. He will solve the Isis thing. He’s a deal maker. Mexico will build the wall. Japan can have nukes.
He said the other day in regard to world diplomacy: You have to know when to walk away from the table.
He is not talking about a real estate transaction. This is the complex world of leading a nation and relating to the world. He is reckless and yes–Clinton was right–thin skinned.
But his supporters don’t care about that.
They are living in the con.
He has sold them and now they sell themselves when things go bad for him.
Who is Donald Trump and what does he want?
A con man who wants what is best for Trump.
Everyone else can have what is left.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
June 9, 2016 at 10:07 am #45720bnwBlockedWell there’s been five posts so far — six including mine — and no-one has said anything about actual real Trump POLICIES. I dont think thats an accident.
Reagan got elected by being vague on real, actual policies. He just kinda tapped into…somethin…’shining cities on hills’ and stuff.
w
vMy post answered each question. I addressed his policy regarding ILLEGAL immigration and its effect on the US worker. Could have addressed its effect upon the US taxpayer but that wouldn’t have mattered with you.
The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.
Sprinkles are for winners.
June 9, 2016 at 10:12 am #45721Billy_TParticipantPA,
Well said.
Yep, he’s a conartist, first and foremost. He’d be selling rotten used cars if he hadn’t inherited tens of millions.
And it’s amazing how that kind of money insulates people. He’s not even good at being a businessman, which is supposedly a big source of his attraction. Bankruptcies, three or four times, all kinds of failed business deals, etc. Paying off government officials to suppress lawsuits and further investigations. And why on earth any working person would think he could give a shit about their wages is a first class mystery. He makes his money by screwing workers left and right, and has never, not once, even remotely discussed a plan to improve wages or working conditions for Americans.
He just scapegoats the people who have nothing to do with that: Mexicans “feriners” in general.
Trump is a disgusting piece of shit, and he may well become our next president. Too bad the Dems decided to run someone who doesn’t offer more than “Not as bad as Trump.” And in some areas of policy, she may not be able to claim even that.
June 9, 2016 at 10:22 am #45722Billy_TParticipantMy post answered each question. I addressed his policy regarding ILLEGAL immigration and its effect on the US worker. Could have addressed its effect upon the US taxpayer but that wouldn’t have mattered with you.
It actually didn’t answer those questions. It just basically repeated what Trump says about what he’ll supposedly do, which is too vague to parse. It’s all bluster about the amazing things he will “get done,” just because he’s the greatest deal-maker in history, and it will all magically come to fruition — because he says it will. He has zero track record of doing any of these things he vaguely references in his word salad speeches.
Nor has he demonstrated an ounce of knowledge about the economy or how it works. And he’s absolutely wrong about the effects of undocumented workers on wages. They don’t drive them down at all. People like Trump drive them down. Business owners drive them down. The capitalist system is set up to drive them down. That’s how business owners get rich, if they haven’t inherited everything. They get rich by suppressing wages. The more they want to keep for themselves, the more they suppress them.
Trump is scapegoating the powerless in order to distract you from the people pissing all over you. And Trump is one of them.
June 9, 2016 at 11:11 am #45727bnwBlockedMy post answered each question. I addressed his policy regarding ILLEGAL immigration and its effect on the US worker. Could have addressed its effect upon the US taxpayer but that wouldn’t have mattered with you.
It actually didn’t answer those questions. It just basically repeated what Trump says about what he’ll supposedly do, which is too vague to parse. It’s all bluster about the amazing things he will “get done,” just because he’s the greatest deal-maker in history, and it will all magically come to fruition — because he says it will. He has zero track record of doing any of these things he vaguely references in his word salad speeches.
Nor has he demonstrated an ounce of knowledge about the economy or how it works. And he’s absolutely wrong about the effects of undocumented workers on wages. They don’t drive them down at all. People like Trump drive them down. Business owners drive them down. The capitalist system is set up to drive them down. That’s how business owners get rich, if they haven’t inherited everything. They get rich by suppressing wages. The more they want to keep for themselves, the more they suppress them.
Trump is scapegoating the powerless in order to distract you from the people pissing all over you. And Trump is one of them.
Trump’s policy is to follow existing immigration law.
The upside to being a Rams fan is heartbreak.
Sprinkles are for winners.
June 9, 2016 at 11:20 am #45732Billy_TParticipantTrump’s policy is to follow existing immigration law.
That’s not a policy. That’s just standard practice, which Obama also goes by.
And what on earth does that continuation have to do with improving wages for the working Joe or Jane? Nada. Zilch. Nothing.
It’s not a policy or a program. It’s a bumper sticker.
June 9, 2016 at 11:27 am #45734wvParticipantWell there’s been five posts so far — six including mine — and no-one has said anything about actual real Trump POLICIES. I dont think thats an accident.
Reagan got elected by being vague on real, actual policies. He just kinda tapped into…somethin…’shining cities on hills’ and stuff.
w
vMy post answered each question. I addressed his policy regarding ILLEGAL immigration and its effect on the US worker. Could have addressed its effect upon the US taxpayer but that wouldn’t have mattered with you.
—————-
Yeah, Immigration seems to be a core fundamental issue to Trump.He talks about it a great deal. I dont watch tv or watch the ‘news’ much so I’m
just beginning to see how important that issue is to Republicans. Does Hillary talk about Immigration as much as Trump?w
vJune 9, 2016 at 11:36 am #45736wvParticipantTrump is not that complicated to me. He is, first and foremost–a con man. He will be whatever he has to be to win. …
But he will seek his personal interests above all else….
…
Who is Donald Trump and what does he want?
A con man who wants what is best for Trump.
Everyone else can have what is left.
====================
I dunno. I dont really see him as a con man. I mean not anymore than
any other national Dem or Rep.I tend to see him more like i saw Palin or Quayle or Reagan — I think he actually
believes in most of what he is saying. I dont think he is ‘self-reflective’ and i think he
has a pretty simple, black and white, simplistic view of the world. A business-peson’s view.
In a way its kindof Norman-Rockwell-ish. If Norman painted modern billionaire robber-barrons.Whatever he is, he is more Pat Buchannon than William F Buckley.
But he’s not Pat Buchannon either. He’s got a bit of Jerry Springer in him.
I probly dont worry ‘quite’ as much about him as most leftist
cause i know the system wont let him do a lot of what he wants to do.w
vJune 9, 2016 at 11:45 am #45737znModeratorI probly dont worry ‘quite’ as much about him as most leftist
cause i know the system wont let him do a lot of what he wants to do.That’s what they used to say at first in Maine about LePage.
People don’t say that anymore.
You would be amazed at how much someone can do. And get away with.
June 9, 2016 at 11:57 am #45739wvParticipantI probly dont worry ‘quite’ as much about him as most leftist
cause i know the system wont let him do a lot of what he wants to do.That’s what they used to say at first in Maine about LePage.
People don’t say that anymore.
You would be amazed at how much someone can do. And get away with.
==============
I know that is your thing, but Trump is not Lepage,
and the Nation is not Maine. So, while i see the analogy,
i also dont quite see the ‘sameness’ to it.I mean why do you think Trump is Lepage and Lepage is Trump? Why?
w
vJune 9, 2016 at 12:58 pm #45755PA RamParticipantI dunno. I dont really see him as a con man. I mean not anymore than
any other national Dem or Rep.I tend to see him more like i saw Palin or Quayle or Reagan — I think he actually
believes in most of what he is saying. I dont think he is ‘self-reflective’ and i think he
has a pretty simple, black and white, simplistic view of the world. A business-peson’s view.
In a way its kindof Norman-Rockwell-ish. If Norman painted modern billionaire robber-barrons.Whatever he is, he is more Pat Buchannon than William F Buckley.
But he’s not Pat Buchannon either. He’s got a bit of Jerry Springer in him.
I probly dont worry ‘quite’ as much about him as most leftist
cause i know the system wont let him do a lot of what he wants to do.w
vI don’t see him at all as Buckley or Buchanan. They had very strong core beliefs. I don’t think Trump cares about anything more than enriching and bringing attention to Donald Trump.
I honestly think when he jumped into the race he had no idea that he could actually win the thing. It was an attention thing again. He probably had plans to hang around awhile then head back to the T.V. show. But a funny thing happened along the way–he won.
Are all politicians con men? To a certain degree I would agree. But I see Trump at a whole new and different sort of level.
Clinton is an egomaniac who feels entitled to claim her throne. But she has a certain program she’s bound to–however loosely. Yes she’s a liar. But it feels to me there are certain boundaries there that do not exist with Trump. Clinton cons for a self serving goal. Trump cons because he likes it. He IS the con. Where is his boundary? There is no telling him “no” if he wants something. That is a whole other level of recklessness.
I’m with zn on this one. I will hold my nose and vote for Clinton. And yes–I hate that.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
June 9, 2016 at 1:48 pm #45763znModeratorI probly dont worry ‘quite’ as much about him as most leftist
cause i know the system wont let him do a lot of what he wants to do.That’s what they used to say at first in Maine about LePage.
People don’t say that anymore.
You would be amazed at how much someone can do. And get away with.
==============
I know that is your thing, but Trump is not Lepage,
and the Nation is not Maine. So, while i see the analogy,
i also dont quite see the ‘sameness’ to it.I mean why do you think Trump is Lepage and Lepage is Trump? Why?
w
vThe idea I am responding to is, there is only so much damage one of those can do. They would get limited. What I am saying is….that’s just not my experience. They can do and DO do all sorts of things without being checked. I don’t just assume that could happen at the national level, I know that can happen at the national level. So I don’t need the LePage example (other than what it feels like to live under the government of a right-wing demagogue.) I can point to Reagan and talk about things like Iran-contra. They did what they wanted and even when called on it, the public censure accomplished nothing and did not un-do the damage they had done.
It all amounts to this—and it’s opinion so take it or leave it, but–I think it;s wishful thinking to say that there’s only so much Trump could actually do as a president. Pointing to our experience here with LePage is just one among many ways of saying that; and pointing to that also underscores the depth of my emotional response to all this. I have seen harm that people once told me would not come about. It did. My own experience, even knowing better beforehand so I SHOULDN’T have been surprised, was that I was regularly amazed at what these guys can do and get away with. That is very vivid to me. It has real direct influence over my take on the presidential election.
I also keep saying I can’t make that a platform for others. It has always been offered as describing why I personally see things the way I do. Or at least that’s the intent. I don’t know if I stuck to it well enough but that’s the intent.
June 9, 2016 at 2:39 pm #45768nittany ramModerator—————-
Yeah, Immigration seems to be a core fundamental issue to Trump.He talks about it a great deal. I dont watch tv or watch the ‘news’ much so I’m
just beginning to see how important that issue is to Republicans. Does Hillary talk about Immigration as much as Trump?w
vIllegal immigration gets way more attention than what’s warranted considering net immigration into the US from Mexico is less than zero.
June 9, 2016 at 8:47 pm #45787ZooeyModerator. He gets things done. Unlike the Establishment candidates who are always bought long before they ever reach the presidency, Trump is not.
You keep saying that. As do a lot of Trump supporters.
But the fact that Trump isn’t bought by some other interests does not mean that he isn’t devoted to interests. You act like he is altruistic because he isn’t “bought.”
He has his OWN interests.
And those are the interests of a narcissistic billionaire developer.
Doesn’t make any difference that they are his OWN interests rather than somebody else’s.
They still aren’t MY interests.
Or yours either, for that matter.
June 9, 2016 at 11:16 pm #45791bnwBlocked. He gets things done. Unlike the Establishment candidates who are always bought long before they ever reach the presidency, Trump is not.
You keep saying that. As do a lot of Trump supporters.
But the fact that Trump isn’t bought by some other interests does not mean that he isn’t devoted to interests. You act like he is altruistic because he isn’t “bought.”
He has his OWN interests.
And those are the interests of a narcissistic billionaire developer.
Doesn’t make any difference that they are his OWN interests rather than somebody else’s.
They still aren’t MY interests.
Or yours either, for that matter.
You can make that claim against any candidate by your logic. Trump isn’t bought going in. Just like Perot. But unlike Perot He is in it to win. He knows the parasitic realities of trying to get something done with parasite politicians demanding money. Better infrastructure is in all our interests.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by bnw.
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