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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 11:54:45 GMT -5
is that considered cursing? I'll edit to "bs".. . sorry. |
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Feb 26, 2016 13:16:44 GMT -5
By voting for Bernie, whether he's at the top of the ticket or not, I am broadcasting my single vote for who I truly think would be best, instead of voting for the middle of the road candidate who's to the left of the Republican. and potentially handing the election to the Right Wing nutjob who will benefit from your wasted vote. Well it's all good then, don't worry, this still is a civil discussion  It's just that the above quote and some previous ones led me to believe that's what you feel, which would be all good, just different opinion. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Feb 26, 2016 15:02:19 GMT -5
I don't know if there are any Trump supporters on these boards, but if there are any, I would love to know why he or she is one. Watching this guy on the now all-Trump-all-the-time news networks (celebrity whores, each one of them), you can't help think of Mussolini and Hilter. His relentless appeal to the basest of human instincts is repugnant, but it is effective amongst those who see him as their Great Orange Hope.
Myself, I've never been a fan of worship of any kind, whether it was when I was immersed in religion as a kid, or when I went to concerts, sports events or political rallies. The "group-think" mentality that infuses and can overcome crowds is frightening to watch; see it once and you will never go into a public place without checking for the exits and making a mental note about how you'd get out if chaos ensued.
The Trump campaign is frightening in that sense. It's a witch's brew steaming with all the right ingredients: resentment, envy, racism, fascism, momomania, hooliganism, fundamentalism, and ignorance. Any one of his rallies -- which simply serve as further invocations of hatred -- are just steps away from turning into Munich in the 20s and 30s. This is the cult of the leader gone further than any American political leader I have seen since my interest in politics and the Presidency arose back in the 60s. Trump's followers are not a coalition, a splinter group, or adherents of a particular philosophy; they constitute an unthinking mob (there's a redundancy) eager to do the master's bidding.
Trump, who has no guiding princples except greed and self-absorption, is the first since George Wallace to be able to tap into the usually inchoate forces of ignorance and stunted emotion that infect a substantial portion of the American population, and like a doctor lancing a boil, release them and their poison into the light of day.
Pardon the purple prose, but this kind of evil, in a time of immediate and frequent gratifcation via social media and WMD's in the hands of anyone who wants them (Yes, I mean guns), is not to be dismissed.
I thought George W. Bush was the personification of the banality of evil as he sat on Cheney's lap like an even stupider Knucklehead Smif. Still do, as a matter of fact. Worse even than Nixon, which is Hades-level awful. I hope there is never a President Donald Trump and I can rest assured that Bush the Lesser will remain the worst of my lifetime.
If you haven't, watch Meet John Doe (1941) and any of the films of Germany and Hitler's rise to power. The parallels are chilling.
I repeat, if there are any Trump supporters on these boards, I would love to know the source of the attraction.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 15:05:39 GMT -5
I suspect we have at least one among the two (I think) that I have on ignore.
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Post by Prince Hal on Feb 26, 2016 15:09:14 GMT -5
I suspect we have at least one among the two (I think) that I have on ignore. Ah-ha. I think I may be on that person's ignore. |
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Post by DE Sinclair on Feb 26, 2016 15:48:08 GMT -5
I don't know if there are any Trump supporters on these boards, but if there are any, I would love to know why he or she does. Watching this guy on the now all-Trump-all-the-time news networks (celebrity whores, each one of them), you can't help think of Mussolini and Hilter. His relentless appeal to the basest of human instincts is repugnant, but it is effective amongst those who see him as their Great Orange Hope. Myself, I've never been a fan of worship of any kind, whether it was when I was immersed in religion as a kid, or when I went to concerts, sports events or political rallies. The "group-think" mentality that infuses and can overcome crowds is frightening to watch; see it once and you will never go into a public place without checking for the exits and making a mental note about how you'd get out if chaos ensued. The Trump campaign is frightening in that sense. It's a witch's brew steaming with all the right ingredients: resentment, envy, racism, fascism, momomania, hooliganism, fundamentalism, and ignorance. Any one of his rallies -- which simply serve as further invocations of hatred -- are just steps away from turning into Munich in the 20s and 30s. This is the cult of the leader gone further than any American political leader I have seen since my interest in politics and the Presidency arose back in the 60s. Trump's followers are not a coalition, a splinter group, or adherents of a particular philosophy; they constitute an unthinking mob (there's a redundancy) eager to do the master's bidding. Trump, who has no guiding princples except greed and self-absorption, is the first since George Wallace to be able to tap into the usually inchoate forces of ignorance and stunted emotion that infect a substantial portion of the American population, and like a doctor lancing a boil, release them and their poison into the light of day. Pardon the purple prose, but this kind of evil, in a time of immediate and frequent gratifcation via social media and WMD's in the hands of anyone who wants them (Yes, I mean guns), is not to be dismissed. I thought George W. Bush was the personification of the banality of evil as he sat on Cheney's lap like an even stupider Knucklehead Smif. Still do, as a matter of fact. Worse even than Nixon, which is Hades-level awful. I hope there is never a President Donald Trump and I can rest assured that Bush the Lesser will remain the worst of my lifetime. If you haven't, watch Meet John Doe (1941) and any of the films of Germany and Hitler's rise to power. The parallels are chilling. I repeat, if there are any Trump supporters on these boards, I would love to know the source of the attraction. I haven't actually been frightened by a presidential candidate before. I've had huge amounts of disdain, disgust, and contempt for many of them, but the prospect of them becoming a nominee wasn't actually scaring me. Trump does.
Now according to news reports, even Clinton is admitting that he will probably be the Republican nominee. Pitiful.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 16:03:29 GMT -5
If the search function is treating me right, I don't think a probably pertinent novel ("probably" because I haven't read it in going on 40 years, back when I was a high school senior) has been mentioned so far -- Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here. From most indications Lewis was inspired by the not-yet-assassinated (though that did happen shortly before publication) Huey Long, though I remember seeing another, considerably less celebrated politician (the name escapes me) suggested just a few weeks ago. Of course, compared to Trump, Huey Long (a particular favorite of mine anyway) was Abraham Lincoln multiplied by George Washington. Pitiful, indeed. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Feb 26, 2016 16:09:21 GMT -5
I haven't actually been frightened by a presidential candidate before. I've had huge amounts of disdain, disgust, and contempt for many of them, but the prospect of them becoming a nominee wasn't actually scaring me. Trump does.
Now according to news reports, even Clinton is admitting that he will probably be the Republican nominee. Pitiful.
Agreed. And I think he can win. You know, it's so easy to look back from the comfortable vantage point of the present when we judge the Germans of the 20s and 30s, who were first amused, then bemused, then nervous, then overwhelmed by Hitler's rise to power. We love in our mind's eye, to cast ourselves as the ones who would stand up to the throngs of Nazis, who would wake everyone up to what was going on. When the hell does that happen here? Have we not moved past amusement and bemusement? This guy is dangerous. |
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Post by DE Sinclair on Feb 26, 2016 16:11:48 GMT -5
I haven't actually been frightened by a presidential candidate before. I've had huge amounts of disdain, disgust, and contempt for many of them, but the prospect of them becoming a nominee wasn't actually scaring me. Trump does.
Now according to news reports, even Clinton is admitting that he will probably be the Republican nominee. Pitiful.
Agreed. And I think he can win. You know, it's so easy to look back from the comfortable vantage point of the present when we judge the Germans of the 20s and 30s, who were first amused, then bemused, then nervous, then overwhelmed by Hitler's rise to power. We love in our mind's eye, to cast ourselves as the ones who would stand up to the throngs of Nazis, who would wake everyone up to what was going on. When the hell does that happen here? Have we not moved past amusement and bemusement? This guy is dangerous. Thanks for that. Now how am I supposed to sleep tonight?
Will future generations wish for a time machine to go back to when he was a baby to "stop" him before he grows up?
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Post by Prince Hal on Feb 26, 2016 16:25:46 GMT -5
Agreed. And I think he can win. You know, it's so easy to look back from the comfortable vantage point of the present when we judge the Germans of the 20s and 30s, who were first amused, then bemused, then nervous, then overwhelmed by Hitler's rise to power. We love in our mind's eye, to cast ourselves as the ones who would stand up to the throngs of Nazis, who would wake everyone up to what was going on. When the hell does that happen here? Have we not moved past amusement and bemusement? This guy is dangerous. Thanks for that. Now how am I supposed to sleep tonight?
Will future generations wish for a time machine to go back to when he was a baby to "stop" him before he grows up?
You're welcome. Hey, remember when Jeb! Bush was asked if he'd go back in time to kill Baby Hitler? He said he would. Hmmm. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 16:50:08 GMT -5
I'm not scared of Trump. . because he's actually way more likely to swing more towards the center once in office (if he DOES win). . this is all a game to him, and he's saying the crazy stuff to win the nomination. I don't for a second believe it.
Rubio and Cruz? they terrify me.
as a Gay, Jew? their goal to make this a Christian Nation with laws enforcing that status? yeah.. . a vote for the Republicans in this election is a vote against Women, Minorities, LGBT rights, Hispanics, and Immigrants.
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Post by Prince Hal on Feb 26, 2016 17:08:38 GMT -5
I'm not scared of Trump. . because he's actually way more likely to swing more towards the center once in office (if he DOES win). . this is all a game to him, and he's saying the crazy stuff to win the nomination. I don't for a second believe it. Rubio and Cruz? they terrify me. as a Gay, Jew? their goal to make this a Christian Nation with laws enforcing that status? yeah.. . a vote for the Republicans in this election is a vote against Women, Minorities, LGBT rights, Hispanics, and Immigrants. Oh, tell me about it! It's not that they don't worry me; they are both crazy. It's just that they don't have the slavish legions of angry followers. Had Trump not entered the race, I think Cruz might have elicited some of the reaction Trump has, but Trump, who's more savvy about working than crowd than any of the others, is like an id gone rampant now. I get the argument that he'll have to go more toward the center and all, but it's the permission and the validation he's giving to the basest of feelings in so many people that worry me. My wife (and ergo) my kids are Jewish, we are all atheists, and I have gay friends and relatives. I dread any of these reactionaries in the driver's seat. We have a long way to go, but the country has been taking a turn for the progressive, and I don't want that to go the way pof all flesh. |
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Post by Rob Allen on Feb 26, 2016 17:38:31 GMT -5
Take heart, Prince Hal. The latest annual survey of college freshmen just came out, and they are the most liberal ever. IIRC, the percentages were 33% liberal/far left and 20% conservative/far right.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2016 18:05:13 GMT -5
My wife (and ergo) my kids are Jewish, we are all atheists, Since my mother's father (as opposed to her mother) was Jewish, I by definition am not ... but last I checked (purely on a whim), if I wanted to seek Israeli citizenship I'd get it because of his bloodline. Or something. Atheist too, of course, unless I'm feeling really, really magnanimous, in which case I'm merely agnostic. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Feb 26, 2016 19:03:23 GMT -5
Take heart, Prince Hal. The latest annual survey of college freshmen just came out, and they are the most liberal ever. IIRC, the percentages were 33% liberal/far left and 20% conservative/far right. I hope to hell they vote. |
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