Donald Trump for president?

[mcanadiens]

37 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

The debate last night was an embarrassment.  I don't know if it's the moderators, the candidates or the format but I've seen grammar school debates conducted with more maturity and respect than what I witnessed last night.  Kasich and Carson get props for maintaining their dignity and not slinging mud with the others.

Trump better learn how to debate issues quick, he's running out of jabs and cheap shots we haven't already heard  I did agree with him that GW did not keep us safe.  I'm tired of hearing Jeb make claims that his brother did a great job keeping us safe, the fact is if GW was doing his job and Clinton had done his 9-11 might not have ever happened.  Blood is on both of their hands.

I agree. JK and BC appeared to be the only adults on the stage last night.

[JonMA1]

On January 4, 2016 at 11:34 AM, iacas said:

Same question as @rkim291968: Why do you care so much?

If you're asking why anyone would care that this guy has as much influence on the election, it seems obvious.

I've never felt that how well or poorly someone speaks publicly has much of an influence on the decisions he or she would make if elected President. Any good leader should surround themselves with experts and advisors and make decision based on fact and logic.

But Trump is different. He doesn't seem like the type of person who does well under pressure. I don't care how well he was able to run a business, running the country is not the same thing.

But even more disturbing is that other Americans - who I thought were like-minded  - are buying into what he says. This will likely hand the position over to Ms Clinton. Given those two as my only two choices, I'd likely vote for her - and I really, really do not like her. 

That's why I care so much.

I don't take the time to really research candidates the way I should before I vote. So my opinion is uninformed and somewhat ignorant. In the end, no elected President will likely "ruin the country" as people are so fond of predicting after every election.

There's nothing wrong with the popularity of a candidate who is far left or far right shifting the positions of the other candidates. It can serve as compass for what voters are looking for.

I just don't remember a candidate who is such a nut job, remain so popular with a group of voters who I've always thought of as more pragmatic. Rhetoric is one thing - that's politics. This guy in on another level, IMO.

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, newtogolf said:

The debate last night was an embarrassment.  I don't know if it's the moderators, the candidates or the format but I've seen grammar school debates conducted with more maturity and respect than what I witnessed last night.  Kasich and Carson get props for maintaining their dignity and not slinging mud with the others.

Trump better learn how to debate issues quick, he's running out of jabs and cheap shots we haven't already heard  I did agree with him that GW did not keep us safe.  I'm tired of hearing Jeb make claims that his brother did a great job keeping us safe, the fact is if GW was doing his job and Clinton had done his 9-11 might not have ever happened.  Blood is on both of their hands.

Please include H.W, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson, Kennedy, Eisenhower and Truman. al Qaeda did not happen over two Presidential terms. It evolved from decades of actions from us, our allies and our enemies. We chose to act at times to thwart the greater of two problems, but the repercussions of those decisions come back later to haunt us. It is a difficult cycle that repeats itself over and over again.

[acerimusdux]

On 2/12/2016 at 8:52 AM, Braivo said:

The mistake people make about Trump is they assume since he is rich that he is a pure capitalist and wants zero government intervention and very low taxes. That just isn't the case. He is very pragmatic. He knows how to make deals that help everyone. He revitalized key parts of New York City by working with government officials and having a vision. He gets it. 

Actually, this is what I like about both Trump and Clinton. I guess I'm in the minority, as I see lots of people who don't like either, or who don't like any of the choices this election.

But the one thing I really don't want is an ideologue. And both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton strike me more as pragmatic, hard-nosed realists.  Whether it's dealing with climate change, with ISIS in Syria, with an increasingly aggressive Russia or Iran, with the ongoing problem of increasing economic inequality, with the $9 trillion+ actuarial deficit in S.S. and the more immediate shortfall in medicare, with a broken immigration system, or with any new economic or foreign policy crisis that might arise, I want someone there who is going to attack problems and try to come up with solutions, without being blinded by ideology and partisanship.

Some of the other candidates, on both sides, seem to want to instead pretend that some or other of these problems don't exist, or seem to believe that doing nothing will make them go away.

And being a realist for me also means recognizing when things are going right. Like for instance, the Misery Index (inflation + unemployment....much discussed in the Reagan and Carter elections) is at it's lowest level since 1956. Gas is under $2. Initial unemployment claims, as a share of covered employment, are at a record low. And people aren't overloaded with debt anymore, either; household balance sheets are the strongest they have been in 40 years. And 14 million more Americans have health insurance compared to just a few years ago. And real wages have begun rising, as well.

Thing is, these are exactly the conditions under which standard textbook Keynesian economics says we should be aggressively cutting spending. But possibly no candidate in either party will say that, again for ideological reasons. One side instead seems to want spending increases, and a permanent increase in the size of government, while the other seems to want to ignore Keynes altogether, and would argue for spending cuts even in the midst of another recession.

But Hillary and Donald at least seem the most pragmatic to me, and the ones I would most want dealing with a crisis. So I don't mind at all that they're currently the frontrunners.

[Dave2512]

Will be interesting to see his numbers after the 20th. His temperament was odd but besides JK they all seemed nuts. BC doesn't count with his strange mix of just got out of bed, too many bongs slurred rambling. Does he take a Thorazine shot before hitting the stage? 

[Braivo]

43 minutes ago, Dave2512 said:

Will be interesting to see his numbers after the 20th. His temperament was odd but besides JK they all seemed nuts. BC doesn't count with his strange mix of just got out of bed, too many bongs slurred rambling. Does he take a Thorazine shot before hitting the stage? 

The reality is that most people watching the debate have already made up their minds, they are simple watching and rooting for their candidate. 

The sound bites that make the news probably have a bigger impact than that actual debate. I doubt debates, overall, move the needle very much. 

[mcanadiens]

11 minutes ago, Braivo said:

The reality is that most people watching the debate have already made up their minds, they are simple watching and rooting for their candidate. 

The sound bites that make the news probably have a bigger impact than that actual debate. I doubt debates, overall, move the needle very much. 

Not 100% true in my case. I was of a mind to support Rubio early on. He convinced me otherwise in these debates. Being from Ohio, Kasich is a known quantity, but the debates have reassured me a little on him.  I also decided that I might have been able to tolerate Christie (not that it matters now).

 

[Dave2512]

19 minutes ago, Braivo said:

The reality is that most people watching the debate have already made up their minds, they are simple watching and rooting for their candidate. 

The sound bites that make the news probably have a bigger impact than that actual debate. I doubt debates, overall, move the needle very much. 

Not my experience, I don't know one person who has decided who or how they will vote. Discussions with friends and relatives concerning the debates have been very interesting lately.

[saevel25]

22 minutes ago, Braivo said:

The reality is that most people watching the debate have already made up their minds, they are simple watching and rooting for their candidate. 

Not entirely sure about that. 

Exit Polls from New Hampshire. 

When did you decide whom to vote for?
Just Today: 23%
In the last few days: 25%
Sometimes Last Week: 6%
In the last Month: 17%

58% of the people decided with in a few days of voting in the primary. 

89% of voters said the recent debate was a factor in their vote. 

No, people have not made up their minds. 

[Golfingdad]

19 minutes ago, Dave2512 said:

Not my experience, I don't know one person who has decided who or how they will vote. Discussions with friends and relatives concerning the debates have been very interesting lately.

 

18 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Not entirely sure about that. 

Exit Polls from New Hampshire. 

When did you decide whom to vote for?
Just Today: 23%
In the last few days: 25%
Sometimes Last Week: 6%
In the last Month: 17%

58% of the people decided with in a few days of voting in the primary. 

89% of voters said the recent debate was a factor in their vote. 

No, people have not made up their minds. 

Agree with you both.  Certainly, many people at this point have a "if the election in my state was today" candidate, but most reasonable people aren't tied to that person.  I THINK I know who I would vote for if I had to vote right now, but my mind isn't remotely close to being made up.

[Dave2512]

Given the size of the GOP field would be tough to make a choice now. It's early and will be interesting to see how the numbers shift as the candidates start to drop out. The debates haven't been debates as much as flame throwing contests. I need to hear more than why the other guy sucks before I can consider anyone. I am registered unaffiliated so I have a lot to consider.

[newtogolf]

1 hour ago, Braivo said:

The reality is that most people watching the debate have already made up their minds, they are simple watching and rooting for their candidate. 

The sound bites that make the news probably have a bigger impact than that actual debate. I doubt debates, overall, move the needle very much. 

I disagree, I'm completely undecided since Rand Paul suspended his campaign.  

[Mr. Desmond]

4 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

I disagree, I'm completely undecided since Rand Paul suspended his campaign.  

Do not know how one can decide since it is back-biting, divisive, accusatory oratory in the realm of "I'm a better conservative than you." One doesn't know what is phony and how much is real. I guess all you can do is look back at their actions, not their words.

[newtogolf]

1 minute ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Do not know how one can decide since it is back-biting, divisive, accusatory oratory in the realm of "I'm a better conservative than you." One doesn't know what is phony and how much is real. I guess all you can do is look back at their actions, not their words.

Rand would protect the Constitution that's why I liked him.  I know I don't want another Bush or Clinton in office, Rubio barely did his job as a Senator, not sure how hard he'll work as POTUS.  Trump and Cruz seem too extreme and Carson is too Evangelical, which leaves Kasich.  

My problem with Kasich is he's a broken record, I don't care that his father was a mailman and as POTUS he is going to do what he did in Ohio.  Sorry, but the country has a lot more problems to deal with than Ohio does, like foreign policy.   

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Do not know how one can decide since it is back-biting, divisive, accusatory oratory in the realm of "I'm a better conservative than you." One doesn't know what is phony and how much is real. I guess all you can do is look back at their actions, not their words.

Why do you keep participating in a thread about a Republican candidate? You just bash the party and the candidates. You're one of the biggest liberals on the site, are you not? So why just post to egg people on? It's not your party.

Same question I've asked others - why post here just to bash? What's the point?

Would you enjoy or appreciate an "Obama Sucks" thread where few Democrats posted and staunch Republicans just bashed him left and right with their personal opinions?

Admittedly, I don't really read this thread, I just skim. But I know your history politically as far as this site goes, and if I were you I'd just avoid the political threads, as you promised you would before. And as you should, anyway, as a staunch Obama supporter in a Republican candidate thread.

Your party has enough of its own problems. Start a thread on those or something.

[Mr. Desmond]

Just now, iacas said:

Why do you keep participating in a thread about a Republican candidate? You just bash the party and the candidates. You're one of the biggest liberals on the site, are you not? So why just post to egg people on? It's not your party.

Same question I've asked others - why post here just to bash? What's the point?

Would you enjoy or appreciate an "Obama Sucks" thread where few Democrats posted and staunch Republicans just bashed him left and right with their personal opinions?

Admittedly, I don't really read this thread, I just skim. But I know your history politically as far as this site goes, and if I were you I'd just avoid the political threads, as you promised you would before. And as you should, anyway, as a staunch Obama supporter in a Republican candidate thread.

Your party has enough of its own problems. Start a thread on those or something.

 I am not affiliated with any party. I voted in Presidential elections for 40 years, have voted Dem in only 3 of those elections, and the remainder for the GOP.

As to Obama, I do not agree with a lot of what he has done or not done. If you want to say "He sucks", that is fine with me.

I don't consider it bashing to post observations. The political pundits will tell you that the GOP candidates bashed each other the other night. I thought the Dems also bashed each other in their debate.

The point I was making is "where are solutions?" "Who is real?" When one can't tell, look at their record.

[iacas]

Just now, Mr. Desmond said:

I am not affiliated with any party. I voted in Presidential elections for 40 years, have voted Dem in only 3 of those elections, and the remainder for the GOP.

Cut the crap, Jerry. Everyone who reads your posts and knows you even a little knows you're a huge Democrat. You LOOOOOOVE yourself some Obama. He can do no wrong in your eyes. You quote the NY Times like it's gospel.

Just now, Mr. Desmond said:

As to Obama, I do not agree with a lot of what he has done or not done. If you want to say "He sucks", that is fine with me.

I'm going to treat this like you say you treat politicians: by your actions, not your words. Doing so, this is a lie.

Just now, Mr. Desmond said:

I don't consider it bashing to post observations.

Yeah, okay. Again, gonna base this on your actions. "back-biting, divisive, accusatory, phony." Democrats? Squeaky clean!

It's inflammatory language from a super-Obama-supporter.

Just now, Mr. Desmond said:

The point I was making is "where are solutions?" "Who is real?" When one can't tell, look at their record.

It goes beyond just this last post.

---

Long story short… I don't go on Pepsi forums just to talk about how shitty Pepsi is.

If you want to continue to talk about politics (despite your promise to avoid these topics when I rescinded your ban, as this is still a golf site, first and foremost), I suggest you go start and run a topic on the Democratic candidates and post mostly in there.

[Mr. Desmond]

9 minutes ago, iacas said:

Cut the crap, Jerry.

I could say the same about you for assuming too much.

I was voting before you were born. You only know the GOP in its recent carnation. I was politically involved since 1965. I have perspective that you do not have. And I have no reason to say anything false.  I don't care what others think of me, and they should not care what I think of them.

But this is your board.