Donald Trump the Megathread part II - threadbans and mod warnings in OP

aloyisious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122542041#Comment_122542041

Now if only one could access Fox News when they are broadcasting on his campaign and slip that Cochise-visit bit in on replay.

everlast75

1. MAHA sounds f**king stupid
2. Make America healthy by hooking up with the anti Vax guy? Gotcha
3. Nevermind "where's hunter?". The question is "Where's Vance?"

Overheal

Who's making it healthy: overweight diet coke addict who lives of mcdonalds and a guy who eats roadkill infected with brain worms.

Is that a meme or the latest engagement bait? lol

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122542710#Comment_122542710

Kennedy is sharing it on his Facebook…

everlast75

A relative received this and it went straight into the recycling bin

aloyisious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122542656#Comment_122542656

Hijacking the style of Newsweek and Time magazine covers.

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540945#Comment_122540945

I wouldn't say there are many people who believe that.

I have never seen an interpretation of Revelation in which the Lion of Judah was believed to be any other than Jesus Christ.

Revelation 5:5 "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" - Jesus is meant to be descended from David

Babyreignbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122543086#Comment_122543086

He believes it himself. All under the guise of the NAR of which Trump is deeply embedded.

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/trump-evangelicals-nar/

And over the past decade, the NAR has become a full-fledged vanguard political movement under the influence of leading prophet and strategist Lance Wallnau, a Texas-based oil-industry marketer turned entrepreneurial theologian. Organizing itself into elite cadres of worldly-minded prophets in the Wallnau mold, the NAR proposes to short-circuit the old model of evangelical political influence in favor of a proposal to annex the national government, together with other leading cultural and civic institutions, as part of a mission to revive the American Christian nation. 

The leading NAR prophets and preachers have coalesced around a group called the Eagles’ Vision Apostolic Team, which focuses on conquering the “seven mountains”: politics, education, the media, the family, business, entertainment, and the church. If this agenda sounds impossibly lofty and abstract on paper, consider but one recent landmark policy win for NAR adherents: Alabama state Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Parker cited the Seven Mountain Mandate in a podcast interview released the same day the court ruled to block use of in vitro fertilization on the grounds that fertilized embryos were persons, introducing a whole new level of hard-right sanctions on reproductive choice.

When Trump was launching his presidential candidacy in 2015, he and his senior advisers understood the urgency of securing strong evangelical support. However, unlike other recent GOP presidential hopefuls, Trump had no sustained relationship with the leading lights of American evangelicalism, beyond some preliminary outreach to Jerry Falwell Jr., the former (and now-disgraced) head of Liberty University and son of the prominent televangelist who went on to found the Moral Majority. So Trump relied on his closest spiritual adviser, the Florida-based prosperity preacher Paula White-Cain, to broker his entry into the world of right-wing evangelicalism.

Wallnau promptly delivered an allegorical vision of Trump’s leadership that continues to resound throughout the evangelical world as the mother of all prophetic memes. Donald Trump, Wallnau proclaimed, was a direct spiritual heir to the ancient Persian King Cyrus, a pagan world leader who won God’s favor by allowing the Jews exiled in Babylon to return to the promised land and rebuild the Temple. The prophet who laid out the battle plan to invade modern Babylon now understood that the heretofore secular GOP presidential hopeful would, with God’s sanction, reclaim the citadels of worldly power on Christianity’s behalf

looksee

Yay, I have found a Trump policy. Its a bit light on exactly how he is going to do it, but he is going to make the suburbs safe from plunder, rape, slaughter and destruction! And who better to sort the first two, he is the expert there.

aloyisious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122543492#Comment_122543492

You think he has become a convert - in his mind - something like Mike Pompeo in ultra religious terms or that he might be trying out another con-job angle on the US electorate after his so obvious failure to fulfil his 2016 promise?

Babyreignbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544049#Comment_122544049

The man is a pathological narcissist, being told he's the chosen one is not something he needs to be convinced of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0_mCivoTSs

Paula White and the NAR:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua34uNxaG4o

The chosen one

https://youtu.be/lzlxrPC_E_U?si=mXufFuUIuNNO6Xbc&t=96

aloyisious

Tune in to Truth Social over the next few days to see if Trump walks away from the ABC debate with Harris. He is sending out mixed messaging as usual, dropping hints he's unhappy with one of the ABC hosts, Jonathan Karl, and mentioning the old moan about the fix being in [where the other debater was given the Town Hall Debate questions in the 2016 debate] asking why Harris turned down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN as debate hosts.

It may be merely bluster to keep people [Harris etc] on their toes, however he does make decisions his campaign do not like. It's left me wondering, if he did walk away and decline to debate with Harris, how it would affect the GOP campaign to get him elected. What effect would such an act have on the GOP to see their champion decline to argue its case live on air, seeming to throw in the towel to Harris?

aloyisious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122544192#Comment_122544192

Umm, where exactly was his left hand laid at the start of the 2nd clip, when he was standing beside Paula White singing his praises, at the moments when she walked away from him?

looksee

I found those clips nauseating. Well I only watched part of one of them but I get the gist and they are actively revolting.

lumphammer2

The more I hear of this clown the more intolerant of him I become …. I cannot listen to Trump any longer than 1 minute before wanting to kick the TV screen !! …. he is obnoxious …. Trump has no policies apart from going to war with Iran …. he has nothing to say except mocking and hatred …. and he cannot even conduct a proper marketing campaign …. instead his followers have hacked into dormant and semi-dormant social media profiles of 1970s singers and actors to use their sites to spout MAGA propaganda ….

It is time that this warmonger, terrorist, murderer, pervert, conman, fraud, hate preacher, misogynist and buffoon gets his answer …. and goes to where he truly belongs …. Evin Prison in Tehran …. Trump should go on trial for his war and terrorist criminal actions against Iran and be sent there to serve time in the prison mentioned ASAP ….

scottser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545193#Comment_122545193

Trump isn't the issue, as revolting a human being that he is. The machinery behind him is a very powerful and influential series of think-tanks and institutions aimed and initiating a Christian theocracy in America. Trump is bad, but what happens when they find someone who is clean, smart, likeable and stays on point?

Oscar_Madison

I’m starting to think Trump is in with a chance here for 2024- if the swing states are the key decider, those people still undecided are likely from lower incomes - and prices of goods and services are not low in America right now.
I’m not sure the Debate will swing these people in favour of Harris- in fact I think the opposite- yes Harris will likely speak well and will get a lot of digs in- well informed and accurate digs I might add- but Trump will say what he feels needs to be said to attract the swing voters - cost of living under Harris/Biden will especially be a strong point - this could be the closest election we’ve seen in many years

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545230#Comment_122545230

what happens when they find someone who is clean, smart, likeable and stays on point?

A person like that doesn't exist on the Republican side. That would be their white whale. I actually thought the closest they've come to it was Tucker Carlson, pre 2018. Old Tucker had been on The Daily Show, and a few other left leaning programmes. He was initially brought to Fox (IIRC) as (not a spokesperson of the left, but) as a young person who could understand what the left were thinking.

The thing is though, the Republican Party as it exits in 2024 is MAGA, a party full of spitting rage, fury and hate. I don't know if you can come through that and appear to be clean and likeable. There's certainly no-one I can think of coming through the republican ranks anytime soon.

One other aspect is about the Christian theocracy. 63% of the US population (give or take) is Christian. That's a lot, but it's barely a supermajority. See the graph below, it's only heading in one way.

If you also look at the ages of those people you see something that is quite prevalent all over the world. About 80% aged over 65 are religious, vs about 50% for the 20-34 aged bracket, and those young people are not picking up Christianity as they get older.

I think there's so much freakout from the Republicans that they had to start something like Project 2025 because they have realised the Christian Right are literally dying out if they don't do anything about it.

Here's where I got my info:

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545284#Comment_122545284

He was always in with a chance thanks the dysfunctional Electoral College system, but that chance is dwindeling with time and exposure of the Harris ticket.

Harris' people are being refreshingly sharp with their messaging. There are noises of appealing to "Middle America" and referecnes to the cost of living as a theme. There is a message, and so long as they communcate it well to the electorate they are going to do well.

This is in contrast to the GOP and Trump. Trump can't manage campaigning on an economic message, and when he did he just about managed by using some Tic Taks as a prop before complaining about the advice his own people were giving him, before going back into a tirade about about his own ego…such as crowd sizes. The GOP are rudderless because of this, because the Presidential Canditate is technically the Party Leader, and those who actually follow him are mindless Yes-Men.

Pandering to Trump's ego and measuring his crowd sizes will not help with the cost of an American's groceries. Harris' campaign are suggesting measures that might help. But at very least they are talking about things that are about more than just the fragile ego of one pathetic old man.

aloyisious

I find it hard to have any humanity towards the GOP politicians who brought Trump into the GOP and this goes for Senator Graham. His efforts lately to publicly try and keep Trump with a decent tongue in his head and on campaign duty away from the golf course may well be letting the cat out of the bag as to why there have been fewer rallies and public addresses by Trump [along with Trump's natural desire not to serve as a cut-out target to be sniped at]. Trump may have lost interest in the job and just want to enjoy the audience and the unspent funds.

If Trump does lose the election, what for the believers [elderly and other]? I cant see them trusting in the two persons Trump seems to have mixed feelings for as his running partners. I would imagine there'd be blood in the water with the [pre-2016 election dropped-out] runners coming to the fore as being in the healthy age group for office wanting to get rid of Trump reminders. The GOP would probably be spending the next few years sorting itself out structurally [goodbye RNC] before it could have energy to take on Harris and the people she would have as capable Admin and senate & house members watching her back.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545370#Comment_122545370

The electoral college is not dysfunctional. It supposed to give a balance between small and larger states. It prevents voting imbalances throughout the US. States elect there delegates and the delegates( similar to TD's and MLA) vote to elect the president of the US. Even the EU slightly load then number of MEP in favour of smaller states

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545284#Comment_122545284

He is struggling at present. Opinion polls over the next ten days will be interesting. If he fails to gain traction from RFK exit his path to victory is limited. Polls at the end of the Democrat convention were giving Harris's lead widening. He is struggling to campaign, I suspect he is ill at present or scared the next bullet might have his name on it.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545614#Comment_122545614

I get why it's there, but I don't think anybody can class the EC as fair or balanced. Or the Senate with their 2 reps per state for that reason. Both are massively biased away from the more populous areas, which is crazy.

If we had a US political forum (which was floated in a feedback thread) this would be a good standalone thread, imo.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545638#Comment_122545638

Yeah certainly interested in how the Kennedy support pans out - if Harris doesn’t extend her lead significantly though, I think this will be too close to call - both need those swing voters - “change” is always an issue at any election - are the issues of the economy or employment or immigration or law and order strong enough to convince people to change from Democrat to Republican? Hard to know- inflation going down but not by enough I’d say to time it to swing voters - I think it would have needed a year to see better gains in people’s pockets.

While I agree Trumps rallies feel like they’re not hitting the mark, it’s only a certain voter he wants to win over at this stage so I reckon all communications will be aimed at them.

Overheal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545614#Comment_122545614

it’s a dysfunctional remnant of slavery. It exists because slave states didn’t have enough people who counted as persons so they weren’t interested in joining a union where their own slave policies kept them out of power. The EC ensures the popular vote does not decide presidential elections.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545614#Comment_122545614

"slightly" being a rather pertinent word though. It's also not the same thing given the EU is not a federal body.

I get why they did it, but it does not really seem to function properly anymore. One can argue back and forth as to the reasons behind that but having both the Office of President and the Senate weighted towards one party has not led to particularly good government.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545614#Comment_122545614

The most dysfunctional aspect as far as I'm concerned is the 'winner takes all' in larger states even where there are small gaps between the candidates. I think it is somewhat defensible for smaller states to do so that candidates don't just focus on bigger states - but once you get to states with 15+ EC votes no need for that justification. The EC votes should be proportioned out with a bonus for winner, imo.

We've seen the turmoil it can cause with elections (e.g. Florida 2000) and makes it easier for Trump's stooges to play shenanigans with the election results, which is why I mention the 'winner takes all' aspect in this thread.

bog master

"So just to give you one really stunning stat, by 2040, 70% of the population is going to live in 15 states with 30 senators. That means that 30% of the country, which is going to be wider, more rural, more conservative, is going to elect 70% of the U.S. Senate"

Ari Berman, author of "Give Us The Ballot: The Modern Struggle For Voting Rights In America"

That is food for thought so !

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545614#Comment_122545614

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545709#Comment_122545709

Nothing will change before the election, so this is just an interesting discussion that has come up on US POTUS threads pretty regularly. Nothing will change the EC without an amendment to the Constitution, so, decades before anything will change.

IMO the Amendment needed is, "Let's make it easier to amend the Constitution," like, "Majority of voters in each state" and "Majority of states" and take Congress and the Senate out of it, maybe they ratify the amendment wording and then hand it off to the voters.

Then get after issues the voters want addressed, like firearms, abortion, health care, ethics, …

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122545370#Comment_122545370

Don’t disagree at all there- my own belief is Harris is certainly outperforming Hilary and has far less baggage than she did- so that’s a great start and should point to her winning, yes.

But I’d like to see that translated into a significant jump in the polls this week- if it doesn’t then we’ve a bunch of undeciders who may well vote Trump because of all sorts of reasons Harris can’t compete with such as:

They know him as a former president - ie he’s done the job before

They want change for change sake

They’re not happy with the money in their wallets

They don’t want a woman president

Probably a lot more reasons, none of them particularly well thought out or strong but that doesn’t matter- I reckon undeciders are very fickle and turn on a heartbeat - if I were Harris I’d be concentrating on making sure every eligible Democrat voter was registered and prepared to get out there to vote as she’s gonna need them all and more besides