So this is what it comes down to. Over a year ago I started predicting Donald Trump would drop out by this date, or that requirement. I never thought for a moment he would win the Republican nomination. Yet he did.
Did I underestimate Donald Trump? Or did I underestimate the anger of the people? I lean more to the latter. Yes I knew people were growing more and more angry with the direction of the nation. Yes I knew people were angry in some cases with the Obama administration, and in other cases, it was nothing more than a racial loathing of the man.
There had been an ever-growing tide of a fringe element within the GOP, one which cared more for emotions, and rhetoric, than it did for policy and issues. This fringe element ran primarily on hatred, hatred of immigrants, hatred of Muslims, hatred of gays, hatred of liberals, hatred of government in general.
The Republican party had lost the ability to put together a positive message of hope, of a better way. It had spiraled down to nothing more than a finger, pointing at everyone as the reason for its own failures. Failure to grow, failure to understand the changing political landscape, failure to realize, that anything which fails to learn and grow, dies.
We may be on the threshold of that death, and Donald Trump is not the disease which will kill the GOP, he is simply the manifestation of the growing tumor of hatred within the body of the GOP. It is hatred which will kill the GOP.
I have traveled a fairly long and often winding road in my political life. I have been non-caring in my youth, I have been liberal in my earliest political views, I have been a far right fringe zealot at one point, and I now believe myself to have become, I hope, an informed voter. One who votes based on the best information I can obtain. Who votes for the best person for the job. Of course this is often limited by the people who are running for any given office.
Some will say, I have once again become liberal, though these people will hurl this jab as an insult, not as any kind of thoughtful reasoning of my positions, or the actual statements I make on any given issue.
My political journey has coincided with my spiritual journey. As I have sought God, and answers and strength through faith, I have learned to care less about what others think or feel about either my political views, or how I practice my faith. Because, I now believe, much like I have only one soul to cast before God upon my judgement day, I also have only one vote to cast before the powers that be politically.
In the same way that my sin does not affect your soul, and your sin has no effect upon my soul, I now believe, my vote has no effect, nor should it, upon how another person votes, and their vote should have no effect upon my vote.
Of course, just like I will witness my faith and its saving powers through Jesus, in the hope of helping others to find salvation. I also will discuss my views politically, in the hope that I might help others to make decisions about how to vote, how to help move our nation forward, and possibly I may learn something from others. And just like I cannot save any soul but my own, I cannot cast any ballot other than my own.
The GOP, and when I say the GOP, I am talking about the rank and file voters of the party, not the so-called leadership, the GOP has given its members, in my view, the worse possible choice as a nominee. I am not complaining about the process, it is what it is. The Republican voters have spoken, and they have given us Donald Trump. Based on what?
Hatred. He has played to their fears of immigrants and Muslims, he has made wild statements which have no substance, and he promises to deal out revenge upon those so many see as their enemies.
I have been outspoken in my opposition to Trump from the very beginning, I have not suddenly, with the latest outrageous disclosure of tapes and accusations, decided to pull my support. He never had it. I have been wrestling with the question of how to vote, since clearly I cannot vote for Trump.
Of course I am concerned with the way he treats and talks about women, even more so then some people who I thought, were so concerned about the treatment of women in the world of politics.
Yes, his tough guy persona and his temperament, his bullying tactics, all cause me not to care for the man, but my real concerns go much deeper. I fear for our civil and Constitutional rights if he were to be elected.
His statement, in which he called for a total ban on “all” Muslims concerns me, because in my view, it infringes upon our 1st Amendment right to freedom of religion.
He has supported the idea of a federal “stop and frisk” law. To begin with, this flies in the face of the 4th Amendment in regards to “unreasonable search and seizure”, and coupled with his call for “law and order”, and the term “targeted areas”, I am greatly concerned for the minority populations, which have long been the target for hatred among that fringe element which has propelled Trump to the pinnacle of the Republican party.
He is a man who has shown no self-control, be it during debates, or the use of Twitter. He is far too easy to trigger a response. Not exactly what one wants in a president.
So I have gone from thinking I would vote for Hillary, to thinking I would vote for Gary Johnson, to considering I would cast no vote in the presidential race, all of which cause me great concern, and no lack of shame. I have now decided what I must do, and even now I am troubled by my choice, but it is the one I have come to, after long consideration.
I will be, unless some new revelation is disclosed between now and election day, casting my vote for the President of the United States of America, for Hillary Clinton. I have no words to define the level of sorrow I feel, that this is what it has come to, for myself and others as Republicans.
I know the arguments, I know about Benghazi, some will say it was her fault that four Americans died, and I agree, she surely played a role in that. But how many people died during WWII because of decisions made in the heat of the moment? And let’s be honest, if anyone thinks Hillary Clinton was the sole person making the decisions that night, that she didn’t kick that call all the way to the Oval Office, that she took the fall for the Obama Administration, then they are lying to themselves, or they have no idea of how things work.
Some will tell us how important the next president is, because they will likely appoint at least three judges to the Supreme Court, and again I would agree. This leads to another of my points about how important it is to vote for people in Congress who have a different view of the world than does Hillary Clinton, so that we have the checks and balances our Founding Fathers intended. I hope many Republican and Democrats will see the logic of this and also cross party lines in down ticket races.
Those who fear the SCOTUS appointments of Hillary Clinton will tell you, Donald Trump has made a list of potential nominees. A non-binding list, from a man who changes his mind in mid sentence, how reliable is that list? And let us not forget, the nominees have to be approved by the Senate. How likely, considering the mood of the Republican party towards Trump, is he to win that battle? No matter who controls the Senate.
Many of the same people fear a Clinton administration will roll back the 2nd Amendment, though they can’t articulate just how that will be done. I am still waiting for one of these so-called patriots to give me a number of how many trucks alone, it will take to drive around and pick up all of the guns in America. You know, when the people start placing them at the curb for pick up.
The sheer number of guns in this nation makes gun confiscation prohibitive. It is the right-wing fringe boogeyman.
I am not happy about my choice. I do know who Hillary Clinton has been in the past, and who she is likely to be if elected. But that in itself, is another reason I will be voting for her. Donald Trump is the unknown, no governing history, no record of votes on important issues, nothing beyond what he tells the people in the heat of the moment.
I’m sure many of my readers know the fable of the “The Lady or the Tiger”, where a young man is given a choice between two doors, behind one a beautiful lady, behind the other a man-eating tiger. Well in this story, there seems to be only tigers to choose from. But we have to open one of the doors.
I know the haters will call me liberal, traitor, and any number of things to insult me simply because I have made a choice to the best of my ability, based on my life experiences, my knowledge of the candidates, my knowledge of issues, and my principles. That’s fine, if they feel better about themselves by running me in the ground, so be it, I could care less.
I am one man, with one vote, I will cast it how I see fit. I recommend they do the same, and let the chips fall where they will.
Donald Trump is the unknown, no governing history, no record of votes on important issues…
True. Unlike Hillary, who does have a record. A record of lying to the American people, a record of poor decisions at State (Libya, Egypt, Russia, Benghazi) and a record of making millions by selling influence. She is a big-government statist who make million selling what? Influence.
Many of the same people fear a Clinton administration will roll back the 2nd Amendment, though they can’t articulate just how that will be done…
She already told us how- by executive order.
No, she won’t have us put our guns at the curb. She will prosecute anyone who uses a firearm for the defense of themselves, their family or their property. She will also make firearms manufacturers- a legal product- liable for damages. As Obamacare has done for insurance carriers, Hillary will simply put manufacturers out of business.
Of course, most people around Sussex have known that you’re a Socialist-Democrat for years. So it’s certainly no surprise you’d support a big-government “liberal” with a lifelong record of lying and incompetence.
Just don’t start whining when she adds a few more Sotomayor’s to the Supreme Court, and the constitution gets completely flushed down the toilet.
This, Frank, is why I like you. A conservative with a conscience.
“Fake Rick” is a riot.
Didn’t know my name would be so apt. Sometimes you need to just not over think things.
This was one of the most eloquent pieces I have read today… Putting myself in your shoes I understand the sadness. But this is what elections are, decisions in real time on the choices put before us.. As a consolation, one theme I saw in Ohio, haunts me to this day. That is with every Conservative Republican vote for this candidate you just chose, you know, there will be an election in 4 years to try again. Something one can’t assume would happen were the Republican to win..
Ironically a vote for Hillary keeps conservatism alive. And it is really in 2 years, not 4 we are all at this again…
Wanna feel better, Frank? Look at it this way… voting for Trump is like voting for Rick for President.
Pandora, perish the thought.
I still think Trump will win because of all the Trump signs we see! hahahahahahahaahahahaah!
Giggles, first of all signs don’t vote, second many people who will vote for Hillary, like myself, would never place a sign.
Yes, Trump is somewhat of a buffoon, and he has said some things ,that on the surface, sound extreme.
Trump is a successful negotiator, so before he negotiates he brings the strongest position to the table. This is how he operates. The judgement should be reserved for after the deal , and not to the pre deal posturing. i.e “the wall” and the so called “Muslim ban”.
Trump has no policy record yet, but I believe Trump will negotiate the best deals for America….. On the other hand, we do know what Hillary has done , and is capable of doing. We have seen the results of her work as Secretary of State.
The vacuum of power that created the rise of ISIS, and current refugee crisis in the world right now, is the direct consequence of her and the current administration’s actions in the Middle East.
I usually don’t see things as good versus evil. I tend to evaluate people and situations in a broader more Eastern sense of the meaning, but the Clinton’s test this resolve.
Frank, I’ve listened to you on the radio for about a decade and a half, and I’ve read your comments and articles on blogs for a long time. I usually have agreed with your logic and positions ( your vigorous support of Christine O’Donnel notwithstanding), but in this case, not so much….I urge you to reconsider your endorsement of Hillary Clinton.
FBH, the fact you call it “her” foreign policy as Secretary of State calls into question your understanding of how things work, or your bias. The Secretary of State serves at the pleasure of the President, which makes it his policy, but that isn’t politically beneficial at this time.
So are you saying judgement should be reserved till after the election? Is that like “we won’t know what is in the bill until after we vote on it”?
“Trump is a successful negotiator…”
Then why do his businesses go belly up? While it may be “smart” for him to take a 900 million dollar loss and carry that forward against his taxes for years, I don’t think a guy who loses 900 million dollars is all that good a negotiator.
Let me put it this way, apart from his own bragging about what a “great negotiator” he is, what evidence do you have in support of that proposition?
Yeah, he stiffs contractors and when they sue, he discounts their payment against litigation costs and leaves them short. Is that “great negotiating”?
Hillary’s emails show she advocates of an interdependent hemisphere with open borders. What a shock. Of course, that pales insignificance to Trump’s alleged groping.
It’s funny how the leftist media takes these last minute accusations as sacrosanct, but Brodderick, Jones, Willey et al- women raped by Bill Clinton- are condemned as crackpots.
“Fake Rick” is a riot.
Huh? What does that actually mean? Frank knows me. So does Pandora.
Hillary Clinton- as Sec. of State- jeoparzized US security, put operatives at risk, handed Putin a significant amount of US uranium stores, bungled US security interests in Libya and Egypt and helped orchestrate events leading to the death of a US Ambassador- then lied about it. She and her pathetic husband made millions selling what? Influence, particularly to Arab oligarchs who stone women and kill gays.
Hillary is an Alinsky-educated ideologue, posing as a “moderate.” There is nothing “moderate” about her, and if her former Secret Service security detail is to be believed, she has a hateful temperament. If you want another war, she’s your candidate. “Liberals” are too dense to recognize it, but she is a military hawk (although she has a soft spot for Putin- I guess he’s everything her husband isn’t).
Never called it “her foreign policy”. Be careful not to adapt the misleading paraphrasing of the left as you continue your “political journey”.
“It’s funny how the leftist media takes these last minute accusations as sacrosanct, but Brodderick, Jones, Willey et al- women raped by Bill Clinton- are condemned as crackpots.”
Jones, Willey et al did not accuse Bill Clinton of rape. Talk about serial lying.
FBH said, “The vacuum of power that created the rise of ISIS, and current refugee crisis in the world right now, is the direct consequence of her and the current administration’s actions in the Middle East.”
Splitting hairs?
“It’s funny how the leftist media takes these last minute accusations as sacrosanct”
I think they are taking Donald Trump at his word. He was the one saying that he did these sorts of things. Is it shocking that a man who talks that way, acts that way?. Was he lying about making a move on Nancy O’Dell?
On Libya, the US participated in a NATO action. Now, I realize that Trump doesn’t like NATO very much, doesn’t think Russia took Crimea from Ukraine, and isn’t working for Putin – which is an interesting combination of views. But the entire “accusation” about the Arab Spring seems to assume that (a) the action was undertaken at Clinton’s direction, (b) did not involve the allied action of NATO, and (c) that there was some other “better” outcome that would have occurred otherwise. Absolutely, it was a chaotic shitshow, but the question is what, if any, influence we and our allies would have in a post civil war environment.
Donald Trump has no coherent foreign policy. In the same way that “Creationism” is not so much a scientific theory but a grab-bag of rhetorical objections to evolution, a collection of criticisms of what other people have done is NOT an affirmative policy. “Everyone else is stupid” and “only I can fix it” is not a policy platform – it is the simple boasting of a would-be autocrat.
Now Trump has gone and apologized to Serbia for the NATO Kosovo intervention, which brought an end to a genocide in progress. Talk about “apologizing for America”.
The other element of his foreign policy is “I will negotiation better deals” because he’s such a good negotiator he bankrupted a series of businesses. This guy couldn’t make a profit with a casino during an economic boom. But, be that as it may, negotiation requires reaching agreement with the other side.
What do we know about Trump’s ability to reach agreement with opposed interests? Take a look at how well he’s doing with his own party. Paul Ryan is now part of a “sinister deal” conspiring against him. Those are Trump’s own words. Why couldn’t he make a better “deal” with people on his own side who are running away from him?
“Splitting hairs?”
Not splitting hairs at all.
I never called it “her foreign policy”, as Frank paraphrased in order to use as an example of how I don’t have an “understanding of how things work”, and my “bias”.
I called it “her and the current administration’s foreign policy”. So, what Frank has used as an example of my ignorance and bias doesn’t exist.
And to counter the point; if Frank really believes that Hillary had no say in foreign policy as Secretary of State, then I suggest that maybe Frank doesn’t have an “understanding of how things work”, and that Frank maybe has “bias”.
From what I can gather, Libya was pretty much Hillary’s baby, and there are claims that she was behind the fabrication of the “Arab Spring” in the first place….I would even suggest that she shaped the current foreign policy in this region even more than Obama did.
I speculate that the inaction and following lies concerning Benghazi came from Obama’s people since he was the one running for re-election at the time, and I think that one reason why Hillary wasn’t indicted was because she’s kept her mouth shut on the issue.
At this moment, I’m trying to figure out the motivation for why Michelle and Barack Obama are stumping so hard for Hillary.
“Trump is a successful negotiator…”
What evidence supports this? Had the money he’d started out with been invested in a stock index fund, he would be $10B richer than he is today. (Go ahead, Google: Trump index fund – and pick whatever source you believe is not biased)
“Trump has no policy record yet, but I believe Trump will negotiate the best deals for America…..”
Not only does he have no policy record, but he seems remarkably ignorant about the world.
Every business he has run, has failed. Shareholders, partners, creditors, employees… all to whom he owed duties – all screwed.
Of what does his track record of successfully negotiating anything for anyone consist?
This looks like a record of successful negotiation to you?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_affairs_of_Donald_Trump
Let me clarify that when I suggest that Hillary was behind Libya and the Arab Spring, I don’t mean Hillary acted alone or even considered the idea at all, but rather her people, her circle of advisors and confidants , people like Sydney Blumenthal, and others with common interests who act together, but Hillary was the in…..Of course this is all just speculation for the topic of conversation and friendly banter.
“Had the money he’d started out with been invested in a stock index fund, he would be $10B richer than he is today.”
Trump claims he got a million dollar loan from his father. Now, I’m no mathematician, but even I know without even adding it up that if you compound your rate of return at like 6% or 7% over thirty years, there is no way it adds up to anywhere near 10 billion.
“At this moment, I’m trying to figure out the motivation for why Michelle and Barack Obama are stumping so hard for Hillary.”
Here let me give you one excellent reason – Trump. I could mic drop at this point really, almost any other reason (and there are many) pales in comparison to this one reason.
I would have loved to have an election with healthy debate on foreign and domestic policy, ACA, free trade vs protectionism, our place in the world, immigration and oh so many other topics. Alas, that was not to be.
You know why? Perfectly legitimate candidates like Rubio, Bush, Cruz (who would be a poor President IMO) don’t have place on ballot. You know why they don’t? Because of you. Not you personally FBH, but the you in general that gave Trump a platform. You gave credence by buying in to an Alex Jones world of black helicopters, long form birth certificates, government initiated hurricanes and so many nonsensical and idiotic conspiracies that it attracted the every nut job across the country.
Again, not you personally, but really when was the last time you called into WGMD during the time when they were spewing their nonsense? When was the last time you said something after Sam Wilson, at a council meeting, stated that Obama was not born in the U.S.? When was the last time you went to a 9-12 meeting and told them they were fruitcakes?
They are your people. You created a home for them. You gave them shelter. You gave them voice. You legitimized them.
Well now you own them. They are your problem. And you have to fix it. We have a perfectly qualified, but imperfect candidate and I’m voting for her. I wish I had a choice, but you rigged the election by encouraging (at a minimum by your silence) fruitcakes, starting all the way to O’Donnell. Sometimes I feel like registering as a Republican just so I could go the SCGOP and clean house. But I didn’t make that house dirty and I shouldn’t have to clean it.
(And again FBH – it’s not you personally, it’s the sane SC Republicans in general)
“Trump claims he got a million dollar loan from his father.”
Ummm… FBH, you understand of course that his father died and Trump inherited much more than that. That’s why loans between parents and children are a good deal both ways. Your problem starts with the phrase “Trump claims…” as if what follows would be a factual statement.
These are facts:
—–
Trump was on the Forbes 400 in 1982, when the magazine published its first annual list of America’s wealthiest denizens.
That year, Forbes said Trump’s fortune was “estimated at over $200 million,” but also acknowledged that Trump claimed it was “$500 million,
——–
Okay, in 1982, Donald J. Trump Jr. said he was worth $500 million. That’s if we’re going by what HE HIMSELF SAYS. This is not hard math. Pick your index and compare the value to 1982.
So, tell me, was he lying in 1982 or is he lying now? You are going to tell me, FBH, with a straight face that Donald Trump made the Forbes 400 list in 1982, because he had a one million dollar loan to his name?
Let me back up and explain. No, we aren’t talking compound interest. We are talking about an “index fund”. An “index fund” is a mutual fund which is composed of stocks that match an index, like the Dow Jones Index, or the NASDAQ index – you know, the measure of how the market is “generally” doing.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1982, ranged from about 800 to a little over 1000. Let’s call it 900.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, in 2016, has ranged between 16,000 and 18,000. Let’s call it 17,000.
Trump says he had 500 million in 1982. If he had put that money in a DJIA index fund, he would he would have 500 * (17000/900) = 9444 …. 9.4 BILLION dollars. By doing absolutely nothing.
But we do know that in one year he managed to LOSE 900 million, as claimed on his tax return.
What kind of “great businessman” or “good negotiator” is this? There are no facts to support he’s been good at negotiating anything.
“Perfectly legitimate candidates like Rubio, Bush, Cruz (who would be a poor President IMO) don’t have place on ballot.”
Seriously.
Today, in the United States of America’s presidential election, one of the campaigns produced a man – in defense of their own candidate, mind you – as a character witness. This character witness they produced – IN DEFENSE OF THEIR OWN CANDIDATE – is a man who also claims to have procured underage male prostitutes for sex parties with British politicians.
There is an alternate universe which exists somewhere. In it, the media is abuzz with Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio arguing about Cuba policy, social security, spending priorities, and tax rates.
I mean, the best we could hope for if Trump wins, is that he has some kind of man of wisdom and integrity like, oh, Chris Christie, to guide him in the use of power.
Frank,
If Trump is your only reason to vote for Clinton, then logic says you need to consider other candidates.
Considering her regime change “experience” in Libya, Yemen, Ukraine, Syria, Honduras…., If you can not bring yourself to vote for someone who molests individual women, how can you vote for someone who molests entire nations ?
But, FBH, rather than quibble over those facts, just point me to where I can find examples of Donald Trump having some kind of masterful negotiation skills. You mean the way he settles suits brought against him? Like the racial discrimination suit he bragged about “with no admission of guilt” during the debate?
Walk me through what you consider to be his greatest example of negotiating a deal.
Delacrat, I have considered the other candidates, and I did give reason why I have chosen her over Trump.
“I have considered the other candidates” – Frank
Frank,
Unless you’re too intellectually lazy to think outside the Republicrat box, then do share and defend your considerations !
Be aware that Secretary of State Clinton’s malevolence, now visited abroad, as President, she will be positioned to having it visited upon your own country.
There had been an ever-growing tide of a fringe element within the GOP, one which cared more for emotions, and rhetoric, than it did for policy and issues. This fringe element ran primarily on hatred, hatred of immigrants, hatred of Muslims, hatred of gays, hatred of liberals, hatred of government in general.
Yes, Frank, and YOU helped to create that fringe and YOU gave that fringe a platform in 2010. You Frank, yes, YOU, and your undying and unbending support for Christine O’Donnell, to the point where you were writing smear articles on Delaware Politics about Mike Castle (my favorite was the one where you wrote about Castle being in the pocket of “big environmentally friendly office furniture” because he took a donation from a business owner who made environmentally friendly office furniture, a business owner who was running against Barbara Boxer in California but you refused to listen to THAT part of the story because it didn’t fit into your overzealous support for a complete fruitcake who still hasn’t managed to get herself a real job).
You can say all day long that you aren’t that guy anymore but you gave the fuel to that movement and a platform to that movement. You even went on Rush Limbaugh to smear Castle and encourage people to vote for O’Donnell. Remember O’Donnell? Separation of Church and State isn’t in the Constitution O’Donnell? Women don’t really die in childbirth (until it almost happened to her sister) O’Donnell? Anti masturbation O’Donnell? Mike Castle is gay O’Donnell? Homosexuality is a mental disorder O’Donnell? I’m living on campaign contributions O’Donnell?
We told you in 2010 exactly where your movement was going, Frank, we begged you to see what was going to happen to the GOP, this is your pile of crap. Own it.
Frank, are you worried that Trump would make the world more dangerous than what the current regime has facilitated and is residing over right now, and what Hillary wants to continue.
I can’t see how Trump could do any worse, especially when all Trump pretty much wants to do is make America safe and secure so that we can focus on creating businesses and jobs and improve infrastructure and improve our relations, business and otherwise, with other countries including Russia.
Right now the Doomsday Clock would probably be reading 1 min till midnight if it weren’t for the fact that it has been turned into the global warming clock….This current Democrat regime is returning us to the tensions of the Cold War…..What ever happened to Hillary’s reset button?
Fish Bites, Trump is obviously an accomplished business man. His successes far out way his failures. He has started 515 businesses and 11 have failed. That’s over a 98% success rate.
Trump’s profit margins are consistently high and rank up there with some of the top businesses in the world. He flies around in his own 757, and he has created a brand that is very well known and respected.
@ fbh…
The same thing could be said about Enron just before it collapsed.. or Lehmann Brothers…
Your figures don’t use balance sheets to make their prophecies.. You don’t account for leverages in your assessments.
“Fish Bites, Trump is obviously an accomplished business man. His successes far out way his failures.”
FBH, I just showed you, using math, that by his own account he has underperformed the market. His wealth, in 1982, would be larger now if he had done NOTHING and merely invested in an index fund.
I’m not saying he is not wealthy. He’s obviously wealthy. But you call him “accomplished”. What he has “accomplished” is to underperform the market.
George Soros is an accomplished businessman. You want him running the country?
Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, Mitt Romney (the guy YOU trusted four years ago)… are all accomplished businessmen. They all believe Trump is largely a highly-leveraged fraud. Trump does not run a public company with an actual board and shareholders to whom he is accountable, or with public statements showing the details. You simply take him at his word on his puffery.
Mitt Romney is worth quoting at some length here, since YOU wanted Mitt Romney to be running for re-election this cycle:
“Look, his bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who work for them. He inherited his business, he didn’t create it. And whatever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there’s Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks and Trump Mortgage. A business genius he is not.
[…]
Let me say that again. There’s plenty of evidence that Mr. Trump is a con man, a fake.
[…]
If I’m right, you’ll have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is indeed a phony. Attacking me as he surely will won’t prove him any less of a phony. It’s entirely in his hands to prove me wrong.”
But you accept Trump’s own puffery as gospel because he has his own airplane?
Please, give me an example of Trump conducting a negotiation which demonstrates this wonderful negotiating skill of his. If you are going to say he is a “great negotiator”, then you need some evidence other than saying “but he’s really rich”. On the numbers, he’d be richer if he hadn’t mismanaged his wealth to underperform the market. All of those also-rich guys I listed above immediately recognize that fact.
John Travolta flies around in his own airplane too. I don’t want him running the country either.
But FBH, I have given you reported numbers and shown the math. Saying “he’s obviously” rich is a non-sequitur. Yes, he’s obviously wealthy. He’s obviously – very obviously – a lot of other things too.
“I can’t see how Trump could do any worse”
Knowing how difficult the job is, even for someone highly qualified, do you really want gamble on another 8 years of someone who has no qualifications? If you do, you must be of the opinion that there is a significant difference between an unqualified Democrat and an unqualified Republican. Or to put it more succinctly, qualifications don’t matter to you, party does.
Fish Bites, I don’t necessarily buy that Trump’s current wealth would be more if he had simply put his money in one of the index funds.The amount of money he had to invest at the time still seems like speculation , but let’s just say that he didn’t outperform the market….. Trump’s value is also in his brand. How much would his brand be worth if he just sat back and watched his money make 6% to maybe 10%. How many employees would he have hired. Would people have benefited to the extent that they did if his money was simply defused into an index of publicly traded companies?
FBH: Only Trump says he is worth $10 billion. Independent estimates:
Bloomberg: $2.9
Forbes: $3.7
Investopedia: $3.5
Fortune: $3.9
Delacrat, no matter what I were to list here, you in your infinite wisdom would claim it not inclusive enough to satisfy your opinion. I can tell you I won’t be voting for the Green Party. Nor for the Party For Socialism and Freedom, nor will I cast my vote for the Modern Whig Party. I am unlikely to vote for Independent American Party. Mostly because they do not reflect my views, not that Hillary Clinton does so much, but in Delaware, these parties do not have ballot access, which could be a topic for another day. I have choices on the ballot, I have made my choice of these options. In the future, if my options were broader, than I would also consider other options.
Right Winger, You are correct I did support O’Donnell in 2010, and both of her previous campaigns, and all things being equal, I would do it again. Because in my view, at that time, Mike Castle needed to go. I do own it, and I have written about how it did start us down the path we are on. They say every journey begins with the first step, but no one knows where that journey will end.
I actually had a conversation with Christine about the separation of church and state, and made it clear I felt she was wrong.
I also refused to place the Castle is gay video on my own site or Delaware Politics because I felt it was a bridge too far.
And if you think I haven’t changed since those days, well thank you, it means I have held the same principles for those years. They are the principles which guide me today. The fact I have Delacrat questioning my choice, along with yourself, who at least from this comment, sounds like an establishment Republican, means I am somewhere between the two fringe elements of our political ideologies. I’m good with that.
FBH asked, “Frank, are you worried that Trump would make the world more dangerous than what the current regime has facilitated and is residing over right now, and what Hillary wants to continue.”
In a word, yes.
The fact that he can be drawn into a Twitter war of words so easily, concerns me about how he would react to statements made by foreign leaders.
Imagine this for a moment, Trump has already made the statement that he believes the United States should default on its loans, now imagine that statement being made by the POTUS. A single statement like that could crash world markets.
FBH continues with this, ” all Trump pretty much wants to do is make America safe and secure “.
Safe and secure? How? With a federal stop and frisk law? To take away our 4th Amendment rights? By banning people based on their religious faith? To take away our 1st Amendment rights? By “law and order” in “targeted areas”, to target people for where they live?
That is not my view of security. Nor would it be a wall which would only increase our debt.
As for Hillary “continuing” the Obama administration? Do you really believe that? There is a difference between campaigning and governing. She needs his support, but once in office, every president is their own administration.
But since you bring it up, all of the same arguments were made about Pres. Obama. I still have my guns, how about you?
FBH says, ” Fish Bites, Trump is obviously an accomplished business man.” And, “He has started 515 businesses and 11 have failed.”
FBH, I am not sure someone who loses a billion dollars in a year is a good businessman. As for “starting” businesses, are you sure he started those businesses from the ground up? Or did he acquire them? Acquisition is different than starting. I have lived through companies who go around buying up ma and pa companies, raping them of assets, run them on the cheap and if they work, okay, and if not sell them or fold. And while it may be good for the guy at the top, not always so good for the people at the bottom. Is that the mentality of a businessman you want as President?
I don’t care about Hillary’s “experience” (most of it bad) in foreign affairs.
I don’t care much about her wealth coming primarily from Arab oligarchs.
I can even tolerate her incessant lying.
But she said that she’ll appoint justices based upon life experiences. Not knowledge of the constitution and its application, not bench experience, but life experiences. Which means carte blanche to legislate from the bench based upon “feelings” or “social justice.”
Which is exactly how the Soviet courts operated. And possibly where we’re headed.
Black? You win because you are a victim of racism.
Woman? You win because men are pigs.
Gay? You win because you are oppressed.
Hispanic? You win because you are disenfranchised.
Muslim? You win because yours is the religion of peace.
White able-bodied straight Christian male? You lose.
“I have lived through companies who go around buying up ma and pa companies, raping them of assets, run them on the cheap and if they work, okay, and if not sell them or fold. And while it may be good for the guy at the top, not always so good for the people at the bottom.”
Ding, ding, ding… we have a winner. The businesses go belly-up, but it doesn’t affect Trump. You buy a company, load it up with debt, sell the assets, default on the debt, declare it bankrupt, and move on.
” I won’t be voting for the Green Party. …. but in Delaware, these parties do not have ballot access…if my options were broader, than I would also consider other options” – Frank
Frank, I have good news for you. The Green Party actually does have ballot access in Delaware.
http://elections.delaware.gov/reports/genl_fcddt.shtml
So your options are, indeed, broader than an habitual war criminal and habitual misogynist.
Vote Jill Stein on November 8 ….and be happy !
I believe we have beaten the “great negotiator” thing to a conclusion. You have not offered a single example of Trump’s ability to negotiate anything. Actual business leaders who have spoken on the matter – Romney, Cuban, Buffet, etc. – have deemed him to be a fraud, and the record of litigation against Trump businesses such as Trump University bears that out. There are no prominent business magnates who have stepped up to vouch for his negotiating ability. Additionally, unlike every presidential candidate for president for decades, he will not release tax records which have been released by every other candidate. The “audit” excuse is bogus. There is nothing which prevents someone from disclosing their tax returns to others merely because they are being audited, and Trump has produced no notification of audit letter either.
So, let’s turn to the general topic of “The middle east is a mess because of Hillary, and therefore Trump will make it all better.”
First off, the middle east has had a number of conflicts over the last several decades. The United States cannot “control” what happens there. The only thing the US can do is to act – in concert with our allies – to influence outcomes based on the best information available. Qaddafi in particular was a longstanding sponsor of international terrorism. Reagan tried, and failed, to kill him.
When the Libyan uprising began, it was clear that Qaddafi would take the same approach as Assad, and engage in mass killing of his own population. NATO – as a group including the United States – intervened against Qaddafi’s military campaign against his own population, on the assumption that it would not take much “help” to put him away. That succeeded. Yes, infighting followed, but nobody seems to point out that while Libya has never been idyllic, it is not riven by mass bloodshed at the current time either. Tunisia has worked out relatively well, and Egypt has had various spasms in the wake of Mubarak, but is not a bloodbath.
Syria is certainly a different story, as is a shrinking set of towns in Iraq. Trump’s criticism of Iraq overlooks that the deal on the table in the W administration was that we could not continue to allow troops in Iraq unless we made them subject to legal oversight by the Iraqi government. That was a non-negotiable condition which the Iraqi’s reached. At the end of the day, we cannot simply have remained in Iraq without the consent of the Iraqi people as expressed by their elected government. The withdrawal timetable was set before Obama reached office, and a president cannot simply take a treaty and say “the heck with this, I’m doing something different” the way that Trump regularly does with, say, contracts in his business.
Trump’s other criticism of Iraq is that “we didn’t take their oil”. First, we did not go to Iraq to “take their oil”. Had we maintained fortified and defended oil fields, pipelines, and ports for the purpose of “taking their oil” as Trump proposes, then we wouldn’t be fighting ISIS there – we’d be fighting the Iraqi government which we had helped set up. The US does not invade countries to “take stuff”. Trump apparently has different views about the legitimate use of US military power and believes that flat-out conquest is a legitimate foreign policy goal.
Syria is, again, quite another kettle of fish and because of Russian backing to Assad, we are trying to limit the civilian genocide there while avoiding a full-on confrontation with Russia.
Speaking of Russia, you want “better relations”. Do you want to lift the sanctions we imposed on them and many of their financial institutions and businesses after their invasion and occupation of Crimea? It is those sanctions that are crimping Putin’s style and driving his bellicose posture towards us. For some reason, it seems that everyone has forgotten that we are subjecting Russia to significant and painful economic punishment for their invasion of Crimea, and that the threat of more is what stands between them and a full-on takeover of Ukraine. It is so tiresome to hear we “do nothing” when in fact we have.
But because the outcomes in the Arab Spring countries are messy and mixed, you throw up your hands and say, “we should put Trump in charge” on the notion that things in the middle east could not be worse than they are. Things in the middle east could be MUCH worse than they are, and a unilateral cowboy posture of “bomb the shit out of them” and “take their oil” would certainly not have led to a more favorable set of current circumstances. Mr. Trump has absolutely no experience in making allies or friends, or working in any environment other than one in which he is unilateral dictator. That is how businesses are run, even if one wants to credit him with remarkable business acumen.
So, no, there is no reason to believe that Mr. Trump would do any better than we have done in the middle east. His lack of understanding of the iraqi withdrawal, and his belief that we “should have taken the oil” demonstrate a frighteningly simpleminded view of the world which does not well suit him for dealing with complex situations in which the “best” available outcomes are a choice between “bad” and “much worse”.
And I forgot to mention, there is no doubt that under a Trump administration we will be much closer to Russia.
This man – who hires only the best – has fired two campaign managers so far: Lewandowski and Manafort. Do you know the history of Paul Manafort and why he had to leave the Trump campaign? If you do know, then I won’t re-hash it here.
Trump is not a fraud. Absolutely not. No way… He is a …… Trumpaud…. yes… a Trumpaud… Nothing is his unless it has his name on it.
Will Dave Wilson still win even though he supports the Trumpaud?…. Only the moral secret hearts of voters know for sure…
Delacrat, I am aware Ms. Stein will be on the ballot in Delaware, I saw my mistake after I hit publish, but was too lazy to go back and correct it. I hope it meets your approval if I don’t vote for her, as I find her too far left for me. But that is the beauty of our system, you get to vote for who you want and I for who I want. One man, one vote.
“…. Libya has never been idyllic, it is not riven by mass bloodshed at the current time either. “ -Fishbites
Wrong
“… our life was better under the previous regime,” says Fayza al-Naas, a 42-year-old pharmacist,”
http://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/afp/218750/war-weary-libyans-miss-life-under-kadhafi
@Rick: “I don’t care much about her [Hillary’s] wealth coming primarily from Arab oligarchs.”
If it’s the Clinton Foundation you are talking about, then about 3% has come from autocratic states like Saudi Arabia (Source: The Economist). Bill has contributed most of the Clinton’s personal wealth. She contributed about 15% (Source: Forbes). None of that came when she held office and I couldn’t find that Arab oligarchs gave her any.
Do correct me Rick if you know otherwise.
“… I find her[Jill Stein] too far left for me.” – Frank
“The fact I have Delacrat questioning my choice, along with yourself[Right Winger], who at least from this comment, sounds like an establishment Republican, means I am somewhere between the two fringe elements” – Frank
Uh
1) why is Stein “too far left” and what does that mean? (if anything)
2) Why am I “fringe” and what makes you not “fringe” ?
The thing I don’t get is how this Trump thing isn’t a total embarrassment for so many millions of people.
Is Hillary an embarrassment ?
Clearly not in such an obvious manner.
The Dems are going to vote, party lines. Even if their candidate is NOT qualified. Look at the local elections. People need to vote for the person, MOST qualified!!
Emails show that Hillary’s operatives at the Sate Dept. put severe pressure on the FBI to change the classification of documents on her devices (and server) from “classified” to non-classified, in an effort to obfuscate her illegal violations of State Dept. security protocols.
This is devious, unethical and illegal. Yes, she’ll make a fine president. Especially if you prefer a corrupt serial liar. Maybe Christopher Hitchens can write “No One Left To Lie To Part 2.”
So, just today, Mr. Trump said that he would meet with Putin before taking office, in order to start cooperating better with Russia from day one, and that relations with Russia aren’t good because:
“They insult him constantly, no wonder he can’t stand Obama and Hillary Clinton,” said Trump
I could see myself meeting with Putin and meeting with Russia prior to the start of my administration,” he said, adding, “I think it would be wonderful.”
Pardon my French, but were are talking about the former head of the f-ing KGB, who jails political opponents and reporters, who has taken Crimea and threatens to swallow up Ukraine, and who is feeling the pain of the economic sanctions with which we retaliated and which has held him in check for now (along with low oil prices, which hurts Russia immensely).
Are Donnie’s friends having cash flow problems?
U.S banks don’t loan to Trump projects, which leaves him few options now that Deutsche Bank is also getting wise to him. The financial workings of the Trump Organization are almost completely opaque since it is privately held. (And, by the way FBH, money in the stock market doesn’t disappear and do nothing).
Donald Trump Jr. had this to say at a 2008 real estate conference:
“Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.”
His campaign manager, Manafort, had to leave when it came out that he’d been on Putin’s payroll as a political consultant to the pro-Russian former Ukraine PM. Trump has nothing good to say about NATO, praised Putin, and the ONLY change the Trump camp wanted in the GOP platform was removal of language condemning Russian actions in the Ukraine.
But he thinks Putin is just “upset” with us because we “insult” him? Good f-ing golly, man, not everyone is as thin-skinned as you, and Putin will play Trump like a piano (unless the Russian thugocracy doesn’t already have Trump by the financial balls).
Putin wants oil to go up, he wants the USSR territory back, and he wants to weaken the US economy. He will then use natural gas as an economic weapon in Europe and, oh yeah, good old Donnie is happy to see the EU break up along with NATO.
Oh, well, if that’s the sort of thing you want, then we’ll see what they manage to get into Assange’s hands between now and November 8. The Russians may win this thing for Trump yet.
“1) why is Stein “too far left” and what does that mean? (if anything)”
Stein’s not “left”, she’s a flake. She wants a “real investigation of 9/11” and has “real questions” about vaccines causing autism.
If you like to run around in a hoodie and a Guy Fawkes mask and break things, she’s your candidate.
If it’s the Clinton Foundation you are talking about, then about 3% has come from autocratic states like Saudi Arabia (Source: The Economist). Bill has contributed most of the Clinton’s personal wealth. She contributed about 15% (Source: Forbes). None of that came when she held office and I couldn’t find that Arab oligarchs gave her any.
Why bother with The Economist or Forbes? The Clinton Foundation states that Saudi Arabia (an oligarchy) contributed between $10-$25 million. The list goes on from there.
Do you think that these oligarchies (that stone women and kill gays) are contributing because they are charitable people? Or do you think maybe they expected something from the Clinton’s in return?
(Hint: it’s the same answer as for her multimillion Wall Street handouts)
@Rick: You claimed that Hillary’s wealth came “primarily” from Arab oligarchs. i disputed that claim. You did not defend it and instead did your smoke-and-mirrors routine. Sad, but predictable.
“Stein’s not “left”, she’s a flake. She wants a “real investigation of 9/11” and has “real questions” about vaccines causing autism.”
Fishbits,
1) “The co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission have both publicly stated that “We were set up to fail.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0LBARGBupM
2) Stein’s tweet: “I’m not aware of evidence linking autism with vaccines”, is consistent with mainstream of autism research. Now, if that’s your idea of “flakey”, then the “flake” is you, not her.
No one but a real idiot would vote for Hillary Clinton. No surprise here. Lies, deception, people killed all in the name of she has thirty years political experience. She has just enough experience to get us all killed.
Left brains just don’t get it!
I could see myself meeting with Putin and meeting with Russia prior to the start of my administration,” he said, adding, “I think it would be wonderful.”
Pardon my French, but were are talking about the former head of the f-ing KGB, who jails political opponents and reporters, who has taken Crimea and threatens to swallow up Ukraine, and who is feeling the pain of the economic sanctions with which we retaliated and which has held him in check for now (along with low oil prices, which hurts Russia immensely).
Are Donnie’s friends having cash flow problems?
We aren’t holding him “in check,” which is why he now has Crimea.
Obviously, we need a dialogue with Russia. Under the weak Obama administration, Putin figures he can do just about whatever he wants to do.
I guess it’s okay to circumvent the US Senate and negotiate a treaty….er, “deal”…with the lunatics in Iran, which pays them billions, but establishing a dialogue with Putin smacks of impropriety?
Rick: You claimed that Hillary’s wealth came “primarily” from Arab oligarchs. i disputed that claim. You did not defend it and instead did your smoke-and-mirrors routine. Sad, but predictable…
Her top donor is Saudi Arabia….an oligarchy. Are you so naive as to believe that Arab oligarchs donate to the Secretary of State without expecting something in return?
And which Hillary are you voting for? The one who condemns Wall Street and hedge fund managers (like the one Chelsea married), or the one who in $300k Wall Street speeches, lauds big money bankers/donors as the backbone of the economy?
@Rick: The problem I have with you–or at least one of them–is that you have a history of distorting what happened, deflecting challenges, and then engaging in name-calling. Among your favorites are: morons, idiots, losers, dupes, stupid, delusional…and naive. Reminds me a lot like Trump.
The Clinton Foundation started its life in 1997 for the purpose of funding the Clinton Presidential Library. KSA gave $10 million. That’s known. (KSA gave a similar amount t the G.H.W. Bush library.) In subsequent years they gave some more, but not much. During the time HRC was Secretary of State, they gave NOTHING. ZIP. NADA.
On June 13, 2016, Trump claimed that KSA gave the Clinton Foundation $25 million, but when asked for proof, he came up empty.
I’m not naive, Rick. I’ve been round the world many times over and I’ve seen the full measure of human stupidity. Of course you don’t have to leave Sussex County for that to happen.
Honi; if your going to quote from politifact.com you should at the very least give them credit. Typical Hillary supporter.
Rick: The problem I have with you–or at least one of them–is that you have a history of distorting what happened, deflecting challenges, and then engaging in name-calling. Among your favorites are: morons, idiots, losers, dupes, stupid, delusional…and naive.
Great answer.
The Clinton’s would never cook the books. By-the-way, what did they do again to earn $250-million? What did they build? What investment service did they offer? What did they manufacture? What did they sell?
Influence. That’s all- influence.
Again:
….which Hillary are you voting for? The one who condemns Wall Street and hedge fund managers (like the one Chelsea married), or the one who in $300k Wall Street speeches, lauds big money bankers/donors as the backbone of the economy?
@Rick: If KSA had placed $680 million in Hillary’s personal bank account, I would agree that they were peddling influence. That happens to be the amount that KSA “gifted” to the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak. $10 million is pocket change to the Saudis. It wouldn’t buy much.
Politifact puts the combined Clinton personal wealth at $62 million at most, including the value of their homes. Not the $250 million that you claim. Once again, you are uncritically swallowing Trump’s BS.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/aug/07/america-rising-now/pro-trump-super-pac-ad-wrong-clinton-wealth/