Hail To The Chief (Read Mod Warning In OP)

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

I know she's a democrat, one of the few who seems to have her head screwed on properly.

If you don't think her trying to get that law passed is a result of Obama's regime ending and Trump winning what else is there to say? She was one of the first to meet with Trump to discuss policy.

Yeah. Previous admins aside, how exactly is President Trump going to fulfill his pledge to eradicate Islamic terrorism from the face of the Earth?

Butters1979 wrote: »

1) Demonise particular groups. Like trump supporters and right wingers. All racist misogynist fascists.
2) say that you need a strong leader who will come in a sort everything out. As opposed to saying you don't want a strong leader and you don't want them to do anything?

The comparison is not valid, it's a liberal reaction to someone who disagrees with them.

It's not. If you'd studied Germany in the thirties you'd know that the nazi's had very little policies. They said that Wiemar had failed them. The politicians didn't care about the people. Big business didn't care about them. They said that the politicians were controlled by interest groups. What is needed is a leader who is not under the influence of special interest groups. A leader who will sort out the undesirables. One strong person who will shape Germany according to his will.
Jews and socialists didn't want the best for Germany. They were under outside influences.


Now I'm not saying that Trump = Hitler. I'm saying that there's a lot of similarities between then and now. There's a group of people who feel disenfranchised. Nationalism/patriotism belongs to the few who follow the movement, the rest want to undermine the country. There's a leader who blames the entire political establishment. The leader has scapegoats who are responsible for all the wrongs.

There's a lot of similarities there. And it's good to recognise that. It's possible to see how populist movements have created positive and negative change. But also to see how they react to challenges. Normally they just blame someone else.

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

Doesn't work that way, you said Trump had no input on her trying to get that law passed and she had nothing to do with him, they had meetings about the Syrian conflict since the 20th of November and the video shows her discussing her meetings with Trump. Why should I answer your question if you can't even acknowledge that.

I did not say that. Note the words 'President Trump' and 'previous administrations'. I'll be kind and assume you were making an honest mistake when you wrote that.


Third time of asking:

Previous administrations aside, how exactly is President Trump going to fulfil his pledge to eradicate Islamic terrorism from the face of the Earth?

MrMorooka wrote: »

I don't understand why people get so worked up about him. I watched his inauguration speech and some of his rally speeches(as in, actually watched them for myself) and all he's really saying is that he wants to make the American economy more protectionist. Protectionism is just a different economic model, it is radically different from how things are usually done, but that's it. Maybe it will work, I don't know. What is so wrong with it and why do people get so angry about him- I have not heard him say anything actually objectionable.

Hmm... missed the bit about walls, vetting, islam and so on? And the mocking of the media and opponents then?

Plenty to find objectionable about this President. He's a constant source.

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

Yeah. Previous admins aside, how exactly is President Trump going to fulfill his pledge to eradicate Islamic terrorism from the face of the Earth?

In fairness, Hank Scorpio didn't say he would, Trump said he would. Why don't you ask Trump. I don't think any leader has the ability or power to do that. And I think you know that.

MrMorooka wrote: »

I don't understand why people get so worked up about him. I watched his inauguration speech and some of his rally speeches(as in, actually watched them for myself) and all he's really saying is that he wants to make the American economy more protectionist. Protectionism is just a different economic model, it is radically different from how things are usually done, but that's it. Maybe it will work, I don't know. What is so wrong with it and why do people get so angry about him- I have not heard him say anything actually objectionable.

It's not about the man. It's because it's the anti liberal vote. They can't stand it now they're been told there are different opinions out there and they're not getting their own way.

Igotadose wrote: »

Hmm... missed the bit about walls, vetting, islam and so on? And the mocking of the media and opponents then?

Plenty to find objectionable about this President. He's a constant source.

Countering illegal immigration, vetting potentially dangerous people before entering the country and taking the p*** out of journalists? Good. I'm ok with that.

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

So Trump lied during his speech? Agreed.

Maybe he is so sure of himself he genuinely believes he can do it. That's not lying, that's just been wrong. And the last administration didn't do well in this area.
Anyway if he at least helps reduce it, is that not a good thing, or is it all or nothing for you?

Robert Reich (former Secretary of Labor under Clinton and part of Ford's and Carter's administration) just posted this on Facebook:

I had breakfast recently with a friend who's a former Republican member of Congress. Here's what he said:

Him: Trump is no Republican. He’s just a big fat ego.
Me: Then why didn’t you speak out against him during the campaign?

Him: You kidding? I was surrounded by Trump voters. I’d have been shot.
Me: So what now? What are your former Republican colleagues going to do?

Him (smirking): They’ll play along for a while.
Me: A while?

Him: They’ll get as much as they want – tax cuts galore, deregulation, military buildup, slash all those poverty programs, and then get to work on Social Security and Medicare – and blame him. And he’s such a fool he’ll want to take credit for everything.

Me: And then what?
Him (laughing): They like Pence.

Me: What do you mean?
Him: Pence is their guy. They all think Trump is out of his mind.

Me: So what?
Him: So the moment Trump does something really dumb – steps over the line – violates the law in a big stupid clumsy way … and you know he will ...

Me: They impeach him?
Him: You bet. They pull the trigger.

Somehow that doesn't even sound that implausible to me. I don't believe the backlash by Republicans against Trump during the campaign all of a sudden disappeared.

Butters1979 wrote: »

Countering illegal immigration, vetting potentially dangerous people before entering the country and taking the p*** out of journalists? Good. I'm ok with that.



Maybe he is so sure of himself he genuinely believes he can do it. That's not lying, that's just been wrong. And the last administration didn't do well in this area.
Anyway if he at least helps reduce it, is that not a good thing, or is it all or nothing for you?

I don't underestimate Trump's self-belief. You're right, it may not have been a deliberate lie, it just might have been another clueless, uninformed brainfart from Trump.

ScumLord wrote: »

How is he going to get over the fact China is cheaper? If you go into a shop are you going to buy a TV from Sony for €600, or a similar TV from US electronic Inc. for €1700?

Neither when you've no job.

Dan Rather wrote this on Facebook and I think he has an excellent point. Reporters and the media need to double down and apply real pressure on the White House now.

The one big line for me is - "If you are interviewing a Paul Ryan, a Mitch McConnell, or any other GOP elected official, the first question must be "what will you do to combat the lying from the White House?"

"These are not normal times. These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

When you have a spokesperson for the president of the United States wrap up a lie in the Orwellian phrase "alternative facts”…

When you have a press secretary in his first appearance before the White House reporters threaten, bully, lie, and then walk out of the briefing room without the cajones to answer a single question…

When you have a President stand before the stars of the fallen CIA agents and boast about the size of his crowds (lies) and how great his authoritarian inaugural speech was….

These are not normal times.

The press has never seen anything like this before. The public has never seen anything like this before. And the political leaders of both parties have never seen anything like this before.

What can we do? We can all step up and say simply and without equivocation. "A lie, is a lie, is a lie!" And if someone won't say it, those of us who know that there is such a thing as the truth must do whatever is in our power to diminish the liar's malignant reach into our society.

There is one group of people who can do a lot - very quickly. And that is Republicans in Congress. Without their support, Donald Trump's presidency will falter. So here is what I think everyone in the press must do. If you are interviewing a Paul Ryan, a Mitch McConnell, or any other GOP elected official, the first question must be "what will you do to combat the lying from the White House?" If they dodge and weave, keep with the follow ups. And if they refuse to give a satisfactory answer, end the interview.

Facts and the truth are not partisan. They are the bedrock of our democracy. And you are either with them, with us, with our Constitution, our history, and the future of our nation, or you are against it. Everyone must answer that question."