# Are you happy that Trump is President? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 24, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028 "2018-11-24T21:25:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/41 "2018-11-25T15:50:02Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I am f\*cking ecstatic. I am…less so. BTW, I’d appreciate it if anyone could explain to me in simple language why random, (apparently) non-Jewish Americans would care in what Israeli city the US Embassy was located. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/42 "2018-11-25T16:14:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I have to disagree. I know some people argue that it’s always darkest before the dawn and that the Trump administration will lead to a Democratic resurgence. But I’m not seeing it happening. > > To me it seems like all Trump is doing is lowering the bar for what’s acceptable in American politics. Once people accept that a worthless asshole like Donald Trump can be President, it’ll be easier for the next worthless asshole to get elected. > > We’re not going to spring back stronger from the Trump presidency. At best, we might recover some of the strength we’re losing right now. Donald Trump being President is like having America shot in the stomach. America might survive the experience but we’re never going to be as healthy a country as we were before the shooting. I agree, Trump lowered the bar and now being a corrupt white nationalist criminal who supports turning America into a dictatorship is now mainstream republican policy. But I guess one of the few good things is that now at least democrats are aware that this is mainstream GOP strategy and we’re more willing to fight back against it. I think a lot of democrats were oblivious or in denial about this before Trump. I don’t think we will spring back stronger from Trump. But at least now a lot of people are aware of how bad things are and are more willing to get involved to defend their democracy from these people. I think one of Trump’s biggest legacies over the long run is that he sped up the rise of China on the global stage. China is stepping in to fill the leadership vacuum vacated by the US. I’m sure that’ll have both good and bad to it. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/43 "2018-11-25T17:47:53Z")
A week or more ago, I went for a long drive and wept for my country. When I thought about all of the victims of the Camp fire in Paradise and the first tweet Trump sent, I felt so much sadness. When did we become a country that is okay with the kind of man Trump is. He lies about everything. He shows no empathy when people are hit with theses terrible tragedies. I truly do not understand it. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/44 "2018-11-25T18:36:04Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > When did we become a country that is okay with the kind of man Trump is. He lies about everything. > . The sad part is that we’ve always been a country that is ok with Trump’s behavior, it is just that now people can’t dog whistle it away or deny it anymore. Trump’s base aren’t far removed from the whites in the south who supported Jim Crow and Slavery, or the protestants who persecuted catholic and mormons, or the anglo saxons who persecuted eastern europeans, germans and italian immigrants. For me it was hard to accept that our country hasn’t evolved nearly as much as I thought it had, and we were the same people we were a century ago. Which again, is one of the few good things of Trump’s presidency. It is mobilizing people to defend democracy and morality. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/45 "2018-11-25T18:52:39Z")
Trump is the epitome of a sleazeball. He always has been. If you disagree I would really, really like to know what your definition of a sleazeball is. If you don’t think he’s a sleazeball then you really have blinders on and should question your gullibility. Are you easily scammed and fall for too-good-to-be-true sales pitches? Cause you’ve just been taken. I now understand why there are so many scam artists out there and everyone’s phone rings non-stop with telemarketers trying to rip them off. There truly is a sucker born every minute. Half our country has been scammed and they still are in denial. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/46 "2018-11-25T19:13:21Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Trump is the epitome of a sleazeball. He always has been. If you disagree I would really, really like to know what your definition of a sleazeball is. > If you don’t think he’s a sleazeball then you really have blinders on and should question your gullibility. > Are you easily scammed and fall for too-good-to-be-true sales pitches? Cause you’ve just been taken. > > I now understand why there are so many scam artists out there and everyone’s phone rings non-stop with telemarketers trying to rip them off. There truly is a sucker born every minute. > > Half our country has been scammed and they still are in denial. What I’ll never understand is a significant percentage of Trump voters feel Trump is intelligent, honest, moral and a good role model. > **[72 percent of Republicans think Trump is 'a good role model for children'](https://theweek.com/speedreads/750974/72-percent-republicans-think-trump-good-role-model-children)** > > The latest Speed Read,/speed-reads,,speed-reads, breaking news, comment, reviews and features from the experts at The Week > [@](#): > > A new poll published Thursday found that 72 percent of Republican voters feel that President Trump "is a good role model for children. This goes beyond being scammed, these people live in a totally different reality. The only explanation I can come up with is that these people are so driven by tribalism and fear of the scary, dangerous others (non-whites, non-christians, non-Americans, non-republicans, feminists, etc) that they’ve withdrawn into a coccoon of fantasy to escape reality. It makes no sense to me. This goes beyond scam artist level of deception. What is wrong with these people (serious question, not a ‘they disagree with me politically so they’re bad’). There is something seriously wrong with anyone who thinks Trump is a good role model for children. Yes Trump is rich, famous and powerful. But his entire identity is just a collection of negative traits. Trump is literally the embodiment of the 7 deadly sins (envy, greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, anger, lust). How can anyone think a candidate who is on record lying literally thousands of times is honest? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/47 "2018-11-25T19:16:35Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I am…less so. > > BTW, I’d appreciate it if anyone could explain to me in simple language why random, (apparently) non-Jewish Americans would care in what Israeli city the US Embassy was located. It’s a symbol of support for Israel; moving the embassy to the Israeli capital city. There are also many who believe it will usher in or pave the way for certain prophecies to be fulfilled. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/48 "2018-11-25T19:23:04Z")
I am a lot more optimistic.I really think there is a very good chance Trump has killed the GOP. Not immediately, but the death has started and won’t change course. The elasticity of the voting public has been removed. Trump’s entire persona devoted to hateful partisanship has made nearly everybody choose a side for good, and the Pubs are on the underside of the numbers, and it only gets worse as the geriatric Trumpists die and kids turn 18 over the next 10 years . I’d say there is a 3 in 4 chance there will never be another GOP president, unless there is a major shakeup like a couple new parties and everybody redefines. Because Texas will be Blue by 2024 at the latest. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/49 "2018-11-25T19:31:47Z")
Gosh, I wonder how this thread will turn out. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/50 "2018-11-25T19:34:47Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I am a lot more optimistic.I really think there is a very good chance Trump has killed the GOP. Not immediately, but the death has started and won’t change course. The elasticity of the voting public has been removed. Trump’s entire persona devoted to hateful partisanship has made nearly everybody choose a side for good, and the Pubs are on the underside of the numbers, and it only gets worse as the geriatric Trumpists die and kids turn 18 over the next 10 years > > . I’d say there is a 3 in 4 chance there will never be another GOP president, unless there is a major shakeup like a couple new parties and everybody redefines. Because Texas will be Blue by 2024 at the latest. We were saying that after W Bush, and here we are. I agree in theory with what you say. The GOP is the party of elderly white people, and the democrats are the party of everyone else. As time passes the share of the electorate who are ‘everyone else’ will grow. Boomers & the silent generation combined make up 100 million Americas in 2016. They’ll be 75 million by 2028, and 50 million by 2036. Meanwhile in 2036, about 200 million Americans will be Gen X, millennials and Gen Z. But we will see. The American people have a short attention span, and voting demographics can change. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/51 "2018-11-25T20:12:35Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I think he’s too stupid to be a ‘monster’ though. He just doesn’t know any other way. Viruses probably don’t realize they’re infectious. Doesn’t mean they aren’t. > [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I’d appreciate it if anyone could explain to me in simple language why random, (apparently) non-Jewish Americans would care in what Israeli city the US Embassy was located. I know that milenarists believe that’s one of the requirements to bring the End Times. Whether the person you were asking is one of them or not I don’t know; my opinions on the people who apparently don’t find it enough to get themselves to Heaven unless they can watch the world burn from there aren’t very nice. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/52 "2018-11-25T20:45:01Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I am…less so. > > BTW, I’d appreciate it if anyone could explain to me in simple language why random, (apparently) non-Jewish Americans would care in what Israeli city the US Embassy was located. The ‘Left Behind’ fans think it’ll help bring about the apocalypse, which they’d like to see happen in their lifetimes, preferably soon. Since they believe they’ll get Raptured before bad shit happens to people, they don’t give a good goddamn that the apocalypse they devoutly wish for will cause a lot of bad shit to happen to people - many of whom would suffer all that bad shit not because they were particularly evil, but because they didn’t accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/53 "2018-11-25T20:52:49Z")
Ninja’d by **Nava** : > [@Nava](#): > > my opinions on the people who apparently don’t find it enough to get themselves to Heaven unless they can watch the world burn from there aren’t very nice. Mine either, as you can probably guess. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/54 "2018-11-25T22:57:08Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Holy. Shit. > [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Wow. I’m not really good with remembering who people are around here, so… are you joking here? Is this a parody? > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Whoa, only the last one? Holy. Shit. > [@Frank\_Burly](#): > > How’s the weather in Russia? > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Ditto this. > > C’mon! You’re punking us, right? Good one! …I don’t understand these reactions at all. Millions of people voted for and support Trump. Millions of people have benefited from Trump’s “policies”. How is any of this a surprise? What is it do you think Trump supporters were actually thinking? (And no, I’m not happy Trump is President at all) ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/55 "2018-11-25T23:49:37Z")
When Nixon resigned, I, along with all of my 20-something friends, felt certain that America had learned its lesson and would never again elect such a lying, cheating, amoral scoundrel to the presidency… Instead, they elected a worse one. At least Nixon made some solid gains for the US in terms of foreign policy. Trump has set US foreign policy back decades, if not longer. He has angered and alienated our traditional and long-standing allies. Will those relationships be rrpairable? He has been universally offensive to everyone not white and wealthy, and especially so to women of all races and socioeconomic groups… The sooner his presidency ends, the better for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/56 "2018-11-26T00:55:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Gosh, I wonder how this thread will turn out. > > Regards, > Shodan Can’t see the poll results for some reason? ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/57 "2018-11-26T01:21:30Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …I don’t understand these reactions at all. > > Millions of people voted for and support Trump. Millions of people have benefited from Trump’s “policies”. How is any of this a surprise? What is it do you think Trump supporters were actually thinking? (And no, I’m not happy Trump is President at all) I don’t think they are thinking. They’re undereducated, literally. They don’t pay attention to facts and don’t question statements their leader is saying to them. If he says there’s an invasion at the border, they repeat “There’s an invasion at the border.” That’s why it’s so surprising. You can understand it intellectually, but to see a person do it “live” like this is still shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/58 "2018-11-26T01:27:10Z")
> [@Frank\_Burly](#): > > How’s the weather in Russia? Since it appears you’re throwing the Russian card lets look at current events. [Trump lobbied Germany to upgrade their ports](https://thehill.com/policy/international/412551-merkel-concedes-to-trump-on-opening-germany-to-us-gas-imports-report) to receive US natural gas to avoid becoming dependent on Russia. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/59 "2018-11-26T02:14:54Z")
Sorry, gonna post parse to unpack some assumptions, then actually address your question. > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …I don’t understand these reactions at all. > > Millions of people voted for and support Trump. True. That is not what was surprising about his post. > [@](#): > > Millions of people have benefited from Trump’s “policies”. Not so true. Some rich people have benefited (from taxes and tariffs, which are destined to backfire). Not the majority of Americans. Even Morris only claims a single actual benefit: lower taxes. The rest are either factual inaccuracies, things he agrees with, or that “joke.” > [@](#): > > How is any of this a surprise? What is it do you think Trump supporters were actually thinking? It’s not that what he’s thinking is that weird. Of course these are the right wing talking points. It’s that someone on this board actually believes that stuff, and would put it forward on this board. So much of it is just pro-Trump propaganda. Especially that last “joke” which crossed the Poe line to make it seem like he was making fun of Trump supporters. I mean, embracing a ridiculous, transphobic and racist conspiracy theory about Michelle Obama being a man? Ugh. At least, that’s what surprised me. I’ve talked to Trump supporters online, and I’ve never seen something like that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/60 "2018-11-26T02:30:35Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Since it appears you’re throwing the Russian card lets look at current events. [Trump lobbied Germany to upgrade their ports](https://thehill.com/policy/international/412551-merkel-concedes-to-trump-on-opening-germany-to-us-gas-imports-report) to receive US natural gas to avoid becoming dependent on Russia. What they were referencing is that Russia directly created fake news to get Trump elected. Something that is 100% factually proven. Not the collusion with Russia, just the propaganda. That said, a token effort doesn’t negate Trump refusing to sanction Russia for their attempts on the election, the fact that we know his campaign met with Russia, the fact that he flat out publicly asked Russia to hack his opponent, the fact that he smiles with Putin and calls him a friend, and the fact that he tried to shut down the investigation into whether he colluded with Russia, even telling Russia he’d done it for that reason. (And don’t forget the top secret info leak to Russia.) And now he picked a crook to try and hinder the investigation again. You can’t just use a single incident to invalidate all the stuff that he’s done. If this were one of those “figure it out” detective stories, people would complain it was too easy. Way too many clues that point one way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028.md?page=4)