Politics And Current Events

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:46 am

And that - right there - is why Donald Trump is leading in the polls.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:20 am

Penn State, Princeton Academics Caught Accepting Secret Funding To Challenge Climate Change
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/11494 ... limate.htm

Postby **count2infinity** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:28 am

Who trusted a sociology professor with his opinions on global warming?

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:30 am

The coal industry, for one.

Postby **AuthorTony** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:33 am

And that - right there - is why Donald Trump is leading in the polls.

Yeah, but he's every bit as crooked, self-serving and ego maniacal as any any career politician.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:38 am

And that - right there - is why Donald Trump is leading in the polls.
Yeah, but he's every bit as crooked, self-serving and ego maniacal as any any career politician.

The difference being that he doesn't pretend to be otherwise. He's tapping into all of the resentment towards government built up over the last few decades. Rightful or not,, most of that lives in the Republican party. They fanned the flames on this for an extended period of time and the chickens are coming home to roost. I'm not sure where I read this idea, but a distinct difference between Trump and Perot, is that the latter was able to tap into both Republicans and Democrats. My view of that is that, as a result, Trump has a much more concentrated and effective force behind him. He's trouncing the field right now and Perot would not have been able to do that in just one party.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:39 am

Perot's base was upper middle-class professionals whereas Trump's is blue-collar Reagan Democrats who have become GOP over the past 30 years.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:45 am

Reagan Democrats

ie the center. Trump is plying on the absolute cynicism of the right.

Postby **AuthorTony** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:55 am

He's tapping into all of the resentment towards government built up over the last few decades.

That's some of it, but I think Trump's greatest asset is the backlash against "political correctness". His voters are so paranoid about the war on Christmas/Christianity, not being able to say they're po'ed about illegal immigrants and Muslims, etc. that they think Trump is some sort of second-coming for ranting against all of that. I really don't understand how so many people are so stupid to not realize that Trump is just manipulating them and saying what they want to hear - just like every other politician. But since he's not "PC", they think he's on their side.

It's really sort of mind boggling. I hope there are some good documentaries made about this election in the coming years.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:57 am

Reagan Democrats
ie the center. Trump is plying on the absolute cynicism of the right.

As is Bernie Sanders on the Left. #occupywallstreet #1%

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:58 am

Reagan Democrats
ie the center. Trump is plying on the absolute cynicism of the right.

As is Bernie Sanders on the Left. #occupywallstreet #1%

Indeed. Except the Democrats aren't buying what he's selling.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:00 am

He's tapping into all of the resentment towards government built up over the last few decades.
That's some of it, but I think Trump's greatest asset is the backlash against "political correctness". His voters are so paranoid about the war on Christmas/Christianity, not being able to say they're po'ed about illegal immigrants and Muslims, etc. that they think Trump is some sort of second-coming for ranting against all of that. I really don't understand how so many people are so stupid to not realize that Trump is just manipulating them and saying what they want to hear - just like every other politician. But since he's not "PC", they think he's on their side.

It's really sort of mind boggling. I hope there are some good documentaries made about this election in the coming years.

Yes, he's also a nationalist. My father - a lifelong Republican - views him as a Mussolini style character.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:16 am

Reagan Democrats
ie the center. Trump is plying on the absolute cynicism of the right.

As is Bernie Sanders on the Left. #occupywallstreet #1%
Indeed. Except the Democrats aren't buying what he's selling.

Sanders and Trump have about the same support in the primaries.

It is just that Sanders only has one opponent and Trump has 14 and Trump has three 24/7 news channels broadcasting his every move.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:17 am

He's tapping into all of the resentment towards government built up over the last few decades.
That's some of it, but I think Trump's greatest asset is the backlash against "political correctness". His voters are so paranoid about the war on Christmas/Christianity, not being able to say they're po'ed about illegal immigrants and Muslims, etc. that they think Trump is some sort of second-coming for ranting against all of that. I really don't understand how so many people are so stupid to not realize that Trump is just manipulating them and saying what they want to hear - just like every other politician. But since he's not "PC", they think he's on their side.

It's really sort of mind boggling. I hope there are some good documentaries made about this election in the coming years.
Yes, he's also a nationalist. My father - a lifelong Republican - views him as a Mussolini style character.

Which is also true. As Tif and I discussed Trump is a European right-winger and has no real "conservative" policy positions.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:21 am

Reagan Democrats
ie the center. Trump is plying on the absolute cynicism of the right.

As is Bernie Sanders on the Left. #occupywallstreet #1%
Indeed. Except the Democrats aren't buying what he's selling.
Sanders and Trump have about the same support in the primaries.

It is just that Sanders only has one opponent and Trump has 14 and Trump has three 24/7 news channels broadcasting his every move.

What do you think he would have if there were 15 DEM candidates? A lot lower than Trump would be my guess.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:22 am

He's tapping into all of the resentment towards government built up over the last few decades.
That's some of it, but I think Trump's greatest asset is the backlash against "political correctness". His voters are so paranoid about the war on Christmas/Christianity, not being able to say they're po'ed about illegal immigrants and Muslims, etc. that they think Trump is some sort of second-coming for ranting against all of that. I really don't understand how so many people are so stupid to not realize that Trump is just manipulating them and saying what they want to hear - just like every other politician. But since he's not "PC", they think he's on their side.

It's really sort of mind boggling. I hope there are some good documentaries made about this election in the coming years.
Yes, he's also a nationalist. My father - a lifelong Republican - views him as a Mussolini style character.
Which is also true. As Tif and I discussed Trump is a European right-winger and has no real "conservative" policy positions.

Which adds to the GOP establishment being in such a tizzy.

Postby **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:23 am

ie the center. Trump is plying on the absolute cynicism of the right.

As is Bernie Sanders on the Left. #occupywallstreet #1%
Indeed. Except the Democrats aren't buying what he's selling.
Sanders and Trump have about the same support in the primaries.

It is just that Sanders only has one opponent and Trump has 14 and Trump has three 24/7 news channels broadcasting his every move.
What do you think he would have if there were 15 DEM candidates? A lot lower than Trump would be my guess.

Sanders would be Rand Paul.

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:24 am

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:28 am

The genius of Trump's campaign is that he's a collision of resentment, nationalism (economic and patriotic) and fear of the unknown (terrorism, Islam).

Postby **Gaucho** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:31 am

So he's just a standard run-of-the-mill right wing populist.

Postby **ExPatriatePen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:43 am

The only politician I believe in is the one who looks to reduce the role (and the influence) of politicians.

Do you know anyone who fits that bill?

Postby **columbia** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:44 am

So he's just a standard run-of-the-mill right wing populist.

They are less common here than in Europe, mind you.

Postby **Gaucho** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:50 am

So he's just a standard run-of-the-mill right wing populist.
They are less common here than in Europe, mind you.

True, true.

Postby **ExPatriatePen** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:13 am

He's tapping into all of the resentment towards government built up over the last few decades.
That's some of it, but I think Trump's greatest asset is the backlash against "political correctness". His voters are so paranoid about the war on Christmas/Christianity, not being able to say they're po'ed about illegal immigrants and Muslims, etc. that they think Trump is some sort of second-coming for ranting against all of that. I really don't understand how so many people are so stupid to not realize that Trump is just manipulating them and saying what they want to hear - just like every other politician. But since he's not "PC", they think he's on their side.

It's really sort of mind boggling. I hope there are some good documentaries made about this election in the coming years.
Yes, he's also a nationalist. My father - a lifelong Republican - views him as a Mussolini style character.

There are many similarities. However I can't imagine Trump ever becoming (in the words of Italo Balbo) a "boot licker" to a Hitler style character.

Postby **Factorial** » Sat Dec 12, 2015 11:39 am

Trump bows to no one.