# Is Donald Trump really THAT bad? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 6, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135 "2017-02-06T00:58:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/21 "2017-02-06T16:22:53Z")
I’ve thought about it before, I think it again : about 5 or 6 years into the W presidency, Bill Maher had a stand-up bit where he’d quip that the US had “fuckup fatigue” - that is to say, at that point news of gaffes and blunders would be immediately accepted with a shrug and a “well, what do you expect ? He’s a fuck up” instead of generating outrage or mockery. I’ve got lunatic fatigue already, and I’m not even American. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/22 "2017-02-06T16:26:52Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > My questions re his quitting: what is his history of quitting projects? Does he ever quit? What is the nature of the tipping point that makes him quit? Seems to be a combination of huge losses and boredom, with the emphasis on the second. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/23 "2017-02-06T16:31:58Z")
That orange jackass is just getting warmed up. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/24 "2017-02-06T16:42:38Z")
He’s Worse. Should he ever try to slink away from his shit, as a people we need to make sure that he NEVER lives his shit down. Not even when he’s 105 and in a walker. Never. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/25 "2017-02-06T18:14:05Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Seems to be a combination of huge losses and boredom, with the emphasis on the second. But what kind of “losses” in this situation? There won’t be financial losses. And he can’t admit to losing anything. One of his biggest hot buttons is being called or even thought of as a loser. He will never see himself as a loser, and being portrayed as a loser only makes him dig in harder. Like with the popular vote and the size of inauguration crowed. His personality will not permit him to back down. So backing him into any kind of corner will only make him stick to his guns all the more. Boredom is a real possibility. Not just boredom, but the hassle of being President. All the shit you have to go through, the people you have to go through, the case you have to make, in short _\_ the POLITICS. The art of politics is give and take, you scratch my back, etc., NOT just giving orders and having them followed. He may get bored and just fed up with the pushback, the questioning, the foot-dragging, the multitude of details that must be synchronized to make the wheels of State even \*start \*turning, let alone turn smoothly. I could see him getting absolutely FED UP with the process and walking out, not because he failed, but because the system FAILED HIM. The system is so screwed up that it resisted his brilliant effort and hard work to make it run smoothly like a Trump Corporation :rolleyes: and so he doesn’t see wasting any more of his valuable and important time on such a fucked up piece of junk! That might work. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/26 "2017-02-06T18:34:28Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > Possibly pathogenic. carcinogenic ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/27 "2017-02-06T18:37:00Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I agree. He is acting exactly as we who voted for Hillary knew he would (even if we weren’t wild about her). Those who voted for him either 1) were in denial about who he is, or 2) intentionally voted for chaos and destruction. > > My questions re his quitting: what is his history of quitting projects? Does he ever quit? What is the nature of the tipping point that makes him quit? > > It’s not like the USA is going to go broke like a company (although he might try…), or tank in the ratings like a TV show. What **exactly** makes him cave? Pressure? I’m not sure… What makes him cave? An overt direct physical threat. From back in the day, in NYC: He once started “scheming on” some mobsters daughter. The mobster “offered” to cut his balls off. Trump, the super tough guy who never backs away, backed of quick. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/28 "2017-02-06T19:25:32Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > I agree with you on one level, but it is the abject normalisation of bullshit that is the most worrisome to me. It’s not OK that ‘alternate facts’ are now a thing, because as more and more are trotted out, the hard line between reality and fantasy becomes blurred or even non-existent. What happens then? > > Like really, what happens? > > :dubious: Building a consensus behind reality-based solutions to our problems becomes basically impossible, even when the electoral pendulum swings back towards “not batshit crazy?” It’s a real worry of mine. If instead of looking at the unemployment rate or GDP growth we’re evaluating our economic health based on the _feelings_ of middle-aged White people in a few key states, our policies are not going to be optimized\*. (Let alone setting our immigration policy to accord with said white folks’ dislike of pressing 1 for English or crazed ideas about what Islam is REALLY all about or…) \*538’s podcast just had an episode interviewing pro-Trump Republicans about the state of their party; a strategist - i.e., a political professional - actually said that the most important way to measure our economic health was how people feel about the economy. The MOST important. Which, in his eyes, made the Trump administration’s moves towards withholding of government data actually likely to promote better government. I don’t think I am exaggerating. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/29 "2017-02-06T19:27:47Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Judge for yourself. Here’s a summary of his first two weeks in office. Too long to quote the whole thing and too comprehensive to edit. > > “Yes, All This Happened. Trump’s First 2 Weeks As President” > [http://n.pr/2l9ND47](http://n.pr/2l9ND47) There’s a site/newsletter that’s doing _daily_ updates: [https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com](https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com). My girlfriend has stopped asking me “what did Trump do today?” since she found the link. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/30 "2017-02-06T19:50:28Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > What makes him cave? An overt direct physical threat. > > From back in the day, in NYC: > He once started “scheming on” some mobsters daughter. The mobster “offered” to cut his balls off. Trump, the super tough guy who never backs away, backed of quick. Not that don’t believe you but do you have a cite? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/31 "2017-02-06T19:53:10Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > What makes him cave? An overt direct physical threat. > > From back in the day, in NYC: > He once started “scheming on” some mobsters daughter. The mobster “offered” to cut his balls off. Trump, the super tough guy who never backs away, backed of quick. WHOA. That is interesting. But now he believes he has the whole United States of America Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard to go after any bullies. Not to mention the Secret Service. He doesn’t, but I think he thinks he does. Would a physical threat work any more? > [@snoe](#): > > There’s a site/newsletter that’s doing _daily_ updates: [https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com](https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com). > My girlfriend has stopped asking me “what did Trump do today?” since she found the link. It had to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/32 "2017-02-06T20:04:18Z")
Howard Stern had a few great comments on Trump and how he’s really mad that he won. It seems, according to Howard, that Trump was in this to increase his market shares, and he expected to lose, but win financially. Howard points out how Trump loved the crows cheering for him during the election campaigning. He believes Howard will not be able to handle the rejection and jeers that are coming forth. Donald just can’t handle rejection. _“I personally wish that he had never run. I told him that. Because I actually think this is something that is going to be very detrimental to his mental health, too. Because he wants to be liked, he wants to be loved, he wants people to cheer for him,”_ quoting Howard. _“I know something about Donald Trump, he really does want to be loved. He does want people to really love him. And that drives him a lot. I think that he has a very sensitive ego. And when you’re president of the United States people are going to be very, very critical.”_ … \*“I think it started as kind of a cool, fun thing to do to get a couple more bucks out of NBC for the Apprentice. I actually do believe that.” “And that’s why Donald is calling for voter fraud investigation. He’s pi–ed he won!” said Stern. “He’s hoping he can find some voter fraud and hand it over to Hillary!”\* > **[Howard Stern says the presidency will 'detrimental' to Trump's mental health](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/howard-stern-worries-trump-s-sensitive-ego-won-t-survive-n716381)** > > The elder statesman of shock jocks believes the presidency will be 'detrimental' to the mental health of his old friend Donald Trump, because he wants to be loved. Rage quit in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/33 "2017-02-06T20:10:05Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > What makes him cave? An overt direct physical threat. > > From back in the day, in NYC: > He once started “scheming on” some mobsters daughter. The mobster “offered” to cut his balls off. Trump, the super tough guy who never backs away, backed of quick. Yeah, I don’t see anyone making any threats against him nowadays… ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/34 "2017-02-06T20:32:40Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > \*538’s podcast just had an episode interviewing pro-Trump Republicans about the state of their party; a strategist - i.e., a political professional - actually said that the most important way to measure our economic health was how people feel about the economy. The MOST important. Which, in his eyes, made the Trump administration’s moves towards withholding of government data actually likely to promote better government. I don’t think I am exaggerating. To be fair to the guy, and while I have no idea what he _really_ meant, it’s not that utterly insane from an actual economics’ point of view. The truth is that markets are bonkers and reflect a lot more of their participants’ emotions and fears than their dry, cold, calculated best interests. When people \*feel \*the market’s fine, they spend and invest and loan which, short term at least, drives the economy up - regardless of the actual state of the market before that feeling spread. Similarly, even if the market’s absolutely fine, if most people feel it’s shit for one reason or another they’ll keep their money under their mattress which quickly turns the market to actual shit. And I’m not even talking about Joe “Uninformed” Sixpack. That’s also true of serious banks and whatnot. Even if _those_ think they know about it and how to play that game - they’re still trapped in the game. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/35 "2017-02-06T20:35:22Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Rage quit in the future. We can only hope. If anything, I’m curious whether or not he can flip the Resolute Desk with his tiny hands. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/36 "2017-02-06T20:36:22Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > \*538’s podcast just had an episode interviewing pro-Trump Republicans about the state of their party; a strategist - i.e., a political professional - actually said that the most important way to measure our economic health was how people feel about the economy. The MOST important. Which, in his eyes, made the Trump administration’s moves towards withholding of government data actually likely to promote better government. I don’t think I am exaggerating. IMHO this isn’t completely insane. An old marketing adage is “sell the sizzle, not the steak”. So, what WORKS better? Citing statistics showing growth in employment, wages, and economic activity (I’m already yawning). Or convincing people that things are going GREAT, just by repeating it over and over? So, don’t even show them the data, that’ll just confuse them. Now all that said, obviously there is a very real risk that we could be headed for the crapper big-time and would feel it eventually. But a likely scenario is that things will be just slightly worse, but people will be told over and over that things are GREAT and many will believe it. Ask them at the end of 4 years if things are better for them and a significant portion will say “Things are GREAT!” while they drink unfiltered mud puddle water and trade a rusty shovel for an old chicken carcass for dinner. Of course, while this is happening, actual intelligent people will be spewing spittle while yelling red faced, “NO! THINGS AREN’T GREAT! THINGS ARE HEADED FOR THE CRAPPER YOU IDIOT!” But they will have no numbers to back it up because Trump closed that agency down, and the people they’re yelling at will just back away and vote for Trump again. Whhheeeeeeeeeeeee! ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/37 "2017-02-06T20:54:37Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > You forgot > > 1. Many of his voters are just as bigoted, misinformed, clueless and prone to conspiracy theories as Trump is. > > 2. They pay too little attention to understand how irrational, dishonest and dangerous Trump is. > > 3. They understand he has serious character issues but held their nose and voted anyway for various reasons. > > Sociologists will have a field day with the 2016 election. > > Why would he quit? Maybe the constant criticism, stress and long work hours will be too much for him. ISTM that #5 on your list is probably the largest group several of the subgroups are larger than any of the enumberated groups on the list. Partisan Republican voter stands out as a subgroup of 5 that is probably larger than any of the enumerated groups. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/38 "2017-02-06T21:04:58Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > To be fair to the guy, and while I have no idea what he _really_ meant, it’s not that utterly insane from an actual economics’ point of view. The truth is that markets are bonkers and reflect a lot more of their participants’ emotions and fears than their dry, cold, calculated best interests. When people \*feel \*the market’s fine, they spend and invest and loan which, short term at least, drives the economy up - regardless of the actual state of the market before that feeling spread. > Similarly, even if the market’s absolutely fine, if most people feel it’s shit for one reason or another they’ll keep their money under their mattress which quickly turns the market to actual shit. > > And I’m not even talking about Joe “Uninformed” Sixpack. That’s also true of serious banks and whatnot. Even if _those_ think they know about it and how to play that game - they’re still trapped in the game. Yeah, good point: economic confidence is Very Important. I’m not being sarcastic! But it’s important because it affects objectively measurable economic behavior (you cite examples). This guy was saying that the “objectively measurable” part can be ignored, the data that goes into it is unimportant, and if the Trump admin chooses to ignore or hide the economic data, that doesn’t matter - what matters is public approval of actions like saving X thousand Carrier jobs. A few steps away from measuring Trump’s performance by his number of Twitter followers. It’s a nihilistic approach to facts and data - I believe Newt Gingrich made a similar argument about the crime rate recently. Obviously, it can win elections, but I don’t see how it can be a recipe for success beyond the short term… ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/39 "2017-02-06T21:05:59Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > But what kind of “losses” in this situation? There won’t be financial losses. And he can’t admit to losing anything. One of his biggest hot buttons is being called or even thought of as a loser. He will never see himself as a loser, and being portrayed as a loser only makes him dig in harder. Like with the popular vote and the size of inauguration crowed. His personality will not permit him to back down. So backing him into any kind of corner will only make him stick to his guns all the more.\ As has been reported in more than one thread, during his Comedy Central roast, the ONLY thing that he said was off limits for the comedians was how much money he had. It was okay to attack his family (Lisa Lampenelli referring to his wife as “insert name here,” Snoop saying about a possible White House run as “it wouldn’t be the first time you forced a black family out of their house.”), but not his money. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135/40 "2017-02-06T21:09:14Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Now all that said, obviously there is a very real risk that we could be headed for the crapper big-time and would feel it eventually. But a likely scenario is that things will be just slightly worse, but people will be told over and over that things are GREAT and many will believe it. Ask them at the end of 4 years if things are better for them and a significant portion will say “Things are GREAT!” while they drink unfiltered mud puddle water and trade a rusty shovel for an old chicken carcass for dinner. > > Of course, while this is happening, actual intelligent people will be spewing spittle while yelling red faced, “NO! THINGS AREN’T GREAT! THINGS ARE HEADED FOR THE CRAPPER YOU IDIOT!” But they will have no numbers to back it up because Trump closed that agency down, and the people they’re yelling at will just back away and vote for Trump again. Whhheeeeeeeeeeeee! You make a great argument for painting Trump as the harbinger of apocalypse, not the actual Antichrist - people might actually buy the former argument. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-donald-trump-really-that-bad/779135.md?page=3)