Trump's America

[Danny Bateman]

So does that mean everyone that voted for Hillary should be known as a truth bender that will publicly shame someone that accuses their spouse of extra marital affairs?

I just want to make sure because I think you covered the Trump supporters, so I just want to know where the Hillary supporters are coming from.

 

Don’t get me started on those poop slinging Harambe people.

 

Nope. There were two liars on the ballot, and one of them is WAY worse than the other. It's not an uncommon trait among politicians, but DJT is in a whole other universe.

 

I voted for the one who was less of a liar. It was the better choice and I don't regret it.

 

Owning it.

 

By the way, did Harambe end up outpacing Jill Stein at the ballot box?

[Danny Bateman]

 

 

Let's talk about that wall. In Trump's official plan he sticks to having Mexico pay for it. Let's say Mexico refuses. What are Trump's options? Do we cut off trade with them? Impose huge tariffs? If so, can our economy handle that?

He would also "change a rule under the USA Patriot Act anti-terrorism law to cut off a portion of the funds sent to Mexico through money transfers".

 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/politics/memo-explains-how-donald-trump-plans-to-pay-for-border-wall/2007/?tid=a_inl

 

There's a difference between Mexico (as in the government) paying for the wall, and individual Mexicans paying for the wall. I think most people always took it to mean the former. Adding/increasing a fee to visas is the latter. With the day 1 thing, it might be that Mexico decides that will hurt the economy enough that they should pay for the wall instead. We'll have to see how proud they are. If they're proud enough it will hurt our economy. Trump's talk of China is much more concerning. We can't have every country pissed off at us at the same time.

 

Also, something written in the cancelling visas section is a huge assumption which I doubt is correct; which is that accepting a large number of immigrants has decreased Americans' wages and raised unemployment.

 

 

I heard at one point that they were going to try to keep X amount of remittance payments from Mexican immigrants back home to their family in Mexico.

 

No idea how central that tenant is. No one knows much about how much of anything is going to happen right now. But one thing that shouldn't surprise anyone is that Trump will stiff innocent people who don't deserve to be stiffed in a second if it's good for him and his brand.

[Danny Bateman]

 

 

I am fully 100% related to Trump supporters and am around them a lot. I completely understand at least their faction of Trump supporting.

 

Sitting back and watching their attitudes towards certain actions have completely changed from where they normally would be. Typical things that they would think are totally unacceptable and disgusting in a person....now they defend. Typically when something is pointed out as being a completely made up lie a candidate says...now they are 100% bought into it's validity. Typically the ability to sit and discuss issues with them.....no longer exists because they are fired up and on the war path.

 

This is not an exaggeration. This is a perfect description of my parents. Two years ago, my parents would have thought Trump was the biggest egotistical jack ass. Now...he is their savior because he defeated the evil woman.....Hillary.

 

It's like their pure flames of hatred of Hillary (mostly due to their constant consumption of Fox News and nothing else) has some how morphed into complete blindness to every negative that has ever been pointed out about Trump.

 

The other night I was out with them and I started by saying I was very happy Hillary is not our President but then simply said I am very concerned about Trump winning (actually stated very politely because they are my parents)....OMG....you would have thought I insulted them personally and instantly became a total embarrassment to the family.

 

The part I can not begin to fathom is how people can be so blind to reality.

 

Thanks for sharing that. I'm guessing (could be wrong) that you probably don't think every one of these family members is racist. OR, that you can at least see how a person could find themselves in the Trump camp without being a racist. I really haven't been "privileged" or exposed to talking to many that really defend Trump or were overtly happy to vote for him. In fact I personally know darned few people that did or claim to have voted for him at all. Of course I could say much the same thing about Hillary voters. Political discussion in person is a sure way to cause some awkward situations. That is likely why so many of us choose to do it anonymously here on HB.

 

The one exception to my lack of direct exposure to Trump supporters is one neighbor of mine who is absolutely convinced that Trump was ordained by God to become our President and lead this country in a new, better direction. Now before anyone pulls a muscle jumping all over this guy, I must tell you that he is one of the kindest, most giving, least racist people you could ever meet. I have known him for about 30 years, talk to him quite often. He has become over the years more deeply religious (for lack of a better word), to the point that some of our discussions are now a little uncomfortable for me. No, that isn't really it, it is the Trump thing that makes me uncomfortable but I digress. He may be a little over the top with the evangelical angle on this but he believes this with his whole heart. He is not stupid or ignorant. He is very engaged in his church, volunteers and is extremely accepting of all people. He does not have a racist or bigoted bone in his body. I do know these things about him for a fact. His almost sole focus is to acquaint people with God and Jesus and he is convinced through some revelations and other factors and beliefs that Trump (admittedly as unlikely of a person as Trump) is God's answer. He does not claim that Trump is a man of God per se but that God selected him to do his will. There are examples in the Bible of God selecting ungodly type people to do his will. I have had a couple lengthy discussions with him about the Trump pre and and post election. He has many very good reasons for why he believes as he does and why he feels Trump is not as bad as we all think and will actually turn out to be very good. I do not share his enthusiasm or subscribe to his theories but I am leaving myself slightly (ever so slightly) open to the possibility that hoping he may be proven right. If he isn't (and by all accounts, he won't be) it will become clearer and clearer by the day.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to share that. I am not going to get into whether or not that rationale is right, wrong or indifferent. Just wanted people to know it exists and that, at least in this case, the source is from an extremely good person who is not bigoted or ignorant in the least. I think the worst you could say about this guy is that the criteria he is using and relying on is extremely selective which may lead some to the conclusion of ignorance. I don't want to morph this into yet another religion bashing topic either. That surely is not my intention.

 

JJ....

 

Thanks for sharing that. It's interesting.

 

I never have thought of my parents as being racist in any way.....until probably the last 4-5 years. They are 82 and 86 years old. I just catch them more and more making statements about various races of people that just sort of leave me with nothing to say because I'm just not used to hearing that from them.

 

I get a chuckle though out of my father. Every single time there is a black Republican nominee, he is 100% on board with supporting him. Bumper stickers all over his car, constantly talking about him. Heck, with Ben Carson he even drove a state and a half away to go to one of his rallies. My nonprofessional psychological analysis makes me believe he does this because he thinks it makes him look like he isn't racist.

 

The story of your neighbor is interesting because, as a Christian myself, I can't figure out how someone like him comes to believe God would send someone to our country to save us........from what exactly?

 

 

I feel much the same JJ. Thanks for sharing that story about your neighbor.

 

For those of us who do believe, it's true God works in mysterious ways. I think sometimes highly religious people focus on their faith and reach a decision through it and then hold very firm feeling about that decision. Such is probably the case with your neighbor. I don't know what it is about Trump that struck him the right way, or how it jived with his religious beliefs, but once he was convinced that Trump was "the one" and those two aspects of his life became intertwined, it was night night. I'm willing to bet any stuff that came out after that point never factored into his decision at all.

 

One thing I still can't, and never will, be able to square about the religious Right and "values" voters pulling the lever for Trump was after the whole tape leak thing. I mean, undoctored, unedited video of a guy bragging about his position of power allowed him to sexually abuse women? THAT guy STILL best represents your best religious interests? I'm still just completely befuddled. Never will get it.

 

For instance, one of my good friends from growing up. We're still pretty cool. Don't see him much anymore... but he's still in my fantasy league and we're still buddies. He hit my Facebook feed with a MAGA on election day and I'm still kind of affected a bit thinking about it. Just can't quite view him the same way. Maybe it will pass with time.

 

And BRB, as for your dad... I wonder if perhaps its easier to lean towards views that seem inherently... segregation-favoring as we get older? Can't quite think of the right way to say that. Perhaps leaning away from this progressive, melting-pot, inclusive type of society that progressives have been advocating for in places like Europe? Not necessarily racist but in a way that comes off as racist. I mean, we tend to think of racists as stereotypical old relics from a past era whose beliefs may have been cool then but aren't now?

 

If people don't like that type of melting pot societal structure, them opting for a nostalgic throwback to yesteryear like Trump makes perfect sense. Maybe to them he represents a chance to try to go back to a time in the past they liked better?

Yada yada. Point was never to judge someone for their vote. Just trying to analyze the situation and give some thoughts. Thanks again for the stories guys.

[Landlord]

I mean, undoctored, unedited video of a guy bragging about his position of power allowed him to sexually abuse women? THAT guy STILL best represents your best religious interests? I'm still just completely befuddled. Never will get it.

 

 

 

A lot of people would say, "Yes, when compared to a woman who supports murdering defenseless children moments before they're born."

[Moiraine]

 

I mean, undoctored, unedited video of a guy bragging about his position of power allowed him to sexually abuse women? THAT guy STILL best represents your best religious interests? I'm still just completely befuddled. Never will get it.

 

 

 

A lot of people would say, "Yes, when compared to a woman who supports murdering defenseless children moments before they're born."

 

 

 

Although I'm pro-Life for a majority of cases, one big difference here is that Clinton isn't trying to punish anyone with her abortion stance. People who have abortions are only doing something to what's in their own womb. They aren't going and doing things to other people's wombs.

 

We've deciding electing someone like Trump is okay. That opens the door for doing something even worse.

[Danny Bateman]

That opens the door for doing something even worse.

 

 

I sure am getting some use out of these today.

 

Open door, circa 2024:

 

[zoogs]

So....

 

[whateveritis1224]

So....

 

Yeah that is such a tremendously bad idea. Correct me if I'm wrong, but those Japanese camps were just above the Nazi internment camps right? It's definitely a black in our country's history.

[Danny Bateman]

^^^ Kobach has been a Trump bootlicker from the very beginning. I see no redeeming benefits for that guy. Any Kansan is free to correct me, but my understanding is they loathe him and he's pretty much Asshat-in-Chief down there. Particularly draconian in his anti-immigration views. Not surprised he's the one saying this.

 

"The best people."

[Bigred_inSD]

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

[BigRedBuster]

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

Really??? Then why do they keep getting elected?

[Red Five]

 

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

Really??? Then why do they keep getting elected?

 

Good question.

 

Brownback has the lowest approval rating of any governor in the US. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-20/sam-brownback-chris-christie-among-nations-least-popular-governors-poll-shows

 

Brownback, a Republican, only has a 23 percent approval rating among Kansas voters in the new poll, compared with his 26 percent approval in results collected from January until early May.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

Really??? Then why do they keep getting elected?

 

Good question.

 

Brownback has the lowest approval rating of any governor in the US. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-20/sam-brownback-chris-christie-among-nations-least-popular-governors-poll-shows

 

Brownback, a Republican, only has a 23 percent approval rating among Kansas voters in the new poll, compared with his 26 percent approval in results collected from January until early May.

 

That right there is evidence of party politics at it's finest. The only possible explanation is that people say...."by gosh....at least he's better than that liberal Democrat".

[knapplc]

 

 

 

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

Really??? Then why do they keep getting elected?

 

Good question.

 

Brownback has the lowest approval rating of any governor in the US. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-20/sam-brownback-chris-christie-among-nations-least-popular-governors-poll-shows

 

Brownback, a Republican, only has a 23 percent approval rating among Kansas voters in the new poll, compared with his 26 percent approval in results collected from January until early May.

 

That right there is evidence of party politics at it's finest. The only possible explanation is that people say...."by gosh....at least he's better than that liberal Democrat".

 

 

That's what "redistricting" otherwise known as gerrymandering, does. Keeps people in power like this despite massive disapproval ratings.

 

Doesn't help if he doesn't have a qualified person running against him, either. I don't know who his opponents have been, but like Nebraska, I can't imagine the Kansas Democratic Party has many heavy-hitters that move the needle with the electorate.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

 

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

Really??? Then why do they keep getting elected?

 

Good question.

 

Brownback has the lowest approval rating of any governor in the US. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-09-20/sam-brownback-chris-christie-among-nations-least-popular-governors-poll-shows

 

Brownback, a Republican, only has a 23 percent approval rating among Kansas voters in the new poll, compared with his 26 percent approval in results collected from January until early May.

 

That right there is evidence of party politics at it's finest. The only possible explanation is that people say...."by gosh....at least he's better than that liberal Democrat".

 

 

That's what "redistricting" otherwise known as gerrymandering, does. Keeps people in power like this despite massive disapproval ratings.

 

Doesn't help if he doesn't have a qualified person running against him, either. I don't know who his opponents have been, but like Nebraska, I can't imagine the Kansas Democratic Party has many heavy-hitters that move the needle with the electorate.

 

At only 23%, there is only so much gerrymandering you can do in a state like Kansas. I suspect your last statement is the bigger issue especially in a Gubernatorial race .