President Trump: a serious documentary

Stick to the topic....quit the bickering...

This is supposed to be about a Trump video....and Go After the Ball, Not the Player!

Reaffirming Our Desire For Productive Political Debate (REVISED)



and, as always:

Do NOT reply to this post!!

a reply to: Annee

I'm not googling gameshows.

However I have looked into her a little more.
She's teached at a university, was a registered democrat until May 2016, a CNN political commentator, PHD in communications and also has a preacher's licence.

Pretty good for someone from the projects.

I'm just bumping this thread. We are all post-holiday/peak-season now. Regardless of the hemisphere on which you live.


We have some crap to deal with here, folks.
Now we buckle down.



This is an important bit of info.

OP

I dont think a self centered man, can bring back the american dream or make america great again. Not even for himself.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Thanks for posting video. I just got through watching. It's a great summary of what I've read, worth the watch. Since Trump the Man as POTUS is who we'll have to deal with, it provides insight into why he has done/does what he does.

I have heard so many times in recent years that if we just had a business man running the country, run the country like a business. The problem is, Trump is in the business of self-promotion and real estate, not areas we normally associate with "business". And, he has excelled at self-promotion but has failed at real estate (as was pointed out, it's like he doesn't understand economics or accounting).

Yes, he can "counterpunch" and act tough, but that has been over personal attacks. IOW he's thin skinned. Those who know him described him as revengeful, brutishly insensitive, sensationalizer, basically a liar to get what he wants (the story of the "68" stories in the building), showman. He blames others, views winning at all costs as good, and believes that there is no bad publicity. To me these are not good qualities for running a country; running a self-promotion money and celebrity empire, fine, but not for a world leader. The leader of a world power must bring to the table stability and trust (Reagan's "trust but verify"), and a Pres Trump is not bringing these qualities to the office.

Because this thread is in political ideology, I can see where Trump, so wrapped up in himself, and seeing a run for a powerful office as merely an extension for a quest for more power, never devoted the time to develop a firm political ideology. It has been said that, in the campaign, he went along with whoever was bending his ear. And the last people who took over his campaign were believers in the far right fringe Koch conspiratorial and economic ideologies. The Koch bros have finally had their ideology fully inserted into the GOP, and they now have control of all three branches.

People miss that point, that Trump was given an ideology and will listen to and get advice from those around him, who are fringe right wing. (He said he would surround himself with "the best people"--- he had to, because he was clueless.) People believe that Trump is making the decisions, but Trump is merely rubber stamping the decisions and advice of those around him. If he tries to take credit, it will be like the man who points a finger at a moving cloud and says he can make the cloud move with his finger.

a reply to: Ove38

I dont think a self centered man, can bring back the american dream or make america great again. Not even for himself.

That says it all. Quite the tragedy to be played out: by definition, "a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances".

Well, we are both audience and participants in this Greek tragedy now, so we will just have to see how it plays out.

a reply to: desert

I have heard so many times in recent years that if we just had a business man running the country, run the country like a business. The problem is, Trump is in the business of self-promotion and real estate, not areas we normally associate with "business". And, he has excelled at self-promotion but has failed at real estate (as was pointed out, it's like he doesn't understand economics or accounting).

Not the way I see it at all.

Business does include self-promotion and real estate. Business involves increasing worth, usually through setting and achieving goals and making good deals. Trump has excelled at real estate. He took one million and turned it into hundreds of millions. The '68 floor' building was a streak of genius IMO. No one was cheated, but psychologically it made his rooms seem more appealing. It's no different than printing a picture of a professionally-prepared meal on a can of spam... it's still spam in the can, but psychologically it makes people more apt to purchase "Stuff Posing As Meat".

Surrounding oneself with professionals is another hallmark of a successful businessman. A successful businessman always makes the best choice to accomplish his goals, and no one can be an expert at everything. By getting advice from many different, knowledgeable sources, the businessman can choose the best path to his goals. No one has ever been successful in business by rubber-stamping opinions of advisors, but rarely has any businessman been successful without listening to advisors.

I believe the difference of opinion on Trump is due to some trying to understand him as a politician, and others accepting him as a businessman. As a politician, he sounds scary! As a businessman, he sounds reasonable. We're just not used to hearing the kinds of things he says, because politicians typically try to demonize businessmen. That's just propaganda, obviously, because the same politicians are supported by businessmen, but it's an effective way to work public opinion.

Demonizing a group of people has consequences (I believe the 'deplorables' comment was Hillary's downfall, for example) because oftentimes the people one demonizes today are the same people one needs help from tomorrow. People do not like to be demonized, and businessmen know that. Politicians apparently don't. Businessmen try to achieve goals through negotiation instead of demonization. Notice, for example, how Trump characterized China. He said things like "China is beating us at deals," or "China isn't treating us fairly," not "China is cruel and engages in deplorable acts." Trump's statements were more specific and geared toward reversible actions than a typical politician's statements would have been. Why? So in negotiations, he can approach with an attitude of wanting fairness in economics rather than an attitude of superiority.

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

in negotiations, he can approach with an attitude of wanting fairness in economics rather than an attitude of superiority

Trump's whole attitude and shtick is that he is superior to everyone else. Of course he doesn't come out and talk about that superiority, because it's a given.

a reply to: desert

Superiority can come in two forms: better than everyone else, or everyone else is worse. The latter has been used for 8 years by referencing others as racist, sexist, homophobes, xenophobes, deplorable, etc. The difference is that the former builds a person up without bringing others down, while the latter brings people down instead of building one up for the same relative effect.

Given the choice between someone who feels a sense of superiority and someone who feels a sense of mediocrity as a leader, I actually prefer the sense of superiority. And given the choice between the two previous examples, I prefer someone to build themselves up rather than tear me down.

TheRedneck

a reply to: TheRedneck

Given the choice between someone who feels a sense of superiority and someone who feels a sense of mediocrity as a leader, I actually prefer the sense of superiority. And given the choice between the two previous examples, I prefer someone to build themselves up rather than tear me down.

I think Trump falls on the tear down side of the spectrum. Did you watch his campaign. Total negativity to everyone concerned. I'm not surprised at his popularity as American culture slides negativity and meanness.

a reply to: olaru12

Exactly what did he say that tore down groups of people?

I can show you what Hillary said that did so: "I put half of Donald Trump supporters in what I call a basket of 'deplorables.' They're racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic..." That was a demonization without evidence on an undefined group. It did not make her look superior; it made those in that group look inferior.

TheRedneck

I've already said things on both sides about this guy but remember, he hasn't taken office yet. Judge him based on his presidency, this is just dirt peddlin, i'm not interested in his upbringing honestly. Just what can you do for me as President because Obama didn't help.

Show me someone whose lived a perfect life. The best ones documentaries have struggle.

so...yeah!

and here we are. Tonight's late-night shows should be pretty noteworthy. We've just had our first coronation!!! .... and you could literally see him sitting there thinking "I showed 'em! I showed 'em all!" and then with the royal "We"....after all the choirs and the pomp and the circumstance.....

wow.

did anyone else see Melania lean over and speak to Baron about his manner???


Anyway. I was there, guys. I watched your big party. I paid attention, and listened to the speeches.....I'm not going to look away now that this train has left the station.

But I AM GOING TO continue to exercise my freedom of speech. So - that's cool.

Peaceful transition accomplished.

Now for the fun. You all go the stuffy ball. I'm going to watch real people have fun talking about it.






Well done, folks!!! Well done alt-right!

The Trump Power Hour.


????

Rly?

Oh god.....That is the most recent installment of the serious documentary.

Hope you all have enjoyed the ride, and gotten some value out of reading along. This truly is "an historic moment." (In other words, "a big deal")



Don't squander it.

Live long and prosper.
Pow

www.cc.com...

And this is John Dean from Watergate!

'He Is Going to Test Our Democracy as It Has Never Been Tested'

He is not only convinced that Trump will be worse than Nixon in virtually every way—he thinks he’ll probably get away with it.

...In Trump, Dean says he has observed many of his former boss’s most dangerous traits—obsessive vengefulness, reflexive dishonesty, all-consuming ambition—but none of Nixon’s redeeming qualities.

“I used to have one-on-one conversations with [Nixon] where I’d see him checking his more authoritarian tendencies,” Dean recalled. “He’d say, ‘This is something I can’t say out loud...’ or, ‘That is something the president can’t do.’” To Dean, these moments suggested a functioning sense of shame in Nixon, something he was forced to wrestle with in his quest for power. Trump, by contrast, appears to Dean unmolested by any such struggle.

“I don’t think Richard Nixon even comes close to the level of corruption we already know about Trump.”

In the four decades since Nixon resigned, Dean says, the institutions that are meant to keep a president’s power in check—the press, Congress, even the courts—have been rendered increasingly weak and ineffectual by a sort of creeping partisan paralysis. (Imagine, if you dare, the Breitbart headlines that would follow Woodward and Bernstein’s first scoop if they were breaking their story today.)

What Trump voters did was place an incompetent man with "dangerous traits", a party, and selfish interests/ignorance of politics above what is good for America. Americans in general have had political curiosity and civic intelligence brainwashed out of them for decades, so I am not surprised by the outcome.

As the Obamas did today in their interactions with the Trumps, we must not lose our own self-respect and dignity when dealing with someone who lacks grace, self-respect, dignity, and competence. As it is said, returning eye for an eye makes the world blind.

There will be a point when some, not all, will decide to seek others out for the the right to petition government for redress of grievances. That will be when our democracy will be tested as never before.

a reply to: desert

It has no end...see? It is "President Trump: a serious documentary."

Right here. We are it.

THANK YOU for hanging around. It will be fascinating, serious, and unpresidented (bah ------- unprecented!)
bahh

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

It is Trump's incompetence at governing and his "dangerous traits" that will make for a wild ride. It is a little scary to read, for example, what foreign policy experts have to say, especially when they cite his incompetence and dangerous traits he brings to the office. I don't know when, how many, or even if, Americans will get rid of willful or unwillful blindness, but I fear that at that point, it will be too late to effectively turn things around in a reasonable time.

KellyaAAaaANNE!!! OMG! Gah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTFIWWY????

edit on 1/21/2017 by BuzzyWigs because: (no reason given)

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

As someone who loves men in Scottish kilts, I will never comment on a person's, especially a woman's, attire, when they are out in public with something more than a bathrobe. Taboo. Well, there was a time when an Oscar nominee was going to wear something that looked like it was about to jump up and devour her on the red carpet. Anyway, to me, Kellyanne is wearing a stylish outfit, not my style, but then I don't expect all women to wear my style.

Kellyanne was brought into the Trump campaign to "keep him on a short leash". That is the truth. They felt he needed to stay on message. So, with that in mind, I am thinking now that, give her a riding crop, and she may be dressed for another occasion, as someone who might also discipline Nigel Farage, who Breitbart says will be a "close but unofficial advisor" to President Trump.

Buzzy, this is the craziest damn world we live in!! Here you have people filled in their heads about a NWO conspiracy and "sovereignty", and they seem to be all over a Pres who Russia leaders love and who will be "advised by" a citizen by another country. I don't get it!

a reply to: desert

I am thinking now that, give her a riding crop, and she may be dressed for another occasion, as someone who might also discipline Nigel Farage, who Breitbart says will be a "close but unofficial advisor" to President Trump.

Buzzy, this is the craziest damn world we live in!! Here you have people filled in their heads about a NWO conspiracy and "sovereignty", and they seem to be all over a Pres who Russia leaders love and who will be "advised by" a citizen by another country. I don't get it!

Idon't get it either!!! Me neither!!!
I just hope that someday, on some random day, someone will decode our electronic com.............munication

ugh

and say: wtf were they thinking?



But ---- like, hasn't ANYONE seen The Hunger Games? Or Star Wars? This is like Emperor Palpatine's coronation bar nothing!!!

WHO thinks this is okay and normal? I just ...............

I can't. I can't even fathom that ANYONE would be .....................

what? We paid for this spectacle? We are now invested in this? I DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS MAN. I suckered into the Bible-thumping Anointing of Donald John Trump and think it was act...........