The Art of the Donald Trumpocalypse

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 8:49 pm

I liked that the highlight comments gave word counts for some of the more ridiculous answers.

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 9:54 pm

Sepiche wrote:
Grifman wrote:Surprised no one's posted this, but here is the most surreal interview - Donald Trump with the Washington Post editorial board:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the ... y-bananas/

WTF?
I think my "favorite" part is this:
RYAN: This is about ISIS. You would not use a tactical nuclear weapon against ISIS?

[CROSSTALK]

TRUMP: I’ll tell you one thing, this is a very good looking group of people here. Could I just go around so I know who the hell I’m talking to?

At least one interviewer felt like Trump didn't know what a tactical nuke was and was trying to run out the clock (he never answered the question).

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:31 am

That interview reads like something from an African strongman. It is FUCKING CRAZY that he has a fleeting but legitimate shot at capturing the White House. He has one thing right - the world is certainly laughing at us...but it sure is a nervous laughter.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:35 am

malchior wrote:That interview reads like something from an African strongman. It is FUCKING CRAZY that he has a fleeting but legitimate shot at capturing the White House. He has one thing right - the world is certainly laughing at us...but it sure is a nervous laughter.

That's why he's America's African President.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:11 am

Grifman wrote:
Sepiche wrote:
Grifman wrote:Surprised no one's posted this, but here is the most surreal interview - Donald Trump with the Washington Post editorial board:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the ... y-bananas/

WTF?
I think my "favorite" part is this:
RYAN: This is about ISIS. You would not use a tactical nuclear weapon against ISIS?

[CROSSTALK]

TRUMP: I’ll tell you one thing, this is a very good looking group of people here. Could I just go around so I know who the hell I’m talking to?
At least one interviewer felt like Trump didn't know what a tactical nuke was and was trying to run out the clock (he never answered the question).

Oh, he definitely knows what a tactical nuke is, and believe me, he will have the biggest, most destructive tactical nukes ever! Just one of Trump's tactical nukes could wipe out Islam - and ISIS will pay for building it!

Unagi · Post by **Unagi** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:25 am

He's amazing with the tactical nukes.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:35 am

You know, the more a person tells me to believe him, the more I start not believing him.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:48 am

raydude · Post by **raydude** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 11:01 am

Just look at his hands. His slightly smaller than large glove sized fingers! They're incredible! Much better at pushing the nuke button than Hillary's or Lyin' Ted's hands.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 12:54 pm

Class dismissed (in more ways than one).

It may be useful to stop thinking of this presidential campaign as a contest between Democrats and Republicans. Hillary Clinton is a Democrat. Donald Trump is also a Democrat. Come on, you know it's true. This isn't a political race, it's a class race.

Take a look at his economic policies. They are certainly more in line with traditional Democratic thinking than they are with Republican orthodoxy. Mr Trump opposes free trade deals - that's anathema to many conservatives. Make way the old TPP, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Here comes the new TPP, the Trump Protectionist Party, which promises to do whatever it takes to protect American manufacturing jobs, even if it means slapping massive tariffs on China, Japan and Mexico. Even if it means a trade war.

Last September Mr Trump released a tax plan that calls for higher taxes on the wealthy - a suggestion that would have disqualified any other recent Republican candidate. He even said of his own policy that it would cost him a fortune. He is not a deficit hawk, and has promised to protect welfare programmes such as social security and Medicare. Since deficit reduction was the litmus test of true conservatism in the 2012 campaign, Mr Trump's position is pretty staggering.

He is even squishy on some social issues. He has kind things to say about Planned Parenthood - a federally funded women's health organisation which is seen as the devil incarnate by many social conservatives because it provides abortions. Mr Trump says he doesn't like the abortions but the organisation itself does a lot of "wonderful" things. Again, no other Republican candidate would be able to say this and get away with it.

Where Donald Trump is not in line with Democratic thinking is on anything to do with minorities, whether they are Hispanic, Muslim or female. Those are the issues on which his views cleave him firmly away from most Democrats. That divisive rhetoric aside (and I am by no means minimising the importance of the wall, the ban and sexism), Mr Trump's views are more in line with the American centre left than the American right. Which explains why some people can't choose between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. In some ways he is reminiscent of the British Labour party circa 1980.

A much more useful lens through which to view this election is that of class. This isn't exactly a class war - that's too European for the US - but it is a class election. And indeed a race election. In the states that he has won, Mr Trump draws the clear majority of his support from working-class men who are white. People without a college education who feel that the economic policies of free trade and low taxes on the wealthy have not helped them. And they are quite right. Manufacturing wages in America have been almost stagnant since the 1970s. If you are a 55-year-old auto worker who has lost your job to an immigrant or - far more likely - a robot, you don't just feel left behind by the forces of globalisation and low taxes, you really have been left behind. The very economic policies that have defined the Republican party for the past two decades have not helped the working class here to adjust to a globalised economy and a technological revolution. In fact one of the mysteries of American politics has been why working-class voters have repeatedly voted against their own economic interests by voting Republican at all - a party which has cut welfare nets, reduced trade barriers and lowered taxes on the wealthy. There has simply not been enough trickle growth from those policies to raise working-class wages.

Add to this bleak economic picture a growing gender imbalance in the US - women are better-educated than men and increasingly earn more than their husbands - and it's not at all surprising that you find a section of the population that is feeling, well, rather emasculated. Throw in affirmative action programmes and immigration policies that they believe have unfairly benefited minorities at the expense of white people and you quickly get anger too. The white working-class American man is dangerously disaffected. In this context, Mr Trump's appeal is far more understandable. He is offering plans that make sense to people who have been marginalised by global competition and Republican economics. And just as important, he promises to restore their pride, to make them winners again. If you feel you've had a bad deal, that's a very seductive offer, whether you call yourself a Republican or a Democrat. Whether he can deliver or not is an entirely different question.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 5:28 pm

Speaking of class...

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:32 pm

Can I just say that I think Drumpf's current wife looks like a poor contender on an episode of "housewives of ".

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 9:20 pm

It fits the pattern of Trump's weird sexism.

The whole piece is actually about 2,000 words, but it's worth the read.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 3:01 am

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 7:36 am

Have you verified this with any of the stars of Full House yet though?

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 9:33 am

I won't vote for the man, but his Twitter feed is one of the most entertaining feeds I follow.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 12:45 pm

My favorite is that every institution he feels has slighted him through such acts as not acknowledging that he has the biggest penis in the known (or unknown) world always gets the disclaimer "it's in such bad shape it's going to fail soon" in his tweets. His current tweets on The View include that...as did the tweets he made years ago during his feud with Rosie O'Donnell. Yet the show is still around to rouse his ire.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:29 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nFnggBHFUo

This nails it all... And it's from the establishment.

I also like the term "feckless democrats" Feckless needs to find its way into my lexicon.

D.A.Lewis · Post by **D.A.Lewis** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:45 pm

LordMortis wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nFnggBHFUo

This nails it all... And it's from the establishment.

I also like the term "feckless democrats" Feckless needs to find its way into my lexicon.

That was great Thanks
I see colonel Wilkerson on TV occasionally and he has always impressed

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:57 pm

Can I vote for that guy?

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:00 pm

Based on those ten minutes, I like him best. And I

nothing more than a high ranking military dove.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:07 pm

Damn, that was a whole lot of common sense in only 11 minutes.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 9:00 pm

RunningMn9 wrote:Can I vote for that guy?

Our political process ensures that we never get this kind of candidate. Maybe he can at least whisper in the ear of power.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:39 am

I like the cut of his jib. My boss, a die-hard Republican and Clinton hater, has also said he would rather vote for Bernie as a third-party candidate then these ass-clowns.

Moliere · Post by **Moliere** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 12:36 pm

Listen To What Happens When Donald Trump Gets Asked Real Questions By A Media Interviewer

In an interview with Wisconsin-based talk radio host Charlie Sykes on Monday morning, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fell apart live on-air when asked tough questions about his record on the issues and his problem with women.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:07 pm

hepcat wrote:Damn, that was a whole lot of common sense in only 11 minutes.

There's another 12 minutes if you are interested (the link to the first part of the interview is in the comments).

That is a sensible old dude.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:14 pm

Moliere wrote:Listen To What Happens When Donald Drumpf Gets Asked Real Questions By A Media Interviewer

In an interview with Wisconsin-based talk radio host Charlie Sykes on Monday morning, Republican presidential candidate Donald Drumpf fell apart live on-air when asked tough questions about his record on the issues and his problem with women.

Oof.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:10 pm

Hillary is going to eat Donald's lunch in front of him at a real Presidential debate.

tjg_marantz · Post by **tjg_marantz** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:24 pm

I was coming to post that interview. It's a fascinating listen. Although, it just confuses me even more about his supporters. Angry at the establishment or not.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 3:55 pm

RunningMn9 wrote:
hepcat wrote:Damn, that was a whole lot of common sense in only 11 minutes.
There's another 12 minutes if you are interested (the link to the first part of the interview is in the comments).

That is a sensible old dude.

Yeah, I was impressed enough to listen on and then listen to some more. His one foible is that he has a supreme hard on for Chaney outrage. But then it's only a foible because he sounds like a parrot in his repetition, not because Chaney wasn't the devil and perhaps if I knew more I would want him brought up on charges as well. If you remember the way back machine, you and I had months long argument leading up to Shock and Awe, where your side was "People in the know say WMD. Terrorism. Saddam must go." and my side said "Let people in the know be public about what they know. No war." From the sound of this guy, the people in the know were Rumsfeld and Chaney and they were lying to everyone, Bush and Powell inclusive.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:48 pm

In an open letter to voters supporting Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary, the former communications director of Trump’s now-defunct Super PAC said that the former reality television star not only never expected to be the Republican nominee, much less president, but never even wanted to be.

“He certainly was never prepared or equipped to go all the way to the White House, but his ego has now taken over the driver's seat, and nothing else matters. The Donald does not fail. The Donald does not have any weakness.”

link

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 10:18 pm

I sometimes find myself almost hoping Trump wins. It would be a complete clusterf*%+* but I think we have enough failsafes in place to prevent him from doing anything too harmful. We'd also be the laughingstock of the world and Russia and China would most likely use that to their advantage. But good goddamn, it would make for a truly fascinating story of a ridiculous man, his ego and the dangers of extremism in politics.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:11 pm

hepcat wrote:I sometimes find myself almost hoping Trump wins. It would be a complete clusterf*%+* but I think we have enough failsafes in place to prevent him from doing anything too harmful.

I dunno...there's a nonzero chance that he'd be the last president. Democracy's looking increasingly wobbly already. Although a part of me thinks it would make for a fascinating endgame, I was kinda hoping to enjoy a few years of retirement before it all goes to hell. I'm too old to enjoy the apocalypse now.

But you're right, history is replete with stories of mad kings and emperors whose states somehow muddled through.

D.A.Lewis · Post by **D.A.Lewis** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 1:37 am

hepcat wrote:I sometimes find myself almost hoping Trump wins. It would be a complete clusterf*%+* but I think we have enough failsafes in place to prevent him from doing anything too harmful. We'd also be the laughingstock of the world and Russia and China would most likely use that to their advantage. But good goddamn, it would make for a truly fascinating story of a ridiculous man, his ego and the dangers of extremism in politics.

Yup, I wonder the same thing myself. It would make for a fascinating movie, but you can't fast-forward real life to get to the end to skip all the suffering or pop out the CD if the movie sucks.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 6:51 am

I'd much rather read the novel than live the reality.

In 100 years we'll have the UFP or the Thunderdome. I know which one I want for my grandkids.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:27 am

I'm hoping he fails but does well enough to attempt it again in 2020. By then we should be comfortably set up in our villa on the beach in Panama or Belize (haven't decided where to retire to yet), watching the whole thing while sipping on a Cuba Libre.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:19 am

Holman wrote:I'd much rather read the novel than live the reality.

In 100 years we'll have the UFP or the Thunderdome. I know which one I want for my grandkids.

We do have to go through the Eugenics Wars before we get to the Federation. IIRC something like a third of the world's population dies in those wars.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 8:56 am

And forced internment of the homeless and mentally ill in designated "Sanctuary Zones" by 2024 until Sisko averts a violent uprising. Trump only has 2 terms to deliver!

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 9:17 am

tgb wrote:I'm hoping he fails but does well enough to attempt it again in 2020. By then we should be comfortably set up in our villa on the beach in Panama or Belize (haven't decided where to retire to yet), watching the whole thing while sipping on a Cuba Libre.

I've been thinking that's my go to plan as well. Let me know where you end up and I'll get the house next to yours. I'll come over every morning at 10am (after we do the early bird buffet) and we can play board games.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Tue Mar 29, 2016 9:46 am

I hear Uruguay is particularly nice.