# Will you give Donald Trump a chance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 19, 2017, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529 "2017-01-19T06:24:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/61 "2017-01-19T17:34:52Z")
> [@TheSpindle](#): > > I don’t have to give him a chance. He’s not waiting on me. He wakes up every day with the opportunity to be good but chooses not to every single day. > > This isn’t a situation where no one knows if plan A or B is best so we give them a chance and see which works. This is a situation where he’s sworn to fuck the country up in every way possible. If he were to do something smart, mature, or beneficial to the country, it would be a complete 180 degree reversal of everything he’s ever done or promises to do. Seconded. Yeah, this time tomorrow he’s going to be the President, whether I like it or not. I might try to find a “_My_ President is Zaphod Beeblebrox” bumper sticker for my car, but that’s a joke, son. But am I going to give him a ‘honeymoon’ period? Hell, no. I’m gonna keep on calling my Congresscritters over everything that seems worth calling them about, for instance. I’m gonna make sure they know I oppose most of his Cabinet nominees and most of the GOP policy proposals from the get-go. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/62 "2017-01-19T17:35:41Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > “Not My President” is denying reality. We’re Americans. Trump met the constitutional minimum requirements for the office of President, and garnered a majority of the electoral votes…ergo, he’s our President… Yes, I have never been one to say - even of those who lived in the White House and disgusted or appalled me - “He’s not my President.” We only have one President at a time, and although I yearn for the day when Trump won’t be the incumbent, as long as he is, he will be my President, however much it sticks in my craw. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/63 "2017-01-19T17:43:19Z")
> [@ultimate11](#): > > By chance (people were asking about my clarity), I mean something like will you consider him the president or not? > > I can show you examples of people who wanted to not give him a chance. Protesters after the election, at the electoral college, and protesters on December 20th. > > So are you with the protesters or the people who aren’t protesting and taking the results as valid? > > And **CarnelK** , there was going to be a poll, but I won’t make one cause the thread did it’s purpose, even without the poll. I’m not only 100% with the protesters, I’m protesting with them. That has nothing to do with “validity” of the results – come on, he was put into power by Putin and the Republican Lie Machine, how valid can that really be? It doesn’t matter how valid it is – now. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/64 "2017-01-19T17:47:21Z")
I heard that Fox has a “news” show that they call _Outnumbered_. They adopted that name _before_ the election results, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/65 "2017-01-19T17:57:42Z")
I’m still not sure what “giving him a chance” means. I believe he won the presidency in a democratic election and I believe he has the authority to fulfill the responsibilities of that office for the next 4 years. Do I expect his policies to benefit this country? No, but what does that matter? Do I believe he is a “legitimate” president? Depends on the definition of legitimate. I believe his campaign was filled with propaganda and false promises, but every campaign has this to some degree, Trump just took it to a ridiculous extreme. If people believe the lies and choose to vote for him, that’s part of the flawed democratic system we have. Is “giving him a chance” a mindset of fairness? Like when Trump does something good or beneficial I acknowledge it and recognize it? Yes, sure. I have publicly agreed with one policy idea of his, import tariffs on goods produced overseas. I’m not holding my breath waiting for that to actually happen though, I expect it’s just more propaganda. I also have him a chance when he claimed during his acceptance speech that he favored infrastructure improvement projects. Sounds good to me! Then it turns out all he actually wants to do is incentivize private companies who work on govt projects. I struggle to see how that will help increase the infrastructure projects. I suppose it will allow the companies to lower their bids a bit? Not what I was hoping for. So I gave him a chance and was let down. How many more do I keep giving him? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/66 "2017-01-19T18:00:48Z")
I’m not sure how long his “chance” should go on. In today’s news, Trump has named **29** nominees for approval… out of **690** slots to be filled by appointment. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/67 "2017-01-19T18:01:37Z")
I expect nothing in the way of statesmanship or good judgment from Trump, so I won’t be disappointed. What I’m hoping is that a sufficient number of people will work together to keep Trump from actually doing anything too insane. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/68 "2017-01-19T18:06:27Z")
I’d like to give the Trump a chance And tell him jokes and stuff Then pull his pants down to his shoes And chase him through the rough I’d tie him up with bonds and straps And check his pants for change Then leave him out at Moose Grin Hall With our cousin who’s deranged Stolen and modified from Michael O’Donahue ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/69 "2017-01-19T18:11:37Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > What I’m hoping is that a sufficient number of people will work together to keep Trump from actually doing anything too insane. Are you referring to the Republican House, or the Republican Senate? Would you like a pony, too? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/70 "2017-01-19T18:15:31Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Are you referring to the Republican House, or the Republican Senate? > > Would you like a pony, too? Sure. Can we hope that even Republican stalwarts who have legitimately made it to a Senate or Congressional seat aren’t all marching morons? I think so. There’s party solidarity, and there’s… something between lunacy and treason. I hope that the rest of government can tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/71 "2017-01-19T18:17:43Z")
Trump has had decades of chances. Seventy year old men don’t tend to undergo major personality changes, outside of neurological problems. A snarkier response is he’s entitled to as many chances from the left as the right gave Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/72 "2017-01-19T18:19:26Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Trump has had decades of chances. Seventy year old men don’t tend to undergo major personality changes, outside of neurological problems. A snarkier response is he’s entitled to as many chances from the left as the right gave Obama. …and has already received more than his share. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/73 "2017-01-19T18:31:24Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Sure. > > Can we hope that even Republican stalwarts who have legitimately made it to a Senate or Congressional seat aren’t all marching morons? I think so. There’s party solidarity, and there’s… something between lunacy and treason. I hope that the rest of government can tell the difference. I hear an awful lot of footsteps. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/74 "2017-01-19T18:32:40Z")
I think it’s interesting that people take “not MY President!” so literally. I think very few people mean it that way (birthers in Obama’s case, Russians-hacked-the-voting-machines theorists in Trump’s.) It’s figurative most of the time, right? Meaning something like “I’m ashamed of and disavow him as my elected leader.” Possibly with some seasoning like “unqualified,” “illegitimate,” and so on. A mother who says “You’re not my son!” is not speaking literally. She means something else. Talking to her about sperm, eggs, and uteruses (uteri?) is missing the point. I’m perfectly comfortable saying that in many ways I don’t consider Trump my president, while admitting that he is OUR president. He won the election fair and square on a basic level (probably), but he did so in a way I consider very undemocratic, probably with the help of a hostile foreign power, and has shown stunnning incompetence even before taking the job. You can disagree with me, but don’t try to tell me that “not my president” is factually wrong. That’s like using a biology textbook to prove my teenage niece is not a pig - you missed the point. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/75 "2017-01-19T18:34:29Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’m not sure how long his “chance” should go on. In today’s news, Trump has named **29** nominees for approval… out of **690** slots to be filled by appointment. Based on the 29, maybe it would be better if he doesn’t fill the rest. Let the underlings do the work and hopefully he won’t notice. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/76 "2017-01-19T18:41:27Z")
What does this question even mean? I’m just gonna keep living my life, the same as I would regardless of who gets elected president. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/77 "2017-01-19T18:52:29Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Based on the 29, maybe it would be better if he doesn’t fill the rest. Let the underlings do the work and hopefully he won’t notice. Fill the positions with goldendoodles. He’ll approve, because “gold”. The dems will approve, because they won’t be doing harm, and the public will approve, because, well, doodles! > [@Rigamarole](#): > > What does this question even mean? I’m just gonna keep living my life, the same as I would regardless of who gets elected president. Maybe a slightly more radioactive life, but living life nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/78 "2017-01-19T18:55:07Z")
> [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > I’m still not sure what “giving him a chance” means. It means that he should never be criticized. Never, ever. If you criticize anything he does, you are “failing to give him a chance.” “Will you give Donald Trump a chance?” differs not at all, for me, from the question “will you give Charles Manson a chance? Come on, he deserves a chance! Why won’t you give him a chance???” I’ll tell you why: he is what he is and what he is, is not good. And no President is, or ever should be, immune from criticism. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/79 "2017-01-19T19:00:35Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > God’s reasons are not ours, and God has ordained Trump to be elected. Donald Trump is there for a divine reason, that, I believe is to bring forth the hatred and bitterness that has been a ongoing generational problem which has been simmering under the surface. These people are emboldened and also exposed for who they are. > > Like a good therapists will uncover hidden issues that must be dealt with to move on, I believe that is what God is doing with Trump. It is a time to heal those, or at least contain those, who are angry and hateful towards others. The turn to prayer, and offer good will despite the will of Trump is the way forward for our people. This is the time that God wants us to move forward, not with Trump, but to throw off our old ways of hatred, and embrace love, and pray that the grinch’s of this world have their heart grow 3 sizes. God doesn’t exist. And if He did, your position means that God ordained the Holocaust. In other words, the God you’re submitting to is a fucking asshole. There are enough assholes with temporal power, like Trump. We don’t need to make some up. Will I give him a chance? If he ever decides to do anything laudable, I will laud it. I’m fairly certain that on balance, he will make the world a worse place. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529/80 "2017-01-19T19:01:39Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > That’s a strange viewpoint you got there, the protesters aren’t saying he’s not president. Some are saying he’s not legitimate, but that’s different. I won’t be at the protests because I’m not in the US, but we’re hosting about 12 protesters coming to DC (I made a bunch of chili for it and put it in the freezer). I think Trump is likely impeachable from day one and will work to get control of congress to see that happen and I will do everything in my power to try to diminish his stature so that he has a hard time realizing his policy goals. Are you “not in the US” by being in DC? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-you-give-donald-trump-a-chance/777529.md?page=5)