2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Eddie Teach]

Rubio or Trump wife.  Which is hotter?

Rubio's wife has the prettier face, Trump's wife has kept her figure better.

[alfred russel]

Trump's wife married Trump. I have two reactions to that:

1) 

2) He is a billionaire (probably). It doesn't say much about his persuasiveness that he landed a hot woman. Seeing how Trump was reading from a bank statement and discussed his supposed audited net worth when announcing his campaign, it was probably done in the crassest way possible.

[Monoriu]

Trump is pretty good looking.  Lots of hair.  He convinced millions to want him to become president.  Also a very popular reality TV show star.  Seems to me he should have no problem getting a hot wife even if he is not a billionaire.  There are probably enough women who want to marry him that he can organise another reality show competition out of it. 

[alfred russel]

Trump is pretty good looking.  Lots of hair.  He convinced millions to want him to become president.  Also a very popular reality TV show star.  Seems to me he should have no problem getting a hot wife even if he is not a billionaire.  There are probably enough women who want to marry him that he can organise another reality show competition out of it.

But Mono, surely you realize he is only a reality TV star because he is a billionaire--that is his whole purpose on the show.

Also, he is only a presidential candidate of any note because he is a billionaire and a reality star.

Take away his money, and the only thing you cited that he has going for him are his looks and his hair. Which are national punchlines, regardless of how you are rating them.

[Razgovory]

He also was born wealthy.  Admittedly not as wealthy as he became, but it's much easier to become a billionaire when you start off with millions in real estate.  He has nothing to really recommend him to high office.  He can't put the US through bankruptcy court and come away profiting.

[Syt]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/donald-trump-voters/401408/?utm_source=SFFB

What Do Donald Trump Voters Actually Want?

30 of the billionaire real-estate developer's backers offer individual explanations for their support.

Last week, I asked Donald Trump supporters why they believe that the billionaire real-estate developer will treat them any better than the career politicians they mistrust.

The dozens of replies that I received from across the United States make up the largest collection I've encountered of Trump supporters setting forth their thinking in their own words. And having read through this non-representative sample, I understand the candidate's rise better than I did before. Broadly speaking, the men and women who wrote fall into two categories: Those who earnestly believe that Trump is the best choice to lead America and those who are motivated by giddyness at the chaotic spectacle of his success. Of course, anyone polling at the top of a major party is going to have supporters with all sorts of backgrounds and world views, and while the correspondence below includes several recurring themes, many of the rationales are singular.

The table of contents has internal links for those who want to jump to a given entry, but don't rely too heavily on the titles and short excerpts that I've chosen: Many of the responses contained so many rationales that summing them up proved impossible. Below the table of contents you may find all the letters, presented in their full text, in no particular order.

​* * *

Table of Contents

A Liberal Who Wants America to Win––"I feel that Trump is our only hope in this next election. This is coming from someone who voted for Obama in the last election!"

An Anarchist Who Revels in Destruction––"Like the joker from The Dark Knight, I just want to see the world burn."

Trump is Low Risk, High Reward––"I will vote for Donald Trump (and to a lesser extent Bernie Sanders) because he represents hope... And how much damage can he really do?"

Trump Has a Drive for Perfection––"He will expect greatness from us, he will tell us how to get to great, he will inspire people to be better than they are and have the hope that their efforts will not be thwarted by bigger government."

'I Just Want to Watch the Chaos...'––"I'm a young guy who is immature, a bit antisocial, and with no plans for kids or a wife ever. At some level, I don't really care how things go with America as long as it's fun to watch."

Trump is a Moderate Compromiser––"His problem, according to the rest of the GOP, is that he wants single-payer health care and that he doesn't want to completely defund Planned Parenthood. I don't agree with him but why is it a bad thing to be moderate? A moderate has a special ability to be a liaison between the parties."

Trump is a Corrective to American Culture's Pathologies––"The preeminence of political correctness among the culture class indicates a momentous shift away from formerly prominent middle-class cultural values towards something entirely different. Even if Donald Trump were to accomplish little in his presidency, there is a hope that were he president, he could in some way alter that prevailing Washington/media culture, and set a new cultural tone."

Trump Knows It's All a Joke––"Many are right; it's not about trusting Trump; it's a collective middle finger to the establishment... Trump isn't stupid, he gets it. He knows the more outrageous, the better."

Trump Embodies the Rage of the White Middle Class––"Politicians spend no time helping them. Black lives matter more and illegal immigrants who break the law get a free pass. Evangelicals in this country no longer feel they have the right to religious freedom and have watched what they perceive as a sacred institution in marriage gutted. All the while, politicians they voted for to represent them just plain don't."

Desperate People Cast Desperate Votes––"Wall Street, the banks, and even illegal immigrants seem to be prospering more than the average American citizen. We are desperate."

Trump Has Successfully Run Large Organizations––"He leads an enormous, diversified organization that is worth billions. This requires leadership. Leadership, by the way, is different from knowledge. When you lead a large organization you set vision, goals and expect results. You do not know every detail of every level of your organization. You can't. The world is just too complicated. You delegate and empower. You can get information when you need it and the president has no shortage of people ready to educate him on issues."

Trump is a Gamble Worth Taking––"I am of the belief that he is conceited and arrogant enough to avoid failing in front of the world at all cost."

Trump is Jay Gatsby––"Is it not better to place your chips on hopes and dreams rather than certain nightmares? Those of us who buy Trump's vision, nearly to the point of blind trust, are loudly professing our disgust with the current immoral situations that taint and threaten our blueprint of the American dream."

Trump is Bizarro Obama––"He's got what Obama had in 2007 except he doesn't have the press adoring him."

Trump is the Picture of American Greatness––"Think about John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan inspiring the world with leadership. Think of Babe Ruth, Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Rogers. The American 20th Century was a great one. Now think about the American headlines of today. What do you think of? War? Poverty? Political division? Do we see greatness in America still on a daily basis or even in the movies? The Trump Family is the picture of the American Dream ... When Donald Trump says that he wants to make America great again, I believe him."

Trump Will Govern as Steve Jobs Managed––"He will sucker in talent, tell them that their work is terrible, push them to achieve beyond what they think is possible, and then take credit for their successes as he tells America, and the world, that their projects are the best thing that has ever happened. This works. It's not pretty, but it works."

Trump is an Alpha-Male Who Loves America, Unlike Obama––"Trump has never lied to me whereas all of the other Republican politicians (like McConnell & Boehner) have. They don't fight for my side. Nobody fights for my side. Trump fights. Trump wins. I want an Alpha Male who is going to take it to the enemy. I am tired of supporting losers."

Trump Did Build That––"ONLY TRUMP has ever BUILT any REAL THINGS."

Trump Has Consistently Championed Protectionism––"On the two primary issues as to why I'm supporting Mr. Trump he has remained stunningly consistent."

Trump Put Illegal Immigration Front and Center––"We have horrendous problem with illegal aliens, sanctuary cities & crimes."

Trump Has the Tiger by the Tail––"The Tiger is the common working man that is tired of Politics and Washington continuing to screw us over... We want to give a businessman the chance to prove that this country can be great again!"

Trump is Not Rehearsed––"What you see is what you see, all the cards are on the table."

Trump's Nature is to Make the Best Deals Possible––"While Trump may very well have his own best interests at heart it's ok: his best interest is our best interest and that best interest is our property values and our economy. When our economy tanks, his property values go DOWN! If anyone would be interested in saving our country, it would be someone whose salary is directly tied to the value of the country we call the USA!"

Trump is the Lead in a Fabulous Mockumentary––"I'd vote for the candidate purely for the comedic value."

Bush Was a Disaster and Obama Felt Like One––"All a president has to do is not to be a completely incompetent moron, do a deal here and there, and make sure the most obvious things get done. It is really, really easy. But we can't get a candidate through the party system that is not a completely incompetent moron. And no, we don't think Donald Trump is in it to help us. Or anyone else other than himself. But he has his pride."

Trump is an Egomaniac––"Because he is 'crazy impulsive' he has no qualms to step on toes when he is on a roll, and correctness (neither political or ethical) enters in his objective."

14 Reasons for Supporting Trump––"He oversees 20 thousand employees in multiple business entities in successful pursuit of 100's of initiatives both domestic and worldwide."

Trump Has Successful Supporters––"I'm a college graduate, I have a Family, I work in an executive-level management position for a Fortune 500 company and I'm a homeowner. What I think you may find interesting is that I have a circle of friends, both men and women, who have similar concerns and backgrounds. We are all employed with excellent careers and we all are supporting Trump for President."

A Bernie Sanders Supporter Who'd Vote Trump Over Clinton––"While he might not deliver on his promises, he would certainly be a bull in the China shop of contemporary American politics, which has long needed destroying and rebuilding."

Trump Could Make the Speech Police Go Away––"I'm in my early 30s and I grew up in San Francisco in a liberal home. And I have a very difficult time keeping up with all the various appropriate and inappropriate terms used to reference people and their causes.Trump makes brash and uncompromising statements about issues many people feel very passionate about."

(Links to the supporters' full letters at the Atlantic's article)

[Eddie Teach]

That doesn't speak well for his chances at picking up a majority; the people who will support him for the lulz are mostly already doing so.

[derspiess]

I like John Kasich the most on the Republican side so far.

He supports local beer so he's okay. 

[derspiess]

My staunch Demoncrat co-worker was initially giddy about Trump being the frontrunner.  Now with Hillary polling so low among Republican and Independents he's starting to panic.

I showed him a couple fivethirtyeight articles showing how Trump will fizzle out in a few months before any of the polling really matters, but I think he's convinced that Trump will be the next prez

[DGuller]

Seriously, can Democrats find anyone who's not a Clinton, 98 years old, or a protest candidate?  Are they sure they turned over every dumpster in DC?  I will obviously still vote for the candidate from the party that has not completely lost its mooring in reality, but Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with our political culture that this is the kind of non-choice rational people face?

[derspiess]

Seriously, can Democrats find anyone who's not a Clinton, 98 years old, or a protest candidate?  Are they sure they turned over every dumpster in DC?  I will obviously still vote for the candidate from the party that has not completely lost its mooring in reality, but Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with our political culture that this is the kind of non-choice rational people face?

Some election cycles you get good candidates, other times you don't.  And sometimes the best ones are too smart to want the job.

[Barrister]

Seriously, can Democrats find anyone who's not a Clinton, 98 years old, or a protest candidate?  Are they sure they turned over every dumpster in DC?  I will obviously still vote for the candidate from the party that has not completely lost its mooring in reality, but Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with our political culture that this is the kind of non-choice rational people face?

And who would you like to see run on the Dem side DG?

[DGuller]

Seriously, can Democrats find anyone who's not a Clinton, 98 years old, or a protest candidate?  Are they sure they turned over every dumpster in DC?  I will obviously still vote for the candidate from the party that has not completely lost its mooring in reality, but Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with our political culture that this is the kind of non-choice rational people face?

And who would you like to see run on the Dem side DG?

Honestly, I don't know.  Democrats have been rather anonymous to me, apart from the past presidential candidates.  I actually don't know who the big names are.

[Valmy]

Where are all the Democratic Governors? They never seem to run anymore.

[frunk]

Seriously, can Democrats find anyone who's not a Clinton, 98 years old, or a protest candidate?  Are they sure they turned over every dumpster in DC?  I will obviously still vote for the candidate from the party that has not completely lost its mooring in reality, but Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with our political culture that this is the kind of non-choice rational people face?

The worst part about having a completely dysfunctional Republican candidacy (other than the obvious problem of limiting the choice to one party) is that the Democrats don't feel like they have to try very hard. 

I'm trying to think of a scenario that would make me happy with either candidate.  Kasich and hmm, Webb?  Such low odds that one of them let alone both get the nomination.