Donald Trump - the Megathread - read Mod warning in OP

AMKC

Plode wrote: »

Pros:

• Exposes liberal hypocrisy

• Funniest president ever

• Original thinker

Cons:

• Absolute madman.

He sure is and for that reason alone hd should never have been let anywhere near the White House let alone become POTUS.

Original thinker
Original thinker

Lol that's hilarious. I thought there is a not single original good thought out of his thick stupid head.

NIMAN wrote: »

He supported Brexit, yes, but he didn't cause it to happen.
The Brits did that all on their own.

Yes but if there had of been a proper President there someone who understood politics and had experience they might have been able to work with the British and the EU to come up with a good deal instead of been a thicko like Trump and just saying ye sure do Brexit.

sameoldname wrote: »

To be fair, Bill Clinton's presidency had absolutely no effect on my life while he was in office (as I was in school the entire time) and yet it was his repealing of depression-era financial legislation that was one of the main contributors to the financial crisis 7 years after he left the presidency. And that affected nearly everyone on the planet.

Most policies politicians implement won't be felt until long after they leave office.

That's wrong. It was not Clinton who repealed depression era finacial legislation it was Bush Junior when he was president.

Tony EH

Deleted User wrote: »

That's a very Irish view to entrepreneurship. Going bankrupt is better than never trying at all in America. The only people I feel shame around when my now failed business is talked about is Irish people whereas American people think it's great I tried and it's just a step towards success.. There's no pitiful looks.

Americans don't care about some of his many businesses failing. Why would they. It's in their psyche to try. It's like the basis of their entire American Dream.

The have-a-go-again American attitude is somewhat admirable, I agree. But when someone buggers things up a number of times despite enjoying advantages that few people could even hope for, it would be wise to start questioning that person's business acumen and actual ability.

What was it George Carlin said about the "American dream".

drogon.

Deleted User wrote: »

When Trump became president, I said one good thing about it would be America's problems and wrongs being brought to the forefront because of him.

America's been in bed with them for a long time. If you see issue with it now because of him, that's a positive.

Of course the US has been in bed with them long before Trump. But you can't kill one cancer (China) and let another (Saudi) survive and thrive. Especially in context of human rights to which my post was aimed at.

Also if you think about it, which is worst and should be curbed - Trade (China) or Ideology of extremism (Saudi) ?

StringerBell

He has given me more people to discuss US politics with.

Trump is not completely responsible in any respect.
This is where American "democracy" has got to. Trump is the flower. It's the environment that nurtured somebody like Trump.

Tony EH

drogon. wrote: »

The thing is, even if you work hard doesn't mean you will climb the economic ladder. The amount of people over there, that has to work 2 or more jobs just to put a roof over their heads is crazy, and this is during good times.

In this video at around 6:02 sums up my attitude of America in general - https://youtu.be/N9Cgy-ke5-s?t=362

Doesn't matter who is in power (Dems or Rep), they are brainwashed with capitalism and the notion of an American dream. Nothing wrong with that, but they don't have good employment law there, they barely get many holidays (including public holidays), you can be fired in a week etc. Also if you are running a million dollar business and go under, you can protect your private assets from bankruptcy, yet you can't right off your college debt or mortgage via bankruptcy if you fall into bad times. Again, the big guys get all the protection - but nothing for the little man.

There's plenty outside of that country brainwashed by it too, it seems.

PhilOssophy

"The American Dream" is always a gas one. In a country where half of them live in trailer parks and borderline 3rd world conditions, what part of the dream is that?
Trump is proof that some people will believe anything. As if he gives 1 bit of a f about the ordinary Joe. Make America Great Again - he has actually made America worse.

the purple tin

Gruffalux wrote: »

Perhaps you should have paid more attention to what Bush did during his terms because the estimated casualties of the ''War on Terror'' he initiated for vengeance in the wake of 9/11 are at least 500,000 and up to 2 million, most of them civilians. I would say they would have preferred if Bush (and his successors who maintained the wars) was just a polarising, divisive dick. This fcuking bull**** about how the past was not so bad as things are now...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpkRFHSpvGI

Biker79

PhilOssophy wrote: »

"The American Dream" is always a gas one. In a country where half of them live in trailer parks and borderline 3rd world conditions, what part of the dream is that?
Trump is proof that some people will believe anything. As if he gives 1 bit of a f about the ordinary Joe. Make America Great Again - he has actually made America worse.

Everyone that works can have access to a decent quality of life.

Take drugs, alcohol, crime & self-inflicted poor health out of the equation ...and it's accessible to everyone.

The standard of living available to the lowest earners in the Western world has never been higher.

In my opinion, MAGA refers to restoring the values that built this prosperity.

Manic Moran

NIMAN wrote: »

This is a question I have been thinking about recently, as I listen to the vast amount of anti-Trump media coverage.

People the world over have been going apoplectic about him since he got into office, and our own country is no different.

It appears all the media outlets have no issue showing their bias, be it TodayFM with the likes of Matt Cooper, or RTE with Tubridy et al. Its non-stop anti-Trump.

They tell us how it would be terrible if he was re-elected, and I got to thinking "how has Trump being POTUS affected me personally". And I realised it hasn't, not one iota. OK so he's an a$$h0le and many other things, but my life is totally unaffected by him being the most powerful man in the world. If I was an American or living in the US it would be different, but I don't.

So can any Irish resident give a genuine answer to the question "how has Trump being President affected your life negatively".

Heck, I'm in the US, and I don't think he's affected me personally much (Yet...)

There is a bit of a difference between things he will/won't put his signature to, and things which are directly under his control. If there was any significant impact, it was a non-impact: His Presidency prevented a Democrat president and thus maybe prevented some of those policies from being implemented (which means, at best/worst, it's "no change from status quo ante Trump") but since the Senate has been Republican for the duration of Trump's term, there's no guarantee that a Democrat president would have been able to implement anything anyway.

In terms of legislation, there is little which he has signed which, to my knowledge, wouldn't have been signed by any other Republican president and, in the case of the bipartisan criminal reform bill, a Democrat one. The major one which affected me personally is the tax reform bill, which reduced my tax bill a small amount. Obviously any policy will affect people as a whole whether directly affected or not (will reduced taxes permit the same level of government spending on national parks which I enjoy, for example, or what will the societal effects be of the criminal justice reform bill? How about the effect of the reduction on corporate tax on off-shore operations vs domestic?).

In terms of executive action, he actually could have a little more effect, but, again, because of the limitations of executive power vs what Congress authorises, that's not a huge one. He didn't build that many miles of wall on his own. The separation of families at the border was questionable, but also didn't affect me, personally (To answer the original question). Banning 'bump stocks' didn't affect me personally either as a firearms enthusiast, as I think they're silly and never owned one, but they won't have affected many other people either outside of bump stop manufacturers as they also don't do what people commonly think they do. If people think they are safer as a result, it's a false assumption.

Basically, his powers are as the head of the executive, not the legislative. And, further, given that this is a federal system, he doesn't have all that many executive powers which -can- affect me, personally. Take, for example, COVID. The States take the lead in this, and since Texas tends to take a decentralised approach to things, where I am in San Antonio, COVID's been controlled fairly well due to a fair combination of instructions from the local judge (County chief executive, basically), mayor, and governor.

sydthebeat wrote: »

His environmental policies effect us all.

Pulling out of the Paris accord will effect us all in the future.

Hopefully Biden can turn that oil tanker quickly enough

Yes, and no. The US, a quarter-century and a couple of Presidents later, has still not ratified the Kyoto treaty, let alone the Paris one. Even the President who signed Kyoto (Clinton) said it wasn't ready for submission to the Senate for ratification. One may certainly comment upon the US's general attitude to environmental treaties, but it's not a Trump thing.

Skyfloater wrote: »

His undermining of NATO, and active destabilizing of the western democratic alliance against the malign influence of Russia and China is something that does affect Irish people.
For all the pompous talk by some of Irish neutrality, we have been hiding behind the skirts of NATO for the last 70 years without it costing us a penny, long may it continue!

Actually, as commander-in-chief this is one area where his position in the executive can definitely affect me as a member of the US military. The reduction in troop numbers from Afghanistan may have been conducted by any President, the withdrawal from Syria was more polarising, but it did mean less chance of my going abroad. And, frankly, I supported the move. We weren't willing to do whatever it took to support our allies (i.e. fighting to the same level as the Russians, to include against the Russians), so why were we there?

You may find that NATO has not been undermined anywhere as much as you think. The US military under the Trump administration has conducted the largest NATO-related military exercises since the end of the Cold War involving transporting troops and equipment from the US to Europe. Presence in Germany has dropped down, but in Poland and the Baltic States has increased significantly, to the point that I expect that the next time the Army sends me somewhere, it'll be central Europe on one of these routine, ongoing rotations. The much-commented upon political debate was framed as "A way to encourage European countries to increase defense expenditure", which has happened. Whether or not any of these things are specifically a result of Trump vs "would have happened anyway" is an open question.

On a related measure, the US Marines have started to completely reconfigure themselves away from their prior organization to become almost entirely oriented on the Pacific Rim (and China to be more specific). So whatever the verbal press statements, the reality on the ground is that the US Military is focusing more heavily on Russia (read NATO) and China (PacRim) than it has in the last two decades.

You'll note the 'yet' at the top. That being the Supreme Court appointments. For better or worse, he got to nominate them. Over time, those rulings by the judges may well directly affect me.

Seems like way too reasonable a post for a thread about trump..

Tony EH

Tony EH wrote: »

The have-a-go-again American attitude is somewhat admirable, I agree. But when someone buggers things up a number of times despite enjoying advantages that few people could even hope for, it would be wise to start questioning that person's business acumen and actual ability.

What was it George Carlin said about the "American dream".

The majority of people of people who are left a fortune piss it away. Trump doesn't drink and went through decades of business and became a mogul. He represented America at its absolute core.

I find it tiresome when people talk about his business failures as if they'd have done any better. Loads of the greats went bankrupt at some stage or another.

There are so many valid arguments that you can make against him.. The business ones fall flat. Americans don't care so why should the rest of the world.

drogon.

drogon. wrote: »

Of course the US has been in bed with them long before Trump. But you can't kill one cancer (China) and let another (Saudi) survive and thrive. Especially in context of human rights to which my post was aimed at.

Also if you think about it, which is worst and should be curbed - Trade (China) or Ideology of extremism (Saudi) ?

Complex issue. He maintained a relationship with Saudi and went anti China. The former was always American policy, the latter not so much.

Bad things didn't start happening in 2016.

AllForIt

He has caused me so much confusion because I don't know what thread to follow or which one I should post in or what one I posted in last. Apart from that no further affect.

PhilOssophy

Biker79 wrote: »

Everyone that works can have access to a decent quality of life.

Take drugs, alcohol, crime & self-inflicted poor health out of the equation ...and it's accessible to everyone.

The standard of living available to the lowest earners in the Western world has never been higher.

In my opinion, MAGA refers to restoring the values that built this prosperity.

Not really though, I have been in fast food restaurants and been served by people in their 70s. America cares about you once you can make corporations money. Beyond that, you can rot for all they care.

I'm by no means left wing in my views - but the way America treats people who need help is beyond what I'd be comfortable with as a tax payer. and citizen

Cirrus Incus

gozunda wrote: »

Erh nope don't believe a word of it tbh.

China hit their 2020 target 3 years ahead of schedule. Authoritianism gives them a big advantage over western democracies when it comes to implementing policies. Just look how effective they were at suppressing COVID when they finally acknowledged the pandemic. This is another opportunity for them to legitimise their global leadership.
https://unfccc.int/news/china-meets-2020-carbon-target-three-years-ahead-of-schedule

Interesting thread OP.

As expected even the howlers in the politics threads have not been effected by him. Which means that like the thunberg threads many posters are just twitter repeaters without any clear ideas what they are being told to believe

Triangle

Biker79 wrote: »

Everyone that works can have access to a decent quality of life.

Take drugs, alcohol, crime & self-inflicted poor health out of the equation ...and it's accessible to everyone.

Problem with The American dream is - its not feasible for hard workers.

Sheriff in a small town with a second job and his wife working, still struggled.
That's not working to live, it's living to work.

In 2016 he voted trump because the establishment (both dem and rep) made this situation. He wanted change.

It's not just binary, there's loads of reasons people did or didn't vote trump.

Tony EH

Deleted User wrote: »

The majority of people of people who are left a fortune piss it away. Trump doesn't drink and went through decades of business and became a mogul. He represented America at its absolute core.

I find it tiresome when people talk about his business failures as if they'd have done any better. Loads of the greats went bankrupt at some stage or another.

There are so many valid arguments that you can make against him.. The business ones fall flat. Americans don't care so why should the rest of the world.

Stop making excuses for him.

He had the best start in life anyone could possibly wish for and there is nothing about him that suggests that he's any kind of uber businessman that's worthy of respect.

It's easy to fail when daddy leaves you lots of money and business opportunities. You don't feel the loss. Trump's failures were cushioned well.

In any case, aside from the tangents you've gone down, there is nothing "shrewd" about the guy (business failures or not), which was the point of contention in the first place.

Im New

FTA69 wrote: »

Barred out of America for the foreseeable future.

Lol what did you do?

the purple tin

Tony EH wrote: »

Stop making excuses for him.

He had the best start in life anyone could possibly wish for and there is nothing about him that suggests that he's any kind of uber businessman that's worthy of respect.

It's easy to fail when daddy leaves you lots of money and business opportunities. You don't feel the loss. Trump's failures were cushioned well.

In any case, aside from the tangents you've gone down, there is nothing "shrewd" about the guy (business failures or not), which was the point of contention in the first place.

Financially yes, but his father was supposed to be a real prick, so probably a bad start emotionally. A lot of those old tycoons were the same way.

Tony EH

the purple tin wrote: »

Financially yes, but his father was supposed to be a real prick, so probably a bad start emotionally. A lot of those old tycoons were the same way.

The apple didn't fall far from the tree so.

vojiwox

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Interesting thread OP.

As expected even the howlers in the politics threads have not been effected by him. Which means that like the thunberg threads many posters are just twitter repeaters without any clear ideas what they are being told to believe

Wait till you see the soccer forum or the motors forum!

A load of the site is full of people howling about things that don't effect there day to day!

ebbsy

I found him very entertaining.

#MAGAA2020

briany

ebbsy wrote: »

I found him very entertaining.

#MAGAA2020

I wonder how many people vote for Donald Trump not based on a hopeful vision of where he'll take the U.S. but principally because they enjoy how much he winds up 'the libs'?

I chuckle at some of the stuff Trump comes out with at his rallies, but in a head-shaking incredulous kind of way. If you had a half-drunk pint of stout perched on the podium beside him, it would all make so much more sense - an auld lad holding court, talking sh*te in a stream of consciousness diatribe kind of way. Trump is famously a teetotaller, though, so it's only the more worrying that his rants come from a place of total sobriety.

Silentcorner

His speech on the 4th of July in Mount Rushmore is essential viewing for anyone trying to understand the massive movement of ordinary Americans that he has inspired...that movement is evident across the 50 states over the last few weeks, it is organic, optimistic and defiant....and it is being ignored by the media class.

I certainly never thought I find myself appreciating the individual, but you have to try hard to have an open mind in this age of the perpetually hysterical media cycle.

the purple tin

ebbsy wrote: »

I found him very entertaining.

#MAGAA2020

I did enjoy seeing him take that pompous prick Jeb Bush apart onstage in 2016 Thereby ending the Bush family's last chance to nab the presidency, thank God.

drogon.

ebbsy wrote: »

I found him very entertaining.

#MAGAA2020

Not a big fan of him myself, he really hasn't affect my life in anyway.

But always get up in the morning and open twitter to see what he said the day before and chuckle. I would honestly miss the free entertainment !

#MAGAA2020

NIMAN

drogon. wrote: »

and yet has gone to bed with the Saudi's - The one that murdered a journalist for being critical of the Saudi royalty, not to mention that 15 of the 19 hijackers during 9/11 attacks were Saudi's. But as long as they buy billions of Arms from us, we are okay with it

Show me a POTUS that has stood up to them.

drogon.

NIMAN wrote: »

Show me a POTUS that has stood up to them.

I would have though any POTUS would have stood up to them for the murder of a journalist, Trump even went as far as rejecting the CIA conclusion that he was murdered by the Saudi's initially.

That being said didn't the American Gov prevent 9/11 survivors and families from being able to sue the Saudi government ?

Maybe the world is rotten, money can make anything go away.

SAD! as the man himself would say.