Our Dishonest President

[Perknose]

Editorial in the LA Times.

It begins:

It was no secret during the campaign that Donald Trump was a narcissist and a demagogue who used fear and dishonesty to appeal to the worst in American voters.

It goes on:

What is most worrisome about Trump is Trump himself. He is a man so unpredictable, so reckless, so petulant, so full of blind self-regard, so untethered to reality that it is impossible to know where his presidency will lead or how much damage he will do to our nation. His obsession with his own fame, wealth and success, his determination to vanquish enemies real and imagined, his craving for adulation — these traits were, of course, at the very heart of his scorched-earth outsider campaign; indeed, some of them helped get him elected. But in a real presidency in which he wields unimaginable power, they are nothing short of disastrous.

And on:

In the days ahead, The Times editorial board will look more closely at the new president, with a special attention to three troubling traits:

1 Trump’s shocking lack of respect for those fundamental rules and institutions on which our government is based.

[...]

2 His utter lack of regard for truth.

[...]

3 His scary willingness to repeat alt-right conspiracy theories, racist memes and crackpot, out-of-the-mainstream ideas.

It includes a call to arms:

Those who oppose the new president’s reckless and heartless agenda must make their voices heard.

[...]

The United States is not a perfect country, and it has a great distance to go before it fully achieves its goals of liberty and equality. But preserving what works and defending the rules and values on which democracy depends are a shared responsibility. Everybody has a role to play in this drama.

Hear, hear!!

 

[MomentsofSanity]

And yet the ones who support Trump beyond anything else will simply view this as an attack on themselves and dig in that much deeper. They don't care how dishonest or incompetent he is. Only that he says what they want to hear.

Honestly the only thing that will shake those people is if Trump continues to attack groups like the Freedom Caucus openly. The faithful won't know what to do at that point. Check a few conservative forums for evidence from last week.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I am in no way disagreeing with the article, quite the reverse, but it's preaching to the choir or heresy depending on which side one is on. There's nothing in the op ed piece we don't understand. The problem has been identified and so what do we do and as importantly not do?

 

[shortylickens]

Hes not that unpredictable. I've actually guessed correctly at a number of his ridiculous activities. I knew he'd blame democrats for failing to get his health bill passed.

 

[brycejones]

Hes not that unpredictable. I've actually guessed correctly at a number of his ridiculous activities. I knew he'd blame democrats for failing to get his health bill passed.

If there is one thing the great and glorious cheeto knows it is how to pass the buck for his own failings.

 

[Jaskalas]

Hes not that unpredictable. I've actually guessed correctly at a number of his ridiculous activities. I knew he'd blame democrats for failing to get his health bill passed.

You place importance in a single moment of speech?
You are misguided. The following is the result of the topic you shared.
If anything, Trump will have to work for Democrat votes to pass something. Maybe he'll even figure that out.

• Trump’s Threats Against Freedom Caucus Cause Few Shivers of Fear
• Trump targets individual Freedom Caucus members
• ‘We Must Fight Them’: Trump Goes After Conservatives of Freedom Caucus

 

[disappoint]

I am in no way disagreeing with the article, quite the reverse, but it's preaching to the choir or heresy depending on which side one is on. There's nothing in the op ed piece we don't understand. The problem has been identified and so what do we do and as importantly not do?

It mentioned what to do:

Those who oppose the new president’s reckless and heartless agenda must make their voices heard.

 

[disappoint]

There is a follow up article that is linked at the bottom of that article that is also interesting, in case you didn't see it:
http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-ed-why-trump-lies/

It is the second in a series of articles.

The second article further commands what to do:

Our civilization is defined in part by the disciplines — science, law, journalism — that have developed systematic methods to arrive at the truth. Citizenship brings with it the obligation to engage in a similar process. Good citizens test assumptions, question leaders, argue details, research claims.

Investigate. Read. Write. Listen. Speak. Think. Be wary of those who disparage the investigators, the readers, the writers, the listeners, the speakers and the thinkers. Be suspicious of those who confuse reality with reality TV, and those who repeat falsehoods while insisting, against all evidence, that they are true. To defend freedom, demand fact.

 

[glenn1]

Read or post all the articles like this you want. In the end it will come down to whether Democrats can learn enough lessons from their loss to run someone who can win in 2020. And yes while Trump is just as terrible as I thought he would be there's no assurance that he won't win re-election if Dems pick the wrong candidate again.

 

[momeNt]

Hear hear!

 

[Blue_Max]

And yet the ones who support Trump beyond anything else will simply view this as an attack on themselves and dig in that much deeper. They don't care how dishonest or incompetent he is. Only that he says what they want to hear.

Honestly the only thing that will shake those people is if Trump continues to attack groups like the Freedom Caucus openly. The faithful won't know what to do at that point. Check a few conservative forums for evidence from last week.

It's less about that and more about the fact that the more anti-Trumpers froth at the mouth, the less credibility they apper to have and the less people will take them seriously.

It's reached "joke" status already.

 

[sandorski]

It's less about that and more about the fact that the more anti-Trumpers froth at the mouth, the less credibility they apper to have and the less people will take them seriously.

It's reached "joke" status already.

Must be why Trump's approval ratings continue descending further into the toilet.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

It's less about that and more about the fact that the more anti-Trumpers froth at the mouth, the less credibility they apper to have and the less people will take them seriously.

It's reached "joke" status already.

Honest question. What existing criticism of Trump and his admin do you consider valid?

 

[Indus]

Hear, hear!!

My jaw is dropping that you finally agree with something I've been saying for the past 22 months that he's a snake oil salesman at its very mildest.

 

[Perknose]

There's nothing in the op ed piece we don't understand.

Uhhhh, there's plenty in the op ed piece that ~40% of the voting electorate in this country either don't understand or refuse to understand.

If the sky is falling while 4 out of 10 townsfolk refuse to believe it is, your patently dismissive attitude that "we" shouldn't keep fucking loudly announcing that the sky is indeed falling is roundly suspect, to say the least.

The problem has been identified and so what do we do and as importantly not do?

"[As] importantly (sic) NOT to do" is to respond by cavalierly dismissing the continued efforts of the fourth estate to keep hammering home to the dense and in denial THAT THERE IS A FUCKING PROBLEM.

 

[Perknose]

Read or post all the articles like this you want. In the end it will come down to whether Democrats can learn enough lessons from their loss to run someone who can win in 2020. And yes while Trump is just as terrible as I thought he would be there's no assurance that he won't win re-election if Dems pick the wrong candidate again.

Thanks for your tender concern and blatantly obvious advice.

Now here's some advice from me to you: Go fuck yourself.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Uhhhh, there's plenty in the op ed piece that ~40% of the voting electorate in this country either don't understand or refuse to understand.

If the sky is falling while 4 out of 10 townsfolk refuse to believe it is, your patently dismissive attitude that "we" shouldn't keep fucking loudly announcing that the sky is indeed falling is roundly suspect, to say the least.

"[As] importantly (sic) NOT to do" is to respond by cavalierly dismissing the continued efforts of the fourth estate to keep hammering home to the dense and in denial THAT THERE IS A FUCKING PROBLEM.

When in danger when in doubt run in circles, scream and shout. Gotcha.

I'm not dismissive, I'm just not irrational. Now go and shout some more at people because they are against Trump but trying to figure out what to do WITHOUT RESORTING TO INSULTING AND FUCKING CAPS.

Obviously YMMV.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Thanks for your tender concern and blatantly obvious advice.

Now here's some advice from me to you: Go fuck yourself.

Wow...just wow.

 

[Muse]

I am in no way disagreeing with the article, quite the reverse, but it's preaching to the choir or heresy depending on which side one is on. There's nothing in the op ed piece we don't understand. The problem has been identified and so what do we do and as importantly not do?

One of our best hopes is not letting the Trump Administration off the hook on the Russian involvements. There's a real hope that if the truth comes out impeachment will succeed in ridding us of Trump's White House occupancy and all the damage is can do us going forward.

 

[VVV]

Trump action is easily explainable if you had experience with someone with personality disorder and if you have the 'chinese' culture fabric in you. Psychologists suggested that some culture is more susceptible to personality disorder and as a Vietnamese origin, I fully concur this. It comes down basically to a person living in his own reality and in that reality, the only thing that is important is the perception of people about them or his image hence the 'definition' of sucess or greatness. However, since there's no place for morale in this 'the winner takes it all' mode, the proof of success is never a great story to tell but the results to show. Most of the time, it's material or money used to demonstrate the success but the story behind it is hidden voluntary. The road to glory from those people is not something they want people to have a clear look.

The brain will be conditionned to work permanently in PR mode but only in a very narrow time space. Everything said and done or expressed orther wise are purely on an impulsive reaction to improve or gain a 'battle'. Everything is treated like a battle but the war itself is overlooked or often even not clear. It is 100% certainty that Trump don't really remember what he said or doesn't really care but will use the benefit of a declaration if he ever found out that advantage him ex: not going into Iraq (he said the opposite before that). An analogy is a guy guessing almost all numbers before the roulette spined and then told people how he knew it would happen.

It is also very important to win the 'battle' vs anything is front of him or deflect 'bad' stories or danger to the hidden reality (to him anyways). It is a self secure feeling to his own personality cult. To prove to himself and his followers that he's not to mess with. It is not a hasard that a guy who pride himself as a 'builder' or 'development' would overuse a word like 'deal' to sell himself to public. In his mind, the ability to make a deal is the greatest attribute as a business man, it is the 'general' ability to win battles. A con artist mindset. Note that the 'war' in 'deal' is not really talked about: being rich/successful will cover that.

Trump also thinks he's smart because he is actually the alternative fact thinker. He doesn't see what happened as most of people and what he said / tweeted is an invitation to people to alternatively understand his message. Basically, in his world, it is normal that people is 'dumber' and don't see the 'truth'. It is also very 'natural' to him to shout out 'fake news' or 'alternative facts' because his brain is already accepted his version as the reference.

If you come from those regions of the world where 'smartness' is defined by people getting on top of others with no regard to morale, you will recognize Trump instantly. He is exactly one of those too many people that I have met in my life who aren't necessary a celebrity or wealthy personality but are programmed to work exactly the same way.

It is also dangerous that these people are easily manipulated themseves, they always think that they have that ability to 'use' people but they are also the easiest prey if you know how to play them.

What is astonishing is that you realized that he was actually elected as the president of the USA, a country in which the foundation fathers put everything they could (learned and known at that time) in place to prevent a disaster coming from the most dangerous threat of all: human.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

One of our best hopes is not letting the Trump Administration off the hook on the Russian involvements. There's a real hope that if the truth comes out impeachment will succeed in ridding us of Trump's White House occupancy and all the damage is can do us going forward.

Holding his fire to the feet and backing legitimate investigations and not taking Nunes and his lying down is critical. What not to do is become so petty that we who resist look like Birthers because they blew all the Republican's credibility all at once. We need to be thoughtful in the approach

 

[Commodus]

The LA Times' piece is definitely harsh and not heavy on direct "here's why" explanations, but at the same time... it's true.

And I don't see this so much as an attempt to influence Trump cheerleaders as it is rallying the moderates. Don't give up fighting for a government that believes in responsibility, truth, environmental science and compassion. Don't ever let Trump and cronies get away with telling bald-faced lies, undermining the democratic system and covering up their potentially treasonous activities. Protest. Protect the free press. It's a reminder that your votes in 2018 and 2020 aren't just about the usual economic and foreign policy decisions -- they're about bringing some shreds of accountability and ethics back to the government.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Syphilitic dementia explains it all. Probably prenatal infection too.

 

[kage69]

Syphilitic dementia explains it all. Probably prenatal infection too.

Daaaamn man.

He's got the bigliest, the best spirochetes.

 

[HomerJS]

Read or post all the articles like this you want. In the end it will come down to whether Democrats can learn enough lessons from their loss to run someone who can win in 2020. And yes while Trump is just as terrible as I thought he would be there's no assurance that he won't win re-election if Dems pick the wrong candidate again.

I'm wondering why you seem to put no responsibility on the people who voted for this asshole.