Trump questions why U.S. Civil War had to happen

[webfact]

Trump questions why U.S. Civil War had to happen

REUTERS

 

U.S. President Donald Trump appears on stage at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. April 29, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump has shown a fascination with populist 19th-century U.S. president Andrew Jackson since he has occupied the Oval Office, hanging Old Hickory's portrait in the Oval Office, visiting his plantation in Tennessee and placing a wreath at his tomb.

 

In an interview that aired on Sirius XM satellite radio on Monday, Trump suggested that if Jackson had governed a little later than his 1829-1837 terms, the American Civil War might have been averted. And Trump questioned why the bloody conflict had to happen.

 

"Had Andrew Jackson been a little later, you wouldn't have had the Civil War. He was a very tough person, but he had a big heart," Trump told Sirius XM. He said that although Jackson was a "swashbuckler," after his wife died, Jackson visited her grave every day.

 

Jackson, a slave owner who was instrumental in the forced removal of Native-American tribes from the U.S. Southeast in the so-called Trail of Tears, died nearly 16 years before the start of the Civil War.

 

But Trump told Sirius XM that Jackson "was really angry that he saw what was happening with regard to the Civil War.""He said, 'There's no reason for this,'" Trump said. "People don't realize, you know, the Civil War — if you think about it, why? People don't ask that question, but why was there a Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?"

 

It was not clear what Trump believed Jackson would have done to avert the 1861-65 conflict.

 

The events leading to the Civil War have been extensively researched, with slavery being one of the root causes. Slavery and its legacy have been a source of division in the United States since.

 

By the time of his death, Jackson owned about 150 slaves who lived and worked at his plantation, the Hermitage. During his time in office, Jackson denounced the growing activity of abolitionists seeking an end to slavery.

 

Trump and his supporters have likened his election victory to Jackson's triumph in 1828, when Old Hickory became the first U.S. president from what was then the western frontier of Tennessee.

 

The populist Democrat famously opened the White House to all comers after his inauguration, turning the normally dignified executive mansion into a mob scene.

 

(Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-02

[edwinchester]

Clueless, ignorant, moron.

[boomerangutang]

                      It's ok for a person to question history, and ask 'what if....?' questions. 

 

                However, I don't give any credence to what Trump thinks.  He's a simplistic,  highly subjective thinker, ....always concerned about how it will play for his popularity.   Even his closest aides say; every time Trump is about to make a decision, his primary concern is how the decision will burnish his image.

 

                Anyhow, when I read the headline and first paragraph of the OP article, I immediately thought of the very sad "Trail of Tears" which happened under Jackson's watch, and which Jackson gave the go-ahead for.  

                      Jackson was a war hero, particularly when, as general, pushing back the British at the battle of New Orleans (though at the time of that battle, neither side knew the war was officially over).  That victory was a major factor in burnishing Jackson's reputation - and getting him to the WH.

[CaptHaddock]

Trump is a guy who in an interview was unable to name any book that he had read.  Why would anyone care about his opinion about the Civil War of all things?

[Emster23]

 As a kid, I was "into" the civil war (Centennial happened when I was 10, Trump was 14. How did he miss that?). I knew more at 10 than he does now at 70.

 Okay, Trump thinks Jackson could have stopped civil war, and thinks it didn't have to happen. Telling to me that Trump did not offer any hypothetical strategies that could have averted the war. "Who knew it could be that difficult?" Maybe he should consult Christopher Walken in his SNL role as Colonel Lingus? 

[Godolphin]

And this simpleton has the nuclear codes sitting by him.

[CaptHaddock]

Yep.  Our chances of all dying in nuclear winter have taken a leap up.  A possible Korea Crisis could be the Cuban Missile Crisis replayed by the Three Stooges.

Edited May 2, 2017 by CaptHaddock

[Langsuan Man]

Yes,  George W. Bush, we miss you now 

[mtls2005]

He read the back cover of Jon Meacham's Jackson bio (American Lion), and went to his grave in Tennessee, so thinks he's knowledgeable.

 

#trailoftears

[PremiumLane]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

but he had a big heart,"

tell that to the 300+ slaves he owned

[jerojero]

Trump is a guy who in an interview was unable to name any book that he had read.  Why would anyone care about his opinion about the Civil War of all things?

No no. He said he loves 2 particular books, the Bible and his Art of The Deal. Then couldn't quote any passages from the Bible! Retard.

[jerojero]

Bill Maher nailed it a short while ago. Trump knows NOTHING about history or current world affairs. Nor how Government works. He's so unfit to be President. God or Buddha save us all (given the moron has control of a nuclear arsenal).

[Andaman Al]

3 minutes ago, jerojero said:

No no. He said he loves 2 particular books, the Bible and his Art of The Deal. Then couldn't quote any passages from the Bible! Retard.

.............and by all accounts he never even read the Art of the Deal, which of course he didn't write either.

 

Can any Trump supporters please explain to us why Trump is right about Jackson being angry about the Civil War?

[Dustdevil]

Not MY @*#%ing president.

[Rhys]

...enough already, we know your Bogus approach.... resign...

 

[ilostmypassword]

12 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

tell that to the 300+ slaves he owned

Not only that. Apparently the Trail of Tears is a misnomer.  It should have been called the Trek of Smiles.

Edited May 2, 2017 by ilostmypassword

[Andaman Al]

Just now, ilostmypassword said:

Not only that. Apparently the Trail of Tears is a misnomer.  It should have been called the Path of Smiles.

That's because it was fake news by the dishonest media 

[Dustdevil]

Here's a "Message from President Underwood":

 

[tonray]

7 minutes ago, jerojero said:

Bill Maher nailed it a short while ago. Trump knows NOTHING about history or current world affairs. Nor how Government works. He's so unfit to be President. God or Buddha save us all (given the moron has control of a nuclear arsenal).

It's a sad world when the most responsible people in charge of nuclear arsenals these days seem to be the Chinese. 

[mtls2005]

If you listen to the audio tape it's even more scary.

 

If he had even the most basic understanding of American history he might know about the Nullification Crisis.

 

#doofus

[Andaman Al]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump questions why U.S. Civil War had to happen

 

.............and in related news Trump stated that if Queen Victoria had intervened on negotiations we could have prevented WW2 and that he holds Genghis Khan totally responsible for the take over of China by Mao Zedong, although he would be happy to have him consult on his wall..

[DM07]

He is such a joke!

...but a really unfunny one!

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Clueless, ignorant, moron.

give him some credit, at least he knew that there had been a civil war, something seeped through in between the Batman comics.

[soalbundy]

58 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

tell that to the 300+ slaves he owned

At least they had a job

[mtls2005]

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

At least they had a job

Immigrants according to some. And free travel from their homelands. With a "dream" no less.

 

Ben Carson:

 

"There were other immigrants who came in the bottom of slave ships, who worked even longer, even harder, for less, but they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land," 

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Some time ago, when Trump had just won the Election, i posted my opinion of his victory.

My post said, that having Trump as the president, would be like putting a commoner on the throne of the UK.

I remarked that he was crass, unprepared,ignorant of etiquette and would prove to be an embarrassment to the USA.A man who had no idea of presidential bearing or knowledge of office.He has invited two of the most ruthless men in the world to the white house, men who have total disregard of human rights, one has even admitted killing his people.The other, who has camps for "attitude adjustment" Does he think that a 30 minute chat with 'down home' ("take off ya shoes, set a spell") Donny, is going to make everything better? And now, for gods sake,he wants to meet the paranoid, psychopathic,27 year old leader, who wants to blow the USA to smithereens.Its like Churchill meeting Hitler for a smoke and an informal chat.

A poster replied to my post and i quote "what an uneducated post" and he laughed at me. Well, after 100 days in office and still banging on about his success as the greatest, 100 days administration in the history of the presidency, what have we got?

Marches of discontent by the American public, A suspicious population who are unsure of the next words to come out of his mouth..And the fact that we all now stand on the doorstep of a nuclear war.And still his press people and his office people are running around in a frantic rush trying to find ways of defending his quotations to CNN.

 My original post still stands, and i bet the poster who critised my post, isnt laughing now.

 

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Queen Victoria, should have intervened, and prevented the 2nd world war. He cannot be serious, She'd been dead for 38 years when it kicked off. Get it right Donald. Victoria was asked to give the south support in the civil war. She turned her back because she said she could not be seen to side with the south who supported slavery. 

However it was the people around her that helped out, and Victoria turned a blind eye.

[soalbundy]

26 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Immigrants according to some. And free travel from their homelands. With a "dream" no less.

 

Ben Carson:

 

"There were other immigrants who came in the bottom of slave ships, who worked even longer, even harder, for less, but they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land," 

I imagine that there are quite a few blacks in America who think that they got a bum deal.

[Peterw42]

So not only is he the greatest president of the modern era, he now traverses time and history and could have stopped the civil war. WW1, he could have shut that down with a couple of meetings, WW2 wouldn't have happended with his super human negotiating skills.

 

Trust me, I am so good at sorting stuff out, I even know how to sort stuff out in the past.

 

 

[vaultdweller0013]

2 hours ago, CaptHaddock said:

Trump is a guy who in an interview was unable to name any book that he had read.  Why would anyone care about his opinion about the Civil War of all things?

Because he is the President of the US and is responsible for many decisions that can significantly impact the country and world and how he views past events can give insight into how he will think about future problems.

 

In particular, this reinforces my opinion that Trump is unable to accurately judge complexity of how things work. He seems to believe that most issues have a "simple" solution that only requires a "deal-maker" like himself to close.

 

It also shows that he is not learning this from being in office. I can cut any new president some slack for underestimating the difficulty of the job, but I would expect a good president to learn this quickly and show a little more perspective in their comments.