Showing posts with label Donald Trump. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Donald Trump. Show all posts
Monday, October 03, 2016
Saturday, October 01, 2016
It HAS to be Fraud
A recent poll from AP shows that half of Trump's supporters think that if their candidate loses, there will be fraud. It can't possibly be that their ideas are backward and hateful. There has to be cheating somehow. More than ever before, we are seeing a large block of US voters burying their heads in the sand and completely denying reality.
Gail Collins, a columnist for the New York Times, recently asked the question, "How can anyone vote for Trump?" I posted this piece on my Facebook feed and a friend responded with this comment.
I keep hearing about white male alienation, and how all the alienated white males are going to vote for Trump. But I wonder if the reason all these white males are alienated is because they’re stupid. If you’re so deluded that you think Trump is presidential material, maybe you should be alienated.
It’s possible that people alienate you because you’ve made bad decisions all your life, you didn’t get a decent education, you’re intellectually incurious and you can’t tell the difference between a slightly flawed, politically astute and highly prepared candidate and a man with a raccoon on his head whose campaign slogan is “No fat chicks."
Right, The real problem is THEM. It's not liberals, the media, the elite or voter fraud. They completely fail to look at how the choices they made in their lives are directly tied to their lot in life. Essentially, they aren't taking responsibility for their mistakes. Odd, considering they in the part of people who foam at the mouth of the lack of individual responsibility.
Here are a few pieces on the voter fraud myth for your reference.
Debunking the Voter Fraud Myth
The Success of the Voter Fraud Myth
THE MISLEADING MYTH OF VOTER FRAUD IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS
Gail Collins, a columnist for the New York Times, recently asked the question, "How can anyone vote for Trump?" I posted this piece on my Facebook feed and a friend responded with this comment.
I keep hearing about white male alienation, and how all the alienated white males are going to vote for Trump. But I wonder if the reason all these white males are alienated is because they’re stupid. If you’re so deluded that you think Trump is presidential material, maybe you should be alienated.
It’s possible that people alienate you because you’ve made bad decisions all your life, you didn’t get a decent education, you’re intellectually incurious and you can’t tell the difference between a slightly flawed, politically astute and highly prepared candidate and a man with a raccoon on his head whose campaign slogan is “No fat chicks."
Right, The real problem is THEM. It's not liberals, the media, the elite or voter fraud. They completely fail to look at how the choices they made in their lives are directly tied to their lot in life. Essentially, they aren't taking responsibility for their mistakes. Odd, considering they in the part of people who foam at the mouth of the lack of individual responsibility.
Here are a few pieces on the voter fraud myth for your reference.
Debunking the Voter Fraud Myth
The Success of the Voter Fraud Myth
THE MISLEADING MYTH OF VOTER FRAUD IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS
Friday, September 30, 2016
He Can't Sleep, Someone On The Internet Is Wrong
When I think of a right wing blogger or commenter, here's the first thing that comes to my mind...
Sums them up perfectly in many ways:)
So, it comes as no surprise that their current champion does the same fucking thing. Check out these tweets from Donald Trump.
Look at the times on them. What kind of a person is up this late obsessing over something so ridiculous? This is who 40 million people are supporting for our next commander in chief? Really?
Sums them up perfectly in many ways:)
So, it comes as no surprise that their current champion does the same fucking thing. Check out these tweets from Donald Trump.
Look at the times on them. What kind of a person is up this late obsessing over something so ridiculous? This is who 40 million people are supporting for our next commander in chief? Really?
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Trump on Coke
I turned to my son during the debate and wondered the same thing. Of course, speculation about this stuff is ludicrous and has no basis in reality. But isn't that what this election is about? Trump is doing well because he tells lies and people believe it. Everyone believes the stereotype about coke users (sniffing alot, meglomania, bluster, and then crashing) whether it's true or not so Dean doubling down on this makes sense given the current political, environment.
I find it hilarious that everyone in the media is outraged by this. They complain that the Democrats aren't adjusting well to a non traditional campaign and then bitch like crazy when they do it.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Good Words
From a question on Quora...
From Trump’s display last night I saw the following:
- A constantly repeated thesis that American is in the worst shape of its life, using hyperbolic phrases and words designed to intensify fear (“disaster,” “terrible,” “worst ever,” “tremendous”)
- Very little discussion of plans to fix this “disaster”
- A wide variety of bold faced lies as proven real time during the debate
- An inability and lack of humility to admit to mistakes or take any ownership
- An unapologetic admittance to dodging taxes and bragging that this is “smart”
- The inability to absorb the slightest insult (of which there will be MANY as president)
With Trump I see a textbook narcissist whose ego has a thirst many of us don’t understand. Becoming president, for him, is the ultimate win purely for the fame and title. This election is unlike any other, so my methods have had to adjust from how I’ve arrived at decisions in the past. So here we go, my first blue vote.
We welcome you with open arms.
Monday, September 26, 2016
The Right Wing Blogger Nominee Fucking Tanks
If you want to see how a right wing blogger and/or commenter would do on the big stage, check out the first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Donald Trump was a complete fucking disaster tonight. His chest thumping over how little debate prep he did was incredibly foolish because he LOOKED LIKE A GUY WHO DIDN'T PREPARE AT ALL. His answers were the same style of incoherent rambling one would see in a blog comments section.
His remarks on national security were all over the place and should give even the most stalwart Republican pause. This is a guy we want running our country and keeping it safe? REALLY??!!
I posted a question on Quora regarding who won and the overwhelming response was Hillary Clinton. Check out the responses!
Donald Trump was a complete fucking disaster tonight. His chest thumping over how little debate prep he did was incredibly foolish because he LOOKED LIKE A GUY WHO DIDN'T PREPARE AT ALL. His answers were the same style of incoherent rambling one would see in a blog comments section.
His remarks on national security were all over the place and should give even the most stalwart Republican pause. This is a guy we want running our country and keeping it safe? REALLY??!!
I posted a question on Quora regarding who won and the overwhelming response was Hillary Clinton. Check out the responses!
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Completely Ridiculous
Of all the pre-game debate analyses out there, Ross Douthat has the best one. I've been watching with amusement at how most of the media has been pushing the narrative that if Trump simply shows up and doesn't foam at the mouth, he wins. Douthat agrees.
The eve of the first presidential debate is a good time for that exercise, because there’s been so much gaming-out of how Trump might ambush Hillary Clinton, how he might manage expectations well enough to make a poor performance look like victory, that it’s easy to lose sight of the core truth: It will be ridiculous if Donald Trump wins these debates.
Yes, it would. Consider that this is the first time he has stood one on one with an opponent and will now have to get into specifics on policy points. No doubt his current supporters won't care what he does up there (most of them, anyway) but the undecideds (largely white, college educated voters) will most definitely care. He's going to completely tank on many answers and leave the audience wondering exactly why he was nominated given that he knows so little. This works in the GOP primary crowd where having zero intellectual capacity is a crowning achievement. It doesn't work in a general election debate.
Despite recent tightening polls, Trump is still losing this race and here's why.
Trump won't win unless he improves on these numbers.
And, as Douthat notes in his final two paragraphs, this isn't anything new.
This is not a hot take. It is a cold take, a boring take, a take that assumes that the political world, even now, is still relatively rule-bound and predictable. And if I’m wrong, if Hillary manages to throw the debates and the election to Donald Trump, it will be the last such take I offer for many years to come.
I agree and will do the same.
The eve of the first presidential debate is a good time for that exercise, because there’s been so much gaming-out of how Trump might ambush Hillary Clinton, how he might manage expectations well enough to make a poor performance look like victory, that it’s easy to lose sight of the core truth: It will be ridiculous if Donald Trump wins these debates.
Yes, it would. Consider that this is the first time he has stood one on one with an opponent and will now have to get into specifics on policy points. No doubt his current supporters won't care what he does up there (most of them, anyway) but the undecideds (largely white, college educated voters) will most definitely care. He's going to completely tank on many answers and leave the audience wondering exactly why he was nominated given that he knows so little. This works in the GOP primary crowd where having zero intellectual capacity is a crowning achievement. It doesn't work in a general election debate.
Despite recent tightening polls, Trump is still losing this race and here's why.
Trump won't win unless he improves on these numbers.
And, as Douthat notes in his final two paragraphs, this isn't anything new.
This is not a hot take. It is a cold take, a boring take, a take that assumes that the political world, even now, is still relatively rule-bound and predictable. And if I’m wrong, if Hillary manages to throw the debates and the election to Donald Trump, it will be the last such take I offer for many years to come.
I agree and will do the same.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Thursday, September 22, 2016
The Logic of Trump Voters
The next time a conservative peddles the bullshit line about how they are about facts/logic and liberals are about feelings, show them this.
And then remind them their nominee is Donald Trump...
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Happily Dancing Into The Statism They Claim To Hate
I've spent quite a bit of time over the years having discussions with right wing bloggers and commenters. I've asserted many times in those conversations that these folks were closet authoritarians, secretly wanting the statism that they claim to hate. They obviously don't want it when someone who is not completely ideologically pure is in charge (see also: most of the country).
But, boy oh boy, do they want it when someone like Donald Trumps comes along.
Check out this video.
And then take a look at this.
The quote is from Donald Trump's son but it is an official campaign ad. It's pretty much identical to Nazi Julius Streicher's children's book, The Toadstool, in which a mother explains to a son how one Jew can destroy an entire people.
Looking at the video linked above...seeing all the people cheering...looking at just how many people are supporting Trump...it's clear that I was correct.
These people want statism. And they want it REALLY BAD.
Their adolescent rage over the "elites running everything" (wahhh wahhh....I'm not smart enough.....waaaa.....waaa.....) has led them to the same place that led Nazism to Germany....Fascism to Italy....Communism to Russia...
We all should have recognized this right away when they began accusing the rest of us of pulling our nation into communism or Nazism with our "liberal ways." Generally, when these assholes accuse you of doing something, they are the ones actually doing it.
So, as they happily vote for Donald Trump on November 8th because they want a rebel who will break up the system, recognize what system they are breaking up.
But, boy oh boy, do they want it when someone like Donald Trumps comes along.
Check out this video.
And then take a look at this.
The quote is from Donald Trump's son but it is an official campaign ad. It's pretty much identical to Nazi Julius Streicher's children's book, The Toadstool, in which a mother explains to a son how one Jew can destroy an entire people.
Looking at the video linked above...seeing all the people cheering...looking at just how many people are supporting Trump...it's clear that I was correct.
These people want statism. And they want it REALLY BAD.
Their adolescent rage over the "elites running everything" (wahhh wahhh....I'm not smart enough.....waaaa.....waaa.....) has led them to the same place that led Nazism to Germany....Fascism to Italy....Communism to Russia...
We all should have recognized this right away when they began accusing the rest of us of pulling our nation into communism or Nazism with our "liberal ways." Generally, when these assholes accuse you of doing something, they are the ones actually doing it.
So, as they happily vote for Donald Trump on November 8th because they want a rebel who will break up the system, recognize what system they are breaking up.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Anything Goes!
This recent post in the Times regarding Donald Trump's "anything goes" precedent he has set in campaigns points out many disturbing trends. There are many salient points in the article but Mr. Martin fails to adequately note that it's the people that want someone like Donald Trump.
These are the people that are firmly in the basket of deplorables, most of whom are likely beyond help. Take, for example, this guy.
We need to turn our backs on the elites, and he's the one who has emerged as the rebel leader in that cause.
Right. Because people that are more intelligent and accomplished than us (see also: adults) should be vilified at every turn. In fact, we should just burn the whole fucking house down and act like...what age level again?.....ADOLESCENTS.
The real danger isn't really Donald Trump. It's the 40 million people who are so lacking in emotional intelligence, maturity, and intellectual capacity that they would allow their own insecurities, inferior feelings, and constant thoughts of inadequacy that they would happily vote for a sociopath for president. Are they that reckless? Are they that catty and bitchy about Hillary Clinton? Do they really understand what's at stake here? Any of you out there who has had to deal with teenagers know the answers to all these questions.
At least the media is finally waking up to the fact that they have been way too easy on Donald Trump.
These are the people that are firmly in the basket of deplorables, most of whom are likely beyond help. Take, for example, this guy.
We need to turn our backs on the elites, and he's the one who has emerged as the rebel leader in that cause.
Right. Because people that are more intelligent and accomplished than us (see also: adults) should be vilified at every turn. In fact, we should just burn the whole fucking house down and act like...what age level again?.....ADOLESCENTS.
The real danger isn't really Donald Trump. It's the 40 million people who are so lacking in emotional intelligence, maturity, and intellectual capacity that they would allow their own insecurities, inferior feelings, and constant thoughts of inadequacy that they would happily vote for a sociopath for president. Are they that reckless? Are they that catty and bitchy about Hillary Clinton? Do they really understand what's at stake here? Any of you out there who has had to deal with teenagers know the answers to all these questions.
At least the media is finally waking up to the fact that they have been way too easy on Donald Trump.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
A Tightening Race?
The presidential race is tightening and the Democrats are officially starting to poop themselves with the release of each new poll. Haven't we see this movie before? Oh, right, that was 2012 when Mitt Romney (actually someone who was qualified to be president) gained on Barack Obama and everyone predicted the Mittster would be the next president. They used a similar metric to what they are saying today...lack of voter enthusiasm, especially among young people, would ruin the president.
How did that turn out?
Now, I'm not going to assuage people from jumping up and down and acting like Trump could actually win this thing. I think everyone should spend from now until election day operating under the assumption that Trump is actually ahead in the polls. Why? Because Hillary Clinton can't merely eke out a victory. She has to demolish him with the American people sending a clear message to The Deplorables.
We are not going back. We are moving forward. Take your nonsense and dissolve on the ash heap of history.
If there is vacuum in the sense of urgency department, the election will be much closer than it should be. People that think that Hillary is going to walk away with this one because Trump is nuts are going to deprive her of the political capital she needs to govern starting next year. So, crap away in fear, I say, and let's get more people out there to vote.
In terms of nuts and bolts, here is where the race sits today.
My map is based on an analysis of the following:
The Polls Plus Model at 538.
Real Clear Politics Battle For The White House
Hillary still has the advantage and likely has more than 270 electoral votes. Yet Trump is ahead in the average of polls in Georgia, Florida, Ohio, and Iowa. Hillary is ahead in North Carolina and Nevada with those averages. All six of these states are within the margin of error. If we put them in as either red or blue, we have this map.
So, a much closer race than a couple of weeks ago.
Trump has benefited from an awful week from Clinton as well as being graded on a curve. All he has to do is basically show up, not make an ass out of himself, and he gets a good grade. My hope is the media is going to start getting a lot tougher on him in these last few weeks. Now that he has proven he's an adult, he should be asked adult questions on specific policy points.
Of course, a tight race makes for better ratings for the media so who knows?
How did that turn out?
Now, I'm not going to assuage people from jumping up and down and acting like Trump could actually win this thing. I think everyone should spend from now until election day operating under the assumption that Trump is actually ahead in the polls. Why? Because Hillary Clinton can't merely eke out a victory. She has to demolish him with the American people sending a clear message to The Deplorables.
We are not going back. We are moving forward. Take your nonsense and dissolve on the ash heap of history.
If there is vacuum in the sense of urgency department, the election will be much closer than it should be. People that think that Hillary is going to walk away with this one because Trump is nuts are going to deprive her of the political capital she needs to govern starting next year. So, crap away in fear, I say, and let's get more people out there to vote.
In terms of nuts and bolts, here is where the race sits today.
Click the map to create your own at My map is based on an analysis of the following:
The Polls Plus Model at 538.
Real Clear Politics Battle For The White House
Hillary still has the advantage and likely has more than 270 electoral votes. Yet Trump is ahead in the average of polls in Georgia, Florida, Ohio, and Iowa. Hillary is ahead in North Carolina and Nevada with those averages. All six of these states are within the margin of error. If we put them in as either red or blue, we have this map.
So, a much closer race than a couple of weeks ago.
Trump has benefited from an awful week from Clinton as well as being graded on a curve. All he has to do is basically show up, not make an ass out of himself, and he gets a good grade. My hope is the media is going to start getting a lot tougher on him in these last few weeks. Now that he has proven he's an adult, he should be asked adult questions on specific policy points.
Of course, a tight race makes for better ratings for the media so who knows?
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Good Words...from Ted Cruz?
Ted Cruz on Donald Trump
"Whatever he does, he accuses everyone else of doing," Ted Cruz, whom Trump relentlessly attacked as a liar during the Republican primaries, said at a fiery press conference the morning of the Indiana primary in May. "In a pattern that I think is straight out of a psychology textbook, his response is to accuse everybody else of lying. He accuses everybody on that debate stage of lying. And it's simply a mindless yell."
Hmm...that sounds awfully familiar...:)
"Whatever he does, he accuses everyone else of doing," Ted Cruz, whom Trump relentlessly attacked as a liar during the Republican primaries, said at a fiery press conference the morning of the Indiana primary in May. "In a pattern that I think is straight out of a psychology textbook, his response is to accuse everybody else of lying. He accuses everybody on that debate stage of lying. And it's simply a mindless yell."
Hmm...that sounds awfully familiar...:)
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
A Basket of Hypocrites
Help me out here, folks. Donald Trump has staked his candidacy on shunning political correctness. He and his followers are tired of people that are offended all the time. And yet now, Trump and his people are all over the Hilz about her "basket of deplorables" comment? A commenter over at Quora summed it up best.
If you have no problem supporting and even agreeing with a man who says derogatory things about non-whites and women, and who has effectively made white racists and white nationalism a thing in the Republican party, then why are your knickers in a knot when someone actually calls you deplorable for at worst, identifying/agreeing with this stuff, and at best, associating with such people?
This IS deplorable stuff. And Hillary shouldn’t apologize-she’s dead right about you guys. If anything, she lowballed the percentage. Those of you who aren’t racists should be examining your souls as to why you want to associate with and support the same man that the likes of Duke are supporting. And for those of you who are…well, you ARE deplorable.
Amen, sister! Calling people out on their bullshit like this should happen more often in this country.
Check out the polls. These are facts, folks, not the passing opinion of the Democratic candidate for president. Half of Trump's supporters are racist.
And they are also kinda dumb. Now they are wearing their deplorables label like a badge of honor.
Great! Now we can easily identify the racists:)
If you have no problem supporting and even agreeing with a man who says derogatory things about non-whites and women, and who has effectively made white racists and white nationalism a thing in the Republican party, then why are your knickers in a knot when someone actually calls you deplorable for at worst, identifying/agreeing with this stuff, and at best, associating with such people?
This IS deplorable stuff. And Hillary shouldn’t apologize-she’s dead right about you guys. If anything, she lowballed the percentage. Those of you who aren’t racists should be examining your souls as to why you want to associate with and support the same man that the likes of Duke are supporting. And for those of you who are…well, you ARE deplorable.
Amen, sister! Calling people out on their bullshit like this should happen more often in this country.
Check out the polls. These are facts, folks, not the passing opinion of the Democratic candidate for president. Half of Trump's supporters are racist.
And they are also kinda dumb. Now they are wearing their deplorables label like a badge of honor.
Great! Now we can easily identify the racists:)
Saturday, September 10, 2016
WTF, Right Wing Bloggers?
Remember this?
This was a headline to the Drudge Report a while back in which he very clearly intimated that our country, under Barack Obama and the Democrats, was going to become a totalitarian state like the Soviet Union. Right wing bloggers like Drudge have been foaming at the mouth that we don't take Putin seriously and that liberals are still plotting a secret government take over that will result in a Russia style state.
Yet in the same breath, folks like Matt Drudge support Donald Trump, a man who has now tripled down on his love for Vladimir Putin, calling him a "great leader." A great leader?!? Really!!!? This is a guy who kills journalists and rules his country much like Stalin did. How on earth can right wing bloggers support the very thing that supposedly keeps them up at night? Consider all of Trump's very clear connections to Russia and how that makes him essentially a puppet of Putin.
Despite denial, Trump's connections to Russia go back years
Here’s what we know about Donald Trump and his ties to Russia
Donald Trump’s Many, Many, Many, Many Ties to Russia
Even folks like semi-retired gun blogger Kevin Baker and his readers are going to vote for Donald Trump. Why? Because they think Hillary is going to take away their guns. Personally, I wish she would and start with those guys but it's not going to happen. Kevin has spent years writing on his blog about the education system and Yuri Bezmenov, an ex KGB guy, who has warned the US about a totalitarian takeover. Now he and others like him in the right wing blogsphere are ACTUALLY VOTING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
Kevin, I had planned on leaving you alone but this complete capitulation to Putin via Trump is such a monumental example of hypocrisy that it necessitate inquiry. You rail against Russia's influence in the US and now you are going to help make that happen by voting for Putin's puppet. I have to wonder...WTF, dude? All of the long posts about Bezmenov...the education system...communists plots...ALL now rendered worthless. Where is your integrity, man? I'll be looking for your response on your site.
Given the right wing bloggers' penchant for authoritarianism, illustrated quite well in any sort of engagement with them in comments sections, my only guess here is that they are for totalitarianism if the right people are in charge. If they have some naggy liberal trying to make the world a better place and making them do stuff that they don't wanna, well, fuck that!
But if they have a system where they can keep their guns to guard against government tyranny and still jail people for being against that government and not being patriotic enough then, by gum, the are ALL IN!!!
This was a headline to the Drudge Report a while back in which he very clearly intimated that our country, under Barack Obama and the Democrats, was going to become a totalitarian state like the Soviet Union. Right wing bloggers like Drudge have been foaming at the mouth that we don't take Putin seriously and that liberals are still plotting a secret government take over that will result in a Russia style state.
Yet in the same breath, folks like Matt Drudge support Donald Trump, a man who has now tripled down on his love for Vladimir Putin, calling him a "great leader." A great leader?!? Really!!!? This is a guy who kills journalists and rules his country much like Stalin did. How on earth can right wing bloggers support the very thing that supposedly keeps them up at night? Consider all of Trump's very clear connections to Russia and how that makes him essentially a puppet of Putin.
Despite denial, Trump's connections to Russia go back years
Here’s what we know about Donald Trump and his ties to Russia
Donald Trump’s Many, Many, Many, Many Ties to Russia
Even folks like semi-retired gun blogger Kevin Baker and his readers are going to vote for Donald Trump. Why? Because they think Hillary is going to take away their guns. Personally, I wish she would and start with those guys but it's not going to happen. Kevin has spent years writing on his blog about the education system and Yuri Bezmenov, an ex KGB guy, who has warned the US about a totalitarian takeover. Now he and others like him in the right wing blogsphere are ACTUALLY VOTING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
Kevin, I had planned on leaving you alone but this complete capitulation to Putin via Trump is such a monumental example of hypocrisy that it necessitate inquiry. You rail against Russia's influence in the US and now you are going to help make that happen by voting for Putin's puppet. I have to wonder...WTF, dude? All of the long posts about Bezmenov...the education system...communists plots...ALL now rendered worthless. Where is your integrity, man? I'll be looking for your response on your site.
Given the right wing bloggers' penchant for authoritarianism, illustrated quite well in any sort of engagement with them in comments sections, my only guess here is that they are for totalitarianism if the right people are in charge. If they have some naggy liberal trying to make the world a better place and making them do stuff that they don't wanna, well, fuck that!
But if they have a system where they can keep their guns to guard against government tyranny and still jail people for being against that government and not being patriotic enough then, by gum, the are ALL IN!!!
Thursday, September 08, 2016
The (ahem) Commander in Chief Forum Post Mortem
Like many in the media, I thought last night's Commander in Chief forum was a fucking joke. Neither candidate was asked very serious questions about the issues of the day, in particular, foreign policy. Most of Hillary Clinton's time was spent on her email server. Donald Trump was asked about his love for Vladimir Putin. How about a question that called for specifics about Syria? Or climate change?
Last night brings up a larger issue which is most troubling. As Heather Parton over at Slate notes, most Americans believe a cartoon version of Hillary Clinton that bears no resemblance to reality.
Follow Chris Cillizza ✔ @TheFix This election is about voters choosing the least worst candidate. That's where we are in our politics. 10:43 AM - 4 Sep 2016 89 89 Retweets 194 194 likes
That tweet from Chris Cilizza of The Washington Post’s The Fix blog is cleverly framed to be about the voters’ view of this campaign. Both candidates do have high unfavorable ratings among the public (as does the Congress and pretty much every other institution, including the press.) That jaded comment by a member of the media, however, illustrates something important. Some members of the press are not just commenting on a reality; they are pushing the theme of two equally unpalatable candidates and it just isn’t true.
Indeed. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are not equally unpalatable. Trump is the most unqualified candidate to every run for office. He's mentally unstable, filled with anger-hate-fear, and views the presidency as a monarchy. Hillary Clinton was careless with her emails as Secretary of State.
Even though Clinton is still the likely winner, we, as a country, need to stop with this fairness bullshit, not just for this election but for the future. When Trump offers zero specifics on his plans, the media needs to keep pressing. He, and all other candidates, need to be asked specific questions and held accountable for their lack of detail.
Enough with the Cult of Both Sides. Donald Trump and the people that support him are an imminent danger to our country. Their ignorance, fueled by anger, hate and fear, needs to be called out over and over again from now until November 8th.
Last night brings up a larger issue which is most troubling. As Heather Parton over at Slate notes, most Americans believe a cartoon version of Hillary Clinton that bears no resemblance to reality.
Follow Chris Cillizza ✔ @TheFix This election is about voters choosing the least worst candidate. That's where we are in our politics. 10:43 AM - 4 Sep 2016 89 89 Retweets 194 194 likes
That tweet from Chris Cilizza of The Washington Post’s The Fix blog is cleverly framed to be about the voters’ view of this campaign. Both candidates do have high unfavorable ratings among the public (as does the Congress and pretty much every other institution, including the press.) That jaded comment by a member of the media, however, illustrates something important. Some members of the press are not just commenting on a reality; they are pushing the theme of two equally unpalatable candidates and it just isn’t true.
Indeed. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are not equally unpalatable. Trump is the most unqualified candidate to every run for office. He's mentally unstable, filled with anger-hate-fear, and views the presidency as a monarchy. Hillary Clinton was careless with her emails as Secretary of State.
Even though Clinton is still the likely winner, we, as a country, need to stop with this fairness bullshit, not just for this election but for the future. When Trump offers zero specifics on his plans, the media needs to keep pressing. He, and all other candidates, need to be asked specific questions and held accountable for their lack of detail.
Enough with the Cult of Both Sides. Donald Trump and the people that support him are an imminent danger to our country. Their ignorance, fueled by anger, hate and fear, needs to be called out over and over again from now until November 8th.
Consumed By Right Wing Bloggery
Like most Americans, I used to find Scot Adams' Dilbert cartoon amusing. His take on the modern office space was fun and irreverent. But lately, he has been letting his ideological slip show and I'm sad to report he's bought in to the right wing blogger ideology, hook, line and sinker.
This recent post about Donald Trump really says it all. It's basically one long diatribe about how Donald Trump really isn't all that bad because our modern political system is a disaster and we should just nuke the site from orbit. Like I said, classic right wing blogger mentality. Let's destroy all the poopy stuff I don't like that makes my head hurt with all the stoopid rules and stuff that mom and dad make me follow (stomp...stomp...stomp...SLAM!)
Adams' fundamental premise is flawed. Fear of Trump isn't the same as fear of the dark. Donald Trump is a shining light of ineptitude, buffoonery, and massive incompetence. He's a con man, plain as day, so we should absolutely be afraid that he might be president. The notion that everything is so fucked up with politics that Trump wouldn't be any different illustrates just how fucking ignorant people can be. Ironic, because Adams attempts to push his own confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance on people who are "afraid of Trump."
Who's really the ignorant one here, Scott?
This recent post about Donald Trump really says it all. It's basically one long diatribe about how Donald Trump really isn't all that bad because our modern political system is a disaster and we should just nuke the site from orbit. Like I said, classic right wing blogger mentality. Let's destroy all the poopy stuff I don't like that makes my head hurt with all the stoopid rules and stuff that mom and dad make me follow (stomp...stomp...stomp...SLAM!)
Adams' fundamental premise is flawed. Fear of Trump isn't the same as fear of the dark. Donald Trump is a shining light of ineptitude, buffoonery, and massive incompetence. He's a con man, plain as day, so we should absolutely be afraid that he might be president. The notion that everything is so fucked up with politics that Trump wouldn't be any different illustrates just how fucking ignorant people can be. Ironic, because Adams attempts to push his own confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance on people who are "afraid of Trump."
Who's really the ignorant one here, Scott?
Wednesday, September 07, 2016
Crooked Hillary and Crazy Donald
As this election season enters its final phase, it's become painfully obvious there is a double standard in terms of candidate bashing. This piece from Olivia Taylor-Young sums it up quite nicely.
1) The most benign, run-of-the-mill stuff is automatic cause for suspicion.
2) Bad faith must always be presumed.
3) Regardless of source, every vicious, outlandish accusation warrants headlines and intense investigation.
This is, of course, what happens when you deal with a group of people (conservatives) who behave as adolescents. And a media that gets very high ratings when Clinton scandals are front and center.
Certainly, Trump has been the target of media bashing as well. But the story that sells the best with him is the "Trump is a crazy asshole" meme, not "Trump is crooked and broke the law." Today, I'm wondering why and calling bullshit.
Let's take this step by step. Remember this?
This was just one in a series of comments in which Trump bragged that he paid to play, something he is now pillorying Hillary Clinton for doing. The New York Times has an extensive article up today about how Trump has clearly violated campaign law.
In the 1990s, the Federal Election Commission fined Mr. Trump for exceeding the annual limit on campaign contributions by $47,050, the largest violation in a single year. And in 2000, the New York State lobbying commission imposed a $250,000 fine for Mr. Trump’s failing to disclose the full extent of his lobbying of state legislators. For the most part, Mr. Trump has seemed unrepentant. Testifying in 1988 about a $50,000 bank loan he had first guaranteed, and then repaid, on behalf of Andrew J. Stein’s successful campaign for New York City Council president, Mr. Trump made no bones about the move. “I was under the impression that I was getting my money back,” he told the New York State Commission on Government Integrity.
Imagine if this were Hillary Clinton. There would be calls for jail time, public floggings and a town hanging. But for Trump? He's just a businessman...that's what they do...and now he's calling attention to a broken system.
Except not really.
In the Florida case, Mr. Trump is accused of using a large and timely political donation in 2013 to ward off a potentially thorny investigation by Ms. Bondi’s office: Days before the donation was made, The Orlando Sentinel reported that the New York State attorney general’s office had sued Trump University and noted that Ms. Bondi’s office was weighing whether to join in that litigation.
A political aide to Ms. Bondi told The Associated Press earlier this year that the attorney general had solicited the donation in a conversation with Mr. Trump weeks before The Sentinel’s article. But Mr. Trump made the donation from his charitable foundation, in violation of tax regulations, and paid the penalty, as first reported by The Washington Post last week.
So, here we have Donald Trump behaving like...a politician? That really does not fit with his image as an outsider who wants to change politics as usual. Worse, and unlike the Hilz, there is clear evidence that violated the law.
The question now is...will all of the media cover this because it's not a "Crazy Donald" story?
1) The most benign, run-of-the-mill stuff is automatic cause for suspicion.
2) Bad faith must always be presumed.
3) Regardless of source, every vicious, outlandish accusation warrants headlines and intense investigation.
This is, of course, what happens when you deal with a group of people (conservatives) who behave as adolescents. And a media that gets very high ratings when Clinton scandals are front and center.
Certainly, Trump has been the target of media bashing as well. But the story that sells the best with him is the "Trump is a crazy asshole" meme, not "Trump is crooked and broke the law." Today, I'm wondering why and calling bullshit.
Let's take this step by step. Remember this?
This was just one in a series of comments in which Trump bragged that he paid to play, something he is now pillorying Hillary Clinton for doing. The New York Times has an extensive article up today about how Trump has clearly violated campaign law.
In the 1990s, the Federal Election Commission fined Mr. Trump for exceeding the annual limit on campaign contributions by $47,050, the largest violation in a single year. And in 2000, the New York State lobbying commission imposed a $250,000 fine for Mr. Trump’s failing to disclose the full extent of his lobbying of state legislators. For the most part, Mr. Trump has seemed unrepentant. Testifying in 1988 about a $50,000 bank loan he had first guaranteed, and then repaid, on behalf of Andrew J. Stein’s successful campaign for New York City Council president, Mr. Trump made no bones about the move. “I was under the impression that I was getting my money back,” he told the New York State Commission on Government Integrity.
Imagine if this were Hillary Clinton. There would be calls for jail time, public floggings and a town hanging. But for Trump? He's just a businessman...that's what they do...and now he's calling attention to a broken system.
Except not really.
In the Florida case, Mr. Trump is accused of using a large and timely political donation in 2013 to ward off a potentially thorny investigation by Ms. Bondi’s office: Days before the donation was made, The Orlando Sentinel reported that the New York State attorney general’s office had sued Trump University and noted that Ms. Bondi’s office was weighing whether to join in that litigation.
A political aide to Ms. Bondi told The Associated Press earlier this year that the attorney general had solicited the donation in a conversation with Mr. Trump weeks before The Sentinel’s article. But Mr. Trump made the donation from his charitable foundation, in violation of tax regulations, and paid the penalty, as first reported by The Washington Post last week.
So, here we have Donald Trump behaving like...a politician? That really does not fit with his image as an outsider who wants to change politics as usual. Worse, and unlike the Hilz, there is clear evidence that violated the law.
The question now is...will all of the media cover this because it's not a "Crazy Donald" story?
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