I'm just pointing out that if you think you are so much smarter than Trump, what evidence beyond your personal belief and innate smugness do you have that this is actually the case? Nobel Prizes you've won? Breakthroughs you have discovered in theoretical physics?
Because unless you can show some real indication that you are actually a super-genius, it's far more likely that you fall into the category of "is an idiot and doesn't know it" when you go around calling others stupid for disagreeing with you.
And since super-geniuses are a very small fraction of the population, it's generally a reliable heuristic too.
I may not be a genius, but I came from a blue-collar family, worked my way through two college degrees while unloading trucks and washing dishes, and I have a resume that includes some of the top firms in the business and a solid portfolio of projects that make the world a better place. Which is a hell of a lot more than Trump has ever accomplished. If it weren't for his slumlord daddy's money, he'd be just another Twitter troll with an NRA card and a bald eagle fetish.
Unlike gwharton and Trump, I don't believe a person's value to society has any relationship to their bank account balance.
David: You seem to be either intentionally misrepresenting what I'm saying here or not understanding my meaning, so I'll clarify in words you can understand:
Being a billionaire isn't a measure of a person's value to society, but it is pretty strong evidence that they are not an idiot, particularly if they did not start out as a billionaire.
I never said Trump was an idiot. A fascist megalomaniac and snake oil salesman certainly, but not an idiot. But you do a nice job of repeatedly proving Andy Borowitz's quote about Trump's ability to pander to idiots.
What evidence beyond his wealth (which he inherited) and his touting "i'm so smart" do you have that is is actually intelligent? Polls don't count unless your also willing to admit the Kardashians are "super-geniuses"
"Trump has happily allowed the media to report that he graduated first in his class from Wharton, including in New York Times stories in 1973 and 1976 about him. But the story goes on to say:
Writing in the New York Times magazine in 1984, William Geist reported that “the commencement program from 1968 does not list him as graduating with honors of any kind,” even though “just about every profile ever written about Mr. Trump states that he graduated first in his class at Wharton in 1968.” … In 1988, New York magazine reported that the idea that Trump had graduated first in his class was a “myth.”
The entire man is a gold plated plastic myth. A lie. The perfect little plated pawn for the republican party to use and when its all done he will have another feather for his cap another layer of gold plating over his plastic and the republican party and the right wing media will have pulled one over on America.
I don't think people give the right wing spin machine enough credit. These are the same people who turned John Kerry, a decorated war veteran, into a perceived flip flopping sissy and were able to install bush. And look what that did! It's a total organized media machine .
Republicans complain about the LEFTIST MEDIA but it is actually the conservative media outlets that are best able to capitalize on fear, sensationalism, stupidity and myth to manipulate the public. This is reason the Donald works so well as a pawn. The republican party can just let him do his thing. they both get what they want in the end. He will not be electable so there is no reason to stop him. Cruz on the other hand is much more dangerous to the republican party because he is electable which is why you see negative republican spin about Cruz but not Donald.
At this point the true candidates are still fairly quite.
The republicans are still manipulating you and through the media. Just this time they are designing the white space.
Miles: I don't automatically assume that people who disagree with me are stupid, for one thing. Nor am I in the habit of mistaking eloquence or social signalling for intelligence. Those are both bad habits that come from lazy thinking, and I try to avoid them if possible.
More to the point, if you think somebody is an idiot, that leaves two possible options:
1) You are smarter than they are, or,
2) You are dumber than they are and don't realize it.
Now, if you are so much smarter than Donald Trump, why aren't you a billionaire who is defying the entire elite establishment of our political system and all of their various apparatchiks and easily beating them at their own game?
Option three: smart is not an absolute measure. You can be really smart about one thing and really stupid about another. Lazy thinking is thinking in black and white.
As to Trump, he's smart if you think that buying politicians, evading taxes, bilking investors, etc. is. As for me, I don't think that's smart, I think it is corrupt and destructive, and I'd call it stupid if it wasn't intentional.
No joke though that Republican machine will tear Bernie apart. I actually think any democratic candidate is going to have a hard time against it. Particularly when republicans come out swinging with a relatively squeaky clean candidate who is well rested and only slightly scrutinized through the primaries. Meanwhile let Bernie and Hillary tear each other down. Let trump and Cruze go at. Give everyone something to focus on except the actual election strategy.
Only true if you believe that the game of capitalism is won by intelligence....if So I have a few Kardasians, a Young Thug, and Miley Cyrus to disprove your theory...
That's pretty rich coming from a Trump supporter. Bernie needs to do a better job of reaching out to minorities, but at least his rallies aren't looking increasingly like something from Nuremberg. How many minorities have been physically assaulted and/or forcibly ejected from Trump's rallies by an angry mob of inbred rednecks so far? I've lost count. Meanwhile, Trump himself -- son of a bone fide Klan member -- routinely quotes and retweets white nationalists on social media without so much as batting an eye.
And Scott Adams, the "men's rights" activist who thinks that rape is just a natural instinct? Yeah, pretty much the perfect person to quote in support of Trump.
Conspiracy theorist in me thinks this is how he'll tank himself without having to admit he failed. He rabbited (http://runnersfeed.com/what-is-a-rabbit/) through the circus season and now he's stepping aside before the real contest begins.
Also, I never thought I'd agree with Fox news, but here we are.
Whether it elicits a reaction from you is not the point. In fact trolling is actually what trump is doing. Hes tapping into conservative anger by saying ridiculous things that get liberal all riled up (see posts above). That adversity resonates with the angry republicans and reinforce his support.
Similar to Miles trolling you. I find myself supporting miles despite his reprehensible personal attack calling your "old guy humor, more like dementia"
Trump is definitely trolling. No question about that. He been giving the whole country a master-class seminar in how to get people to make fools of themselves in public. And it's been glorious. His recent slapdown of Faux News has been really fun to watch.
Miles trolling? Nah. Being petulant because he's unhappy with what somebody is saying, posting unfunny memes, and calling people demented makes him the trollee, not the troller.
Incidentally, another tell that somebody is being successfully trolled is when they start talking about how their obvious butthurt responses are actually them doing the real trolling.
But no. This is what real trolling looks like, from the master: Ken M.
He been giving the whole country a master-class seminar in how to get people to make fools of themselves in public. And it's been glorious. His recent slapdown of Faux News has been really fun to watch.
Why would anyone want a person like that to be president?
In a flame war everyone fashions themselves the troll. When did being the troll become an admirable position?
Sure gwharton. you trolled us all. Just like trump. You're just trolling us too. Just like trump is trolling the rest of the country.
Lets drop the ruse and admit you're not serious about this guy. Just like he's not serious about the presidency. The Troll rarely holds the beliefs they espouse but rather they say them for the reaction they elicit.
so you're saying you're not the troll, but you're the angry commentor who believes the stupid shit ken m says (like potatos have shells) and the act trump is putting on?
Well you know reprehensible if we were not on the internet.
Borwitz is always on point with his satire. The underlying point though is the what I was trying to say earlier.
Trump has been encouraged by the establishment republicans because he makes them look more moderate and electable.
How much more cred is Megan Kelly going to have for standing up against Trump? How are all of the other candidates looking these days to moderates in light of the extreme positions trump has taken? Its all a ploy to court swing voters.
100% Support for Trump. While the Rest of the ppl were talking, Trump raised $6 million for the Vets. Donald Trump is BOSS. Please vote for him. The country needs it.
You've been bought off. And very cheaply, I might add. It's not even Trump's own money.
___
The conservative firebrand has supported the Wounded Warrior Project in the past, but the group is in hot water this week after a scathing report revealed that the charity spends much of its budget on lavish parties and team-building vacations for its staff instead of veterans.
Other veterans groups are now saying they don’t want any money from Mr. Trump’s fundraiser in Iowa.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) slammed the business magnate Wednesday for using veterans’ struggles for political gain.
“If offered, @IAVA will decline donations from Trump’s event. We need strong policies from candidates, not to be used for political stunts,” Mr. Rieckhoff tweeted.
___
A TSG review of the group’s Internal Revenue Service returns dating back to 1990 reveals that Trump, the foundation’s president, may be the least charitable billionaire in the United States.
Donald Trump has vowed to donate the donations he receives tonight to the Trump Foundation to veterans groups. But a look at The Donald J. Trump Foundation's history of giving shows that the organization has given a small percentage of its donations to veterans groups.
Since 2010, Trump has donated just $75,000 to veterans groups, according to the foundation's 990 forms that donated $5 million during the same time.
"When was the last time you stopped yourself from saying something you believed to be true for fear of being punished or criticized for saying it? If you live in America, it probably hasn’t been long. That’s not just a talking point about political correctness. It’s the central problem with our national conversation, the main reason our debates are so stilted and useless. You can’t fix a problem if you don’t have the words to describe it. You can’t even think about it clearly."
"This depressing fact made Trump’s political career. In a country where almost everyone in public life lies reflexively, it’s thrilling to hear someone say what he really thinks, even if you believe he’s wrong. It’s especially exciting when you suspect he’s right."
"When was the last time you stopped yourself from saying something you believed to be true for fear of being punished or criticized for saying it?
People censor their language because because there are consequences to their actions regardless of their freedom to say them. That's just society. If you don't censor yourself you're a total fucking asshole and probably an idiot, because there are better ways to communicate your position persuasively.
The Bum on the corner from me is sure shouting whatever she wants at the top of her cracked out lungs and I don't think anyone finds it refreshing.
Similarly trump can speak his mind or espouse any attention grabbing position because he also has little too lose and thus little consequence for his actions. This is because he has no intention of winning the presidency.
He could quite literally kill someone in the street and achieve a similar outcome of advancing his brand, gaining political favors, and shielding the true GOP party from primary scrutiny.
"...he has no intention of winning the Presidency."
You're still fooling yourself, Jonathan, and that has blinded you to what's really happening with Trump's popularity and success. Though I can't decide whether you're at Stage 1 - Denial, or Stage 3 - Bargaining.
"People censor their language because because there are consequences to their actions regardless of their freedom to say them. That's just society. If you don't censor yourself you're a total fucking asshole and probably an idiot, because there are better ways to communicate your position persuasively."
Actually, no. People censor themselves out of fear when they are not free. If you don't censor yourself, then you are in large measure free. You see this happen with people who gain a measure of freedom in their lives, whether through old age, personal confidence, independent spirit, being rich, or just not giving a damn. Those things are liberating.
In this sense, Donald Trump may actually be the freest man in America right now.
I think that may actually be the thing that outrages the chattering class most about him.
That Trump fills the sky with lies cannot be denied. Last week, Politifact crowned him the winner of its 2015 Lie of the Year award, noting that the competition wasn’t even close. Of the 77 Trump statements Politifact checked, 76 percent were determined to fall in the lie category. Sixteen were deemed Pants on Fire!—the highest rating on Politifact’s sliding scale of fibs, far more than for any other candidate.
i think people who think like to think before they speak. those who are out of practice and try not to think too much tend to just say what's on their mind before they think about what they're saying.
being stupid is liberating. if you surround yourself with yes-men who always laugh at your jokes and tell you how smart you are, you're going to think you're smart and funny.
Actually, no. People censor themselves out of fear when they are not free. If you don't censor yourself, then you are in large measure free. You see this happen with people who gain a measure of freedom in their lives, whether through old age, personal confidence, independent spirit, being rich, or just not giving a damn. Those things are liberating.
In this sense, Donald Trump may actually be the freest man in America right now.
This "liberated" "free" society you're proposing where I get to run around naked and poop on people's heads sounds intriguing. Tell me more.
In 2000, James Kuklinski and other political scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign established an important distinction: American citizens with incorrect information can be divided into two groups, the misinformed and the uninformed. The difference between the two is stark. Uninformed citizens don’t have any information at all, while those who are misinformed have information that conflicts with the best evidence and expert opinion. As Kuklinski and his colleagues established, in the U.S., the most misinformed citizens tend to be the most confident in their views and are also the strongest partisans. These folks fill the gaps in their knowledge base by using their existing belief systems. Once these inferences are stored into memory, they become “indistinguishable from hard data,” Kuklinski and his colleagues found.
Furthermore, in 2010, political scientists Brendan Nyhan and Jason Reifler found that when misinformed citizens are told that their facts are wrong, they often cling to their opinions even more strongly with what is known as defensive processing, or the “backfire effect.”
Strong partisans are more likely to participate in the primary process, making it also likely that at least some highly engaged primary voters are also confidently misinformed and unwilling to accept contradictory evidence.
Telltale signs of misinformation, for example, were on display in a focus group of Trump supporters run by Republican media consultant Frank Luntz. Not only did negative information about Trump that was presented by Luntz to the group strengthen support for the candidate, participants held on more confidently to their misinformation as the session progressed. As Nyhan and Reifler’s research suggests, attempts to present corrections and generate counterarguments to the group’s beliefs only strengthened their opinions. The persistent claims by Trump and his supporters that his critics are too concerned with political correctness is a good example of this psychological process at work.
Architects for TRUMP
if you are so much smarter than Donald Trump, why aren't you a billionaire?
a complete new definition of intelligence....paid by Trumpet!
I'm just pointing out that if you think you are so much smarter than Trump, what evidence beyond your personal belief and innate smugness do you have that this is actually the case? Nobel Prizes you've won? Breakthroughs you have discovered in theoretical physics?
Because unless you can show some real indication that you are actually a super-genius, it's far more likely that you fall into the category of "is an idiot and doesn't know it" when you go around calling others stupid for disagreeing with you.
And since super-geniuses are a very small fraction of the population, it's generally a reliable heuristic too.
I may not be a genius, but I came from a blue-collar family, worked my way through two college degrees while unloading trucks and washing dishes, and I have a resume that includes some of the top firms in the business and a solid portfolio of projects that make the world a better place. Which is a hell of a lot more than Trump has ever accomplished. If it weren't for his slumlord daddy's money, he'd be just another Twitter troll with an NRA card and a bald eagle fetish.
Unlike gwharton and Trump, I don't believe a person's value to society has any relationship to their bank account balance.
Intelligence is not a one dimensional quantity.
David: You seem to be either intentionally misrepresenting what I'm saying here or not understanding my meaning, so I'll clarify in words you can understand:
Being a billionaire isn't a measure of a person's value to society, but it is pretty strong evidence that they are not an idiot, particularly if they did not start out as a billionaire.
Except, not always.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/twentysixteen/2015/09/02/1-easy-way-donald-trump-could-have-been-even-richer-doing-nothing
I never said Trump was an idiot. A fascist megalomaniac and snake oil salesman certainly, but not an idiot. But you do a nice job of repeatedly proving Andy Borowitz's quote about Trump's ability to pander to idiots.
What evidence beyond his wealth (which he inherited) and his touting "i'm so smart" do you have that is is actually intelligent? Polls don't count unless your also willing to admit the Kardashians are "super-geniuses"
"Trump has happily allowed the media to report that he graduated first in his class from Wharton, including in New York Times stories in 1973 and 1976 about him. But the story goes on to say:
Writing in the New York Times magazine in 1984, William Geist reported that “the commencement program from 1968 does not list him as graduating with honors of any kind,” even though “just about every profile ever written about Mr. Trump states that he graduated first in his class at Wharton in 1968.” … In 1988, New York magazine reported that the idea that Trump had graduated first in his class was a “myth.”
The entire man is a gold plated plastic myth. A lie. The perfect little plated pawn for the republican party to use and when its all done he will have another feather for his cap another layer of gold plating over his plastic and the republican party and the right wing media will have pulled one over on America.
I don't think people give the right wing spin machine enough credit. These are the same people who turned John Kerry, a decorated war veteran, into a perceived flip flopping sissy and were able to install bush. And look what that did! It's a total organized media machine .
Republicans complain about the LEFTIST MEDIA but it is actually the conservative media outlets that are best able to capitalize on fear, sensationalism, stupidity and myth to manipulate the public. This is reason the Donald works so well as a pawn. The republican party can just let him do his thing. they both get what they want in the end. He will not be electable so there is no reason to stop him. Cruz on the other hand is much more dangerous to the republican party because he is electable which is why you see negative republican spin about Cruz but not Donald.
At this point the true candidates are still fairly quite.
The republicans are still manipulating you and through the media. Just this time they are designing the white space.
and what a "white" space it is.
Almost as white as a Bernie Sanders rally.
Miles: I don't automatically assume that people who disagree with me are stupid, for one thing. Nor am I in the habit of mistaking eloquence or social signalling for intelligence. Those are both bad habits that come from lazy thinking, and I try to avoid them if possible.
More to the point, if you think somebody is an idiot, that leaves two possible options:
1) You are smarter than they are, or,
2) You are dumber than they are and don't realize it.
Now, if you are so much smarter than Donald Trump, why aren't you a billionaire who is defying the entire elite establishment of our political system and all of their various apparatchiks and easily beating them at their own game?
Option three: smart is not an absolute measure. You can be really smart about one thing and really stupid about another. Lazy thinking is thinking in black and white.
As to Trump, he's smart if you think that buying politicians, evading taxes, bilking investors, etc. is. As for me, I don't think that's smart, I think it is corrupt and destructive, and I'd call it stupid if it wasn't intentional.
No joke though that Republican machine will tear Bernie apart. I actually think any democratic candidate is going to have a hard time against it. Particularly when republicans come out swinging with a relatively squeaky clean candidate who is well rested and only slightly scrutinized through the primaries. Meanwhile let Bernie and Hillary tear each other down. Let trump and Cruze go at. Give everyone something to focus on except the actual election strategy.
Only true if you believe that the game of capitalism is won by intelligence....if So I have a few Kardasians, a Young Thug, and Miley Cyrus to disprove your theory...
Silly american politics.... what a great endless supply of entertainment.
all i can say is FUCK YOU BITCH
Non --
One word for Canada: Finlandization.
Sorry.
Almost as white as a Bernie Sanders rally.
That's pretty rich coming from a Trump supporter. Bernie needs to do a better job of reaching out to minorities, but at least his rallies aren't looking increasingly like something from Nuremberg. How many minorities have been physically assaulted and/or forcibly ejected from Trump's rallies by an angry mob of inbred rednecks so far? I've lost count. Meanwhile, Trump himself -- son of a bone fide Klan member -- routinely quotes and retweets white nationalists on social media without so much as batting an eye.
And Scott Adams, the "men's rights" activist who thinks that rape is just a natural instinct? Yeah, pretty much the perfect person to quote in support of Trump.
"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters," he said."
Palin would still vote for him. Another super-genius endorsement for gwharton.
Fuck Trump. He is playing angry conservatives like a fiddle. Most of them will realize it eventually.
I wonder who Al Bundy is voting for come November?
http://www.npr.org/2016/01/26/464485197/trump-says-he-most-likely-wont-do-thursday-fox-debate
Conspiracy theorist in me thinks this is how he'll tank himself without having to admit he failed. He rabbited (http://runnersfeed.com/what-is-a-rabbit/) through the circus season and now he's stepping aside before the real contest begins.
Also, I never thought I'd agree with Fox news, but here we are.
Microsoft Bing Predicts thinks that Trump is going to sweep the Republican primaries and Hillary is going to beat Bernie.
http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-predicts-the-outcome-of-2016-presidential-primaries-2016-1
.
I don't get it.
Old guy humor. Don't worry about it.
More like dementia, very sad.
I like how Miles is now employing classic trump techniques to troll gwharton.
See Miles... Trump really is helping improve the country.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/01/22/_sad_trump.html
very sad....
"I like how Miles is now employing classic trump techniques to troll gwharton."
LOL Jonathan. "Troll" ...
troll2
trōl/
verb
gerund or present participle: trolling
1.
informal
make a deliberately offensive or provocative online posting with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from them.
So yeah that's what miles just did.
Whether it elicits a reaction from you is not the point. In fact trolling is actually what trump is doing. Hes tapping into conservative anger by saying ridiculous things that get liberal all riled up (see posts above). That adversity resonates with the angry republicans and reinforce his support.
http://maptothefuture.com/what-if-the-2016-presidential-election-becomes-a-referendum-on-political-correctness/
Similar to Miles trolling you. I find myself supporting miles despite his reprehensible personal attack calling your "old guy humor, more like dementia"
Its very sad.
Trump is definitely trolling. No question about that. He been giving the whole country a master-class seminar in how to get people to make fools of themselves in public. And it's been glorious. His recent slapdown of Faux News has been really fun to watch.
Miles trolling? Nah. Being petulant because he's unhappy with what somebody is saying, posting unfunny memes, and calling people demented makes him the trollee, not the troller.
Incidentally, another tell that somebody is being successfully trolled is when they start talking about how their obvious butthurt responses are actually them doing the real trolling.
But no. This is what real trolling looks like, from the master: Ken M.
He been giving the whole country a master-class seminar in how to get people to make fools of themselves in public. And it's been glorious. His recent slapdown of Faux News has been really fun to watch.
Why would anyone want a person like that to be president?
In a flame war everyone fashions themselves the troll. When did being the troll become an admirable position?
Sure gwharton. you trolled us all. Just like trump. You're just trolling us too. Just like trump is trolling the rest of the country.
Lets drop the ruse and admit you're not serious about this guy. Just like he's not serious about the presidency. The Troll rarely holds the beliefs they espouse but rather they say them for the reaction they elicit.
Oh, I'm very serious about Trump. I've been following his career for thirty years.
so you're saying you're not the troll, but you're the angry commentor who believes the stupid shit ken m says (like potatos have shells) and the act trump is putting on?
Reprehensible? I didn't call him a retard. Even though he is clearly serious about Trump.
In other news:
Millions Resent Being Put in Horrible Position of Siding with Megyn Kelly
Well you know reprehensible if we were not on the internet.
Borwitz is always on point with his satire. The underlying point though is the what I was trying to say earlier.
Trump has been encouraged by the establishment republicans because he makes them look more moderate and electable.
How much more cred is Megan Kelly going to have for standing up against Trump? How are all of the other candidates looking these days to moderates in light of the extreme positions trump has taken? Its all a ploy to court swing voters.
100% Support for Trump. While the Rest of the ppl were talking, Trump raised $6 million for the Vets. Donald Trump is BOSS. Please vote for him. The country needs it.
You've been bought off. And very cheaply, I might add. It's not even Trump's own money.
___
The conservative firebrand has supported the Wounded Warrior Project in the past, but the group is in hot water this week after a scathing report revealed that the charity spends much of its budget on lavish parties and team-building vacations for its staff instead of veterans.
Other veterans groups are now saying they don’t want any money from Mr. Trump’s fundraiser in Iowa.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) slammed the business magnate Wednesday for using veterans’ struggles for political gain.
“If offered, @IAVA will decline donations from Trump’s event. We need strong policies from candidates, not to be used for political stunts,” Mr. Rieckhoff tweeted.
___
A TSG review of the group’s Internal Revenue Service returns dating back to 1990 reveals that Trump, the foundation’s president, may be the least charitable billionaire in the United States.
___
Trump Foundation Has Given Little To Vets Groups
Donald Trump has vowed to donate the donations he receives tonight to the Trump Foundation to veterans groups. But a look at The Donald J. Trump Foundation's history of giving shows that the organization has given a small percentage of its donations to veterans groups.
Since 2010, Trump has donated just $75,000 to veterans groups, according to the foundation's 990 forms that donated $5 million during the same time.
Politico: Donald Trump is Shocking, Vulgar, and Right
"When was the last time you stopped yourself from saying something you believed to be true for fear of being punished or criticized for saying it? If you live in America, it probably hasn’t been long. That’s not just a talking point about political correctness. It’s the central problem with our national conversation, the main reason our debates are so stilted and useless. You can’t fix a problem if you don’t have the words to describe it. You can’t even think about it clearly."
"This depressing fact made Trump’s political career. In a country where almost everyone in public life lies reflexively, it’s thrilling to hear someone say what he really thinks, even if you believe he’s wrong. It’s especially exciting when you suspect he’s right."
"When was the last time you stopped yourself from saying something you believed to be true for fear of being punished or criticized for saying it?
People censor their language because because there are consequences to their actions regardless of their freedom to say them. That's just society. If you don't censor yourself you're a total fucking asshole and probably an idiot, because there are better ways to communicate your position persuasively.
The Bum on the corner from me is sure shouting whatever she wants at the top of her cracked out lungs and I don't think anyone finds it refreshing.
Similarly trump can speak his mind or espouse any attention grabbing position because he also has little too lose and thus little consequence for his actions. This is because he has no intention of winning the presidency.
He could quite literally kill someone in the street and achieve a similar outcome of advancing his brand, gaining political favors, and shielding the true GOP party from primary scrutiny.
"...he has no intention of winning the Presidency."
You're still fooling yourself, Jonathan, and that has blinded you to what's really happening with Trump's popularity and success. Though I can't decide whether you're at Stage 1 - Denial, or Stage 3 - Bargaining.
"People censor their language because because there are consequences to their actions regardless of their freedom to say them. That's just society. If you don't censor yourself you're a total fucking asshole and probably an idiot, because there are better ways to communicate your position persuasively."
Actually, no. People censor themselves out of fear when they are not free. If you don't censor yourself, then you are in large measure free. You see this happen with people who gain a measure of freedom in their lives, whether through old age, personal confidence, independent spirit, being rich, or just not giving a damn. Those things are liberating.
In this sense, Donald Trump may actually be the freest man in America right now.
I think that may actually be the thing that outrages the chattering class most about him.
The Two Faces of Donald Trump
About three minutes in he goes head to head with himself, proving once again that he is no different than the rest.
Want more?
2015 Lie of the Year: the campaign misstatements of Donald Trump (politifact.com)
Trump Tramples Facts (factcheck.org)
The Limits of Fact-Checking
That Trump fills the sky with lies cannot be denied. Last week, Politifact crowned him the winner of its 2015 Lie of the Year award, noting that the competition wasn’t even close. Of the 77 Trump statements Politifact checked, 76 percent were determined to fall in the lie category. Sixteen were deemed Pants on Fire!—the highest rating on Politifact’s sliding scale of fibs, far more than for any other candidate.
______________
So much for straight talk. LOL
i think people who think like to think before they speak. those who are out of practice and try not to think too much tend to just say what's on their mind before they think about what they're saying.
being stupid is liberating. if you surround yourself with yes-men who always laugh at your jokes and tell you how smart you are, you're going to think you're smart and funny.
Ted Kennedy is in town this week, along with Donald Trump and Adnan Khashoggi, with his squadron of black-shirted bodyguards. People are afraid.
-"Generation of Swine", p.61, Hunter S. Thompson, December 30, 1985
Actually, no. People censor themselves out of fear when they are not free. If you don't censor yourself, then you are in large measure free. You see this happen with people who gain a measure of freedom in their lives, whether through old age, personal confidence, independent spirit, being rich, or just not giving a damn. Those things are liberating.
In this sense, Donald Trump may actually be the freest man in America right now.
This "liberated" "free" society you're proposing where I get to run around naked and poop on people's heads sounds intriguing. Tell me more.
In 2000, James Kuklinski and other political scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign established an important distinction: American citizens with incorrect information can be divided into two groups, the misinformed and the uninformed. The difference between the two is stark. Uninformed citizens don’t have any information at all, while those who are misinformed have information that conflicts with the best evidence and expert opinion. As Kuklinski and his colleagues established, in the U.S., the most misinformed citizens tend to be the most confident in their views and are also the strongest partisans. These folks fill the gaps in their knowledge base by using their existing belief systems. Once these inferences are stored into memory, they become “indistinguishable from hard data,” Kuklinski and his colleagues found.
Furthermore, in 2010, political scientists Brendan Nyhan and Jason Reifler found that when misinformed citizens are told that their facts are wrong, they often cling to their opinions even more strongly with what is known as defensive processing, or the “backfire effect.”
Strong partisans are more likely to participate in the primary process, making it also likely that at least some highly engaged primary voters are also confidently misinformed and unwilling to accept contradictory evidence.
Telltale signs of misinformation, for example, were on display in a focus group of Trump supporters run by Republican media consultant Frank Luntz. Not only did negative information about Trump that was presented by Luntz to the group strengthen support for the candidate, participants held on more confidently to their misinformation as the session progressed. As Nyhan and Reifler’s research suggests, attempts to present corrections and generate counterarguments to the group’s beliefs only strengthened their opinions. The persistent claims by Trump and his supporters that his critics are too concerned with political correctness is a good example of this psychological process at work.
Trump Supporters Appear To Be Misinformed, Not Uninformed
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