# Donald Trump's 2016 General Election Campaign **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 4, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901 "2016-05-04T02:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/681 "2016-05-31T04:30:59Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Not being able to exercise a right due to the threat of violence from a imbecilic mob? The so-called heckler’s veto is very dangerous to promote. Shame the left is so practiced at it. It’s a shame that humanity in general is so practiced at it. Mobs are imbecilic no matter the political leanings of the mobsters. Here is a discussion of mob mentality. For the life of me, I can’t find anything in there about political leanings. Evwn this part > [@](#): > > SS: ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE? > > TA:In general, we are all susceptible to participating in some group behavior, but researchers have found that certain situations and personality characteristics play a role. For example, people are more likely to engage in looting in dire situations, such as when resources were scarce after Hurricane Katrina. Adolescents who share antisocial tendencies and lack close family bonds are more likely to search for social identity in gangs. The greater individuals feel like they identify with a group, the greater the pressures for them to conform and deindividuate become. [http://source.southuniversity.edu/examining-the-mob-mentality-31395.aspx](http://source.southuniversity.edu/examining-the-mob-mentality-31395.aspx) Surely if there was a political element it would have been noticed. No, I’m afraid that this is typical behaviors from humans in general. I’ll certainly not excuse the behavior of the bad seeds in the group but I must say that the instigator acted recklessly and selfishly put others into a more dangerous situation because his ego was bigger than his morality. I have nothing but distain for someone like that. Who he is voting for has nothing to do with it. He was there to grandstand, “help, help, I’m being repressed.” ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/682 "2016-05-31T04:38:10Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > It’s a shame that humanity in general is so practiced at it. Mobs are imbecilic no matter the political leanings of the mobsters. > > Here is a discussion of mob mentality. For the life of me, I can’t find anything in there about political leanings. Evwn this part > > [http://source.southuniversity.edu/examining-the-mob-mentality-31395.aspx](http://source.southuniversity.edu/examining-the-mob-mentality-31395.aspx) > > Surely if there was a political element it would have been noticed. No, I’m afraid that this is typical behaviors from humans in general. > > I’ll certainly not excuse the behavior of the bad seeds in the group but I must say that the instigator acted recklessly and selfishly put others into a more dangerous situation because his ego was bigger than his morality. I have nothing but distain for someone like that. Who he is voting for has nothing to do with it. He was there to grandstand, “help, help, I’m being repressed.” Being for freedom of speech is trivial if people self censor out of fear. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/683 "2016-05-31T04:55:46Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Being for freedom of speech is trivial if people self censor out of fear. But self censorship is necessary if you fear your actions will harm others. I couldn’t care less about him risking the results of exercising his freedom of speech but I do care about him forcing that risk to innocent people to do so. It’s like yelling fire in a crowded theater. It’s not the risk to your free speech right that’s the issue. It’s the consequences to others of your actions that’s the issue. I don’t see people clamoring about that self censorhip one whit nor do people feel that freedom of speech is trivial because of it. Imagine that, real life has a don’t be a jerk rule too. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/684 "2016-05-31T05:13:22Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > But self censorship is necessary if you fear your actions will harm others. I couldn’t care less about him risking the results of exercising his freedom of speech but I do care about him forcing that risk to innocent people to do so. It’s like yelling fire in a crowded theater. It’s not the risk to your free speech right that’s the issue. It’s the consequences to others of your actions that’s the issue. I don’t see people clamoring about that self censorhip one whit nor do people feel that freedom of speech is trivial because of it. > > Imagine that, real life has a don’t be a jerk rule too. No it’s not. These are all justifications for mob bullying. You believe in submitting to the Heckler’s Veto and this is moral cowardice. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/685 "2016-05-31T05:27:38Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > No it’s not. These are all justifications for mob bullying. You believe in submitting to the Heckler’s Veto and this is moral cowardice. If you were trapped in a cage with a gorilla, would it be moral cowardice that stopped you from yelling at it and provoking it? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/686 "2016-05-31T05:33:14Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Perhaps this will be the year that “paraleipsis” (Trump’s favorite verbal tactic) finally makes it into the national consciousness as an everyday, familiar term. > > (I would be amazed if the record shows Trump having gotten through even _one_ speech without using a paraleipsis.) > [paraleipsis - Wiktionary, the free dictionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/paraleipsis) Interesting…a new vocabulary word. I don’t get many of those anymore. Color me unsurprised that it’s Greek. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/687 "2016-05-31T05:39:44Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > No it’s not. These are all justifications for mob bullying. You believe in submitting to the Heckler’s Veto and this is moral cowardice. I’ve already stated what I believe. You don’t get to tell me what I believe. It doesn’t work like that. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/688 "2016-05-31T06:37:09Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > I’ve already stated what I believe. You don’t get to tell me what I believe. It doesn’t work like that. Right you seemed to have clearly stated you believe people shouldn’t exercise their freedom if a mob threatens violence. Am I reading your statements wrong? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/689 "2016-05-31T06:40:48Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > If you were trapped in a cage with a gorilla, would it be moral cowardice that stopped you from yelling at it and provoking it? :dubious: So the actions of a wild animal are used to justify repression by human mobs? Is this point of view advocated because the mob is left wing and anti Trump? You sure you want politics to devolve into whichever group can round up the most guns dictates what rights are allowed? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/690 "2016-05-31T06:45:47Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > …But it’s undeniable that the war against free speech in the modern era is waged by the left. Well, then, you won’t have any trouble proving it. Please proceed, **octopu** s. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/691 "2016-05-31T06:47:27Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > So the actions of a wild animal are used to justify repression by human mobs? Is this point of view advocated because the mob is left wing and anti Trump? You sure you want politics to devolve into whichever group can round up the most guns dictates what rights are allowed? Hmmm… I notice that you both failed to answer my question AND made a lot of assumptions about what I think and might want. Has this been a winning debate strategy for you? ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/692 "2016-05-31T07:00:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Well, then, you won’t have any trouble proving it. Please proceed, **octopu** s. Don’t be silly. I could link to the NY Times about Obama critiquing left wing censorship on college campuses and you’d have something snarky to say about the source. I’m not hopping through your hoops to link information you know. Or the objection that no true liberal feels that way. Or an endless debate about what the left is and isn’t as if there is a definitive source to answer that. It’s a quagmire. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Hmmm… I notice that you both failed to answer my question AND made a lot of assumptions about what I think and might want. Has this been a winning debate strategy for you? Has it? I don’t know. Is my purpose convincing elucidator or Snowboarder Bo. Is your purpose convincing me? All I know is debating a person should require a different set of skills than dealing with an angry gorilla. Exercising rights shouldn’t rely on the acquiescence of the mob. That’s no different than black not being able to vote due to the KKK. It’s uncivilized. Maybe I read too much into your gorilla comment. Perhaps that was meant as a critique of the mob and if so I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/693 "2016-05-31T07:29:51Z")
One of our nation’s great thinkers, [LOLGOP](https://twitter.com/lolgop) writes for the National Memo: _The Definitive List: Who Deserves Blame For The Nomination Of Donald Trump?_ VSPs want to absolve the GOP in general and conservatives in particular for the rise of TRUMP, but smarter people know better. LOLGOP takes on professional apologist Megan McArdle. [http://www.nationalmemo.com/definitive-list-blame-nomination-donald-trump/](http://www.nationalmemo.com/definitive-list-blame-nomination-donald-trump/) ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/694 "2016-05-31T09:16:50Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Obviously it’s not all the left or the members of SDMB. But it’s undeniable that the war against free speech in the modern era is waged by the left. Except of course for opposition to pornography, or blasphemy, or public religious behavior (and building Mosques) by Muslims, or many more types of speech that some conservatives oppose. Asshole liberals oppose free speech for some things they don’t like, and asshole conservatives do too. And non-assholes in both groups don’t oppose free speech. I see no evidence that there are more of these assholes on the left than on the right. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/695 "2016-05-31T09:21:11Z")
Of course it’s silly to compare The Trump to Adolf-with-the-Moustache. Unless you want to do so in the context of [QUOTE=Karl Marx] Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, _ **the second time as farce** _. [/QUOTE] But, while Trump is just an asshole/clown, the passions we see in America’s political divisions this cycle are very unsettling. Still, I have more sympathy with the anti-Trumpists, concerned as they are with the possible election of an unqualified and bombastic oaf, than with the Trumpists, driven only by an inchoate rage they couldn’t even explain themselves. > [@DSeid](#): > > Trump had offered to pay the legal bills of anyone who assaults his hecklers and encouraged his supporters to knock the crap out of them. Has Clinton similarly encouraged violent actions? Of course Trump is an asshole. But to blame him for his supporters’ behavior would be like blaming John Belushi if adults started imitating his on-screen behavior. > [@octopus](#): > > But it’s undeniable that the war against free speech in the modern era is waged by the left. “Undeniable” hunh? You, sir, are a good example of the ignorant prejudices that have degraded America’s political dialog. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/696 "2016-05-31T09:29:23Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Right you seemed to have clearly stated you believe people shouldn’t exercise their freedom if a mob threatens violence. Am I reading your statements wrong? I believe a person should weigh the results of his actions before taking action. I do not believe that every freedom need be expressed 100% of the time. I believe this is a misguided view. The only importance of exercising his freedom is if he feels that his ability to state his views at that moment trumps all other considerations. I do not think that deliberately disrupting a gathering of those of different opinions trumps the safety of either the police who have to get involved or the people there not looking for a fight. Really, the deal is that no one else should restrict your freedom of speech except you yourself. I didn’t say that anyone should have stopped this fool. I’m saying he should have considered the situation and choose to exercise self control. He chose not to do this but rather to create a bit of propaganda instead which is the rub. It’s not about free speech at all; it’s all political theater. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/697 "2016-05-31T15:16:35Z")
[Even Stephen Hawking cannot explain Trump.](http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/31/politics/stephen-hawking-donald-trump-demagogue/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/698 "2016-05-31T15:36:45Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > [Even Stephen Hawking cannot explain Trump.](http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/31/politics/stephen-hawking-donald-trump-demagogue/index.html) Trump is the black hole of politics. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/699 "2016-05-31T15:40:12Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Trump is the black hole of politics. You misspelled “ass”. Looks like Trump’s post-clinching bounce is fading. He’s getting jittery, overreacting to Kristol’s rumor of a 3rd party challenge. The Trump U scandal is raising its head again, causing Trump in another unforced error, whining about the judge’s ancestry. Even after a terrible couple weeks for Hillary, Trump is nowhere closer to pulling off the upset. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901/700 "2016-05-31T15:42:55Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > [Even Stephen Hawking cannot explain Trump.](http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/31/politics/stephen-hawking-donald-trump-demagogue/index.html) Physics is still in search of a Loonified Field Theory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trumps-2016-general-election-campaign/753901.md?page=36)