# Trump says hard to unfiy country without "major event". **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487 "2018-03-13T14:33:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![split\_p\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@split\_p\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/split_p_j)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/1 "2018-03-13T14:33:09Z")
Why aren’t people talking about [this](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-it-will-be-hard-to-unify-country-without-a-major-event). The last time I heard this kind of talk was in the PNAC paper, and we got 911 after that. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/2 "2018-03-13T14:48:44Z")
> [@split\_p\_j](#): > > Why aren’t people talking about [this](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-it-will-be-hard-to-unify-country-without-a-major-event). > > The last time I heard this kind of talk was in the PNAC paper, and we got 911 after that. the sad thing is I think he’s right. however, _wishing_ for such an event is terrible. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/3 "2018-03-13T14:50:47Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > the sad thing is I think he’s right. however, _wishing_ for such an event is terrible. Remember, this is the “jobs” President who _cheered_ layoffs at Macy’s. ---
**Author:** ![split\_p\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@split\_p\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/split_p_j)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/4 "2018-03-13T15:22:08Z")
I have a different take on it. I think he actually was given options from his advisors to do exactly that, make or allow a major event to happen, aka a false flag. The fact that he actually said it out loud tells me quite a lot. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/5 "2018-03-13T15:27:39Z")
Anybody got a spare Reichstag they want set on fire? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/6 "2018-03-13T15:28:49Z")
If you’re in Pyongyang, get out. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/7 "2018-03-13T16:37:25Z")
And a major event isn’t going to unite this country. We like to think we always pull together, but we didn’t pull together for Vietnam. We did pull together for WWII, but only after Pearl Harbor and there were still a lot of bad feelings about going into Europe rather than just fighting the Japanese (which is sort of what Hitler was counting on). We pulled together for 9/11 - but only in the sense that we pulled together for the victims - we were still divided (still are) about the wars that resulted. This country has only ever been united in the short term. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/8 "2018-03-13T16:40:26Z")
> [@split\_p\_j](#): > > The last time I heard this kind of talk was in the PNAC paper, and we got 911 after that. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were suggesting cause and effect here. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/9 "2018-03-13T16:49:24Z")
> [@split\_p\_j](#): > > Why aren’t people talking about [this](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-it-will-be-hard-to-unify-country-without-a-major-event). That’s because you Americans are wilfully so divided. Americans seem to be unable to see beyond D or R unless slapped in the face. “Wah wah, stupid evil Democrats.” “Wah wah, stupid evil Republicans.” Look in the mirror: you are the problem; you are also the solution. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/10 "2018-03-13T16:51:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Trump went on to say that uniting people would also be hard because of issues like health care, because some people want “free health care paid by the government” and others want “health care paid by private, where there’s great competition.” Hmmm. I thought he had it [all figured out over a year ago](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-vows-insurance-for-everybody-in-obamacare-replacement-plan/2017/01/15/5f2b1e18-db5d-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.e1794de8183c): > [@](#): > > Trump said his plan for replacing most aspects of Obama’s health-care law is all but finished. Although he was coy about its details — “lower numbers, much lower deductibles” — he said he is ready to unveil it alongside Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). > “We’re going to have insurance for everybody,” Trump said. “There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it. That’s not going to happen with us.” People covered under the law “can expect to have great health care. It will be in a much simplified form. Much less expensive and much better.” ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/11 "2018-03-13T16:51:42Z")
> [@split\_p\_j](#): > > Why aren’t people talking about [this](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-it-will-be-hard-to-unify-country-without-a-major-event). Because it’s not all that controversial or damning, would be my guess: > [@](#): > > “I would love to be able to bring back our country into a great form of unity,” Trump said. “Without a major event where people pull together, that’s hard to do. But I would like to do it without that major event because usually that major event is not a good thing.” I don’t doubt that Trump would like to unify everyone and make everyone love him and say how great he is. He is, of course, completely unqualified to do that and I doubt even another 9/11 level event would make it happen. He’d say a couple across the aisle, “everyone can agree with this” style remarks and then immediately draw back to a safely partisan stance once the GOP leaders took hold of his ear again. Witness the gun debate. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/12 "2018-03-13T16:53:08Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > That’s because you Americans are wilfully so divided. Americans seem to be unable to see beyond D or R unless slapped in the face. > > “Wah wah, stupid evil Democrats.” > > “Wah wah, stupid evil Republicans.” > > Look in the mirror: you are the problem; you are also the solution. Maybe that’s how it looks from across the pond. Over here, however, we shy away from “both sides do it” arguments. ---
**Author:** ![split\_p\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@split\_p\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/split_p_j)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/13 "2018-03-13T17:13:43Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Because it’s not all that controversial or damning, would be my guess: > > I don’t doubt that Trump would like to unify everyone and make everyone love him and say how great he is. He is, of course, completely unqualified to do that and I doubt even another 9/11 level event would make it happen. He’d say a couple across the aisle, “everyone can agree with this” style remarks and then immediately draw back to a safely partisan stance once the GOP leaders took hold of his ear again. Witness the gun debate. I know Trump is an idiot, but even he has to know that the country would never unify around him, as divisive as he has been. That being said, this is the so called president saying this. The man supposedly given the levers of power is saying straight up that a major event is the only way. I just can’t believe he used a line directly out of the PANC paper and wasn’t called on it by anyone. I agree that he’d try to walk it back if he was being called on it, but that is not happening. Combine that with the change at the state department, and to me it doesn’t look good. I personally expect a false flag attack at any moment now. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/14 "2018-03-13T17:26:21Z")
And here I thought the country did have a unifying event–the election of an immoral, corrupt, and incompetent President. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/15 "2018-03-13T17:53:09Z")
> [@split\_p\_j](#): > > I know Trump is an idiot, but even he has to know that the country would never unify around him, as divisive as he has been. That being said, this is the so called president saying this. The man supposedly given the levers of power is saying straight up that a major event is the only way. No, he’s not. _“Without a major event where people pull together, that’s hard to do. But I would like to do it without that major event because usually that major event is not a good thing”_ Saying something is “hard to do” but you would like to do it without the bad stuff is not the same as you’re portraying it. I don’t like Trump, I think he’s a terrible president who has piles and piles of ethical issues but there’s enough real stuff to bitch about without making stuff up and dragging it out of context. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/16 "2018-03-13T18:12:22Z")
Trump is doing his best to become that major event. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/17 "2018-03-13T19:19:42Z")
the only events that would bring this country together politically would be a series of 5 or 6 that I’m not allowed to mention them since I sort of got a warning about discussing them in a half joking manner … ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/18 "2018-03-13T19:24:13Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Trump is doing his best to become that major event. You know, you may just be on to something here. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/19 "2018-03-13T20:39:53Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Maybe that’s how it looks from across the pond. Over here, however, we shy away from “both sides do it” arguments. That’s not going to help you if in fact both sides do do it. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487/20 "2018-03-13T21:18:23Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > That’s not going to help you if in fact both sides do do it. Of course it does help in situations in which one side very much does it and the other side doesn’t. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-says-hard-to-unfiy-country-without-major-event/810487.md?page=2)