What if he outright declares that the Mueller enquiry and the impeachment hearings really were a coup attempt and declares a state of emergency? — Wayfarer

Doesn't have to. Enough voters think it was so. Repetition is the way to get lies to work.

He’s doing a great job. It’s hard to believe how much time we’ve wasted hiring politically-correct lawyers to run a country, when we should have been hiring billionaire playboys. — NOS4A2

Needless to say, when you say “we” you’re not speaking for liberals, or even workers in the rust-belt still experiencing a manufacturing recession.

Doesn't have to. Enough voters think it was so. Repetition is the way to get lies to work.

The IG report found 17 failures at the highest levels of the FBI. Mueller mentioned zero of them. Eventually we’ll find out whether it was corruption or incompetence that leads people to believe the inquiry was just.

He’s doing a great job. — NOS4A2

For whom? By what standards?

'Evil' is a good term to avoid. Ignorant, narcissistic, incompetent, mendacious, malevolent, duplicitous - they would be more accurate. And someone with no idea of the standards of democratic governance. 'Evil'? Meh. — Wayfarer

evil:
adjective
profoundly immoral and wicked.
noun
profound immorality and wickedness.

Your words more accurate than just evil? Yours are conditions, in a way excuses. To my way of thinking, Trump has no excuses: he's just evil - and nothing trivial or "meh" about it. Unless you do not know what evil is or means - but I would never think that of you, Wayfarer.

For whom? By what standards?

For Americans in general. The standard I apply most is justice and liberty, but also includes the economy, defense and politics. But not only that its how he’s altered politics. So far so good in my opinion, but that could all change of course. What I dislike about his presidency is his vaping ban.

For Americans in general. — NOS4A2

Who? What Americans?

The standard I apply most is justice and liberty, — NOS4A2

You mock the words themselves. His is the justice of the criminal and the cheater.

but also includes the economy, defense and politics. — NOS4A2

You twist these so far out of shape they're no longer meaningful. And security? Americans are more secure because of Trump?

Unless you do not know what evil is or means - but I would never think that of you, Wayfarer. — tim wood

Yes, I have to concur with your assessment. In a way, my resistance was due to the association of 'evil' with 'evil genius', and many of Trump's obvious evils originate in bumbling incompetence. But, I will definitely concede the point.

He has pointed the country in the direction of those principles and reignited the American experiment. I truly believe this.

He has pointed the country in the direction of those principles and reignited the American experiment. I truly believe this. — NOS4A2

What principles? What American experiment? No more hand-waving. Be explicit. President Donald Trump is a great president because he points us Americans in the direction of the principles of.........

And thereby reignites the American experiment in........................

The only "direction" I get is that non-pathological, non-damaged people recoil in disgust, revulsion, and anger from him. And I suspect that in terms of either principles or American experiment, you have zero understanding.

I think the United States is the brightest beacon of liberty in the world and Trump is making it brighter. The Statue of Liberty, the American flag and Trump himself flash on the placards of the Hong Kong protesters, for instance, as they protest in the shadow of Chinese totalitarianism.

Yes, the U.S. is that shining light at the end of the tunnel (that signals an oncoming train).

I think the United States is the brightest beacon of liberty in the world and Trump is making it brighter. The Statue of Liberty, the American flag and Trump himself flash on the placards of the Hong Kong protesters, for instance, as they protest in the shadow of Chinese totalitarianism. — NOS4A2

What principles? What American experiment? No more hand-waving. Be explicit. — tim wood

You overlooked the questions, nose4.

The American experiment is a colloquial term for the founding of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I mean the principles as laid out by the founding fathers of the country.

I mean the principles as laid out by the founding fathers of the country. — NOS4A2

No. You manifestly don't. I suspect you have no idea what they are. Those principles are not only expressed in the founding documents, but were sharpened and refined in an astonishing national discussion. Astonishing for its comprehensiveness, intelligence, and ethical grounding.

What principles? What American experiment? No more hand-waving. Be explicit. — tim wood

Try again. So far you're nowhere.

No. You manifestly don't. I suspect you have no idea what they are. Those principles are not only expressed in the founding documents, but were sharpened and refined in an astonishing national discussion. Astonishing for it's comprehensiveness, intelligence, and ethical grounding.

You suspect wrongly, and I’ve already stated my beliefs.

You suspect wrongly, and I’ve already stated my beliefs. — NOS4A2

This is actually standard MO for trolls and others who are losing it. "I'm right; your wrong; and I've already explained it." Except you haven't.

What do you want to know? I’ve already answered your questions and I’m willing to justify my answers. If you could make your concerns explicit I could try to address them.

For Americans in general. The standard I apply most is justice and liberty, but also includes the economy, defense and politics. But not only that its how he’s altered politics. So far so good in my opinion, but that could all change of course. — NOS4A2

I think the United States is the brightest beacon of liberty in the world and Trump is making it brighter. The Statue of Liberty, the American flag and Trump himself flash on the placards of the Hong Kong protesters, for instance, as they protest in the shadow of Chinese totalitarianism. — NOS4A2

The American experiment is a colloquial term for the founding of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I mean the principles as laid out by the founding fathers of the country. — NOS4A2

I think the issue is that this is all so vague as to be meaningless. Perhaps you can offer something more concrete, like "his tax cuts has given the average working-class American $x extra a year and helped the economy grow %y" or "he passed this executive order that has achieved this great thing".

I think the issue is that this is all so vague as to be meaningless. Perhaps you can offer something more concrete, like "his tax cuts has given the average working-class American $x extra a year and helped the economy grow y%" or "he passed this executive order that has achieved this great thing".

I think the ethos of the country is important and meaningful. I’m explaining why I believe Trump’s presidency is a good one in that regard. Why is it meaningless?

What do you want to know? I’ve already answered your questions and I’m willing to justify my answers. — NOS4A2

He has pointed the country in the direction of those principles and reignited the American experiment. I truly believe this. — NOS4A2

What principles? What American experiment? No more hand-waving. Be explicit. — tim wood

You must be Russian, because you don't understand plain English. You referred to "those principles" and "the American experiment" that Trump, according to you, is pointing us toward and reigniting. So, let's try one more time:

What principles? What American experiment? No more hand-waving. Be explicit. — tim wood

Justice and liberty, as I said earlier. Perhaps it is you who doesn’t understand plain English.

I think the ethos of the country is important and meaningful. I’m explaining why I believe Trump’s presidency is a good one in that regard. Why is it meaningless? — NOS4A2

You're not explaining what Trump is doing to promote the ethos.

Politics by greeting card slogans. :yawn:

The American experiment is a colloquial term for the founding of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I mean the principles as laid out by the founding fathers of the country. — NOS4A2

The 'great American experiment in government' was about creating a government with no aristocracy.

He always touts freedom and fairness and justice in his speeches. A good one would be his UN speech.

He always touts freedom and fairness and justice in his speeches. A good one would be his UN speech. — NOS4A2

Words are cheap. Is he actually carrying out policies that practice what he preaches? Maybe talk about them.

As I’ve pointed out his standing up to Chinese totalitarianism is one of the biggest for me. For instance he signed into law the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy act. But he also gets detained Americans out of foreign prisons, for instance the recent one in Iran. As for prison reform, his First Step ACT is monumental in that regard.

Maw is convinced the support for impeachment with voters is such that if the republicans acquit it will cost them dearly in the election, leading to an extensive win for the Democrats. I'm not so sure because Trump's character was quite clear during the previous election and it didn't make a difference. — Benkei

I don't know about an "extensive win" for the Democrats, but it's not clear to me how a GOP controlled Senate acquitting Trump of impeachment encourages anyone to vote for Trump who wouldn't have otherwise. Besides, the 2018 midterms was a clear Democratic refutation of Trump: the House's biggest seat swing since the early 70s.

He always touts freedom and fairness and justice in his speeches. — NOS4A2

Yes, like every other politician. And then he lets KSA murder journalists because he wants their arms deals. When are you going to get beyond your infantile non-analysis and say something worth reading? Have you just given up?

Edit: I guess Michael said much the same thing. Whatever. Nvm.