Trump

[a completely inoffensive name]

I don't see how he can gain power at the top of the party regardless of any outcome over the next year (short of becoming President). Also, the bolded bit is very confused and may need to be reworded.

Basically, I am saying that that trump is going to eventually leave the race and endorse someone else and in return will have some sort of additional political clout within the party. This is a very important election that the republicans need to win since there could be up to 3 supreme court justices retiring and the last realistic chance for a republican reversal of Obamacare.

The bold part is me saying that he carefully picked this battle so that he could maximize his leverage. First by picking an election where there was no incumbent, and second by entering when there was no clear leader among republicans.

[a completely inoffensive name]

...You need to leave the internet on weekends and head to the pub.

I do, I was absolutely hammered when I wrote that.

[Montmorency]

Basically, I am saying that that trump is going to eventually leave the race and endorse someone else and in return will have some sort of additional political clout within the party. This is a very important election that the republicans need to win since there could be up to 3 supreme court justices retiring and the last realistic chance for a republican reversal of Obamacare.

The bold part is me saying that he carefully picked this battle so that he could maximize his leverage. First by picking an election where there was no incumbent, and second by entering when there was no clear leader among republicans.

Put that way, it's been a major theme of this thread almost from the beginning. Ultimately, I don't think that's how it will play out even if it is Trump's plan. Those paying attention to Trump, especially his supporters, are motivated by his saying things that resonate with them.

dropping out with instructions on how to proceed with 'the good fight' will be vulnerable to a combination of resurgent apathy and the main liners like Cruz swooping in to take out the legs. If his plan is to influence politics specifically through the endorsement of an alternative, then he will have proven just as unsavvy as his staunchest detractors claim.

P.S. I'm a teetotaler. Can you supervise me on a bender one day, just for the sake of documenting the effects of alcohol intoxication on me?

[a completely inoffensive name]

Just play CSGO while drunk and review the replays. Your style will say everything there is to know about you.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Oh, and I just watched the debate tonight. Cruz, Trump and possibly Christie came out looking well. Jeb Bush still trying to find the secret words to stump the trump. He will never find them.

Also, the audience had too many Rand Paul fans, I almost thought his opinions were becoming more popular.

[Greyblades]

Well he has been emulating trump recently. Even doing things trump does before trump.

[Beskar]

Republicans being Republicans.

[Kralizec]

Well he has been emulating trump recently. Even doing things trump does before trump.

Paul proposed to stop handing out visas to a limited (albeit large) group of countries, based on the prevalence of islamic fundamentalism in those countries.
Trump proposed we stop letting in muslims, period.

Paul said this ban would last until additional screening procedures were implemented.
Trump said his ban would last until the government "figured out what is going on" and "got its act together". What does that even mean?

The most you can say is that Paul is trying to appeal to some of Trump's supporters. If you can't see the difference between them, your loss as I'm not going to spoon feed it to you.

[Beskar]

Trumps number one fan, Putin.

[rajpoot]

Trumps number one fan, Putin.

IKR. The irony...this is worthy of going in the news of the weird, specially considering how weird both of them are.

[Ironside]

Trumps number one fan, Putin.

Putin's number one fan, Trump.

[Tuuvi]

You know I'm actually not surprised Donald and Vlad like each other so much, they seem to have similar views on leadership.

[Gilrandir]

You know I'm actually not surprised Donald and Vlad like each other so much, they seem to have similar views on leadership.

Vlad is the short for Vladislav, the short for Vladimir is Volodya or Vova.

[Shaka_Khan]

I don't watch Miss Universe, but Trump and Harvey made me read about a recent Miss Universe incident.

[S0ld13r]

It's in the math. The GOP owns both houses due to gerrymandering the House districts and the rural states equality in the Senate, the popular vote is against them nationwide. The only hope they have for the White House is to keep/improve the white vote from 2012 AND significantly increase the Latino vote, which Trump is doing a good job of alienating. The GOP leadership knows this, he will either be marginalized when the primaries start, or the GOP is about to waste a lot of money on a lost cause.

Nobody is ahead of anybody right now, the first real voting happens in February.


That goes without saying...

I must agree, neither Clinton or Trump will be much benefit if elected. However, Trump is a classless buffoon who has absolutely no business leading a nation. Hillary Clinton at least has experience and political standing, if not in her own nation of dimwits. If it comes down to choosing between the two, it should be a fairly clear decision to make: Elect someone who might stand a chance at success, or an abrasive bigot who will further sully the reputation of Americans as a whole.


Bernie Sanders appears to be rising rather quickly as a possible front runner. His policies and approach seem to be in the best interest of the majority of the American people, but I rarely see him mentioned in mainstream media. I fear that the only reason he isn't already leading the polls already is that Americans have become complacent and trusting in what they're told, rather than researching the issues and making informed decisions of their own.

Thoughts?

See, when I think "shakeup", I think a fresh cast of idealistic candidates who have an interest in one or two major issues, and have interesting ideas regarding those issues. Instead, what there is happens to be email servers and an idiot, plus there are some kettleheads like Cruz in the background making noise. Basically, it's 2000 all over again.

I have to agree with both of you. Trump's success was a much needed wake-up call, which is unfortunately falling on many deaf ears. On the other side of the same coin, we do need candidates who truly care for the people rather than their party's interests. In all honesty, Bernie Sanders is someone I truly believe to be one of those candidates in which we are in such dire need of.

That is exactly his appeal: he says what he thinks no matter how crazy it might sound.

The issue is that Trump is the representative and embodied voice of the ignorant, under-educated, culturally retarded, white and racist fragments of American society. Yes, he speaks his mind. So do most of the people we see shouting obscenities and racial slurs in public. Speaking your mind doesn't make you fit to lead a country, thinking through an issue and seeking a reasonable and rational solution which benefits the country rather than your irrational fear and hatred of ethnic diversity is the qualifier. Trump is a crass, belligerent wasp of a man who leaves the rest of the world shaking their heads at the foolishness of the American public. The mere fact that this man lasted more than a day in the running for presidential office is a farce.

Still convinced he is a Hillary plant.

If he's a plant, it was a success. He's proven how screwed-up the Republican party really is. No, I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican; I feel both parties have drastically flawed ways of approaching the serious issues plaguing the nation. I do, however, agree more with Democratic nominees and policies.

Ultimately, I fear for the future when people such as Sarah Palin and Donald Trump can run for candidacy and see such support from a major political party. America's got a lot of problems, many of which could be solved through simply being informed about facts rather than hearsay.

[Shaka_Khan]

If he's a plant, it was a success. He's proven how screwed-up the Republican party really is. No, I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican; I feel both parties have drastically flawed ways of approaching the serious issues plaguing the nation. I do, however, agree more with Democratic nominees and policies.

Ultimately, I fear for the future when people such as Sarah Palin and Donald Trump can run for candidacy and see such support from a major political party. America's got a lot of problems, many of which could be solved through simply being informed about facts rather than hearsay.

If Trump is a plant, then he sacrificed his own image. And he offended a lot of his friends.