# Trump is a threat to our nation, and those who are not actively opposing him are traitors **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744 "2018-09-04T15:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/1 "2018-09-04T15:53:39Z")
Yet another [book](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bob-woodwards-new-book-reveals-a-nervous-breakdown-of-trumps-presidency/2018/09/04/b27a389e-ac60-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html?utm_term=.5308eccc7a98)confirms the worst suspicions about Trump: he is a reckless idiot who is going to get lots of people killed eventually. We’ve only avoided bigger catastrophes because his aides literally trick him. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/2 "2018-09-04T16:19:33Z")
Kindly define “active opposition.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/3 "2018-09-04T16:19:37Z")
Woodward is the one who lied about interviewing Casey, isn’t he? Wonder if any of his latest is true. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/4 "2018-09-04T16:22:30Z")
I agree that Trump is a threat to the nation, but that doesn’t imply that his supporters (let alone those who merely don’t actively oppose him) are traitors. They may simply disagree on whether or to what extent he’s a threat to the nation. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/5 "2018-09-04T16:23:56Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Kindly define “active opposition.” It will mean different things for different circumstances. But what I had in mind is folks like GOP Senators and White House insiders. > [@Shodan](#): > > Woodward is the one who lied about interviewing Casey, isn’t he? Wonder if any of his latest is true. > > Regards, > Shodan Sincere question: Do you really? You doubt this stuff is true? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/6 "2018-09-04T16:24:58Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I agree that Trump is a threat to the nation, but that doesn’t imply that his supporters (let alone those who merely don’t actively oppose him) are traitors. They may simply disagree on whether or to what extent he’s a threat to the nation. How big a threat does he have to be before allowing him to remain in office to get some judges and tax cuts becomes an act of disloyalty to America? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/7 "2018-09-04T16:25:02Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Woodward is the one who lied about interviewing Casey, isn’t he? [Wrong.](https://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/bob-woodward-throws-an-interception) > [@](#): > > According to C.I.A. records, the director spoke with Woodward forty-three times while he was working on the book. > [@](#): > > Wonder if any of his latest is true. I wonder if you’re aware of how true Woodward’s reporting proved last time he investigated presidential crimes. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/8 "2018-09-04T16:27:05Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > How big a threat does he have to be before allowing him to remain in office to get some judges and tax cuts becomes an act of disloyalty to America? “How big a threat” is virtually impossible to answer. How do you quantify that? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/9 "2018-09-04T16:34:25Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Sincere question: Do you really? You doubt this stuff is true? That isn’t what \*\*Shodan \*\*is saying, nor does he care. He’s taking the same approach that Trump loyalists take to the criminal investigations into his enterprises, by trying to discredit the investigators and the investigative process since he can’t discredit the facts or the conclusions. See, saving Trump, and avoiding the Day of Accounting for themselves, is what really matters. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/10 "2018-09-04T16:39:12Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > “How big a threat” is virtually impossible to answer. How do you quantify that? You were the one who raised different dimensions of threat. I wasn’t looking for a number, but perhaps a qualitative description. Is there some act or potential act the President could take that you meet your threshold? ---
**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:** [September 4, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/11 "2018-09-04T16:39:14Z")
The vast majority of Republicans in the House and Senate are indeed enabling and assisting a dangerous idiot in the WH in acts that are doing great medium and long-term harm to the country, and thus I endorse the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/12 "2018-09-04T16:40:33Z")
serious question, not trying to be edgy: why doesn’t somebody just shoot him? The people around him seem to not just dislike him but think he’s dangerous. Surely plenty of his secret service think like that. There’s BUTTLOADS of people from all walks of life who think this way. He’s NEVER been in a room alone with one of them? I’m sure there’s metal detectors everywhere but there’s not a weighty bust in his office, a letter opener? Yeah you shouldn’t kill the president but my god, so many people probably even working in the white house think he’s this national/global threat and traitor how do you NOT kill the man? ---
**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:** [September 4, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/13 "2018-09-04T16:41:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Woodward is the one who lied about interviewing Casey, isn’t he? Wonder if any of his latest is true. > > Regards, > Shodan > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > [Wrong.](https://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/bob-woodward-throws-an-interception) > > I wonder if you’re aware of how true Woodward’s reporting proved last time he investigated presidential crimes. **Shodan** is the one who lied about Woodward. I wonder: why should I trust anything else he ever writes on the SDMB? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/14 "2018-09-04T16:42:55Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Is there some act or potential act the President could take that you meet your threshold? How about exposing our defense infrastructure to KGB spying, and our electoral system to KGB manipulation? Are those dangerous enough for you? ---
**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:** [September 4, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/15 "2018-09-04T16:43:22Z")
> [@Walmarticus](#): > > serious question, not trying to be edgy: why doesn’t somebody just shoot him? The people around him seem to not just dislike him but think he’s dangerous. Surely plenty of his secret service think like that. There’s BUTTLOADS of people from all walks of life who think this way. He’s NEVER been in a room alone with one of them? > > I’m sure there’s metal detectors everywhere but there’s not a weighty bust in his office, a letter opener? > > Yeah you shouldn’t kill the president but my god, so many people probably even working in the white house think he’s this national/global threat and traitor how do you NOT kill the man? Jaime Lannister, is that you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/16 "2018-09-04T16:47:33Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The vast majority of Republicans in the House and Senate are indeed enabling and assisting a dangerous idiot in the WH in acts that are doing great medium and long-term harm to the country, and thus I endorse the OP. One would hope that at some point, there might be just a handful of Republicans who realize that their crazy train is going over a cliff. There might still be time to get off and salvage something. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/17 "2018-09-04T16:48:19Z")
The funny part of that article is this: “The 448-page book was obtained by The Washington Post.” Woodward is an associate editor of the Washington Post. I’m guessing they “obtained” it via the complex process of Woodward dropping a large box of them in the newsroom. That aside, I read the article but will avoid the book. Too depressing and, since Trump has long since been shown to be a disastrous president, unnecessary. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/18 "2018-09-04T16:58:51Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > One would hope that at some point, there might be just a handful of Republicans who realize that their crazy train is going over a cliff. There might still be time to get off and salvage something. Republicans seem to think the crazy train will fly when it reaches the cliff and take them to The Promised Land. > [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > That aside, I read the article but will avoid the book. Too depressing and, since Trump has long since been shown to be a disastrous president, unnecessary. I think the book IS necessary. If we don’t fully document what a complete, utter disaster this scum is, we’re putting our dirty laundry in the drawer rather than giving it the airing that it needs. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/19 "2018-09-04T16:59:04Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Sincere question: Do you really? You doubt this stuff is true? Yes, I doubt that it’s true. Because, for instance, Woodward claimed that Casey told him things during his last days in the hospital and the security guard said he was not there, as did Casey’s family, and his doctors said he couldn’t speak. And because Casey had been a spy all his life - he ain’t gonna confess on his deathbed. Besides, come on - anyone who is not actively opposing him is a traitor? If you are spring-loaded to believe anything about Trump, you are exactly Woodward’s target audience. And he will tell you what you want to hear. The SDMB - the most gullible skeptics on the Internet. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744/20 "2018-09-04T17:00:31Z")
Thanks for the answer. I am weirdly comforted that some part of your brain cannot accept that these things are actually happening. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-a-threat-to-our-nation-and-those-who-are-not-actively-opposing-him-are-traitors/820744.md?page=2)