2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Martinus]

I don't know anything about David Duke, okay, I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. I don't know, did he endorse me? Or what's going on. Because I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists.

if he didn't know anything about Duke or the KKK, how did he know they were white supremacists?

If I were to give Trump the benefit of the doubt for one second (based on his later explanation on not hearing the question clearly)...I could understand reading/hearing that more as not understanding or knowing what it was exactly that DD and white supremacists had done (that is, endorsing DT), vs. simply not know what they are.

That's how I'd interpret it, given that right in the quote Trump asks, "I don't know, did he endorse me? Or what's going on".

Besides, he could have simply not remembered him right there. I mean, he is 70. He probably meets lots of people all the time.

[Jaron]

Overall, I'm okay with Trump but I wish he'd back off the talk of torture and give a straight answer on what he'd say to honest American Muslims. "We have a big problem and we have to get tough." isn't an acceptable answer.

[The Minsky Moment]

I think you have to be blind to not see the overt appeal to racism in that quote.

I disagree. In fact, I would say it is a pretty common observation everywhere that people migrating for economic reasons - in particular if it is a mass migration phenomenon over a close distance - are rarely the most successful ones - in fact, it is usually the opposite, and the incidence of crime is higher among them than the general populace from which they originate. It is true for Poles in the UK, it is true for Ukrainians in Poland and I have no reason to believe why it would not be true for Mexicans in the US.

And that's not even considering the illegal immigrants. I mean, unless I was in a situation where I was escaping an actual war, I can't imagine ever deciding to become an illegal immigrant - my discomfort and stress from breaking the law like that would be too high. So people who decide they can live like that must be wired differently than I am - i.e. their tolerance for illegal behaviour must be much higher than mine. So it is not a stretch to imagine they are also more likely to commit other crimes.

Two paragraphs devoid of a single verifiable fact.
Your man Trump would be proud.

[garbon]

I think you have to be blind to not see the overt appeal to racism in that quote.

I disagree. In fact, I would say it is a pretty common observation everywhere that people migrating for economic reasons - in particular if it is a mass migration phenomenon over a close distance - are rarely the most successful ones - in fact, it is usually the opposite, and the incidence of crime is higher among them than the general populace from which they originate. It is true for Poles in the UK, it is true for Ukrainians in Poland and I have no reason to believe why it would not be true for Mexicans in the US.

And that's not even considering the illegal immigrants. I mean, unless I was in a situation where I was escaping an actual war, I can't imagine ever deciding to become an illegal immigrant - my discomfort and stress from breaking the law like that would be too high. So people who decide they can live like that must be wired differently than I am - i.e. their tolerance for illegal behaviour must be much higher than mine. So it is not a stretch to imagine they are also more likely to commit other crimes.

Two paragraphs devoid of a single verifiable fact.
Your man Trump would be proud.

[Razgovory]

I think you have to be blind to not see the overt appeal to racism in that quote.

And that's not even considering the illegal immigrants. I mean, unless I was in a situation where I was escaping an actual war, I can't imagine ever deciding to become an illegal immigrant - my discomfort and stress from breaking the law like that would be too high. So people who decide they can live like that must be wired differently than I am - i.e. their tolerance for illegal behaviour must be much higher than mine. So it is not a stretch to imagine they are also more likely to commit other crimes.

Well, If Trump gets elected you might actually get to be one!  He bizarrely wants the US to reassess its commitment to NATO.  Apparently it's not profitable enough.

[Martinus]

Uh, uh, Raz. 

[Savonarola]

Several years ago, when Kwame was still mayor of Detroit, several pundits and community leader called Kwame a liar, a thief, a womanizer, a criminal and a thug; his supporters were almost entirely indifferent.  (Yes, his critics were correct; but I would assume his supporters wouldn't think so.)  Later Kwame said that some private citizens had called him the "N-word" and, by the way his supporters exploded with outrage you would have thought he was the next Nelson Mandela.

Reading the past few pages here reminded of that.  Trump is an arrogant jerk, a schoolyard bully, an ignoramus, filled to the brim with vanity and besotted by hubris.  None of that is controversial; (in fact it seems to be a large part of Trump's appeal.)  Whether or not he's a racist ; now that's controversial.

[Grey Fox]

I think you have to be blind to not see the overt appeal to racism in that quote.

And that's not even considering the illegal immigrants. I mean, unless I was in a situation where I was escaping an actual war, I can't imagine ever deciding to become an illegal immigrant - my discomfort and stress from breaking the law like that would be too high. So people who decide they can live like that must be wired differently than I am - i.e. their tolerance for illegal behaviour must be much higher than mine. So it is not a stretch to imagine they are also more likely to commit other crimes.

Well, If Trump gets elected you might actually get to be one!  He bizarrely wants the US to reassess its commitment to NATO.  Apparently it's not profitable enough.

He's right tho, its not profitable for the USA, not anymore.

[merithyn]

Trump, Cruz, and Kasich have all declared that if they don't win the primary, there is a chance that they will run as independents.

Wonder if Sanders and Clinton will also declare that. In which case, we could have a five-way run for the President!*



*In states that would allow them to jump in that late in the game

[Valmy]

No way Clinton does that. Sanders is not technically a Democrat but I don't think he would do that either.

[Razgovory]

Uh, uh, Raz. 

Yeah, he's been saying some weird stuff about our system of alliances.  If the US quits NATO or simply "tries to get a better deal", that pretty much destroys the alliance.  Without NATO, I think the Russians would be very keen to restore their empire.

[Barrister]

Trump, Cruz, and Kasich have all declared that if they don't win the primary, there is a chance that they will run as independents.

Wonder if Sanders and Clinton will also declare that. In which case, we could have a five-way run for the President!*



*In states that would allow them to jump in that late in the game

You've hit on the problem though - several states require an exorbitant number of signatures, and they need to be filed soon, in order to get on the ballot.

Ross Perot in 1992 was already well into organizing a ballot drive by March.  You can't wait until the summer to make a credible third-party campaign for President.

[merithyn]

Trump, Cruz, and Kasich have all declared that if they don't win the primary, there is a chance that they will run as independents.

Wonder if Sanders and Clinton will also declare that. In which case, we could have a five-way run for the President!*



*In states that would allow them to jump in that late in the game

You've hit on the problem though - several states require an exorbitant number of signatures, and they need to be filed soon, in order to get on the ballot.

Ross Perot in 1992 was already well into organizing a ballot drive by March.  You can't wait until the summer to make a credible third-party campaign for President.

I understand that. And you understand that. I'm not 100% sure that Trump et al understand that....

[Martinus]

Plus Trump is capable of fucking up with Cruz even if he does not win.

[Razgovory]

Trump, Cruz, and Kasich have all declared that if they don't win the primary, there is a chance that they will run as independents.

Wonder if Sanders and Clinton will also declare that. In which case, we could have a five-way run for the President!*



*In states that would allow them to jump in that late in the game

You've hit on the problem though - several states require an exorbitant number of signatures, and they need to be filed soon, in order to get on the ballot.

Ross Perot in 1992 was already well into organizing a ballot drive by March.  You can't wait until the summer to make a credible third-party campaign for President.

I understand that. And you understand that. I'm not 100% sure that Trump et al understand that....

Also there is a strong element of spite here.  Cruz hates Trump.  I have no idea if Trump actually hates Cruz, he may just be thoughtlessly cruel as a matter of course.  I could totally see Cruz sabotage Trump's election just because he hates the man.  Trump might do the same thing because he's a complete jackass.