American Politics the 2016 edition

 

The Republicans have obviously cut a deal (with a few holdouts): we'll support you and you give us the Supreme Court picks we want. Trump doesn't care about the Supreme Court, which is why he obligingly released the list of potential justices that the Heritage Foundation and congressional Republicans handed him. Even one of them on the court will decimate women's rights, GBTLQ rights, minority rights, rights to join a union, reproductive freedom, etc. That's what Trump will do if elected, and you can be sure if enough Democrats stay home and Republicans turn out, he will have the majorities he needs in Congress to do them.

 

Also, you can forget about the EPA and good luck addressing climate change.  As a businessman, Trump sees those regulations as obstacles to SUCCESS.

 

Trump can do an enormous amount of damage, and those who think four years of him will be no big deal are delusional.

Let's accept for a second than in economics, immigration, foreign policy, etc, Trump doesn't do anything overtly crazy and actually behaves like a somewhat proper president. 

Even then: he will get to nominate one, and maybe more than one Supreme Court Justices. 

Roe vs Wade, gun control, LGBT rights, you name it... all of that is pending on the balance and I can 100% tell you, whatever else Hillary may do or not, her views and her SC choices will never bring social progress backwards. 

That's good enough for me. Compromise. 

Perfection exists only in children's stories. 

Thing is though, it's partly a matter of realism. They want all that, and indeed he'll want a second term but 2 things: First is realism. 

Even if he tried...it's simply just not possible to coerce mexico to pay for his wall, which would also cost a ton to upkeep, he can't simply stop Mexican immigrants from sending money back home, I doubt he'd get passed (and if so it being upheld) monitoring mosques. Even the KKK said his idea of banning Muslims is unrealistic. 

His half assed plans to sell government assets have been analyzed by various places and the "math" just doesn't add up. So I think even if Trump tried, he must balk on his plans on the fact they simply are make believe   2: He could win a second term by being normal...ya know win the normal Republican base and people. If he 180's, he would thus become a normal GOP politician. 

Question is what all this would mean for his followers. Rogerthat discussed that....could be ugly. I personally hope his personality cult is so strong his followers will just continue to worship him, instead of turning to physical armed revolution or something!

Honestly, I view all the racial/immigrant stuff as pandering and a distraction. It grabs headlines but we all know it's crap. It's disgusting, but he can't really achieve any of it and I doubt he even means it. What has really disturbed me has been Trump's comments about how he'd want to easier shut down media sources/reporters that criticize him...his beliefs on net neutrality, "security" over privacy that type stuff that grabs no headlines but is more disturbing to me because it could be done...

Obama and co do deserve credit for the OT rule update. 

It's not only a good move, but seriously this is the first pro labor/middle class thing Obama has done. 

EPI, an awesome research group, put out this analysis estimating the rule will benefit 12.5 million workers, especially helping women, minorities and youths (often the biggest beneficiaries of wage hikes). 

This is a great move, and I applaud the DoL for doing it on their own, opposed to Obama asking Congress to handle it. 

Yeah I saw that, he is the most contradictory, (lying) politician I've ever seen. Truly unparalleled. 

He also managed to work his science denialism into his pandering...he claims China invented the global warming hoax so we'd be put at a manufacturing disadvantage  I guess give the man kudos, who else would come up with that one?

 

True point btw, environmental standards is one area I would also worry more sincerely about a President Trump, because I DO believe he probably means it. He's Koch-like in thinking as a businessperson he's allowed to reign supreme over the lowly planet. 

Trump has reached 1237 delegates. He's our GOP nominee. 

'Murica 

Remember South Carolina? Where Trump won 33% of the vote but 100% of the delegates?

Before that, and after for a bit, he kept splitting delegates and we all were positive there would be a brokered convention? THEN we got to the winner take all (or most) states where Trump then started cruising to victory. 

Imagine if it was proportional vote like the Democrats do? There were 3, sometimes 4, candidates who each could've gotten delegates instead of Trump taking near to all, he would've never been on track to make 1237 and Cruz maybe Kasich would've had more motivation to stay in. 

I think a lot of changes need to happen to our primary process, one being the GOP should really do away with winner take all. It's dumb, kind of undemocratic, and thanks to Trump there's all the motivation they need