MAGAThread XIV: All persons born or naturalized ...

[Napkiraly]

It's hilarious seeing people defend Nixon and preferring him over Trump and overlooking all of the illegal things he did because he did and supported stuff they like. Said people are also aghast at how Trump could retain support in the face of his actions towards institutions like the press, administration officials, etc.

[Seangoli]

I'm not defending him, oh my Lord no. I'm just saying he seemed to actually know his shit -- compared to Trump, who not only doesn't know and doesn't care about knowing, but is actively trying to remake the government into his own mafia and his voice the sole fount of truth and reason in an age of unprecedented access and scrutiny.

It's like preferring Dubya to Trump.

The point is Nixon made the government his own mafia far far more successfully. Nixon is what Trump wants to be. Trump is Nixon with a brain injury. Preferring Nixon over Trump is ridiculous.

Stupid people making huge stupid decisions can cause a hell of a lot of damage.

[Bakery Hill]

The point is Nixon made the government his own mafia far far more successfully. Nixon is what Trump wants to be. Trump is Nixon with a brain injury. Preferring Nixon over Trump is ridiculous.

Stupid people making huge stupid decisions can cause a hell of a lot of damage.

Trump has not caused anywhere near the damage Nixon did before he even got into office.

[Dahon]

It's hilarious seeing people defend Nixon and preferring him over Trump and overlooking all of the illegal things he did because he did and supported stuff they like. Said people are also aghast at how Trump could retain support in the face of his actions towards institutions like the press, administration officials, etc.

That's a zinger for the anthologies. Yeah, lesser of two evils, but still.

[Bakery Hill]

It's hilarious seeing people defend Nixon and preferring him over Trump and overlooking all of the illegal things he did because he did and supported stuff they like. Said people are also aghast at how Trump could retain support in the face of his actions towards institutions like the press, administration officials, etc.

That's a zinger for the anthologies. Yeah, lesser of two evils, but still.

For that you need to make a case for why Nixon would be a lesser evil.

[Scomagia]

It's hilarious seeing people defend Nixon and preferring him over Trump and overlooking all of the illegal things he did because he did and supported stuff they like. Said people are also aghast at how Trump could retain support in the face of his actions towards institutions like the press, administration officials, etc.

It's absurd. The degree to which people hate Trump leads them to hold up Richard Nixon, a competent, amoral, criminal paranoiac as an alternative to the current incompetent, amoral, criminal paranoiac.

[Dahon]

That's a zinger for the anthologies. Yeah, lesser of two evils, but still.

For that you need to make a case for why Nixon would be a lesser evil.

He spearheaded actual beneficial policies and institutions that suited people not of his persuasion on the domestic side. As for foreign policy, well, China.

Of course almost everything else he did overshadowed his achievements, but still.

Compare that to Trump, whose achievements are... well, less than salutary, nor aimed for the general welfare. Add to that everything else, and there you have it.

[Napkiraly]

For that you need to make a case for why Nixon would be a lesser evil.

He spearheaded actual beneficial policies and institutions that suited people not of his persuasion on the domestic side. As for foreign policy, well, China.

His supporters believe he is doing the same.

Compare that to Trump, whose achievements are... well, less than salutary, nor aimed for the general welfare. Add to that everything else, and there you have it.

Unless you happen to agree with Trump's positions on issues such as trade, NATO, illegal immigration, etc.

[Dahon]

It's hilarious seeing people defend Nixon and preferring him over Trump and overlooking all of the illegal things he did because he did and supported stuff they like. Said people are also aghast at how Trump could retain support in the face of his actions towards institutions like the press, administration officials, etc.

It's absurd. The degree to which people hate Trump leads them to hold up Richard Nixon, a competent, amoral, criminal paranoiac as an alternative to the current incompetent, amoral, criminal paranoiac.

... being assailed by incompetent amoral criminal paranoiacs from two countries plus an expansive Pooh plushie... you know, extenuating circumstances.

[Napkiraly]

Also for all the worries people have of Trump being in control of America's nuclear arsenal, he has yet to fly nuclear armed B-52's at a nuclear state to play a game of chicken, unlike a certain Mr. Nixon.

[Scomagia]

It's absurd. The degree to which people hate Trump leads them to hold up Richard Nixon, a competent, amoral, criminal paranoiac as an alternative to the current incompetent, amoral, criminal paranoiac.

... being assailed by incompetent amoral criminal paranoiacs from two countries plus an expansive Pooh plushie... you know, extenuating circumstances.

It might just be me but your post seems incomprehensible. Can you make your point in a way that makes sense?

[Scomagia]

Also for all the worries people have of Trump being in control of America's nuclear arsenal, he has yet to fly nuclear armed B-52's at a nuclear state to play a game of chicken, unlike a certain Mr. Nixon.

"But he established the EPA!"

[Bakery Hill]

For that you need to make a case for why Nixon would be a lesser evil.

He spearheaded actual beneficial policies and institutions that suited people not of his persuasion on the domestic side. As for foreign policy, well, China.

Of course almost everything else he did overshadowed his achievements, but still.

Compare that to Trump, whose achievements are... well, less than salutary, nor aimed for the general welfare. Add to that everything else, and there you have it.

> Committed treason against the previous government, sabotaging Vietnam War peace efforts for political gain
> Used federal agencies against political opponents
> Eviscerated Cambodia
> Saw COINTELPRO ramp up its domestic assassination program
> Sponsored coups against democratic government across the world
> Nearly destroyed the world once or twice with nuclear brinkmanship

Yeah uhh I guess you could say he's got a mixed record

[Napkiraly]

Here: "God, Nixon is so much better than Trump. At least he was more competent and his wrongdoings are lesser evils than that racist Trump's"
Elsewhere on NSG: "Haha the GOP is the non-racist party because they got rid of slavery. Um, Nixon and the Southern Strategy, hellooooo"

[Napkiraly]

Trump is basically the cross between JFK's incompetence and moral failings mixed with Nixon's darkest attitudes and actions.

[Bakery Hill]

Trump is basically the cross between JFK's incompetence and moral failings mixed with Nixon's darkest attitudes and actions.

wow that's actually pretty spot on

[Napkiraly]

Trump is basically the cross between JFK's incompetence and moral failings mixed with Nixon's darkest attitudes and actions.

wow that's actually pretty spot on

I guess since he takes bits from both sides we can call him a moderate.

[Bakery Hill]

wow that's actually pretty spot on

I guess since he takes bits from both sides we can call him a moderate.

it's all about bipartisanship I was told, that's why liberal Democrats are desperately trying to apologise for Republican sociopaths

[Napkiraly]

I guess since he takes bits from both sides we can call him a moderate.

it's all about bipartisanship I was told, that's why liberal Democrats are desperately trying to apologise for Republican sociopaths

It'll balance out one day once we get Republicans defending Bill Clinton.

[Bombadil]

Is their any precedent for a senior member of the White House writing such damning opinion on the president.. I mean you can wonder whether what's written is true or not but what one cannot deny is that someone has written this up and I would be 100% sure it's someone senior in the WH as reported, say what you will but the NYT wouldn't make that up at least.

Not even Trump & Co think it's not someone real given their response.

So has such a thing ever happened before..

..because the story is not necessarily about the truth or not of the opinion but that's there's such incredible levels of negative leaking from inside the WH.

[Napkiraly]

You know if Trump was clever he'd use this to his advantage more. Point out how attempts to sabotage his work is one reason why certain areas have fallen up short, blame the deep state, etc. And, lets be honest, these allegations and hit pieces would be more than enough to give him credence in many people's eyes.

[Bombadil]

You know if Trump was clever he'd use this to his advantage more. Point out how attempts to sabotage his work is one reason why certain areas have fallen up short, blame the deep state, etc. And, lets be honest, these allegations and hit pieces would be more than enough to give him credence in many people's eyes.

I don't know, any business manual would tell you you're as good as the team you have around you.. and his team is constantly leaving, in-fighting, in jail or leaking negative information.

After a year and a half, as a stable genius, he should at least have sorted his team as the world's most amazing businessman but it's like the last days of Enron in the WH.

[Dahon]

... being assailed by incompetent amoral criminal paranoiacs from two countries plus an expansive Pooh plushie... you know, extenuating circumstances.

It might just be me but your post seems incomprehensible. Can you make your point in a way that makes sense?

You have Trump, we have Duterte, to our immediate vicinity is Xi. It's... stressful. Extremely. Stressful.

[Scomagia]

It might just be me but your post seems incomprehensible. Can you make your point in a way that makes sense?

You have Trump, we have Duterte, to our immediate vicinity is Xi. It's... stressful. Extremely. Stressful.

Gotcha. I don't know about Duterte but Xi doesn't seem incompetent.

[Dahon]

You have Trump, we have Duterte, to our immediate vicinity is Xi. It's... stressful. Extremely. Stressful.

Gotcha. I don't know about Duterte but Xi doesn't seem incompetent.

He's competent enough, and Duterte's lapdoggish enough (of China, of authoritarianism, of brute force, etc?) for me to... be stressed out. Add to that Trump's antics and our historical links with America and my own democratic leanings and... yeah.

It's been a depressing three years.

But enough about that -- so I still have something in me that would knuckle down and take any hit if a leader can prove himself to be perceptive enough to see what I like and stroke it accordingly. Dammit. Three years of worse and worse news, and still.