Why is Trump so stupid?

[Rick345]

If you read the books it was a barely there campaign, in large part.

Trump’s ability to parlay his campaign success in Mobile, Alabama into a strategy was genius..

While Trump has always been interested in politics I used to argue with him on radio call in shows in the ‘70’s.. I live in Alabama but grew up in New York. Anyhow he was a regular on call in talk shows sometimes as a guest but most often as a regular caller. He has a long standing active interest in politics.

Anyhow he told the story of his success in Mobile over and over again.. Its a good story I don’t blame him for telling it.. The story: He booked the Sangier Theater for a rally, it holds maybe 500. More people than that wanted to come so they booked the Civil Center it holds 2K, soon that wasn’t big enough, so they book Ladd Stadium it holds 60K, soon that wasn’t big enough so all five local TV stations agreed to broadcast the rally which gave him coverage from Louisiana to Panama City, Florida.

So he went from 500 people hearing his speech to maybe 2 million hearing his speech I don’t know if Trump orchestrated any of that or it was just dumb luck. I think first Mobile is kind of back water on the political circuit so people were excited to see and meet a candidate. When venues started selling out people want to go see what all the hoopla was about..

He was speaking to a group of American who loved the flag, hated anyone who didn’t, were very tribal, hard working folks who have been screwed over by the government and everyone else for generations. He tapped into that and ran with it..

While I honestly think Trump started his campaign as a joke after Mobile, a story he told over and over, he thought people actually wanted him to run.. So it became a real campaign.

 

[Sean Renaud]

I'm not sure Trump's campaign was genius so much as at first nobody him seriously. Hell I half joked that Trump was in it with Hillary. His job was just to make the Republican Party look like fucking jokes. Which in my opinion he managed just the MAGAts at the time I think they were like the Freedom Party or something stupid and before that they were the TEA Party. They had so many choices that year that it narrowed itself down. A sufficiently famous or rich turnip could probably have pulled that.

Nobody likes Hillary. Its not her fault not everybody was born with charisma. If I was any lower on the charisma scale myself my name would be Gollum. Knowledge wise she was over qualified. Either way it worked for Donald. There is a built in base and a lot of people looked at Hillary and Trump and stayed home. How bad could it be? A lot of them spent at lesast a few kicking themselves.

That was lightning in a bottle in my opinion. I could be wrong and we'll have to see how this goes since he's gonna spend most of the year off the table so to speak. While I doubt it there is a narrow chance he actually goes to jail and with any luck Biden doesn't pardon him but I'm not ruling that part out.

Either way being good at somethings and bad at others is just to be human. He's an excellent salesman a more than adequate performer. He does understand business. I don't think he understood how much damage he did to America's image when he spend his time flipping between speaking about how great various dictators were, proving America can't be trusted long term. We might pull out of climate deals or nuclear deals now he's threatening to let Putin run wild if they haven't paid in full. I've support the others paying their fair share BUT I've seen the numbers. If the goal is saving money that's not really gonna do much.

 

[jaF0]

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The Don did not win '16. Wasserman -Schultz lost it for America. Had she not messed with the primaries, the Dems may have had a real candidate. Then the 'Pubs would have nominated somebody sane. The Don was the 'Pubs revenge for the Dems nominating that thing.

 

[Sean Renaud]

While I disagree with that sentiment the reality is it doesn't matter how Trump became president. Fact is he did. Don wasn't revenge for Dems nominating Hillay. A black man had just been president and a woman was about to be. This was revenge and spite and we've seen and its farther reaching effects. Nobody forced a single state to restrict or virtually ban abortions. Nobody made Abbot and DeSantis cry out against woke, books, Disney or shipping immigrants to sanctuary states. Don wasn't even the first person on about Obama's birth certificate. I bring that up because this is who they are. Enough of a majority to form policy anyway and the others haven't decided that kind of behavior is unnacceptable and we will vote for the other guy if you do this stupid shit.

People twist themselves into pretzels trying to claim Republicans are just like the rest of us and would never try to steal rights.

 

[Rick345]

I don't think he understood how much damage he did to America's image when he spend his time flipping between speaking about how great various dictators were, proving America can't be trusted long term. We might pull out of climate deals or nuclear deals now he's threatening to let Putin run wild if they haven't paid in full. I've support the others paying their fair share BUT I've seen the numbers. If the goal is saving money that's not really gonna do much.

Via the Constitution, Trump or any president does not have the authority to break a treaty. Treaties according to Constitution are binding agreements between the US and any nation(s) in that treaty.

The treaty says if a county attacks one of our NATO allies we are to respond as if it were an attack on the US itself. Regardless of what monies have been paid or owed, in fact the money situation is completely irreverent. As you said it goes to preserving the trust in America which most (except Trump) would say is priceless. That goes for all treaties Trump has ignorantly tired to weasel out of..

To keep it simple you give your word you keep your word.

Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution:
Treaties: The president can make treaties with other countries, with the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate. Treaties are binding agreements between nations and become part of international law.

NATO Treaty
Article 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.

 

[jaF0]

Via the Constitution, Trump or any president does not have the authority to break a treaty. Treaties according to Constitution are binding agreements between the US and any nation(s) in that treaty.

Like I said before, ask millions of Native Americans, many tens of thousands of which are now dead as a result of the Government breaking treaties.

 

[Rick345]

Like I said before, ask millions of Native Americans, many tens of thousands of which are now dead as a result of the Government breaking treaties.

How much money the government has had to pay out because of not honoring those treaties?

 

[jomar]

Trump’s ability to parlay his campaign success in Mobile, Alabama into a strategy was genius..

He is nothing if not a natural salesman and a large scale grifter

While Trump has always been interested in politics I used to argue with him on radio call in shows in the ‘70’s.. I live in Alabama but grew up in New York. Anyhow he was a regular on call in talk shows sometimes as a guest but most often as a regular caller. He has a long standing active interest in politics.

A person I know was in a meeting with trump about trump business in NY back in the day. They were shocked at how absolutely ill informed Trump was on the topics being discussed. trump was the least knowledgeable person in the room

Anyhow he told the story of his success in Mobile over and over again.. Its a good story I don’t blame him for telling it.. The story: He booked the Sangier Theater for a rally, it holds maybe 500. More people than that wanted to come so they booked the Civil Center it holds 2K, soon that wasn’t big enough, so they book Ladd Stadium it holds 60K, soon that wasn’t big enough so all five local TV stations agreed to broadcast the rally which gave him coverage from Louisiana to Panama City, Florida.

So he went from 500 people hearing his speech to maybe 2 million hearing his speech I don’t know if Trump orchestrated any of that or it was just dumb luck. I think first Mobile is kind of back water on the political circuit so people were excited to see and meet a candidate. When venues started selling out people want to go see what all the hoopla was about..

I’m sure that story has leaks like a sieve. His audience did grow, but recall what he claimed about his inaugural crowd.

He was speaking to a group of American who loved the flag, hated anyone who didn’t, were very tribal, hard working folks who have been screwed over by the government and everyone else for generations. He tapped into that and ran with it..

Yep

While I honestly think Trump started his campaign as a joke after Mobile, a story he told over and over, he thought people actually wanted him to run.. So it became a real campaign.

He definitely tapped into the underwater part of the iceburg. IIRC, he seemed shocked he won an he had zero transition team in place, suggesting he wasn’t taking it too seriously.

 

[Rick345]

He is nothing if not a natural salesman and a large scale grifter

agreed

A person I know was in a meeting with trump about trump business in NY back in the day. They were shocked at how absolutely ill informed Trump was on the topics being discussed. trump was the least knowledgeable person in the room

agreed

I’m sure that story has leaks like a sieve. His audience did grow, but recall what he claimed about his inaugural crowd.

that story is legit I have first hand knowledge that it is true.. At the time I had connections to all the places me. trump doesn't lie all the time just 99.99999999999999999999999% of the time

He definitely tapped into the underwater part of the iceburg. IIRC, he seemed shocked he won an he had zero transition team in place, suggesting he wasn’t taking it too seriously.

Yep

 

[HisArpy]

I spoonfed you the fact that MacArthur ran for president and documented it with objective historical material. But since we are a slow learner, let me review in 1944 General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was Supreme Commander of the Pacific Theater. In 1944 he also ran in the republican primaries for the office of the president of the United States of America..

Just because you ignore the facts that doesn't change them..

dudly, there's no conflict with yourself as a member of the military once you're elected to office since you cannot hold both the office and the former position.

Nikki's husband however is not campaigning for office and, in the unlikely event Nikki Haley would win the election, could continue to hold his rank and position in the military thereby setting up a conflict of interest for HER, not her husband.

Thus your reference is inapplicable because it doesn't fit the facts; MacArthurs WIFE wasn't running for office, HE was.

 

[HisArpy]

Hubris (/ˈhjuːbrɪs/; from Ancient Greek ὕβρις (húbris) 'pride, insolence, outrage'), or less frequently hybris (/ˈhaɪbrɪs/), describes a personality quality of extreme or excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence and complacency, often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance.

You picked an excellent word to describe Donald Trump's personality flaws. Dangerous in politics is not a good character trait nor is arrogance.

Ummm, yeah, whatever you wanna think dudly.

 

[Maleboobs]

View attachment 2317028that's how a painter in Europe saw him...

 

[HisArpy]

Via the Constitution, Trump or any president does not have the authority to break a treaty. Treaties according to Constitution are binding agreements between the US and any nation(s) in that treaty.

The treaty says if a county attacks one of our NATO allies we are to respond as if it were an attack on the US itself. Regardless of what monies have been paid or owed, in fact the money situation is completely irreverent. As you said it goes to preserving the trust in America which most (except Trump) would say is priceless. That goes for all treaties Trump has ignorantly tired to weasel out of..

To keep it simple you give your word you keep your word.

Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution:
Treaties: The president can make treaties with other countries, with the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate. Treaties are binding agreements between nations and become part of international law.

NATO Treaty
Article 5
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.

Spin and opinion based on biased media talking points. Please stop confusing real world facts with the bullshit the MSM and deep state are feeding you.

 

[Rotadom]

Spin and opinion based on biased media talking points. Please stop confusing real world facts with the bullshit the MSM and deep state are feeding you.

This is why you are not a serious person and you are treated as such.

Via the Constitution

The treaty says

Treaties according to Constitution are binding agreements

Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution:
Treaties: The president can make treaties with other countries, with the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate. Treaties are binding agreements between nations and become part of international law.

NATO Treaty
Article 5

 

[Sean Renaud]

I think many of you think far, far too highly about the practical value of the Constitution. People generally do not give a shit about the Constitution especially not until they are losing an argument on its merits. If we actually followed the Constitution California and New York would essentially pick the president the rest of you be damned but we stopped doing that about a century ago. While in someways it was wise in other ways it completely fucked voting with our feet.

More on subject the President may not have the legal ability to break a treaty but I'm sure there are all sorts of bullshit ways we could honor the text but not the spirit. More importantly the military is made up primarily of men between 18 and maybe 30 as I recall. Most people only do one term but even if my estimate is off the important part here is your dealing with young men who have been heavily indoctrinated. You better hope they value a piece of paper more than the chain of command.

I would not make that bet.

 

[LLCox]

Kansas City Chief's Isiah Pacheco carries a goat during Super bowl parade.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1757839039166575017

 

[Rick345]

I think many of you think far, far too highly about the practical value of the Constitution. People generally do not give a shit about the Constitution especially not until they are losing an argument on its merits. If we actually followed the Constitution California and New York would essentially pick the president the rest of you be damned but we stopped doing that about a century ago.

What did we stop doing a century ago?

More on subject the President may not have the legal ability to break a treaty but I'm sure there are all sorts of bullshit ways we could honor the text but not the spirit. More importantly the military is made up primarily of men between 18 and maybe 30 as I recall. Most people only do one term but even if my estimate is off the important part here is your dealing with young men who have been heavily indoctrinated. You better hope they value a piece of paper more than the chain of command.

Everyone in the military from E1 up takes classes about that piece of paper and everyone of them took an oath to uphold and defend that piece of paper. In addition they take that oath very seriously for example in 2016 when Trump was talking about waterboarding Gen Dunford stright out said waterboarding was fond to be unconstitutional so the military wasn't going to do it and if Trump wanted to water torture anyone he better bring his own damn bucket.

 

[gillrich]

why are people so stupid that they will vote for him actually

 

[jaF0]

He is nothing if not a natural salesman and a large scale grifter

I describe him as carnival barker.

Come one, come all, see what we made up to make you believe in this.

 

[KeithD]

why are people so stupid that they will vote for him actually

He frees them to reveal they are rotten as he is.

 

[Sean Renaud]

What did we stop doing a century ago?

Everyone in the military from E1 up takes classes about that piece of paper and everyone of them took an oath to uphold and defend that piece of paper. In addition they take that oath very seriously for example in 2016 when Trump was talking about waterboarding Gen Dunford stright out said waterboarding was fond to be unconstitutional so the military wasn't going to do it and if Trump wanted to water torture anyone he better bring his own damn bucket.

We've stopped adding members to the House. Per the Constitution we get no more than one rep for every 30k people.

https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-1/
https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1901-1950/The-Permanent-Apportionment-Act-of-1929/

While I missed that story Waterboarding was illegal when Bush had it done. Gitmo still happened just fine. The Secret Service as well as police, FBI all of that pull heavily from the military. The SS on duty around J6 somehow all had erased phone records. I mean that doesn't count as proof they were in on it with Trump. In the same way that Father Clarence being moved from an LA church to one in Anchorage doesn't prove the Cardinal of LA knew what was going on.

If you think that what amounts to a bunch of children are going to follow a piece of paper over a flesh and blood man I'm not sure if I envy or pity your faith in humanity. You're still wrong. Having served I would barely have taken that bet on myself. That's the kind of shit where you get sent to retrieve some gear and your unit gets ambushed sustaining only light injuries and one causualty.

I knew good and damn well Saddam didn't have nukes. Anybody with a brain did. I didn't refuse unlawful orders and go to Levenworth. Assuming I didn't get stabby stabbed to death I'd probably still be there.

 

[Rick345]

We've stopped adding members to the House. Per the Constitution we get no more than one rep for every 30k people.

While a representative for every 30K would have made the number of representatives cumbersome aka 11K it wouldn’t have given California or Texas any more of clout in elections than they have today.. Today like then representatives are portioned out by percentage of population. The one thing I think screws the results is winner take all. With winner take all you need only 12 states to become president. With proportional voting you’d need about twenty. I think that’s more in line with the ideas this country was founded on.

In fact with winner take all a candidate actually has to campaign in only 5 or 6 states to win the election. No body thinks about it but California has more republicans than any other state in the nation, but when it come to presidential elections they might as well stay home. The electing a president by popular would give California and Texas too much clout but I think proportional voting may work. But that’s a whole other post..

While I missed that story Waterboarding was illegal when Bush had it done. Gitmo still happened just fine. The Secret Service as well as police, FBI all of that pull heavily from the military. The SS on duty around J6 somehow all had erased phone records. I mean that doesn't count as proof they were in on it with Trump. In the same way that Father Clarence being moved from an LA church to one in Anchorage doesn't prove the Cardinal of LA knew what was going on.

This reason we have bases in places like Guantanamo and Diego Garcia is so we can operate without that pesky piece of paper getting in the way. I wish it wasn’t so.. As you may remember the talk about putting Iraqi captives in ADX Florence and it was nixed because if on American soil they would be granted certain rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

As per SS deleting calls and texts that rumor turned out to be false, according to Guglielmi who said in a statement. "In fact, the Secret Service has been fully cooperating with the OIG in every respect – whether it be interviews, documents, emails, or texts."

Guglielmi said the agency provided the IG with approximately 786,176 unredacted emails, and 7,678 team chat messages by Secret Service employees referencing conversations and operational details pertaining to Jan. 6 and preparations leading up to it. Were all SS emails, and conversations recovered, no. But there wasn’t a plan to purposely delete everything either.

To be honest I have no idea who Father Clarence is or how he fits into all this if at all.

If you think that what amounts to a bunch of children are going to follow a piece of paper over a flesh and blood man I'm not sure if I envy or pity your faith in humanity. You're still wrong. Having served I would barely have taken that bet on myself. That's the kind of shit where you get sent to retrieve some gear and your unit gets ambushed sustaining only light injuries and one causualty.

I knew good and damn well Saddam didn't have nukes. Anybody with a brain did. I didn't refuse unlawful orders and go to Levenworth. Assuming I didn't get stabby stabbed to death I'd probably still be there.

As far as Iraqi and weapons of mass destruction, every one knew he has chemical and probably biological weapons of mass destruction. It was thought he had the capacity to make nuclear weapons I’m not sure anybody thought he had them at the time. The excuse to go into Iraq was if he had the facilities to manufacture the parts to make nuclear weapons destroy those facilities and materials. I was against the second Iraqi War from the get go. I did favor Iraq War I.

While the Constitution is sometimes is ignored it is called into play eventually.. Abu Ghraib for example.

Politics as dirty as it is keeps both sides in check.. Republicans don’t let Democrats get too far out of line and vice-versa.

But back to the main question should America keep it’s word to its allies? Or not?

 

[Rick345]

Spin and opinion based on biased media talking points. Please stop confusing real world facts with the bullshit the MSM and deep state are feeding you.

What is MSM?

 

[Rick345]

I describe him as carnival barker.

Come one, come all, see what we made up to make you believe in this.

Carnival Barkers are mostly harmless Trump is not. CB's give you something in exchange for your hard earned dollar Trump does not. CB's tell the truth for the most part you are going to see a bearded lady, a contortionist, a crab boy.. With Trump it's all lies..

 

[HisArpy]

What is MSM?

And yet you feel qualified to opine...