Let's talk about Trump

[GuyInTaiwan]

Yes you did, in your post four days ago.

It is quite possible for someone to be self-loathing and advocate against his own interests. People do that all the time.

[GuyInTaiwan]

There is the whole pay for play thing, both domestic and foreign, of course. People don’t just pay these people because they like hanging out with them or hearing them speak. There is an entire industry of lobbyists built around this kind of thing in D.C. Then there is the sabre rattling against Russia. Then there is all of the crazy stuff that is going to happen in the next four years if Hillary gets in.

Anyway, I think that one way or another, it’s not going to matter too much in many ways. I think the USA is cooked at this point (other things might come after it) because there are just far too many deep structural issues that won’t be solved by anyone. Also, in the next term, regardless of who is president, we’re likely to see a global financial crisis and all sorts of escalating tensions in several regions of the world. It is going to be a poisoned chalice for either of them as president.

I hope that Trump does make the presidency a Yuge joke because the entire political system, nay culture, is now a yuge joke.

As for Asia, low birthrates are not a good thing. They lead to a rapidly aging population and an inverted tax pyramid, which makes it really difficult to maintain social services. Really low birthrates can be really destabilising.

[Chris]

@GuyInTaiwan

Yes you did, in your post four days ago.

It is quite possible for someone to be self-loathing and advocate against his own interests. People do that all the time.

Point it out.

You can’t.

I never ever ever said such a thing.

[yyy]

@GuyInTaiwan

@yyy

Guy, what’s your take on “Asian values” (as in Lee Kuan Yew’s usage of the term)?

They’re not working out too well. Asian societies have the worst fertility rates in the world and they’re rapidly moving away from being conservative societies. The Asian countries in reference probably have the least Asian values on the planet. Singapore, Taiwan, etc. won’t be recognisable to that other generation once the current Millennials (or Strawberry Generation, etc.) take over power.

That’s an interesting interpretation of the concept, but I don’t think it’s what Lee et al. had in mind.

Asian values

[Chris]

Asian Values is basically an anti-democratic ideology. It was made up as an excuse for autocratic rule in Asia. Its proponents really didn’t like Taiwan’s example of successful democracy.

[tommy525]

Agreed. Don’t use Singapore. Singapore is a KINGDOM (otherwise known as a Dictatorship), ruled formerly by Lee Kuan Yew and now by his son.

A whole heap better then CUBA as far as the lives of its inhabitants go.
But a democracy it is NOT.

[yyy]

I wasn’t trying to comment on Singaporean politics or the validity or non-validity of the “Asian values” paradigm, just curious about how someone who sees American liberalism as a “white male” value interprets values that are claimed to be distinctly non-white.

[afterspivak]

@GuyInTaiwan

I hope that Trump does make the presidency a Yuge joke because the entire political system, nay culture, is now a yuge joke.

If my students wrote essays with reasoning like this, I’d circle the word “because” and write “unclear reasoning.”

God help us all.

Guy

[tommy525]

Trump is actually poised to win at this stage.
Means that America is still :

1. largely Redneck
2. isolationist
3. proves that the perception of having money gains you respect.
4. largely racist (still)
5. you can be borderline insane and still be president
6. you can be morally bankrupt and still be president
7. i can go on and on.

Trump doesn’t come across to me as a man of good morals and integrity. Too bad the Con Woman garners equal mistrust.

I still have to go to work whether the con man wins or the con woman wins, but i held the view that the con woman is at least more experienced in the white house.

[Mick]

You should be angry with the media Tommy, they have been lying to you all year, telling everyone “this is the beginning of the end for trump” lousy polls that had Clinton leading all the way. I know you don’t like Trump, but you might want to ask yourself what else have they been lying to you about.

[tommy525]

The big (or maybe not that big) surprise is that the whiteys almost unanimously supported Trump. College educated or not, male or female, they voted largely for Trump.

And not enough of everyone else loved Clinton enough to make a difference.

And perhaps America is not ready for a woman president.

[Dr_Milker]

It has nothing to do with her being a woman, Tommy. It has to do with her being a slimy, dishonest, power-hungry puppet of the elite. I would gladly vote for a woman, but never for Hillary.

And the whole “racist” thing is completely manufactured by the Clinton campaign and the media. Trump is no more a racist than Hillary (i.e. neither are racist). This is just another sleazy tactic used by the Democrats.

[Chris]

You know that saying about “Be careful what you wish for”? Seems the right-wing extremists may well have got their wish. It’s gonna bite them (and everyone else) on the butt.

[tommy525]

Yeah a lot of people mistrust the Clintons

[tommy525]

Yeah, building a wall to keep Mexicans out is not at all racist. Nope.

[Chris]

@tommy525

Yeah, building a wall to keep Mexicans out is not at all racist. Nope.

Or the stuff he said about Somali immigrants in Minnesota.

[Dr_Milker]

@tommy525

Yeah, building a wall to keep Mexicans out is not at all racist. Nope.

Is building a wall to keep out illegal immigrants racist? Of course not. Mexicans who enter the country legally are perfectly welcome. Don’t believe the media lies.

[yyy]

I seem to have forgotten to post this earlier. For whatever it’s worth, there is more evidence of Trump’s popularity in Asia.

They’re with him: Provocative nationalists side with Trump

Wirathu is not a head of government like Hun Sen, but he is influential in his country.

Ashin Wirathu

[tommy525]

Donald’s platform has been racist, anti non whites, anti muslim. Casting mistrust and division.

Even the Pope said he would not vote for one that builds walls. But yet the southern churches heavily endorsed him.

Trump? Endorsed by Christian churches? Says a lot about Christian churches doesn’t it.

Fact is he is a racist, divisionist, alarmist. He sells products made in China, imports maids from central America and he wants to make America big again and keep jobs in America.

He is a total lier . He just says what YOU want to hear.

But that is how you WIN in America.

Be dishonest, be tricky, make news, good or bad, doesn’t matter.

A guy that says he will accept the results IF HE WINS.

What kind of person is this?

He doesn’t represent ME or any of my values. But he does represent the MAJORITY of American’s values so it seems.

America remains:
white
racist

A nation of Kim Khardasian lovers.
With the values of the Khardasians.

but that being said, the Clinton foundation deserves a good scrutinizing.

Con man versus con Woman.

I still have to go to work whoever wins and work my sub middle class (i am actually heading downwards like most Americans) existence.

Just that i am not keen to hear about Trump (the orange man) and his equally adorable (NOT) kids.

[Chris]

Trump was endorsed by the KKK and is heavily supported by white supremacists who admire him because they say he shares their values.

Welcome to the new reality: America (may she rest in peace) is about to take a journey down that dark path once trod by Germany, Italy and Spain.