Why Trump ?

[Thermal]

Some of Trump's positions (the Wall, denying Muslims entrance, insulting Veterans) are fundamentally un-American, and as has been pointed out, he cannot surround himself with the 'best people' because he could not determine who they are, unless they agree with his buffonish stances.

 

[NoahFence]

Gulf War 1 turned out pretty well. A conventional military response to a conventional military invasion, and when it was over we imposed some sanctions and left.

Agreed. Good example.

Of course, conventional is the operative term. There's nothing conventional about today's threats. Something the puffy-chested alpha male wannabe's don't get.

 

[Frank Newgent]

The highlighted is misleading, since aside from the silly wall, Trump has no positions that he doesn't contradict later. So, let us amend it to read:

agree with his positions on some particular day, hour, or portion of a sentence.​

That's fair enough. The point is, a significant portion of the electorate like to hear bigotry and racism, and an equally large or even greater one is unconcerned by it.

I believe this to be true, also, and this is what concerns me most of a possible Trump presidency... such sentiments becoming even more normalized.

 

[pgwenthold]

Agreed. Good example.

Of course, conventional is the operative term. There's nothing conventional about today's threats. Something the puffy-chested alpha male wannabe's don't get.

Interestingly, while I might agree that Gulf War I was a successful operation, republicans apparently do not/did not agree, which is why we had to go in again.

So the best example of a Middle East intervention that turned out good is one where the republicans don't agree that it did.

 

[twinstead]

Stability is a relative measure. We've seen what non-intervention in Syria has done, for example, and, frankly, it looks a lot worse than Iraq.

How do you know if intervention would have made Syria even worse? It's just your opinion.

Short-sighted people with little ability to comprehend alternative scenarios might think that US involvement in the Middle East has created more problems than it has solved, but I disagree. I think if the US washed its hands of the place decades ago, the entire Middle East would look a lot like Syria does today, and Western economies would have been saddled with an extremely high price of oil and a flood of desperate refugees who do not share our values.

We'll never know how the Middle East would have turned out. All we do know is that there have been trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives spent for nothing.

 

[sunmaster14]

How do you know if intervention would have made Syria even worse? It's just your opinion.



We'll never know how the Middle East would have turned out. All we do know is that there have been trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives spent for nothing.

Well, as you say, we'll never know how the Middle East, or Iraq in this case, would have turned out. So you can't reasonably say that you know that the Iraq War was for nothing.

I can certainly posit a plausible scenario where Saddam is still in power, the sanctions have eroded, and Iraq and Iran have engaged in a nuclear arms race that has spread to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and beyond. We could be looking at a far more dangerous world right now, absent intervention in Iraq. We might already have seen out-of-control nuclear proliferation by this point and a nuclear bomb falling into the hands of a terrorist group.

 

[NoahFence]

Interestingly, while I might agree that Gulf War I was a successful operation, republicans apparently do not/did not agree, which is why we had to go in again.

So the best example of a Middle East intervention that turned out good is one where the republicans don't agree that it did.

Good point. They're the party of an alternate universe.

alt-right.

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Madoff had no public service experience, that I am aware of, and certainly none in any executive branch, let alone The Executive Branch.

They've both got exemplary records as traders. Looking at the numbers, they're two of the most successful investors of all time! I think there are lots of similarities between the two.

 

[Crossbow]

They've both got exemplary records as traders. Looking at the numbers, they're two of the most successful investors of all time! I think there are lots of similarities between the two.

Maybe when you are a bit more sober, then you can tell us just how you know that the Trump has been such a successful trader.

Considering that Trump has continually refused to release his tax records, then it is quite difficult to determine just how successful Trump has been.

 

[sunmaster14]

Maybe when you are a bit more sober, then you can tell us just how you know that the Trump has been such a successful trader.

I'm pretty sure that he was referring to Hillary's cattle futures trading. You might want to take a breathalyzer test yourself.

 

[Crossbow]

I'm pretty sure that he was referring to Hillary's cattle futures trading. You might want to take a breathalyzer test yourself.

You are wrong again.

In the first place, 'sir drinks-a-lot' was comparing Trump to Madoff.

In the second place, I rarely drink. I had a few drops about three months ago and I had about twice that much at New Years, and that accounts for all of my 2016 alcohol intake.

 

[sunmaster14]

You are wrong again.

First of all, I am not wrong this time. Make you should give the post (and the ones that led up to it) another think. Second, and more importantly, when have I ever been wrong so that this would be an "again?"

 

[phiwum]

I believe this to be true, also, and this is what concerns me most of a possible Trump presidency... such sentiments becoming even more normalized.

No kidding. Used to matter to people whether or not their politicians had clearly defined policies and principles. Now, so long as he sounds like he's kicking ass, who cares whether he has a thought in his head that will last longer than a burp?

 

[Tero]

With Trump, voters got to maximize their Bill and Hillary hate
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/09/08/opinion/08edsallWeb/08edsallWeb-master768-v2.jpg

 

[Cl1mh4224rd]

It's hilarious to read that you think Trump is a fascist. That position is more suited to politicians on the left since they are willing to commingle business and government...

Trump's supposed to be an amazing businessman, and for that you think he'd make a good President. You can't get much more commingled than that.

 

[logger]

Trump's supposed to be an amazing businessman, and for that you think he'd make a good President. You can't get much more commingled than that.

Because he's a good business man that wants to lead our country and for that he's a fascist? Thanks for the laugh!

Do you know what a fascist is?
Does Obama commingling healthcare count?

 

[logger]

Say what? What executive experience does Trump have? Hillary, on the other hand, has been four years Secretary of State. That's the highest position in the US executive save POTUS and VP.

Lol
Do you know what an executive is? He is literally the definition.

Someone like Paul Manafort, the Putin lobbyist?

Have you been out? Manafort has been fired.

 

[Tero]

So Trump executes, like Bush? I thought he had people for that.

 

[ddt]

Lol
Do you know what an executive is? He is literally the definition.

You said he has "executive experience". In the context of a discussion about a presidential candidate, I take that to mean "experience in the executive branch of government".

Trump has absolutely none. And I bet if you asked him about the three branches of government, he couldn't tell them. If you'd mention Montesquieu or the term "Trias Politica", his eyes would glaze over.

ETA: Someone should dare Trump to take the same exam as immigrants get who apply for US citizenship. That should be fun.

Have you been out? Manafort has been fired.

And has been replaced by the Breitbart-loon (sorry, name forgotten) and Ailes, the serial sexual harasser from Fox. Right.

 

[fess]

Wow, this thread sounds like a left wing summer picnic. Anyone on the other side is a moron.
Me, I look at congress and think, there are just as many morons on the left as there is on the right. And both sides agree on one thing only.... we need a raise.