Donald Trump soars to a new high of 41 points - more than double his nearest rival

Eilzel wrote:It is concerning enough that so many Americans rate the clown; but warming to know this is at least just less than quarter of voters overall.

Eilzel wrote:It is concerning enough that so many Americans rate the clown; but warming to know this is at least just less than quarter of voters overall.

Original Quill wrote:

Eilzel wrote:It is concerning enough that so many Americans rate the clown; but warming to know this is at least just less than quarter of voters overall.

That's the saving grace, Les.  No question there is political upheaval in America right now.  But the pundits don't quite have the handle on it.  It's not left, or right...  Like El Niño, global warming isn't warming when it brings blizzards to the Eastern Seaboard...up is down...backwards is forwards.

The symptom of the Republican clown show is only on the surface.  The population has moved to the left, and abandoned these fossils with no pants.  That's why they look ridiculous.  They...and their ever-diminishing base are still being watched, when the main action is waaaaaayyyy over there.

The pundits have got to stop filming over here, shoulder their cameras and microphones, and run across the field to the action over there.

eddie wrote:In a nutshell, what is it that he says that make him such a figure of hate?

eddie wrote:Well some of them are just funny.
Some of them are taken literally (he doesn't mean HE will build the actual wall )
Some of them are said to have an impact.

Take the plastic words that drop out of the mouths of our MP's. You think it's better to be lied to?

You think our MP's haven't ever thought stupid and vile things yet not said them?
You think our MPs haven't driven along and been cut up by a Chinese man and haven't uttered "You fucking slitty-eyed wanker"?

I am telling you, all of you live in this totally weird world where you think most people don't have a streak of shit in them, even the best of people, have a streak of shit in them.
Even the best of people, after being in a slanging match with a Mexican hasn't thought "I'll build a wall to keep you out c@nty!"

Doesn't mean they mean it.

They might save a Mexican child's life the next day by stopping him from running in the road.

I think people need to grow up and realsie that even the best of people stink of shit.

Don't think Trump will be, or should be, president though. Anyone who thinks their hair looks good like that is deluded.

Didge wrote:Of course most of his claims are ridiculous, which are in the main to garner votes and the fact is his popularity is gaining off doing exactly that.
What most fail to grasp here is that none of these claims would likely get approved.
He has the left craping themselves, when they should not be giving him anytime of day, but like with Farage they are pandering to him with fear.
They are giving him prime time air time daily, playing into his hands.
When they should be concentrating on their own people

The Washington Times wrote:Not Trump
There are good reasons to conclude The Donald is no conservative

By Cal Thomas - - Monday, January 25, 2016

When the publisher of National Review, Jack Fowler, called and asked me to write 300 words on why I oppose Donald Trump for president of the United States, my first thought was about the derision that was sure to come from Trump supporters.

I was not disappointed, or rather I am disappointed that no one who reacted negatively rebutted any of the arguments I, or the other contributors, made about why we think a President Trump would not pursue conservative goals.

Sounding like Mr. Trump, I was called a “loser” and someone for whom one writer said he had “lost all respect.” Sure, there were some who called me “brilliant” (I’m filing those away), but the name-callers resembled their political master. Mr. Trump also refused to address our arguments. Instead, he mislabeled the magazine a “dying newspaper” and said it had lost circulation and no one reads it. Many are reading this issue.

One friend said he is convinced that Mr. Trump is “teachable and we can move him in the right direction.” On June 14, Mr. Trump will be 70 years old. By then, most people have long been settled in their worldview. Mr. Trump likes to cite Ronald Reagan, who was a Roosevelt Democrat before he famously said he didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the party left him. But Reagan spent many years honing his conservative principles in One friend said he is convinced that Mr. Trump is “teachable and we can move him in the right direction.” On June 14, Mr. Trump will be 70 years old. By then, most people have long been settled in their worldview. Mr. Trump likes to cite Ronald Reagan, who was a Roosevelt Democrat before he famously said he didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the party left him. But Reagan spent many years honing his conservative principles in speeches, articles and radio commentaries. He did not have, as some nominees to high office experience, a “confirmation conversion.”

Quoting myself would be redundant (read us all at National Review.com), so here is the key paragraph from the lead editorial: “Trump’s politics are those of an averagely well-informed businessman: Washington is full of problems; I am a problem-solver; let me at them. But if you have no familiarity with the relevant details and the levers of power, and no clear principles to guide you, you will, like most tenderfeet, get rolled. Trump has shown no interest in limiting government, in reforming entitlements, or in the Constitution. He floats the idea of massive new taxes on imported goods and threatens to retaliate against companies that do too much manufacturing overseas for his taste. His obsession is with ‘winning,’ regardless of the means — a spirit that is anathema to the ordered liberty that conservatives hold dear and that depends for its preservation on limits on government power.”

Quoting myself would be redundant (read us all at National Review.com), so here is the key paragraph from the lead editorial: “Trump’s politics are those of an averagely well-informed businessman: Washington is full of problems; I am a problem-solver; let me at them. But if you have no familiarity with the relevant details and the levers of power, and no clear principles to guide you, you will, like most tenderfeet, get rolled. Trump has shown no interest in limiting government, in reforming entitlements, or in the Constitution. He floats the idea of massive new taxes on imported goods and threatens to retaliate against companies that do too much manufacturing overseas for his taste. His obsession is with ‘winning,’ regardless of the means — a spirit that is anathema to the ordered liberty that conservatives hold dear and that depends for its preservation on limits on government power.”

In the Feb. 1 issue of The Weekly Standard, Stephen F. Hayes writes: “The Republican front-runner is a longtime liberal whose worldview might best be described as an amalgam of pop-culture progressivism and vulgar nationalism. His campaign rallies are orgies of self-absorption, dominated by juvenile insults of those who criticize him and endless boasting about his poll numbers. He’s a narcissist and a huckster, an opportunist who not only failed to join conservatives in the big fights about the size and scope of government over the past several decades but, to the extent he was even aware of such battles, was often funding the other side, with a long list of contributions to the liberals most responsible for the dire state of affairs in the country, including likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.”

What is the counter-argument to these substantive opinions? Anger against the “Washington establishment” is not one. Those who worship Mr. Trump have an obligation to say why he is worthy of their faith. Given his liberal background and poor explanations of why he now believes differently, how do his supporters know he will govern conservatively should he win the White House? He once said his sister, who is pro-abortion, would be an excellent nominee to the Supreme Court. His story of how he supposedly became a pro-life convert lacks credibility.

Electing a president, especially in a dangerous world, is important work. Anger and emotion should not govern the choice. Considered judgment should. Donald Trump appeals to the former, but not the latter.

• Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist. His latest book is “What Works: Common Sense Solutions for a Stronger America” (Zondervan, 2014).

eddie wrote:I'd like a very unbiased view of Trump, someone who neither likes nor dislikes him and has no political agenda.
That's what I'd like to read.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

eddie wrote:I'd like a very unbiased view of Trump, someone who neither likes nor dislikes him and has no political agenda.
That's what I'd like to read.

But saying things like "he doesn't really mean what he's saying" is just as biased as any rant against him. Being unbiased about a person doesn't mean you have to find ways to say nice things about them -- to me, the most unbiased thing in the world is to take what someone's saying at face value.

And I promise that most of Trump's supporters believe he really would build a wall and try to prevent Muslims from coming to the U.S. -- that's why they support him.

Didge wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

eddie wrote:I'd like a very unbiased view of Trump, someone who neither likes nor dislikes him and has no political agenda.
That's what I'd like to read.

But saying things like "he doesn't really mean what he's saying" is just as biased as any rant against him. Being unbiased about a person doesn't mean you have to find ways to say nice things about them -- to me, the most unbiased thing in the world is to take what someone's saying at face value.

And I promise that most of Trump's supporters believe he really would build a wall and try to prevent Muslims from coming to the U.S. -- that's why they support him.

But yoou daily end up speaking more about Trump than the people you support and their policies, which means his Rhetoric is paying dividends, as you continually keep him in the spotlight and play off a fear of which he has created that is being pandered to.
Again the way to defeat someone like this is not play up to their fear but take them on with economic and social vales. They want the debate to steer to immigration and Muslims, as this is what they are gearing up they campaign to fight with. This is evident as he has not lost support but in fact gained support, very much as Farage did in the run up to the British General election. We should always stand strongly and vocally against messages of hate, but he wants everyone to stay talking about it Ben and the press are playing into his hands, as he is getting far more of the media attention more so than anyone else.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Didge wrote:

But yoou daily end up speaking more about Trump than the people you support and their policies, which means his Rhetoric is paying dividends, as you continually keep him in the spotlight and play off a fear of which he has created that is being pandered to.
Again the way to defeat someone like this is not play up to their fear but take them on with economic and social vales. They want the debate to steer to immigration and Muslims, as this is what they are gearing up they campaign to fight with. This is evident as he has not lost support but in fact gained support, very much as Farage did in the run up to the British General election. We should always stand strongly and vocally against messages of hate, but he wants everyone to stay talking about it Ben and the press are playing into his hands, as he is getting far more of the media attention more so than anyone else.

Keeping a politician's views in public circulation and having national discussions about them is great for democracy. The fundamental assumption of democracy is that an informed public will make more good decisions than bad; they can't do that if they have candidates like Mitt Romney in 2012, who didn't want the public to know what he really thought, and then once it was leaked, ran from it.

Didge wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Didge wrote:

But yoou daily end up speaking more about Trump than the people you support and their policies, which means his Rhetoric is paying dividends, as you continually keep him in the spotlight and play off a fear of which he has created that is being pandered to.
Again the way to defeat someone like this is not play up to their fear but take them on with economic and social vales. They want the debate to steer to immigration and Muslims, as this is what they are gearing up they campaign to fight with. This is evident as he has not lost support but in fact gained support, very much as Farage did in the run up to the British General election. We should always stand strongly and vocally against messages of hate, but he wants everyone to stay talking about it Ben and the press are playing into his hands, as he is getting far more of the media attention more so than anyone else.

Keeping a politician's views in public circulation and having national discussions about them is great for democracy. The fundamental assumption of democracy is that an informed public will make more good decisions than bad; they can't do that if they have candidates like Mitt Romney in 2012, who didn't want the public to know what he really thought, and then once it was leaked, ran from it.

But that is not going to work here as Trump wants to be as extreme as possible and its not having an effect, the point you are missing. What you will really fear the most is if there is an economic downturn or there is another successful high casualty rate terrorist attack and you could be in jeopardy of him gaining entry into the White House. The point is there is far more articles and news on Trump which dwarfs any on any of the others and that will have an impact. If as i say one of the two aspects happened I mentioned he will be able to play off this fear even further. The Democrats need to start concentrating on the democrats and the media need to also, because it will be in the end on economic policies that will win the day this election. Let him spout off, but the more you give him prime time air time, the more he will be as outrageous as possible. He sells hate as if it is a hope, and that is something fundamentally Hitler played off. Where in 1929 he was going nowhere fast but the wall street crash propelled him forward based off his view to over hope through hate. Its a perverse message but one that people fall for. He mirrors many of the tactics the Nazi propaganda machine used and as seen it has been effective ion the past. He is way out in front already as the republican runner and his views are off the chart, that should be the first sign of danger for you.

Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's senior campaign adviser, was asked in a CNN interview Wednesday morning whether the former Massachusetts governor had been forced to adopt conservative positions in the rugged race that could hurt his standing with moderates in November's general election.

"I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes," Fehrnstrom responded. "It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up, and we start all over again."

Rival candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who are vying for conservative support against the more moderate Romney, seized on the comment as indicative of their longstanding criticism that Romney shifts his positions on issues such as health care reform and abortion to suit his political needs.

eddie wrote:I'd like a very unbiased view of Trump, someone who neither likes nor dislikes him and has no political agenda.
That's what I'd like to read.

eddie wrote:I did a thread on the pros and cons of him becoming president.
He's an interesting character to me; I really like bluntly honest people. I don't have to like or agree with what they have to say, but I like the honesty in the face of all that is false and plastic in the world.

eddie wrote:I did a thread on the pros and cons of him becoming president.
He's an interesting character to me; I really like bluntly honest people. I don't have to like or agree with what they have to say, but I like the honesty in the face of all that is false and plastic in the world.

for a Man being So honest about Mexicans he sure employs a lot of them  

for a Man being so honest about the Chinese threat to US Manufacturing he sure buys a lot of good from the Chinese and ignores US workers 

he says one thing while doing another, sometimes he even says opposite things or things that make no sense.
I am not sure if he is dishonest or just really really stupid, as said his performance in the business would suggests that he is stupid and surrounded by sycophants more than truly dishonest, he simple doesn't know how dumb he is because people lie to his face and he believes them.
 

Eilzel wrote:You like honesty Eds? A lot of people were drawn to the blunt honesty of another charismatic racist in the 1930s. It didn't turn out well.

Didge wrote:

Eilzel wrote:You like honesty Eds? A lot of people were drawn to the blunt honesty of another charismatic racist in the 1930s. It didn't turn out well.

Which is the point which many do not seem to take account on here.
Trump plays on a hate of hope more so played off Muslims and immigrants.
He plays on that fear well, where he is not losing support but gaining off the other Republican candidates.
I think fundamentally appeasement has played a part in how he has gained popularity.
We saw the same how UKIP gained popularity and the media just like here is playing up to this fear of what they say and by giving air time to such people , you help fuel this fear, when like I say they should be taking on their domestic economic policies for the US and you nulify that fear by not pandering to the one who needs people to center on him that fear.

Again look at Cameron, with this election, he bowed out of some of the debates and it never effected the Tories winning the election.
The Democrats I doubt will lose the the Presidential elections, but they might if an extreme event occurs between now and the election which ends up further fueling that fear.

The thing is Trump would be what ISIS wants to win in its grand scheme of global war that they wish and seek to happen. They want Muslims around the world to be discriminated against and ostracized, as it plays into their narrative, which is why Trump would be the most fundamental biggest disaster to befall America since George Bush took office.

Eilzel wrote:

Didge wrote:


Which is the point which many do not seem to take account on here.
Trump plays on a hate of hope more so played off Muslims and immigrants.
He plays on that fear well, where he is not losing support but gaining off the other Republican candidates.
I think fundamentally appeasement has played a part in how he has gained popularity.
We saw the same how UKIP gained popularity and the media just like here is playing up to this fear of what they say and by giving air time to such people , you help fuel this fear, when like I say they should be taking on their domestic economic policies for the US and you nulify that fear by not pandering to the one who needs people to center on him that fear.

Again look at Cameron, with this election, he bowed out of some of the debates and it never effected the Tories winning the election.
The Democrats I doubt will lose the the Presidential elections, but they might if an extreme event occurs between now and the election which ends up further fueling that fear.

The thing is Trump would be what ISIS wants to win in its grand scheme of global war that they wish and seek to happen. They want Muslims around the world to be discriminated against and ostracized, as it plays into their narrative, which is why Trump would be the most fundamental biggest disaster to befall America since George Bush took office.

Fully agree on this point. I hope the mentally deficient part of America (who think the world's age can be measured in the 1000s of years and think having guns is more important than a 21st century health system) can get this through their skulls before it is too late.

Though like you I also don't see Democrats losing the election. In part due to hideous trap the Republicans have created for themselves by which their primaries totally scupper their eventual nominees chances.

Eilzel wrote:You like honesty Eds? A lot of people were drawn to the blunt honesty of another charismatic racist in the 1930s. It didn't turn out well.

veya_victaous wrote:

eddie wrote:I did a thread on the pros and cons of him becoming president.
He's an interesting character to me; I really like bluntly honest people. I don't have to like or agree with what they have to say, but I like the honesty in the face of all that is false and plastic in the world.

Well I guess Trump is a better actor than i thought 

for a Man being So honest about Mexicans he sure employs a lot of them  

for a Man being so honest about the Chinese threat to US Manufacturing he sure buys a lot of good from the Chinese and ignores US workers 

he says one thing while doing another, sometimes he even says opposite things or things that make no sense.
I am not sure if he is dishonest or just really really stupid, as said his performance in the business would suggests that he is stupid and surrounded by sycophants more than truly dishonest, he simple doesn't know how dumb he is because people lie to his face and he believes them.
 

eddie wrote:

Eilzel wrote:You like honesty Eds? A lot of people were drawn to the blunt honesty of another charismatic racist in the 1930s. It didn't turn out well.

Yes Les I like honesty.
It's not my fault that people are stupid, and stupidly follow someone who they think has turned out stupid.

We have believed in many people that appear honest and have been liars, or indeed and have seemed like liars and have been liars.

So at the very least, you know what you're getting with people like Trump and Farage.

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Eilzel wrote:You like honesty Eds? A lot of people were drawn to the blunt honesty of another charismatic racist in the 1930s. It didn't turn out well.

Yes Les I like honesty.
It's not my fault that people are stupid, and stupidly follow someone who they think has turned out stupid.

We have believed in many people that appear honest and have been liars, or indeed and have seemed like liars and have been liars.

So at the very least, you know what you're getting with people like Trump and Farage.

Hitler was honest

eddie wrote:All I am saying is, I like honesty and despise liars.
I can still admire someone's honest and direct approach (particularly and absolutely, in a world of lies and corruption) whilst not agreeing with what they're saying.

eddie wrote:So at the very least, you know what you're getting with people like Trump and Farage.

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:All I am saying is, I like honesty and despise liars.
I can still admire someone's honest and direct approach (particularly and absolutely, in a world of lies and corruption) whilst not agreeing with what they're saying.

I understand that eddie, but I can hardly admire honesty, when that honesty is very ugly.

eddie wrote:

Didge wrote:

I understand that eddie, but I can hardly admire honesty, when that honesty is very ugly.

I can. I can admire honesty even if what is honest, is ugly,  in my opinion.
Becasue beauty of anything, including opnion, is in the eye of the beholder (or listener)

Didge wrote:

eddie wrote:

Didge wrote:

I understand that eddie, but I can hardly admire honesty, when that honesty is very ugly.

I can. I can admire honesty even if what is honest, is ugly,  in my opinion.
Becasue beauty of anything, including opnion, is in the eye of the beholder (or listener)

hmmm, again each to their own

I do not mind people being up front, but vile and nasty?
Different all together, as you can speak your mind saying how something is wrong without being nasty

Do you see my point?

To me there is a difference

Didge wrote:Yes but people can be misled through a fear Rags
They can also be easily manipulated, through a hope based on hate
Its not as clear sounding as you are making out