2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Tonitrus]

Still nobody has pointed out what Trump has said or did that was actually racist (and no, I don't believe in "dog whistles").

Well how about the time when he was asked about having been endorsed by David Duke and the KKK and he replied with "I don't know anything about white supremacists I'll have to get back to you".

Not exactly what he said, but looking at the quote in context, (and presuming he is probably like about 80% of Americans who, if you asked on the street, would have had no idea who David Duke is)...I think there is plausible deniability there.


Trump has a lot of things he can be hit on, but I actually think the racist/Nazi tag is unfair.  Though, with his comments on immigration, I also understand why it manage to stick.

[Eddie Teach]

Trump just has racist followers. Not all of them, of course, but some of them. And people use this as a means to attack Trump.

Of course, Sanders followers are just as bad. I can't begin to count how often I've heard the line. "I can't believe black people support Hillary over Sanders. Don't they know Sanders marched for their rights?"

Translation: "Sanders bought and paid for these niggers. Why aren't they voting like we want them to?"

Funny how you're the only person hearing these things.

And of course, when the members of one race nearly all align behind one candidate, it's because the other candidates are racist. Certainly nothing to do with the voters.

[Valmy]

To me that just shows the insanity of our current immigration laws. Our laws are so impractical and so out of touch with reality that saying you are in favor of enforcing them makes you an extremist nazi who should be banned from college campuses

[Valmy]

Funny how you're the only person hearing these things.

Well he listens to what Fireblade has to say.

[garbon]

I don't think these college students are right but I'm also not going to be bent out of shape by college students being sensitive.

Oh was that a student? I thought it was the administration. 'Our students' and so forth and the promise that campus security was going to track down and punish this person.

Google search says that the writer is student body president. Even if it was the admin, I also wouldn't be surprised if they acted in line with what sensitive students want.

[Barrister]

Still nobody has pointed out what Trump has said or did that was actually racist (and no, I don't believe in "dog whistles").

Well how about the time when he was asked about having been endorsed by David Duke and the KKK and he replied with "I don't know anything about white supremacists I'll have to get back to you".

Not exactly what he said, but looking at the quote in context, (and presuming he is probably like about 80% of Americans who, if you asked on the street, would have had no idea who David Duke is)...I think there is plausible deniability there.


Trump has a lot of things he can be hit on, but I actually think the racist/Nazi tag is unfair.  Though, with his comments on immigration, I also understand why it manage to stick.

There's two responses to that.  First was when Trump was flirting with running for President in 2000 under the Reform Party banner, but then backed out and specifically named David Duke as one of the reasons.

But that was 15 years ago, so maybe he forgot.

But the second response I think is definitive.  Trump was asked about David Duke and the KKK.  It seems incredulous that Trump wouldn't know about the KKK (since his father was affiliated with them in the 1920s), but Trump's own answer puts the lie to his statement.  After being asked about David Duke and the KKK he says:

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?

[Jaron]

Really, Valmy? A few?

The people who have it good in Mexico aren't leaving. The people predominately coming over are poor working class people. And poor people tend to be more criminally inclined. It isn't racist, it's just fact regarding the poor. They're not well educated people. Not well cultured. They're people looking to make ends meet..and if that means they need to break the law then so be it. Sure, many are hard working and honest. A good number of them I think will get jobs in the US, save up money / send it back to Mexico and then return to Mexico and build a home or something. but...

The reverse would be if we sent all of our trailer trash / red necks to Mexico. They'd be complaining about their meth and gun problem in no time.

[frunk]

Really, Valmy? A few?

The people who have it good in Mexico aren't leaving. The people predominately coming over are poor working class people. And poor people tend to be more criminally inclined. It isn't racist, it's just fact regarding the poor. They're not well educated people. Not well cultured. They're people looking to make ends meet..and if that means they need to break the law then so be it. Sure, many are hard working and honest. A good number of them I think will get jobs in the US, save up money / send it back to Mexico and then return to Mexico and build a home or something. but...

The reverse would be if we sent all of our trailer trash / red necks to Mexico. They'd be complaining about their meth and gun problem in no time.

Except that if I was a criminal and I wanted to commit crime I'd much rather be in Mexico than in the US.  If I was criminal in Mexico I definitely wouldn't travel to somewhere with a stronger police system.

[Jaron]

Really, Valmy? A few?

The people who have it good in Mexico aren't leaving. The people predominately coming over are poor working class people. And poor people tend to be more criminally inclined. It isn't racist, it's just fact regarding the poor. They're not well educated people. Not well cultured. They're people looking to make ends meet..and if that means they need to break the law then so be it. Sure, many are hard working and honest. A good number of them I think will get jobs in the US, save up money / send it back to Mexico and then return to Mexico and build a home or something. but...

The reverse would be if we sent all of our trailer trash / red necks to Mexico. They'd be complaining about their meth and gun problem in no time.

Except that if I was a criminal and I wanted to commit crime I'd much rather be in Mexico than in the US.  If I was criminal in Mexico I definitely wouldn't travel to somewhere with a stronger police system.

You would if the value of what you steal is greater.

[Berkut]

Really, Valmy? A few?

The people who have it good in Mexico aren't leaving. The people predominately coming over are poor working class people. And poor people tend to be more criminally inclined. It isn't racist, it's just fact regarding the poor. They're not well educated people. Not well cultured. They're people looking to make ends meet..and if that means they need to break the law then so be it. Sure, many are hard working and honest. A good number of them I think will get jobs in the US, save up money / send it back to Mexico and then return to Mexico and build a home or something. but...

The reverse would be if we sent all of our trailer trash / red necks to Mexico. They'd be complaining about their meth and gun problem in no time.

Except that if I was a criminal and I wanted to commit crime I'd much rather be in Mexico than in the US.  If I was criminal in Mexico I definitely wouldn't travel to somewhere with a stronger police system.

You would if the value of what you steal is greater.

What is interesting about this line of argument is that it is based on something that is both

A) Not true, and
B) Well known to not be true.

Immigrants are LESS likely to be criminals than non-immigrants, both illegal and otherwise.

But don't let that stop you, I guess.

[Ancient Demon]

Still nobody has pointed out what Trump has said or did that was actually racist (and no, I don't believe in "dog whistles").

Well how about the time when he was asked about having been endorsed by David Duke and the KKK and he replied with "I don't know anything about white supremacists I'll have to get back to you".

So that should be seen as Trump accepting Duke's endorsement?

[The Minsky Moment]

States have a lot leeway in selecting Electors; doesn't make a lot of sense in this day and age but its a constitutional anachronism.

Why? How does the EU choose their head of state?

The EU doesn't have a head of state, and can't as it is not a state to begin with.
The EU is not a governance model I would rush to emulate either.

[The Minsky Moment]

Still nobody has pointed out what Trump has said or did that was actually racist (and no, I don't believe in "dog whistles").

Citing "Operation Wetback" as the basis for his immigration policy
"I can't condemn the KKK"

[The Minsky Moment]

Still nobody has pointed out what Trump has said or did that was actually racist (and no, I don't believe in "dog whistles").

Well how about the time when he was asked about having been endorsed by David Duke and the KKK and he replied with "I don't know anything about white supremacists I'll have to get back to you".

So that should be seen as Trump accepting Duke's endorsement?

It is saying he doesn't have a problem with racists.

[Ancient Demon]

To me that just shows the insanity of our current immigration laws. Our laws are so impractical and so out of touch with reality that saying you are in favor of enforcing them makes you an extremist nazi who should be banned from college campuses

Most Americans support enforcement of current immigration laws. I'm not sure how being disliked by some student radicals shows that the laws are insane.