Posts Made By: James Brown

Do you think Trump really believes that he can end "birthright citizenship" with a stroke of the pen?  Or is he just messing with the press (as I believe Richard suggested below in the CNN thread?)*

Personally, I think the 14th Amendment is pretty clear, and if Trump actually were to use an executive order in the manner he threatens, I would be really upset and disappointed.  For starters, executive orders should only be used for minor administrative matters, as any alleged conservative ought to know.  Also, the plain language of the 14th Amendment is pretty darned plain, as any conservative ought to know.  I'm fully aware of the tortured counter-interpretation of the 14th Amendment.  I'm not sure that anyone who subscribes to those arguments ought to be calling himself an originalist.

I think Trump, at night when it is just he and his iPhone, probably does believe he can do anything he wants with an executive order.  I also think that he has listened to his advisers and has no intention of actually issuing this particular executive order.  So, I think he is just spinning up the more rabid base and trolling the media; again.  Time will tell.

Jim 

* (a simple correction will suffice if this is not a fair characterization.  I just skimmed through about 10 threads.)

Originally Posted by Gerald Miller

People that spread false rumors and conspiracy theories are a despicable lot, as are the people who believe them.

Fair point.  Did you feel the same way about certain gang-rape stories that were recently in the news?

Jim

Originally Posted by Gerald Miller

Not familiar with that. Got a cite?

I assume you're kidding?

Originally Posted by James Brown

I assume you're kidding?

Maybe not.  Does this ring a bell:


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/us/politics/julie-swetnick-avenatti-kavenaugh.html

Originally Posted by Gerald Miller

Oh, sorry, didn't know you meant our newest member of the bench.

Wait-do I feel the same with those stories because they are conspiracy theories? Oh, ok.

No, I don't because they are first person accounts-not some theory that has no personal witness to the event. I would feel the same if they are only based on conjecture or rumor, though.

Hi Gerald:

Wow, you are really finessing this.  Sure  Julie Swetnick and her attorney presented a "first person account."  She had a signed affidavit and everything.  It was also an account quickly demonstrated to be a complete fabrication.   Wouldn't this lie qualify as a "false rumor" according to your first post?  I'm thinking that Julie Swetnick and Avenatti qualify for the full "People that spread false rumors and conspiracy theories are a despicable lot, as are the people who believe them"  treatment.   I guess I'm having a hard time grasping the distinction you are trying to make between the unsubstantiated Mueller smear and the unsubstantiated Swetnick smear.  

Jim

Originally Posted by Gerald Miller

Electing a President that doesn't go to church, been divorced numerous times, paid off porn stars or other women he's alleged to have affairs with, won't release his tax returns, makes divisive and at least what appears to some to be racist remarks and actions, is caught on tape encouraging the sexual assault of women, makes completely false statements almost in every breath he takes, alienates our allies, plays golf more than he works, watches FoxNews for his updates, hires cabinet members or campaign staffers that have plead guilty to federal crimes, created false conspiracy theories and spread them about the former President's origin of his birth, and never held an elected position before, is not good for the country in my opinion.

HI Gerald:

No, it is not.  But the election results does say a lot about the alternative choice.  Also, things are not so bad in the country right now.  A whole lot of noise from the partisans while the country chugs along pretty well.

Jim

Originally Posted by James Lacey

I believe Trump is an unpredictable and uncontrollable actor who causes real harm with his incessant dishonesty. It's impossible to know if all of it is on purpose or not; I think it's just a core part of his personality and it's impossible for him to act any other way. We can't assume his intentions are honest or simply misunderstood though, given the sheer density and volume of his dishonesty. Just last night for example, at the Florida rally, Trump said, "illegal immigrants are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States." This comment should make any constitution loving conservative's skin crawl, but instead, the crowd cheered. Granted, it was a political rally, but imagine the howls of indignation from the right if Obama had ever said such a thing, much less spent most of his Presidency playing golf and using Air Force One to attend an endless litany of campaign rallies. 

Hi James:

I think most Rs just ignore that kind of BS.  Some defend Trump of course, but their partisanship overwhelms their reason.  Engage with anyone like that recently?  

I read this opinion piece in the NYT this morning.  I though Ross made some good points.  Then I read through the comments for a few minute.  It reminded me just why the middle of the country voted for Trump, even though virtually everyone is offended by his persona and values.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/opinion/sunday/midterms-elections-2018-senate.html

Jim 

Originally Posted by Gerald Miller

Thank God for that.

Yes, and I don't want to diminish God's input - but thank the Constitutional system our ancestors put into place.   The system is robust enough to curb any President's excesses (and I'm talking about Trump, and Obama both) while the country chugs along.  I personally think that the country chugs "better" when the system is biased toward conservative policies, but I'll not get too fussed when the D's inevitably regain control in '20, '22 or '24.

Jim

Originally Posted by James Lacey

"In the party of Lincoln, there is no room for intolerance and not even a small corner for anti-Semitism or bigotry of any kind. Many people are welcome in our house, but not the bigots."

Source: Acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in 1984.

What a great speech.  I personally think Reagan's sentiments reflects the values of 80-90% or so of the R's and the D's.  But there are relatively small bigot populations on the left and on the right and those folks get the franchise too.  It is disgusting that Trump would pander to them.  But the BDS movement that is motivated by thinly veiled anti-semitism and loudly advocated by some political leaders on the left is comparably disgusting.

There was a recent study on political tribalism, did you see it?  I'll try to find a link.  One finding was that "rank and file" Rs are no more racist than rank and file D's.  You wouldn't know this from the NYT or course, or from the D political leadership. 

J

Originally Posted by James Brown

What a great speech.  I personally think Reagan's sentiments reflects the values of 80-90% or so of the R's and the D's.  But there are relatively small bigot populations on the left and on the right and those folks get the franchise too.  It is disgusting that Trump would pander to them.  But the BDS movement that is motivated by thinly veiled anti-semitism and loudly advocated by some political leaders on the left is comparably disgusting.

There was a recent study on political tribalism, did you see it?  I'll try to find a link.  One finding was that "rank and file" Rs are no more racist than rank and file D's.  You wouldn't know this from the NYT or course, or from the D political leadership. 

J

Here is one study - and it describes my view of my tribe perfectly:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/10/18/five_tribes_of_american_voters_138390.html

Mainline GOP (14 Percent)

Heading into the 2018 midterms, the good news for the Republican Party is that this group remains deeply loyal, even if Trump was never their guy. Ninety-four percent of them want Congress to remain in Republican hands – and 82 percent “definitely” plan to vote in the midterms. The bad news? There just aren’t that many of them: Mainline GOPers make up only 14 percent of registered voters. This tribe is old (only 17 percent are under 45); heavily male (67 percent); very white (85 percent); well educated (37 percent have a college degree). Sixty-one percent of them live in suburbs.

They rate taxes as their most important issue, followed by religious freedom. When it comes to immigration and ethnic diversity, however, they neither follow Trump’s lead nor have much in common with his grassroots supporters. Asked, for example, whether they agree that “new, legal immigrants are good for the U.S.,” 74 percent of Mainline GOP tribe members strongly agreed. This is four times as high as the percentage of MAGAs.

Fifty-one percent of Mainline GOPers agree that “racial diversity should make us stronger,” compared to only 12 percent of MAGAs. On these kinds of questions, the Mainline GOP was closer to the Resistance than any other group. To pro-Trump populists, such findings confirm their belief that the Republican establishment isn’t appreciably different from the Democratic establishment. On the other hand, it undermines the prevailing narrative in the liberal media that Republicans are racists. The Mainline GOP tribe certainly isn’t."

Here's another one, I have not read this in detail.

https://hiddentribes.us/pdf/hidden_tribes_report.pdf


Jim