The Art of the Donald Trumpocalypse

[GreenGoo]

Is the fact that this thread is 3x as long as the Clinton thread part of the problem? Trump's a show, so he sucks up all of the media and cultural attention, which makes it difficult for opponents to get in any of their message. People wind up talking about Trump, not about anything that Clinton is proposing or might do as president.

Depends. I would expect any national disaster to merit a lot of attention.

[tgb]

Now it turns out that Drumpf used Foundation money to settle his lawsuits, clearly a violation of non-profit law.

Not that it matters. He could teach John Gotti a thing or two bout Teflon.

[malchior]

I still hold hope that the polling just isn't going to be right - and by that I mean that the electorate that the models are based on isn't anything like the one that actually shows up on election day. The alternative is completely unthinkable still.

[geezer]

Now it turns out that Drumpf used Foundation money to settle his lawsuits, clearly a violation of non-profit law.

But see, he did it as a *private citizen*. That makes all the difference.

[Alefroth]

And Trumputin Jr. is getting flack now for a new tweet comparing refugees to a bowl of skittles.

Even his kids are trash.

Freakin' awesome.

Donald Trump Jr tweet: 'I'm a refugee' says Skittles photographer

"This was not done with my permission, I don't support his politics and I would never take his money to use it," Mr Kittos told the BBC.
"In 1974, when I was six-years old, I was a refugee from the Turkish occupation of Cyprus so I would never approve the use of this image against refugees."

[tgb]

What a tool.

[Zarathud]

Trump used $258,000 from his charity to settle legal problems

These are serious violations. Trump's Foundation can be stripped of its tax-exempt status, fined 200% of the amount involved, and its managers who approved the transactions personally fined (or possibly even criminally prosecuted).

You want to know why Trump doesn't want to disclose his tax returns? He violates the tax law even when the information will be publicly reported and available to anyone who asks.

Of course, he'll claim the IRS and Democrats are m targeting him as a political enemy (like he threatened Hillary at the convention). But these aren't even arguable violations of the law. Maybe Trump was counting on those donations to State Attorney Generals to cause them to look the other way.

[El Guapo]

I still hold hope that the polling just isn't going to be right - and by that I mean that the electorate that the models are based on isn't anything like the one that actually shows up on election day. The alternative is completely unthinkable still.

That would be nice, but it's almost certainly wishful thinking. 538 is good at what it does, including factoring in likely voters and such. Now, it is true that Clinton has a ground game and organization and Trump does not, so *that* is a plausible reason why she might outperform polls. Though it's hard to say for sure.

On the plus side (for us bleeding heart liberals) 538 started it's senate tracking today, and currently gives the democrats a 58% chance of reclaiming the senate.

[Zarathud]

It's always darkest before the dawn.

Trump is potentially at his peak. He's showing blatant favoritism to FOX News, but can't hide from the debates, the few remaining investigatory journalists finding real dirt, and Trump's story arc has played out. Plus, hubris.

Anyone in the media who can puncture Trump's bubble will win many awards for journalism.

[Isgrimnur]

Six more days until the first debate. Six more days.

I'm on a two-year clock. Whether I seriously pursue a Master's degree or expat status as the end goal for that period very much is determined by November 9th.

[El Guapo]

It's always darkest before the dawn.

Trump is potentially at his peak. He's showing blatant favoritism to FOX News, but can't hide from the debates, the few remaining investigatory journalists finding real dirt, and Trump's story arc has played out. Plus, hubris.

Anyone in the media who can puncture Trump's bubble will win many awards for journalism.

[El Guapo]

Seriously though, there are reasons to be optimistic. Hillary's been through some brutal news cycles in September (the pneumonia 'scandal', for one) and she's still winning, if narrowly. She has more plausible routes to victory (in terms of electoral maps), and her main firewall state (Pennsylvania) appears to be holding so far. She has an organization and a ground game. Journalists seem to be finally paying attention to the dumpster fire that is media coverage of this race, and seems to be (fingers crossed) getting more direct with Trump.

Still, I'm not going to even consider stopping being terrified until Clinton's poll numbers at least stabilize. We're on thin ice ... if Clinton screws up the debate, even if it's a trivial thing, in a way that the media will magnify, good god.

[Blackhawk]

Trump needs a disaster. A big mistake at a debate, a collapse (even from something minor and new), a 'smoking gun' document getting released, something big. He isn't close enough to win as it is, but he's close enough to close if there is a Clinton stumble. If things are politics as usual for the next couple of months, though, he's doomed.

[El Guapo]

I am also wondering what the impact of the NY bombings is going to be on the race.

[Kraken]

Trump needs a disaster. A big mistake at a debate, a collapse (even from something minor and new), a 'smoking gun' document getting released, something big. He isn't close enough to win as it is, but he's close enough to close if there is a Clinton stumble. If things are politics as usual for the next couple of months, though, he's doomed.

No, Trump is leading a personality cult. He just needs to keep on being himself.

Clinton has the harder row to hoe. She has to convince those who aren't buying Trump's movement that they shouldn't stay home or cast a protest vote or do their (R) party duty. She'll win if she can do that, but she is her own worst enemy.

We are way past politics as usual.

[Alefroth]

Six more days until the first debate. Six more days.

And 3 days before real votes can start being cast.

[Blackhawk]

Trumps core is locked in regardless of what he does. It makes absolutely no difference if he doubles down or admits it was a November Fools joke. They're oblivious in a way that almost makes 'cult' the perfect word.

[YellowKing]

I've got a gut feeling that after Hillary's "bad weekend," the press is ready for a comeback story. And barring a total collapse on her part, I think they'll choose the debate to paint that picture.

[El Guapo]

I've got a gut feeling that after Hillary's "bad weekend," the press is ready for a comeback story. And barring a total collapse on her part, I think they'll choose the debate to paint that picture.

That's my hope, but who knows for sure.

[Alefroth]

Now it turns out that Drumpf used Foundation money to settle his lawsuits, clearly a violation of non-profit law.

Not that it matters. He could teach John Gotti a thing or two bout Teflon.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/politics/ ... on-report/

What a mealy-mouthed shit-talker. She's a spin master.

[Rip]

[Zarathud]

She also is a dumbass. By admitting she talked with the Trump Foundation and then still linked the payments to the resolution of lawsuits, she's become a witness. She's described a clear violation of the charity self-dealing rules unless a court approved the settlement (with notice to the State Attorney General) because the charity was somehow involved. Using your Foundation to provide direct benefits quid pro quo to your business is a violation of law.

If it's an unrelated payment and merely "coincidental," a charity can skirt the grey area of the law. But a spokesperson admitting discussing the situation with the Foundation and then still drawing the link during an interview? That's stupid.

When you're looking at 200% penalties, even aggressive clients take care to follow the law. Only the ignorant, reckless or ill-advised continue anyway.

[tgb]

Now it turns out that Drumpf used Foundation money to settle his lawsuits, clearly a violation of non-profit law.

Not that it matters. He could teach John Gotti a thing or two bout Teflon.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/politics/ ... on-report/

What a mealy-mouthed shit-talker. She's a spin master.

That's her job. I've seen her many times before she went to work for Trump. She may be misguided, but she's no dummy.

If you notice, that smile she keeps plastered on her face is starting to look more and more like she's gritting her teeth.

[hepcat]

How does that even remotely justify what Trumputin Jr. wrote? I'm sure you feel it proves some kind of point, but it doesn't. It's just a tangentially related tweet from someone else. If you want to continue to argue against claims that not every Trump supporter is a racist, then stop trying to insinuate that everything any liberal and/or democrat says is coming out of the mouth of every other liberal and/or democrat.

Unless you now believe that every Trump supporter is a racist. Is that what you're really trying to say now?

[PLW]

"If I gave you a bowl of skittles and three of them were poison would you still eat them?"

"Are the other skittles human lives?"

"What?"

"Like. Is there a good chance. A really good chance. I would be saving someone from a war zone and probably their life if I ate a skittle?"

"Well sure. But the point-"

"I would eat the skittles."

"Ok-well the point is-"

"I would GORGE myself on skittles. I would eat every single fucking skittle I could find. I would STUFF myself with skittles. And when I found the poison skittle and died I would make sure to leave behind a legacy of children and of friends who also ate skittle after skittle until there were no skittles to be eaten. And each person who found the poison skittle we would weep for. We would weep for their loss, for their sacrifice, and for the fact that they did not let themselves succumb to fear but made the world a better place by eating skittles.

Because your REAL question...the one you hid behind a shitty little inaccurate, insensitive, dehumanizing racist little candy metaphor is, IS MY LIFE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF MEN, WOMEN, AND TERRIFIED CHILDREN...

... and what kind of monster would think the answer to that question... is yes?"

[msteelers]

Perfect

[Zarathud]

Agreed.

The answer would be a selfish, insecure racist bastard who is guided by fear rather than hope. A person who has no inspiration or vision and shouldn't be running for election as dogcatcher, let aline the Leader of the Free World.

[Jaymann]

I don't think dogcatcher is an elected official.

[tgb]

Well played.

[GreenGoo]

If you notice, that smile she keeps plastered on her face is starting to look more and more like she's gritting her teeth.

Good. If it turns into a rictus, I'll be happy. She took the job, now she has to eat the crap that comes with it.

[GreenGoo]

If only saving lives was as easy as eating a couple of skittles...

[El Guapo]

To be fair, we should never forget that just like one bad mushroom can kill a person, one Jew can destroy a Volk. So you have to watch out for individuals!

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I don't know whether to put this in the Trump or Clinton thread, but what rational arguments can be made when a subset of Trump's supporters think like this (link is to a Daily Show video interviewing Trump supporters about Clinton and Obama)?

[Blackhawk]

To be fair, we should never forget that just like one bad mushroom can kill a person, one Jew can destroy a Volk. So you have to watch out for individuals!

Even Mr. Fantastic would say that article is stretching things quite a bit. The original quote was evil all on its own. It doesn't need a trumped up Nazi ancestry to make it bad.

[El Guapo]

To be fair, we should never forget that just like one bad mushroom can kill a person, one Jew can destroy a Volk. So you have to watch out for individuals!

Even Mr. Fantastic would say that article is stretching things quite a bit. The original quote was evil all on its own. It doesn't need a trumped up Nazi ancestry to make it bad.

The headline is definitely stretching it. But I do think it's helpful to understand the implications of the "one bad apple" type analogy as applied to, you know, people.

[killbot737]

I don't know whether to put this in the Trump or Clinton thread, but what rational arguments can be made when a subset of Trump's supporters think like this (link is to a Daily Show video interviewing Trump supporters about Clinton and Obama)?

There are some awesome lines in there - I'm just using your logic against you!
I like the people who's minds are so made up even facts can't change them!
That "muslim jewelry practices" guy was really weird. Never heard that one before.

[Blackhawk]

Except that in the Nazi version, all of the apples were bad. "If I had a bowl of Skittles, and told you that all of them were poisoned, would you keep them in the cabinet with all of the other, pure candy?"

Completely different concept. One is saying that bad individuals make a race undesirable. The other is saying that a bad race makes everything undesirable. The only commonality is that they say it with a 'deadly food' analogy.

Not that either of them isn't disgusting.

[Isgrimnur]

Not that either of them isn't disgusting.

Just like green apple Skittles.

[Defiant]

I don't know whether to put this in the Trump or Clinton thread, but what rational arguments can be made when a subset of Trump's supporters think like this (link is to a Daily Show video interviewing Trump supporters about Clinton and Obama)?

[Moliere]

However entertaining those man on the street interviews might be they are worthless for rating the intelligence of a particular group. Jimmy Kimmel, Howard Stern, et al do these type of cheap laugh videos all the time showing everyone can say stupid shit about any topic that seems obvious to anyone watching.