# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/81 "2018-11-26T17:45:50Z")
In a “watching-a-train-wreck-in-slow-motion” sort of way, yes. In every other possible way, NO. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/82 "2018-11-26T18:17:03Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Cut my taxes. Is your income in the range of $500K-1M? Because that’s the group getting the biggest [benefit from the tax cuts](https://www.npr.org/2017/12/19/571754894/charts-see-how-much-of-gop-tax-cuts-will-go-to-the-middle-class). Regardless of who benefits, there were no corresponding spending cuts so the tax cut is costing this country [over $2.3 trillion](https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-tax-cuts-debt-20180626-story.html) over a decade. _Accepted Jerusalem as the capital of Israel._ I’m curious why you support this. I’m sure that Israel was happy but this damages the U.S.'s position as an honest broker in helping to mediate the resolution of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Even if you think that Jerusalem should be the accepted capital of Israel, this was not a good way for the U.S. to go about it. _Unemployment (including minority unemployment) at historic lows._ Unemployment has dropped every year since 2009. What Trump policies are contributing to low unemployment? _Forging a new relationship with North Korea._ What new relationship do you mean? There has been no substantive change in our relationship with North Korea. The leaders had a nice meeting and Trump praised a murderous dictator. It was all show on both sides. North Korea has not moved towards denuclearization in spite of Trump’s false claims. _Two awesome SCOTUS appointments (and countless other federal judicial appointments)._ Competent but I don’t know what’s so awesome about them. McConnell and Trump have created a watershed moment to politicize the Supreme Court starting with the refusal to even conduct confirmation hearings for Garland. This may be good in the short term for the Republicans in power but is not good for the country. _Stopping the madness on Climate Change hysteria._ Where is the “madness”? What is the “hysteria”? Do you mean the consensus opinion of the entire scientific community based on fact? _Eliminated the Individual Mandate._ This is part of the effort to undermine the ACA without providing any alternative in its place. _Enacted Right-to-Try legislation._ Looks good politically but there is doubt this will have any practical benefit to patients. _Stock market boom._ You mean the downturn of the last two months that wiped out the past 12 months’ gains? That boom? Before Trump was elected the market was on an upward trend since at least January 2016. Corporate tax cuts were also encouraging to business (but see also the uncompensated cost of tax cuts discussed above). _Renegotiation of NAFTA to the USA’s benefit._ Why do you think it is to the USA’s benefit? It’s overly protectionist, and is likely to have [long-term harm](https://www.economist.com/leaders/2018/10/04/the-renegotiation-of-nafta-is-a-relief-but-it-is-not-a-success) to our auto industry’s ability to compete with Asian and European automakers. _Sending troops to the southern border to combat invasion by illegals._ There is no “invasion.” There is no need for “combat.” This is not an armed military incursion. This is a bunch of people who want to seek asylum in the U.S. You can’t consider them illegal aliens (i.e., undocumented) if they are not even in the U.S. I don’t particularly like how they’re doing it and I think it’s not going to get them what they want. But your statement buys into Trump’s propaganda that we are somehow in grave danger from a group of desperate people on foot with their children trying to find a better life. "…the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.” — Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/83 "2018-11-26T18:36:09Z")
I can envision very few scenarios in which I would be “happy” that a particular individual were President. ---
**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 26, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/84 "2018-11-26T21:05:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The fact that he believes these things. …“why he believes these things” and “accepting that he believes those things” are two different things. Tim R. Mortiss listed a whole host of reasons why he voted for Trump. If you refuse to accept that he believes those things then that is your issue, not his. > [@](#): > > Apparently because Trump said he did them and said they were great things. People have agency. If Tim states that he thinks the two SCOTUS appointments were awesome: why can’t you accept that Tim thinks they are awesome? Can’t he make up his own mind? > [@](#): > > But if you don’t simply believe everything Trump says then you can go through his list of reasons and see that they either didn’t happen or shouldn’t have happened. Of course you can debate the veracity of what Tim has said. But that has nothing to do with why Tim voted for Trump. > [@](#): > > The first question we need to ask about Trump is whether he’s telling the truth. No we don’t. Many Trump supporters know that Trump is not telling the truth. They simply don’t care. > [@](#): > > And I can’t see how anyone can say he is. You don’t have to listen to anyone else; just listen to Trump himself. He will say one thing today and then say something contradictory tomorrow and then say something else that contradicts them both next week. So how can anyone believe he’s telling the truth? Why does this matter? I didn’t see “Trump always tells the truth” on Tim’s list of why he voted for Trump. It clearly wasn’t important. Its important to you and I’m going to assume you voted accordingly. > [@](#): > > And if you don’t have this blind faith that Trump is telling the truth then there’s nothing. Tim’s list begs to differ. Its not about “blind faith.” Tax cuts happened. The appointments to SCOTUS happened. Accepting Jerusalem as the capital of Israel happened. > [@](#): > > Nobody outside of Trump himself is saying the things that Trump is saying. If you believe this then you aren’t paying close enough attention. You just need to watch any of the cable news networks to see pundits repeating Trump talking points literally every hour of every day. > [@](#): > > Everyone else is saying things are not as good as Trump is claiming. “Everyone else” is an extraordinary claim. One that is easily disproved by turning on the television. > [@](#): > > That includes other elected officials (both Democrats and Republicans), government reports, the media (including Fox News), members of Trump’s own administration, and the rest of the world. What an absurd claim. I can find plenty of examples of Republican officials, the media, members of Trump’s own administration and people in the rest of the world who think things are better now than they ever have been. That finally “America is finally great again”. > [@](#): > > To believe Donald Trump is telling the truth means you have to believe that everyone else in the world is lying. You don’t need to believe that “Donald Trump is telling the truth” to hold the belief that “things are better under Trump.” The truth doesn’t matter. If it did then Trump would not be president. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/85 "2018-11-26T21:14:38Z")
I voted not happy with Trump, but I’d be more unhappy with Hillary. ---
**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, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/86 "2018-11-26T21:15:36Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > That said, a token effort doesn’t negate Trump refusing to sanction Russia for their attempts on the election…. Trump added to the sanctions of Obama so your statement is incorrect. [From Wiki:](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_elections) on April 6, 2018, the Trump administration brought another new round of sanctions against Russia, targeting several oligarchs and high-ranking Russian officials.[22][23] In June 2018, the United States Department of the Treasury implemented new sanctions on several Russian entities and officials in connection to cyberattacks by Russia related to the 2016 election interference > [@BigT](#): > > 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. There’s nothing to indicate Trump has given Putin anything but grief. The idea that he would want Trump as President has no basis. ---
**Author:** ![LiveFree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@LiveFree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveFree)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/87 "2018-11-26T22:21:41Z")
The people that think that Trump is not a good person…Does anybody REALLY think that Hillary is a good person??? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/88 "2018-11-26T22:29:28Z")
> [@LiveFree](#): > > The people that think that Trump is not a good person…Does anybody REALLY think that Hillary is a good person??? I think she’s about average on the goodness scale. Trump would be at the bottom of any scale I can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/89 "2018-11-26T22:31:04Z")
> [@LiveFree](#): > > The people that think that Trump is not a good person…Does anybody REALLY think that Hillary is a good person??? Sounds like a great idea for another poll. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/90 "2018-11-26T22:39:25Z")
> [@LiveFree](#): > > The people that think that Trump is not a good person…Does anybody REALLY think that Hillary is a good person??? Start a poll and link to it here. That will be a fun one. ---
**Author:** ![LiveFree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@LiveFree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveFree)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/91 "2018-11-26T22:47:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Sounds like a great idea for another poll. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > Start a poll and link to it here. That will be a fun one. Here it is. [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=866194](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=866194) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/92 "2018-11-26T23:41:36Z")
I am happy, and I voted that way in the poll. I am happy the Democratic party was told (whether or not they heard is another matter) USA rejects dynastic reign, that progressives value the character of a candidate more than his/her genitals, and that a nontrivial number of Americans would rather suck on a soggy turd like Donald Trump than accept a candidate whose best credentials are having a well-connected husband. We can survive a Trump presidency or two if it means convincing the only meaningfully progressive party that we want a real progressive leader who can also empathize with and accommodate opposition. I am happy Americans who thought our baser qualities were fairly uncommon among the population have had their eyes opened. I am happy the Trump administration has indeed exposed the nature and scope of corruption within our political system. In short, I am happy in the same way I would be if I’d gone to the doctor and learned I had stage 2 melanoma. I mean, it sucks to know how bad it is but you can’t fix problems you don’t know about. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/93 "2018-11-26T23:49:30Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > “Invasion by illegals” my shoe. Showing up at the border to ask for asylum is neither an invasion nor illegal. This Republican’s pro-Trump opinion is based on Republican propaganda and not facts. > [@MarvinKitFox](#): > > Sorry, if “Invasion by Illegals” does not cover 500 migrants storming and physically attacking a border post, just what does? Nothing does. “Illegal” is an adjective and has no plural form. Therefore the phrase “Invasion by Illegals” has no valid meaning, and is gibberish. BTW, I have not responded to the poll, nor will I, in this format. I will, however consult with TPTB and see if I can get away with submitting my own poll, with the difference that it will be public. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/94 "2018-11-27T00:05:03Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > I voted not happy with Trump, but I’d be more unhappy with Hillary. Really? Why? In what possible way could she govern that’s worse than what you’ve got now? I don’t know who she would put in the role Jared Kushner is playing now, to pick one member of Trump’s pirate crew of an administration at random, but I feel certain that person would be more qualified than Jared Kushner. I simply cannot imagine Hillary Clinton being a more incompetent executive or more unsuitable head of state than Donald Trump. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/95 "2018-11-27T00:07:51Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Well you know, it is a cabal of evil groups led by the illuminati or some such trash. Sub in international Jewish plot or the Commies for the various Trump supporters. Then there are the 1% rich that like the general trend and the really gullible. Also whatever segment of the remaining population that watches and believes Fox news. Then there are also otherwise rational people that don’t like Trump but feel the country is doing better under him, I can’t follow their logic but they can. Of course Hillary was the worst thing possible for this segment so they voted for the lesser of 2 evils in their mind. > > **To be fair, I voted for HRC as to me she was the lesser of 2 evils. Same reason I voted for Kerry back in 2004.** But see, that’s the thing. It is a Truth, universally acknowledged, that when one of the evils is a Republican and the other is a Democrat, the Democrat is ALWAYS the lesser of two evils. How is it that people can possibly CHOOSE to ignore universally acknowledged Truths? 'Tis a puzzlement. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/96 "2018-11-27T00:10:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But see, that’s the thing. It is a Truth, universally acknowledged, that when one of the evils is a Republican and the other is a Democrat, the Democrat is ALWAYS the lesser of two evils. > > How is it that people can possibly CHOOSE to ignore universally acknowledged Truths? > > 'Tis a puzzlement. 'Tis a strawman. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/97 "2018-11-27T00:12:26Z")
> [@MarvinKitFox](#): > > Sorry, if “Invasion by Illegals” does not cover 500 migrants storming and physically attacking a border post, just what does? People seeking asylum to the chagrin of Trump supporters. It’s clear your opinion is also based on Republican propaganda and not facts. Watch out for all that smallpox and leprosy. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/98 "2018-11-27T00:24:32Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But see, that’s the thing. It is a Truth, universally acknowledged, that when one of the evils is a Republican and the other is a Democrat, the Democrat is ALWAYS the lesser of two evils. > > How is it that people can possibly CHOOSE to ignore universally acknowledged Truths? > > 'Tis a puzzlement. The two times in my life they were both good honorable men, I think the voters picked the wrong one in Carter. Ford probably would have done a better job which might have meant no Reagan and the later extremism of the Republican party. Obama vs McCain though we got right. McCain was no longer really the man I had respected and allowed himself to be talked into Palin as a running mate. Reagan vs Mondale, I think despite the fact Reagan was a very mixed bag and did greatly accelerate the changes to the Republican party that moved it so far to the right and the racists. Picking Reagan was right for the time. But I also didn’t at the time think I was picking the lesser evil but a competent leader over a poor candidate that was just ineffective. I think Bush the Elder was a better man then Bill Clinton but I think Clinton was the better President. Clinton got my vote in 1996, but in 1992 I voted 4th party. I think Green Party. I would have voted McCain in 2000 but Cheney & Rove I feel stole the primary with very dirty politics. I couldn’t vote for Shrub/Cheney (evil incarnate). Ralph Nader got my vote. Gore ran a poor campaign. Not that my vote mattered as Gore easily won New Jersey. As things turned out, I would probably have regretted my vote if I lived in Florida. HRC is not a person I wanted as President, but voting for her over Trump was such an easy choice. ---
**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 27, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/99 "2018-11-27T00:37:57Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But see, that’s the thing. It is a Truth, universally acknowledged, that when one of the evils is a Republican and the other is a Democrat, the Democrat is ALWAYS the lesser of two evils. > > How is it that people can possibly CHOOSE to ignore universally acknowledged Truths? > > 'Tis a puzzlement. Maybe because…it, by definition, ISN’T “universally” acknowledged? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2018, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028/100 "2018-11-27T03:34:05Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Maybe because…it, by definition, ISN’T “universally” acknowledged? No no, that’s how you win debates these days: claim your position is so self-evident that opposing it is proof of mental disability. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-happy-that-trump-is-president/825028.md?page=6)