The Next American President Thread (2016)

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  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Don't worry about Cruz. I don't think he's got a shot any more. The liar story has stuck.
  • Posts: 1,631
    bondjames wrote: »
    Don't worry about Cruz. I don't think he's got a shot any more. The liar story has stuck.

    Thankfully. Heck, he should have been disqualified after he lied about Ben Carson dropping out of the race and stole some of his support on the evening of the Iowa caucuses.

  • edited February 2016 Posts: 725
    bondjames wrote: »
    If you want change there is no choice but to take an admittedly risky chance on the 'Trump card' imho. Bernie is going down and Hills is status quo. Otherwise just accept that things aren't going to change for a while.

    Clinton is not status quo. She is pro choice, she will appoint liberals to the Supreme and lower courts and she is pro all kinds of gov't aid. She is not as left as Bernie, but she is pro gov't social action and she ain't status quo. I don't like how the Clintons ran their foundation, and other stuff,but she's tough as nails, and she is still pretty much a down the line old fashion liberal.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    smitty wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    If you want change there is no choice but to take an admittedly risky chance on the 'Trump card' imho. Bernie is going down and Hills is status quo. Otherwise just accept that things aren't going to change for a while.

    Clinton is not status quo. She is pro choice, she will appoint liberals to the Supreme and lower courts and she is pro all kinds of gov't aid. She is not as left as Bernie, but she is pro gov't social action and she ain't status quo. I don't like how the Clintons ran their foundation, and other stuff,but she's tough as nails, and she is still pretty much a down the line old fashion liberal.
    Status quo meaning Obama. She is campaigning basically on the Obama platform, with a bit more left leaning tilt due to Bernie's push.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    smitty wrote: »
    Clinton is not status quo.
    I'm sorry, I mean status quo from an objective perspective.
    From a typically American perspective I guess she seems very Liberal & stuff...
    :D
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    edited February 2016 Posts: 1,138
    , and she is still pretty much a down the line old fashion liberal.

    This is absurd. Bernie Sanders is an old fashioned liberal, even if he calls himself a socialist to stand out. Hillary and Bill invented the "New Democrat", which was an explicit rejection of liberalism. It's the 'third way', just like Tony Blair and "new labour" they tried to split the difference between their party and the opponent. Trump is to the left of Clinton on several issues.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I think Hillary is more liberal than Bill though. These are different times now, and she is being forced left, although yes, she's no Bernie on the issues.

    She was always naturally more liberal than Bill imho.

    Ironically, it is Trump who is moving to the centre (from the Repub right) on issues as you note.
  • Posts: 725
    One of my biggest problems with Bernie, Clinton and Trump, is that they are all too old for the job. It is a killer, and it needs a younger person. All 3 of them could drop dead in office or become very ill. It is well reported that Reagan had dementia in his later years in office. I'm not happy with any of the choices. The world is such dangerous mess, Just scary.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    smitty wrote: »
    One of my biggest problems with Bernie, Clinton and Trump, is that they are all too old for the job. It is a killer, and it needs a younger person. All 3 of them could drop dead in office or become very ill. It is well reported that Reagan had dementia in his later years in office. I'm not happy with any of the choices. The world is such dangerous mess, Just scary.
    Cruz is still young and hungry to attain world domination.... anyone with stock in military hardware production companies would clearly be a fool not to vote for him.
    8-|
  • bondjames wrote: »
    @BondJasonBond006, I'm one of his advocates (crazy, I know!). I don't think he's half as bad as he's made out, or how he projects. He's all bombast and bluster on the outside, but underneath it all he's a very sharp guy. I've followed him for years as I do some consulting to the real estate industry. Tough operator.

    He has the exact opposite skill set to Obama, who is an intellectual with great public speaking skills but generally aloof and introverted. Trump will be able to get things done (he's a dealmaker and these guys always know how to bring people together when it counts due to their confidence and strength of personality).

    I can appreciate how the rest of the world is panicking though, because there will be no pushing him around, unlike the current incumbent.

    The European Project is a precarious one imho. I think it's going to be very difficult to hold that place together in its current form for too much longer given economic, demographic & cultural trends. They will have to go 'all in' or just break it up in my view. Or 'two tier' it.

    I totally agree bondjames. He will get stuff done. Regarding illegal immigration for example, even if some of his ideas, like the wall for example, turns out to be a lot of hot air, at the very least there's many other things he can do to help stem the tide of the illegal immigration. He can enforce the current E-Verify law to make sure employers are not hiring illegal immigrants. He can allocate some of our military to the border to help keep the most dangerous people out. And he can also make sure that criminals that sneak into this country are actually deported, and not brought back into the country like has been happening under the Obama regime. In other words, he can "shoot for the moon", even if it's not feasible for every thing to work.

    And of course, he will have the experience and the influence to really get our economy back on track, unlike this "pseudo-recovery" that has put more people out of work in a so called recovery than ever before. Just accomplishing those two things would make him a great president. I don't care that he's not conservative on a lot of issues, but the ones that matter are the ones that are resonating with lots of people in this country, from both parties. Those who don't like Trump are the ones who have probably based their opinions only on soundbites rather than really looking into what he can do to improve things. His aggressiveness and negotiating skills will serve him well with getting things done.
  • edited February 2016 Posts: 725
    I'm listening to the debate tonight, and Trump is such a unique character. I think his comments about how we should have left secular dictators alone in countries like Libya, Egypt and Iraq is proving to be accurate. It's obviously not an idealistic policy, but the alternative has been nothing but chaos and terrorism taking hold. You can't just drop democracy on areas that have had factions at each other's throats for centuries. Trump also has a fairly liberal history and I thought he was very gutsy to back planned parenthood tonight. They are the bogey man on the right. Also his attack on Bush is unprecedented. That just never, never happens. I voted for Obama in 2008 But I'm very disillusioned with him. His lack of vision over Syria is immense. History will not be kind to him over how his passivity resulted in the catastrophic current situation. He's also has all but ignored the total breakdown in the inner cities. Smart yes, but just too passive.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    I'm listening to the debate tonight, and Trump is such a unique character. I think his comments about how we should have left secular dictators alone in countries like Libya, Egypt and Iraq is proving to be accurate. It's obviously not an idealistic policy,

    Trump feels a natural affinity for authoritarian strongmen.
  • Posts: 725
    The big problem in the Middle East is http you have three factions at each other's throats going back centuries, and you have stupid arbitrary boundaries for countries created via colonialism. The idealistic idea that you can drop democracy on these countries was never going to work. The best you are going to get out of that region is strong men like the Jordanian King who is a benevolent leader. The Arab Spring was a pipe dream.
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    I'm aware of all those things. I was just making a joke about Trump.
  • BMW_with_missilesBMW_with_missiles All the usual refinements.
    Posts: 3,000
    Can Ian Fleming be president? Please?
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited February 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I totally agree bondjames. He will get stuff done. Regarding illegal immigration for example, even if some of his ideas, like the wall for example, turns out to be a lot of hot air, at the very least there's many other things he can do to help stem the tide of the illegal immigration. He can enforce the current E-Verify law to make sure employers are not hiring illegal immigrants. He can allocate some of our military to the border to help keep the most dangerous people out. And he can also make sure that criminals that sneak into this country are actually deported, and not brought back into the country like has been happening under the Obama regime. In other words, he can "shoot for the moon", even if it's not feasible for every thing to work.
    Yes. I remember telling family and friends when Obama was elected that I felt his role was to manage America's relative decline in the world, which I felt was inevitable due to globalization and the rise of China in particular. 7 years later, that is exactly what I feel he has done. The public appears to have had enough. Americans no longer feel exceptional, and their intellectual (and very honest - perhaps too honest) president is a part of why they 'feel' that way. This mood malaise is something the public is trying to resist collectively.

    Trump appears to be making a portion of the American electorate 'feel great' again, but the relative decline is still probably inevitable, again due to globalization.

    As I've said, I believe he isn't half as dangerous as people think he is. Like Reagan, that is his strength imho. He is seen as dangerous by his opponents, but is at heart more practical than that.

    He will do more to secure the borders and prevent illegal immigration than all the other candidates, and that is a win as far as I'm concerned. He will do more than all the other candidates to ensure that waste is reduced at the govt. level (just by default, since he's the only chap who's actually ever done this in his life) and that is also a good thing. He is the only candidate who has openly criticized the US involvement in Iraq & Libya. The others (except for Bernie who is going down) are paid for by the Military Industrial Complex (yes, including Clinton) and so can't open their mouth.

    Furthermore, he's the only candidate in the field with some balls. That is also an important characteristic for a US president. As an example, all the comments he's made about border control, illegal and unnecessary wars, and China taking advantage of the US in world trade are true to a degree - but certainly exaggerated.

    The flip side to having balls though, and which I see as his greatest weakness, is that he is at heart a gambler. He will bet big or go home. The world is a very dangerous place, and that approach could lead to catastrophe. If he wins, he will have to temper this innate characteristic of his.

    I noticed the hit job was in full effect at the debate yesterday. It was messy. Big money probably whipped 'Manchurian Candidate' Robot Rubio to go on the attack. Cruz was being Cruz, and Romney shamed himself with the hypocritical attack on taxes. None of it is going to stick.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    bondjames wrote: »
    If you want change there is no choice but to take an admittedly risky chance on the 'Trump card' imho. Bernie is going down and Hills is status quo. Otherwise just accept that things aren't going to change for a while.

    Nicely put!
    Hillary would be a 4 (8) year extensions of what we got with Obama.
    If one finds that ok, then one may vote for her.

    Not a stone would be left standing with Trump. And at the moment I think, that might just what the US (and the world) needs.
    Furthermore Trump would as a President be much more open to compromise with the Democrats that Rubio or Cruz. Cruz could even be considered dangerous.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,585
    My primary concern is the SCOTUS. We have one open vacancy right now; there could be two more in the next four years. There are some serious issues that hang in the balance: 1. Abortion rights; 2. The rights of workers to unionize and collect dues; 3. Same sex marriage; 4. The rights of companies to invoke religious freedom to deny workers benefits; 5. The continuing influence of Citizens United on our electoral system; 6. The Voting Rights act; 7. Interpretations of the second amendment.

  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Be aware of satire when reading the following:


    Trump is like Spectre, highly successful and highly polarising.

    Obama is like Skyfall, an unexpected phenomenon at its time, but years later rather disappointing.

    Cruz is like QOS, high-octane action and no substance mixed with dangerous editing.

    Rubio is like NSNA, somewhat unnecessary, pales in comparison to his predecessors.

    Hillary is like DAD, will please the people at the time, but afterwards be considered a huge mistake.

    Sanders is like Johnny English, a joke who tries to be the real thing, but somewhat funny.

    Jeb Bush is like TPOAL (The Property Of A Lady), never realised.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    Since you listed it as 'satire,' I won't even begin to pick apart everything wrong with that, @BondJasonBond006. ;)

    Live right now: Trump's "big" announcement, which is that Chris Christie is now endorsing him.

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/video/yahoo-news-special-report-180000670.html
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    Since you listed it as 'satire,' I won't even begin to pick apart everything wrong with that, @BondJasonBond006. ;)

    Live right now: Trump's "big" announcement, which is that Chris Christie is now endorsing him.

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/video/yahoo-news-special-report-180000670.html

    It's always dangerous to get into political discussions with friends ;)
    Let's just say, I can look at the US elections from a distance not being too much involved as a Swiss Citizen and comment on it with some humour.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    This US election bores me more than any other for the past 40 years.
  • This US election bores me more than any other for the past 40 years.

    Each to their own, of course -- but I really don't see how you can say that. The entertainment factor in last night's Rethuglican debate was off the charts to my way of thinking!

  • Posts: 613
    I think this could be the most entertaining election of my life.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    This US election bores me more than any other for the past 40 years.

    BORING?

    Then I don't want to know what would qualify as interesting with you...

    Republican candidates mud wrestling during the debates perhaps?

    :))
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    Creasy47 wrote: »

    Live right now: Trump's "big" announcement, which is that Chris Christie is now endorsing him.

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/video/yahoo-news-special-report-180000670.html
    I take it as good news.
    ;)
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    This US election bores me more than any other for the past 40 years.

    Each to their own, of course -- but I really don't see how you can say that. The entertainment factor in last night's Rethuglican debate was off the charts to my way of thinking!

    I didn t watch it, but my point is the remaining candidates are more similar than ever before. Or my eyes have finally been opened to the fact.
  • This US election bores me more than any other for the past 40 years.

    BORING?

    Then I don't want to know what would qualify as interesting with you...

    Republican candidates mud wrestling during the debates perhaps?

    :))

    Let's go bi-partisan: Hillary vs. the Donald vs. The Slime......
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    If Bernie isn't POTUS then I honestly don't care if it's the Donald or the Hill....
  • chrisisall wrote: »
    If Bernie isn't POTUS then I honestly don't care if it's the Donald or the Hill....

    Eyes on the prize, @chrisisall: which of them do you think is most likely to nominate a Supreme Court Justice whose rulings you might agree with? Personally, I'll be voting for Bernie in the primary and then whole-heartedly supporting whichever Democrat gets the party's nomination.

This discussion has been closed.