So why do only fools, clowns and those with nothing better to do show up to be president of the United States these days? That is the question.
My theory is that middleman government is inherently flawed and will eventually choke on its own waste products as insiders learn to game the system and slow disintegraton ensues. Germany’s younger democracy hasn’t yet reached the terminal gridlock stage where apathy reigns and the clowns and fools take over but it eventually will.
So what to do now that the system is no longer functional and is slowly grinding to a halt?
[quote]Whatever the heady admixture of ideas and emotions that produced that data, that picture of America in 2009 is now orphaned. The latest New York Times/CBS News poll shows just 37 percent of all Americans describe race relations as generally good. (Accordingly, other polling in recent months has shown a majority of Americans believe race relations have gotten worse under the nation’s first black president.)
The last time there was such a negative attitude about race relations was May 1992. That date, of course, corresponds with riots that began after the video-taped police beating of a black Los Angeles man named Rodney King prompted prosecutors to charge four officers with excessive use of force. A nearly all-white jury acquitted the group on all charges, sparking violent attacks and riots. A group of black rioters set on a white truck driver, Reginald Denny, during the unrest, beating him nearly to death.[/quote][/quote]
Newspapers love a dramatic headline but polls do fluctuate a lot. Generally, the positive sentiment regarding race relations has been high during Obama’s administration. To make a true judgement on his contribution or lack thereof it would be better to wait 10 or even 50 years for the dust to settle. The plummet in the last couple of years could be just a ‘lancing of the boil’ type thing and the benefits will be seen down the track. Or not.
Another possible explanation for the deterioration (other than it being all Obama’s fault) could be the spate of high-profile slayings of blacks by white police officers as well as the church massacre. In the last two years there seems to have been a Rodney King story, or much worse, every month.
Perhaps a more telling statistic from the same poll (though not as much fun for the media) is that 71% overall think there has been real progress made, despite these killings, and that would seem to support the ‘boil lancing’ theory.
Re the election, I’m hoping it’s either Jeb Bush or Hilary. Just for tidiness sake. That way, apart from Obama’s rude intrusion, we could have the most powerful country in the world ruled by only two families for a possible 35 years. Or hopefully more!
How then do you feel about the mayor of Cologne advising women how to behave appropriately so as not to “get into trouble” on the streets of a major German city? :bravo:
And as to those ridiculous candidates, one with a gun, pork and smirking… why one would have to go no farther than the former foreign minister of Germany, itself, to find very easily in one of your “big parties.” Certainly, you do recall your very own Joschka Fischer?
[quote]In 1967, he became active in the German student movement and left-wing movement (post-) 1968 (the so-called Spontis), first in Stuttgart and after 1968 in Frankfurt am Main. For his regular income, Fischer took several low-wage jobs, such as working in a left-wing bookstore in Frankfurt. During this period, he began attending university events, including lectures organized by left-wing revolutionary students by Theodor W. Adorno, Jürgen Habermas and Oskar Negt.[4] He studied the works of Marx, Mao and Hegel and became a member of the militant group, Revolutionärer Kampf (Revolutionary Struggle). Fischer was a leader in several street battles involving the radical Putzgruppe (literally “cleaning squad”, with the first syllable being an acronym for Proletarische Union für Terror und Zerstörung, “Proletarian Union for Terror and Destruction”), which attacked a number of police officers. Photos of one such brawl in March 1973, which were later to haunt Fischer, show him clubbing policeman Rainer Marx,[5] to whom he later publicly apologized.
Fischer is a close friend of Daniel Cohn-Bendit, whom he met during that time. In 1971, he began working for the car manufacturer Opel and attempted to organise his fellow workers for the coming communist revolution. (This was not organising on behalf of a regular labour union: the vast majority of Opel’s workers had already been organised for decades by IG Metall, the German metalworkers’ union.) This resulted in his dismissal from the company after six months. Fischer then continued making a living with unskilled work while continuing his activism. He worked as a taxi driver from 1976 to 1981 and later in a bookstore in Frankfurt.
In the Deutscher Herbst (German autumn) of 1977, Germany was rattled by a series of left-wing terrorist attacks by the Red Army Faction (RAF) and Revolutionary Cells (RZ). According to Fischer’s own account, witnessing these events, particularly the kidnapping and murder of Hanns-Martin Schleyer and the Entebbe hijacking,[6][7] made him renounce violence as a means for political change. Instead, he became involved in the new social movements and later in the newly founded Green Party, mainly in the state of Hesse.
In May 1981, the Hessian Secretary of Commerce Heinz-Herbert Karry was murdered with a firearm that in 1973 had been transported in Fischer’s car, along with other weapons stolen from an American army base.[8] Fischer maintained he had given the car to the later terrorist Hans-Joachim Klein solely for the purpose of having Klein fit it with a new engine. Only later had Fischer learned that his car had been used to transport stolen weapons.[citation needed]
As Foreign Minister, Fischer apologised for the violence of his Putzgruppe days, without disassociating himself from the radical movement. Some critics continue to charge that Fischer was the leading figure of a 1976 discussion that led to the use of Molotov cocktails in an upcoming demonstration in support of RAF member Ulrike Meinhof. Fischer was arrested on May 14, 1976 as a suspect in the Molotov cocktail attacks on police, but was released after two days. Fischer stated that he never used Molotov cocktails against the police. The firebombing of policeman Jürgen Weber’s police car left Weber with burns over 60% of his body.[5]
Fischer has also been criticised for attending a 1969 conference of the Palestine Liberation Organization, where Yasser Arafat called for an all-out war on Israel “until the end”.[9][/quote]
I guess it depends on whether such violence is “justified,” eh? So, Cruz is a complete looney tune but Fischer… why he deserves to not only represent but also LEAD your nation at the very highest levels of international relations and diplomacy.
Then, one has to look to the environmental minister for “protecting the environment” or “taking cash” and from none other than VW! Does it get any better than this?
GERMANY
[quote]VW Scandal Touches New Minister
New Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel could be starting his cabinet career with a potential scandal surrounding a payment from Volkswagen he received as a consultant.
According to press reports, Gabriel is being investigated as part of the on-going Volkswagen scandal after it was alleged that he received a payment of 100,000 euros from VW while a partner in consulting firm CoNeS and then hid the payment from the authorities.
Gabriel is accused of pocketing the payment from VW, on whose board he once sat as member of the state government for Lower Saxony, as his first contract after setting-up the CoNeS consulting firm. Gabriel had announced that he had retired from politics after losing the 2003 state election at which time he formed the company.
He later reversed his decision and returned to politics but, it is claimed, did not reveal the VW payment as required by law. Politicians must show all exterior payments from business interests under parliamentary rules.
If it is revealed that he kept the payment hidden, he will have contravened the laws of the state of Lower Saxony. While state investigators are assessing whether a criminal act was executed, Gabrial himself has stated that the claims are “totally without basis.”[/quote]
And, as to those “walls” that you laughingly suggest could be built only by Americans, READ ON!!! Looks like half of Merkel’s cabinet is ON RECORD as cheering on the construction of the very same!!! But of course, NOT in Germany, no no no, but in Hungary… so I am sure that this makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE, yes? :ohreally:
[quote]Outside the Bavarian abbey where Chancellor Angela Merkel’s allies were meeting stood a small group wearing T-shirts reading “Thanks Viktor”, in support of Hungary’s tough stance on migrants.
They were vastly outnumbered by protesters angry that the Christian Social Union (CSU) had invited Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, but they reflected a view shared by many members of the party that rules the wealthy southern state of Bavaria.
On the border with Austria, the CSU’s home turf has borne the brunt of the migrant influx for Germany, as the first entry point for thousands after traveling up through the Balkans.
At the CSU’s gathering there was a feeling that Orban’s robust handling of the crisis was helping Germany by shoring up the EU’s external borders and slowing the flows of people, but unease about methods which have included water cannon and tear gas.
[b]
“Things haven’t been easy for him in recent weeks; he’s the only one in Europe who is actually implementing European rules and it’s not acceptable to treat him as the evil guy of Europe,” said Oliver Joerg, a politician in the Bavarian parliament.
“He’s basically doing the job in the interests of Germany … you only have to look at the high numbers of refugees pouring into Munich’s central station day after day to see that we’re being overburdened.”
[/b]
Orban, who called himself the “captain of border protection” during his visit to Bavaria, has repeatedly said Hungary will defend its borders and stick to the Schengen rules. All EU members are required to protect their external borders for the sake of the passport-free Schengen zone.
Orban suggested separating refugees and migrants before they enter the Schengen zone.
[b]
“Ultimately we Bavarians should be thankful that the Hungarians are helping to protect the southern borders of Bavaria,” said Mechthilde Wittmann, a lawyer and CSU politician.
[/b]
She said Orban had shown at the event that he was “not simply a dictator who should be demonized” but knew what he was doing and was aware of his legal situation.
CSU leader Horst Seehofer drew widespread criticism for inviting Orban, with senior Social Democrat lawmaker Yasmin Fahimi saying the Bavarian premier had stabbed Merkel in the back.
Thomas Jaeger, a political scientist at Cologne University, said the invitation could be part of a strategy to cover a range of views stretching from the welcoming one - represented by Merkel’s decision to open Germany’s doors - to closing borders.
That could help the conservative bloc made up of the CSU and Merkel’s Christian Democrats fend off the threat from the right-wing Alternative for Germany, which has a tough stance on immigration.[/quote]
No surprise there that German dumbocracy is already entering its ‘damaged goods’ stage. Another couple of decades and the fools, clowns and those who can’t should be out in full force while those who can avoid the whole circus like a necessary evil So it goes.
Media theater and circus politics aside, I am beginning to think Trump may have America’s best interest in mind. Cringe as you may but reality is Israel plays a very huge roll in American politics/policies and Trump just might be the biggest nightmare for Israel interests and the pro-Israeli bloc that is subservient to them.
[quote]Trump has expressed general support for Israel but has steadfastly refused to join the pack of GOP candidates who routinely hand over the reins of America’s Middle East policies to Netanyahu. Even Israel-loving Evangelicals are flocking to his side, despite the fact that he hasn’t canonized Netanyahu as his patron saint. Trump hasn’t promised to call “my good friend” Netanyahu first thing when he gets into the White House, like Carly Fiorina; he hasn’t pledged to refrain from making peace or even “lecturing” Israelis, like Ted Cruz; he certainly hasn’t endorsed the annexation of the West Bank, like Mike Huckabee, or described the Palestinians as “an invented people” as Newt Gingrich did in 2012.
[/quote]
[quote]WASHINGTON – U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump defended Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, saying it would be “despicable” if the leader actually did kill opposition journalists, as he has been accused of on U.S. television.
But Trump asked his TV interviewer to first “prove” any such allegations.
Trump’s statements come just days after a separate talk show host asked how he felt about Putin, who “kills journalists and political opponents and invades countries.”
Trump quickly responded: “I think our country does plenty of killing, also.”[/quote]
Enjoys this analysis of how Trump answers questions. Also amazed at how Trump essentially dodged the question all together by stringing together a 1 minute long non-sense.
Enjoys this analysis of how Trump answers questions. Also amazed at how Trump essentially dodged the question all together by stringing together a 1 minute long non-sense.[/quote]
6th grade level is the most persuasive you can speak without it effecting your ego. Trump’s so good that he can put his ego in check. Being able to be in control of yourself and your ego is an important trait in a leader.
He reframes the questions. The failure of past republicans/cuckservatives is accepting faulty premises of the interviewer.(i.e. When did you stop beating your wife?) They never made him so they can’t destroy him. If you actually read up on his supporters*, then you would know that it isn’t so much about Trump rather than what he represents.
*You’re a German and we all know how you guys accepted way too many rapists, pedophiles, and basically failed on almost all accounts of health screening. The underlying rot in what’s going on with communicable diseases is just starting and underreported. The Germans and other EU nations are actively censoring the news and the right for free people to express their opinions. We get to see you and your country immolate in real time. :discodance:
Partial translation, Okami doesn’t read the Taiwan politics forum and perhaps doesn’t know hansioux is about as German as a Carefore German sausage. Could be some confusion there with hannes who is also posting.
Enjoys this analysis of how Trump answers questions. Also amazed at how Trump essentially dodged the question all together by stringing together a 1 minute long non-sense.[/quote]
Haha!
Was going to write that purely from a sociological perspective, i was curous as to why Trump is so popular. He’s not intelligent, he’s not a stirring orator, he’s not folksy funny, doesn’t come from the Bush, Clinton, or Kennedy families, and he doesn’t even have good hair.
But thanks, now i have a much better handle on it!
[quote=“Okami”]
6th grade level is the most persuasive you can speak without it effecting your ego. Trump’s so good that he can put his ego in check. Being able to be in control of yourself and your ego is an important trait in a leader. [/quote]
If Trump is putting his ego in check now, I’d like to see when he isn’t. Maybe Trump is so good because he unconventionally uses his 6th grade level dialogue to be extremely egotistic.
[quote=“Okami”]
*You’re a German and we all know how you guys accepted way too many rapists, pedophiles, and basically failed on almost all accounts of health screening. [/quote]
No wonder at one point Germany was about to accept me.
Well, if we compare Trump and the whole German political Elite (excluding the new AfD party) I would put it like this:
Trump plays the card of having the interest of the aging white population at heart who once exclusively ruled the country and now might feel it slipping away from them, also in a personal economic sense.
The German party system out of CDU/CSU, SPD, Greens, Left has grown together to the point of CDU/SPD/Greens feeling practically like one party, even though they should be different given their heritage (should be center-right, center-left, center-left-plus-environtamental). The leading political caste and their journalists and intellectuals are following 68’ patterns of always wanting to re-revolutionize society, somewhat seeing the traditional “white” German population as their social-revolution subject.
Germans are evil, Germans caused the Holocaust, Germans start wars…
are terms which can be heard occasionally (in an altered fashion) and give the justification for their policy of flooding the country with “new citizens” who are the more welcome, the less German they seem. Thus an uneducated young (male) fortune seeker from Africa (to name the group behind the Cologne and other women and children gropings)* is more important to them than the tax paying citizen.
I guess both a “I pretend I am you”-Trump and the German old elite are no material for good governing.
Kindly do not read more into this sentence than there is. I did not say that Africans per se would be rapists/gropers
And, on that note, I think that the same pattern of arrogance is seen albeit in different colors. Now, the same pious, sanctimonious sentiments that wanted to purify the race want to purify the planet. It is the same “we know best” that resulted in Germany repeatedly defying its partners in the EU to recognize Croatia/Slovenia and thus spark the Yugoslav Civil War and now to welcome 1 million immigrants without consulting anyone and then demand that other nations “take their share.” Just sayin… In a way, Germans continue to “start wars.” The only difference now is that they refuse to fight in them.
It is just one state so of course far too early to tell, but Trump losing Iowa might confirm what Nate Silver has been saying about Trump and the polls. A loss in Iowa seems to suggest that there is a separation between what polls say and how they will actually vote when the day comes. Getting interesting…
And, on that note, I think that the same pattern of arrogance is seen albeit in different colors. Now, the same pious, sanctimonious sentiments that wanted to purify the race want to purify the planet. It is the same “we know best” that resulted in Germany repeatedly defying its partners in the EU to recognize Croatia/Slovenia and thus spark the Yugoslav Civil War and now to welcome 1 million immigrants without consulting anyone and then demand that other nations “take their share.” Just sayin… In a way, Germans continue to “start wars.” The only difference now is that they refuse to fight in them.[/quote]
Yeah, without agreeing to all the points above I think it took a lot of arrogance to invite millions without having any plan for them and trying to force the EU partners to follow the German footsteps. A real hegemony might have pulled that through, for the good or bad of Europe, but Germany acts once again as if it is a “half hegemony”. Too strong to be a usual country, to weak to really lead.
And honestly, the left elite has developed a “we are better than everyone else” stance with their naive do-good attitude that reminds a little bit of Kaiser Wilhelm’s “am deutschen Wesen sollen andere genesen” or however that saying went. “Others shall improve by following the German way”. It is not really working well… once again.
I think it is easy to understand why Trump is popular. He is a populist. He is a living piss take on a system of politics that has been corrupted by special interests. Those interests have global reach where as your average American doesn’t, at least not in a fiduciary sense. They see the global agenda eroding their living standards and Trump saying that’s not OK. It has broad appeal because the Democrats and the Conservative globalists share in the same agenda with nuanced differences. He speaks at a 4th grade level because he thinks in those terms. More importantly, however, his message is perhaps not off the mark with a great many Americans who feel their kids have been fighting for years for corporations rather than their own protection which they see threatened by the war agenda of past presidents. They feel they are becoming not just collateral damage of those on going wars but are in part the target. That is Trump and Bernie Sander’s mutual strength. The remainder is bellicose drivel.
I can’t really comment on the average Joe American; however, I think that there is a lot to be said about corporate ambitions and their interrelationship with state ambitions. I think that dog is tugging on the leash and should it truly get off its leash will sniff as many asses and as it can find before leading to those odd mongrel prodginy you see almost everywhere in Taiwan – monstrous ugly pointless pooches that are unloved but still loyal to the system that spawned them. After all, whose to say what the future will hold. Perhaps the next financial crisis will demand an alsation headed sausage dog and we will all be the wiser or not. Regardless, in that awful mix Trump has found he’s not the odd one out. He’s the leader and the pack.
:bravo: 
