Trump Runs Again

[Martinjmpr]

The biggest danger of Trump is that he doesn't give two craps for the Republican party or for the future of the country. Trump cares about one thing: Trump. Nothing else matters.

Unless he shuffles off this mortal coil, Trump is likely to try and blackmail the Republicans into nominating him. He'll basically say "either nominate me or I'll run as a 3rd party and take my rabid supporters with me and torpedo any chance of a Republican victory."

If anybody else did that they'd be thrown out of the party but Trump doesn't care - no matter who gets elected, HE'LL be fine. And if the country goes to hell, Trump doesn't care, he's got his money.

How many of you are familiar with the old Jewish story of the Golem? I'm stretching to remember the details but the story goes that a village was being threatened by some outside force, so one of the villagers suggests creating a Golem, a monster, to defeat their enemies. Some of the villagers warns them agains this, saying it's a bad idea, but they create the Golem anyway, and it does indeed destroy their enemies. But then it turns on the village.

There are other cultures that have similar stories, in fact it's probably one of the more common types of stories (lots of sci-fi seems to be based on this idea of humans creating technology that ultimately destroys them - think of the whole Teminator/Skynet story line.)

People love to project their own feelings onto Trump, that he cares about immigration, or working people, or traditional families, or America. But Trump only cares about one thing: Trump. He'll do or say what he has to do or say to advance himself, and there's nobody he won't drop like a hot potato if they become a liability.

Trump is a con artist and all the flag-bedecked pickup trucks in the world won't change that.

[bellavite1]

The biggest danger of Trump is that he doesn't give two craps for the Republican party or for the future of the country. Trump cares about one thing: Trump. Nothing else matters.

Unless he shuffles off this mortal coil, Trump is likely to try and blackmail the Republicans into nominating him. He'll basically say "either nominate me or I'll run as a 3rd party and take my rabid supporters with me and torpedo any chance of a Republican victory."

If anybody else did that they'd be thrown out of the party but Trump doesn't care - no matter who gets elected, HE'LL be fine. And if the country goes to hell, Trump doesn't care, he's got his money.

How many of you are familiar with the old Jewish story of the Golem? I'm stretching to remember the details but the story goes that a village was being threatened by some outside force, so one of the villagers suggests creating a Golem, a monster, to defeat their enemies. Some of the villagers warns them agains this, saying it's a bad idea, but they create the Golem anyway, and it does indeed destroy their enemies. But then it turns on the village.

There are other cultures that have similar stories, in fact it's probably one of the more common types of stories (lots of sci-fi seems to be based on this idea of humans creating technology that ultimately destroys them - think of the whole Teminator/Skynet story line.)

People love to project their own feelings onto Trump, that he cares about immigration, or working people, or traditional families, or America. But Trump only cares about one thing: Trump. He'll do or say what he has to do or say to advance himself, and there's nobody he won't drop like a hot potato if they become a liability.

Trump is a con artist and all the flag-bedecked pickup trucks in the world won't change that.

Not a single politician gives a fuck about you or me.
All they want is power.
We are left to fight over the crumbs, but at least we can pick the flavor.

[eddiememphis]

Care to elaborate?

Sure.

It's the disjointed ramblings of conspiracy theorist.

All wars in history were manufactured by bankers and secret societies.
The military has been in control since 2020.
Trump is still President since he never conceded.
Trump signed the Insurrection Act.
Trump can't be prosecuted as a candidate for office.
The mainstream media’s sole position and mission is to breed discontent and division among the American people.
The media are the gatekeepers of our minds.
Operation Mockingbird is real.

On and on he goes bouncing around with little coherence.

This is the same character that, at a board of education meeting in Ohio, declared everyone who received a Covid shot would be dead in 5 years.

It was a fun read but I certainly don't take any of it seriously.

[eddiememphis]

Maybe we should admit that the ONLY reason Trump won in 2016 was because (a) he was running against one of the most unpopular, divisive and weak candidates to run for office in most of our lifetimes and (b) Hillary and her handlers were so confident of victory that they basically considered the election already won and did not do the hard work it takes to get elected.

(c) He was an outsider and an underdog. A non-politician promising to shake up the status quo, while reawakening a slumbering nationalism.

[Martinjmpr]

(c) He was an outsider and an underdog. A non-politician promising to shake up the status quo, while reawakening a slumbering nationalism.

Well, two points:

1. How the hell does a billionaire qualify as an 'underdog?'
2. Doesn't EVERY politician promise to "shake up the status quo?" Is there even one politician out there who has ever campaigned on a platform of "I'm a Washington insider and I think everything is great, so elect me to Congress and I won't change anything?"

[eddiememphis]

Well, two points:

1. How the hell does a billionaire qualify as an 'underdog?'
2. Doesn't EVERY politician promise to "shake up the status quo?" Is there even one politician out there who has ever campaigned on a platform of "I'm a Washington insider and I think everything is great, so elect me to Congress and I won't change anything?"

1- Clinton was the overwhelming favorite. His personal wealth had little to do with that.
2- Yes they do. However, his claims were perceived as more likely since he wasn't beholden to other politicians. And the answer to your second question is yes. Diana DeGette.

[ruthabagah]

You guys are spot on…. Trump didn’t win, Hillary lost…. Trump was able to ascent in the party for the same reason Elon musk became the richest man on heart: They were disrupting the status quo. Now just like every “disruptor” there is a point where the novelty phenomenon wanes and this creates a vacuum where new players can be heard and ride the “disruptor”s wave… That’s what we are seeing right now.

I am pretty sure that Trump will split and create his own party no matter what. That’s 25-30% of all the votes going to him. Not enough to get him elected but enough to throw a major wrench in the US political landscape. This might be a good thing on the long term.

[Joe_K]

Sure.

It's the disjointed ramblings of conspiracy theorist.

All wars in history were manufactured by bankers and secret societies.
The military has been in control since 2020.
Trump is still President since he never conceded.
Trump signed the Insurrection Act.
Trump can't be prosecuted as a candidate for office.
The mainstream media?s sole position and mission is to breed discontent and division among the American people.
The media are the gatekeepers of our minds.
Operation Mockingbird is real.

On and on he goes bouncing around with little coherence.

This is the same character that, at a board of education meeting in Ohio, declared everyone who received a Covid shot would be dead in 5 years.

It was a fun read but I certainly don't take any of it seriously.

Great summary, I think he might be right on some things, but most of it is a stretch.

[arbol]

I've got to tell you, that many of you are disappointing me.

Donald Trump is/was the best thing to happen to America in a long time.

I still remember the night he beat Hillary. I was resigned to her winning, and then there was Trump.

Wait, is this a thing?

Oh, my gosh!

Needless to say, I missed work the next day.

-John

[arbol]

(this is back when votes were counted that night)