The Next American President Thread (2016)

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  • Posts: 1,631
    bondjames wrote: »
    So, it's very easy. If the name calling starts, cut the mic or reprimand them right then and there. Then do it again. And again. Eventually they will look stupid and stop. This is encouraged by the media.

    I know it's encouraged by the media. They'll have to deal with the media when they're in the office as well. Don't you think that the media will be trying to get Trump to behave like this when he's president? They will, because it'll get great ratings for them, to see a president act like this. Surely at that point they would have to exercise some restraint?

    The Republicans like to preach about personal responsibility. Letting the candidates blame their behavior on the media, or the debate rules, or anything else, flies in the face of their own ideals.

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    dalton wrote: »

    The Republicans like to preach about personal responsibility. Letting the candidates blame their behavior on the media, or the debate rules, or anything else, flies in the face of their own ideals.
    Good point.

  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited March 2016 Posts: 23,883
    dalton wrote: »
    I know it's encouraged by the media. They'll have to deal with the media when they're in the office as well. Don't you think that the media will be trying to get Trump to behave like this when he's president? They will, because it'll get great ratings for them, to see a president act like this. Surely at that point they would have to exercise some restraint?
    That's true. However, in the debate, as I said, the stakes are high and candidates have made a decision to not look weak (the kiss of death). So we get what we get. I don't blame them.
  • edited March 2016 Posts: 1,631
    The stakes are also high while dealing with Putin and the other world leaders. He wont want to look weak then either.

    EDIT: The debate rules also didn't lead to Rubio and Trump talking about how big various parts of Trump's anatomy is either.
  • edited March 2016 Posts: 565
    dalton wrote: »
    The Republicans like to preach about personal responsibility. Letting the candidates blame their behavior on the media, or the debate rules, or anything else, flies in the face of their own ideals.
    Who exactly are you referring to? I think you're trying to apply one brand of republican onto another. There are several faces to the republican party. Cruz is a preacher but I don't recall him blaming anyone for his actions. Trump does complain about the media and such, but doesn't preach about personal responsibility. Kasich is really the only one who can really walk the walk by personal responsibility. Rubio is the only one where this applies...
  • edited March 2016 Posts: 1,631
    It was the constant refrain we heard from the Republicans during the health care debate, that the government shouldn't dictate to people to have health care, that everyone should exercise personal responsibility. The Republican Party is also often called the party of personal responsibility.

    It's an idea very well established in the Republican party, even though they rarely follow it and, when they do, it's only when it benefits them.

    EDIT: Also, the cornerstone Republican ideal of limited government and balancing the budget are very much linked to the idea of personal responsibility.
  • edited March 2016 Posts: 565
    @dalton Okay, I understand the whole preaching morals thing. The part I don't get is where you get the notion that the candidates are blaming their own behavior on the media or whatever else. The hard-core establishment branch republicans are certainly complaining about the rhetoric, but (1) it isn't the candidates doing the blaming (but rather the pundits) and (2) it stems from Trump being the leading candidate who represents a whole different brand of republicanism that cares much less about preaching moral responsibility. I don't know if I'm articulating my thought process well here...

    EDIT: Sorry, having read back, I see that you are mostly responding to bondjames on this point. While I still stand with what I say above, I see that it was more of a direct response to his comments and so I'll let him respond if he so chooses to.
  • edited March 2016 Posts: 565
    FLeiter wrote: »
    You have to wonder what non-USA citizens must think now. You have one party that wants to: build a wall to keep out non-whites, encourage buying as many guns as your bunker will hold, tell women when they can have children, tell people who they can love, believe that climate change isn't proven and restrict voting rights of minorities.

    You have candidates who promise to bomb and slaughter people all over the world. But when they had the opportunity to actually join the military and stand a post, they had better things to do. Trump, Rubio, Cruz, Kasich and Carson have as much military experience as your basic house plant. We call them chicken-hawks.

    And then there's the other side.

    Oh please! Again with the fallacy that republicans and conservatives want to keep non-whites out of this country! First of all, several republicans signed on to the Gang of Eight bill that gave illegals amnesty, so right there your statement doesn't hold water. Second, regarding Trump who is against amnesty, he is against illegal immigrants coming in here. He has no problem bringing in non-white immigrants who are hard workers, will benefit the U.S. economy, and who come in here legally.

    What part of the word illegal do you not understand?!
    @FLeiter I would also like to add that from my 6-month immersion in European culture (primarily Germany), western Europeans care just as much about their borders as Americans or anyone else. I've heard many comments from my acquaintances there about the influx of Islamic immigrants. (This was before the whole Syria thing.) I also recall a very strong disdain for eastern European "gypsies" migrating to the western countries...not to mention the concern about all of the negative effects that would result from the eastern European countries joining the EU. Sorry, but you can't have your cake and eat it too...
  • Posts: 11,119
    JamesStock wrote: »
    FLeiter wrote: »
    You have to wonder what non-USA citizens must think now. You have one party that wants to: build a wall to keep out non-whites, encourage buying as many guns as your bunker will hold, tell women when they can have children, tell people who they can love, believe that climate change isn't proven and restrict voting rights of minorities.

    You have candidates who promise to bomb and slaughter people all over the world. But when they had the opportunity to actually join the military and stand a post, they had better things to do. Trump, Rubio, Cruz, Kasich and Carson have as much military experience as your basic house plant. We call them chicken-hawks.

    And then there's the other side.

    Oh please! Again with the fallacy that republicans and conservatives want to keep non-whites out of this country! First of all, several republicans signed on to the Gang of Eight bill that gave illegals amnesty, so right there your statement doesn't hold water. Second, regarding Trump who is against amnesty, he is against illegal immigrants coming in here. He has no problem bringing in non-white immigrants who are hard workers, will benefit the U.S. economy, and who come in here legally.

    What part of the word illegal do you not understand?!
    @FLeiter I would also like to add that from my 6-month immersion in European culture (primarily Germany), western Europeans care just as much about their borders as Americans or anyone else. I've heard many comments from my acquaintances there about the influx of Islamic immigrants. (This was before the whole Syria thing.) I also recall a very strong disdain for eastern European "gypsies" migrating to the western countries...not to mention the concern about all of the negative effects that would result from the eastern European countries joining the EU. Sorry, but you can't have your cake and eat it too...

    You're so right @Jamesstock. There's not too much difference between Americans on one side and Germans, Dutch, Spanish, Belgians, Austrians on the other side.

    We all are citizens from a country from the 'classic West' in which ultra-right wing (and left wing) populism, ultra-nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise exponentially. I think by now we know exactly why.

    Our middle-class is severely under pressure. Statistical figures of the economy don't seem to match up anymore with the 'real, practical economy'. That's because nations keep staring at unemployment figures, whereas debt figures are way more important.

    So ask yourself this: Who is going to make the middle-class strong again? Who's going to re-ignite the strengths of middle-class people again?
  • Posts: 6,601
    @bondjames - I am all against ANY Republican in office. None of them will work IMO.
    Trump is just the loudest. Hillary might have ghosts hidden in her closet as well for sure, but I trust her to have SOME common sense. That's all I ask from politicians these days or ever, since very few have provided us with more. She actually knows, what she is talking about and that alone makes her shine in contrast to Trump.
  • Y6Iae.jpg

    Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but doesn´t Trump remind you of Gert Fröbe a bit sometimes? :)
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    From that photo, I'm guessing I know where that other set of beads is hidding. :))
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited March 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Big hands. No doubt about it. I don't care what the critics say.

    @Germanlady, the Republican candidates this time around aren't strong (they haven't been for some time in my view) but that is, again imho, a product of holding onto (without compromise) an outdated 30 yr old economic ideology that almost bankrupted a nation and did tremendous damage to the world economy. That is what I see Trump changing if he is the nominee, and that is why, even if he does not win, he can do some good for that party. That is why I want him to go further. He showed in the debate yesterday that he understands the key issues, but he does not know how to articulate properly. He will have to learn to do so if he is to go further.

    Regarding Hillary, I have no faith in her whatsoever, unlike you. She has exhibited terrible judgement on several matters, mainly of a foreign policy nature (the most dangerous kind, because there are fewer checks and balances on that these days given illegal wars). Her judgement and rationale and reasoning is just very poor when it comes to national security. That's my view.

    Keep in mind that in the US govt, there are several checks on domestic policy. That's actually a good thing. All that's needed is a leader to work with the other side and negotiate deals. Obama doesn't have that skill (even though he is right on many if not most of the issues), and he doesn't have their respect, either because of his demeanour or his race or both. Hillary is hated. The govt. will shut down if she wins. There will be more witch hunts like the 90's. More side shows. I'm sure of it.

    The only way anything gets done in the next four years, is if it's Trump or Sanders. Kasich has skills but he won't win. On the democrat side, it should have been Biden. Pity he's not in it. He would have neutralized Trump.
  • SuperintendentSuperintendent A separate pool. For sharks, no less.
    Posts: 871
    mneqc2687dzaus9fguh7.jpg
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    =))
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,691
    mneqc2687dzaus9fguh7.jpg
    Works for me.
  • SuperintendentSuperintendent A separate pool. For sharks, no less.
    Posts: 871
    Watch closely:

  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited March 2016 Posts: 17,691
    How revolting!


    The booger thing was gross as well...
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Diebold will win this election.
  • Sounds like it should be the name of the next Bond movie: Die Bold! (Or maybe just a continuation of the Die Hard series... Is Bruce Willis still credible as an action hero?)
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,330
    Sounds like it should be the name of the next Bond movie: Die Bold! (Or maybe just a continuation of the Die Hard series... Is Bruce Willis still credible as an action hero?)
    Not really. He doesn't really "Act' anymore. just sleepwalks through roles.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Willis for president, then.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Yes, Willis seems to have given up on acting and just plays the one character
    in everthing now. :(
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited March 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Love Willis. Saw him on Broadway in January doing a theatre version of 'Misery' (Stephen King). I was 4 seats back from the stage, and loved every moment. The man's a star, no doubt. Even though he was coasting there too he brought the crowd to its feet.

    I'll vote for him doing anything, except another Die Hard film as bad as that p.o.s. DH5.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Isn't DH6 in the pipeline ?
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Yes. I heard it's going to be a prequel of sorts. :-S
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Good Heavens...another Die Hard movie? As necessary as the clap.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Yes, him as a young officer in flasback, doesn't sound promising but I'll
    give it a chance.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Trump has a cameo in The Brothers Grimsby.

    Utterly disgusting movie, but utterly hilarious as well.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Trump also will have a cameo in the White House.
    Utterly disgusting, but utterly hilarious as well.
    The only difference, it's not over after 2 hours, it runs 8 years, bloody hell.
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