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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 20:10:16 GMT
Wow, that's a lot energy to expend on an election you had no stake in. Rant away, no accounting for tastes. I have a cousin who worked on the Marco Rubio campaign.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2017 13:28:11 GMT
I had posted a response to your reply (rant) Jazz, yesterday but, then as an afterthought I decided to delete it because I felt it was too negative, and if read the wrong way could be interpreted as insulting which was not my intent. I tend to post impulsively and often it comes across not at all as I originally intended.
In any event, when I first read your response early yesterday morning I was quite taken aback and really thought you were jesting and "pulling our leg", that's how shocked I was.
When I realized you were serious I felt a pang of betrayal and disappointment because I had thought (wrongly) that your political ideologies and or leanings were more in sync with the overall sentiment portrayed by the vast majority of people on this forum. Of course you have every right to feel the way you do but, nonetheless, it left no room for possible leeway with regard to how radical your opinion is. As noted, there were some good points, most especially with regard to humiliating and attacking Trump's family. And, while he has not served even one day, his erratic, insulting, "see saw" statements and out and out pronouncements attacking the demographic du jour are downright hateful, juvenile and frightening.(the Twitter fights alone are indicative enough). Totally undignified.
And this is where I do not understand your adamant tirade as I had thought you were an intelligent person and was shocked that you would fall for his rhetoric (if you can even call it that). I guess we never really know how or what other people are thinking and assume too much about one another. (you post so rarely on here perhaps your political ideology took a major 320. I do recall some rants regarding former PM Harper some time ago).
I was initially excited when I saw you were signed in and had posted because you generally post pertinent and well thought out intelligent opinions. In this case, I wish I could say you were "on board" so to speak.
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Post by whatagain on Jan 6, 2017 14:28:24 GMT
I think we all have right to like or dislike somebody or not president or not. As for Adolf Trump let us keep in mind he initiated the hate slogans. With Mexicans Muslims etc. his attacks against Hilary were quite personal too and not very elaborate nor respectful. His wife has not enough brains to write a speech and copied Michele's. And now people get upset that we still consider hm an uneducated sexist racist bully ? So because he is elected he becomes likable and has to be respected ? I do not respect a man who is not respectable. President or not. The fact that a majority (via whatever political prism) got him elected doesn't mean I have to become a sexist racist bully and start liking despots.
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Post by whatagain on Jan 6, 2017 14:49:30 GMT
Since I am in the mood of a psychologist I would say that it came as no surprise that the elections provoked a division among Americans.
I fear it will not be better during office and the nation stays divided of worse ends up like france with about 20% of the population having a positive opinion of him.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 6, 2017 15:57:35 GMT
I'm also worried about a candidate claiming to be an adamant defender of Israel while allying himself with neo-Nazis, Klansmen and other white supremacists and anti-Semites.
I do disagree with your assessment of Obama's stance on Israeli settlements (which are illegal, and ... er... theft). The Israelis I know (secular people in cities such as Tel Aviv) can't stand those belligerent, fundie settlers and very much fear their growing influence. Please read the most recent commentary by Israeli veteran and peace activist Uri Avnery.
Another nearby country that also has an (imperfect) democracy is Lebanon. I have Lebanese friends who moved back there after the civil war, though they were political refugees here. They felt it safe enough to return.
Someone else will have to provide a better assessment of the current state of democracy in Egypt, though many of the promises of the Arab Spring have been broken there.
The situation is better in Tunisia, though of course that country is in the Maghreb, not the Middle East.
I didn't like Ms Rodham-Clinton very much; here we were all fervent Sandersistas - he's practically our next-door neighbour, after all, and wanted the healthcare system we take for granted here. Many cars with Québec plates and several bicycles sported Bernie stickers.
But although Rodham-Clinton is far too hawkish for my tastes and refused even to support the $15 movement, I do think Trump is more dangerous, in particular by dint of his xenophobic (and misogynist) demagogy, and his climate denial which could sweep back the progress we have begun to make on that front.
Jazz, that said, I'm very glad to hear from you and hope you are doing well.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 6, 2017 16:48:36 GMT
Jazz, the idea that a person who in his campaign repeatedly crapped on every single tenet of modern, fair governance and indeed, basic decency, should "be given a chance" is mind-boggling. Given a chance to do what -- carry out his sick agenda? To quote Casimira, And, while he has not served even one day, his erratic, insulting, "see saw" statements and out and out pronouncements attacking the demographic du jour are downright hateful, juvenile and frightening.(the Twitter fights alone are indicative enough). And as to "Be firm in ALL of our preconceived ideas." Uh, YES, if ones "preconceived ideas" involve a government that serves all its people. Lizzy, yep -- that was my reaction, too, except that Canadians and the whole world really do have a stake in the presidency of the US. So because he is elected he becomes likable and has to be respected ? PERFECT point, Whatagain. That namby-pamby swill of "respect the office if not the man" is tantamount to "my country right or wrong" and history has shown us where that can lead. And yes, LaGatta -- I agree with every word you say. OF COURSE Clinton is a poor choice and should never have been the Democratic nominee. Still and all, she probably at least would have maintained the status quo and not dragged the US into becoming a dangerous joke country representing the worst of Know-Nothing, isolationist, misogynistic, and elitist beliefs. This will not affect only the US, either, as it is a part of the global economy and alliances. What has happened in the US is sickening and terrifying. Heaven help us if other main players on the world stage, such as France, follow suit.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 6, 2017 19:08:44 GMT
I am really worried about the upsurge in violent racist incidents and hate speech (and not only in the US) after the election. We've seen the gruesome news about racist torture. Here, perusing food sites (yep, I do that) I notice that a crew called "White Genocide Awareness" has been spamming kosher and halal food businesses and voting them down. Weird. Since their name is only in English, they might well be from somewhere else.
It also legitimizes misogyny...
And yes, I'm very worried about France.
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Post by onlyMark on Jan 6, 2017 20:01:07 GMT
What is Trump's stance on gun control by the way? "Japan has one of the lowest rates of gun crime in the world. In 2014 there were just six gun deaths, compared to 33,599 in the US." www.bbc.com/news/magazine-38365729
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2017 20:04:33 GMT
Oh!! He's all over the 2nd amendment. Cozied up with the NRA right off the bat, which gave him many, many, too many votes.
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Post by onlyMark on Jan 7, 2017 7:48:34 GMT
The subject of gun control could take over this thread but just to mention that a little while ago I was talking to an American one evening about this. I asked if it wouldn't be better to have more restrictions to lessen the amount of guns in circulation and to lessen then the deaths. He gave me what he thought was a reasoned argument as to the contrary. I summed him up by saying that it sounds as though his answer is one that has been going on for many, many years. It is to arm more people to counter the effect of the guns of the bad guys. Arming teachers etc. He agreed. I then asked, "And how has that been going then? Successful?"
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Post by bjd on Jan 7, 2017 11:01:24 GMT
And?? So what did he answer?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2017 13:43:57 GMT
Somewhere on here in one of these election themed threads I posted how I had a childhood friend that I stay in fairly close contact with who works for Trump at his golf club in Florida.
He is the oldest (in terms of length of employment) employee there.
He makes very good money, and, has a very good retirement package awaiting him.
He told me that working for Trump was incredibly challenging and because of my friends role (he scouts out properties all over the world for potential golf clubs to be developed) he is privy to and has been subjected to and observed behaviors that can only be described as unbalanced, impulsive, irrational, and his mercurial personality along with his erraticism are downright pathological. He is prone to temper tantrums where he actually stomps his feet like a child would when he doesn't get what he wants. The only forewarning employees are given of what they may be in store for is what color baseball cap Trump chooses to wear on any given day. If he wears a white cap, he's in a pretty good mood. If he wears a red cap, "watch out". This information coming from someone I trust and know well gives rise to how frightening, actually terrifying, a man such as Trump could wield unlimited powers that could potentially place the country (and the world) in danger with no forewarning. My friend described him as an enfant terrible of the worst kind.
This is not information from an enemy or the mainstream media or a politically motivated source.
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Post by onlyMark on Jan 7, 2017 13:55:45 GMT
bjd, didn't answer. Shied away to something else.
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Post by bjd on Jan 7, 2017 14:16:48 GMT
Casi, what you say confirms something I heard on a debate yesterday. Some journalists were covering the week's topics and one said that Trump's behaviour is confrontation and anger. Trump has discovered that he gets his way by being rude and confrontational. Allegedly he called Senator Chuck Schumer, the chief Democratic senator in the Senate and a NYC acquaintance of Trump's "a clown". This is not presidential behaviour and is not the way to speak to members of the Senate.
And instead of a quiet transition, learning about the job of president, on Twitter Trump was insulting Schwartznegger about the way he acts on the TV show, The Apprentice, which Trump still owns and runs.
Not to mention his attitude to the senior Republican politicians like McCain and Graham.
So I don't agree with Jazz that the position of president in itself merits respect. Respect has to be earned and it doesn't look like Trump is going to do so.
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Post by whatagain on Jan 8, 2017 16:04:22 GMT
Talking about gun control what we hear here is that the Fort Lauderdale shooter is NOT a terrorist. Just an ex military with huge psychological problems but carrying in all legality his pistol. I guess it makes a huge difference to the victims.
USA don't even need terrorists to make shootings in airports. We should learn from them in Europe.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2017 17:11:43 GMT
I have been reading some articles about how the rest of the world is alarmed at how much Trump is weakening the United States with his behaviour. Putting in doubt the findings of the American intelligence agencies kind of makes it sound like the CIA is worthless and Trump will ignore any warnings that it gives since he knows better. Isn't that a recipe for terrorist attacks or assassinations?
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Post by bjd on Jan 8, 2017 18:45:02 GMT
If Trump were president of somewhere small, like Azerbaijan, then it wouldn't be such a worry, except for the Azeris. But the USA is such a big influential country that it affects all of us, even if we don't live in the States.
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Post by mich64 on Jan 8, 2017 19:35:51 GMT
I think his defense of President Putin and Julian Assange might be because they have hacked information on him and the Republican Party that would humiliate him and they threaten to release these leaks if he does not support them. Watching and listening from outside of America, it is shocking to listen to the PEOTUS and his surrogates defending Putin and Assange and to listen to their disrespectful comments and animosity towards their own Agencies (fellow Americans).
I also think that the Russians/Assange may have voice/video recordings of him where he may have boasted, bragged or said horrible things about other prominent people or Countries. Considering what he says publicly on Twitter, can you imagine what he says when he thinks he is at a private event or in his private meetings where he thinks no one would DARE record him? This man can not control himself, he is the best, the smartest, the richest, etc. His post on Twitter yesterday to brag about how much better his ratings were compared to Arnold's and how he deserved it since he supported other people instead of him, my goodness, that was petty, children do not do this much bragging.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 8, 2017 21:43:13 GMT
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Post by mich64 on Jan 9, 2017 2:56:25 GMT
Thank you for the links Bixa. I do like to read as much as possible from all sides. I also do believe that money owed and favors owed are reasons behind why he sought the nomination to begin with.
I sincerely hope I am 100% wrong in all that I believe about him. It will be devastating to people if they find they were used and if he does not have the abilities required to perform as President. I understand this is how politicians operate, that both the Republicans and the Democrats make promises and that they have a platform that follows their Party's agendas, that this is all part of an Election, but it was the how, the tone, how he is handling the transition, his appointments and his continued disrespectful and childish behavior that I find troubling and worrisome.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 9, 2017 3:12:34 GMT
There is too much evidence that you are all too right. The worst, the very worst thing, is that so many people voted for him.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2017 6:43:21 GMT
I was interested that Boris Johnson made an unannounced visit to Trump Tower. What if they switch clothes and identity like in The Prince and the Pauper?
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Post by bjd on Jan 9, 2017 6:52:48 GMT
Yeah -- Trump would just take the hair spray out and let his hair flop over his face. Johnson could put some orange pancake make-up on.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 9, 2017 7:16:55 GMT
*shudder*
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Post by chexbres on Jan 9, 2017 8:41:47 GMT
So...Trump said that "It won't happen!" when talking about N Korea's plan to launch a possible ICBM attack in the near future. Not so smart to start threatening an unbalanced leader. Wonder if Obama has time to take out Kim Jung Un before he leaves office?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2017 14:03:16 GMT
At the Golden Globe awards ceremony last night actress Meryl Streep while accepting an award used the time to openly criticize Trump. Her statement:" the instinct to humiliate when it's modeled by someone in a public platform, it filters down into everyone's life because it gives permission for others to do the same...disrespect invites disrespect, violence insights violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose".
Trumps response on Twitter (of course) was that Streep was an overrated actress and a Hillary flunkie.
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Post by whatagain on Jan 9, 2017 21:29:17 GMT
Yes Casi. I liked her speech of course but was appalled (again) at Trump's reaction. Why, just why, does he HAVE TO answer. The best answer would have been no answer. But then he chooses to answer. Ok. So why can't he ask somebody to write an answer ? I mean I can do better than him on Fodors when I am p***ed off.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2017 21:59:45 GMT
I think that all of us enjoy (?) purging our feelings here on this and the other threads, but basically it will only become real after the inauguration. Will he stop Twitter? Will his advisors have any influence over him? Considering who his advisors are, that doesn't seem likely. So: will his friend Putin advise that he tone things down? Putin seems considerably more intelligent, but does he really have any influence over Trump?
What kind of bothers me is that the "captains of industry" have always controlled the country but in the last few days they seem to be rolling over to expose their throats to him. So who will dare to stand up to him? Who has control over him other than blackmail? He has made it pretty clear that he can refute just about anything with bald faced lies, and there are still millions of people who believe that anything the president says (no matter who) is more important than what detractors say.
It is important to challenge authority, but most people have been trained to obey.
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Post by bjd on Jan 10, 2017 5:54:57 GMT
An American friend here told me she is developing a tic from cringing every time Trump says something.
Indeed, why does the man feel he has to respond to everything? Maybe his Twitter account will be taken from him and the anger and frustration inside will make him explode? After all, he must be permanently on the boil to react like that to any criticism. He is 70 years old and hasn't learned to let things go. Maybe he should be forced into a Buddhist retreat for a few months?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2017 18:42:05 GMT
I have not been following the situation closely because I have been pretending that I am not at all concerned. Of course that is not true, since the whole world is concerned.
Anyway, one of the more reputable sources of news in France tonight revealed what might be the content of the alleged sex video.
Trump, staying in the same suite where Obama stayed when he went to Moscow, was a witness (but apparently not a recipient) of a "golden shower" session with prostitutes.
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