What Do You Think Of Donald Trump?

[meiji]

I was talking to a guy at an IT networking event in the States recently who is one of the core types of Trump voter. Super-low information, and enjoys the entertainment of it all. He likes Trump because of how much shit he gives to other politicians, etc. As I systematically explained to him what Trump and Pence and Bannon potentially mean for the US, his jaw dropped lower and lower and lower. The dude is American-born Chinese, and I was like "you know there's people high up in the Trump admin that are working to get you and your family out of the country, right?"

 

[HotlineBling]

The dude is American-born Chinese, and I was like "you know there's people high up in the Trump admin that are working to get you and your family out of the country, right?"

Please explain? What evidence do you have of this? While you're at it can you also please remind me of who Trump selected to be the current US Secretary of Transportation?

 

[TokyoML]

The dude is American-born Chinese, and I was like "you know there's people high up in the Trump admin that are working to get you and your family out of the country, right

He's American, right? Doesn't matter if he's Chinese American, British American or Irish American, he has the same right as any American. I think that includes you. Trump will not be able to do anything. If he could, then, who's next? Jewish-Americans? Then the only people left, will be native Indians.

I was pro-Trump because the Democrats made getting food stamps, Medicaid, government subsidies too easily. Who ends up paying for this? I don't mind paying taxes to support these people if they are disabled but at the current state, it is too easy to get subsidies without any background checks. You could have millions in your bank account and as long as your interest income is under the income eligibility amount, you qualify for Food Stamps, Medicaid, etc if you live in states that expanded Obamacare/Affordable Care Act.

But I'm pro-Democrat because of the gun control issue. The US would be a much greater country if there were decent gun control laws. I don't know but I think in Texas, you can carry a gun while on campus. How insane is that?

 

[meiji]

Please explain? What evidence do you have of this? While you're at it can you also please remind me of who Trump selected to be the current US Secretary of Transportation?

Mitch McConnell's wife. Just because Trump hired a few non-white people in his Administration doesn't mean he also doesn't have white supremacists high up in his Administration.

He's American, right? Doesn't matter if he's Chinese American, British American or Irish American, he has the same right as any American. I think that includes you. Trump will not be able to do anything. If he could, then, who's next? Jewish-Americans? Then the only people left, will be native Indians.

There's a lot of people, including Steve Bannon, are white nationalists and want to not only stop non-whites from coming into the country, but they'd prefer non-whites to find their way out. I'm not being irrational here - Trump himself might be an old racist but isn't likely a white supremacist himself, and he's potentially the most incompetent President in US history. So yeah, nothing's going to happen, but that doesn't mean it's acceptable in today's day and age that a white supremacist has the ear of the President. And it definitely seemed to be one of the first things to call out to my ABC friend, who had no idea.

 

[User#8628]

Please explain? What evidence do you have of this? While you're at it can you also please remind me of who Trump selected to be the current US Secretary of Transportation?

I think he doesn't mean Trump himself per se, but those breibard neo nazis he has connections with.

 

[User#8628]

I was pro-Trump because the Democrats made getting food stamps, Medicaid, government subsidies too easily. Who ends up paying for this?

Ok but who ends up paying for the tax cuts for the major companies and the rich that the Republicans want?

 

[DocMcStuffins]

Ok but who ends up paying for the tax cuts for the major companies and the rich that the Republicans want?

Historically, I'd say the middle class pays.

Then they turn around and take out their resentment on the lower class.

 

[meiji]

Historically, I'd say the middle class pays.

Then they turn around and take out their resentment on the lower class.

And the lower class take it out on immigrants. AAAAAND SCENE!

 

[TokyoML]

Ok but who ends up paying for the tax cuts for the major companies and the rich that the Republicans want?

The point of tax revenue is to pay for necessary stuff. We are paying for food stamps, Medicaid health insurance for a lot of people who should not be qualified for. Why should rich people pay 35% to Uncle Sam, another 8-10% to the States, another 2.45% to Medicare, real estate tax, sales tax, inheritance/gift tax, etc

Why should companies pay 35% tax to the US when it is spending a large portion of the tax revenue on Medicaid/Medicare, Treasury bill interests, defense spending, etc.

But at heart, I'm still a Democrat so I'm for the poor people. I just wish there were more restrictions and more verifications. It's like once you are on food stamps or Medicaid, you stay in it.

 

[Frenchy]

The point of tax revenue is to pay for necessary stuff. We are paying for food stamps, Medicaid health insurance for a lot of people who should not be qualified for. Why should rich people pay 35% to Uncle Sam, another 8-10% to the States, another 2.45% to Medicare, real estate tax, sales tax, inheritance/gift tax, etc

Why should companies pay 35% tax to the US when it is spending a large portion of the tax revenue on Medicaid/Medicare, Treasury bill interests, defense spending, etc.

But at heart, I'm still a Democrat so I'm for the poor people. I just wish there were more restrictions and more verifications. It's like once you are on food stamps or Medicaid, you stay in it.

Honestly you still see much more poverty in the U.S than in other developed countries , there may be freeloaders of course but also many who "deserve" that assistance and don't get it . I think that income and wealth inequalities are also historically high in the USA , and according to the same kind of logic you could argue why some "trust fund babies" in rich families are born with no need to ever work at all? Or even succeed at school? Suppression of the estate taxes (as Trump & Co obviously want to do) would be way more unfair in my opinion than cheating on food stamps . Even Gates , Buffett etc don't want to leave so much money to their heirs and prefer to use it on charity.
Note that in France I am more right-wing because I think the welfare state is indeed excessive, in the U.S... I'm not so sure

 

[monalisaoverdrive]

I'm not being irrational here - Trump himself might be an old racist but isn't likely a white supremacist himself, and he's potentially the most incompetent President in US history.

This. Trump isn't an ideologue unlike Steve Bannon. He was fairly socially liberal a long time ago. I don't know if Trump is a "racist" and certainly the left throws this term around a lot but without a doubt Trump is a pathological liar. I know politicians are often dishonest but holy shit... the amount of shit this man makes up is just mindboggling. What really amazes me, as a non-American, is how people can just put up with someone lying so blatantly. How do people hear him and just not think "Holy fuck... How can the President be saying this?!?".

 

[Sudsy]

Steve Bannon

I've actually met Steve Bannon. After a brief amount of conversation, I was honestly surprised that he didn't have a satchel to hold his robes and hood for impromptu cross lightings. A very religious bigot.

 

[meiji]

He was fairly socially liberal a long time ago. I don't know if Trump is a "racist" and certainly the left throws this term around a lot but without a doubt Trump is a pathological liar.

I think Trump's racist credentials are pretty well established if you've read anything about him. Even if you disregard the growing pile of racist/bigoted policies of the Trump administration and essentially winning the election on blaming problems in America on Mexicans and Muslims, he made it his personal mission to "prove" that Obama wasn't born in the United States, not giving this up until shortly before Obama left office. If that's not a 'long time ago' enough for you, the Trump Management Company, a company he was president of, was sued in 1973 by the US Justice Department for systematically conspiring to keep black people out, or charge them more, to rent apartments managed/owned by the company.

Sure, Trump doesn't meet the stereotype of a good ol' boy racist in the US, but just because he lived in New York and had some black friends doesn't mean he's not a racist or supported racist policies.

 

[roots reggae]

How about establishing a pool on how long Trump remains in office?

Let's hear some suggestions on how to get this organized. We better hurry-ya never know.

 

[Sudsy]

Current odds for Trump to make it to the end of his first term are 8 to 11 - the bookies still think he'll make it through.

Odds of him being impeached are 11 to 10 - almost even odds. Odds of him being re-elected are 7 to 2.

Odds of him being re-electd AND making it through a second term are 50 to 1.

 

[chaztagster]

Let's hear some suggestions on how to get this organized.

Perhaps someone could set up a shared calendar for this - Google or Doodle or something. (Actually, for ease, we should just do this on a discussion thread without a shared calendar)
Each member picks a date (Trumps last day in office) from the shared calendar and puts his TAG ID on that date. One date each. All selections must be made by a specified deadline and the selections are then noted in a TAG thread.
When the result is known, the winner is the person (or people) who selected the date closest to the actual last day in office. The winner(s) nominate a charity and all participants donate to that charity. (5,000 yen?)

 

[Frenchy]

I really wonder what would it take for him to be impeached , as the guy said himself it looks like he could shoot someone on 5th avenue and get away with it

 

[meiji]

Impeachment is a political tool, not a criminal justice one. Even if the Dems take over the House in 2018 (not a guarantee by any means), they won't have a majority of the Senate, and to actually remove a President from office you have to have a 2/3s majority of the Senate, which would require 20+ additional votes beyond Dems which is highly unlikely.

I think of all the potential situations, I think Trump losing in 2020 is most likely, followed by dying in office. One other possible option not already named besides impeachment is the VP and Cabinet can remove him from office if they feel he can't do the job (although that would require action by Congress, too).

 

[chaztagster]

I think of all the potential situations, I think Trump losing in 2020 is most likely, followed by dying in office.

You don't think he'll resign like Nixon did, then?

 

[Frenchy]

To be honest I really like the daily free TV soap all this "experience" provides. Scaramucci is a great addition to the drama.
I wish French politics were as entertaining

 

[meiji]

You don't think he'll resign like Nixon did, then?

No, because there's no pressure for him to do so. Unless courts rule that a President can be indicted and tried, it's not like the US Congress or the media are going to hound him out of office. Nixon left because criminality was frowned upon, and the Congress and media actually cared about it. Now Congress is fine with it as long as Trump rubber-stamps their radical right wing agenda, and the media ADORES Trump. He's fantastic for ratings.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

I like President Trump. Sure he says extreme things in his tweets, but at least he cares about keeping the US and its citizens safe.

Criminals that happen to be illegal aliens and happen to have a thing for coming into the US illegally and killing US citizens are going to have a lot harder time doing that now.

Then you have MS13 being kicked the fuck out. Good riddance you scumbags! lol

President Trump is also finally showing some respect to the military veterans that were treated like shit and ignored for decades.

Putting an end to political correctness.

Calling out and cleaning up the fake news media.

Creating new (old) jobs and bringing back "Made in the USA".

Last but not least, he is putting the US first, which makes sense for the US president to do.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

The only reason I want Donald to be elected is because I've never seen assassination in 1080P quality.

Wow, so just because you disagree with President Trump you want to see him killed on live TV?

You are a fucking scumbag. You must be one of those liberals that like to "love Trump's hate" with your own hate.

 

[DocMcStuffins]

Creating new (old) jobs and bringing back "Made in the USA".

Did you see the recent report on how much Wisconsin has to pay for some new Trump jobs (Foxconn factory)? That seems to be his whole jobs plan.

You know his company applied to bring in more temporary foreign workers?

 

[TheScientist]

Not gonna read all 7 pages up to now, its too predictable.

What do I think? I think that he's POTUS and thats that. Americans who don't like it can run for president themselves next time or vote for which ever Tweelde Dee or Tweedle Dum the two parties put up next. Non US citizens can fuck right off on the matter because their opinion matters not at all. No more than that of US citizens regarding the PM of Laos.