I know that’s how you see it, but you are focusing on his proposed solutions. So when you say “immigration” you mean securing the border with a wall and military might. Immigration has been talked about for a hundred years. What you miss, and this is directly related to how Trump and others want to distract you, is that there are solutions that can match our economic needs for workers and responsible citizens that can support growth and prosperity.
It’s funny how those great solutions are never used.
It’s not funny. They were voted down by the same people you say are addressing the issues.
Yes, let other countries conquer all of their neighbors and let’s kill everyone who dares to escape and come to the greatest country on earth to escape being killed by their country’s enemies.!!?
I was reminded of a book that came out around the time Trump was elected called “Democracy For Realists” that is relevant to this thread. Here is an interview with the authors.
2014 was a turning point. It seemed Repubs were considering a move toward reform. Then Trump came along and doubled down on the rhetoric and found a few million voters in the right districts to win the electoral vote.
I did leave out mentally ill, but to add it would be insult to those with mental illness.
Have you seen some people in the U.S.? Just go to Hellmart and you’ll see a lot who voted for the the orange creature. There are a LOT of sick people in the U.S. and all the gun violence is evidence of that.
I seriously doubt it.
Note, they were working on this book for 15 years, so it’s not about Trump per se. The book is more supportive of mine, and Cuthbertj comments. They are saying voting isn’t about connecting policy to issues, not for the average voter. Too many people vote on a feeling of affiliation, who they identify with. Trump knows how to tap into that.
I’m not completely on board with these authors, but they do open up some good discussion points.
Exactly. Us liberals think voting is about policy. It isn’t, not anymore at least. My question is, when will the Dems political machines learn that? Can you imagine a trump-like character that actually uses his or her power for the kind of good we want? We value smarts, but smarts aren’t valued in general in the US. Never really have been.
How’s that possible?
How can a depraved self-serving sociopath out to vandalize all that stands in his way, lead the way to anything positive for the society as a whole?
I’m not so sure liberals are any better at this. At least not on average.
I think they know, but if you emulate the emotion driven machine, then you become it.
I can, but I don’t think it’s possible. Look at those who attempt to be like Trump, DeSantis and Cruz, they can’t pull it off. To be a “man of the people”, you have to have lived it. Trump grew up as a brat in Brooklyn, and used his brat skills to get a big chunk of his father’s wealth. If he wanted the “good” things for the people of America, he would have built his character, studied, developed ideas and found partners to implement them. And he would be a boring intellectual, who had trouble connecting with the people on the street.
I don’t think it’s valuing smarts that’s the problem, it’s gaining trust for being smart. Academia has a system that credits you for your smarts, but with so much to know, it looks like a system where experts are validating other experts, but most of us can’t tell who’s right.
Now, I could be wrong, maybe a really smart person can connect with millions of people and get things done. The trouble with that is, that means a really smart person can fool millions of people and do whatever they want. So far, Trump has not fooled enough people to take down democracy.
Hitler gave us the VW !!! 
The main takeaway is that Democracy is overrated.
Do you know why? It requires an informed citizenry, else you get Trump.
Trump has never been a man of the people, but he’s charismatic. DeSantis has been more effective in office than Trump was even though he lacks Trumps charisma, and Cruz is completely forgettable.
Even with an informed citizenry it’s overrated.
Let’say, as Churchill:
“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…”
11 November 1947
Here’s Reich’s idea
Exactly, and that’s what we need, except with the opposite goal - progressive ideas that actually help people.
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Who says he was “leading the way”? The only reason he even ran was a) to setup opportunities for big grifts, and b) most importantly, to get back at Obama insulting him at that correspondents dinner. Plain and simple. He’s just not smart enough to have advanced thoughts like “bring down democracy” or even “become a dictator”. Too advanced and complex. Smart black guy insulted him in front of everybody. That’s his level.