What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Jacob]

Can we finally withdraw the last benefit of the doubt, and treat him for what he very convincingly appears to be?

I think most of us have fairly firm opinions of each other already.

[frunk]

I don't agree with the false equivalency, but I think there is a fair point that the condoning of vigilantism in the service of stopping Nazis is a pretty dangerous road to go down.  Once you open the door to approving of non-Governmental actors being allowed to exercise violence, however noble the intentions, I think it will only serve to push people towards the extremes.  That's all terrorists, Nazis and other extremists want, the eroding of government and the rule of law so that they can be the "saviors" of a crumbling society.

[Syt]

Anytime I think Trump couldn't possibly disgust me any more, I wake up to a new fresh idiocy.

[DGuller]

Can we finally withdraw the last benefit of the doubt, and treat him for what he very convincingly appears to be?

I think most of us have fairly firm opinions of each other already.

I don't know, it seems like a lot of posters keep talking to that guy as if he's a decent person who can be reasoned with.  For the life of me I can't see what would ever give people that idea.  I guess you tend to humanize people you socialize with for a number of years, and people you would normally perceive as irredeemable if they were strangers you just regard as flawed instead.

[jimmy olsen]

I don't agree with the false equivalency, but I think there is a fair point that the condoning of vigilantism in the service of stopping Nazis is a pretty dangerous road to go down.  Once you open the door to approving of non-Governmental actors being allowed to exercise violence, however noble the intentions, I think it will only serve to push people towards the extremes.  That's all terrorists, Nazis and other extremists want, the eroding of government and the rule of law so that they can be the "saviors" of a crumbling society.

If the police didn't treat White Supremacist protesters with kid gloves and protected the counter protesters from harm, there wouldn't need to be vigilantes.

If that had been a march by Black Panthers with torches and shields, shepherded by paramilitaries dressed in camo and bearing guns, they would have been crushed by the state. 

[Syt]

[DGuller]

I don't agree with the false equivalency, but I think there is a fair point that the condoning of vigilantism in the service of stopping Nazis is a pretty dangerous road to go down.  Once you open the door to approving of non-Governmental actors being allowed to exercise violence, however noble the intentions, I think it will only serve to push people towards the extremes.  That's all terrorists, Nazis and other extremists want, the eroding of government and the rule of law so that they can be the "saviors" of a crumbling society.

Let's remember that sometimes the majority is wrong and the fringe unpopular minority is on the right side of history.  For example, half a century ago, it was the gays that were outed, with all the similar ostracism by "non-state actors".  If the tools you want to employ against the Nazis today would've worked just as well against gays in a homophobic society, they are probably too dangerous to deploy in a liberal society.

[Valmy]

Anytime I think Trump couldn't possibly disgust me any more, I wake up to a new fresh idiocy.

I thought he had done something halfway decent there then he goes and doubles down. Holy shit.

[jimmy olsen]

Anytime I think Trump couldn't possibly disgust me any more, I wake up to a new fresh idiocy.

I thought he had done something halfway decent there then he goes and doubles down. Holy shit.

You didn't buy his second statement for a second did you? It was dragged out of him like an apology by a petulant child.

It took him two days to make the weakest, most mealy mouthed condemnation of Nazis ever heard. He was spitting fire on Twitter in 55 minutes at the CEO of Merck for resigning in protest of his weak statement.

He has shown where he stands and it's with the Klan. He is without a doubt the most racist president since Woodrow Wilson.

[Valmy]

It wasn't that I bought it I was just glad he finally did the bare minimum I would expect from a Pres...for a few hours anyway.

[Syt]

Meanwhile, Obama's post-Charlotteville tweet is the most liked ever on Twitter. DOnald must be furious.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/16/barack-obama-anti-racism-most-liked-tweet-ever-charlottesville

[derspiess]

You guys are giving neo-Nazis way too much attention, and making them seem more powerful and relevant than they are.

Spicy for the three-for in classic apologia!

1. The other side is just as bad!
2. It's not real! You're making it up!

and now

3. It's your fault for giving them attention in the first place!

You're just all in on the Nazi apologism, huh? I was kind of hoping that recent developments would've given you cause for a bit of self-reflection, but I guess everything's still hunky-dory in your world.

Can we finally withdraw the last benefit of the doubt, and treat him for what he very convincingly appears to be?

Which is what?

[The Minsky Moment]

Three days and Mr. and Mrs. Kushner will have to show themselves in shul.  Awkward.

[jimmy olsen]

It wasn't that I bought it I was just glad he finally did the bare minimum I would expect from a Pres...for a few hours anyway.

You should have known an outburst was coming, when his handlers force him to behave he always stews in his anger and petulance, and blows up bigger down the road.

Face the facts Valmy, this is literally our president, but stupider.

[Jacob]

Which is what?

What is a second baseman.