5 minutes ago, Mikeasq60 said:

Unless your from America mind your business. 

If only America would care to reciprocate...

6 minutes ago, Mikeasq60 said:

Unless your from America mind your business. As far as what the US had for 8 years now that was a mess. And polls are useless remember when Hillary was bound to win, ya right

GS

1 hour ago, JAFO said:

1) No doubt Trump has done many things, Sadly the few good things he has accomplished are negated by his behavior. I personally expect more from the leader of the United States of America.

 

2) As for Clinton and Obama era, Didn't vote for either of them. They served and all wasn't all that bad. Look at it now. You like what is happening now with Trump at the helm? He has made being President his own reality game show. He is too old to be President. And while we are on this discussion, Notice how the public has seemed to ignore the fact that he openly admitted he paid for sex with a call girl while married? His wife hides now as she is ashamed and probably hopes it all goes away. 

 

3) Building a wall is laughable. That's like building a screen dam to hold water. Ever heard of tunnels? If you feel safer and that a big 30ft wall makes you feel better then donate more money to the cause. Its a big waste of cash. Let me be clear. I hate that the US has been over ran by immigrants. It bothers me even more that they seem to get preferential treatment that born and raised American citizens aren't afforded. It needs to stop but a wall is not the answer. Its just plain dumb.

 

4) Do not get me wrong, I love the USA. I am sad to see it losing some of its appeal. The people you say that would love to come live there from other countries, Sure they do...initially. It all looks so good on the news. Even my wife and her friends that have lived and visited said life you see in the news is not reality at all. 

 

5) You made it personal. I never said I was trying to keep up with the Joneses. My observation is I have watched many many people do it. The states is all about consumerism and one up the other guy. Bigger house, better car, gated community, bragging about what school their children go to etc etc. Very few seemed comfortable living for themselves and within their means. This constant competition keeps people in deep debt. Their children suffer as all I see now is obese kids with a tablet or cell phone stuffed in their face playing video games versus the parent actually paying attention to their child. 

 

Do I see things getting better....No. Is that Trumps fault...Absolutely not. He is just another pawn in a big chess game. He will come and go like they all do. The American voters got what they voted for.  The ball that's in motion cannot be stopped or changed. Its up to the individual to make the cognizant decision to make it a better place.  

I like this post.  It is a fairly balanced take on things.  What it didn't do though, for me, is put forward any solutions to bring about the change for better, which is one everyone would support.  All citizens try to live, exist even, within a given system of government, and if they are able to do that, they don't really want to rock the boat or return to the status quo ante.  Who is to say which system of government is the best at any time; who can say what a better system will be, a number of years hence? The grass is always greener, on the other side of the hill.  Sometimes it is harder to chew!

????

1 hour ago, billsmart said:

I couldn't disagree with you more. The US constantly needs to reexamine our founder's principles in the light of current situations, many of which were completely unknown to them. They were, also, all privileged White men living in a patriarchal society. Things have changed a lot since then, in spite of what Trump and his supporters want to think. Our founding fathers got us started in the right, general direction, but it is up to us to continue to steer the ship to try and avoid the hidden reefs of which they were unaware. 

Jeepers Creepers,I love my Constitution just the way it is! Especially when it comes to the Supreme Court Justices that interpret the laws, strict  constitutionalist. I don't want  modern day  liberal  activist with radical ideas, experimenting with what has worked for hundred's of years! 

 

2 hours ago, Brunolem said:

As Jim Kunstler puts it, Trump, a.k.a. the Golden Golem of Greatest, is the grossest white male that ever walked the Earth!

 

Yet, Trump is only one more autocrat to lead a major country, beside Putin and Xi, not to mention the smaller ones such as Orban, Duterte and the likes...all duly elected by the way (save Xi).

 

Do the voters feel some nostalgia about the 1930s, or is there a profound reason pushing them to vote for such leaders?

 

Do the same causes lead to the same effects?

Just curious, Brunolem. Did you consider Obama an autocrat?

3 minutes ago, allanos said:

I like this post.  It is a fairly balanced take on things.  What it didn't do though, for me, is put forward any solutions to bring about the change for better, which is one everyone would support.  All citizens try to live, exist even, within a given system of government, and if they are able to do that, they don't really want to rock the boat or return to the status quo ante.  Who is to say which system of government is the best at any time; who can say what a better system will be, a number of years hence? The grass is always greener, on the other side of the hill.  Sometimes it is harder to chew!

Item #3 above is way off the mark IMHO

Look what walls have done for Israel?  Perfect example for preventing the terrorist access to your Homeland.

It is surely headed in the wrong direction. But, I think that there is a high chance that Trump will lose in 2020; and then, it will head in the right direction. Most probably.

2 hours ago, billsmart said:

all privileged White men

here we go again with an invented progressive theory based on nothing

 

A pillar of contemporary Leftism is the notion of “white privilege.” Given that a generation of high-school and college students are being taught that a great number of “unearned privileges” accrue to white Americans, the charge of white privilege demands rational inquiry.

The assertion turns out to be largely meaningless. And, more significantly, it does great harm to blacks.

First, no reasonable person can argue that white privilege applies to the great majority of whites, let alone to all whites. There are simply too many variables other than race that determine individual success in America.

And if it were true, why would whites commit suicide at twice the rate of blacks (and at a higher rate than any other race in America except American Indians)? According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, white men, who the Left argues are the most privileged group of all in America, commit seven out of every ten suicides in America — even though only three out of ten Americans are white males.

 

Second, there are a host of privileges that dwarf “white privilege.”

A huge one is Two-Parent Privilege. If you are raised by a father and mother, you enter adulthood with more privileges than anyone else in American society, irrespective of race, ethnicity, or sex. That’s why the poverty rate among two-parent black families is only 7 percent.

Compare that with a 22 percent poverty rate among whites in single-parent homes. Obviously the two-parent home is the decisive “privilege.”

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, jcsmith said:

He formed a voter fraud commission... Which found next to no evidence of any voter fraud before shutting down

actually the states refused to cooperate,hmmmm, i wonder why?

1 hour ago, abrahamzvi said:

I do agree with most of what you say, only I believe that the word "socialism" should be replaced by the words "Social Democracy" I believe that that is what Bernie Sanders is calling for and if it is communicated properly, most Americans will agree with such a system, which prevails in most democratic countries of Europe, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany Netherlands and others.

Both of you gentlemen seem to be oblivious of the fact that the majority of the media in the USA is pushing the socialist agenda at the America people in every broadcast and publication they produce. Do you watch or read ANY American media?

21 minutes ago, Mikeasq60 said:

Unless your from America mind your business. As far as what the US had for 8 years now that was a mess. And polls are useless remember when Hillary was bound to win, ya right

 

This kind of thinking is really annoying. This is a forum, and we are here to express our opinions on a variety of issues. So, statements like 'Mind your own business' or 'If you don't like it, go elsewhere' are really against the spirit of the forum. Why, according to you, can't a person from country A state his/her opinion on country Z; or why can't a person from country B criticize the regime of country Y ?! Gees.

1 hour ago, ReMarKable said:

Actually gerrymandering districts in favor of republicans got Trump the presidency.

no, the electoral college got him the presidency

 

Election	Republican counties won	Democratic counties won	Independent counties won
2016	2,623	489	0
2012	2,420	693	0

2 minutes ago, mcambl61 said:

no, the electoral college got him the presidency

 

Election	Republican counties won	Democratic counties won	Independent counties won
2016	2,623	489	0
2012	2,420	693	0

In addition, Civics 101.
The #Senate exists to ensure less populous states are not overruled constantly by populous states. Every Senator has an equal vote to ensure one group cannot rule over another.
Not a democracy. A constitutional republic

7 minutes ago, JemJem said:

 

This kind of thinking is really annoying. This is a forum, and we are here to express our opinions on a variety of issues. So, statements like 'Mind your own business' or 'If you don't like it, go elsewhere' are really against the spirit of the forum. Why, according to you, can't a person from country A state his/her opinion on country Z; or why can't a person from country B criticize the regime of country Y ?! Gees.

yes you are right,

 

the EU is a joke and an impending disaster, I have lived there and worked there but I am not a citizen

1 hour ago, billsmart said:

Yes. The problem is that that in the US, "socialism," an economic system, has been inseparably linked to "totalitarianism," which is a governmental system; and "capitalism" has been linked to "democracy." Actually, socialism is the economic system that is most compatible with democracy, and capitalism invariably leads to some type of totalitarianism, like a plutocracy (rule of the rich.)

For those that still don't "get it," socialism is just an economic system where everyone contributes based on their abilities, and everyone receives based on their needs. In contrast, capitalism is an economic system where everyone competes and rather than contribute, take, and everyone receives based on their abilities.

Socialism is the same model most families follow. Everyone does whatever they can to help. and all share in whatever the family has. Capitalism is like the Law of the Jungle. The strong excel while the weak suffer or die. 

That's why I am a socialist.

And that, Mr Smart, is why you dangerously misguided. You simply fail to understand human nature. Greed, envy, and lust for power exist in every human being; more strongly in some than in others. Competition is an absolutely inescapable element of human nature. We ARE part of nature. Nature is, as you said, dominated by the "Law of the Jungle". Human intelligence has, over thousands of years, produced the realization that we must have laws to regulate our behavior. But it is absolutely impossible to remove competition from our psychological base. And THAT, Mr Smart, is why socialism will always ultimately fail. People WILL compete. People will ALWAYS want have more, and to be "better" than their peers. I believe that you are a decent person, who truly believes what you are saying. But you are terribly naive and misguided, my friend, if you believe that the world you dream of can ever exist. Socialism is nothing more than the dream of the naive and inexperienced who refuse to accept the realities of life. 

43 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Not well it seems...that was when Germany tried to invade Russia, who lost millions of soldiers and civilians to repel the invasion...

You have a failing or selective memory.  What you asked was when did Russia try to invade western Europe or the other way around.  Germany is part of western Europe.  I provide an example of the other way.

13 minutes ago, mcambl61 said:

actually the states refused to cooperate,hmmmm, i wonder why?

Not exactly. Many states fought to keep the privacy of their voters. The voter fraud commission was asking them to hand over names, social security numbers, voting history, party affiliation, registration status, etc. 

 

The reality though is that Trump made these claims and wasted all these taxpayer dollars on a lie. There is zero evidence... NONE... of widespread voter fraud. His own commission couldn't even find anything substantial. It's obvious why he made these claims. His ego couldn't take the fact that he lost by 3 million votes. So instead he claimed there were 3-5 million illegal voters. Just like the crowd size Trump's ego will force him to lie. Just like his rallies he will make up data to support his claims, even after it's been fact checked multiple times he'll keep repeating the same lies. 

6 minutes ago, patsfangr said:

And that, Mr Smart, is why you dangerously misguided. You simply fail to understand human nature. Greed, envy, and lust for power exist in every human being; more strongly in some than in others. Competition is an absolutely inescapable element of human nature. We ARE part of nature. Nature is, as you said, dominated by the "Law of the Jungle". Human intelligence has, over thousands of years, produced the realization that we must have laws to regulate our behavior. But it is absolutely impossible to remove competition from our psychological base. And THAT, Mr Smart, is why socialism will always ultimately fail. People WILL compete. People will ALWAYS want have more, and to be "better" than their peers. I believe that you are a decent person, who truly believes what you are saying. But you are terribly naive and misguided, my friend, if you believe that the world you dream of can ever exist. Socialism is nothing more than the dream of the naive and inexperienced who refuse to accept the realities of life. 

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Plus I find the clowns big loud claims about trade imbalance a total laugh and very hypocritical.

 

In the earlier years of so called 'globalization' the US had no hesitation to get the best end of deals with other countries / companies in other countries. 

 

 

LOL! The reason for President's moves on US trade deals is that those old "globalization" deals were screwing the USA. You're way off base with that uniformed comment. 

4 minutes ago, ReMarKable said:

You have a failing or selective memory.  What you asked was when did Russia try to invade western Europe or the other way around.  Germany is part of western Europe.  I provide an example of the other way.

My bad...didn't read correctly.

 

All this to say thaf projection (the mental state) is as valid for nations as it is for individuals...people, or nations, see in others their own flaws...

31 minutes ago, patsfangr said:

Just curious, Brunolem. Did you consider Obama an autocrat?

No...Obama didn't admire or envy leaders like Putin or Xi, and never said that a lifelong mandate (Xi) was a good idea.

 

Obama was a pure politician, with all its good and bad sides, whereas Trump is an opportunist who happened to be at the right place at the right time, like most autocrats...

 

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

There are almost no republicans left, dude. The republican party has been transformed into the "trump" party.

 

You're right about that, that Trump is a real powerhouse if he's able to achieve that.

6 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

My bad...didn't read correctly.

 

All this to say thaf projection (the mental state) is as valid for nations as it is for individuals...people, or nations, see in others their own flaws...

Possibly, but in projection one does not recognize what they hate in others is actually what they hate in themselves.  A stranger attacking someone for no reason is a reason to ask, who does he remind you of?  Your papa or mama?

The US is headed in the right direction and I hope it keeps going, just need to stop the southern invasions after red wins in November, get out of the UN and clean up the rest of the immigration and trade problems. The watch the world start speaking Chinese 

2 hours ago, jcsmith said:

How exactly is he putting America First? By picking fights with the rest of the world and tearing down alliances? The stock market has continued to rise out of its slump from the recession created under Bush, but it was trending that way already under Obama. Corporate profits have skyrocketed but it hasn't trickled down to most American's, wages are completely stagnant while entitlements are being decreased, and the cost of living is rising. You mention unemployment, it was already trended down from 10% to 5% under Obama. See attached image to illustrate that. 

How can you say America is doing better now? We've been condemned by the U.N. over human rights violations. Our allies world wide are wondering if they can trust us? The U.S. image around the world dropped from 48% to 30% favorable, and unfavorability rose from 28% to 43% in Trump's first year in office. To put that in perspective that's 4% lower than it was after the invasion of Iraq. He's started trade wars, imposed tariffs on allies, attacked the justice system, and made a mockery of the office of president. Hyper-partisanship. Family separations. Increasing wealth distribution gap. Neutering of healthcare and entitlements. That's winning to you? 

 

 

 

Well, that's a lot of generalizations to throw out. We're obviously in significant disagreement over both definition and results on some of those points. Since the Trump administration is less than 2 years old, we're going to have to wait a few years to see which of us is closest to being correct. I support his agenda; and believe that he will lead America to a better place, if the voters allow him to do so. Much will depend upon the elections on November 6. If he loses the House, it will become much more difficult to fulfill his agenda. If he keeps both Houses of Congress, that, combined with a much more "Constitutionally conscious" federal court system, should help him proceed with it. 

I am not able to answer such a broad sweeping question with a basic yes or no. While I am absolutely not a Trump fan or supporter he has pretty much delivered on his election campaign promises. (not saying I agree with any of them but he has been honest in that respect). From lowering taxes, moving embassy in Isreal to Jerusalem, nominating Supreme court Justices from an ultra-conservative list etc...etc...While I do believe China is a long-term troublemaker with the nine-dash South China Sea and belt and road initiative, I don't believe the EU, Canada, and other western trading partners are issues. China is, with its closed markets and thieving copyright ways and technology transfer. So in some respects, I do think Trump is doing some things well, in many I think he is not. Remember, a broken clock is still right twice a day. Trump is better than that broken clock. But I am not sure how much better. His political correctness or lack of is just a sideshow and actually, I find it quite refreshing.

6 minutes ago, iroc4life said:

The US is headed in the right direction and I hope it keeps going, just need to stop the southern invasions after red wins in November, get out of the UN and clean up the rest of the immigration and trade problems. The watch the world start speaking Chinese 

The only problem with your line of thinking about watching the rest of the world start speaking Chinese is that it would leave America in a very difficult position because it would only be a small country on its own, just like a flea on a dogs back. America needs allies.

when the free press is gone only a one sided narrative will be tolerated or CNN.