Trump and democracy

[BillyStubbsTears]

The day I realised Trump was going to win last time was about this time before the 2016 election. I was in Canada for a meeting and one of the attendees was s very intelligent, highly successful engineer from Florida. Conservative political views but we've got on well for years.

Several of us were having a pint after the meeting and the Brits were taking the piss out of Trump. This American guy was looking into his beer and grinding his teeth. Eventually he said, "Well I'm voting for him."

It was like that moment when the stranger walks in the wild west bar and everyone stops and looks at him. He said, "Yep. Given the choice between a showman Trump and the liar Clinton, I'll go for the showman every time)."

We all said, "But Trump's the biggest liar ever!" He said, "No, Clinton's email issue is worse."

And it suddenly dawned on me. Even people as intelligent and worldly as him were prepared to switch off their critical thinking and find any reason to support Trump because he was on their political side. It felt like the ground had opened up under me.

[ravenrover]

I was in a shop owned by an American in Bradford on Saturday.
I felt like I was in a different universe.
He trotted out Obama was a gay Bornean Kenya, Michelle Obama was a trans and their children were adopted and provided by the CIA.
Trump was elected as he was the only honest politician and doesn't take his presidential salary just minimum expenses and gives the rest to US Army vets. All of this will come out very soon and be sure to watch out for Red October, it's coming.
I left the shop almost in a daze but how many Republicans in the US actually believe this crap. The big worry is how many carry guns and when you look at some of the private weaponry it's frightening.

You only have to listen to the Republicans Abroad when they are interviewed on the beeb to get a very good idea what a Trump voter is like. Also watching the idiots who queued for the Trump covid Rally in Florida when some of them were interviewed .... oh my goodness they are crazy

[silent majority]

They're uneducated, that's the biggest issue. They believe what they're told.

There's no critical thinking with the vast majority of them.

My son lived in the US for 15 years, and we spent a lot of time over there, the viewpoints they hold, from nationalised health to communism, to guns and the IRA, and the fact that they still consider themselves to be the best nation on earth is staggering.

[Donnywolf]

He's definitely going to challenge the result when he loses. And that is when it gets scary. I expect him to lose by a long way on the Electoral College votes. There will be precious little doubt that he's really lost. But he will claim there is an issue with postal ballots. And it'll go to the Supreme Court. Where he will have packed it with Conservative Republicans once the current one is sworn in.

Dangerous possibilities there...a President who has lost, potentially being supported by the SC. With anger at breaking point in both sides of the population. I've said before, that is how civil wars start.

Yes what a supreme irony - Al Gore was effectively robbed by the pregnant chad fiasco in Florida

Cant remember the numbers involved but it was microscopic (looked it up 327 out of 6 million) but the Courts upheld it I think and so by the narrowest of margins that swung Florida and Bush won

[EasyforDennis]

They're uneducated, that's the biggest issue. They believe what they're told.

There's no critical thinking with the vast majority of them.

My son lived in the US for 15 years, and we spent a lot of time over there, the viewpoints they hold, from nationalised health to communism, to guns and the IRA, and the fact that they still consider themselves to be the best nation on earth is staggering.

The fact that the majority of Americans don't have a passport says it all. The most insular people on this planet.

[dknward2]

Said it before I'm still not convinced that Biden will win. Trump could still win which is more odd the fact of things that he gets away with

[Superspy]

It's certainly going to be interesting to see if the scenario the social media giants have been 'wargaming' comes to pass due to the politicising of postal votes - Trump in the lead on election night but Biden clawing into it as postal votes are counted over the following days/weeks.

It's going to be a right mess.

[scawsby steve]

He's definitely going to challenge the result when he loses. And that is when it gets scary. I expect him to lose by a long way on the Electoral College votes. There will be precious little doubt that he's really lost. But he will claim there is an issue with postal ballots. And it'll go to the Supreme Court. Where he will have packed it with Conservative Republicans once the current one is sworn in.

Dangerous possibilities there...a President who has lost, potentially being supported by the SC. With anger at breaking point in both sides of the population. I've said before, that is how civil wars start.

I agree with all of that BST, and regarding the last sentence, I don't think the US Civil War really ever ended.

I've a mate, a C&W musician, who went to Nashville last year. He said the hatred of the North is so seething down there, it makes our North/South divide look nothing.

[MachoMadness]

Trump going after Biden's son now. Expect this to be the "but Hillary's emails" excuse many so-called "moderates" give for voting Trump in.

All the polling is pointing towards Biden, but I'm really not convinced.

[SydneyRover]

I think I reached peak trump yesterday and looked to see how I could donate to the Biden camp but of course you can't as a non citizen.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Just found out from an expert on Bloomberg that 6% of the voters voted for a third candidate ( not Hilary or Trump) last time and he said that isn't going to happen this time. He hinted that made the difference last time.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Just in case anyone is still in any doubt about the utter inhumanity at the core of Trump's original gang, read this.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/06/us/politics/family-separation-border-immigration-jeff-sessions-rod-rosenstein.html#click=https://t.co/VaZ0RZQ6Rb

Simply sickening.

And this is the consequence. This is what has happened as a result of that mobster's policies.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1244066?__twitter_impression=true

Two weeks to go till he gets the shoeing in he deserves.

Edit: I meant to type "monster" but sometimes the mistypes are as much on the money...

[ravenrover]

I see that his medical bloke Fauci now has to go out for his daily exercisr with a bodyguard,  because of something Trump has said, Fed up of hearing him and all the other idiots going on about Covid.
It really seems like incitement to commit murder

[BillyStubbsTears]

Two weeks ago the FBI foiled a far right terrorist cell who were plotting to abduct the (Democrat) Governor of Wisconsin and put her on trial for treason.

Trump has, ever since then, been screaming at his rallies that the Governor is a bad person who is governing badly.

Deliberately provoking the far right headcases for the coming violence when he loses next month.

[MachoMadness]

Stochastic terrorism is a staple of Trump speeches. Constantly berate and vilify a person or group without ever explicitly calling for violence, so you have plausible deniability when it inevitably happens. And your cult base - along with the "just saying"-type devil's advocates - will defend you to the hilt to trigger the libs.

Again, I hate to bang this drum, but it's happening here, too. All the messages about lefty do-gooder lawyers coming from Priti Patel, and then a lawyer gets stabbed in his office. Coincidence? Definitely not.

[Donnywolf]

Two weeks ago the FBI foiled a far right terrorist cell who were plotting to abduct the (Democrat) Governor of Wisconsin and put her on trial for treason.

Trump has, ever since then, been screaming at his rallies that the Governor is a bad person who is governing badly.

Deliberately provoking the far right headcases for the coming violence when he loses next month.

.... and the irony as I have probably said times many - this from the President of the United States of America the country that once had supremely commendable ideals when it came to Democracy and took those views around the world trying to preach to others what a great great system it was

Now they and we are f****d even if Biden wins and even if the Tories are voted out next GE

[Ldr]

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54240651

fond this an eye opener

[BillyStubbsTears]

Interesting story exploding about Sacha Baron Cohen and Trump's personal enforcer...

[SydneyRover]

''These Snarky emails from the president are raking in millions''

''The Princeton researchers told ABC News that they found that approximately 70 per cent of the Trump campaign emails and about 40 per cent of the Biden campaign emails contained at least one of those six tactics.

Using sensationalist or clickbait subject lines to encourage the recipient to open the email

Using forward referencing or information-withholding terms designed to trigger curiosity

Creating a false sense of urgency to create a “fear of loss” response

Obscuring the name of the sender to encourage the reader to open the email

Using false threads, a trick which makes the email look like it’s part of an ongoing conversation

Inserting bogus Re: and Fwd: markers to make it seem like the email was a reply or forwarded''


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-22/donald-trumps-campaign-email-blitz/12781782?nw=0

[Yargo]

Interesting story exploding about Sacha Baron Cohen and Trump's personal enforcer...

Go on I'll stoop low and indulge, what you got, one of your usual lumps of knackers off Twitter?

[SydneyRover]

I won't spoil it but it's funny

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

This election sums up US politics doesn't it. It's the battle to be least bad.  Trump is just terrible but what does Biden stand for? He's just not as bad as Trump but doesn't have much else going for him as I can see.

[MachoMadness]

Interesting story exploding about Sacha Baron Cohen and Trump's personal enforcer...

Go on I'll stoop low and indulge, what you got, one of your usual lumps of knackers off Twitter?

Knackers is right.

[turnbull for england]

This election sums up US politics doesn't it. It's the battle to be least bad.  Trump is just terrible but what does Biden stand for? He's just not as bad as Trump but doesn't have much else going for him as I can see.

Im all  for anyone but Trump but Biden  will be almost 82 at end of term if he gets in  - hes 78 20th November.  Can he really be up to the rigours of that post at that  age ?     

[Dutch Uncle]

This election sums up US politics doesn't it. It's the battle to be least bad.  Trump is just terrible but what does Biden stand for? He's just not as bad as Trump but doesn't have much else going for him as I can see.

Im all  for anyone but Trump but Biden  will be almost 82 at end of term if he gets in  - hes 78 20th November.  Can he really be up to the rigours of that post at that  age ?     

On the other hand I would fully expect Biden to surround himself with a team of properly qualified and experienced appointees who are not afraid to speak truth to power - the complete opposite of the current administration.

[BillyStubbsTears]

This election sums up US politics doesn't it. It's the battle to be least bad.  Trump is just terrible but what does Biden stand for? He's just not as bad as Trump but doesn't have much else going for him as I can see.

Im all  for anyone but Trump but Biden  will be almost 82 at end of term if he gets in  - hes 78 20th November.  Can he really be up to the rigours of that post at that  age ?     

Have to say, I think the Democrats missed THE star candidate in Elizabeth Warren. She would have made a superb President.

[dknward2]

This election sums up US politics doesn't it. It's the battle to be least bad.  Trump is just terrible but what does Biden stand for? He's just not as bad as Trump but doesn't have much else going for him as I can see.

Unfortunately can't see America voting for a female.

Was listening to Arnold Schwarzenegger the other day when he was governor he surrounded himself with 50/50 of Dems and republicans so he could here both side of the opinion think Biden would do something similar


Im all  for anyone but Trump but Biden  will be almost 82 at end of term if he gets in  - hes 78 20th November.  Can he really be up to the rigours of that post at that  age ?     

Have to say, I think the Democrats missed THE star candidate in Elizabeth Warren. She would have made a superb President.

[ravenrover]

This election sums up US politics doesn't it. It's the battle to be least bad.  Trump is just terrible but what does Biden stand for? He's just not as bad as Trump but doesn't have much else going for him as I can see.

Im all  for anyone but Trump but Biden  will be almost 82 at end of term if he gets in  - hes 78 20th November.  Can he really be up to the rigours of that post at that  age ?     

Rigours of the post !!!!! I don't think that Trump has put a lot into the post, his main rigours have neen posting on Twitter during his tenure

[drfchound]

Just heard Trump on the news talking about COVID.
He says “ I take full responsibility “.
The next words that come from him are “It’s not my fault”.
He is so funny.

[selby]

  After Biden's poor showing last night, saying he would close down the oil industry £10 million has been bet on a trump win.
  According to reports Biden was pathetic last night, not reported on BBC of course.