The Next American President Thread (2016)

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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Inadequate people, angry with the world and believing. Either some crazy Politics or
    Extreme religious views. Have all the reasons they need to kill and maim. France has
    stricter gun laws, but that didn't stop the attacks there.
  • Posts: 1,631
    Inadequate people, angry with the world and believing. Either some crazy Politics or
    Extreme religious views. Have all the reasons they need to kill and maim. France has
    stricter gun laws, but that didn't stop the attacks there.

    It didn't stop the attacks, but at the same time I think that it goes back to the idea that something should still be done, even if it wouldn't solve every single area of vulnerability. Yes, Paris had a massive terrorist attack in the form of a mass shooting, but looking at the statistics, France has far fewer shooting deaths per capita than the United States. The danger from terrorism will always be there, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't seek to create an environment where the number of shootings in the United States goes down exponentially. A side effect of gun control in America could be to make it much more difficult for would-be terrorist to get their hands on weapons. That's not to say that it would be impossible, but making it more difficult would surely be a good thing, especially if a system was in place that would throw up some red flags should such a person begin the process of trying to illegally acquire a weapon.

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I do think America will have to do something about the apparently open access to
    all sorts of weapons. To us over here, it seems a crazy system, far from the idea of
    having a rifle for hunting etc.
  • Posts: 1,631
    I do think America will have to do something about the apparently open access to
    all sorts of weapons. To us over here, it seems a crazy system, far from the idea of
    having a rifle for hunting etc.

    Agreed. I think it would be fair to say that it seems rather crazy to a good number of Americans as well, despite what the NRA would have you think.

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    I do think America will have to do something about the apparently open access to
    all sorts of weapons. To us over here, it seems a crazy system, far from the idea of
    having a rifle for hunting etc.

    Oh come on! Doesn't everybody hunt with AR15's? :-P

    funny thing is, for a car, at least you need a driver's license....
  • Posts: 11,119
    At least in The Netherlands people don't have guns in their drawers. Despite what media says, criminality is very low in The Netherlands. But then again, USA has always been 'Cowboy-Land'
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    They do say the voter is unimportant, Those who count the vote are important. ;)
  • If Donald Trump becomes president & Britain votes BREXIT with Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister, lets face it, it's Bl**dy comedy gold, bring back spitting image (For those who are old enough to remember). :))
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Looks like Putin could be the world's first supreme leader, after all. :))
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    Spitting Image wouldn't have to exaggerte the puppets, both Trump & Boris are caricatures already.

    It's a frightening indictment that they actually are the reality.
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 11,119
    If Donald Trump becomes president & Britain votes BREXIT with Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister, lets face it, it's Bl**dy comedy gold, bring back spitting image (For those who are old enough to remember). :))


    Looks like Putin could be the world's first supreme leader, after all. :))


    Let's see in 30 years time.........if we are still able to type in freedom on a forum like this, to discuss such complex issues like these. Because limiting freedom will eventually come only from ultra-right-wing populists and ultra-left-wing populists.

    Sorry to spoil the fun you guys have....but I just can't see the fun of it all. When I hear Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, Geert Wilders, Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen and Viktor Orban talk........I hear xenophobia, fear, anger, hate, ultra-nationalism and 'freedom-for-only-some'. And those are by far the elements that made our western societies excell. On the contrary, they enhanced the downward spirale that, and that I have to agree with many, has been initiated with politicians that do not listen enough to the people. So then sooner or later, less nuanced, more populist voices will take over from you.

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    We're Doomed, I tells ye, we're All Doomed !!!!!! :((
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    We're Doomed, I tells ye, we're All Doomed !!!!!! :((
    From the time we are born.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    To be honest guys, I've given up worrying. I believe in the "New world order" the
    Plan for a one world government. So no matter what we do, it will not make any
    Impact of the super rich bankers and families that control well over 86% of the
    Planet already. ;)
  • I have a confession, I'm really the head of OMEGA (Organisation for the Menipulation and Explotation of Global Anxiety) with a view to global domination =))

    Come on GG to quote the joker "Why so serious", we can neither influence or change government policy, but it's good to chat.

    If we lose our sense of humour then we are truely doomed.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I thought I recognised you @SpectreNumberTwo I'm a founder member of
    ROLEX
    Realm Of Largely Exaggerated Xenophobia ! ;)
  • Posts: 11,119
    I have a confession, I'm really the head of OMEGA (Organisation for the Menipulation and Explotation of Global Anxiety) with a view to global domination =))

    Come on GG to quote the joker "Why so serious", we can neither influence or change government policy, but it's good to chat.

    If we lose our sense of humour then we are truely doomed.

    Yes, but as you have seen "The Dark Knight", crazy psychopaths like The Joker actually had that kind of influence on government policy. Now luckily there's no real-life Joker, but the message from Christopher Nolan is quite clear: There are some crazy demagogues out there. Some traits you can already see a tiny bit. I don't name them for once.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited June 2016 Posts: 12,480
    Trump's tweets since the massacre in Orlando have hurt him. And certainly show his attitude, reaction. I used to live about 20 mins. from there, for more than ten years, by the way.

    Bernie would not do well against Trump overall, I fear. He may or may not - but certainly not as strong a candidate as Clinton. Clinton has, and has had all along, my vote.
  • To be serious for a moment, Hillary is the smart vote, but I do fear that the vast majority of Americans would rather vote for a racist bigot than a woman?
  • Posts: 11,119
    To be serious for a moment, Hillary is the smart vote, but I do fear that the vast majority of Americans would rather vote for a racist bigot than a woman?

    Not sure about that yet. If prosperity and welfare and the middle class crumble more the upcoming 5 years, then that's possible. But at this moment I still think Trump's total electorate is really at the ceiling now. Even in the primaries he could not outbest Clinton (13 million votes for Trump against 16 million votes for Clinton)
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I doubt it will make much difference, politicians are just puppets, they'll do what
    Their masters tell them to. So Hillary and Trump will probably end up doing similar
    Things, only sold differently to the people.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    I doubt it will make much difference, politicians are just puppets, they'll do what
    Their masters tell them to. So Hillary and Trump will probably end up doing similar
    Things, only sold differently to the people.

    You understand our system well.... (:|
  • chrisisall wrote: »
    I doubt it will make much difference, politicians are just puppets, they'll do what
    Their masters tell them to. So Hillary and Trump will probably end up doing similar
    Things, only sold differently to the people.

    You understand our system well.... (:|

    Oh, nonsense. At this point in time we can't allow this kind of manure to stink up the pasture. Listen to the fear-mongering Trump has been spreading, and listen to Hillary trying her best to use reason against that fear. And then stop it...or you're taking the side of those who argued that GWB and Al Gore were two sides of the same coin. History has proven that position inaccurate. Learn from history.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,804
    History has proven that position inaccurate. Learn from history.
    History has taught me that TPTB want a moderate POTUS that will not rock the boat (too much). Obama was that. Clinton is a return to a free pass to the Military Industrial Complex and more war profiteering. Trump is a wild card in this game- not cool.
    But Bernie scares them most of all, which is why he faced a fixed vote in some states. He is revolution personified. Terrifying poo to the status quo.
    To say that Hillary is the voice of reason compared to Trump is like saying that Vader is the voice of reason when compared to The Emperor.

    Help us Bernie-San Kenobi, you're our only hope!
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I have not listened to Trump's entire speech but read several excerpts and comments from others online. One commenter said this: (I am not posting his or her name):

    We like to blame the media, the Republican Party, or right wing "journalists" for the rise of Trump. All bear some culpability. But make no mistake, there is no excuse for stupid. If you voted for him, you are ultimately responsible. So just get this straight, if you vote for him in November, it means you are ok with moving the country towards something that we only thought happened in the Soviet Union or Facist Germany and Facist Italy. Once you start down a path, it gets easier and easier to keep going. Is it ok with you that we need to spy on each other? Do you want to feel compelled to out your neighbor? Maybe it doesn't happen over night, but each step we take moves us further along. And who would have ever thought we would have a party nominee talking like this, being applauded for hate speech?

    *****
    In general, I agree and also do not feel that people are overreacting by saying things like this. It should be a concern. His speech, from what I've read, had many lies, false information, and he was either saying or insinuating strongly that citizens should report other citizens ... we know where that road leads when we look at history ...
  • Posts: 1,999
    Trump has been a media whore his entire privileged life. After college he began his property development career in 1969 with a small loan of $1 million from his father. Today that would be about $8 million. When people tout his business success, I am not terribly impressed. Most of us began our careers with nothing. I daresay if you press his followers, most could not tell you anything substantive about him or his policies. Sure he's brash, but anyone--Putin--Un--etc. can be brash, arrogant, and boastful. He talks tough, but again anyone can do that. There's a John Wayne mentality in the U.S. that many have yet to outgrow. What Trump offers is healthy dose of self-serving B.S. Ultimately he is the logical outcome of years of hate radio, unabated extremism, and a republican agenda that writes policy for the rich and hoodwinks the working classes with social issues. Should he win, supporters will truly be amazed how quickly almost nothing he has promised will come to pass.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited June 2016 Posts: 12,480
    I agree, @CrabKey. His expertise and business success has been inflated and lied about and promoted by him, for decades. And I actually pray he is not elected ... but if he is then I hope none of his ideas come to pass. They are filled with hatred, blatant bigotry, sexism, and flagrant disregard and huge disrespect for our Constitution, Bill of Rights, everything good this country was founded and built upon.
  • Posts: 1,631
    I have not listened to Trump's entire speech but read several excerpts and comments from others online. One commenter said this: (I am not posting his or her name):

    We like to blame the media, the Republican Party, or right wing "journalists" for the rise of Trump. All bear some culpability. But make no mistake, there is no excuse for stupid. If you voted for him, you are ultimately responsible. So just get this straight, if you vote for him in November, it means you are ok with moving the country towards something that we only thought happened in the Soviet Union or Facist Germany and Facist Italy. Once you start down a path, it gets easier and easier to keep going. Is it ok with you that we need to spy on each other? Do you want to feel compelled to out your neighbor? Maybe it doesn't happen over night, but each step we take moves us further along. And who would have ever thought we would have a party nominee talking like this, being applauded for hate speech?

    *****
    In general, I agree and also do not feel that people are overreacting by saying things like this. It should be a concern. His speech, from what I've read, had many lies, false information, and he was either saying or insinuating strongly that citizens should report other citizens ... we know where that road leads when we look at history ...

    This pretty much sums it up regarding Donald.

    There's still the slight hope, I guess, that he'll say or do something so outrageous between now and the convention that Paul Ryan and/or the elected convention delegates are forced to take it away from him, but that's admittedly unlikely.
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 11,119
    You know, I earlier mentioned in a topic, beware of Trump's 'freedom-for-just-his-dearest-few'. Well, look what happened:
    http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/13/media/donald-trump-washington-post-credentials/index.html?sr=fbCNN061416donald-trump-washington-post-credentials0403AMVODtopLink&linkId=25512186

    Mr Trump revoked the press accreditation of one of the better newspapers in the USA, the one that takes great pride in research journalism: The Washington Post. You only have to imagine what happens if Donald Trump actually IS president and his press secretary blacklists all those newspapers that he 'doesn't like'.

    Oowh, and I understand that some supporters of other presidential candidates felt 'left out' by the so called 'mainstream media'. They were too 'biased', and we're reporting the primaries in an unfair way. To those supporters I ask this question: Is Trump's way the solution? Shall we then blacklist those media outlets who are being accused of bias?

    Regardless of that, real freedom is what should count in a free, democratic society, of which the free press are often called 'the last guardians of democracy'. So let's support that, and not just freedom for Trump's lucky few.
This discussion has been closed.