2016 elections - because it's never too early

[alfred russel]

I have to say, Trump so far seems to be a political genius.  Every time he does something that makes the talking heads again get their shovels out to dig his grave, his poll numbers actually do the opposite.  Of course, he could just be a poker player who goes all-in every hand.  It'll keep working until it doesn't.

But he is going up against Ben Carson.

At work, when politics come up I have always stayed quiet. I even extend this policy beyond work--even in my family, no one knows what I think politically--except with Donald Trump. He is so unsuited to be president, I don't see complaining about him so much as politics as pointing out a self evident truth. Rick Santorum vs. Donald Trump? No question I'm voting for Santorum. Bernie Sanders vs. Donald Trump? Sanders all the way. I usually don't even vote, but I'll make it a point to vote against Donald Trump.

But Ben Carson? How is he the guy that emerges to go against Trump? He may be the only guy in either field I consider to be potentially worse than Trump. At least Trump is a shrewd man. 

Lets see how Trump does when a substantial candidate emerges against him. Maybe that won't be until the general election with Clinton, but I suspect he will melt down before he gets there.

[DGuller]

Oh, I agree completely.  Not only is he unsuitable, but he's also appealing to the fascist leanings of so many Americans, which is another huge danger.  But just look at how many unconventional moves he pulled, against all political wisdom, and actually benefited from them?  Only people with good political instincts can pull that off.

[alfred russel]

Oh, I agree completely.  Not only is he unsuitable, but he's also appealing to the fascist leanings of so many Americans, which is another huge danger.  But just look at how many unconventional moves he pulled, against all political wisdom, and actually benefited from them?  Only people with good political instincts can pull that off.

I don't actually believe he is at all fascist, or racist, or a believer in the bullshit he is spewing. He avoided advocating all this stuff until the moment he begins running for president--quite a coincidence, isn't it?

He began advocating just the right nonsense to support an insurgent GOP primary campaign, if he gets out of the primaries, it will be interesting to see if he suddenly reinvents himself to support just the right nonsense for a GOP general election campaign.

[OttoVonBismarck]

Yeah, and in the past during his long business career in which he was often in the spotlight, Trump had various occasions on which he was interviewed on his politics. Most of those interviews expressed not only moderate ideas, but sometimes very liberal ones. He was a registered Democrat I believe until 2000 or so, and was in favor of a lot of lefty stuff before then.

Romney had a similar "skeleton in his closet" with his prior pro-choice and liberal Republican positions from his past in Massachusetts politics, and it was used often against him in the primary. That hasn't happened with Trump, at least not successfully, I think in part because Trump has immediately started spewing such populist far right stuff that anyone trying to "taint him" with the liberal label just get laughed out. I mean to the typical conservative Republican voter, calling a guy who wants to ban Muslims from coming into the country, build a wall on the Mexican border (and force Mexico to pay for it) and various other things liberal just isn't going to work. They aren't going to read between the lines which suggest Trump is an opportunist with shaky or minimal real positions on most issues, just playing to their base instincts.

[Tonitrus]

I think you're right.  Trump has been banging the "repeal Obamacare" drum as hard a can be...but he's advocated a Canadian health care model before (which is anathema to most who also hate Obamacare), and even in this campaign, has hinted at replacing Obamacare with an even more comprehensive health care system (whatever the hell that would be...but he has given his usual, vague, "everybody will be covered).

[Razgovory]

I don't believe that he really believes all that bullshit, unless he had some sort of near death experience where the ghost of George Wallace spoke to him.  And I'm typically a person who takes what a politicians says at his word.  But Trump is a Bullshit artist, always has been.  I don't know what his end game is, honestly.  This whole thing is baffling.  I thought the GOP had a good hand of candidates coming into this.  I figured it would be cake walk to beat Hillary, but I'll be damned if the GOP electorate seems interested in pulling defeat from the jaws of victory.

[MadImmortalMan]

if the GOP electorate seems interested in pulling defeat from the jaws of victory.

They have a long history of that.

[DGuller]

Oh, I agree completely.  Not only is he unsuitable, but he's also appealing to the fascist leanings of so many Americans, which is another huge danger.  But just look at how many unconventional moves he pulled, against all political wisdom, and actually benefited from them?  Only people with good political instincts can pull that off.

I don't actually believe he is at all fascist, or racist, or a believer in the bullshit he is spewing. He avoided advocating all this stuff until the moment he begins running for president--quite a coincidence, isn't it?

He began advocating just the right nonsense to support an insurgent GOP primary campaign, if he gets out of the primaries, it will be interesting to see if he suddenly reinvents himself to support just the right nonsense for a GOP general election campaign.

Oh, I don't for a minute believe it either.  But he's appealing to latent fascists and is making them open fascists.  If there is anything history teaches us, is that you can't cynically appeal to ugliness in people and then dial it down after mission is accomplished.  The forces you release will survive you or even bury you.  In a way, that is precisely what happened to establishment GOP, for one.

[Legbiter]

Come on guys, he's going to make America great again.

[Admiral Yi]

This election is starting to feel like a really weird acid trip.

[mongers]

This election is starting to feel like a really weird acid trip.

When did it get that good?

[Admiral Yi]

When did it get that good?

When someone posted that pic of the Donald's hair blowing in the wind.

[jimmy olsen]

I have to say, Trump so far seems to be a political genius.  Every time he does something that makes the talking heads again get their shovels out to dig his grave, his poll numbers actually do the opposite.  Of course, he could just be a poker player who goes all-in every hand.  It'll keep working until it doesn't.

Is it me, or are his mannerisms and body language on the stump, familiar?

[dps]

But Trump is a Bullshit artist, always has been. 

Yeah, even his business record, if you really look at it, isn't all that impressive in many ways.  While obviously he's had a lot of financial success, he's not what I'd consider a good businessman.  He does have a knack for self-promotion, though.

[DGuller]

But Trump is a Bullshit artist, always has been. 

Yeah, even his business record, if you really look at it, isn't all that impressive in many ways.  While obviously he's had a lot of financial success, he's not what I'd consider a good businessman.  He does have a knack for self-promotion, though.

In what ways is it not impressive?