Marka Ragnos Posted February 10, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) I like reading this thread, and I've tried to look at as much as I can. I know a tonne of people who voted for Trump (I live deep in the heart of Trump country), and one thing I think I can safely say is that their enthusiasm for him shouldn't be misconstrued as a kind of carte blanche permit to revolutionize the country. I think that would be a misperception. The economy is pretty good, and many Americans are sitting pretty. If that starts to change in a massive way, Trump's popularity will plunge. In some ways, Americans are getting "victimized" by their own success under Obama. I saw the same thing happen in a slightly different way when George W. Bush rode into town after the economically smooth Clinton years. Trump is all about appearances. That's the secret code to understanding him. He cares less about the substance and actual effects of his executive orders than remaining convinced, himself, that the vox-pop keep saying he's "phenomenal." The swing-voters who voted for Trump -- and I don't meant the die-hards or rightwing crazies -- like what he says and they like what he tweets, for now, but they're mostly taking a wait and see approach, and I don't know how willing they would be to go along with massive changes to their own lives. Obamacare is more popular than it's ever been, for example. Prices for goods are still ridiculously cheap in comparative terms. Gasoline and food are still cheap. If those things become more costly, I think Trump's rep will crash. And I think that's almost inevitable. Sooner or later, the billionaires running the White House (who could not be LESS acquainted with the culture of the people who voted for Trump) are going find the temptation to fleece the common man too strong to resist, and the masks will all come off. Edited February 10, 2017 by Marka Ragnos 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 51 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said: She was a crook who essentially defrauded a large number of voters in swing states in the immediate aftermath of the election, and frankly she should have been punished for it. Are you referring to the vote recount in a few states? What was fraudulent about that? Genuine question, as I don't remember any controversy and it didn't seem egregious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post VILLAMARV Posted February 10, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 10, 2017 2 hours ago, Keyblade said: Inspired by the Labour thread, the political compass of the US candidates last year shows just how right wing the country is. Jill Stein was considered a far left kook . She was easily the best candidate though, the only one who actually wanted to do something about the environment for starters, as opposed to completely denying that there's a problem. One for the policies in the primaries: 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) 49 minutes ago, Keyblade said: Are you referring to the vote recount in a few states? What was fraudulent about that? Genuine question, as I don't remember any controversy and it didn't seem egregious. Yes. She raised a lot of funds off the back of pretending that they were planning on launching a recount. This capitalised on people at their weakest moment, feeling desperate and miserable about Trump's election. Then, after raising huge sums of money, they (as far as I can tell) basically shelved all the recount plans and placed the money in Green party coffers. That certainly is where the story was last time I saw it mentioned. Maybe it's changed since then, but if it has, I haven't read about it. EDIT: I think the last I encountered the story was on the 538 podcast in December: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/politics-podcast-everyones-still-mad-at-everyone-about-the-election/ The relevant part is about 2/3rds of the way through. Edited February 10, 2017 by HanoiVillan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted February 10, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted February 10, 2017 With the three today, Trump has signed more EOs than any other president, and he did it in 2 weeks. While having a republican controlled house and senate. Not a dictator though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted February 10, 2017 Moderator Share Posted February 10, 2017 7 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: With the three today, Trump has signed more EOs than any other president, and he did it in 2 weeks. While having a republican controlled house and senate. Not a dictator though. I think he could probably be classed that way, but I don't think that's the point of what he's doing - he's deliberately undermining the idea of the way in which government works in order to shrink its role. I think the aim is to have a population that wants to severely limit its own democracy both now and in the future, to deconstruct the state in order to control an idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted February 10, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted February 10, 2017 Far too much of a reach. He's just (ab?)using a power to tick box campaign pledges and Republican gimmes. Trump signing some paper someone told him is good, great, the best, is not part of a grand strategy to get rid of democracy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 3 hours ago, Keyblade said: Inspired by the Labour thread, the political compass of the US candidates last year shows just how right wing the country is. Jill Stein was considered a far left kook . She was easily the best candidate though, the only one who actually wanted to do something about the environment for starters, as opposed to completely denying that there's a problem. The American Green Party is a sad shambles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted February 10, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted February 10, 2017 I can only think that being an American Green is like having a never ending feeling of guilt and helplessness hanging over you. They must know that the US could resemble the set for a new Mad Max film and they'd still get nobody listening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 36 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: With the three today, Trump has signed more EOs than any other president, and he did it in 2 weeks. While having a republican controlled house and senate. Not a dictator though. I think you mean... more than any other over the first 2 weeks. Not a particularly meaningful stat. The more worrying thing is the hundreds more he is due! I can't find it now but I saw a plot on Bloomberg a couple of weeks back containing a comparison of EO per president vs time in office. The really shameful thing was the massive uptick in EOs at the end of every presidents term. E.g., did you know BO signed an EO reclassifying a whole bunch a quasi-junk Blackrock rental/housing debt as one of his final actions, e.g., a federal guarantee. Lot's of scummy presidential behavior by edict to spread around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post chrisp65 Posted February 11, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2017 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Something on Marr show about Trump's state visit possibly moving to Birmingham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Davkaus Posted February 12, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 12, 2017 3 minutes ago, coda said: Something on Marr show about Trump's state visit possibly moving to Birmingham. He'd probably rather not come than have to visit our country's Muslim-only zone. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 The speaker of the House of Commons has told him he's not speaking in parliament so he's taking his speech to the people, he wants to do a rally in front of 85k people to celebrate the special relationship, his advisors have told him to do it in the heartland of brexit rather than London so he's picked brum, it's going to be a ticketed event to raise money for war veterans, so probably have help for heroes attached to it too so if you don't like it you're obviously anti military which makes you a very bad person, that's a misunderstanding of our country for a start, that shit might work in the states it won't have an effect here my main issue with that is it's not a good thing for the city, it makes us in the midlands look like **** idiots, I really don't agree with linking brexit with trump support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted February 12, 2017 Moderator Share Posted February 12, 2017 I've started saving bottles already. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 1 hour ago, villa4europe said: The speaker of the House of Commons has told him he's not speaking in parliament so he's taking his speech to the people, he wants to do a rally in front of 85k people to celebrate the special relationship, his advisors have told him to do it in the heartland of brexit rather than London so he's picked brum, it's going to be a ticketed event to raise money for war veterans, so probably have help for heroes attached to it too so if you don't like it you're obviously anti military which makes you a very bad person, that's a misunderstanding of our country for a start, that shit might work in the states it won't have an effect here my main issue with that is it's not a good thing for the city, it makes us in the midlands look like **** idiots, I really don't agree with linking brexit with trump support Hopefully someone shoots him in the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 I'm not going to go that far... I hope our utter **** idiots turn up, EDL, BNP etc all of them types the worst thing will be the almost inevitable trouble and smashing up of the city Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 I'd be tempted to buy a ticket just to boo the see you next Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted February 12, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted February 12, 2017 3 minutes ago, PompeyVillan said: I'd be tempted to buy a ticket just to boo the see you next Tuesday. Given the propensity for his campaign rallies to get quite nasty, that's probably not a great idea. He'll probably have some hired goons in brown shirts to 'ensure order'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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