Trump Exposes Trump (1 Viewer)

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Like Douglas MacArthur, I have returned.

One of the most bizarre phenomena surrounding this bizarre election season is the portrayal of Donald Trump as a straight-talkin' truth-tellin' outsider, in contrast to Clinton's supposed penchant for deceit. But while I'm by no means fond of Clinton (Gary Johnson ahoy!), Trump has her beat six ways from Sunday in the dishonesty department, and any honest and impartial observer will admit that.

I thought you might appreciate a collection of his greatest hits.

 

[joG]

Like Douglas MacArthur, I have returned.

One of the most bizarre phenomena surrounding this bizarre election season is the portrayal of Donald Trump as a straight-talkin' truth-tellin' outsider, in contrast to Clinton's supposed penchant for deceit. But while I'm by no means fond of Clinton (Gary Johnson ahoy!), Trump has her beat six ways from Sunday in the dishonesty department, and any honest and impartial observer will admit that.

I thought you might appreciate a collection of his greatest hits.

He is certainly an inspiring leader, huh?

 

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He is certainly an inspiring leader, huh?

Indeed!

I can understand #NeverTrumpers' disillusionment with their leadership, though. My profile says I'm a left-libertarian, and I do mean capital-'L'-eft-libertarian -- I favor what's basically a moderate form of anarcho-syndicalism.

So I'm not entirely comfortable with voting for Gary Johnson, who represents a purer strain of neoliberalism than either of the major party candidates. But, well, events sometimes make strange bedfellows. I hope there will be space in the Libertarian Party for a genuine anarcho-leftist wing someday. They certainly have enough not-even-remotely-libertarian conservatives already.

 

[joG]

Indeed!

I can understand #NeverTrumpers' disillusionment with their leadership, though. My profile says I'm a left-libertarian, and I do mean capital-'L'-eft-libertarian -- I favor what's basically a moderate form of anarcho-syndicalism.

So I'm not entirely comfortable with voting for Gary Johnson, who represents a purer strain of neoliberalism than either of the major party candidates. But, well, events sometimes make strange bedfellows. I hope there will be space in the Libertarian Party for a genuine anarcho-leftist wing someday. They certainly have enough not-even-remotely-libertarian conservatives already.

I hope by then we can have persuaded you that "left" is just a vote catching ploy.

 

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I hope by then we can have persuaded you that "left" is just a vote catching ploy.

No, it has real meaning, or had historically - as a term to refer to those people who regarded capitalism as a stage of history that, while necessary, would eventually be superseded by a more egalitarian social arrangement.

I still believe in that concept strongly; the Democratic Party and milquetoast American liberals never have. Hence my leftism.

I also believe - as did most leftists historically (Kropotkin, Prodhoun, even Marx, etc.) that the modern State was an outgrowth of the economic arrangements it defended, and that a similar institution would be unnecessary in a functional leftist society. Hence my libertarianism.

Randroids, Rothbardians, etc. treat the government as a static given, as if the Pharaohs of Egypt really were the functional equivalent of the American President and the economic arrangements they oversaw were identical.

I believe that, in a civilization with worker self-ownership and self-sufficiency, the welfare State would be unnecessary.

There are so many possible clusters of alternatives to the ancient, tired conservative-liberal division. If we're going to have political factions, can't we make them a little less dull?

 

[Gaugingcatenate]

Like Douglas MacArthur, I have returned.

One of the most bizarre phenomena surrounding this bizarre election season is the portrayal of Donald Trump as a straight-talkin' truth-tellin' outsider, in contrast to Clinton's supposed penchant for deceit. But while I'm by no means fond of Clinton (Gary Johnson ahoy!), Trump has her beat six ways from Sunday in the dishonesty department, and any honest and impartial observer will admit that.

"Supposed penchant for deceit"? You destroy all credibility with that line. And where is the opposing video of Clinton's greatest hits for some balance if you are saying his are worse than hers, and you even question whether she is a liar?

If this were a Roman Coliseum the signal of judgement given would be--- Thumbs Down... and no, I am not hinting at nor calling for your assassination.

 

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Sure, Clinton's a liar. She's a politician, and politicians lie.

The difference is that Clinton does not seem to relish lying the way Trump does. He literally stood there - it's in that video - and said "when I'm President, I can be a totally different person. I can be the most PC person you know."

Trump takes pride in his ability to lie, because he regards it as characteristic of his status as a cutthroat businessman. When Clinton lies, it's predictable. With Trump, the very concept of "honesty" seems nonexistent

To paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche: when Clinton lies, she knows she is lying. Trump doesn't know that he is always lying.

Incidentally, I don't believe in "balance", or in false equivalence. "Fair and balanced" is part of the reason we're in this situation. There is an objective reality outside our heads, and the truth isn't "somewhere in the middle". As a matter of fact, the truth is really outside our spectrum completely.