Trump

[gravy]

To be fair there seems to be a broader shift in the US towards a less interventionist stance. PumaG is right in there's been some abhorent acts by previous administrations but the further we get from 9/11 that does seem to be abating.

[Darkflame]

Its quite a clear choice when it comes to some aspects.

Gitmo is still open, despite constant attempts by Obama to close it. Theres been strong resistance to that move.
Trump, by comparison, says he will keep it open and fill it to the brim - he gets cheers.

[F-ZeroOne]

Just a thought... perhaps the word we should be looking for isn't "apology" but instead "reconciliation"?

[Fil]

Trump's a bit of a meanie really isn't he. Probably best not to encourage him.

[gravy]

"He's a real jerk!" (c) Norm Macdonald

[merman]

Trump has a conflict of interest problem that no other White House candidate has ever had.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/201 ... tsche-bank

Basically, in the disclosure document all candidates must sign, Trump declared SEVERAL debts of over $50 million. And $100 million of that is to Deutsche Bank.

Now, Deutsche Bank has a long history of fighting US regulations. And so Trump as president would have a huge conflict of interest between his business affairs and his political position. Plus much of the debt is personal rather than business.

After years of Republicans asking to see Obama's birth certificate, Democrats should be pressing to see more detail from Trump's tax returns and business accounts...

[F-ZeroOne]

I guess it could be worse?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/m ... -be-killed

[(o)(o)]

[pogo]

A 1994 advert from Republican California governor Pete Wilson.

The significance of it is that its message is much the same as Trump’s message today – immigrants are flooding in from Mexico and something needs to be done to stop them. Pete Wilson did do something, he introduced laws denying services to illegal immigrants in California. And now California is solidly Democrat. It didn’t used to be – Ronald Reagan was it’s governor before he became president – but now it votes Democrat every time.

The key is the large Hispanic, mostly Mexican, population in California. The danger for Trump is he replicates this nationally, in particular in states with large Hispanic populations. E.g. Florida, another large state that decided the election in 2000.

Trump seems to be polling well at the moment, but I think this will represent a high point for his polls. He is benefitting from being the only Republican in the field, while Clinton and Sanders battle it out. But already the Democrats are starting to focus on the national election, and very soon Clinton will be the only Democrat running so be able to focus entirely on beating Trump. Given his numerous weaknesses and high unpopularity this should be easy for her and the Democrats.

[pogo]

Exclusive: Trump's 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee

Blows holes in his claim he is a great negotiator. If you are a great negotiator it does not end up in court. And it has a more direct implication for his bid for presidency. If any of the 50 or so still open go badly for him he could end up at best distracted, at worst disqualified from running or serving as president.

[zip accident]

The danger for Trump is he replicates this nationally, in particular in states with large Hispanic populations. E.g. Florida, another large state that decided the election in 2000.

I suspect he doesn't care in the slightest what happens to the republican vote after he's elected and relected.

[pogo]

But in condemning the Republican party to losing he is also losing himself. He is now getting support from across the Republican party, which may seem odd given the nastiness of the nomination process but is understandable. They win or lose as a party together.

His problem is at the same time as winning the Republican nomination he has been driving people away from the party. Not only Democrats but independents. And just like Pete Wilson in 1994 his rhetoric is probably doing more than any Democrat could to turn out the Democrat vote.

So I still think he is very likely to lose. Ignore the current polls, they are happening at a point in the campaign when you would expect his support to be boosted. But once the campaign proper starts the many ways he is unsuited and unqualified will surely render him unelectable.

[merman]

Today Trump is so concerned about a golf tournament moving to Mexico.

This is the sort of president he would be, easily distracted and full of knee-jerk reactions.

[gumboot]

Exclusive: Trump's 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee

Blows holes in his claim he is a great negotiator. If you are a great negotiator it does not end up in court. And it has a more direct implication for his bid for presidency. If any of the 50 or so still open go badly for him he could end up at best distracted, at worst disqualified from running or serving as president.

But that's how he makes deals. If he wants something he threatens someone with litigation.

[gumboot]

What's the legal position on Trump visiting the UK? Does his hate speech have to be performed within the UK to warrant an arrest?