American Election Discussion

claretandbluesky

There is only so much you can watch before recognising that there must be some cosmic comedy show being made, I still catch myself watching Trump on TV and thinking that cannot be true, he cannot be President!

I personally cannot see him lasting a full term and think he has a short period of demonstrating he has what it takes to change and represent the country in an adult way, or he will be removed through one way or another, impeachment or the whole house just refusing to back him if he does something really dumb. It was remarked some time back that although he came through the republican party he is really an independent as so many Republicans hate him and so he could find himself a President without any support in the house if he proceeds as feared and be able to push no policies through anyhow.

I do agree Obama was incredibly weak with regard foreign policy, he is a great speech giver, would make a most wonderful friend, school headmaster, lawyer etc but not a president. Putin recognised these last few years he could do whatever he wanted and Obama would never fight back as he was too afraid to meet force with force as essentially feared confrontation. However, and it is a big however there is no way for me that Trump is the answer. I actually felt Clinton was the best option with regard foreign policy and Saunders for homeland America.

Trump may just convince those with little to brand all his opponents as elites whilst taking him as one of their own, whilst he does everything the same as those branded elites, but in a less articulate way.

chicagohammer

So the head of the Dept of Energy is actually in charge of America's Nuclear Arsenal, the outgoing head is a nuclear physicist - Our man Perry studied animal husbandry at college.

Stephen Colbert monologue,

Well it made me laugh

TheMadcapLaughs

alderz said:

It seems to me that expert Ethics and Constitution lawyers and councils are likely to be giving an accurate and honest view on this, tbh

But I guess if you don't trust politicians to be politicians, why would you trust ethics councillors to be ethics councillors? While we're at it, I'd like a plumber to fix my car and a chef to do my heart surgery. Gotta shake it up a bit, right?

Alderz. You need no special qualities or talents to be a politician, none whatsoever. And in the grey area that is philosophy, the area of morality and ethics is as grey as it gets. Plumbers, heart surgeons and chefs are specialities that take years of training, skill, and dedication and one generally has a natural bent for messing around with water and pipes, cutting people open and having a fiddle, or indeed warming up food. I have much more respect for the latter three than I do the former two. It is impossible to give an honest, definitive view where ethics and morality are concerned, all you can give is an opinion.
Trump seems to have been written off before he has even kicked a ball. He does seem to be a particularly unpleasant man, but I think he should be given a chance. Both him and Theresa May have recognised that large sections of the population (globally) seem to have been dismissed over recent years and have at least acknowledged that fact. Whether an unpleasant billionaire and a twin set and pearls Conservative are the right people to address the issues of inequality and globalisation is another matter.

alderz

"Particularly unpleasant" doesn't really do it justice.

TheMadcapLaughs

It was all I could think of without being modded.

alderz

;ok

billybondsbeard

I Think we are being alittle unfair on Trump - I think he could be very resourceful.
After all, he can get 30% of his hair to cover 80% of his head ;ok

MrsGrey

;lol

Vorselaarhammer

;lol

going to use that... ;ok

Putney_Hammer

Today is the first day of the rest of Earth's life. I'll just leave that here ;sofa

TheMadcapLaughs

BBB ;lol

A trick I have yet to master........................

MrsGrey

I read this article and actually found it quite comforting.

Basically, it argues that we shouldn't worry too much about what he says, because most of it doesn't actually mean anything.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/16/a-guide-to-trump-speak-take-it-seriously-but-not-literally

chicagohammer

Five quid that "Trump-speak" makes an entry into the Oxford English Dictionary by next year.
;ok

IronHerb

I thought that was covered under 'Fake News' ;hmm

OutcastLondoner

MrsGrey said:

I read this article and actually found it quite comforting.

Basically, it argues that we shouldn't worry too much about what he says, because most of it doesn't actually mean anything.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/16/a-guide-to-trump-speak-take-it-seriously-but-not-literally

Unfortunately, liberals across the world have made this kind of argument about various right-wing strong men who have come to power and they've been wrong. They've not realised they've been wrong because what goes down tends to happen in the shadows and to minorities, not the types of people who get to write columns.

When media is censored, it will not be through law or arrests but through the pressure of owners , through intimidation that filters down and administrative means.

When people are attacked it will be by those inspired by rhetoric but with a degree of separation from the politicians.

MrsGrey

;weep

I'm miserable again.

MrsGrey

I take your point, outcast, which I think is a good one. I wasn't really saying that he would be harmless. More that I'm not going to over-analyse what he says, and assume it will become govt policy.

OutcastLondoner

Not really addressing it you but to all those writers who have said things like that, even though they won't really be affected by the policies.

I think people can't wait for things to not become policy - the idea has to be fought from the moment it's uttered.

billybondsbeard

Outcast - I agree. Obama wasn't given a second of breathing space by the house republicans from the day he was inaugerated. If a liberal concensus is to be maintained in the USA, Trump must be held to account every day he is in office. Personally, I dont think that he'll go the full term. The Republican party establishment have no time for him, as basically he campaigned as an independent. With his treatment of the intelligence community I smell an impeachment, assassination attempt or an 'accident'. Its happened before.....

MrsGrey

I'm getting my CMU up in while I still can ;biggrin

(Note - I'm not advocating violent solutions ;whome But there's so much dodgy already about him and his team. Lets hope all that dirty laundry comes tumbling out of the closet.)

SuzanneClaret

OldCastleSwift

MrsGrey

Apparently God is on their side.

Which is nice.

Expat_Hammer

Oh no Mrs G, he's only on the bench this week ;yercoat

grey_til_I_dye

SuzanneClaret

Mount Rushmore this evening...

MrsGrey

MrsGrey said:

Apparently God is on their side.

Which is nice.

I'm not sure how Trump knows. Is God on Twitter? ;hmm

But anyway, its jolly nice of God, given that loads of Americans don't believe in him.

And some even support the other team(s).

And some have even put in a transfer request.


Maybe the other Gods are on their side too, but aren't on Twitter yet. Perhaps he could get his staffers to see if the other Gods have Facebook accounts - Trumperz could send them a Friends request.

He could have a Gods' WhatsApp group ;wahoo

SuzanneClaret

I don't think Buddha would be a fan.

Swissiron

I really didnt like his speech. He sounded like Hitler in 1933 with his singling out of Muslim "terrorists". We're in for a long hard drive here but I won't be visiting America soon..
;puzzled

MrsGrey

All that 'righteous' stuff ;doh