Com'on.. Say it with me..

PRESIDENT TRUMP

:D

heh

Michale
522

Oh I know...

Time will tell if you are or not.. :D

Michale
501

I'm pretty sure I'm not wrong about Trump. And, neither is the Canadian prime minister. :)

Stand tall for the beast of America.
Lay down like a naked dead body,
keep it real for the people workin' overtime,
they can't stay living off the government dime.
Stand tall for the people of America.
Stand tall for the man next door, cuz
we are free in the land of America,
we aren't goin' down like this. Come on Now!

The best way to get a song out of your head is to put it in someone else's head.. :D

Michale
498

One can have the highest SAT or IQ scores on the planet and STILL be ignorant...

Yea, Trump inherited a lot of money... But if he was as ignorant and irresponsible as ya'all claim, then he would have LOST all that money..

The fact that he is a LOT richer now than he inherited gives fairly decent evidence that he is NOT ignorant and is certainly not "irresponsible"..

But you are correct.. Responsibility is a judgement call..

But those who claim that Trump is irresponsible, their judgement is impaired by political ideology...

Trump wasn't irresponsible when he was helping to elect Democrats.....

Democrats like Senator Clinton....

THAT'S my point..

Michale
497

Right... :D

Michale
496

Definition of Occam's razor:

a scientific and philosophic rule that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily which is interpreted as requiring that the simplest of competing theories be preferred to the more complex or that explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known quantities

Observation: Trump is rich

Theories explaining Trump's wealth:

1) Trump is not ignorant and/or irresponsible
2) Trump was born rich
3) Trump is Presbyterian
4) Trump hosted a popular TV show

All these theories are equally simple. There is strong public record evidence for 2 thru 4. Fact checking suggests Trump is ignorant, but he may actually know a lot more than he lets on. Responsibility is a value judgment. Supporting evidence is murky regarding theory 1, but the situation could be cleared up substantially if he chose to release his grades, SAT and/or IQ scores.

Occam's razor cuts theory one on the basis of "explanations of unknown phenomena be sought first in terms of known quantities," the handle of the razor that tends to get ignored in popular discussions.

http://predictwise.com/

makes a hybrid forecast of the 2016 elections using polls, prediction markets and bookies. It incorporates Betfair and tracks Betfair quite closely.

One weak spot of PW has been they didn't plot data thru time. That may be changing, they posted a nice graph of how the candidates have been doing over the last 30 days.

Again, you can see that any affect from the debates is minor compared to broader trends over the last month. Bush and Christie aren't completely insignificant with probabilities of 10% and 7%, respectively.

These graphs are a big improvement to the site, even if the implementation is a bit clunky!

It's funny because it's true.. :D

I mean, seriously...

Scheduling a Democrat Debate on a SATURDAY NIGHT, on the OPENING WEEKEND of THE most anticipated movie of the century..

Does a ton of bricks need ta fall on ya'all??

The DNC is trying to HIDE Hillary and Bernie from the general public..

Which is probably a REAL smart move on their part..

Michale
489

Another possible explanation is that you are wrong about Trump...

Employing Occam's Razor clearly indicates the correct answer. :D

Michale
486

One doesn't become richer than god by being "ignorant" and "irresponsible"....

Michale
484

That, by the way, is not political correctness. It is the truth of the matter.

Your truth...

Other people's truth may be different..

And the funny thing is, their truth is just as valid as anyone else's truth..

That's why I rarely deal in "truth"... It's always FACTS for me.. : D

Michale
483

I'll answer your question with a question of my own..

What do you make of the remarks of dictators and psychopaths like Kim Jung Un and Iran's Leader's and Cuba's leaders professing their respect and admiration for Obama??

Putin has shown great leadership in the Obama years.. It's actually quite a contrast to Obama's leadership...

Now, granted, his leadership has been detrimental to US interests..

As a military man, it's easy for me to despise an enemy, yet respect the enemies accomplishments and abilities..

I disagree with everything Putin stands for..

But it is simply undeniable that Putin's leadership can ONLY be described as effective and efficient...

Whereas Obama's leadership can ONLY be described as feckless, wallowing and incompetent..

Michale
481

That, by the way, is not political correctness. It is the truth of the matter.

I have a serious question for you that is very simply an attempt to highlight how important it is that America is united and strong as opposed to divided and weak in the fight against violent Islamist extremism, in particular, and in executing a smart foreign policy, generally speaking.

What do you make of Putin's recent remarks regarding Trump?

Oh come now... How much did Obama know about the US Nuclear Triad when HE was elected POTUS???

Trump has actually SUCCEEDED in the real world..

Obama didn't have dick for a resume when he was elected...

Obama has proven beyond ANY doubt that you don't have to have ANY experience in ANYTHING to be elected POTUS...

Michale
472

Nobody really stood out in tonight's debate, for better or worse. Nobody really had any sort of breakout moment, good or bad.

Really? I guess you missed the part where Trump's knowledge, or lack thereof, of the US nuclear triad was on display for all to see. But, you're not alone as he went completely unchallenged on his very dangerous level of ignorance.

And, Rubio's attempt to school him was equally lacking in coherence or in anything resembling a modicum of knowledge about what the nuclear triad is and why it is so large, or how much money is destined to be spent on modernizing it and whether it is even needed in its current form.

I keep hearing that Americans are fearful and angry. Well, the fact that I know more about the US nuclear triad and the best options for moving forward on it than ANY of the Republican candidates for president should make all Americans very much afraid for their future.

He was overly simplistic tonight, but then he always is.

Overly simplistic is not the phrase I would use for most of what spews out through Trumps lips.

What IS overly simplistic is how the big feet in the media continue to deal with his dangerous utterances.

I should have included a direct mention of Hillary Clinton in that last paragraph.

Those ignoring/supporting/defending her military interventionist policies would do well to read Trump's quote a few times.

Bernie Sanders hasn't fully embraced the non-interventionist approach, but he is considerably less gung-ho and hawkish, and that would be a MAJOR step forward for America.

In anticipation of the counter-argument, I would add that the "disservice to humanity" has been FAR, FAR greater than what non-interventionism would have "allowed" to occur... AND that the $4 trillion figure Trump used does not include the costs of either the infrastructure damage from our wars or the costs other nations have borne/incurred in their participation and/or dealing with the consequences (i.e. settling refugees).

If someone needed yet other reasons, the environmental damage and opportunity costs associated with the misallocation of funds are likewise massive figures.

A

I have to question your use of the term "isolationist" for Paul's policies rather than non-interventionist.
You are following in the footsteps of the Establishment with that inaccurate depiction.
But, since it's almost the only thing I like about Paul, and he isn't even a strict non-interventionist, I'm not so much defending Paul as the concept.

Speaking of which, the bipartisan neolibcon Establishment has seemingly not trotted out the isolationist term for Trump despite this-

"We have spent $4 trillion trying to topple various people that, frankly, ... if we could have spent that $4 trillion in the United States to fix our roads, our bridges and all of the other problems, our airports and all of the other problems we have, we would have been a lot better off -- I can tell you that right now," Trump said. "We have done a tremendous disservice not only to the Middle East -- we've done a tremendous disservice to humanity. The people that have been killed, the people that have been wiped away, and for what? It's not like we had victory. It's a mess. The Middle East is totally destabilized, a total and complete mess."

When the leading Repub candidate smacks down military interventionists who have flushed trillions down the toilet, killed millions, and among other problems created ISIS and the refugee crisis, it should be headline news in every media outlet (and make it into the notes of political analysts covering the debate, particularly when they, well, mock (too strong?) another candidate for their non-interventionism).

Of course, however truthful and accurate his quote was, Trumps proposals suggest he would not only continue our disastrous military interventionism, but would make it much worse, so I find little joy in it, beyond having such an obvious reality and Left Wing/libertarian position admitted openly.

It seems in particular, that the neolibcon Democrats who defend Obama's interventionism need to open their eyes and recognize that they have been coopted to advance policies that contradict the ideas and ideals they claim to represent... not to mention making spending on positive and necessary investments all but impossible, and sticking their fingers in the eyes of so many of the voters that make up the base of the party.

A

If there is no Left Wingery condemnation of this garbage, how can anyone assume that the Left Wingery is not fully supportive of these disgusting actions of limiting the free speech of those that say disagreeable things..

Add to that, the actions of Obama officials..

In the aftermath of the San Bernardino terrorist attack (which I called WHILE the attack was in progress.. Took Obama 3 days to call it what it was...) AG Lynch put her 2 cents worth..

Did she stand up and commit herself fully to protecting the American people?? Did she stand and proclaim that terrorists will be opposed with every means at her department's disposal??

No... She stated clearly and for the record that her department would prosecute ANYONE who said mean or hurtful things about muslims...

Again, this is YA'ALL's Democrat Party...

I am not making any of this up...

Michale
467

It was one of the schools that were having trouble with the snowflakes.. MO or Yale, don't recall which..

A faculty member was trying to explain to a hysterical girl where they were coming from and how they were addressing the girl's complaints..

And the girl said generally this..

" I don't WANT your fucking suggestions on how to address the problem!!! I want you to feel my pain!!!"

or words to that effect...

And I thought to myself, that is the Democrat Party philosophy in a nutshell..

THAT is a perfect, a PERFECT description of the Democrat Party in the here and now...

The Left Wingery is not interested in ideas to solve problems..

They just want everyone to "feel their pain"...

I mean, frak helping your fellow man or ease suffering in the world..

The Left Wingery just wants to make sure that everyone is as miserable as they are...

Here's the brush... I am done with it...

For now... :D

Michale
466

Yale...

Why can't we assume they were Young Republicans?

Well, of course ya'all CAN....

But, of the two groups which Party has been 100% represented by those wanting to shut down Free Speech???

The Journalist Professor who needed "muscle" to remove a student journalist... etc etc etc...

Anecdotal & direct evidence clearly shows that, in the here ands now, shutting down Constitutional protections is nearly universally the purview of the Democrat Party...

Michale
464

And the article said the students signing were Democrats where?

Why can't we assume they were Young Republicans?

You know, since we're just making wild assertions...

Yale fail: Ivy leaguers sign 'petition' to repeal First Amendment
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/16/yale-fail-ivy-leaguers-caught-on-video-clamoring-to-kill-first-amendment/

"How do ya'all like your Democrat Party now??"
-Sung To The Tune Of Toby Keith's HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW

:D

Michale
463

We’re All Being Pretty Quiet About Obama’s Failures, Aren’t We?
http://thefederalist.com/2015/12/15/were-all-being-pretty-quiet-about-obamas-failures-arent-we/

No matter HOW you slice it, when it comes to foreign policy and keeping American's safe...

Obama is a failure.. A complete and utter failure...

Michale
460

Not at all..

It's just that I don't speak beatnik-ese... :D

I have always commented that JFC should come with a translation manual and I am not the only one who has said this.. :D

Michale
458

That shouldn't be a problem. :)

It occurred to me reading an article today in the Guardian about Mr. Trump's UK wind farm loss that there might be an interesting question if he were elected POTUS.

Would he have to relinquish all control (at least operational) of his business holdings? Can you imagine the diplomatic pressure that might exist if that wind farm case pending while he was President?

I always thought that Presidents (and VPs) had to put all assets into blind trusts, but I have a hard time imagining Mr. Trump would actually be willing to do that.

Maybe we've been here before in modern times, but it seems that Trump's wealth isn't the only matter, but rather his heavy involvement in his business operations. I've got to imagine either its not the concern I'm making it out to be or that he has a plan for his holdings if he's elected.

Good link, thanks. Note how a pro spreads the risk around with multiple positions. Betting everything on your gut favorite is good way to go broke in the long run.

I believe Betfair and Ladbrokes have merged.

I enjoyed your take on Hillary. Some Weigantians lack parody recepters, it' s probably genetic.. Some day we'll find a cure.

SOMEONE really tied one on!! :D

Michale
456

Have you seen this article?

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/12/presidential-election-2016-gambler-predicts-213430

Snuggled up to a light-all unit to keep warm.. Ended the midshift looking like a chimney sweep... :D

Michale
446

I'm a bit biased; my father designed some of it, not the glamorous bits, but bits that are still probably flying.

Rubio, and most of the other Republicans don't talk like they understand modern air power. Modern airplanes are the rough equivalent of capital ships in the first half of the last century. You can't build them fast, and each one is very expensive. They don't roll off assembly lines, like P-51s or B-17s. They are incredibly pricey, and pretty much hand built by craftsmen.

Where are you going to find the money? Raise taxes? How long 'till they are operational? A long time. The F-35 gets the go ahead in 1993 and won't be in full production until 2018. A full quarter century! Building battleships was actually a lot faster.

Howz the Democrat Party Coronation coming along?? :D

Say what ya want about the GOP race...

But the Democrat Party Coronation is a snooze fest...

Hillary is going to get slaughtered in the Primary.. No prep whatsoever... :D

Michale
431