2016 USA Presidential election thread II: And. Here. We. Go!

[archibaldcrane]

I'm not trying to suggest that getting the biggest reaction is the smart thing to do by any means, or that it's part of a master plan or something - it's just how he is (incredibly narcissisticly) wired.

[Dotsudoku]

Yeah. He's closer to Mussolini anyways, not Hitler.


Yes, but the difference is Obama never said he would do any of those things. T has said repeatedly what he wants to do to isolate and ostracize by race, gender, orientation, age, socioeconomic class... shgall I go on? And it's pretty obvious from their actions that he, his handlers, and most of the elected official in the Republican Party are oblivious to the law. I doubt with that kind of attitude they'll let something like the Constitution stop them.


It ABSOLUTELY is about what they say. The position of president exists for the purpose of serving the people, not insulting 65% of them while stoking hatred to the point of violence in the other 35%. Also, when other the leaders of other countries look at what's going on here right now do you know what they're thinking? One of three things - 'how much of a danger is that guy to the country I lead?' - 'how messed up is the US for nominating someone this blatantly awful' - 'how can I take advantage of this guy running the US should he win?' I assure you, Putin was already doing the last one a year ago at least.

okay, but this is not how our government works. There are plenty of real reasons Trump shouldn't be our president. Fear of third reich 2: electric boogaloo is not one of them

[Salodin]

Dude, there are plenty of reasons he shouldn't be president, including the long list of racist, xenophobic, illegal things he keeps campaigning on. You keep trying to divorce reality from the shit Trump says, but I'm sorry to say you don't get to do that when he's running for the most powerful job in the world.

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[Dotsudoku]

I'm not divorcing shit from shit. You're afraid of things that will not happen. People campaign, genuinely, on things that they cannot deliver every election. This isn't a new phenomenon

[Salodin]

No, they do not campaign on keeping rapist Mexicans out of our country, they do not insult gold star families, they do not insult our representatives who also happen to be a disabled PoW, should I keep going or do you finally get it?

No one is afraid Trump will get elected and do the terrible things he campaigned on, they're afraid he'll get elected and do other shit that is just as bad or worse for our country.

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[Dotsudoku]

I don't understand what your point is, then. I've said three(?) times now that his platform is not okay, but that most of it is utterly impossible to accomplish, and is thus not deserving of anyone's fear. Giving into his hyperbole helps no one. Understanding the real reasons he'd be poor for the country is immensely more important

[Quicklet]

I don't understand what your point is, then. I've said three(?) times now that his platform is not okay, but that most of it is utterly impossible to accomplish, and is thus not deserving of anyone's fear. Giving into his hyperbole helps no one. Understanding the real reasons he'd be poor for the country is immensely more important

The president can literally order someone to be blown up by a robotic plane. He can put people in place to reinstitute waterboarding (you know, like the last Republican president). You are underestimating just how much power the executive has accumulated in the modern era, particularly in the post-9/11 era. In fact, I would agree with conservatives who say it probably has too much power now, if it weren't for the fact that they're responsible for ceding much of it in the first place, and the fact that they use that line as a blanket argument against anything they don't like that a Democratic president does.

[6souls]

[Gredival]

I don't think Trump necessarily believes much of what he says - he's just going for the biggest, the best, folks you aren't going to believe how YUGE this reaction is.

He's kind of the ultimate panderer in that way - but instead of doing it with rigorous focus testing for the best reactions to his words, he shoots from the hip...to get the biggest reaction to his words.

I initially started off thinking that Trump was just married to saying whatever it took to win the lowest common denominator of GOP primary voters, which was bigger than anyone else thought.

But I've also become convinced that his ego is the real deal. Not only that, it is so YUGE that Trump will come to believe something just because he said it and his echo chamber supports it. This makes him uncontrollable when he becomes convinced of doing a certain thing even when his own experts tell him differently (example, look at Manafort and his general campaign). Combine that with poor risk management that comes from being relatively successful in a business world where his failures (casinos, Trump University, etc.) have never really affected him and you've got a deadly combination of terrible risk assessment on an impulsive egotist. If that's not a recipe for poor judgment I don't know what is.

[Deftscythe]

Trump to black voters: "What have you got to lose?"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...819-story.html

Can't make this shit up.

[Rooney]

I don't understand what your point is, then. I've said three(?) times now that his platform is not okay, but that most of it is utterly impossible to accomplish, and is thus not deserving of anyone's fear. Giving into his hyperbole helps no one. Understanding the real reasons he'd be poor for the country is immensely more important

Doesn't matter how you look at it, that platform is a big problem, realistic or not.

[Zealot]

Trump actually could do a lot of what he says, though.

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[archibaldcrane]

Wait, how do illegal immigrants collect social security?

Apparently formerly illegal immigrants who obtain legal status can get the SS taxes they paid while working illegally credited to their now legal SS ledger.

But still, the ad is flat wrong.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...rity-benefits/

[archibaldcrane]

Trump to black voters: "What have you got to lose?"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...819-story.html

Can't make this shit up.

Nothing to lose at all.
http://www.salon.com/2016/08/19/wash...when-arrested/

[Quicklet]

I initially started off thinking that Trump was just married to saying whatever it took to win the lowest common denominator of GOP primary voters, which was bigger than anyone else thought.

But I've also become convinced that his ego is the real deal. Not only that, it is so YUGE that Tri,[ will come to believe something just because he said it and his echo chamber supports it. This makes him uncontrollable when he becomes convinced of doing a certain thing even when his own experts tell him differently (example, look at Manafort and his general campaign). Combine that with poor risk management that comes from being relatively successful in a business world where his failures (casinos, Trump University, etc.) have never really affected him and you've got a deadly combination of terrible risk assessment on an impulsive egotist. If that's not a recipe for poor judgment I don't know what is.

I agree. Trump during most of the primaries was nasty but had almost a playful, comedic twinge to him that winked at voters as if to say "I know this is ridiculous, but this is how the game is played." IMO the turning point was the convention. Less comedy, more doom and gloom. A traditional change candidacy might appeal to discontent while offering an optimistic alternative. Trump is increasingly offering the message that if you don't elect him, the world will crumble. He's setting up a high stakes game in November where no matter the outcome, there will be a significant portion of the American people who refuse to accept the legitimacy and competency of the winner.

[Quicklet]

I'm not really sure what to make of this. The Trump camp is floating the idea of amnesty now.

http://www.univision.com/univision-n...ted-immigrants

I don't actually believe he means this, but he is going to be absolutely savaged if he tries to walk back some of the things he's said without directly addressing them and basically recanting item by item.

[archibaldcrane]

It so directly contradicts his first campaign ad I dunno.

He wants to be the guy where he's whatever you want him to be, so this is signaling to people who want him to be reasonable and not racist that now they can believe that.

[kisada]

i believe he just met with some of the latino GOP constituents so it's no surprise he came up with this bullshit.

[Krandor]

Is... Is Trump hispandering?

[Dotsudoku]

he doesn't need to hisplain himself to you