Trump approval ratings thread 1.2

[Dr. Arch]

Gallup 12/30

Approve: 40% (+2)
Disapprove: 55% (-1)

Trump's highest approval in Gallup since 9/23.

It really is depressing that people out there don't care more about our Constitution and principles being stomped over every day. Or Trump profiteering on the presidency, and so on. Its sick.

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

It's practically 2018, and you guys are still going on about CLINTUN. It's old.

[junior chįmp]

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

Trump was never a billionaire to begin with. He inflated his personal net worth for decades. Try and use simple logic: he claims to be a billionaire yet no Bank in the US will loan him money because of history of conning and grifting suckers like you.

Second, while he donated his check....he charged the GOP and the RNC to hold events on his properties while also charging the government for time spent on his properties. For every check he "donates," he's getting back millions by ripping off the tax payers.

So in closing....Your basically a sucker falling for a Scientology like scam.

[Dr. Arch]

Gallup 12/30

Approve: 40% (+2)
Disapprove: 55% (-1)

Trump's highest approval in Gallup since 9/23.

It really is depressing that people out there don't care more about our Constitution and principles being stomped over every day. Or Trump profiteering on the presidency, and so on. Its sick.

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

It's practically 2018, and you guys are still going on about CLINTUN. It's old.

Are you not aware of the massive double standard you have here, though? I have actual evidence, unlike you, to prove my claims. You don’t. Seek help.

What's my claim, exactly, you louse?

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

Gallup 12/30

Approve: 40% (+2)
Disapprove: 55% (-1)

Trump's highest approval in Gallup since 9/23.

It really is depressing that people out there don't care more about our Constitution and principles being stomped over every day. Or Trump profiteering on the presidency, and so on. Its sick.

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

It's practically 2018, and you guys are still going on about CLINTUN. It's old.

Are you not aware of the massive double standard you have here, though? I have actual evidence, unlike you, to prove my claims. You don’t. Seek help.

I didn't see him make any claims...

[Dr. Arch]

Gallup 12/30

Approve: 40% (+2)
Disapprove: 55% (-1)

Trump's highest approval in Gallup since 9/23.

It really is depressing that people out there don't care more about our Constitution and principles being stomped over every day. Or Trump profiteering on the presidency, and so on. Its sick.

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

It's practically 2018, and you guys are still going on about CLINTUN. It's old.

Are you not aware of the massive double standard you have here, though? I have actual evidence, unlike you, to prove my claims. You don’t. Seek help.

What's my claim, exactly, you louse?

That trump is “profiteering” off the presidency. You should try to learn how to read sometime.

Oh? When did I say that? Please quote.

[Dr. Arch]

Gallup 12/30

Approve: 40% (+2)
Disapprove: 55% (-1)

Trump's highest approval in Gallup since 9/23.

It really is depressing that people out there don't care more about our Constitution and principles being stomped over every day. Or Trump profiteering on the presidency, and so on. Its sick.

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

It's practically 2018, and you guys are still going on about CLINTUN. It's old.

Are you not aware of the massive double standard you have here, though? I have actual evidence, unlike you, to prove my claims. You don’t. Seek help.

What's my claim, exactly, you louse?

That trump is “profiteering” off the presidency. You should try to learn how to read sometime.

Oh? When did I say that? Please quote.

Wrong person my b

"You should try to learn how to read sometime."

/thread

[junior chįmp]

Gallup 12/30

Approve: 40% (+2)
Disapprove: 55% (-1)

Trump's highest approval in Gallup since 9/23.

It really is depressing that people out there don't care more about our Constitution and principles being stomped over every day. Or Trump profiteering on the presidency, and so on. Its sick.

Trump’s net worth has decreased by $1 billion since he announced his candidacy.

He donates his salary.

Compare this to the Clintons, who made HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS during Slick Willy’s presidency.

You were saying?

It's practically 2018, and you guys are still going on about CLINTUN. It's old.

Are you not aware of the massive double standard you have here, though? I have actual evidence, unlike you, to prove my claims. You don’t. Seek help.

What's my claim, exactly, you louse?

That trump is “profiteering” off the presidency. You should try to learn how to read sometime.

Oh? When did I say that? Please quote.

Wrong person my b

"You should try to learn how to read sometime."

/thread

Trump U grad most likely

Sad!

[junior chįmp]

In my defense, all the “D” avatars act the exact same way, always spewing the same bullsh*t

Calm down and celebrate New Year's....your cult leader will be there when you get back

[Virginiá]

One thing I've always wondered is, what did Donald J. Trump ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty and trust from his supporters? All he did was run his mouth for 1.5 years leading up the election, and bam, instant loyalty. God, I mean even I never trusted Obama like that. Especially not Clinton either (both of them - although Bill was getting elected for the first time as I was being born, so he is mostly irrelevant to me). It doesn't seem to matter what the accusation against Trump is - the first thing that runs through their mind is, "this must be bs," and every thought thereafter is just a series of attempts to delegitimize or argue against it. It doesn't matter what it is. A tape comes out showing him bragging about groping women, then accusers follow backing it up, and no, it's just "locker room talk." He makes fun of a disabled journalist on STAGE AT A RALLY ON LIVE TV, and suddenly it's "just a joke." Crickets on his scam Trump University. "It's nothing" on his super profitable DC hotel while he's president, with international diplomats pouring money into it to curry favor. Crickets! And finally when they admit something must be true, they then say "it doesn't matter." For christs sake, if you just care about your party holding power, just say it. Just say the man is a trash-talking liar, but at least you're getting the policy you want. At least that's being honest.

Again, I just don't get what this man has ever done to deserve such loyalty. He's not a nice man. He's such a blatant jerk and has a solid reputation for putting himself first and lying day and night right through his teeth. It's not even like it's hard to prove it most of the time. He lies blatantly, even when he's caught. It's just become so normal for this to happen that hardly anyone brings it up anymore. And god forbid I link politifact, as Trump long ago labeled that FAKE NEWS and his followers instinctively treat it as such, even though they document his falsehoods - which are way higher than past presidents and presidential candidates. Did it ever dawn on them why Trump has so viciously gone after every single institution that can or has tried to put a check on his power? The media. Fact-checking sites. LAW ENFORCEMENT. How is it not obvious what he's trying to do?


As a new year's resolution, I just hope for some Trump supporters to take a step back and maybe try to assess the situation a bit more objectively. Genuinely ask themselves whether they may trust Trump a little too much, or at least WHY do they trust him so much. Maybe wonder if any politician deserves that, but particularly one with so much bad history.

[Beet]

The evils of tribalism, Virginia. They are on a high of them and their team.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Im more shocked he never hit 40 in October or November

[LimoLiberal]

TAX REFORM BUMP IS GLORIOUS, MASSIVE, AND BEAUTIFUL! AND IRAN PROTEST SURGE HASN'T EVEN BEEN FACTORED IN YET! HAPPY 2018!

[Gass3268]

Trump's numbers have always improved during the holidays throughout the year, people don't think as much about politics. They will head back down once things pick up.

[Doimper]

TAX REFORM BUMP IS GLORIOUS, MASSIVE, AND BEAUTIFUL! AND IRAN PROTEST SURGE HASN'T EVEN BEEN FACTORED IN YET! HAPPY 2018!

I have become convinced that this account is an IceSpear sock meant to parody krazey.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

One thing I've always wondered is, what did Donald J. Trump ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty and trust from his supporters? All he did was run his mouth for 1.5 years leading up the election, and bam, instant loyalty. God, I mean even I never trusted Obama like that. Especially not Clinton either (both of them - although Bill was getting elected for the first time as I was being born, so he is mostly irrelevant to me). It doesn't seem to matter what the accusation against Trump is - the first thing that runs through their mind is, "this must be bs," and every thought thereafter is just a series of attempts to delegitimize or argue against it. It doesn't matter what it is. A tape comes out showing him bragging about groping women, then accusers follow backing it up, and no, it's just "locker room talk." He makes fun of a disabled journalist on STAGE AT A RALLY ON LIVE TV, and suddenly it's "just a joke." Crickets on his scam Trump University. "It's nothing" on his super profitable DC hotel while he's president, with international diplomats pouring money into it to curry favor. Crickets! And finally when they admit something must be true, they then say "it doesn't matter." For christs sake, if you just care about your party holding power, just say it. Just say the man is a trash-talking liar, but at least you're getting the policy you want. At least that's being honest.

Again, I just don't get what this man has ever done to deserve such loyalty. He's not a nice man. He's such a blatant jerk and has a solid reputation for putting himself first and lying day and night right through his teeth. It's not even like it's hard to prove it most of the time. He lies blatantly, even when he's caught. It's just become so normal for this to happen that hardly anyone brings it up anymore. And god forbid I link politifact, as Trump long ago labeled that FAKE NEWS and his followers instinctively treat it as such, even though they document his falsehoods - which are way higher than past presidents and presidential candidates. Did it ever dawn on them why Trump has so viciously gone after every single institution that can or has tried to put a check on his power? The media. Fact-checking sites. LAW ENFORCEMENT. How is it not obvious what he's trying to do?


As a new year's resolution, I just hope for some Trump supporters to take a step back and maybe try to assess the situation a bit more objectively. Genuinely ask themselves whether they may trust Trump a little too much, or at least WHY do they trust him so much. Maybe wonder if any politician deserves that, but particularly one with so much bad history.

Truth be told, I think just plain apathy in the country has a lot to do with it.  Politics nerds like us overestimate the portion of Americans who are actively engaged in politics (and by "actively engaged," I mean people who make some effort to learn what's going on in the world).  If Americans voted at the rates people in social democratic countries do, any candidate like Trump would be overwhelmingly rejected at the polls.  If people cared as much about politics as they care about celebrities' personal lives, this country's leadership would look very, very different.

Of course, there's also a severe lack of critical thinking in this country.  The corporate media takes a huge share of the blame for that.  They did, after all, give us Trump.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Trump's numbers have always improved during the holidays throughout the year, people don't think as much about politics. They will head back down once things pick up.

It'll probably shoot back down sometime around mid-Janurary when the senate GOP continues to struggle with just a two-vote majority.

[Reaganfan]

One thing I've always wondered is, what did Donald J. Trump ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty and trust from his supporters? All he did was run his mouth for 1.5 years leading up the election, and bam, instant loyalty. God, I mean even I never trusted Obama like that. Especially not Clinton either (both of them - although Bill was getting elected for the first time as I was being born, so he is mostly irrelevant to me). It doesn't seem to matter what the accusation against Trump is - the first thing that runs through their mind is, "this must be bs," and every thought thereafter is just a series of attempts to delegitimize or argue against it. It doesn't matter what it is. A tape comes out showing him bragging about groping women, then accusers follow backing it up, and no, it's just "locker room talk." He makes fun of a disabled journalist on STAGE AT A RALLY ON LIVE TV, and suddenly it's "just a joke." Crickets on his scam Trump University. "It's nothing" on his super profitable DC hotel while he's president, with international diplomats pouring money into it to curry favor. Crickets! And finally when they admit something must be true, they then say "it doesn't matter." For christs sake, if you just care about your party holding power, just say it. Just say the man is a trash-talking liar, but at least you're getting the policy you want. At least that's being honest.

Again, I just don't get what this man has ever done to deserve such loyalty. He's not a nice man. He's such a blatant jerk and has a solid reputation for putting himself first and lying day and night right through his teeth. It's not even like it's hard to prove it most of the time. He lies blatantly, even when he's caught. It's just become so normal for this to happen that hardly anyone brings it up anymore. And god forbid I link politifact, as Trump long ago labeled that FAKE NEWS and his followers instinctively treat it as such, even though they document his falsehoods - which are way higher than past presidents and presidential candidates. Did it ever dawn on them why Trump has so viciously gone after every single institution that can or has tried to put a check on his power? The media. Fact-checking sites. LAW ENFORCEMENT. How is it not obvious what he's trying to do?


As a new year's resolution, I just hope for some Trump supporters to take a step back and maybe try to assess the situation a bit more objectively. Genuinely ask themselves whether they may trust Trump a little too much, or at least WHY do they trust him so much. Maybe wonder if any politician deserves that, but particularly one with so much bad history.

I think it's combinations of class, race, gender and cultural wars.

One reason I accurately predicted Trump's possible victory, despite being torn apart by people on this message board, was because I see myself and my family as your traditional white-working class American household.

My mom went to Catholic school but isn't overtly religious and doesn't go to church regularly. She voted for Obama twice but is against gay marriage, rolls her eyes at racial things like "black lives matters" and voted enthusiastically for Donald Trump. She would care less if there was a true Muslim ban in the country. She has no vested interest in any liberal causes. She can jam to a Beyonce song but rolls her eyes when she wears a black panthers-type outfit at a Superbowl halftime show. She roots for Lebron James but rolls her eyes or shrugs when he campaigns with Hillary Clinton.

Basically, she's not ideological. She votes for who makes her comfortable. Now you might wonder, why would a 49 year old woman be comfortable with a guy like Donald Trump? Well, she graduated High School in 1986 in Cleveland Ohio. The people around her were predominately Italians, Polish, and almost all Catholic. They had pictures of Pope John Paul II on their walls, idolized stories about the wonderful J.F.K. and voted for Ronald Reagan. They lived in almost all white neighborhoods, and she grew up with three brothers and is twice married with a conservative old-fashioned son (me).

My mother told me a story recently that I was really shocked by. She said when she was 18 years old, on her last day of High School in what would have been June 1986, her photography class teacher asked her to join him in the "darkroom" after class. She said he was an "average looking normal 30-something year old guy". He turned on the light and hung up all over the walls of the room were pictures he had taken of her during class the entire school-year. Working on papers, writing, sitting in her chair at her desk.

I said, "What the heck! He probably had the hots for you and was like obsessed. What happened?"

She shrugged and said, "Meh, I didn't care. I was just like, "wow thanks" and left."

I couldn't help but think that in that naive Catholic Polish politically incorrect Cleveland classroom in 1986 how nobody would have cared. Today, it would be a nationwide school scandal. My mother was completely oblivious and undeterred by the entire thing.

Things were different in our culture. One movie I loved was a Touchstone Disney film called "Adventures in Babysitting". This was a funny scene at the beginning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og-pk5lXroU

Do you think my family or me and my sisters were offended? Do you think we were scarred? Do you think we cried? We did not care. Nobody did. Many still don't.

I think the reason Clinton lost white women over 40 is because these are mostly women like my mom. They do believe that "boys will be boys" and "locker room talk". They shrug at things. They really DON'T CARE. What did Savannah Guthrie say on NBC on election night? "The Trump voters are saying "WE HEAR YOU...BUT WE DON'T CARE."

We hear what you say, but we don't care anymore.

[Tartarus Sauce]

One thing I've always wondered is, what did Donald J. Trump ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty and trust from his supporters? All he did was run his mouth for 1.5 years leading up the election, and bam, instant loyalty. God, I mean even I never trusted Obama like that. Especially not Clinton either (both of them - although Bill was getting elected for the first time as I was being born, so he is mostly irrelevant to me). It doesn't seem to matter what the accusation against Trump is - the first thing that runs through their mind is, "this must be bs," and every thought thereafter is just a series of attempts to delegitimize or argue against it. It doesn't matter what it is. A tape comes out showing him bragging about groping women, then accusers follow backing it up, and no, it's just "locker room talk." He makes fun of a disabled journalist on STAGE AT A RALLY ON LIVE TV, and suddenly it's "just a joke." Crickets on his scam Trump University. "It's nothing" on his super profitable DC hotel while he's president, with international diplomats pouring money into it to curry favor. Crickets! And finally when they admit something must be true, they then say "it doesn't matter." For christs sake, if you just care about your party holding power, just say it. Just say the man is a trash-talking liar, but at least you're getting the policy you want. At least that's being honest.

Again, I just don't get what this man has ever done to deserve such loyalty. He's not a nice man. He's such a blatant jerk and has a solid reputation for putting himself first and lying day and night right through his teeth. It's not even like it's hard to prove it most of the time. He lies blatantly, even when he's caught. It's just become so normal for this to happen that hardly anyone brings it up anymore. And god forbid I link politifact, as Trump long ago labeled that FAKE NEWS and his followers instinctively treat it as such, even though they document his falsehoods - which are way higher than past presidents and presidential candidates. Did it ever dawn on them why Trump has so viciously gone after every single institution that can or has tried to put a check on his power? The media. Fact-checking sites. LAW ENFORCEMENT. How is it not obvious what he's trying to do?


As a new year's resolution, I just hope for some Trump supporters to take a step back and maybe try to assess the situation a bit more objectively. Genuinely ask themselves whether they may trust Trump a little too much, or at least WHY do they trust him so much. Maybe wonder if any politician deserves that, but particularly one with so much bad history.

Amen

[Bacon King]

My mother told me a story recently that I was really shocked by. She said when she was 18 years old, on her last day of High School in what would have been June 1986, her photography class teacher asked her to join him in the "darkroom" after class. She said he was an "average looking normal 30-something year old guy". He turned on the light and hung up all over the walls of the room were pictures he had taken of her during class the entire school-year. Working on papers, writing, sitting in her chair at her desk.

I said, "What the heck! He probably had the hots for you and was like obsessed. What happened?"

She shrugged and said, "Meh, I didn't care. I was just like, "wow thanks" and left."

I couldn't help but think that in that naive Catholic Polish politically incorrect Cleveland classroom in 1986 how nobody would have cared. Today, it would be a nationwide school scandal. My mother was completely oblivious and undeterred by the entire thing.

Things were different in our culture. One movie I loved was a Touchstone Disney film called "Adventures in Babysitting". This was a funny scene at the beginning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og-pk5lXroU

Do you think my family or me and my sisters were offended? Do you think we were scarred? Do you think we cried? We did not care. Nobody did. Many still don't.

I think the reason Clinton lost white women over 40 is because these are mostly women like my mom. They do believe that "boys will be boys" and "locker room talk". They shrug at things. They really DON'T CARE. What did Savannah Guthrie say on NBC on election night? "The Trump voters are saying "WE HEAR YOU...BUT WE DON'T CARE."

We hear what you say, but we don't care anymore.

jesus christ naso what the hell

[junior chįmp]

We hear what you say, but we don't care anymore.

Nobody cares more than Trump and his supporters....they bitch and moan everyday non stop about imagined or perceived slights. Trump and his supporters are arguably the whiniest bitches out any electoral group I've ever seen....they are worse than most victimized lefties.

[Holmes]

We hear what you say, but we don't care anymore.

Yes, it is clear. Kindly remove yourself from the political process so that the people who actually care can have a bigger say.

[GeorgiaModerate]

We hear what you say, but we don't care anymore.

Yes, it is clear. Kindly remove yourself from the political process so that the people who actually care can have a bigger say.

The (undoubtedly true) fact that there's a sizable fraction of the country who don't care is something that needs to be shouted to the hills, to ensure that it's recognized by the (hopefully larger) fraction who do care about things like decency, integrity, and principle in government.  Ideally, that will motivate the latter group to get out and vote.  I'm generally not one for dramatic statements, but the future of this country literally turns on whether they do or not.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

One thing I've always wondered is, what did Donald J. Trump ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty and trust from his supporters? All he did was run his mouth for 1.5 years leading up the election, and bam, instant loyalty. God, I mean even I never trusted Obama like that. Especially not Clinton either (both of them - although Bill was getting elected for the first time as I was being born, so he is mostly irrelevant to me). It doesn't seem to matter what the accusation against Trump is - the first thing that runs through their mind is, "this must be bs," and every thought thereafter is just a series of attempts to delegitimize or argue against it. It doesn't matter what it is. A tape comes out showing him bragging about groping women, then accusers follow backing it up, and no, it's just "locker room talk." He makes fun of a disabled journalist on STAGE AT A RALLY ON LIVE TV, and suddenly it's "just a joke." Crickets on his scam Trump University. "It's nothing" on his super profitable DC hotel while he's president, with international diplomats pouring money into it to curry favor. Crickets! And finally when they admit something must be true, they then say "it doesn't matter." For christs sake, if you just care about your party holding power, just say it. Just say the man is a trash-talking liar, but at least you're getting the policy you want. At least that's being honest.

Again, I just don't get what this man has ever done to deserve such loyalty. He's not a nice man. He's such a blatant jerk and has a solid reputation for putting himself first and lying day and night right through his teeth. It's not even like it's hard to prove it most of the time. He lies blatantly, even when he's caught. It's just become so normal for this to happen that hardly anyone brings it up anymore. And god forbid I link politifact, as Trump long ago labeled that FAKE NEWS and his followers instinctively treat it as such, even though they document his falsehoods - which are way higher than past presidents and presidential candidates. Did it ever dawn on them why Trump has so viciously gone after every single institution that can or has tried to put a check on his power? The media. Fact-checking sites. LAW ENFORCEMENT. How is it not obvious what he's trying to do?


As a new year's resolution, I just hope for some Trump supporters to take a step back and maybe try to assess the situation a bit more objectively. Genuinely ask themselves whether they may trust Trump a little too much, or at least WHY do they trust him so much. Maybe wonder if any politician deserves that, but particularly one with so much bad history.

I think it's combinations of class, race, gender and cultural wars.

One reason I accurately predicted Trump's possible victory, despite being torn apart by people on this message board, was because I see myself and my family as your traditional white-working class American household.

My mom went to Catholic school but isn't overtly religious and doesn't go to church regularly. She voted for Obama twice but is against gay marriage, rolls her eyes at racial things like "black lives matters" and voted enthusiastically for Donald Trump. She would care less if there was a true Muslim ban in the country. She has no vested interest in any liberal causes. She can jam to a Beyonce song but rolls her eyes when she wears a black panthers-type outfit at a Superbowl halftime show. She roots for Lebron James but rolls her eyes or shrugs when he campaigns with Hillary Clinton.

Basically, she's not ideological. She votes for who makes her comfortable. Now you might wonder, why would a 49 year old woman be comfortable with a guy like Donald Trump? Well, she graduated High School in 1986 in Cleveland Ohio. The people around her were predominately Italians, Polish, and almost all Catholic. They had pictures of Pope John Paul II on their walls, idolized stories about the wonderful J.F.K. and voted for Ronald Reagan. They lived in almost all white neighborhoods, and she grew up with three brothers and is twice married with a conservative old-fashioned son (me).

I'll give you this: the sentences in bold perfectly illustrate the problem with American voters.  Half the country doesn't vote, but probably a majority of those who do vote almost entirely on emotion or gut instinct.  It's kind of interesting really, because I recall you indicating in one of your past sexist screeds that men are inherently more "logical" than women, who supposedly make decisions and vote on their 'emotions.'

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Wow this is almost the exact plot to "Life is Strange."  Zany.

But just because your mother didn't appear to react negatively to this doesn't make what that teacher did okay.  My mom had a sicko for a teacher in high school, too.  Literally gave her the choice to either sleep with him, for which she would get all A's for the semester, or not sleep with him and fail the class.  She took the F's, didn't tell anyone about this until my grandfather years after the fact, and he was (rightly) fuming and upset that it was too late to do anything at that point.  I wonder how many teenage girls he did end up molesting, and getting away with.

So people DO care.  Maybe you don't.  Maybe your mother doesn't.  What's different between now and our parents' generation is that this kind of behavior is no longer socially acceptable because people are done being silent.  Tolerating harassment doesn't make you "un-PC," it makes you an asshole.

[Person Man]

One thing I've always wondered is, what did Donald J. Trump ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty and trust from his supporters? All he did was run his mouth for 1.5 years leading up the election, and bam, instant loyalty. God, I mean even I never trusted Obama like that. Especially not Clinton either (both of them - although Bill was getting elected for the first time as I was being born, so he is mostly irrelevant to me). It doesn't seem to matter what the accusation against Trump is - the first thing that runs through their mind is, "this must be bs," and every thought thereafter is just a series of attempts to delegitimize or argue against it. It doesn't matter what it is. A tape comes out showing him bragging about groping women, then accusers follow backing it up, and no, it's just "locker room talk." He makes fun of a disabled journalist on STAGE AT A RALLY ON LIVE TV, and suddenly it's "just a joke." Crickets on his scam Trump University. "It's nothing" on his super profitable DC hotel while he's president, with international diplomats pouring money into it to curry favor. Crickets! And finally when they admit something must be true, they then say "it doesn't matter." For christs sake, if you just care about your party holding power, just say it. Just say the man is a trash-talking liar, but at least you're getting the policy you want. At least that's being honest.

Again, I just don't get what this man has ever done to deserve such loyalty. He's not a nice man. He's such a blatant jerk and has a solid reputation for putting himself first and lying day and night right through his teeth. It's not even like it's hard to prove it most of the time. He lies blatantly, even when he's caught. It's just become so normal for this to happen that hardly anyone brings it up anymore. And god forbid I link politifact, as Trump long ago labeled that FAKE NEWS and his followers instinctively treat it as such, even though they document his falsehoods - which are way higher than past presidents and presidential candidates. Did it ever dawn on them why Trump has so viciously gone after every single institution that can or has tried to put a check on his power? The media. Fact-checking sites. LAW ENFORCEMENT. How is it not obvious what he's trying to do?


As a new year's resolution, I just hope for some Trump supporters to take a step back and maybe try to assess the situation a bit more objectively. Genuinely ask themselves whether they may trust Trump a little too much, or at least WHY do they trust him so much. Maybe wonder if any politician deserves that, but particularly one with so much bad history.

I think it's combinations of class, race, gender and cultural wars.

One reason I accurately predicted Trump's possible victory, despite being torn apart by people on this message board, was because I see myself and my family as your traditional white-working class American household.

My mom went to Catholic school but isn't overtly religious and doesn't go to church regularly. She voted for Obama twice but is against gay marriage, rolls her eyes at racial things like "black lives matters" and voted enthusiastically for Donald Trump. She would care less if there was a true Muslim ban in the country. She has no vested interest in any liberal causes. She can jam to a Beyonce song but rolls her eyes when she wears a black panthers-type outfit at a Superbowl halftime show. She roots for Lebron James but rolls her eyes or shrugs when he campaigns with Hillary Clinton.

Basically, she's not ideological. She votes for who makes her comfortable. Now you might wonder, why would a 49 year old woman be comfortable with a guy like Donald Trump? Well, she graduated High School in 1986 in Cleveland Ohio. The people around her were predominately Italians, Polish, and almost all Catholic. They had pictures of Pope John Paul II on their walls, idolized stories about the wonderful J.F.K. and voted for Ronald Reagan. They lived in almost all white neighborhoods, and she grew up with three brothers and is twice married with a conservative old-fashioned son (me).

I'll give you this: the sentences in bold perfectly illustrate the problem with American voters.  Half the country doesn't vote, but probably a majority of those who do vote almost entirely on emotion or gut instinct.  It's kind of interesting really, because I recall you indicating in one of your past sexist screeds that men are inherently more "logical" than women, who supposedly make decisions and vote on their 'emotions.'

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Wow this is almost the exact plot to "Life is Strange."  Zany.

But just because your mother didn't appear to react negatively to this doesn't make what that teacher did okay.  My mom had a sicko for a teacher in high school, too.  Literally gave her the choice to either sleep with him, for which she would get all A's for the semester, or not sleep with him and fail the class.  She took the F's, didn't tell anyone about this until my grandfather years after the fact, and he was (rightly) fuming and upset that it was too late to do anything at that point.  I wonder how many teenage girls he did end up molesting, and getting away with.

So people DO care.  Maybe you don't.  Maybe your mother doesn't.  What's different between now and our parents' generation is that this kind of behavior is no longer socially acceptable because people are done being silent.  Tolerating harassment doesn't make you "un-PC," it makes you an asshole.

The ironic thing is that these National Populist types talk all about how minorities can't get ahead because they languish in a culture of crime and poverty because they are too proud to assimilate into the dominant culture out of fear of "selling out" or being an Uncle Tom. These struggling and getting-by white rural and exurban voters are not much different. They complain about their problems, blame everyone else, and when they are giving the opportunities to solve their problems, they complain about how they are persecuted for their culture.

[BlueSwan]

I'll give you this: the sentences in bold perfectly illustrate the problem with American voters.  Half the country doesn't vote, but probably a majority of those who do vote almost entirely on emotion or gut instinct.

Indeed. And this is where political scientists have gone wrong for decades, assuming that voting behaviour is inherently rational, which it obviously is not. This is also where the whole "economic anxiety" theory goes wrong.