Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never liked Trump, but I also very much dislike the Democrats. It'd be too strong to say I was rooting for Trump or that I thought he'd to a good job, but I thought there was a *chance* he'd do a good job, and, for the sake of the country, I was really hoping he would. I didn't vote for him, but I also never seriously considered voting for Harris or Biden. I thought Trump's first term was at moments scary but overall pretty good.

With the wind-up, let me say: geez Louise this is going shittily.

You are missing the big picture. It’s bad for Wall Street. But this is going great if you are from Main Street.
No pain, no gain. Finally a president who is fighting for main street.
Manufacturing jobs will have to come back to the US. If these corporations don’t do it, they will keep watching their stock prices sinking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey - it’s going as planned. Screw all Americans - everyone’s retirement plans just got ruined. And, help Russia. Care to explain how an island inhabited only by penguins has tariffs imposed but not Russia?

The guy is insane and needs to be impeached.

Tell your liberal friends to stop burning Teslas and making the stock go down. Then your IRA will be fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey - it’s going as planned. Screw all Americans - everyone’s retirement plans just got ruined. And, help Russia. Care to explain how an island inhabited only by penguins has tariffs imposed but not Russia?

The guy is insane and needs to be impeached.

Tell your liberal friends to stop burning Teslas and making the stock go down. Then your IRA will be fine.

Why did he impose a 10% tariff on an island inhabited solely by penguins? What's the master plan?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never liked Trump, but I also very much dislike the Democrats. It'd be too strong to say I was rooting for Trump or that I thought he'd to a good job, but I thought there was a *chance* he'd do a good job, and, for the sake of the country, I was really hoping he would. I didn't vote for him, but I also never seriously considered voting for Harris or Biden. I thought Trump's first term was at moments scary but overall pretty good.

With the wind-up, let me say: geez Louise this is going shittily.

Too bad. This is partly your fault. So be quiet.

lol no it's not

Anonymous wrote:This thread is useless

OP is giving Main Character energy and just wants to be the center of attention.

The truth about Trump as plane to see. I don't even bother saying "FAFO"

These are the most useless Americans. They won't be any use in trying to rebuild. OP, you yourself need to do the deep work of figuring our why you don't like what's going on

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m genuinely curious. When he said this was what he would do, did you not believe him?

OP here. Sort of. A lot of this is stuff that I knew he'd find appealing, but the guy says a lot of stuff that isn't true-- mexico paying for it and all that. Plus, for all his faults, I did think that he was sort of correct in his complaint that he was constantly stymied in his first term by entrenched power structures that hated him and thought he was a joke. Tbh, I still think that. The fact that a huge share of the country called themselves the Resistance-- as though they were standing up to tanks in the streets of 1968 Prague-- was sort of absurd, and I thought it was revealing that so many members of our social elite were like "yeah, that's a reasonable thing to do."

This time though it seems different. It seems like he's able to do a lot more of the stuff he said he'd do. But he's also not doing some of the better stuff he said he would. So from my vantage point, a big vibe I got from his campaign was that he would be pragmatic and approach even some Dems to high-level positions (which he did, I guess) and avoid weapon using the justice system. The hardcore small-government shtick and the EOs though all seem like he's just out for blood.

Perhaps you would like to consider that all of those people simply saw the writing on the wall and you did not.

From your posts, you seem to think you are a reasonable and intelligent person. Are you also capable of self-reflection?

OP here. I guess I think I'm reasonable and maybe intelligent, but that wasn't the thrust of the post. As for your question though, even with the benefit of hindsight, the resistance thing still strikes me (and I think many people) as ridiculous. Whatever his personal wishes, trump simply does not have enough control over any institution that counts to be anything even remotely approaching a dictator. I get that he may well like the aesthetics, and he's definitely way too close to a wannabe authoritarian for my comfort, but it always struck me (and still does strike me) as insensitive to pretend like it's the same experience to be a Democrat under Trump as it is to be a dissident under Ceausescu or something.

Close your eyes for a second, OP. Relax. Breathe. Now imagine that you’re a Latino male — a citizen. How might you feel? Secure? Certain that the taxes you pay will translate into basic services and supports if you should need them? Certain that some poorly trained, maybe racist, government representative won’t misunderstand (ha!) your tats and ship you off to a prison in a foreign country with no due process? Breathe some more. Now imagine yourself as a 9 year old girl — raped and impregnated. Now you’re gonna be a mom. And if you survive the delivery, your kid is gonna have a 10 year old mom. Sounds good, right? I’ll stop with those two possibilities. How are you feeling about what it’s like for at least some of us “under Trump”? I won’t even do the “Democrat” experience that you suggested yet. Start with those two situations— and unknown, but limited resources. No loving parent whisking off the 9 year old to a foreign country or even another state. No family member who happens to be a lawyer with major money to ride to the rescue of the innocent Latino guy. I’m really interested in your response— if you’re up for it.

This is the best you can come up with as a set of hypotheticals? None of this is everyday life. Everyday life under a real dictator like Ceausescu was actual oppression.

The problem with you is that being oppressed is part of your identity. It’s how you feel important. In the absence of finding some way of being oppressed you don’t feel important enough and your existence isn’t meaningful. That’s mental disorder. And it’s endemic. You lost an election. That’s what happened. There are no dictators here. You still have air conditioning, free unlimited internet, and can go to a grocery store and buy exotic fresh fruit. Get a grip.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m genuinely curious. When he said this was what he would do, did you not believe him?

OP here. Sort of. A lot of this is stuff that I knew he'd find appealing, but the guy says a lot of stuff that isn't true-- mexico paying for it and all that. Plus, for all his faults, I did think that he was sort of correct in his complaint that he was constantly stymied in his first term by entrenched power structures that hated him and thought he was a joke. Tbh, I still think that. The fact that a huge share of the country called themselves the Resistance-- as though they were standing up to tanks in the streets of 1968 Prague-- was sort of absurd, and I thought it was revealing that so many members of our social elite were like "yeah, that's a reasonable thing to do."

This time though it seems different. It seems like he's able to do a lot more of the stuff he said he'd do. But he's also not doing some of the better stuff he said he would. So from my vantage point, a big vibe I got from his campaign was that he would be pragmatic and approach even some Dems to high-level positions (which he did, I guess) and avoid weapon using the justice system. The hardcore small-government shtick and the EOs though all seem like he's just out for blood.

Perhaps you would like to consider that all of those people simply saw the writing on the wall and you did not.

From your posts, you seem to think you are a reasonable and intelligent person. Are you also capable of self-reflection?

OP here. I guess I think I'm reasonable and maybe intelligent, but that wasn't the thrust of the post. As for your question though, even with the benefit of hindsight, the resistance thing still strikes me (and I think many people) as ridiculous. Whatever his personal wishes, trump simply does not have enough control over any institution that counts to be anything even remotely approaching a dictator. I get that he may well like the aesthetics, and he's definitely way too close to a wannabe authoritarian for my comfort, but it always struck me (and still does strike me) as insensitive to pretend like it's the same experience to be a Democrat under Trump as it is to be a dissident under Ceausescu or something.

Close your eyes for a second, OP. Relax. Breathe. Now imagine that you’re a Latino male — a citizen. How might you feel? Secure? Certain that the taxes you pay will translate into basic services and supports if you should need them? Certain that some poorly trained, maybe racist, government representative won’t misunderstand (ha!) your tats and ship you off to a prison in a foreign country with no due process? Breathe some more. Now imagine yourself as a 9 year old girl — raped and impregnated. Now you’re gonna be a mom. And if you survive the delivery, your kid is gonna have a 10 year old mom. Sounds good, right? I’ll stop with those two possibilities. How are you feeling about what it’s like for at least some of us “under Trump”? I won’t even do the “Democrat” experience that you suggested yet. Start with those two situations— and unknown, but limited resources. No loving parent whisking off the 9 year old to a foreign country or even another state. No family member who happens to be a lawyer with major money to ride to the rescue of the innocent Latino guy. I’m really interested in your response— if you’re up for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I never liked Trump, but I also very much dislike the Democrats. It'd be too strong to say I was rooting for Trump or that I thought he'd to a good job, but I thought there was a *chance* he'd do a good job, and, for the sake of the country, I was really hoping he would. I didn't vote for him, but I also never seriously considered voting for Harris or Biden. I thought Trump's first term was at moments scary but overall pretty good.

With the wind-up, let me say: geez Louise this is going shittily.

You are missing the big picture. It’s bad for Wall Street. But this is going great if you are from Main Street.
No pain, no gain. Finally a president who is fighting for main street.
Manufacturing jobs will have to come back to the US. If these corporations don’t do it, they will keep watching their stock prices sinking.

Are you dumb? Inflation (Ie grocery prices and consumer goods) is going to wreck Main Street

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey - it’s going as planned. Screw all Americans - everyone’s retirement plans just got ruined. And, help Russia. Care to explain how an island inhabited only by penguins has tariffs imposed but not Russia?

The guy is insane and needs to be impeached.

Tell your liberal friends to stop burning Teslas and making the stock go down. Then your IRA will be fine.

Why did he impose a 10% tariff on an island inhabited solely by penguins? What's the master plan?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m genuinely curious. When he said this was what he would do, did you not believe him?

OP here. Sort of. A lot of this is stuff that I knew he'd find appealing, but the guy says a lot of stuff that isn't true-- mexico paying for it and all that. Plus, for all his faults, I did think that he was sort of correct in his complaint that he was constantly stymied in his first term by entrenched power structures that hated him and thought he was a joke. Tbh, I still think that. The fact that a huge share of the country called themselves the Resistance-- as though they were standing up to tanks in the streets of 1968 Prague-- was sort of absurd, and I thought it was revealing that so many members of our social elite were like "yeah, that's a reasonable thing to do."

This time though it seems different. It seems like he's able to do a lot more of the stuff he said he'd do. But he's also not doing some of the better stuff he said he would. So from my vantage point, a big vibe I got from his campaign was that he would be pragmatic and approach even some Dems to high-level positions (which he did, I guess) and avoid weapon using the justice system. The hardcore small-government shtick and the EOs though all seem like he's just out for blood.

Anonymous wrote:You're not well-informed OP. Turn off Fox News and go to the library. Ask the librarian to teach you how to do research.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey - it’s going as planned. Screw all Americans - everyone’s retirement plans just got ruined. And, help Russia. Care to explain how an island inhabited only by penguins has tariffs imposed but not Russia?

The guy is insane and needs to be impeached.

Tell your liberal friends to stop burning Teslas and making the stock go down. Then your IRA will be fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m genuinely curious. When he said this was what he would do, did you not believe him?

OP here. Sort of. A lot of this is stuff that I knew he'd find appealing, but the guy says a lot of stuff that isn't true-- mexico paying for it and all that. Plus, for all his faults, I did think that he was sort of correct in his complaint that he was constantly stymied in his first term by entrenched power structures that hated him and thought he was a joke. Tbh, I still think that. The fact that a huge share of the country called themselves the Resistance-- as though they were standing up to tanks in the streets of 1968 Prague-- was sort of absurd, and I thought it was revealing that so many members of our social elite were like "yeah, that's a reasonable thing to do."

This time though it seems different. It seems like he's able to do a lot more of the stuff he said he'd do. But he's also not doing some of the better stuff he said he would. So from my vantage point, a big vibe I got from his campaign was that he would be pragmatic and approach even some Dems to high-level positions (which he did, I guess) and avoid weapon using the justice system. The hardcore small-government shtick and the EOs though all seem like he's just out for blood.

Perhaps you would like to consider that all of those people simply saw the writing on the wall and you did not.

From your posts, you seem to think you are a reasonable and intelligent person. Are you also capable of self-reflection?

OP here. I guess I think I'm reasonable and maybe intelligent, but that wasn't the thrust of the post. As for your question though, even with the benefit of hindsight, the resistance thing still strikes me (and I think many people) as ridiculous. Whatever his personal wishes, trump simply does not have enough control over any institution that counts to be anything even remotely approaching a dictator. I get that he may well like the aesthetics, and he's definitely way too close to a wannabe authoritarian for my comfort, but it always struck me (and still does strike me) as insensitive to pretend like it's the same experience to be a Democrat under Trump as it is to be a dissident under Ceausescu or something.