Florida State Seminoles

[hedge]

"I'm starting to embrace the notion I've had all along that a Trump presidency could very well be the most entertainment we'll ever see."

Well, that's a large part of his whole appeal, that he's turning politics into a subset of the entertainment business. And that's about as much as a large segment of the population can relate to. Bread and circuses. Of course this territory has been covered before by the entertainment business, just watch Elmer Gantry and A Face in the Crowd (or Network) back to back, that's what a Trump presidency will look like...

[Jungle Rat]

Trump and entertainment ventures don't work. See his multiple bankruptcy suits

[eCat]

In regards to NATO

How many Americans today know about how NATO was formed in the 50's or even know the role of NATO now?

All they know - probably loosely is that America is obligated to defend NATO countries from attack - and for that, along with South Korea and Japan, they want some gratitude, they want a Pro America position - and what they see is protestors. The nerve of Japanese citizens after having their role in WWII white washed in Japanese history books to demand an apology from the United States for dropping the nuclear bombs on them.

For Trump to tell NATO to change your focus to terrorism (really ...does that have to be said?) and to start paying more money and resources to defer costs to Americas support is an easy target, its low hanging fruit, but that doesn't mean its wrong.

It may be great that we haven't had a major skirmish in Europe since WWII due to in some part NATO, but the America is the worlds police ship has sailed. The world doesn't want it, and only warhawks (which Hillary is one btw) in America wants it.

----------

As far as the speech, even NPR had to admit is was a politically astute - they didn't agree with what he said but the commentators this morning said it was a brilliant political speech in tapping into the anger and the idea that someone needs to be the voice for the average American.

[hedge]

That's true, and I'm sure there are plenty of average Americans who are pissed off about something. But are there enough of them? Does anyone in here seriously personally worry about being the victim of a terrorist attack? Or (especially the whitey's) being a victim of anything? We've all got it pretty good. I look around here in economically depressed eastern NC and it just doesn't seem that bad. Yes, I'm sure somebody somewhere truly has it bad, but I don't think that's the majority or anything remotely close to it. Most people just want to keep a little more of the money that they "earn", but of course everybody feels that way no matter how much they earn or have. People just want to feel better about everything, but expecting some federal politician to make that happen is fool's gold. We're all going to be dead soon enough and there's plenty to enjoy. But even if you don't, so what? You're going to be dead soon and then nobody will care, least of all you. I've said plenty of times I'd love to see the federal government reduced in size and scope by at least 80%, but that ain't going to happen, no way, no how. So just accept reality and try to have some fun. The biggest problem in my life has always been boredom and I don't expect that's going to change. But as far as problems go, that's not a bad one to have as your biggest one...

[aTm]

[youtube]LGD8gJt7weU[/youtube]

[eCat]

That's true, and I'm sure there are plenty of average Americans who are pissed off about something. But are there enough of them? Does anyone in here seriously personally worry about being the victim of a terrorist attack? Or (especially the whitey's) being a victim of anything? We've all got it pretty good. I look around here in economically depressed eastern NC and it just doesn't seem that bad. Yes, I'm sure somebody somewhere truly has it bad, but I don't think that's the majority or anything remotely close to it. Most people just want to keep a little more of the money that they "earn", but of course everybody feels that way no matter how much they earn or have. People just want to feel better about everything, but expecting some federal politician to make that happen is fool's gold. We're all going to be dead soon enough and there's plenty to enjoy. But even if you don't, so what? You're going to be dead soon and then nobody will care, least of all you. I've said plenty of times I'd love to see the federal government reduced in size and scope by at least 80%, but that ain't going to happen, no way, no how. So just accept reality and try to have some fun. The biggest problem in my life has always been boredom and I don't expect that's going to change. But as far as problems go, that's not a bad one to have as your biggest one...

I think policemen getting shot is a pretty good motivator recently.

[crashcourse]

as far as the therapist protecting the autistic kid and getting shot for it being all over the news now as the latest police brutality case
just to show the other side buried back on page 15 in the local news section
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/cr ... 80102.html

<sigh>

sorry but where I live close to Kansas city we've had 5 cops shot and killed locally in the last two years. we've had 0 unjustified shootings of unarmed individuals that I know of around here
2 in a dillons parking lot, 1 pulling over a crackhead on a highway, 1 by a Hispanic on the run in a field by the Kansas speedway and now captain melton basically attacked in his car and shot multiple times.

but all I will hear for the next few week is how a cop shot an unarmed black man with his hands up in the air. Then the next vigilante who thinks all cops deserve to die and is plotting another dallas or baton rouge right now will have his justification in his own mind

I freely admit people make mistakes and in certain environments people become trigger happy. that's why friendly fire kills so many at war.

I didn't know 4000 have been killed in Chicago since Obama was elected. that the killing of cops are up 80% this year

with every cop now wearing cameras for the most part, and with video available of basically every shooting out there from some vantage point the point has been made that cops screw up and a lot of it has to do with racial profiling. with > 50 percent of the homicides committed by 15% of the population there is bound to be some profiling. When you hjave 50 white officers and 3 black officers in a town that's 67% black that's where your problems are--why are there not more applicants/officers serving that match the community they serve in

what do we do to increase the interest of minorities wanting to become cops to serve in the neighborhoods where white cops are simply not trusted

do you think the police enjoy being put in a position where they are despised in the neighborhoods where most crime occurs simply for the color of their skin?

One of these days if cops keep getting ambushed there is going to come a time where I as a commander hypothetically maybe forced to tell my soldiers or cops--its too dangerous down there we will not answer that call.

It would be nice if

[eCat]

I really do think the solution is to hire many more African American cops and have them live in the community they serve. Pay them what they need to be paid to take on that kind of job.

[Bklyn]

Any political wonk will hate the Trump speech...but it was brilliant from a layman's perspective. His struggle will be in the debate phase...and when Obama really starts campaigning. His minority outreach operation is a monster. Trump is still walking uphill...

[hedge]

"I think policemen getting shot is a pretty good motivator recently."

Yeah, that's troubling, but there's always something troubling. Always. If trouble is what you want to focus on ("you" as in anybody), there's never been a shortage of things to choose from. And definitely there are plenty of people out there whose lives literally revolve around that. That's Fox News's entire schtick and look how successful they've been. I'm just skeptical that all these Eeyore's and Debbie Downer's out there really have it so bad or have it bad at all. They'd just rather choose misery and worry than focus on the positive. I live with one of them.

One time the wind was blowing kinda hard (not a hurricane or anything like that, it was just real windy) and I asked the MIF if she wanted to take a walk and she said no. Why? Because she was scared a tree might fall on her. Seriously. If that's your mindset (and there are plenty of people like that), you're never going to be truly happy. But some politician ain't going to make things right, as much as those people want to believe that somebody else can. They have to believe that b/c they know deep in their souls that they can't do it themselves, and it's easier to put the responsibility on somebody else so then they can stay pissed off and scared and blame it on somebody else when nothing "changes".

In the MIF's defense, she's about as apolitical a person I've ever known, she votes and all, but she doesn't have any illusions that anything's going to change b/c of it and she really doesn't care about much that could be classified as a political issue. Yes, she shakes her head at cops getting killed, etc., but (for instance) she couldn't care less about something like this recent coup in Turkey or have any clue about the forces at work or the position of either side or any of the possible stakes. She just doesn't care. She'd rather watch Island Hunters or Say Yes to the Dress or The Bachelor. I suspect there are plenty of people out there like her. They know they're supposed to care about "issues", but they really just don't and never will...

[eCat]

Any political wonk will hate the Trump speech...but it was brilliant from a layman's perspective. His struggle will be in the debate phase...and when Obama really starts campaigning. His minority outreach operation is a monster. Trump is still walking uphill...

I don't think Trump will struggle in the debate phase at all

not that he's a great debater but he just going to go for the jugular with Hillary

She's already trying to make herself be painted as a victim to his bullying.

Hillary will not out debate him - at least not in the perspective of the layman. They've come to expect that Trump will cross boundaries that Hillary isn't comfortable in doing and once she gets in the mud with him, she will not do well.

He'll also score points in Hillary extending Obama's legacy.

[eCat]

I do expect Hillary to "win" the first debate though.

[hedge]

Trump's problem will be with the moderate undecided voters. He's got the disgruntled, sick of it all voters wrapped up and of course the Hillary haters and maybe a few who just enjoy the whole spectacle and are amused by his schtick. And probably a few more who don't care about any of that one way or another, but just figure he's a good businessman (which is debatable, and don't think Hillary isn't going to go hard at that) and that's what we need. But I think there's a whole lot of middle of the road types who just don't like him or his general mean-spiritedness. The MIF is a pretty reliable repub voter, but there's no way she's voting for Trump. I suspect there are plenty more out there like her. If they even bother to watch the debates and perceive that he's just being mean for meanness sake (which is how it will come across to them), I think he'll turn a whole slew of those types against him. But who knows? He's already defied all odds, maybe he can pull it off. But I seriously doubt it...

[hedge]

Go to the 6:11 mark...

[youtube]u-jzbKRi7Qc[/youtube]

[crashcourse]

black lives matter activist shoots unarmed white man


http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mau ... &FORM=VIRE

[Bklyn]

black lives matter activist shoots unarmed white man


http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mau ... &FORM=VIRE

Heh

[Bklyn]

Crash

I'll go back and do my best to respond to your earlier posts later...juggling work and a corporate Summer outing so only peeking in, at times.

[crashcourse]

I understand that

My son is a policemen in a fairly big city so you know what that side of the argument is

we've had 5 cops killed in this area the last two years all by gunfire -3 by Hispanic shooter, 1 white and 1 black copkiller

no incidents of unarmed questionable shootings by cops in my area

[bluetick]

Miami officials are now saying the black guy shot with his hands in the air wasn't the target. Some SWAT cop with an AR-15 tried to put three rounds into the autistic guy playing with the toy truck..from 50 yards away..and missed. That's the 'official' story, that the shooter was attempting to save the black social worker. Nobody will answer the burning question: why then did you cuff the guy you were supposedly trying to save, and stand over him while he bleeds out with guns pointed at him for 15 minutes til EMTs arrive?

It's all about justice, really, or lack thereof. If more of these rogue cops were held responsible then you wouldn't have the national outcry. At least cop-killers get their just desserts, same as gang-bangers in Chicago.

[bluetick]

An aside to that Miami story: autistic groups are up in arms too - "we weren't trying to shoot the attendant, just the autistic guy with the toy truck." Seems the mentally challenged man couldn't respond to the officers commands.