Who will be the next President of the United States?

[bateman]

So you'd rather just listen to a bunch of drivel copied directly from the mouths of the left and right wing political machines?  The man is not the idiot the media makes him out to be.   When he speaks, he overall makes sense, but his words are twisted or made to look radical.    I don't really give a shit anymore to be honest.  I HATE what both the right and left have to offer.   Whether or not he gets the nomination, I am voting Trump, and I have my pen ready to write in his name.   I suspect millions will join me, just like with Perot.   So you'll either get Trump or you'll get Hillary, and if it's the latter, I hope you enjoy her.

I want statements that convey a candidate's basic understanding of the issues and some practical ideas. We saw what happened in 2008 when we elected someone spouting platitudes and bumper sticker slogans. There are people on this very board who are more erudite than he is on virtually any subject he's asked about.

[VtaGeezer]

Post-SB polls show Clinton vs Trump, Rubio, or Carson are now within the MOE.  This is going to be like "the Utah Choice"; picking how you'll be executed. We're so fooked.

[area51drone]

I want statements that convey a candidate's basic understanding of the issues and some practical ideas. We saw what happened in 2008 when we elected someone spouting platitudes and bumper sticker slogans.

There's a big difference between Trump and I'm assume you're talking about Palin even though she didn't run for president.  Billionaire and owner of businesses located around the world vs.  first term Governor of Alaska.

There are people on this very board who are more erudite than he is on virtually any subject he's asked about.

Supposedly.   Maybe the guy just isn't a very good public speaker (which I would agree he is not),  or maybe he's smart enough not to spout off about crap he doesn't know enough about and the media will attack him.    He has numerous businesses he's been managing, obviously fairly successfully.    He probably hasn't had all the time that someone sitting reading bellgab 10 hours a day does to learn all there is to know about everything going on around the world.     I can recognize that there are things that you need to know when you know them, and a good manager certainly knows that there are other people who will give him the low down when need be and let him make the final decision.    I remember Obama saying before he was first elected that he just needed "time to think" if he was going to be the POTUS.  How's that working out?   I am certain he didn't know shit about the world either, and even the enlightened bellgabbers don't know what's REALLY going on behind the scenes, unless they worked in high levels of government.    In my opinion, it's irresponsible to really make any judgement until you have all the facts.   So, for those reasons, I'm giving Trump a pass on this issue. 

[21st Century Man]

It's unfortunate he's not a National Socialist.....

[VtaGeezer]

It's unfortunate he's not a National Socialist...

More garden variety Fascisti.  I hear Melania is designing the official Party outfit for torch parades.

[albrecht]

You know there is a problem with Muslims and immigrants when even the French are waking up. In this country the response from Obama's administration is to funnel more radical "refugees" into the countries, despite opinions of governors, representative, and the people and to threaten Americans by saying the government will come after you if you use "anti-Muslim speech." Amazing.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/front-national-marine-le-pen-and-marion-mar-chal-le-pen-expect-electoral-breakthrough-for-france-s-a6761051.html

[MV/Liberace!]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQYOvDmWqjo

[MV/Liberace!]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybVoJODXabs

[MV/Liberace!]

He probably hasn't had all the time that someone sitting reading bellgab 10 hours a day does to learn all there is to know about everything going on around the world.

heh heh 

[CornyCrow]

You know there is a problem with Muslims and immigrants when even the French are waking up. In this country the response from Obama's administration is to funnel more radical "refugees" into the countries, despite opinions of governors, representative, and the people and to threaten Americans by saying the government will come after you if you use "anti-Muslim speech." Amazing.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/front-national-marine-le-pen-and-marion-mar-chal-le-pen-expect-electoral-breakthrough-for-france-s-a6761051.html

Yes.  That guy who did the bombing was a third generation American.  Does not look as though he assimilated.

[albrecht]

Yes.  That guy who did the bombing was a third generation American.  Does not look as though he assimilated.

If my, and their, European experience says anything it is, usually, the 2nd and 3rd generation that are the problem. Note: this is changing with the latest invasion of "refugees" but, usually, that was the way the Muslim stuff "worked."

[WildCard]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQYOvDmWqjo

Is he even going to say the word Israel?

"Why do you ask me such trivial things, Ivanka?"

Stupid Iran. Stupid Bergdahl. Stupid ObamaCare.

If he can create a strong enough backlash to bump Hillary off and Sanders in front, more power to him.
-------------------------------------------
"Israel's given a-lot."

Moderator: "Can I just try to pin you down on Jerusalem as the undivided capitol?"

Stupid global warming.

[ItsOver]

Top Jeb Bush political donor in Miami: I’ll vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump




http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/elections-2016/article48067815.html

[VtaGeezer]

Wow.  Latest CNN poll puts Trump 20 points ahead of the 2nd tier pack of Cruz, Rubio, and Carson.  The rest are fast becoming irrelevant.

From RCP:
Trump 36, Carson 14, Cruz 16, Rubio 12, Bush 3, Fiorina 3, Christie 4, Kasich 2, Huckabee 2, Paul 1

[MV/Liberace!]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=27YBSs-McTA

[MV/Liberace!]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS8xxlwHOKc

[bateman]

There's a big difference between Trump and I'm assume you're talking about Palin even though she didn't run for president.  Billionaire and owner of businesses located around the world vs.  first term Governor of Alaska.

I was referring to the current occupant of the White House, Mr. Hope-Change.

[whoozit]

I was referring to the current occupant of the White House, Mr. Hope-Change.

I understand the confusion.  Most if not all politicians are not the best or brightest.  If they were they would make their money another way.  You can't even go with what they promise because they will change on a whim.

[ItsOver]

I understand the confusion.  Most if not all politicians are not the best or brightest.  If they were they would make their money another way.  You can't even go with what they promise because they will change on a whim.

Politicians suck even more than humans.

[bateman]

“I see the word ‘mastermind,’ 'the mastermind.' I call him the guy with the dirty hat, the guy with the filthy, dirty hat,” Trump said. “They called him a mastermind, and the kids are watching the mastermind and they say, ‘Oh, I want to be a mastermind.’ ”

“These people are not masterminds. They’re not even smart people. I bet you they have very low IQs, they’re not smart people,” he added.

http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/262247-trump-accuses-media-of-glamorizing-terrorists

el oh fucking el

[MV/Liberace!]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCjTkmyzlLU

[area51drone]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCjTkmyzlLU

How can you not love how he just steam rolls over the media?  This video had a number of great examples of how deftly he handles these people.

[nooryisawesome]

For the first time in CNN/ORC polling, a majority of Americans (53%) say the U.S. should send ground troops to Iraq or Syria to fight ISIS. At the same time, 6-in-10 disapprove of the President's handling of terrorism and 68% say America's military response to the terrorist group thus far has not been aggressive enough.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/06/politics/isis-obama-poll/index.html

[bateman]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/06/politics/isis-obama-poll/index.html

I'm horrified at the prospect, but yes, ground troops. Obama won't do it though, he won't even bomb the oil truck convoys going from Syria into Turkey - it's insane. Or the oil infrastructure. The rationale is, he doesn't want to take away a revenue source from the people who MAY AT SOME POINT take the land back from ISIS. This is the actual policy.

I hate the idea of ground troops. It's what ISIS wants. And it just seems so... Neocon. But it's probably necessary. I would say, bomb the fucking hell out of the oil infrastructure, cut off the convoys into Turkey, make killing al-Baghdadi a high priority and then send in ground troops to finish them off. Raqqa should be a parking lot when we get done with it.

[Yorkshire pud]

I'm horrified at the prospect, but yes, ground troops. Obama won't do it though, he won't even bomb the oil truck convoys going from Syria into Turkey - it's insane. Or the oil infrastructure. The rationale is, he doesn't want to take away a revenue source from the people who MAY AT SOME POINT take the land back from ISIS. This is the actual policy.

US aircraft are in the area. As are Russian, French, UK, Australian and Saudia. That alone won't solve the problem, and there isn't the will to get bogged down in yet another ME ground offensive. How many trillion $ do you think should be allocated?

I hate the idea of ground troops. It's what ISIS wants. And it just seems so... Neocon. But it's probably necessary. I would say, bomb the fucking hell out of the oil infrastructure, cut off the convoys into Turkey, make killing al-Baghdadi a high priority and then send in ground troops to finish them off. Raqqa should be a parking lot when we get done with it.

Oh if it were that straightforward. At the moment there are several disparate factions fighting Assad and IS. That doesn't mean they like each other, just they have common enemies. Then there are the Kurds. Who Turkey want to see wiped out, but the Kurds are fearless proud people who are fighting IS and anyone who thinks they're tough enough. Turkey of course are NATO members, so there's much shoe shuffling before the battle is even worked out.

[bateman]

US aircraft are in the area. As are Russian, French, UK, Australian and Saudia. That alone won't solve the problem, and there isn't the will to get bogged down in yet another ME ground offensive. How many trillion $ do you think should be allocated?

It took Russian bombing to actually start hitting the convoys. Even so, American planes are returning to bases not having dropped about 75% of their payloads. 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-23/get-out-your-trucks-and-run-away-us-gives-isis-45-minute-warning-oil-tanker-strikes

As far as how much it'll all cost? A lot. But this is Afghanistan now, after 15 years and who knows how many trillions spent.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/12034865/Latest-pictures-show-Isil-training-camp-in-Afghanistan.html

Oh if it were that straightforward. At the moment there are several disparate factions fighting Assad and IS. That doesn't mean they like each other, just they have common enemies. Then there are the Kurds. Who Turkey want to see wiped out, but the Kurds are fearless proud people who are fighting IS and anyone who thinks they're tough enough. Turkey of course are NATO members, so there's much shoe shuffling before the battle is even worked out.

The Free Syrian Army "exists only in hotel lobbies" according to a French MP.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/syrian-opposition-groups-stop-pretending

The Kurds are indeed another story. They've been able to hold off ISIS in the northeast part of Iraq since last summer, so I think that area's stable for the time being, but the rest of the country is a fucking disaster.

I'm not sure what your overall point is. No, of course it isn't easy. But the Obama administration's policy has been completely ineffective, to put it politely. There have been literally thousands of airstrikes since this all started, and ISIS is expanding into Libya. What does that tell you?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/06/isis-expansion-libya-not-sign-of-weakness

[Yorkshire pud]

It took Russian bombing to actually start hitting the convoys. Even so, American planes are returning to bases not having dropped about 75% of their payloads. 

That's because the rules of engagement that NATO use (Russia are fairly indiscriminate) prevents the NATO bombers attacking targets where there is a high probability of civilians; the also do leaflet drops warning the convoy drivers to abandon the trucks before circling round to make the attack. Russia don't care who they kill, women, children.

As far as how much it'll all cost? A lot. But this is Afghanistan now, after 15 years and who knows how many trillions spent.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/12034865/Latest-pictures-show-Isil-training-camp-in-Afghanistan.html

The Free Syrian Army "exists only in hotel lobbies" according to a French MP.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/syrian-opposition-groups-stop-pretending

The Kurds are indeed another story. They've been able to hold off ISIS in the northeast part of Iraq since last summer, so I think that area's stable for the time being, but the rest of the country is a fucking disaster.

I'm not sure what your overall point is. No, of course it isn't easy. But the Obama administration's policy has been completely ineffective, to put it politely. There have been literally thousands of airstrikes since this all started, and ISIS is expanding into Libya. What does that tell you?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/06/isis-expansion-libya-not-sign-of-weakness

What it tells me is, how does any power defeat a philosophy? As you say, they move around, expand. A dynamic virus that is almost impossible to detect let alone isolate and defeat.

[bateman]

That's because the rules of engagement that NATO use (Russia are fairly indiscriminate) prevents the NATO bombers attacking targets where there is a high probability of civilians; the also do leaflet drops warning the convoy drivers to abandon the trucks before circling round to make the attack. Russia don't care who they kill, women, children.

What it tells me is, how does any power defeat a philosophy? As you say, they move around, expand. A dynamic virus that is almost impossible to detect let alone isolate and defeat.

The caliphate requires territory in which Islamic law can be enforced. No territory, no caliphate. Eliminating Raqqa is a hammer blow according to Michael Weiss.

[Yorkshire pud]

The caliphate requires territory with which to establish Islamic law. No territory, no caliphate. Eliminating Raqqa is a hammer blow according to Michael Weiss.

Sure, but they've expanded already into parts of Europe and North Africa. France has paid the price for Belgium's ineptitude. The only sure fire way to get any progress is a massive fear offensive. What that fear is needs to be explored and fine tuned to find and exploit the Achilles heel. These vermin don't care that they might die. They care even less their own families might die. They don't have the mindset of self preservation, and I have no compunction in letting that play out in reality and letting em meet their seventy virgins in short order. So what do they fear? Indifference? Fortitude? Ridicule? I don't know.

[21st Century Man]

Is Goldfart around?  I can't stomach Noory tonight so I'm going to again try and watch Triumph of The Will.  I tried one time but it made me nauseous and sleepy at the same time.  I know its gotta be Goldfart's favorite movie.