Musings —12.16.2015 08:23 AM
—Jeb! beat The Donald, plus a highly-scientific poll
He needed to bring his best game, and I think he did. “Donald, you aren’t going to be able to insult your way to the presidency.” Bush was tough, clear and direct. He won, in part, because none of the other GOP candidates would take on the comb-over racist.
Trump also won, however, by remaining standing at the end. I therefore agree with CNN for the most part, here.
Should we be concerned about President Trump, then? I don’t think so. Not yet. By winning his party, Trump is losing his country.
But every terrorist incident strengthens his hand. (Had the Friday the Thirteenth Paris attacks happened during the election campaign, for example, Stephen Harper would have won again, hands down. I don’t think I’m alone in that view, either.)
Anyway, a key exchange here. Your views welcome, as always, in comments or in the below Highly-Scientific Poll™.
I concur with your opinion that if the Paris attacks had occurred before our election Harper would still be prime minister (hopefully with a minority since once again this majority rule crap has revealed as a recipe to allow entitlements to flow freely) and further terrorist attacks on American soil will increase Trump’s chances.
However, two other things stand out for me:
1. The Trump/Cruz love affair. I am sure there is a side deal there that they will be on the final ticket. One will back the other to get over the top. The only thing that can stop this from happening is Rubio, who is the rich man’s choice right now …
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/10/marco-rubio-the-top-gop-choice-among-rich-cnbc-survey.html
2. The economy stupid. Today the Fed will increase interest rates. The American dollar will go up even further. Supposedly the rate will go up 3+ more times in the next year. If that happens, and oil stays where it is, I suspect the Canadian dollar will run around 60 cents compared to the U.S. dollar. Stateside, the 50,000,000 folks relying on food stamps will have many more associates. The question is will Obama and the Democrats be called out on the economy when that happens.
Final note: The other Republican candidates had a real chance to go after Trump in my opinion. Him claiming that the United States is “losing” on every front and only he can reverse it, could be exploited on so many fronts.
Wow, I did not realize Obama had the power to control world oil prices. He really is as scary as Fox News makes him out to be.
The fact of the matter is that governments get far too much credit when the economy is doing well, and far too much blame when it is doing poorly. So many factors are out of the governments control.
Where is it suggested that Obama controls oil prices? Lower oil prices are a plus in the United States, whereas a net negative in Canada because so much of the Canadian economy is tied to oil (from jobs to equalization payments). The POTUS (Democrats) will get blamed if the economy tanks after 3+ rate hikes in the U.S. Not to mention foreclosures and such. He did nominate Yellin.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/10/09/president-obama-nominates-dr-janet-yellen-fed-chair
In 2 months, since it became apparent Trudeau was going to win the election, on October 15, the Canadian dollar has fallen 5 cents (over 7%) versus the U.S. dollar. Trudeau’s psycho projected deficits and the U.S. Fed hikes are going to push the Canadian dollar to go even lower and cause inflation to skyrocket in Canada. Bought any antioxidant berries lately?
Ladies and gentlemen I think we have our first confirmed case of Trudeau Derangement Syndrome.
The Canadian dollar has fallen not because of Trudeau or his policies, but because the price of oil has fallen from a high of $136 to under $35 today. The Cdn dollar had no business being as high as it was were it not for the price of oil making the oil sands profitable. Nothing to do with Trudeau, Harper or any of their policies.
The whole thing is horrible. But your earlier points are bang on: if I’m in the heroin soaked midwest; my last job was as a labourer in a autobody shop, and I don’t understand the world around me, I like Trump very much. He’s tapping into something deep, dark and primordial. He’s also way off the charts loony.
Stereotype much?
The debate was appalling on every level.
As Frank Zappa once said, “Stupidity has a certain charm. Ignorance has none.”
Vote for me because I have a goofy smile
People overestimate what ISIS can do, but arrange for a terrorist attack at an opportune time is something within their power and I’m sure they are big fans of Trump. He has everything they are looking for in an enemy.
The clear winner was the Democratic Party.
Watched the entire debate, which is the most time I’ve dedicated to American politics in decades. Then I listened to the follow up commentary on both CNN and Fox.
Christy has some very good moments. I like his fearlessness in calling it as he sees it, political correctness be damned. Lots of street smarts. But he’s not the one who can win.
It’s hard not to like Bush. Intelligent and sincere, with experience. But there’s no way Americans are going to elect a third member of the same family to the White House.
Cruz is very sharp, and knows his stuff. But he overplayed his hand several times. Apparently he’s not at all liked by very many in Washington. And he got busted for denying a previous stand on illegal aliens regarding citizenship. Likability factor too low.
Trump did far better than I expected. Again, he is a reflection of Americans frustration and anger with the status quo, but especially with this useless President whom has proven to be a total bust. As the field begins to narrow and coalesce behind other front runners, he will begin to fade, and ultimately lose in the primaries and caucuses.
The one who can win, and apparently whom Democrats fear the most, is Rubio. Young, good looking, intelligent, serious, knows his files, non-threatening, well spoken, and very likable.
He goes up against the Democrats, with a super intelligent, articulate and determined Fiorina as his running mate, Clinton is finished.
Rubio’s shining moment, particularly around the 3:30 mark…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1tYTg1JytE
And latest poll has Rubio leading Clinton…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtitSBAy6qA
Warren,
Disagree as well re: terrorist attacks leading to a Harper re-election. First, we had two attacks. Then the collective judgment became it was time for the Harper government to go. I don’t believe that decisions like that are changed by the order of magnitude of a subsequent terrorist attack.
It isn’t Harper, or Trudeau, that can keep us “safe”. That job rests entirely with the non-partisan security services: CSIS, CSEC and the RCMP.
Yeah, Trump is crazy… crazy like a fox
Here are two items from the NY Times that I felt to be worth sharing. One is kind of interesting, the other is kind of terrifying.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/12/15/us/politics/republican-presidential-candidates-mudslinging.html
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/candidates-on-the-issues.html
Jeb finally woke up, and I’m glad he did. I watched the debate last night, and the back and forth between Rubio and the Canadian born Senator from Texas, Cruz kind of made me scared. Both these guys are 1 term senators, and don’t have a clue on what’s taking place around the world. Cruz would carpet bomb Syria, and Rubio, I still don’t know what he would do if elected.
Trump is a carnival barker, and I truly believe he’s in this race to stroke his ego. Christie makes sense, but he does not have a hope in hell of winning the nomination. I hope it’s a race between Bush and Clinton. At least the race won’t include insulting a person’s religion, or the colour of their skin.
So much better when it’s about insulting her gender.
This is a good article about Donald Trump in Rolling Stone
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/trumps-terrifying-nuke-answer-at-the-debate-should-end-his-campaign-but-it-wont-20151216
Bush looks like he can’t believe it has come to this and that he running against such a bunch of loons. Held his own against Conrad’s pal.
Rubio sounds like an empty suit. Best of bad lot…nice hair though.
The Calgarian is very scary…and he is a US Senator? Texas surely can do better than that.
All in all, it makes one weep for that great country to the south. Harry Truman would wipe the floor with the lot of them, but it seems he isn’t available.
Agree that Bush was quite good last night, a performance that would have been significant had it occurred months ago. I see Cruz as the logical winner and wonder whether Trump makes a third party bid or not.
I agree that Stephen Harper would have gotten re-elected if the Paris attacks had occurred before the election campaign. He would have picked up maybe 8 more seats in BC, at least 2 more in Manitoba, another 30 in Ontario and about 10 in Quebec. That would have given him 149 seats and the Liberals 134. This would have given him a minority.
Quite a sad commentary on the political reality of Stephen Harper when the violent attacks of Paris are seen as a net positive.
I’ll tell you who’s losing, the prosperity of intellectual-America. The US has become so anti-information that rationalism is seen as a sign of weakness and duplicity.
Lets for a moment here just consider this:
2 years ago Ted Cruz was seen the epitome of a Tea Party nut job, who was simply out for attention and controversy. The staggering level of ignorance of this man astounded everyone and the Republican party brass viewed Cruz as an anarchist fuelled by self importance.
Entre Trump.
Now Ted Cruz is seen as a main contender to Trump and could end up finding himself on the eventual Republican ticket.
The common theme between these guys is that their stupidity has positively correlated with their increase in influence. The appetite for Cruz, Trump or Carson amongst a significant portion of Americans should be troubling for nation striving to be at the forefront of ingenuity.