What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[celedhring]

Spain's pulled the escort ship we had in that carrier's task force, so I guess there's real chance of fireworks this time.

Why? This came out of nowhere all of a sudden.

[The Brain]

they just sink into it through a combination of lack of education and lack of foresight. 

and the second often comes with the first.
that is why education is preferable to arbitrary rules.

But education doesn't actually work for a LOT of people.

Studies have shown that there are a lot of people who just make bad decisions, even when they are completely educated and aware that they are making bad decisions.

There have been some interested studies done on this - an example that is often used is the Miranda warning. The social pressure to accede to the demands of authority figures is surprisingly high for a lot of people. A lot of people, even after being informed of their right to not talk, talk to the police anyway, even when it is abundantly clear that they should absolutely not do that.

I'm not really sure what we should do about that as a society. But I think the analogy to predatory lending is apt - we mostly focus on making sure people are informed. But there are a lot of people, who even when completely informed, still make decisions that are objectively terrible for them.

I used to pretty much say "Well, tough shit for them". But now I think a lot more that the "tough shit for them" response is not very useful.

On the other hand, the alternative is almost certainly some form of nanny-statism, right? And I am not fan of that either.

I think this is why I mostly come down on the "It depends on the particular circumstances" on damn near everything now - there aren't any principles at more than a very fundamental level.

Humans are what we are - people make bad decisions *predictably*. How do we account for that in policy?

Do you not actually care about freedom?

[derspiess]

He used to, but does not now.

[Valmy]

Having good policies that account for social realities instead of basing everything on ideology does not mean you do not care about freedom. Just as the same as not being willing to restrict everything in a fanatical attempt to ensure everybody gets treated fairly does not mean you do not care about justice.

[PDH]

Having good policies that account for social realities instead of basing everything on ideology does not mean you do not care about freedom. Just as the same as not being willing to restrict everything in a fanatical attempt to ensure everybody gets treated fairly does not mean you do not care about justice.

Commie

[The Brain]

Having good policies that account for social realities instead of basing everything on ideology does not mean you do not care about freedom. Just as the same as not being willing to restrict everything in a fanatical attempt to ensure everybody gets treated fairly does not mean you do not care about justice.

OK New Berkut.

[Valmy]

Having good policies that account for social realities instead of basing everything on ideology does not mean you do not care about freedom. Just as the same as not being willing to restrict everything in a fanatical attempt to ensure everybody gets treated fairly does not mean you do not care about justice.

OK New Berkut.

Well I mean there is the concept that your right to swing your fist ends when it connects with my face. So people's freedom to make idiotic decision might need to be curtailed the second it starts doing society wide damage to the rest of us. I mean it might not be but there is certainly a discussion that could be had without an obvious good answer, but rather perhaps only a less bad one.

[The Brain]

The Lord let Lucifer choose to fall.

[viper37]

Why? This came out of nowhere all of a sudden.

The Mike Pompeo effect.

[Berkut]

He used to, but does not now.

:Yawn:

That is just weak. And lazy.

[derspiess]

And true.

[Habbaku]

Pretty rich coming from a guy who carries so much water for the supporters of Trump.

[derspiess]

[crazy canuck]

"Anosognosia, also called "lack of insight," is a symptom of severe mental illness"

[The Minsky Moment]

The Conrad Black pardon isn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things - he has already served his sentence and suffered the reputational harm.  But it does exemplify what is wrong with this President.  The view that the vast powers of his office are not a public trust to be exercised in the public interest, but a personal spoil of war to be used to satisfy his whims, to enrich himself, and to reward cronies and toadies.