Trump?

[Gerald Martin]

Unfortunately I don't see anyone with either of my qualifications having a legitimate chance at winning the election.

 

[mtmuley]

I know what one of the big qualifications is for me. And it ain't religion. Gonna be using some public land tomorrow to wolf hunt. mtmuley

 

[Tradewind]

No doubt he is pandering, to everyone he speaks to. As for the religious right being idiots, it's been rumored that Falwell at Liberty University gave their endorsement because "he's a very generous man".

And no other candidate is pandering? Please......

 

[Sytes]

...However, I must say that I would rather see a person in office who professes no faith or keeps it private and has integrity, than I would prefer to see someone who professes to believe something and then by their actions and policies prove themselves to be a pathological liar.

This reminds me of a favorite quote by Thomas Jefferson;

I share this not to divert to a religious debate, rather using a founding father's quote with the context of religion and politicians such as referenced towards Trump. I believe Thomas Jefferson summed up my thoughts spot on.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

I might be confessing some naivety here when I say this, but I sincerely used to have a level of deep faith in the Fourth Estate. It was completely dashed in the run up to the Iraq War. I can't remember all the people who's integrity, morals and patriotism were unfairly impugned for raising questions, losing their jobs, being hinted at as child molesters, and etc. I remember the false gravitas of lap dogs like Charlie Rose being trotted out to fill the gap. I remember the crowning of cable t.v. news, running in the back ground like talk radio used to do, at work places across America. I remember the crowning of the "expert" and the proliferation of talking heads and the embedding with troops.

Did all this happen in the past, like with WWII? Yes. But I wasn't alive back then. I thought we'd moved beyond that with Vietnam and Water Gate and guys like Woodward and Bernstein. I thought we'd have some truth, or seekers of it, out there making sure the wool would never be pulled over the eyes of the stupid people, ever again. Then I see Woodward as one of them, called upon to opine.

Meanwhile, the Patriot Act and the National Defense Authorization Act, and the militarization of the police and British-like cameras on ever corner and the anal probing at air ports are all slipping in under the radar as the media has our attention diverted with stupidity.

This whole scene morphed itself into the gaggle of fools we see on t.v. today. And I see Donald Trump, standing there with a stiff finger, poking those worthless MFRs in the chest with it and I find pure, unadulterated glee in that. He's John Stewart without the humor.

I've given my opinion on the rest of Donald Trump in some other post somewhere. I don't know if that opinion is worth the paper it's not written on. He could be what some people say he is (misogynist, racist, Hitler, blah blah blah), I just don't know. He could be punking every one and, at the last minute, he could give a speech about how this whole thing was an effort to show American citizens just how perverted their system has become, and then go back to his day job. I don't know. And even if he's endeavoring to school the media, it is probably too late. They may be a lost cause. They may not be able to pull themselves back from the brink. They may have gone over the edge. But Donald Trump may be our last great act of defiance, like that mouse flipping off the eagle that's about to kill him. If that's all I've got, then that's good enough for me.

"Go Donald! Distopia is here, we know it, we don't like it, and yeah we are afraid to die so we'll play ball, but just know: FU!"

The point is this: It's a sad fcking state of affairs when the media has lost so much credibility that we question the God's Honest Truth when they tell it. It's like the boy who cried wolf. And the media wonders why us "stupid people" are so in need of a drink from their fount of wisdom; their representation of us, as if they were elected , when they ask the "tough" gotcha questions on our behalf, as if they think they are doing us a favor by "just doing their jobs". They don't know what their jobs are, or used to be. And Donald ain't taking their sh*t.

Who will win in the end? Donald or the Media? My money is on the media. And if we had a middle finger emoticon, I'd use it right here:

End rant.

Can I get a H*ll Yeah!!!! nice.

 

[hank4elk]

I got called a commie by a neighbors cause I said Bernie is the only decent honest human running IMHO. Rand can't get his story straight.
I guess they became millionaires,LLC's & I did cause they say he'll raise my taxes.......
They are ret.Gov.workers on pensions,SS,Medicare that have always seemed like reasonable folks.
Not religious or outspoken.
And they know my history of serving my country& public service.
Until they found Drudge,Fox,daily wacko their coming for your guns sites.
They have become racists,found some religious belief,and hate the very folks they worked for,Big Gubberment!.He the USDA-FS35yrs& her county Gov. for 25.
She's for Carson & he's leaning Trump now over Cruz?????????????????????????????

Did they just loose their minds or did I?

 

[VAspeedgoat]

I got called a commie by a neighbors cause I said Bernie is the only decent honest human running IMHO.
I guess they became millionaires,LLC's & I did cause they say he'll raise my taxes.......
They are ret.Gov.workers on pensions,SS,Medicare that have always seemed like reasonable folks.
Not religious or outspoken.
And they know my history of serving my country& public service.
Until they found Drudge,Fox,daily wacko their coming for your guns sites.
She's for Carson & he's leaning Trump now over Cruz?????????????????????????????

Did they just loose their minds or did I?

I think we all lose our minds in these elections. I thi k thats the point. Distract us by putting us in a win or lose debate instead of a right or wrong debate. In other words my guy won so I win.

To your point, I doubt I would vote for Bernie, but your dead on with your assessment that he is the closest thing to an honest man in the race. It doesn't seem like he has changed his positions much just to gain votes. Just my opinion, im sure somebody will have examples of where he has.

I say we organize a write in campaign for Randy, our slogan could be "I'm all in on Big Fin"

 

[James Riley]

I think we all lose our minds in these elections. I thi k thats the point. Distract us by putting us in a win or lose debate instead of a right or wrong debate. In other words my guy won so I win.

To your point, I doubt I would vote for Bernie, but your dead on with your assessment that he is the closest thing to an honest man in the race. It doesn't seem like he has changed his positions much just to gain votes. Just my opinion, im sure somebody will have examples of where he has.

I say we organize a write in campaign for Randy, our slogan could be "I'm all in on Big Fin"

Bernie has drifted in the wrong direction (in my opinion) on gun control, but I think his heart is not in it. He just realizes he chose to run as a D and Hillary is going to beat him up on that. So now he talks the weakest narrative he can and tries to move on to other issues. I think that is a mistake. I think he should just come out and say:

"Look, if you are a single issue voter and that is your issue, vote for Hillary. I will not provide the American people with leadership on that issue, and I do not perceive that refusal as an indictment of my ability to lead. While the Second Amendment provides the people, individually, with a right, it also assigns the people, individually, with a responsibility. That responsibility is not to be exercised by them acting collectively through government, for that would defeat the entire purpose of the Amendment. The responsibility is theirs and theirs alone. If they want government to decide then the proper recourse is through Constitutional Amendment. Gun control, for me, is off the table, so let's talk about something I am willing to do something about. Next question."

I think he'd bring a lot of people over; more than he'd lose.

 

[JohnCushman]

I wholeheartedly agree with Gerald. I, personally, don't want religion brought into the forefront of the political races. I respect the heck out of Christians and their beliefs, but I don't believe that a belief in God is what is going to save this nation. Why should a President's Christianity matter to a nation full of all different religious beliefs? Many of us don't believe that an all powerful mystical being in the sky is going to fix the economy, or put people to work, or balance the national debt, or deal with illegal immigrants, or deal with any of the issues that need dealing with by our President. So, religious beliefs should be between the candidate and whoever he spiritually believes in, not as a public rallying point. Obama professed to be a die hard Christian in his runnings for President, but look at him now in his swaying towards Muslim beliefs and fundamentals, and even going so far as to removing the words Christmas and whatnot. So, believing in a candidate because of what they say about their Christian faith can get you bit in the ass in the long run...that goes for any of the candidates. Bernie is only a Jew when it's convenient for him...

 

[James Riley]

I wholeheartedly agree with Gerald. I, personally, don't want religion brought into the forefront of the political races. I respect the heck out of Christians and their beliefs, but I don't believe that a belief in God is what is going to save this nation. Why should a President's Christianity matter to a nation full of all different religious beliefs? Many of us don't believe that an all powerful mystical being in the sky is going to fix the economy, or put people to work, or balance the national debt, or deal with illegal immigrants, or deal with any of the issues that need dealing with by our President. So, religious beliefs should be between the candidate and whoever he spiritually believes in, not as a public rallying point. Obama professed to be a die hard Christian in his runnings for President, but look at him now in his swaying towards Muslim beliefs and fundamentals, and even going so far as to removing the words Christmas and whatnot. So, believing in a candidate because of what they say about their Christian faith can get you bit in the ass in the long run...that goes for any of the candidates. Bernie is only a Jew when it's convenient for him...

I agree with everything you say, except the part about Obama. I don't recall him ever saying he was a "die hard" Christian. I don't recall him removing the words "Christmas and whatnot" but if he did, I'm sure it was in compliance with your previously-stated preferred policy for Presidents; a preference that you and I share. That would not be inconsistent with being Christian and it would be totally in accord with his position as President of the United States. Finally, I've seen no evidence that he is swaying toward Muslim beliefs and fundamentals.

But yes, anyone who holds religious belief as a litmus test for Presidency is misguided, in my personal opinion.

 

[James Riley]

I think the nature of the original post and the poll (looking at Trump differently and liking Trump) leaves room for ambiguity in the results. I'm definitely looking at Trump differently and I'm definitely liking him. I don't plan to vote for him. I wonder how many people agree with that but plan on voting for someone else, D or R or whatever?

 

[Big Fin]

Personally, I would be interested in seeing the long-term impacts of a Bernie v. Donald Presidential race. For many reasons, none of which are based on that four-year during which one of them would hold office, rather the much longer-term impacts that type of run off would have on the current process that I find so distasteful and despicable.

1. I doubt either would be any worse than Hillary or Ted or Marco or Jeb or .... as other options to square off in the Presidential race.

2. Bernie has the Dems in fits, as he has shown the weakness in Hillary's candidacy and he really hasn't went after her. They allowed Barry to go after certain issues with consideration of how it would help Hillary, and now Hillary is looking like a china doll candidate who will shatter the first time the road gets rough,

3. Donald has the Republican establishment in fits, along with mainstream media. To me, that is a good thing. He has the money to not be accountable to the system of campaign financing, which is one of the major hooks both the DNC and RNC have in any of the candidates.

Not much of what Bernie is saying appeals to me, but I do think he is an old man who really doesn't give an damn what the establishment thinks, so that part of him makes it easy for me to understand his appeal to some who are completely disgusted with the current system. His idealism probably would have had more appeal when I was just out of high school and had not let the world kick me around for the last 30+ years. I can see why some of my younger family in MN are attracted to his message, though I am not.

Some of what Donald says causes me to shake my head. I wonder if it is calculated (I suspect it is) as part of a strategy. If it is a strategy, there should be some campaign advisers taking notes about how you cut against the grain and stay relevant. I can see why some are attracted to Trump merely because he represents huge change to the system and process, even if they might not like a lot of things he says.

As one who is completely fed up with the current process that produces such terrible candidate choices, I almost hope Trump runs as a 3rd party candidate and Bernie runs as a 4th party candidate and Bloomberg as a 5th party candidate. Doing so would send the party bosses on both sides into orbit. The media would be beside itself, as many of the media power brokers have these cozy relationships with the establishment party insiders. Kind of the "you make my job easier and I will help make your job easier" relationship.

Multiple candidates would be a good thing, if you are an American first and foremost, if you have no use for political parties, and your horizon is much further down the road than just the next election cycle. For those who bleed red or blue, no matter the idiocy of their candidate, such upheaval would be unnerving and they would quickly be promoting this as the end of America, when many of us would see it as a new beginning, no matter who won.

In some ways, I view political parties and the power brokers who run them similar to the Jimmy Hoffa era Unions - "cross us and we will destroy you." Political parties have long since outlived their useful purpose. In my lifetime, assuming some politician doesn't run me over in the crosswalk and shorten my life, I expect we will see a resurgence of 3rd party candidacy. The time is ripe. The digital world has made it possible. The current holders of power are drunk on their sense of entitlement to owning the process.

When you go to DC, you quickly realize there are insiders and outsiders. The insiders really don't mind the other side, as they are necessity to keep the game in play. Kind of like how wrasslin' needs an evil character to keep the game going. No opponent to vilify and the game is over; the worst of all outcomes to those employed by the system of choosing the puppets.

If the two parties perceived a threat from outside that would crumble the foundation they both use to control the system that allow them to be king/queen makers, they would both go after that threat, either overtly or covertly. Others may feel differently and if so, I suspect they have a pretty high allegiance to the party brand. I, having no allegiance to any party or any particular platform, have come to this conclusion based on decades of working with politicians and being involved in the process of trying to influence legislation.

And with that piece of editorial, I suspect my invites to DC just got moved to the round file.

 

[JohnCushman]

I still think Bloomberg thinking about an Independent run throws a chink into the armor of the whole race and could give the race to a pro gun candidate just based on that alone, and not the rest of the policies...that could be worrisome in the long run

 

[James Riley]

Well put.

The media would be beside itself, as many of the media power brokers have these cozy relationships with the establishment party insiders. Kind of the "you make my job easier and I will help make your job easier" relationship.

That right there is my personal interest. My tin foil has me thinking this relationship is cozy because there is a higher level of power brokers behind the scene who own *both* the media *and* the establishment party insiders. Any perceived antagonism between any media or parties is part of a puppet show to keep the public distracted from their fleecing. Personally, I'd like to see the apple cart upset since the easy way hasn't seemed to work.

If, per chance, anyone from the outside every got in *and* posed a threat, I think they'd catch a bullet. Well, unless the media could bring them down with trumped up charges of pedophilia or something.

I can tell you this: I've watched several Presidents take office and each and every one, from either party, had a different demeanor the day before the inauguration and the day after. It's almost as if someone told them something right after the oath. I can't put my finder on it, and it's subtle. But it's something more than a sudden realization of the gravity of their new job. It's like a rank bronc that wakes up one morning and suddenly sees the wisdom in plowing a field for some sodbuster.

 

[hank4elk]

Well stated Randy.
I have been decline to state/no party for 20 yrs or so.Same reasons as you.
Bernie can be a bit of an old hippie at times.....and too idealistic.But I agree with him that those who have not been paying taxes should and companies are not people.
Another even more corrupt Clinton would be a disaster for US. Same with Bush.
Trump is a stump. Can't figure out his plan much without any realistic plans.I just remember Barnums line about suckers born...
Rand has opposing views on topics,of his own views.
Cruz is a full blown carpetbagger who would say anything....
Rubio is a anti imigrant ,1step from imigrant. Boatpeople I believe.
So I'll wind up writing in someone again I guess.
No not "BF in 16"
I respect you too much to for that.

 

[JohnCushman]

I'm working on my plan for world domination, so why not start with America, Hank?

 

[hank4elk]

"JC is for Me!"
"Push for Cush!"

If U wuz Prez you'd have a big leg up on your plan,Stan...............lol.

 

[JohnCushman]

"JC is for Me!"
"Push for Cush!"

If U wuz Prez you'd have a big leg up on your plan,Stan...............lol.

That made my day!!!

 

[RobG]

I think I will make B.C my only political news source. I doubt if I'll be any dumber for it.

 

[PRM]

Trump made some very pro-public land statements to Field and Stream the other day. I like that!