tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post7549267620977288707..comments2024-03-28T09:06:03.767-05:00Comments on Althouse: "In some ways, Trump would rather have people calling him racist than say he backed down the minute he was wrong."Ann Althousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-88062668977296182942017-08-18T12:09:50.072-05:002017-08-18T12:09:50.072-05:00Two thoughts.
In response to those who say Trump ...Two thoughts.<br /><br />In response to those who say Trump hasn't said or done anything racist, I note the following:<br /><br />a. participating in housing discrimination against African Americans that led to a settlement of claims by the federal government.<br /><br />b. the Kenyan birth lie--why tell it, and repeat it long after it was debunked, except to appeal to racism and xenophobia?<br /><br />c. the comment about Judge Curiel being unable to decide a case fairly because of his Mexican heritage, which Paul Ryan called a textbook example of racism.<br /><br />d. the repeated slurs aimed at illegal immigrants--"rapists," "bad hombres" etc.<br /><br />e. the lie about having personally seen American Muslims dancing in the streets after 9/11.<br /><br />f. his conduct with respect to the Central Park 5, both in demanding their punishment and refusing to recognize their full exoneration.<br /><br />g. Not knowing that Frederick Douglas was dead--a sign that his pretense of inclusiveness on MLK day was just that.<br /><br />And no acknowledgement or apologies for any of this stuff.<br /><br />I think it's a very reasonable inference that someone who does these things and doesn't apologize for them is racist. It seems to me undeniable that someone who does these kinds of things and doesn't apologize for them cannot possibly be serious in his claim that he wants to bring the country together unless he's delusional.<br /><br />As for wbfjrr2's suggestion that I am wilfully ignorant in suggesting that the quality of Presidential leadership and political skill is an important and often decisive factor in getting legislation passed, contrast FDR and LBJ with Jimmy Carter. I'd say the historical evidence is overwhelmingly in my favor. Put another way, wbfjrr2, Obama care repeal/reform failed by 1 vote in the Senate. Don't you think that a more politically skilled President could have moved one more vote? Seems obvious to me....<br /><br />Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00347013486956199318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-44963919634437816902017-08-17T22:31:38.572-05:002017-08-17T22:31:38.572-05:00Put another way, how do we know when a President i...Put another way, how do we know when a President is doing a good job? Have the things Trump has said or done increased our well being / safety / patriotism / mental health?PWShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04491883429193720858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-63468779879957551902017-08-17T22:09:12.816-05:002017-08-17T22:09:12.816-05:00Cue the 4 dimensional chess / chess-checkers / pok...Cue the 4 dimensional chess / chess-checkers / poker metaphors. So what is happening or will happen to show Trump is "winning"? How will we know that? Is it getting re-elected? Not being impeached? Popularity in polls goes up? What are the true stakes of this supposed game? (Other than the base being juiced up, it seems like everyone else doesn't like him or is mad.)PWShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04491883429193720858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-88163452633516089092017-08-17T21:15:42.779-05:002017-08-17T21:15:42.779-05:00make that the Emperors Clothes, NOT "importer...make that the Emperors Clothes, NOT "importers clothes". Shame on the word fill app.wbfjrr2https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355876367990343878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-87470380320237214572017-08-17T21:14:00.133-05:002017-08-17T21:14:00.133-05:00I'm amazed at what's happening in this cou...I'm amazed at what's happening in this country when the President of the US can state an obvious, empirically evident truth(ie both sides were violent and are bad dudes), videotape is freely available to show what happened, numerous first hand accounts corroborate him (even some honest reporters--I know, pretty much an oxymoron, yet he's then labelled a racist, moral equivalency purveyor, and wrong to have stated the obvious truth. Its like the importers clothes, only its the MSM, Left, Democrats, and GOPe who are naked. And soooo cowardly are the GOPe politicians that they cannot even support their own truthful president on this point.<br /><br />Speaking of GOPe cowards, I live in Arizona, so I sadly have McCain, Flake and Martha McSally as my congressional contingent, none of whom deserve my vote. McSally was among the first GOPe to call for Sessions to recuse--which is what really gave the RUSSIA slur momentum. Flake can't keep from falling all over himself criticizing Trump and Trump supporters. I intend to support the strongest primary opponents of McSally and Flake to the max degree my family can legally do in 2018, as both of these idiots are up for reelection then. If they (McSally and/or Flake) win the primary, I will not vote for them, I will sit out the election. McCain, happily, wont be with us much longer.<br /><br />Re Trump's base, etc, I belong to a large, very geographically and politically diverse sports club (made up of permanent residents here in Tucson, and myriad snowbirds from anywhere north of the sunbelt). I can state with absolute certainty that none of the people here who voted against Trump have changed their minds, and that none of the Trump voters have changed theirs. Given the fact of the electoral college being the determining factor in our Presidential elections, unless something changes, I don't see the 2020 election being much different from 2016, so you liberals can cry all you want about popular vote, but that just means you are over-represented in places that don't carry enough electoral votes to win, despite huge margins in CA, NY, IL, and MA.<br /><br />And for ARM and Steve, otherwise known as the willfully ignorant, a President can't have legislative victories unless the legislature legislates. Since the GOP Congress can't get anything positive done (they waste their time on RUSSIA because.. the MSM and Democrats) despite controlling both houses end every single committee in both houses, there hasn't been anything to sign on the big deal items, like Healthcare, Tax Reform, Border Security, Infrastructure, etc. Thus I will also contribute to whomever opposes Ryan in a primary next year (yes, he could lose--see Eric Cantor losing to an unknown a few years ago)as he's done absolutely nothing to progress the agenda we voted for.wbfjrr2https://www.blogger.com/profile/12355876367990343878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-11356757586884436722017-08-17T17:51:07.164-05:002017-08-17T17:51:07.164-05:00Trump's "genius"-- if you want to ca...Trump's "genius"-- if you want to call it that -- is in not being afraid to state the obvious-- ie that there were bad players on both sides at Charlottesville-- at a time when the PC narrative declares that one group is pure and the other is deplorable. He's willing to withstand the ensuing criticism because he knows that after the hysterical media has exhausted itself, the obvious facts will still be there to back him up.<br /><br />Maybe courage is a better word than genius. No other GOP member has the balls to fight the PC narrative. This is why Trump won and they lost. As imperfect as he is we need Trump for this one reason: the over-the-top dishonest media attacks on Trump are destroying their credibility. <br /><br />If the mainstream media refuses to go back to something resembling normal reporting, then the outlets should be destroyed and the divisive, shrieking hysterics should be replaced with intellectually honest people. Already there are thoughtful, credible freelance reporters on alternative media like Youtube taking their place for the under 50 crowd.Night Owlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04210637382517485619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-44653538983877474732017-08-17T16:08:43.697-05:002017-08-17T16:08:43.697-05:00Next, you have to assume his mother decided to hav...Next, you have to assume his mother decided to have her baby in a third world country rather than at a modern hospital in the United States. I can't understand why one would do that, if one had the option of giving birth in the US (I have family members who were born in hospitals in a desperately poor developing country, and they all came out fine, so it's not like they're terrible, but why would an American risk it?). <br /><br /><br />Ideological = - haha I don't need no white Western doctors, look at what Cuba/China/Kenya could do with barefoot medics or whatever! The young are often unrealistic.<br /><br />Obama made his bones on getting a wedge into people's private business and prying to see what would fall out. I have no problem with any tactic that would shed some light on his antecedents. If there's any dirt on a BC/COLB that could be used against him, why would that bother me or anyone really?Bad Lieutenanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18091901464339059169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-1761969064998322212017-08-17T16:07:47.676-05:002017-08-17T16:07:47.676-05:00@Balfegor,
The Kenyan birth theory was always abs...@Balfegor,<br /><br /><i>The Kenyan birth theory was always absurd.</i><br /><br />Yeah, pretty much. But, the jerking around of folks who had the temerity to ask that question of the Magical Mystery Tour that was the Obama campaign was ridiculous, too. It's a legitimate question, & one that was asked of McCain. Produce your birth certificate, be done with it, & move ahead. Acting like anyone who asked about that basic constitutional concern was racist to the bone was just another scene from what has now become the standard Democratic <i>opera seria.</i>YoungHegelianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02723316130501823658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-36738337495447966832017-08-17T16:07:28.274-05:002017-08-17T16:07:28.274-05:00Trump was right to call out both the [class] diver...Trump was right to call out both the [class] diversitists and color blocs. The Antifa fascists who arrived with the intent to deny civil rights, to stoke conflict, and their competitors who not only exercised their constitutional rights, but with a license, and presumably with oversight of the government.n.nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04252447117532342957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-58798197698138171512017-08-17T16:03:34.209-05:002017-08-17T16:03:34.209-05:00Blogger Stephen said...
"We don't realize...Blogger Stephen said...<br />"We don't realize how good this is getting."<br /><br />Is further marking himself as a racist in sympathy with other racists a good move for his political career and agenda (if he actually has one)?<br /><br /><br />I don't know the names of all the fallacies you are invoking, so let me just wade in: Trump hasn't said or done anything racist. He's been insulting or disrespectful to some people, some of whom are members of races or other privileged groups. <br /><br />Being black, or Jewish, or crippled, or Muslim, or gay, or the worst pilot in the Navy, I mean a war hero, doesn't entitle you to launch attacks on a man and not be attacked back.<br /><br />He's done just right in this instance. I would have been terribly disappointed if he did not fire back at the bolshiefas. Anarchists have been killing and destroying in this country before Hitler was a gleam in his daddy's eye. Communists have been tearing us apart longer than the Civil War.<br /><br />What, the birther deal? Feh. Tactical opportunity. Obama or his publisher said something stupid, HRC pounced on it, and it was free money to pound on him with it. Made him flinch. McCain and Cruz received similar scrutiny as have others, all whitey white. <br /><br />Obama laid himself out there to attract anything that might resemble racial remark, and battened on it. That's a scumbag for you. Again, there are white scumbags, that is not a racial remark. Saying he seemed like a wimp is not a racial remark. Saying he never met a Communist he didn't like is not a racial remark.<br /><br />We can't have people as sacred cows in this country. Not who haven't done a lot more than burn tax money at Altgeld Gardens and put their name on two autobiographies. What does an Obama type do when a Putin type calls him an [sigh] N-word? Curl up?> Give over the Balkans? Push the button?<br /><br />If you want to call the President a racist it is because you think it will be useful to do so. Nothing more. If you thought it would cost him votes you'd call him a Jew-lover.Bad Lieutenanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18091901464339059169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-54932964945706488722017-08-17T15:51:18.184-05:002017-08-17T15:51:18.184-05:00RE: John:
I always believed that Obama was born i...RE: John:<br /><br /><i>I always believed that Obama was born in Hawaii. I do have some questions about the birth certificate and fatherhood, but I believe he was born in Hawaii.</i><br /><br />The Kenyan birth theory was always absurd. And it's absurd because (1) Obama's parents met in Hawaii, (2) neither of his parents were fantastically wealthy, (3) Obama was born in <i>1961</i>, and (4) his father was a bigamist. <br /><br />International air travel in 1961 was time consuming and <a href="http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/air-travel-today-is-a-damn-bargain-951705216" rel="nofollow">expensive</a>. To get from Hawaii to Kenya in 1961 probably required a <i>lot</i> of stopovers (even today, I think you need at least two stops to get there). I don't have a firm basis for this (other than the general price schedule in the Gizmodo article I linked there, which includes neither Honolulu nor Nairobi), but just in light of the distances involved, I think it would be the equivalent of at least $10,000 today. A very expensive ticket. So you have to assume that his mother -- a 19 year old college student at the time -- bought (or had bought for her) an expensive plane ticket. His father was in the US at the time on a scholarship programme which paid for his ticket. Seems implausible that either of them would have been in a position to make such a huge expenditure.<br /><br />Next, you have to assume his mother decided to have her baby in a <i>third world country</i> rather than at a modern hospital in the United States. I can't understand why one would do that, <i>if</i> one had the option of giving birth in the US (I have family members who were born in hospitals in a desperately poor developing country, and they all came out fine, so it's not like they're terrible, but <i>why would an American risk it?</i>). <br /><br />And lastly, <i>his father was a bigamist</i>. Why on Earth would he be okay with his American concubine coming to his home country and finding out he was already married? It's just crazy.Balfegorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08012196656096263507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-8063573095794153432017-08-17T15:32:51.262-05:002017-08-17T15:32:51.262-05:00AReasonableMan said...
3rdGradePB_GoodPerson said....AReasonableMan said...<br />3rdGradePB_GoodPerson said...<br />Anywho, maybe you can outlaw self driving vehicles<br /><br />This is actually an interesting topic. Of all the bullshit ideas that currently infest our society at the moment the idea that self-driving cars are going to happen any time soon must rank pretty close to the top. <br /><br />This does not include self-driving cars running on specifically designed motorways, which already exist.<br />8/17/17, 11:44 AM<br /><br /><br /><br />Here's an example of Leftist discipline. PBJ believes in self-driving cars like that guy in The Music Man* believed in monorails. You just shanked him on that and gave him a sadz. Yet it will not get into an argument let alone a fight, because that would be Blue-on-Blue. <br /><br />Just see if he has the chance to do you later...<br /><br /><br />* Simpsons versionBad Lieutenanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18091901464339059169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-54096463548225708892017-08-17T15:29:24.619-05:002017-08-17T15:29:24.619-05:00I always believed that Obama was born in Hawaii. I...I always believed that Obama was born in Hawaii. I do have some questions about the birth certificate and fatherhood, but I believe he was born in Hawaii. The BC and fatherhood have nothing to do with his qualifications to be president. (I have always been a strong Obama supporter. I still think he is one of our greatest presidents. Most people would say I think that for the wrong reasons, though)<br /><br />I did say, back in 2008 that IF he had been born outside of the US that would be disqualifying for the presidency. <br /><br />I also said the same thing about McCain in 2008 and about Cruz in 2016.<br /><br />You could go look at old comments of mine here. <br /><br />So does believing that the "natural born citizen" provision requires constitutional citizenship (born in the US) not just statutory citizenship (like McCain & Cruz) make me a racist?<br /><br />Yes, I know there are many knowledgeable people, including our hostess, who think that Cruz, McCain and (if he had been born in Kenya) Obama qualify as "natural born"<br /><br />there are a lot of others, just as knowledgeable, who claim that they do not. <br /><br />I tend to think the president should be a constitutional citizen. <br /><br />But what do I know. I'm just a racist in your eyes so my opinion doesn't count. Right?<br /><br />John Henry John henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529920006532904660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-90476952495725505452017-08-17T15:19:09.878-05:002017-08-17T15:19:09.878-05:00Blogger Stephen said...
Jim,
Re racism, ...<br />Blogger Stephen said...<br /><br /> Jim,<br /><br /> Re racism, I'd say that pushing the birther canard and sticking to it for years counts as racist<br /><br />Why "racist", Stephen?<br /><br />It might be impolite, slanderous, factually wrong or a whole bunch of other things. If the pusher knew it was false, it would also be dishonest.<br /><br />But "racist"? <br /><br />How do you get there?<br /><br />John HenryJohn henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529920006532904660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-3656494110501310162017-08-17T15:16:21.787-05:002017-08-17T15:16:21.787-05:00He's playing chess in the fourth, maybe even t...He's playing chess in the fourth, maybe even the fifth, dimension.Brookzenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07890096380912383067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-89252266302184216962017-08-17T14:57:38.135-05:002017-08-17T14:57:38.135-05:00He was clumsy. he wasn't wrong. It isn't w...He was clumsy. he wasn't wrong. It isn't wrong to wait for some solid facts, and to not just accept initial reports. They are often wrong. This country has suffered mightily from people blindly accepting initial reports.<br />He wasn't wrong that in American politics there is violence from both ends, and he wasn't wrong to condemn all of it.<br />He wasn't wrong to condemn hatred tout court as well as specifically neo-nazis, the KKK, and others of their ilk.<br /><br />http://blog.dilbert.com/post/164297628606/how-to-know-youre-in-a-mass-hysteria-bubble Ken Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08207803092348071005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-29322734925162497132017-08-17T14:45:22.556-05:002017-08-17T14:45:22.556-05:00"What was stupid was The Left's childish ... "What was stupid was The Left's childish reaction, which was rightly mocked"<br /><br />FIFY. Your welcome.The Cracker Emcee Refulgenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092601135276316645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-32245615184883626812017-08-17T14:44:23.468-05:002017-08-17T14:44:23.468-05:00Here's my Occam's Razor explanation of why...Here's my Occam's Razor explanation of why President Trump has said what he said:<br /><br />Donald Trump's father Fred was arrested at a KKK rally in Queens in 1927. Let's say Fred was at that rally to protest whatever it was that the Klan was protesting, not as a Klan member, and got drawn into the melee that got him arrested. Isn't that the situation President Trump is sympathizing with? He could just be drawing on his personal family experience.Left Bank of the Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04494310302328322830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-18088981166915042632017-08-17T14:30:27.163-05:002017-08-17T14:30:27.163-05:00“ ... hypothesis ...”
Glorified daddy-trained ‘ki...<i>“ ... hypothesis ...”</i><br /><br />Glorified daddy-trained ‘killer’ rent collector failing internationally to collect transactional rents and in need of competent excuse makers and subject changers.Jael (Gone Windwalking)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09719090195190122118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-8405479863538612842017-08-17T14:04:28.044-05:002017-08-17T14:04:28.044-05:00Jim,
Re racism, I'd say that pushing the birt...Jim,<br /><br />Re racism, I'd say that pushing the birther canard and sticking to it for years counts as racist by any reasonable criterion. But perhaps you still believe the birther stuff was in good faith all along. There are, of course, many more examples, but I'm not sure that repeating them would help.<br /><br />Re whether Trump or Hillary looked better to you in 2016--that's no longer the issue and its not what Althouse was seeking to probe. Trump needs to hold or attract people who are closer to the center than you if he is to succeed in his first term and in 2020. What suggests to you that he is doing so or is likely to do so?<br /><br /><br /><br />Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00347013486956199318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-63327428765769343052017-08-17T13:53:42.056-05:002017-08-17T13:53:42.056-05:00"Wouldn't a well-played game on Trump'..."Wouldn't a well-played game on Trump's part involve some legislative achievement, some advancement of his policy goals?"<br /><br />Maybe you could fill us in on Hillary's legislative achievements and policy goals.<br /><br />Oh, wait.<br /><br />See. This is what people like you STILL don't get. As good or bad as Trump may be, he's still not Hillary.<br /><br />And that is more than enough for me.Jim athttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02271099587684174816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-32942087175552922982017-08-17T13:40:55.429-05:002017-08-17T13:40:55.429-05:00"Honest question: what has Trump said that pe..."Honest question: what has Trump said that people have decided is "racist?"<br /><br />He beat Hillary 304 - 227.<br /><br />That's all the racism they need.Jim athttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02271099587684174816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-43392830173185628792017-08-17T12:49:18.639-05:002017-08-17T12:49:18.639-05:00What is it with this checkers/chess thingy? Anybod...What is it with this checkers/chess thingy? Anybody who frames this analogy has never bet the rent on two pairs. The game we're watching is table stakes no limit poker, and Trump is pretty good at it.Roy Lofquisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16536815900678298041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-43858430848991594072017-08-17T12:40:27.487-05:002017-08-17T12:40:27.487-05:00Re: YoungHegelian:
The Congress flubbed health ca...Re: YoungHegelian:<br /><br /><i>The Congress flubbed health care. After all this time & promises to the electorate, the Republicans had no serious replacement plans ready to propose. I'm sorry --- how fucking stupid is that?</i><br /><br />It really is kind of funny. The Republicans were caught completely flatfooted by the fact that they won everything in 2016 -- the world absolutely <i>did not work</i> the way they thought it did. Balfegorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08012196656096263507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-18605257078979641902017-08-17T12:29:24.897-05:002017-08-17T12:29:24.897-05:00@Stephen,
If Trump had any real skills at reachin...@Stephen,<br /><br /><i>If Trump had any real skills at reaching out to others and advancing legislation (as he claimed he did in winning the election),</i><br /><br />The question is not how good Trump is at advancing an agenda, the question is how good is the Republican controlled Congress? The answer is: awful. <br /><br />The Congress flubbed health care. After all this time & promises to the electorate, the Republicans had no serious replacement plans ready to propose. I'm sorry --- how fucking stupid is that? Every time the Executive branch did something of dubious legality under Obama, Congress launched a committee to investigate the issue. Did any of those committees produce anything that had any legal import? Nope.<br /><br />Trump will not be held responsible for a do-nothing Congress by the folks who elected him because it's an article of faith among the Republican electorate that the Republican Congress can't find its butt cheeks with both hands & a mirror.<br /><br />Maybe Trump will be held responsible for a bad economy. Maybe for a high-level "real" scandal. But, from the viewpoint of Trump's electorate, his Executive Branch is the only branch that actually doing anything. YoungHegelianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02723316130501823658noreply@blogger.com