Donald Trump - the Megathread - read Mod warning in OP

NIMAN · 31-10-2020 12:56am #1

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".

Mod warning 07/11/20

Beasty wrote: »

Same principles apply here as in the election threads. If you are just using this thread to have a swipe at Trump you will be considered trolling

Best way to avoid that is to stay clear of such threads

FTA69 · 31-10-2020 1:46am

Barred out of America for the foreseeable future. I don’t see it as a massive debilitating negative though either.

I think people can and should be critical of America and its foreign policy but that shouldn’t be condensed into one individual. America as it is constructed and its imperialism is the problem not a particular President.

vojiwox · 31-10-2020 1:49am

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".

I like to keep up to date with world news.
I really dislike listening to liars and morons.

Trump negatively effects my life by bringing these two things together on an extremely consistent basis.

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 1:59am

Every time I hear him speak it makes me want to scrape out my eardrums with a fork rather than listen to another word. The stuff he says is so fantastically stupid that it actually makes me feel pity for him which is quite a feat.

I guess you could say that's a negative.

DMcL1971 · 31-10-2020 2:04am

The most negative effect Trump has on me is that I am sick to the back teeth of hearing about him and seeing him and of every conversation I have been in for the last four years somehow ending up being about him. I no longer care if he wins or loses. I just want him to go away!

31-10-2020 2:05am

I learned a lot about how the media and people work.

GT89 · 31-10-2020 2:07am

sameoldname wrote: »

Every time I hear him speak it makes me want to scrape out my eardrums with a fork rather than listen to another word. The stuff he says is so fantastically stupid that it actually makes me feel pity for him which is quite a feat.

I guess you could say that's a negative.

You don't have to listen to him

LillySV · 31-10-2020 2:08am

Hatred towards this man , constantly drummed by social media means that people can spend most of their time hating him and not taking notice of the real issues affecting them

Ronin247 · 31-10-2020 2:13am

I have investments in the American Stock Market and did quite well over the last 4 years under Trumps "Leadership".

If I was voting in this election it wouldn't be as easy as I would have thought, Biden is a very poor alternative.

A lot of Americans are single issue voters, I have family who , regardless of anything else, are staunchly anti abortion and would vote Republican no matter what.

440Hertz · 31-10-2020 2:28am

He brought a hell of lot of unpredictability to the world. From an Irish point of view, he’s supported Brexit, which could well undermine our economy and even NI peace, he’s gone absolutely out of his way to undermine very successful multilateralism in global affairs and he’s fed every conspiracy theorist nut job you could possibly name, including all of those who’ve been undermining the ability to deal with COVID-19 over the past few months.

The US is far from some benign power, I’m not going to go singing the praises of any US president. It has done plenty damage, driven wars and all sorts of things under far less crazy presidents, but this guy just takes the biscuit. His only saving grace, so far, is that he hasn’t gone to war and I honestly wouldn’t put it past him to do so. He’s totally unpredictable.

corazon · 31-10-2020 2:29am

I moved to the USA from Ireland a few months before the election in 2016. it has been nothing but positive career wise and investment wise. I'm no fan of Trump but would Biden be any different? Everytime I go home I'm amazed by how much I hear about Trump in the Irish media. The average American pays less attention to US politics than the average Irish person. I don't think Irish people understand that politics plays a smaller role in you life here.

Rodin · 31-10-2020 2:33am

Has opened my eyes to how unbalanced the media is and to how most people cannot form their own opinion.

So few here are completely closed to the idea that Trump may ever do something good.
All opinions are pre determined according to the subject matter.

Outlaw Pete · 31-10-2020 3:09am

Have a ton of family in the UK and throughout Europe and so with ISIS attacks such as the Manchester Arena bombing, Paris Bataclan theatre massacre, Berlin Christmas Market truck attack and Brussels Airport attack etc etc, taking out al Baghdadi for sure has reduced the probability of similar future attacks in Europe.

Plode · 31-10-2020 3:13am

Pros:

• Exposes liberal hypocrisy

• Funniest president ever

• Original thinker

Cons:

• Absolute madman

• Foghorn voice

• Probably a fascist

But he hasn't affected me – yet.

NIMAN · 31-10-2020 3:16am

440Hertz wrote: »

He brought a hell of lot of unpredictability to the world. From an Irish point of view, he’s supported Brexit, which could well undermine our economy and even NI peace, he’s gone absolutely out of his way to undermine very successful multilateralism in global affairs and he’s fed every conspiracy theorist nut job you could possibly name, including all of those who’ve been undermining the ability to deal with COVID-19 over the past few months.

The US is far from some benign power, I’m not going to go singing the praises of any US president. It has done plenty damage, driven wars and all sorts of things under far less crazy presidents, but this guy just takes the biscuit. His only saving grace, so far, is that he hasn’t gone to war and I honestly wouldn’t put it past him to do so. He’s totally unpredictable.

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

NIMAN · 31-10-2020 3:20am

I'm getting the responses I kinda expected to get, basically giving examples of why people don't like him.

But no examples of how he has affected your life in Ireland, because I honestly don't think he has (bar maybe getting someone sent home or not allowed in).

Its just that I know some people who are very vocal on their hatred for him, and I just don't get it. I couldn't give a monkeys if he gets another term because my life won't chance. Nor will 99.99% of those Irish who post anti Trump stuff to social media all the time.

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 3:23am

Rodin wrote: »

So few here are completely closed to the idea that Trump may ever do something good.

You'd have to define what you mean by "good"?

Under his leadership has the United States actually improved under any quantifiable metric on which we rank countries?
I suppose he gave everyone a tax cut so I'll give him "Take home salary" but has there been an improvement in anything else that actually matters to society as a whole?
Access to healthcare?
Social mobility?
Education?
Student debt?
Wealth redistribution?

31-10-2020 3:29am

You talk as if either side of political spectrum in the US cares about those things.

John Doe1 · 31-10-2020 3:30am

It completely opened my eyes to the biased media and had some part to play in changing my political views from unthinking liberal leftie to centre-right.

NIMAN · 31-10-2020 3:33am

sameoldname wrote: »

You'd have to define what you mean by "good"?

Under his leadership has the United States actually improved under any quantifiable metric on which we rank countries?
I suppose he gave everyone a tax cut so I'll give him "Take home salary" but has there been an improvement in anything else that actually matters to society as a whole?
Access to healthcare?
Social mobility?
Education?
Student debt?
Wealth redistribution?

That question could be asked of many world leaders, they don't get the hate though.

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 3:35am

NIMAN wrote: »

I'm getting the responses I kinda expected to get, basically giving examples of why people don't like him.

But no examples of how he has affected your life in Ireland, because I honestly don't think he has (bar maybe getting someone sent home or not allowed in).

Its just that I know some people who are very vocal on their hatred for him, and I just don't get it. I couldn't give a monkeys if he gets another term because my life won't chance. Nor will 99.99% of those Irish who post anti Trump stuff to social media all the time.

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.

Smacruairi · 31-10-2020 3:36am

John Doe1 wrote: »

It completely opened my eyes to the biased media and had some part to play in changing my political views from unthinking liberal leftie to centre-right.

This. I did arts in trinity, I'm the lowest hanging fruit for progressives ever. But the more ppl accuse trump of populism and arguing about the supreme Court appointments, while not declaring their own political allegiances in this country and defo not able to name any judge at all in our court..

Then again, is trump the reason for such polarisation? Was it the media? Chicken egg? That's his legacy anyway, ppl digging in deeper along sectarian lines essentially. That was not a good thing.

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 3:43am

Deleted User wrote: »

You talk as if either side of political spectrum in the US cares about those things.

He said people were blind to the good Trump does, how would you define "good"?

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 3:47am

NIMAN wrote: »

That question could be asked of many world leaders, they don't get the hate though.

Trump basically begs people to hate him though. I don't see many world leaders as tone-deaf as he is either.

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 3:51am

in no meaningful way.

which is irrelevant really.

like how did obama impact your life?

bill george?

Zak Flaps · 31-10-2020 3:52am

I despise the man. I think he's an obnoxious, revolting walrus who adores himself despite the fact that he probably smells like 300 year old farts.

I think i heard that if he wins the election, Boris will go for a no deal....if he loses, Boris will try to get some sort of deal done. Don't quote me on that, but if it's true, it will affect us.

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 3:54am

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

in no meaningful way.

which is irrelevant really.

like how did obama impact your life?

bill george?

to quote myself.

makes me wonder, the people that campaign against him...very easy question....what's the reason?

NIMAN · 31-10-2020 3:54am

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

in no meaningful way.

which is irrelevant really.

like how did obama impact your life?

bill george?

You are just making my point for me, they didn't. None of them changed my life at all.
But I think the hate for Trump is on a completely different level to these guys.

So basically I don't get why so many people get so agitated by Trump, your life won't change one bit if he gets re-elected, so calm down!

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 3:58am

Zak Flaps wrote: »

I despise the man. I think he's an obnoxious, revolting walrus who adores himself despite the fact that he probably smells like 300 year old farts.

I think i heard that if he wins the election, Boris will go for a no deal....if he loses, Boris will try to get some sort of deal done. Don't quote me on that, but if it's true, it will affect us.

i'm not a lawyer (watched suits though). usually you need some evidence?

Real Donald Trump · 31-10-2020 4:00am

Orange man = bad
Man who kneels to mob= good

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 4:01am

NIMAN wrote: »

You are just making my point for me, they didn't. None of them changed my life at all.
But I think the hate for Trump is on a completely different level to these guys.

So basically I don't get why so many people get so agitated by Trump, your life won't change one bit if he gets re-elected, so calm down!

i agree entirely. think there was a loss ion translation.

Plode · 31-10-2020 4:01am

Zak Flaps wrote: »

...he probably smells like 300 year old farts.

Tremendous, as Trump himself would say. :pac:

NIMAN · 31-10-2020 4:02am

"I'm the best smelling guy in the world"

31-10-2020 4:12am

sameoldname wrote: »

He said people were blind to the good Trump does, how would you define "good"?

As a non-American, I consider his lack of wars and his handling of NK testing a thermonuclear bomb to be good. I'm happy with his focus on America. Just a pity the rest of the world followed suit.

31-10-2020 4:14am

He's given me a good heads up about loons on boards that should be avoided. Thanks Don.

topmanamillion · 31-10-2020 4:15am

People are just so wound up about Trump that very few can actually put together a coherent argument as to why they dislike him.
It's usually just regurgitation or slogans like "he's bad for democracy".

He's a cowboy, but he comes from a long line of cowboy American presidents.

He also knows his target audience very well.
As thick as people like to think he is, he's shrewd enough to be a billionaire but market himself as a friend of the an ordinary blue collar man.

Some of the stuff he says is absolutely bonkers but again there's plenty of quotes online from the likes of Bush Jr or Clinton that will top anything he has said.

Obama wasn't the saviour he was made out to be. Trump hasn't brought the world to its knees. And Biden (If he gets in) won't be any type of saviour. He's already said he'd veto any attempts at a universal health care system, something America could really do with.

Tony EH · 31-10-2020 4:25am

topmanamillion wrote: »

he's shrewd enough to be a billionaire

He was born rich. Not only that he's buggered businesses several times. Plus, he's now in debt even though he's only paid 750 quid in taxes. There's nothing "shrewd" going on here. He had the best start in life anyone could hope for.

31-10-2020 4:33am

Tony EH wrote: »

He was born rich. Not only that he's buggered businesses several times. Plus, he's now in debt even though he's only paid 750 quid in taxes. There's nothing "shrewd" going on here. He had the best start in life anyone could hope for.

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.

jenneyk19 · 31-10-2020 4:40am

you don't see the effects

but if he was elected you will see him get rid of
un-who-anything that trys to get rid of climate change
you will see more tarrifs on European goods
also the millions of Americans allowed to travel with covid
will infect other countries as he does nothing
to prevent ith as he's friends with Russia hes pulling out of nato leaving Europe unprotected

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/24/762351729/president-trump-to-address-u-n-general-assembly

Plode · 31-10-2020 4:47am

That's probably due more to Steve Bannon's internet propoganda shenanigans: to gradually pull everything to the right, without anyone noticing.

Next thing you know, you're goosestepping down O'Connell Street going "WTF?!".

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 4:47am

jenneyk19 wrote: »

you don't see the effects

but if he was elected you will see him get rid of
un-who-anything that trys to get rid of climate change
you will see more tarrifs on European goods
also the millions of Americans allowed to travel with covid
will infect other countries as he does nothing
to prevent ith as he's friends with Russia hes pulling out of nato leaving Europe unprotected

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/24/762351729/president-trump-to-address-u-n-general-assembly

what has trump done wrong;
or mores the point why are you so anti trump?

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 4:51am

Plode wrote: »

That's probably due more to Steve Bannon's internet propoganda shenanigans: to gradually pull everything to the right, without anyone noticing.

Next thing you know, you're goosestepping down O'Connell Street going "WTF?!".

are we that clueless do you think?

in dictatorships, what is usually the 1st to go?

440Hertz · 31-10-2020 4:59am

You also have to remember that Americans tend to both blame and credit presidents with far too much.

Economic cycles can be just that and many policies and regulatory changes are nothing to do with the presidency. There are also major time lags, so what happened in one four year term, is very often played out in the next one in terms of economics etc.

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 5:00am

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.

And if your father left you $400 million and a heap of connections with New York's rich list I'm sure your business would have been a success.

Also, regardless of the American dream, economic mobility in the US is lower than here in Ireland, in fact, it's lower than most European nations. So, while they may have the psyche it doesn't actually work out for them as much as other developed nations.

Source.

Plode · 31-10-2020 5:13am

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

are we that clueless do you think?

in dictatorships, what is usually the 1st to go?

The very first thing Trump, er, Bannon, did after the inauguration, was to call the media liars about the size of the turnout.

They were testing the freedom of the press, if you ask me.

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 5:28am

Plode wrote: »

The very first thing Trump, er, Bannon, did after the inauguration, was to call the media liars about the size of the turnout.

They were testing the freedom of the press, if you ask me.

trump ran on a whim, i think thats fair (fare). JB has been around sound the 70's and has done nothing but turn himself into a millionaire (possible his whole family as well), but thats find, thats jsut joe

sameoldname · 31-10-2020 5:49am

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

trump ran on a whim, i think thats fair (fare). JB has been around sound the 70's and has done nothing but turn himself into a millionaire (possible his whole family as well), but thats find, thats jsut joe

What has that got to do with anything you just quoted?

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 6:11am

sameoldname wrote: »

What has that got to do with anything you just quoted?

i'm confused. what i said was true or not?

y0ssar1an22 · 31-10-2020 6:15am

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

trump ran on a whim, i think thats fair (fare). JB has been around sound the 70's and has done nothing but turn himself into a millionaire (possible his whole family as well), but thats find, thats jsut joe

sameoldname wrote: »

What has that got to do with anything you just quoted?

are these not the facts?

maybe the president didnt give up his salary?

what a greedy ****er

31-10-2020 6:20am

Trump didn't run on a whim. He tried a few times.

Gruffalux · 31-10-2020 7:18am

People have been absolutely deranged about Trump. I cannot believe it occupies so much Irish media. George Bush looked practically like an idiot, and said crazy stuff. Bill Clinton was accused by multiple women of rape all through his public life and was getting blowjobs from the intern in the Oval office. Obama got a pre-emptive Nobel peace prize for being black and having funky swagger. Trump follows in a usual mould of very rich people with odd personalities who were backed by deeply embedded corporate interests to preside for a while over the US. Zero effect on my life.

Donald Trump - the Megathread - read Mod warning in OP

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