Trump Presidency Death Watch

[Anonymous]

[quote=njtosd]That makes for a fun sound bite, but is it true? I mentioned Jimmy Carter in an earlier post. Very intelligent, intellectually curious (graduated from Annapolis), deliberate and, in my opinion, had more of a devotion to the common good that Barack Obama (for example, his work for Habitat for Humanity, etc.). But after a single term, he lost in a landslide to Reagan (Oprah equivalent), with Reagan receiving the highest number of electoral votes ever won by a non-incumbent presidential candidate. Carter was ridiculed at an alarming rate, with Saturday Night Live even making fun of Amy Carter (which they also did with Chelsea Clinton but have removed in later reruns). http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/12/first-daughter-attacks-sasha-malia-chelsea-clinton.html

I really think that the animosity is *toward* being intelligent and deliberate. The average American (and apparently the average Russian and the average Brit and who knows who else) likes the bravado, false or otherwise. It makes them feel good. Intellectual arguments and justifications do not tend to give people good feelings. It’s why people eschew proven medical treatments in favor of snake oil. But the question is – how do you fix it?[/quote]

There’s some nuance to to the idea that many Americans didn’t like Obama because he was black. It’s not that simple.

Many Americans didn’t like him because was exotic (although many of the Americans in this category also wouldn’t use the word “exotic.”) For many mainstream Americans, he was a foreigner. He had an odd, “African,” name. He could relate to other religions, particularly Islam. He made the effort to pronounce foreign words accurately.

Now anybody looking at him objectively would understand that he was as American as anybody. Born in America, raised middle-class by a single mom, went to church on Christmas and Easter, and became successful through achievement at our own institutions.

But there was that funny name and that articulate way of speaking. It was easy to frame him as something that more resembled an African delegate from the UN than a middle-class American who rose to prominence on merit. His opponents took full advantage of what many saw as an unusual background.

If he had an “ordinary” black name, like Jackson – if his father was from Mississippi instead of Kenya, then his race would not have been exploitable as a negative.

It wasn’t just that he was black, it was that he was “African.”

I don’t think the comparison to Carter really works. Carter was never really seen as an intellectual. Of course he was educated but he was also a farmer and a military veteran. But he was mild-mannered and easy to portray as “weak.” (Personally, I never believed he was weak and think that some of his critics even today irresponsibly misrepresent his legacy.)

And Reagan wasn’t just a celebrity. He was two-term governor of one of the largest economies on earth, had an impressive history of political activism, and was generally a very smart guy and effective leader.

But, yeah, there’s a backlash against intellectualism. Maybe if collgess didn’t emphasize coursework like “gender studies” education would be taken more seriously.

Ahh the good ol’ days, when even the presidents we did not like were qualified, capable leaders who maintained the dignity of the office…

[njtosd]

[quote=harvey]
But, yeah, there’s a backlash against intellectualism. Maybe if collgess didn’t emphasize coursework like “gender studies” education would be taken more seriously.

Ahh the good ol’ days, when even the presidents we did not like were qualified, capable leaders who maintained the dignity of the office…[/quote]

For once, we have some common ground, although I don’t think that the colleges are to blame. I can see it all around me – we live in Carmel Valley where there are 3 high schools. Two are public and therefore free (Torrey Pines, Canyon Crest) one is private and about $17,000 (Cathedral Catholic HS). The number of people from within the community who send their kids to Cathedral because they love the sports program or prefer Torrey Pines (again, because of the sports emphasis) is shocking. On the other hand, CCA, which has consistently higher test scores, a very accepting culture and all kinds of other things going for it is sort of chuckled at. In fact, the standard joke among TP and CCHS students is to call Canyon Crest “CC Gay” – which is a problem on a number of levels.

I had a friend years ago who worked for the Dept. of Ed under a grant to the National Center for Educational Leadership. They spent an enormous amount of time and money trying to identify factors that were predictive of someone being a good leader (not sure what the metrics were). At the time we discussed it, there didn’t seem to be any way to predict who would do well.

I see the problem as the extremists donating the most money and therefore choosing the candidates and conversely the candidates pandering to the extremists. Again, though, how do you fix it?

[scaredyclassic]

trumps grave will need 24 hr security, i predict. people will dump buckets of feces for many years to come.

[svelte]

I regret titling this thread the way I did. I do think, unfortunately, he’ll make it four years.

It is painful to realize we’re only 25% through that…and there is always the possibility it could get extended another four.

Oh the humanity.

[njtosd]

[quote=scaredyclassic]trumps grave will need 24 hr security, i predict. people will dump buckets of feces for many years to come.[/quote]

And what will that result in? Flowers.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=njtosd]

I really think that the animosity is *toward* being intelligent and deliberate. The average American (and apparently the average Russian and the average Brit and who knows who else) likes the bravado, false or otherwise. It makes them feel good. Intellectual arguments and justifications do not tend to give people good feelings. It’s why people eschew proven medical treatments in favor of snake oil. But the question is – how do you fix it?[/quote]

I agree. Mitt Romney is perceived as elitist and is not well liked. But I still think there’s an element of race to the antipathy towards Obama and the ensuing backlash.

Trump speaks the language of for “forgotten men”. It was actually a total of 77000 voters in WI, MI and PA who flipped the electoral college in favor of Trump.

How do you fix it? More education. It’s lack of education that caused those 77000 voters to turn out for Trump.

Harvey, I don’t think we can blame the colleges because those guys certainly didn’t go to college; and if they did, wouldn’t they have taken “real” classes rather than gender studies?

[Escoguy]

Margin was 107,330 in the three states that mattered.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-10/donald-trump-us-election-rural-vote/8012874

My guess is that demographics will take out that margin over a 4 year period.

While generally Republican myself, when I hear what some older voters really think it is quite appalling. Kind of like liberals blaming Bush for everything, some just want to complain about Obama excessively. Both perspectives are distasteful as our leaders are often just reflecting what others want.

The key is we all need to make our voices heard and participate so the outlier ideas don’t take over.

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=Escoguy]Margin was 107,330 in the three states that mattered.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-10/donald-trump-us-election-rural-vote/8012874

My guess is that demographics will take out that margin over a 4 year period.

While generally Republican myself, when I hear what some older voters really think it is quite appalling. Kind of like liberals blaming Bush for everything, some just want to complain about Obama excessively. Both perspectives are distasteful as our leaders are often just reflecting what others want.

The key is we all need to make our voices heard and participate so the outlier ideas don’t take over.[/quote]

Thanks for the correction. I keep on remembering 77,000 votes.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/the-election-came-down-to-77744-votes-in-pennsylvania-wisconsin-and-michigan-updated/article/2005323

Yeah I agree that demographics will take care of those voters. Can we objectibely say voters of shit education from shitholes areas of the USA? (Tucker Carlson and Fox News defined shit as not nice, not aspirational, not desirable. It’s not derogatory，it’s just how normal people talk)

More seriously, why is it that people who are most plain spoken and love “telling it like it is” so easily take offense to perceived slights from the coastal elites. Hey, don’t take it personal…. I mean, duh, would you rather live in San Diego or Western PA?

[FlyerInHi]

Svelte, you were right. Kelly is on his way out.

[FlyerInHi]

I have a feeling there will be a bombshell revelation on Sunday night. I’ll be watching 60 Minutes.

Seems clear that all the stuff of the last week was Trump trying to affect the news cycle.

[spdrun]

Will the “Papist Purifier” aka Mikey Pence really be much better?

[outtamojo]

I would prefer the Pope himself to Pence.

[zk]

.

[scaredyclassic]

what about a politician who ran on a platform of improving our gross national happiness?

[FlyerInHi]

[quote=scaredyclassic]what about a politician who ran on a platform of improving our gross national happiness?[/quote]

Happiness is not objective, only money is. I believe the law uses money to compensate for all kinds of damages as wrongs. You can’t ask for happiness in court.

[Author]

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