Donald Trump the Megathread part II - mod warnings in OP, Updated 06/06/25

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364427#Comment_123364427

Everybody who was elected president was really popular in America. So what? That doesn't mean that their policies were sound or decent, or that their supporters were wise, insightful or civic-minded. Popularity is no guarantee either of virtue or ultimate success. Nixon, for example, was at one time massively popular; he won his second election in 1972 with 60.67% of the popular vote, which puts Trump's 49.8% firmly in the shade. Yet he resigned in disgrace two years later with the lowest ever approval rating.

I'm not quite sure what point you're trying to make by repeatedly reminding us that Trump is quite popular. We know he's quite popular, at least some of the time; that's the problem. He wouldn't be such a threat to the US and the world if he were consistently unpopular.

(He's not massively popular. If he were, he wouldn't waste his time and expend his political capital trying to rig the system and subvert elections; he'd just win them reliably.)

20silkcut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364427#Comment_123364427

Yes and Brexit is a really popular concept in Britain.

I’m sure if income tax was put to the popular vote it would lose in most countries.

The trick is not putting such important issues at the whim of popularity contests.

Just like not offering your child sweets for breakfast. Im sure that would be popular with kids.

You dont decide your own life by giving into what your brain thinks is popular or nice . Self control and self regulation is something we all learn to different degrees if we survive past the age of 30.

Superficial Popularity should not decide the course a country should take. Popular false promises by politicians should be seen for what they are.
America is currently going through the process of learning that lesson right now. Having not learned it hard enough in the period 2016-20.

8-10

The point is that he's popular with many ordinary people with decent jobs, kind and caring people, intelligent people, educated people, people in science professions...etc

This thread would have you think they're all MAGA sewer dwellers. There's plenty of those alright, but you can't ignore the amount of regular Joe's that voted for him

BP_RS3813

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364427#Comment_123364427

Hitler was also popular with a lot of germans for a short while. When he went and started a World War the world went against him. Whats your point? The presidency should be based on merit, not popularity.

I would rather the most boring accountant who can't speak then some ejet who can speak well but doesn't understand economics.

Timberrrrrrrr

China to cut US oil imports by up to 90% and will instead import from Canada, so much winning for the "DRILL BABY DRILL" crowd.

BP_RS3813

I am of the opinion that the whole world should conspire against the US until Trump and Vance is removed.

Sell off debt - china could destroy economy in a day if they sold of all of theirs. Don't sell any oil, see how they like it with no electricity.

That would quickly teach them a lesson...

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364504#Comment_123364504

We're not ignoring them. There's extensive discussion of the phenomonon of people, who in all other respects are apparently decent, voting for Trump.

But, interestingly, it's not a discussion in which you have so far chosen to participate. You keep calling attention to the large numbers that vote for Trump, but say nothing about any conclusions that you draw, or that you think we should draw, from that. Do you want to say anything how you account for the phenomenon of otherwise decent people voting for a man who is, transparently, depraved?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364427#Comment_123364427

If you mean it’s an echo chamber because no pro racists or sexists or bigots or rapists or fraudsters are posting in it, then yeah, it probably is an echo chamber of sorts

francois

brain worm Bob's take on autism

https://bsky.app/profile/the-independent.com/post/3lmx4lbftkc2z

everlast75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364504#Comment_123364504

"kind and caring people"

Yeah, that's where we differ.

It absolutely obvious to anyone with a modicum of awareness that Trump was an absolute racist, a convicted felon, a fraud, a tax cheat, and fascist wannabe* and anyone who votes for such a person is, in my eyes, a scumbag.

* Feel free to try and fact check me

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364509#Comment_123364509

Is this where Trump turns around and says “awe you guys, you guys, I was only kidding you” ?

Really hard to know end game here - If america was getting rich off the back of all of this, even if the world turns on its head, then I get it - but I just don’t see the upside for America in any of this.

On a side note, we’ve seen America start to bully the UK into reversing legislation on removing certain hard won LBGTQ rights. Thats just America- imagine how further China might take this in years to come, assuming they’ll be the ultimate world order leaders - they don’t have to invade us, to control us.

8-10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364536#Comment_123364536

Do you know anybody personally who voted for him?

8-10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364517#Comment_123364517

I did a couple of times in this thread. I spoke about the votes specifically against Kamala, the votes on single issues like abortion, the Venezuelan vote against communism whomever the candidate is.

What is it you're looking for me to say more?

everlast75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364546#Comment_123364546

I don't have to meet someone who supports a racist to know they are a scumbag.

Akrasia

What is everyone's take on this satellite image taken of the El Salvador prison

Remember, this is a Jail that they boast the inmates 'Will never see the light of day again' and 'once you go in, you never come out'

Prisoners are never granted any contact with the outside world. Nobody knows who is in there, who is alive, who is dead.

What kind of place has Trump been sending these hundreds of completely innocent people to without any due process or hope of ever being released?

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364504#Comment_123364504

Yes most decent people I know have said they would love to vote for a rapist. Rapists really appeal to the intelligent voters!

8-10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364554#Comment_123364554

Thanks. That answers it then.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364548#Comment_123364548

I'm asking what conclusion you think we should draw from this.

If somebody is prepared to vote for the lies, the misogyny, the rapes, the fraud, the malice, the cruelty, the bigotry, the ignorance amd the attempts to subvert and even overthrow democracy because he doesn't like Kamala Harris, or because he wants the state to control women's access to abortion, I'm seeing somebody who has a seriously, seriously skewed set of values. I think that's depraved.

Or, being as charitable as I can, I'm seeing somebody who is so crippled by ignorance and stupidity that he genuinely cannot recognise lies, cruelty, malice, etc, when they are served up on a plate garnished with parsley and with a little card on them saying "lies, cruelty, malice, rape, etc".

What are you seeing? Do you think their distaste for abortion or their kneejerk reaction against communism (seriously? Kamala Harris a communist?) somehow justifies or vindicates a vote for the likes of Trump?

Leroy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364591#Comment_123364591

Nobody cares. Or at least nobody tjat supports Trump cares.

They don't care because it doesn't impact them and they like the idea that others are bring harshly dealt with.

It isn’t because they hate that particular person, its because they feel powerless to deal with the actual problems and this type of performative cruelty makes them feel like something is being done.

It goes back to whether Trump supporters are crazy or whatever moniker you want to attach.

Obviously 77 odd million in US are not all crazy but they welcome cruelty and craziness to others as it allows them to feel like they are getting control back.

Take the unisex toilet debate as an example. It effects almost no-one. People use unisex toilets all the time in trains/planes etc. But it has become this national debate that drives people to accept other extremes, like voting for a convicted fraudster and SAer, because this issue is so important to them.

yagan

Honestly Im not surprised a hard lump voted again for a convicted sex offender.

This will be the same cohort who believe COVID was a hoax, "it's just a cold!".

The US has some very smart people, but a few smart people does not a smart society make.

While poor uneducated people with only their labour to offer try to cross the border illegally there's now extremely smart people leaving the US because of the hostile academic environment.

20silkcut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364540#Comment_123364540

In fairness China doesn’t seem too bad in comparison to the states now. Its stock has definitely risen since January.
It is a far more pragmatic , predictable and restrained leadership than the Trump regime at the moment.
Taheaway the Great Leap Forward, the cultural revolution and tianemen square and chinas history is far more civilized than the US and most European countries. Actually even including those events it is far more civilised less brutal history than Europe/ US history. In my opinion of course feel free to change it. And I humbly accept I may be ignorant on many aspects of this topic. That’s the point of a discussion board. But at a cursory glance China looks a better bet than the US at the minute.

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364546#Comment_123364546

I know one person who voted for him in 2016, she was visiting Ireland and I was showing her round. I had been in on-line contact with her for some time and had met her a couple of times. She came over as a perfectly pleasant, if rather brash, person. We did not discuss politics particularly, but on one occasion she said she voted for him because she could not bear to vote for the alternative. In the course of the conversation she referred to a nearby town to her being ruined by 'our brown friends' and also said quite passionately that she thought charity hospitals for poor people were good because they allowed rich people to give charitably. I haven't been in touch with her since.

The other instance is an Irish woman, so not voting, but I thought it was telling, who said that she had not liked Trump but then her (US resident) son had explained Trump's ideas and intentions and it all made sense and she thought he was good for the country. This was just immediately after his inauguration.

Otherwise I only know a very few Americans indirectly (through relatives), and none of them have any time for him, to the extent of being very disturbed about him.

SuperBowserWorld

Nothing is safe from greed, selfishness and ignorance.

https://www.rte.ie/news/environment/2025/0417/1508120-trump-admin-habitat/

poop emoji

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364427#Comment_123364427

ah “the people have voted”

Where have we heard that one

20silkcut

Some people voted Trump because he is anti abortion and that’s the sole reason. Even if they actually hate him.

The Catholic newspapers here in this country are all 100% behind Trump.
Most Catholic priests will be in favour of him either vocally or privately.

There is a huge catholic vote in America .

bog master

WOW! Any aviation experts care to comment on this Great Feat

his Radicalized Judge is saying that Sleepy Joe Biden can fly more than half a million Illegals into America, IN ONE DAY, but we have to hold many years of long and tedious trials to fly each and every one of them back home. Where is the JUSTICE here???From Donald Trump Truth Social 04/16/25 05:56 PM

kneemos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364682#Comment_123364682

Good eatin tonight Ma.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364700#Comment_123364700

Our own religious freaks in the Iona Institute probably support Trump and his team of idiots and would welcome his interference here. Here is a recent article from our far right conservative loons.

Trump team ‘monitoring’ pro-life free speech case in UK | The Iona Institute

Trump team ‘monitoring’ pro-life free speech case in UK

The Trump administration has warned the UK Government that it is closely “monitoring” the case of a pro-life campaigner who is being prosecuted for carrying out a peaceful protest near an abortion clinic.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364676#Comment_123364676

The previous century of humiliation as they call it is what unites China in the present era.

China has a fascinating history of massive political and cultural upheavals. The Taiping uprising is hair raising considering it was a cult led by a lad influenced by western Christian missionaries who came to believe he was the brother of Jesus. The uprising would claim 20 million lives.

It's been over 2 decades since I was last in East Asia but a very learned Chinese man warned me that the real danger is a Chinese implosion, and considering it is now essentially the workshop of the world everyone everywhere would be effected.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123364504#Comment_123364504

'Popular' would be overstating things. He's definitely popular with the hardcore MAGA crowd, these would be your reactionaries and ultra conservatives, pro-guns, anti-woke, probably racist and so on. Many others seem to have taken the attitude that he is a horrible person with few redeeming features but they liked the sound of his policies (or preferred them to Kamala Harris anyway).