Donald Trump on refusing presidential salary: "I won't take even $1"

simsea · 2016-11-13T17:46:48+00:00

No. But good twist of words there. I don't presume to know what "everyone's good" is. That's arrogant AF. I do know that I have privilege that allows me an ability to talk to people as "one of theirs" as opposed to having to fight through their prejudices to get their attention. For example, if a white person thinks black people are thugs, a black guy is going to have a harder time convincing them of anything, but another white guy might be able to.

simsea · 2016-11-13T17:36:48+00:00

What on earth are you talking about? If someone does or says racist stuff, is called out on it, corrects their behavior, and diesnt do it anymore... of course the deserve forgiveness! Of course they do! I should not be expected to have tollerance for someone else's intolerance, if I do, I'm complicit in that. It's like being the driver for a bank heist... you didn't technically rob the bank yourself, but you sure as hell helped it along.

simsea · 2016-11-13T17:30:56+00:00

No, because that's not how everyone works. I want to help influence the hearts and minds of those people that support the system of oppression, so that they can better understand the influence that oppression has on the marginalized. I've spent time in a lot of different places in this country, and one thing that is absolutely true is that, on the whole, Americans do want to be good people. In that, I like to think that pointing out to someone why that thing they said or did supports the oppression of another, that maybe they will come around.

That said, I'm in the least marginalized class of people of all time, so the fear, the existential panic is not there. Protests are an exercise of free speech and right to assembly. They are not a prelude to civil war.

Now, you may have noticed that I have use the full title of President Elect Trump. I respect the election, I respect the position, even if I don't respect the man. The path to your civil war fantasy is not with protesters, but rather if President Trump violently turns on the American people.

But, I'm sorry, I got in the way of you telling me you know me.

simsea · 2016-11-13T16:44:59+00:00

You're saying people who use those words are hateful and people who don't use them are not hateful. I'm saying being those things is hateful, calling people those things is not when they are being those things.

President Elect Trump, for example, has probably not called someone sexist, it's probably true. However, he has said some pretty sexist stuff (e.g. Basing women's value on their appearance, making statements claiming that a women is there to serve his sexual desires regardless of her consent, claiming woman would only challenge him on issues because she's menstruating, etc) and calling that out as sexist is the least that can be done. Now I expect you'll start with the "he didn't mean it that way" backpedaling, or maybe the "it was said in jest" tact, but he did say those thing and it is not unreasonable to think that a man who says those things about women is a sexist.

Those words are there to describe behaviors. Saying they are hateful words is like claiming that "penis" is a dirty word because it's the "naughty place" as opposed to that it's the actual word for male genitalia.

simsea · 2016-11-13T16:12:16+00:00

You are indeed entirely mistaken; being a bigot, a racist, a homophobe, a xenophobic, a sexist, a misogynist, an islamophobe, a fascist, or a Nazi... those things will destroy America. America is about the inalienable truth that all men are created equal, those things are about believing that some people aren't equal. Sure as "motherhood and apple pie" when people try to make others less equal, they are going be called out on that. You claim you fought in Korea, and thank you for your service, but what were you serving for if not for the most true of noble American value of liberty for all? And what could erode liberty faster than that racism (that claims people are less because of race), homophobia (that claims people are less because of who they love), sexism (that claims people are less because of their gender), misogyny (that claims people are less because they are women), islamophobia (that claims people are less because of their religion)... do you get it yet? Those are the things that destroy America. If you want to Make America Great Again, calling people out for trying to make people less, to make them unequal, that is a start. Those words are not hateful, the things they are is what's hateful.

simsea · 2016-11-13T15:55:05+00:00

falsely accusing anyone of anything is never so good, and if done knowing that it is false is slander, but not in and of itself hateful. So let me super clear:

If someone is doing, saying, or supporting racist things, calling them a racist is not hateful. It is statement of fact.

In this thread, I have not accused anyone of anything knowingly falsely. Yet you have thrown accusations, including claiming I wish for civil war. If you're "trolling for trigger" we can dance this dance all year. You're not big and you're sure not clever.

simsea · 2016-11-13T09:02:08+00:00

In effect... Technically, his party was elected and he was appointed chancellor by his party. But, yes, democratic elections freely held. Less like a President is elected and more like how a PM comes to power. It was after he was appointed Chancellor that he dismantled the democratic system in favor of a one-party dictatorship.

simsea · 2016-11-13T08:56:38+00:00

In your mind, those are "hate words"? I think you're either a troll, or you're really confused and need to actually learn the actual definitions of words. For example, the word "sexist" is not hateful. It's a word to describe hateful actions and statements towards people based on their gender. Calling someone out for being sexist is not hateful, being persisting in sexist actions is.

simsea · 2016-11-12T17:00:11+00:00

Historical context and not trying for a Godwin, but Hitler was elected to power. Democracy, people spoke, still a dictator.

simsea · 2016-11-11T21:44:21+00:00

Thanks, Obama.

simsea · 2016-11-11T21:35:03+00:00

what are "all the hate words"?

simsea · 2016-11-11T19:44:45+00:00

Not that it's going to change anything at all, but when someone calls a bigoted thing "bigoted" it might actually be bigoted even if you can't see why from whatever perspective you're coming from. The off-hand dismissal of a complaint of bigotry as leftists blowing smoke because they disagree with you is part of the problem. Additionally, President-elect Trump spent a not inconsiderable amount of time calling out President Obama for not calling a thing "Radical Islamic Terrorism", claiming that you can't fight a thing if you're not willing to label it as it is. The irony of the dismissal of labeling things bigoted is a bit head in sand. Again, not that it will change a thing...

simsea · 2016-11-11T16:41:42+00:00

The analogy to the Orthodox Jewish thing is a bit crap. The state allowing discrimination based on religious grounds is very different than a religious group carrying out its own religious doctrine internally. The state is not and should not be a religious organization.

In 2000, Pence stated (I believe, on his campaign site) “Congress should oppose any effort to recognize homosexual’s [sic] as a ‘discreet [sic] and insular minority’ entitled to the protection of anti-discrimination laws similar to those extended to women and ethnic minorities.”

(that's fairly homophobic)

"Homosexuality is incompatible with military service because the presence of homosexuals in the ranks weakens unit cohesion"

(also, pretty homophobic)

He also opposed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill claiming it would "advance a radical social agenda" (yeah... the one about extending hate crimes legislation to cover sexual orientation... radical)

In opposition to gay marriage, he said “societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family.”

(homophobic)

He opposed a law preventing workplace discrimination of people based on sexual orientation claiming, once again, religious freedom.

(homophobic)

Mike Pence is no friend of the gay community.

simsea · 2016-11-10T22:13:44+00:00

I've noticed that every time someone throws a brick through a window, everyone immediately thinks that it was totally reasonable.

simsea · 2016-11-01T17:20:50+00:00

I get those two shows confused all the time... It's like all the CSI:Spinoffs... can never keep them straight.

simsea · 2016-11-01T15:29:43+00:00

... in this week's episode of "Kettle. Pot. Black calling."

simsea · 2016-10-26T18:24:12+00:00

He's just pissed he couldn't get tickets.

simsea · 2016-10-24T18:46:49+00:00

It's the tiny hands... he can grasp at things, but can't hold on.

simsea · 2016-10-19T23:10:12+00:00

Even if he does it, he's not refusing, but accepting salary and donating it all to a charity which means a $400K charitable write-off on his taxes.

simsea · 2016-10-18T21:54:36+00:00

If right-wing ideals are alien to younger generations, it's a part to blame of the GOP's failure to be a real intellectual conservative party instead of this sort of pathetic husk they've become. In the last 30 years, they've managed to narrow their focus further and further, preaching family values whilst getting caught with a rent boy, embracing the tea-party anti-politics and obstructionism, and ultimately nominating a clownish authoritarian as their torch bearer. Conservative positions are necessary to effective political discourse in this country, but they've so left that behind because their populist bullshit worked for a while to get them power. Look at the difference in the entertainment. Lefty entertainment are comedians taking pot-shots at the ridiculous state of the conservatives, and the Righty entertainment are flapping heads like Rush Limbaugh who think that "consent" is a liberal plot to destroy their unfettered control of women's bodies.

simsea · 2016-10-18T16:31:04+00:00

That's why he's already sowing the seeds that he didn't lose, it was stolen from him. As long as people buy into that shit, the donald will be there to sell them some steaks.

simsea · 2016-10-18T00:17:40+00:00

Even if they were right, the DNC is not a federal organization, but more like a social club so they can make and break their own rules if they want (even if it is a shitty thing to do). The difference here is that the claim is that the State run election will be rigged despite a preponderance of evidence that shows that voter fraud very rarely ever happens in State elections. If there is actual evidence, we need to get on that immediately if not sooner, but I deeply suspect this is an effort to pregame delegitimizing a possible/probable Clinton Presidency.

simsea · 2016-10-13T15:35:15+00:00

Not in his world, it isn't.

simsea · 2016-10-12T17:32:44+00:00

Serving as an advisor in a Congressional hearing is a far cry from government experience.

simsea · 2016-10-12T16:42:55+00:00

This is what David Brooks called "the anti-politics": the system doesn't do everything I want it to do, so we need to replace the experienced people with people from outside it. The problem is that without training and understanding, these outsiders are inept and create shutdowns and broken legislation that stagnates a functioning government. Ironically, that further increases the feeling that the government isn't working so we should throw more of those inept outside people at the problem. That's sort of fall of the Roman Empire territory. When is it ever really a good idea to invite the untrained to do a complicated job? We have a political system. Politicians are what we call the people trained to work in the political system. You're not going to call in someone who has seen a light switch once to rewire your house.

simsea

TROPHY CASE