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by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:21 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

piquant wrote:Trying to draw those parallels between Trump's behaviour and the actions of others is just more desperate floundering. It doesn't excuse Trump, or those willing to support him
I honestly give up.
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:19 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I'm sure Putin would like to think so. But I doubt it had that much effect. The swing voters who decide elections tend to be less dogmatic than the rest of us. They're not welded to a party or an ideology like most others. And the examples I've seen of troll farm efforts are just too low-res to get...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:14 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I'm not pretending anything. I'm answering AC's question about personal perception. You're free to disagree with my understanding, of course. But it doesn't mean it's not real. On the Republican party standing four square behind Trump. I don't think there's anyone in Washington who believes it's a ...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:12 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Normally, your point about politics being shades of grey rather than black or white would be quite valid, but Trump has polarised it to the point where it's moved from analog to stark binary. Precisely. There's nothing nuanced about Trump's character or his politics: his unprecedented corruption, h...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 3:18 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I'm sure Putin would like to think so. But I doubt it had that much effect. The swing voters who decide elections tend to be less dogmatic than the rest of us. They're not welded to a party or an ideology like most others. And the examples I've seen of troll farm efforts are just too low-res to get...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 3:09 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Widespread civil unrest. Partisan courts of both denominations taking sides. A review of the constitution. After that, all bets are off. Make Rome Great Again! In this scenario, I think what we can learn from Rome is how very quickly an uncontested super-power can collapse. If the conditions are ri...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:56 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Widespread civil unrest. Partisan courts of both denominations taking sides. A review of the constitution. After that, all bets are off. Make Rome Great Again! In this scenario, I think what we can learn from Rome is how very quickly an uncontested super-power can collapse. If the conditions are ri...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:52 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Actually, on my previous post. I think the aftermath of the next election will give us a good idea of where things might end up. If the losing side, whoever they are, take it on the chin and retire with dignity to lick their wounds and await the next election, it'll be a big positive. If they don't...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:43 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Actually, on my previous post. I think the aftermath of the next election will give us a good idea of where things might end up. If the losing side, whoever they are, take it on the chin and retire with dignity to lick their wounds and await the next election, it'll be a big positive. If they don't,...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:40 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Everybody's shifted. There are numerous tables out there from outfits like The Economist that show the Democrats have been no slouches themselves in departing from the traditional centre ground for pastures more leftward. All in all, I think the polarisation is a response both to a disgruntled and ...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:33 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

We're living standards and wages stagnant prior to Trump coming in? Most of the data posted here would suggest economic growth under Trump has been a continuation of growth that was occurring under Obama. And such growth would usually be accompanied by an increase in living standards. I believe the...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:25 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I'm not pretending anything. I'm answering AC's question about personal perception. You're free to disagree with my understanding, of course. But it doesn't mean it's not real. On the Republican party standing four square behind Trump. I don't think there's anyone in Washington who believes it's a ...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:21 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

A question for the Trump cultists on this thread, will you continue to follow and support him if he loses the election in Nov? Your support of him transcends the political. It's more like a cult. According to you he knows things that no-one else in the world knows - he senses conspiracies that no-o...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 2:11 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

A question for the Trump cultists on this thread, will you continue to follow and support him if he loses the election in Nov? Your support of him transcends the political. It's more like a cult. According to you he knows things that no-one else in the world knows - he senses conspiracies that no-o...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 18, 2020 1:52 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

A question for the Trump cultists on this thread, will you continue to follow and support him if he loses the election in Nov? Your support of him transcends the political. It's more like a cult. According to you he knows things that no-one else in the world knows - he senses conspiracies that no-o...
by hermes-trismegistus
Thu Jul 16, 2020 11:10 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The Culture Wars Mega Thread
Replies: 3347
Views: 286123

Re: The Culture Wars Mega Thread

I thought this was a joke - so I looked it up. https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/whiteness It does in fact appear in their website, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute. Scroll down to the graphic that explains the defining characteristics of "Whiteness" It appears th...
by hermes-trismegistus
Thu Jul 16, 2020 4:00 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: The Culture Wars Mega Thread
Replies: 3347
Views: 286123

Re: The Culture Wars Mega Thread

I thought this was a joke - so I looked it up. https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/whiteness It does in fact appear in their website, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute. Scroll down to the graphic that explains the defining characteristics of "Whiteness" It appears th...
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:42 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Just to alight on the issue du jour which you mentioned above. The thing about what you just said there is that it has no explanation whatsoever of those blacks, hispanics and other minorities who actually vote for Trump. They're a minority, of course, especially amongst blacks. But they're not ins...
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:34 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

whats your point Hermes ? black people have voted for the orange shitgibbon so maybe he really has done more for the "blacks" than any president since Lincoln ? I'm revisiting the straight-faced moral imperialism which has been on show over the last few pages. In that sense, it's fairly obvious wha...
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 4:44 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

ticketlessinseattle wrote:ps it could also be that (like white people) there's a % of every ethnic group that dont give a shit about anything other than their 401k, investment portfolio, tax bill
That would include 28% of hispanics and 27% of asians. So, nope. I don't think that's your answer.
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 4:42 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

whats your point Hermes ? black people have voted for the orange shitgibbon so maybe he really has done more for the "blacks" than any president since Lincoln ? I'm revisiting the straight-faced moral imperialism which has been on show over the last few pages. In that sense, it's fairly obvious wha...
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 4:13 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

G'day Fangle. So basically half the Americans then. That is a broad brush. But it's not half the Americans. 63M voted for Trump out of 245M Americans of voting age . That's one quarter. I wish I was so sure of things and so self-righteous. It must be wonderful to feel so perfectly moral. I try to b...
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 4:08 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

It's unlikely he'll lose. Helmut Norpoth's Primary Model has successfully called 24 out of the last 26 elections. He turned up in an unheralded Fox Business segment a few weeks back and announced the model predicted a 91% chance of Trump's re-election. It's a simple but ingenious methodology that m...
by hermes-trismegistus
Tue Jul 14, 2020 4:03 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

It's unlikely he'll lose. Helmut Norpoth's Primary Model has successfully called 24 out of the last 26 elections. He turned up in an unheralded Fox Business segment a few weeks back and announced the model predicted a 91% chance of Trump's re-election. It's a simple but ingenious methodology that m...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:38 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Another deep frustration is the unreliability of the polling. Take the key battleground of Arizona - On Wednesday CNBC had Biden at +7 on Thursday Gravis had Trump +4. Given the normal statistical errors of around 3-4% for these things then one/tother/both have a problem with their polling. The Eco...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sun Jul 12, 2020 12:23 am
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

How about when he said of Obama that he was 'the first mainstream African American who is articulate bright and clean'? Or how about his upbeat reminiscences of working with segregationists? That all good too? How about this. Do you believe Biden has been making intentional pejorative racist statem...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:57 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Just to add to this: some people are morally superior to others. Some systems, models, ways-of-doing-things (cultures) are superior to others. They produce better outcomes, they're more reliable, they produce less suffering, they provide more opportunities for creativity and self-expression etc. I ...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:53 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I always thought it was the sanctions - the Madeleine Albright led sanctions - that precipitated the half-million deaths. Basically a face-saving exercise. The Saddam regime has transgressed and we need to respond; we know it won't materially impact the regime and the brunt will be felt by the most...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:30 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

It's not much, I suppose. But it's a hint of some progress. Out of curiosity, what did you make of Biden's remark implying black people lacked any kind of agency, when he said you aren't black unless you vote for him? I mean, that's surely racist too. Or is it a kind of racism you're happy to ignor...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:25 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

I always thought it was the sanctions - the Madeleine Albright led sanctions - that precipitated the half-million deaths. Basically a face-saving exercise. The Saddam regime has transgressed and we need to respond; we know it won't materially impact the regime and the brunt will be felt by the most...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:16 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Any comments on Trump commuting Roger Stone sentence? I think it's been established that it's well within Trump's gift to pardon who he likes and there's nothing anyone can do about it. There are obviously limits to the Presidential Pardon, but within those limits Trump has free reign. (the miss-sp...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 11:03 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catchb-all

https://twitter.com/john_sipher/status/1281934494942072833?s=21 [quote]Stone Walks Free in One of the Greatest Scandals in American History The amazing thing about the saga is how much of it happened in the full light of day. Roger Stone’s best trick was always his upper-class-twit wardrobe. He see...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 10:50 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Look, it's not my fault if you're not up to speed with what Biden's proposing. He made it clear in April that he plans to put in place tax rises amounting to almost 4 trillion over the next ten years. You can dress it up anyway you like - a levy on the rich and corporations, as he himself does. But...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 10:46 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

So just to be clear, you're content to have a world view where every individual who votes for Trump is a piece of shit, yes? Damn straight. Even if you happened to agree with Trump and his very weird policy agenda, and even if you're happy with that fluctuating to meet the present needs of Trump ra...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 10:43 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Any comments on Trump commuting Roger Stone sentence? I think it's been established that it's well within Trump's gift to pardon who he likes and there's nothing anyone can do about it. There are obviously limits to the Presidential Pardon, but within those limits Trump has free reign. (the miss-sp...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 8:17 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Look, it's not my fault if you're not up to speed with what Biden's proposing. He made it clear in April that he plans to put in place tax rises amounting to almost 4 trillion over the next ten years. You can dress it up anyway you like - a levy on the rich and corporations, as he himself does. But...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:37 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Woe to the fascists.... Look, I'm a simple soul. I believe a better world is one where people are given the benefit of the doubt right up to the point they do something criminal. The alternative is a world where we all second guess each other and ascribe the worst possible motives. To me, that's a ...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:24 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

Hermes, it goes back to my original simple point but but anyway enough enough rabbit holes for one Saturday evening ! No worries, TIS. Have a good weekend. You convinced me. Now I think of it, I bet all those European fascists weren’t so bad either. After all, maybe there were rational reasons why ...
by hermes-trismegistus
Sat Jul 11, 2020 6:07 pm
Forum: Rugby Forum
Topic: ex-POTUS DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all
Replies: 126890
Views: 8953397

Re: POTUS-DONALD TRUMP-and U.S. Politics catch-all

ticketlessinseattle wrote:Hermes, it goes back to my original simple point but but anyway enough enough rabbit holes for one Saturday evening !
No worries, TIS. Have a good weekend.