Trump

[Filo]

Is Trump that arrogant that he can't see beyond the end of his nose, he seems to be picking fights with everyone in the world

[The Red Baron]

Seems he can't see a hornets' nest without wanting to stir it up.

[wilts rover]

When you have problems at home divert attention by creating problems abroad/starting a war somewhere...

[The Red Baron]

When you have problems at home divert attention by creating problems abroad/starting a war somewhere...

Don't tell Theresa May that!

[MachoMadness]

It's distraction. I genuinely think he's very stupid, which is why he's so short sighted. The Mueller investigation is getting close to home? Better go and wade into the Middle East! In aiming for a short-term distraction he's creating a lot of long-term problems for the rest of the world, not that he cares.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Like I said the other day, he is a lot of things but stupid isn’t one of them. Thinking he is is a big mistake.
He’s doing this for the reasons I said in the other thread. To stir up trouble and inspire his base.

Whatever happens to Trump’s presidency, those angry bigots are still going to exist.

[Filo]

I think his ego gets in the way of any rational thinking

[MachoMadness]

Like I said the other day, he is a lot of things but stupid isn’t one of them. Thinking he is is a big mistake.
He’s doing this for the reasons I said in the other thread. To stir up trouble and inspire his base.

Whatever happens to Trump’s presidency, those angry bigots are still going to exist.

I don't know. I think Trump can be a complete clown while also being incredibly dangerous. Just because he had Steve Bannon's hand up his arse controlling his every move doesn't mean Trump is intelligent.

If Trump was an incredibly calculating political player, I'm not sure Putin would have worked so hard to put him in power. The people around Trump are certainly canny operators, turning Trump's mindless burbling right wing word salad into policy, but the man himself? He can barely speak.

[Sprotyrover]

Trump and co don't give a monkeys about upsetting the Arabs,they're a spent force, the Yanks have got approx 80 Bbl shale oil reserves, when that runs out we will all be using lithium Battery powered transport.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Macho

Youre judging him on the wrong type of intelligence. It’s not about eloquent speaking or ability to think deeply in complex issues. What he has is an empathetic intelligence with the 30odd% of Americans who have been waiting for a politician to come along and justify their prejudices. He does that brilliantly. Underestimate that at your peril.

[SydneyRover]

Trump wants a war, all lousy leaders are happy to engage in wars as they know it takes peoples minds off the economy they get behind the flag and it benefits the incumbent. Thatcher, Bush, John Howard, Blair.

[Donnywolf]

Trump and co don't give a monkeys about upsetting the Arabs,they're a spent force, the Yanks have got approx 80 Bbl shale oil reserves, when that runs out we will all be using lithium Battery powered transport.

Yes what a prophetic Novel "Wheels" by Arthur Hailey was (and a great read ! *)

Main thrust was the Car Companies had the technology (it said) to produce the Cars we are now seeing going into mainstream production. Electric,Hybrid & Hydrogen Cell could be made (it said **) but the Companies were suppressing all knowledge as they had too much to lose at that time.

Then at a time to suit them they unleash the technology and eventually get all the older stuff phased out and just as Sprotyrover has indicated that time is near !

** Cant remember how old the Book is but it was great and he may have imagined that Car Co's had the technology or it was fiction. Either way it has an uncanny parallel and truth to it now

* Since I read the book I cant go into a Car Showroom without thinking of the "bugged" Salesman's desks. Basically the book suggested that when the Salesman leaves to "have a word with the Manager" both the Salesman and the Manager just listen in and how many times have you declared to your other half something like "if they come down another Thousand and throw in x, y or z" I would probably sign up ?

Then the Salesman comes back and then offers you what you have offered or something very close to it. It's probably crap but I can never rule it out or not think about it

Anyway back to Trump

[Sprotyrover]

 18 months ago an article appeared in the Times bemoaning the lack of a readily accessible supply of Lithium in the world, 2/3 Months later Rio Tinto announces the Jardar  lithium deposit in Serbia enough to supply all the worlds needs for 20 years or the whole of europes needs for 80 years.
The Serbs are sat on a minimum of 130 million tons of easily accessible lithium.hence we now see the rush to get Electric Cars into production.

[MachoMadness]

Macho

Youre judging him on the wrong type of intelligence. It’s not about eloquent speaking or ability to think deeply in complex issues. What he has is an empathetic intelligence with the 30odd% of Americans who have been waiting for a politician to come along and justify their prejudices. He does that brilliantly. Underestimate that at your peril.

A fair argument, but I'd put it more down to Trump's demented survival instinct, which is just to offer everyone whatever they want at all times and then kick the can down the road until people forget about it. Whether he calculated it, or whether he simply was the right (wrong) man at the right (wrong) time, when a decent percentage of America was feeling angry and betrayed, and up against a dismal candidate who many Americans felt embodied everything they hated about politics, is up for debate. You could say for him to capitalise on that situation took some degree of intelligence, but I'm not so sure.

Either way, the historians of the future will be puzzling on all this for many years with no answer.

I notice Al Franken resigned today (or announced his intention to do so) after a series of sexual misconduct claims. Compare and contrast that with Roy Moore, who now has the backing of Trump and the GOP. America has a serious personality disorder, and Trump seems to be a grotesque symptom of it.

[hoolahoop]

When you have problems at home divert attention by creating problems abroad/starting a war somewhere...

That's exactly what he's done, he can feel Mueller breathing down his neck .

[MachoMadness]

I see Roy Moore lost his election, meaning Alabama of all places has a Democrat Senator now. I'm not sure what this means. On the one hand, one of the hardest core Republican strongholds has fallen. On the other hand, the Republican candidate was a literal child molester, and he still only lost by 2 points.

[The Red Baron]

I see Roy Moore lost his election, meaning Alabama of all places has a Democrat Senator now. I'm not sure what this means. On the one hand, one of the hardest core Republican strongholds has fallen. On the other hand, the Republican candidate was a literal child molester, and he still only lost by 2 points.

I think it just proves that if the Reps had run anyone else he/ she would have won.

[MachoMadness]

I see Roy Moore lost his election, meaning Alabama of all places has a Democrat Senator now. I'm not sure what this means. On the one hand, one of the hardest core Republican strongholds has fallen. On the other hand, the Republican candidate was a literal child molester, and he still only lost by 2 points.

I think it just proves that if the Reps had run anyone else he/ she would have won.

From what I've been reading a strong black turnout is what swung it. White people - including white women - were largely not too bothered by having a racist, homophobic child molester in office. I wonder if that would have made the difference even if it was a relatively average Republican Alabama candidate.

[BillyStubbsTears]

TRB

Certainly they would have won with anyone else.

But.

In 2014, the Dems didn’t even bother putting up a candidate, such a Rep stronghold is Alabama.

This is a game changer. For the Dems to even get close in AL, following on from winning the Governors’ seats in NJ and VA, it strongly suggests that the tide is turning.

And this matters. Once the Reps start to think Trump is a millstone who will lose them their seats, they will impeach him in a flash.

[The Red Baron]

I imagine that moderate Republicans have rather mixed feelings after this result. Nervous about losing seats in the Mid-Terms. On the other hand relieved that they don't have to be associated with Moore. They may also feel that anything that clips Trump's wings can't be a bad thing.

[Glyn_Wigley]

That's making the rather large assumption that this will affect Trump's behaviour one iota. My view of the man is that it'll just make him even more belligerent.

[The Red Baron]

That's making the rather large assumption that this will affect Trump's behaviour one iota. My view of the man is that it'll just make him even more belligerent.

I suppose the point I was making is that he is less likely to have the support in Congress to achieve very much.

[Glyn_Wigley]

I see what you mean, and yes I agree. Mind you, he's achieved sod all so far so things don't look like changing at all!

[hoolahoop]

Macho

Youre judging him on the wrong type of intelligence. It’s not about eloquent speaking or ability to think deeply in complex issues. What he has is an empathetic intelligence with the 30odd% of Americans who have been waiting for a politician to come along and justify their prejudices. He does that brilliantly. Underestimate that at your peril.

Trump is like that expert used car salesman that has had your trousers down before you know it.  It's not about the pretty words, degrees or even appearance. He can be more accurately compared to a street fighter rather than than that finely honed boxer down at the gym. He uses cronies to do all the expert stuff and then chucks them away as soon as they are no longer useful.
He will have learnt these skills from his father from a very early age and as you say uses them to mobilise his troops , his gang if you like , as a barrier or agitator when the going gets tough. He is an arch- manipulator actor and most of all bully.
He has that base of his eating out of his hand and hanging on to his every tweet, word or action because they want to be just like him with all the trappings of wealth and fame.

He has picked his support base wisely because they have little or no hope other than that which he falsely supplies to them.

[hoolahoop]

TRB

Certainly they would have won with anyone else.

But.

In 2014, the Dems didn’t even bother putting up a candidate, such a Rep stronghold is Alabama.

This is a game changer. For the Dems to even get close in AL, following on from winning the Governors’ seats in NJ and VA, it strongly suggests that the tide is turning.

And this matters. Once the Reps start to think Trump is a millstone who will lose them their seats, they will impeach him in a flash.

Exactly Ryan and his buddies will turn their backs on him  - they want their tax reforms first . Then if this tide keeps rolling in the same direction the kingmaker will lead him to the scaffold. I'm sure they have enough dirt on him by now .

[SydneyRover]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57jRBt4h6ks

[Hounslowrover]

Brilliant

[BillyStubbsTears]

Jesus wept. It’s bad enough hearing idiots on here talking like this. But when the Leader if the Free World does it...

https://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946531657229701120

[hoolahoop]

* Since I read the book I cant go into a Car Showroom without thinking of the "bugged" Salesman's desks. Basically the book suggested that when the Salesman leaves to "have a word with the Manager" both the Salesman and the Manager just listen in and how many times have you declared to your other half something like "if they come down another Thousand and throw in x, y or z" I would probably sign up ?

Then the Salesman comes back and then offers you what you have offered or something very close to it. It's probably crap but I can never rule it out or not think about it

[/quote]

Believe me John I have worked for Reg Vardy, Stoneacre , Kia, Toyota, Mazda as well as small independents..........

It definitely does NOT  work like that,  the salesman wants a deal , the one retaining the profit is the Business Manager - the salesman has to fight for every penny on your behalf . Without you there is no deal, no wage packet and ultimately no job. Whose side do you think the salesman is on now ? He is merely the middle man, told to do deals that sometimes make no money but still take his time up in order to hit manufacturers targets. Loss leading, the front- loaded profit often unlocks a reserved profit for the dealership as a whole . Often salesmen are left with a £15-25 pre-tax payment for up to 4/5 hours work .
If they turn you away because you've asked for too much - they don't get paid either for 1/2 hours of wasted time.
The trick is for the salesman to convince both you and the Business  Manager that a compromise can be struck. Good salesman " farm " good customers time and time again with a win-win for all sides compromising for all 3 parties each and every time . However it relies in all parties being both honest and realistic. 

[MachoMadness]

#1 book in the world right now is this new tell-all biography of the Trump White House. It seems every person who works with him, including his own family members, seem to view him as a child, of diminishing mental capacity, who has no attention span whatsoever. Personal favourite example of this is the story about Trump yelling at one of the cleaners for picking his shirts up off the floor, because if his shirt is on the floor that's obviously where he wants it.