# How is this going to end? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 5, 2025, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914 "2025-02-05T07:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/241 "2025-03-12T20:03:16Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Don’t get me wrong, Trump is a much bigger threat but in the context of talking about the devastation and how it related to voting choice, my analogy is apt. I don’t think it is. From a Palestinian perspective, Biden was bad. It is obvious to any sane and reasonable person that Trump will be much much worse. So, instead of choosing the lesser of two evils they did nothing and sat back allowing the greater evil to win. > [@Mijin](#): > > So far much more of the extermination happened in the last administration than the current one. Of course. That was four years. Trump has been in office for only how many days now? He has however already spoken about turning Gaza into a resort and moving the people who live there somewhere else. Then, a few Republicans spoke out ‘clarifying’ what Trump meant. Then, Trump spoke again, insisting that he meant what he originally said. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/242 "2025-03-12T21:16:00Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > You really believe that? That he had no choice but to aid and abet the bombing campaign and block any international condemnation because, somehow we know he would have been hated anyway? He had a choice, but choosing neutrality or being pro-Palestinian would have gotten him hated _more._ It was the politically expedient but morally correct answer to refrain from sending Israel weapons. There _was_ no choice that wouldn’t result in him being hated, however. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/243 "2025-03-12T21:24:31Z")
I’m placing a lot of weight on what happens with the upcoming Senate vote re: the continuing resolution. My fear is that the Dems will clutch their pearls, say, “We have to be the adults in the room and keep the government running!”, and enough will defect to allow something horrible to pass. What I feel we are seeing is a real life slippery slope. It has only been less than 2 months, and we are rapidly sliding to a state where we have a much more dysfunctional government, we slash government services, maximize the wealth disparity, and alienate our international friends and markets. And my fear is that enough people just feel there is nothing to be done, and we get used to a crappier and crappier US. Trump, Musk et al would rather strip a smaller, weaker, more isolated US than sacrifice ANYTHING for any positive values. Anyone who was stupid enough to vote for Trump - or not vote for whatever BS reason - is too damned stupid to support any meaningful change. I guess I’m not saying much other than that I just see us sliding down to a “lower” state, and folk getting used to it and saying, “What could we do?” I don’t think there is anything that will push the Repubs to stop the slide. And I think far too many Dems are comfortable enough that they aren’t going to be manning the barricades. Shit - I said basically the same thing 2-3 weeks ago in this very thread… ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/244 "2025-03-12T21:42:40Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I don’t think it is. From a Palestinian perspective, Biden was bad. It is obvious to any sane and reasonable person that Trump will be much much worse. Of course. Let me try again: From the point of view of someone for whom Palestine was the key issue, it was like choosing between voting for Darth Maul or Darth Vader and people saying “You should have voted for Maul because Vader is much worse”. They didn’t want to endorse either person; hopefully next time there’ll be a genuine choice. And although I think Biden was one of the best presidents there’s been, it was his most significant failing, both the action itself and then ignoring the pro-palestine community IMHO. > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > There _was_ no choice that wouldn’t result in him being hated, however. By conservatives, sure, who somehow still managed to label him as being anti-Israel. Anyway, that’s my last word on this topic because I think we might all be hijacking at this point. Obviously if you guys want to say more, go ahead, but unless your posts contain a specific question or claim put to me, I won’t reply. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/245 "2025-03-12T21:56:29Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > So, instead of choosing the lesser of two evils they did nothing and sat back allowing the greater evil to win. If I heard the refrain once in the campaign, I heard it a thousand times: “The lesser of two evils is still evil.” Oh, they’re just too morally pure for this world. Their moral purity is too lofty to consider consequences in making choices. They may have never heard the term deontology, but they’ll happily die in a doomed last stand on Deontology Hill. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/246 "2025-03-12T22:03:40Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Of course. Let me try again: > From the point of view of someone for whom Palestine was the key issue, it was like choosing between voting for Darth Maul or Darth Vader and people saying “You should have voted for Maul because Vader is much worse”. They didn’t want to endorse either person; hopefully next time there’ll be a genuine choice. Let me try again. I think I have a perfect analogy- The patient’s hand is infected with flesh-eating bacteria. The options are- Amputate the hand. The patient obviously loses a hand. But they get to live. Do nothing- There is an incredibly remote chance the patient will spontaneously get better. The odds are very high that the patient will get worse and die. These voters chose the second option. Again, Trump said he would move everybody out of Gaza, seize control of the land, and make it a resort. Then, he clarified by saying ‘yes, that is what I meant’. This the same Trump who enacted a Muslim travel ban during his first term. > [@Mijin](#): > > They didn’t want to endorse either person; hopefully next time there’ll be a genuine choice. There may not be a next time. Trump has Musk and his group of people without qualifications or security clearances cancelling programs he doesn’t like. We may not end up a fascist dictatorship, but that is the way things are heading. I predicted this would happen when Trump was named the Republican nominee. Again, their two choices were- Do something to stop Trump from being elected and making things much much worse, or sit back and do nothing. > [@Johanna](#): > > They may have never heard the term deontology Then, I actually do have something in common with them. I have never heard it either. I could Google it, but you have proven yourself learned on many subjects and can give me a better answer. What is deontology? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/247 "2025-03-13T00:55:31Z")
Deontology definition: The normative ethical theory that the morality of an action is based on whether the action follows certain obligations or rules, rather than on its inherent goodness, consequences, etc. From Greek _deon_ ‘(one’s) bound duty’. The aspect of it I’m criticizing is the deliberate ignoring of consequences in making choices, as expressed by Gazan sympathizers in last year’s campaign: “The lesser of two evils is still evil.” I’m criticizing those (non-)voters who couldn’t see forward past the end of their nose. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/248 "2025-03-13T00:57:45Z")
Thanks. That makes sense. Obviously, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/249 "2025-03-13T00:58:52Z")
Well, you inspired me with your Talmudic wisdom and I just wanted to back you up on that, basically using different words to say the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/250 "2025-03-13T01:05:38Z")
Umm To be perfectly clear- I know very little Talmud. I was kicked out of Hebew school at an early age. I did attend something called “confirmation class” in high school. Besides everthing else, I got a free copy of Telushkin’s Jewish Literacy. I have found a few translations of the Talmud online. I don’t think it is technically a violation of Jewish law, but it feels really weird reading the holy texts of my people on the same machine I use to search for and download abandonware and ‘adult material’ Oh! I can erase everything but Windows and such on the laptop I just uprgraded from and download the Talmud on that. Anyway my point is- I know enough to give the impression of knowing much more than I really do. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/251 "2025-03-13T01:14:21Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I know enough to give the impression of knowing much more than I really do. There’s a lot of that going around these days. ---
**Author:** ![natureboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@natureboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/natureboy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/252 "2025-03-13T01:20:16Z")
But it’s not impossible to withhold funding for Israel. George HW Bush _threatened_ to do it. Of course he lost the election, but the Democrats also lost their election, too. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/253 "2025-03-13T01:54:47Z")
> [@natureboy](#): > > But it’s not impossible to withhold funding for Israel. Sure, and that would have been the correct position ethically. But that would have _accomplished_ nothing practically, and probably been a significant negative politically. The power disparity between Israel and the Palestinians is too large for any support from the US to actually make Israel any _more_ overwhelming than it already is. And supporting the Israelis was the only way for Biden to get any political support from either side of the issue at all. And he likely didn’t realize that the pro-Palestinian side was as suicidal as it is. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/254 "2025-04-04T16:53:33Z")
Putin’s using the internet to convince 40% of Americans to destroy America will be the single political masterstroke of our era, one which will be studied for the next 500 years. Haven’t seen anything like this since Luther used the press to unwittingly doom Christendom, but even Luther didn’t _start_ with overturning civilization as his goal. How is this going to end? Anyone who hazards a guess is akin to someone at the Diet of Worms predicting the rise of the nation state. But the old world order is dead, dead, dead, and the sooner we realize that the sooner we can build back better. To use a phrase. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/255 "2025-04-04T17:05:10Z")
The pendulum swings until someone with a hammer and nail sticks it to the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/256 "2025-04-04T17:16:57Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > How is this going to end? The collapse of modern civilization in nuclear war, ecological disaster and resource depletion. Historians won’t study Putin’s masterstroke because there _won’t be_ any, just tribes of survivors who by then won’t even know what Russia _was._ ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/257 "2025-04-04T17:22:21Z")
Yeah, that’s my fear as well. Luther’s Reformation led to over a centuries worth of wars of religion. And while those guys didn’t have the toys we did, they still killed up to 20,000,000 people. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2025, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/258 "2025-04-05T06:53:32Z")
_This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but with a whimper._ TS Eliot _The Hollow Men_ ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/259 "2025-04-07T02:48:07Z")
Trump is into breaking things. It ends when everything is broken. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914/260 "2025-04-07T03:03:50Z")
My mother voted for Trump all three times. Earlier this evening, she said to me, “I didn’t know he was going to do all this!” Yeah, well, he WAS/IS Donald Trump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-going-to-end/1013914.md?page=14)