The Trump Presidency – 2016

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

...at least as likely is that during one of his rallies somewhere in dumbfuckistan, he had an opening act racist sheriff or whatnot give a fluffer speech as a welcome, and drop that line along the way. It rhymes, and carries a distinct whiff of being racist, so it could pass the test of being something he'd just pick up for a time like this.

Yeah. I'm just not sure someone has to feed him racist, authoritarian slogans. He's perfectly capable of picking those up on his own.

[Arles]

The racial divisiveness that Trump has brought into his presidency is really sad. Not only does he lack any kind of normal awareness, but I don't think he really understands the kind of damage his actions are doing to the collective psyche of our country. I agree that it is going to take years to repair all this.

[JPhillips]

Ted Cruz is such an embarrassment. He's asked for a criminal investigation into Twitter.

You'll never win back Daddy's love, Ted.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I get that some people will focus on the historical context, but which is more likely:

1. That Donald Trump the historian was waxing nostalgic about the good old days when America was great and the police kept black people in their place, using a historically-relevant quote?

2. That Donald Trump the faux tough guy and general all-around nitwit heard what he considered to be a tough and kewl-sounding rhyme and used it with no knowledge of its origins.

It's obviously option #2. But we know the script by now. Nobody on the right can acknowledge that Dear Leader doesn't know what he's talking about, least of all Trump himself, so now we have to do the revisionist history dance where well actually Walter Headley is good and here's why. It's already exhausting and it's barely started.

[whomario]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I get that some people will focus on the historical context, but which is more likely:

1. That Donald Trump the historian was waxing nostalgic about the good old days when America was great and the police kept black people in their place, using a historically-relevant quote?

2. That Donald Trump the faux tough guy and general all-around nitwit heard what he considered to be a tough and kewl-sounding rhyme and used it with no knowledge of its origins.

Yeah, I vote #2. Do I think he is a racist? Yes. Do I also think he is a mouth-breathing simpleton? Yes. The fact that he hates these protesters and glorifies the ones in Michigan is a manifestation of the former, but the use of this specific quote is a manifestation of the latter. I think that Twitter thread is giving him far too much credit.

Of course 2 is at least equally likely, but is that a good thing as far as being qualified for his role ?

Also, now he is using the White House Twitter to propagate his innane thoughts. The line between Person and government are blurred beyond regognition by now. Which is utterly shocking considering how well received american democracy was not thaaat long ago.

And is my mind playing tricks or was there (early on) at least some pretense that he was speaking for himself early on, not for the 'country/government' ?

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Yeah. I'm just not sure someone has to feed him racist, authoritarian slogans. He's perfectly capable of picking those up on his own.

Definitely, in general. And maybe it's a complete coincidence that he used the exact phrasing of a well-documented white supremacist from Florida. Seems more likely that this particular slogan got there deliberately, rather than by accident.

[QuikSand]

Looting leads to shooting, and that’s why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don’t want this to happen, and that’s what the expression put out last night means....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020

oh, he wasn't threatening to kill Americans after all, nothing to see here, thanks Big Don

[JPhillips]

It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement.

Trump opening up new debates in English, law, and philosophy.

[Thomkal]

wow either someone else wrote that response or he came off a high. Complete sentences, no excalmation marks or capital letters.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

wow either someone else wrote that response or he came off a high. Complete sentences, no excalmation marks or capital letters.

No chance he wrote that. The easy tell will be when he gives up the con during the next time he's in front of a microphone.

[GrantDawg]

Trump prodigy learned well from the master. GBI investigation finds no basis for Kemp's 2018 hacking accusation.


First make a completely baseless claim and start an investigation right before an election. When the investigation finds nothing well after the damage was done, then continue to make the false claim and completely ignore the findings.

[NobodyHere]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/29/trum...anization.html

I can't say I'm a fan of Trump or the WHO but maybe this will save the US a few bucks while we're running trillion dollar deficits.

[ISiddiqui]

Pocket change really (yes for a trillion dollar budget, $450mil is 0.045% and the US's budget is closer to $4trillion) ... and seems like he'd run into some legal hurdles there as well due to Congressional appropriation.

[JPhillips]

Too lazy to do diplomacy, so we'll just cede the world's organizations to China.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Too lazy to do diplomacy, so we'll just cede the world's organizations to China.

Really it's the logical conclusion from pulling out of the TPP.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Too lazy to do diplomacy, so we'll just cede the world's organizations to China.

Definitely won't come back to bite us later

SI

[RainMaker]

I think eradicating polio and such is a good cause and worth the money.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

I get that some people will focus on the historical context, but which is more likely:

1. That Donald Trump the historian was waxing nostalgic about the good old days when America was great and the police kept black people in their place, using a historically-relevant quote?

2. That Donald Trump the faux tough guy and general all-around nitwit heard what he considered to be a tough and kewl-sounding rhyme and used it with no knowledge of its origins.

Yeah, I vote #2. Do I think he is a racist? Yes. Do I also think he is a mouth-breathing simpleton? Yes. The fact that he hates these protesters and glorifies the ones in Michigan is a manifestation of the former, but the use of this specific quote is a manifestation of the latter. I think that Twitter thread is giving him far too much credit.

I think for Trump it is option #2, but he definitely heard it from someone who believes in option #1.

[tarcone]

Watching Jeffrey Epstien: filthy Rich,

He was friends with Donald Trump. Who was quoted as saying he liked them young. As he did.

[sterlingice]

Headlines once again tell you about the news source. Front page of the two major news sites:

"Pain and Anger across America" - that seems pretty accurate to me
"Rage across America" - accurate-ish, but gotta get in your five minutes of hate/fear rather than trying to tell the whole story

Fox News is always very good at what they do, though. In one sub-headline stories, they find a conservative to condemn the riots with a story that spends about 1/4 of the article talking about Floyd and then 3/4ths about the riots. And in the other, they have the story "Black firefighter laments bar going up in the smoke of Minneapolis riots", which is of course the last of the three major stories on a page, the other two trying as hard as possible to portray people as animals and looks like the journalistic equivalent of "but I have black friends"

SI

[larrymcg421]

SCOTUS upholds California's restrictions on religious services by a 5-4 vote, with Roberts joining the liberal justices.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Headlines once again tell you about the news source. Front page of the two major news sites:

"Pain and Anger across America" - that seems pretty accurate to me
"Rage across America" - accurate-ish, but gotta get in your five minutes of hate/fear rather than trying to tell the whole story

Fox News is always very good at what they do, though. In one sub-headline stories, they find a conservative to condemn the riots with a story that spends about 1/4 of the article talking about Floyd and then 3/4ths about the riots. And in the other, they have the story "Black firefighter laments bar going up in the smoke of Minneapolis riots", which is of course the last of the three major stories on a page, the other two trying as hard as possible to portray people as animals and looks like the journalistic equivalent of "but I have black friends"

SI

Also darkly hilarious:
CNN: "Our reporter was arrested by the police for being black"
FoxNews: "Oh yeah, well, the people at the protest were mean to us, too"

No, going after reporters for any network is not right. But there is a bit of a difference. If it's the police arresting you for reporting, that's one thing. If the protesters view you as part of the problem, that's kindof another.

SI

[JPhillips]

Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think blaming it on Biden will work.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think blaming it on Biden will work.

I don't think so. ABC/Washington Post poll (yes single poll warnings) shows Biden up 10 on Trump. We have Lindsay Graham publicly asking judges over 60 to retire so they can replace them now. The White House is also keeping Trump off of live TV which tells you all you need to know about their faith in him as a leader.

I'm wondering where all the conservatives I saw complaining that Obama was a divisive President are now? If this level of unrest along with a pandemic were to happen under Obama's (or any Dem's) Presidency we'd see militia's mobilized.

[rjolley]

Blaming the Democrats can work...and has. Check out the '68 and '92 elections. Both after riots. Both republican candidates campaigned on a platform of law and order.

The next couple of weeks will probably be a big swing for Trump if nothing else major happens, because we should also see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, which he'll blame on the Dems as well.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by rjolley

Blaming the Democrats can work...and has. Check out the '68 and '92 elections. Both after riots. Both republican candidates campaigned on a platform of law and order.

The next couple of weeks will probably be a big swing for Trump if nothing else major happens, because we should also see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, which he'll blame on the Dems as well.

I don't think law and order is the correct message right now. All it does is continue to motivate his base, which means that's likely what Trump will do, but at some point he does have to bring in others.

They're keeping Trump off of TV for a reason. His messaging isn't helping them for November.

[Flasch186]

He already has that vote. Harris siphons off some of it but that's a vote he has. He needs to get the middle and I don't think 2020 has been kind to him in this regard.

[ISiddiqui]

Yeah, Law and Order only gets him so far and most of the non MAGA crowd think he's done terrible with law and order, considering his adminstration to be lawless and chaotic. He's not as trusted as H.W. or even Nixon


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rjolley]

Here's a thread from Twitter that gives one view of where we're headed: G. Elliott Morris on Twitter: "I have been trying to process this week’s unrest through the historical lens of the (GOP-driven) politicization of protests against police brutality & the corresponding political importance of (white) racial rage & some things have become very clear to me on what happens next. 1/"

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by rjolley

Blaming the Democrats can work...and has. Check out the '68 and '92 elections. Both after riots. Both republican candidates campaigned on a platform of law and order.

The next couple of weeks will probably be a big swing for Trump if nothing else major happens, because we should also see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, which he'll blame on the Dems as well.

But Bush lost and Nixon wasn't the incumbent. I don't see how a message of, "I can fix this" works when you're already the President. This is what the country looks like with Trump in charge.

[rjolley]

Just a total side thought: One of the things I'm glad I did a few years ago was start to follow people on Twitter whom I didn't think I'd agree with because I wanted to understand how others thought about things. Some, I stopped following because it was all "But Obama" this and "Trump Deranged Syndrome" that without much to back it up. But others had good points: things I didn't agree with but at least I could see how they got to that conclusion. And it's refined my point of view of things. That's the reason I really appreciate hearing the viewpoints of everyone here and I'm very thankful that when I ask questions, I get an honest answer.

Guess that's a long way to say thank you all for being you and allowing this forum to share ideas and opinions. If more could do this, we'd have a better place for everyone to live.

[rjolley]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

But Bush lost and Nixon wasn't the incumbent. I don't see how a message of, "I can fix this" works when you're already the President. This is what the country looks like with Trump in charge.

You're right, sorry. He tried to use it for law and order and it didn't work. And I don't see how Trump can use that message either.

But then again, who saw Trump being able to use the messages he did and be elected in the first place? I know I didn't.

[JPhillips]

I still think Trump is the favorite based on incumbency, but he's IMO running the worst possible campaign so far.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

This is what the country looks like with Trump in charge.

Lets not forget

“If communities don’t give [police] that support and respect, they might find themselves without the police protection they need.”

[albionmoonlight]

The election is in five months.

Five months ago, we were still in the impeachment. Most of us had not even heard of this weird virus in China.

Now, amazingly, the pandemic (which hasn't ended) is old news. And the impeachment feels about as relevant as Andrew Johnson's.

What the holy fuck will things be like five months from now?

[Brian Swartz]

Unfortunately, I think the pandemic will be back worse than ever and will have forced itself back into the top spot in the news. I hope to be wrong.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Unfortunately, I think the pandemic will be back worse than ever and will have forced itself back into the top spot in the news. I hope to be wrong.

Agreed on both counts. I fear you are right, I hope to be wrong.

SI

[JPhillips]

Remember that tweet when Trump said he watched everything from the WH and felt safe the whole time? Turns out he was worried for his safety and the Secret Service took him to the underground bunker.

[kingfc22]

What else would one expect from President Bone Spurs.

All he can do is project what he wants himself to be. He’ll never be that person or even 1% of it.

[JPhillips]

Trump made sure to tell the nation that a TV host is pretty sure there are no white supremacist organizations inciting violence. Solid priorities.

[bob]

If Charlotte ends up not allowing the GOP convention to occur there in August, I REALLY hope that Atlanta doesn't host it like Kemp has been suggesting.

[kingfc22]

The picture of the White House with no lights on is so poetic.

[Ben E Lou]

Oh my.

ATL Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms asked right now on CNN if President Trump is capable of delivering a unifying national message:

“I think he is capable of reading one.”

— Jonathan Tamari (@JonathanTamari) June 1, 2020

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

The picture of the White House with no lights on is so poetic.

A tale of three leaders. pic.twitter.com/GZVgs3Bsxx

— Ben Lewis (@benelou) June 1, 2020

[JPhillips]

You have to dominate or you’ll look like a bunch of jerks, you have to arrest & try people...if you don’t put it down it will get worse & worse. The only time its successful is when you’re weak & most of you are weak.

From Trump's call with the Governors today. We're getting into Downfall territory.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

The picture of the White House with no lights on is so poetic.

they ran out of snickers...

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

From Trump's call with the Governors today. We're getting into Downfall territory.

I probably would have hung up right there if that was the kind of "help" we would be getting from the President of the US

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

A tale of three leaders. pic.twitter.com/GZVgs3Bsxx
— Ben Lewis (@benelou) June 1, 2020

So were you using "the lights out and nobody's home" more literally or more metaphorically?

SI

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

they ran out of snickers...

Heh

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

The picture of the White House with no lights on is so poetic.

The Lincoln Project is going to be all over it.