Looking back on things maybe we should have seen this coming. We are the same country that let people like the Kardashians become famous and where the stupidest of people can become rich off of reality TV shows. That type of mentality is spilling over into other parts of life now. A large portion of this country is too dumb to realize that this is not a fucking reality tv show where we choose between two bozos and think oh wouldn't it be funny to see Trump as president.

9/13/2016 9:17:20 AM

Trump is the kind of I could see going for something like The Purge.

9/13/2016 9:36:22 AM

To be fair every morning when I am driving in traffic with such massive amounts of morons all around me I think to myself maybe a purge wouldn't be such a bad thing haha

9/13/2016 9:52:31 AM

Quote :

"He has 40% no matter what"

Except the presidency isn't won via national polls.

9/13/2016 9:58:13 AM

again with the "reality shows are to blame" laziness?

how many Trump supporters do you think watch "Keeping Up With The Kardashians"? 3?

9/13/2016 10:46:50 AM

Lol man even when people are bashing Trump and his supporters you have to argue don't you? Surely you can't be that dense to not think a large portion of Trump supporters are the same type of people who love watching things like Honey Boo Boo and have no idea the direct affect Trump would have on this country. Hey he sure does say a lot of funny things that I agree with and clearly is going to make America great again!

Jesus man relax you don't have to argue with everyone all the time whether they are on your side or not haha

9/13/2016 11:02:26 AM

While that may be true, I don't think it has anything to do with his support at all.

He tapped into deep seated insecurities about the place of non-educate whites in this country going forward. I highly doubt your farmers, coal workers and tradesmen are watching the Kardashians or Honey Boo Boo..

9/13/2016 11:09:05 AM

^^ argue with everyone all the time?

this is a message board. a conversation isn't an argument.

9/13/2016 11:12:46 AM

Maybe I was being too simplistic earlier, and I didn't mean to imply that Trumps rise is a direct result of reality TV. It was just a comment on how this country is trending in general. He's doing well in polls because he's entertaining. People love entertainment.

Hillary is an unfunny boring politician. For all the things I don't like about Obama, he's certainly very charismatic and funny. He could have a second career as a comic when he leaves the WH.

9/13/2016 11:15:20 AM

yeah, i wasn't saying that all trump supporters are fans of honey boo boo or the Kardashians, i was just saying that the trending mindset of the average american can explain why at least some people might support a personality like Trump as the President of the USA. And of course, the insecurities and fears that Nym mentions.

9/13/2016 11:23:20 AM

That was my point, as a country in general, its become clear people don't really care about actual policies and what gets done. They are watching these type of things in the same way they watch reality tv as entertainment and Trump by far is more entertaining than Clinton. I am in no way political and don't even claim to keep up with a large portion of this type of stuff, but the fact that Trump could even make it out of the first few rounds of the primaries means this is the only logical conclusion I can come to.

9/13/2016 11:31:47 AM

and my point the entire time has been that there is little to no correlation between people who watch reality tv and the rise of Trump/the people who support him

Quote :

"I am in no way political and don't even claim to keep up with a large portion of this type of stuff, but the fact that Trump could even make it out of the first few rounds of the primaries means this is the only logical conclusion I can come to."

and that is a lazy argument, because there are lots of factors that went into his rise, and America's tv viewing habits aren't really one of them

[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 11:35 AM. Reason : enough to make a difference, at least]

9/13/2016 11:31:50 AM

Quote :

"It was just a comment on how this country is trending in general."

I wonder when the "THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO SHIT" complaints began in this country...1800? Somebody research that for me.

Quote :

"and that is a lazy argument, because there are lots of factors that went into his rise, and America's tv viewing habits aren't really one of them"

His show, and the resulting heightening of his national prominence is definitely in the conversation.

[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 11:40 AM. Reason : Even if you just consider his ego, but it's more than that]

9/13/2016 11:32:02 AM

Meanwhile, median income increased for the first time in years, poverty rate decreased , and less than 9% of Americans are uninsured for the first time ever. Things are going to shit y'all.

[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 11:39 AM. Reason : .]

9/13/2016 11:38:05 AM

Well maybe not but from my personal experience I guess that is how I see it. The same people I see spouting off about Trump are the same people I constantly see posting about their favorite reality shows on facebook haha. Like I said when I think logically about how we got to this point having to choose between these two that's what makes sense to me. I don't personally know anyone that at least outwardly supports Trump other than people I went to high school with on facebook. The media definitely hasn't helped by allowing this thing to turn into a clown shoes race about who did or said what today that was stupid.

[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 11:41 AM. Reason : .]

9/13/2016 11:40:10 AM

Quote :

"His show, and the resulting heightening of his national prominence is definitely in the conversation."

the show gave him a bigger platform as a celebrity, but he had zero traction politically until he became a Birther and basically drafted off of the far right/Tea Party movement.

he was already famous for decades before the show, too

9/13/2016 11:44:28 AM

A lot of people voting for Trump never gave a shit about politics before. It takes effort to pay attention to some asshole drone on in platitudes about hope and change or morning in America or whatever. Not to mention the rare occasions when they actually dig into complex issues. Borrriinnggg.

Trump is entertaining to them and so they listen.

9/13/2016 11:44:47 AM

Quote :

"he was already famous for decades before the show"

Quote :

"heightening of his [existing] national prominence"

I know you just want to point out the stupidity of his supporters, which is fine, but the show played a role too.

9/13/2016 11:49:11 AM

Quote :

"I wonder when the "THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO SHIT" complaints began in this country...1800?"

Strawman? I didn't say the country is going to shit.... but you gotta recognize that the general populace is getting dumbed down. The stupidity that is shown and celebrated on social media and reality TV. is just one cause/indicator... and the fact that f'ing Donald J. Trump is the republican presidential nominee. I mean, that says something about our society.

[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 12:36 PM. Reason : ]

9/13/2016 12:35:20 PM

Quote :

"I didn't say the country is going to shit"

I didn't quote you dummy.

[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 12:43 PM. Reason : V you're arguing that reality TV has dumbed down the American populace to Idiocracy-like levels, sooo]

9/13/2016 12:41:27 PM

And I didn't say it was going to shit either.

9/13/2016 12:42:34 PM

^^no, you didn't quote me, but i basically echoed the same sentiment, so you might as well have, you message-board-weirdo.

9/13/2016 1:00:33 PM

I really need to see Idiocracy. It keeps getting quoted but I feel like the one weird guy in the room watching Family Guy and not knowing the references.

9/13/2016 1:02:38 PM

^^ apparently it takes a village
















to defend a dumb point


[Edited on September 13, 2016 at 1:05 PM. Reason : great teamwork guys!]

9/13/2016 1:05:02 PM

But if you really want me to quote you

Quote :

"Donald J. Trump is the republican presidential nominee. I mean, that says something about the Republican Party"

9/13/2016 1:07:30 PM

goddamn you're a fucking weirdo.

9/13/2016 1:12:55 PM

You've never had him post-stalk you before? Give him 10 minutes and he can bring up everything you've ever said here as long as it supports whatever argument he's making at the time.

Doesn't matter that you might have changed your mind over oh, the last 14-15 years you've been on this board.

9/13/2016 1:24:48 PM

Stop it you're making me blush

9/13/2016 1:35:46 PM

Quote :

"I really need to see Idiocracy. It keeps getting quoted but I feel like the one weird guy in the room watching Family Guy and not knowing the references."

It's worth seeing but it's overrated.

9/13/2016 1:50:17 PM

ridiculously overrated

9/13/2016 1:59:49 PM

yeah...the movie is horrible...the only redeeming quality of it being a scary foreshadowing of where we could end up if we stick to watching 24 hour news coverage and believing the crap the right and left put out

9/13/2016 9:49:22 PM

Only old ass boomers do that, and they'll be dead soon.

9/13/2016 9:51:03 PM

I'm really starting to think Trump is actually going to win. He almost completeky fucked it up back in June and July but since he reshuffled some of his campaign staff he's been on an absolute roll.

As absurd as it sounds, I think this health thing may actually have broken Hillary's will and despite all the messaging about "powering through" I don't think she'll be able to shake off the spectre of weakness and health concerns, justified or not.

I said maybe a month ago that he broke the media, he's rendered them impotent and enraged them so much that they stopped trying to be objective and now their naked disdain for him is playing right into the story he's crafting, while simultaneously they need him for content and ratings. He gets tons of free pub and anything negative they say about him or any stupid thing he says he can pass off as biased reporting from an establishment press that hates him.

It's truly remarkable. Barring some kind of epic collapse late in the game I think he'll end up winning in November. God help us all.

9/14/2016 12:11:18 AM

Quote :

"He almost completeky fucked it up back in June and July but since he reshuffled some of his campaign staff he's been on an absolute roll. "

what in the actual fuck?

9/14/2016 1:09:20 AM

Quote :

"Barring some kind of epic collapse late in the game I think he'll end up winning in November"

lol

9/14/2016 1:46:48 AM

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/#now

Hillary has stabilized in the polls the past few days, but it's still very close, practically neck and neck now.

9/14/2016 2:57:31 AM

70 to 30 is "neck and neck?"

9/14/2016 3:06:01 AM

Polls nationally are 43% to 46.6%, that's almost within the margin of error, it's naive to think Trump couldn't pull off another 3%.

9/14/2016 3:38:12 AM

Just to be clear here I think the guy is a narcissistic douche canoe who has either bad ideas or no ideas depending on the issue being discussed.

I'm just convinced at this point that he's going to win.

[Edited on September 14, 2016 at 5:11 AM. Reason : Zndndk]

[Edited on September 14, 2016 at 5:12 AM. Reason : Xnxjxk]

9/14/2016 5:11:07 AM

My official election forecast is Hillary at 100% chance and Trump at 0%.

9/14/2016 7:12:40 AM

Don't let your hatred for the man cloud how you view the potential of him winning. I think he's got a shot.

I don't even know if the debates are going to matter at this point. I don't view many of his supporters as debate watchers. And the ones that would watch a debate, the performance of either candidate wouldn't affect the outcome for them.

And I feel bad for Hillary. I really do. I wish she could have pushed Obama out of the 08 primary. I would've much rather had her in the WH.

9/14/2016 7:57:48 AM

I actually don't disagree. I think Trump has a real chance. Though his campaign and candidacy is every bit the dumpster fire it was in June and July.

It's quite simple. Trump can spew hundreds of lies a day and no one cares. Clinton has the appearance of being non-transparent and the world gets set on fire. These things matter.

Trump was 100% right when he said he could shoot someone in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue and he wouldn't lose support.

For people smarter than me -- if Trump wins (as I think he will) Ohio, Florida and NC what does Clinton need to survive? Would Virginia and Pennsylvania do it.

Quote :

"now their naked disdain for him is playing right into the story he's crafting"

This is insanity to me. The only reason he is even here is they let him and his staff lie for hours at a time. The media is why he even won the primary in the first place!

[Edited on September 14, 2016 at 8:34 AM. Reason : X]

9/14/2016 8:32:00 AM

Yea but I think it has everything to do with our news outlets (all of them, not just Fox) having sold their souls for viewership, clicks, and ratings. Trump brings all of those.

My only hope at this point is that we get a miracle and Trump actually listens to a cabinet made of reasonable people. Maybe a Trump presidency wouldn't turn out as bad as we think.

Haha yea right. A Trump presidency would be a disaster

9/14/2016 8:50:44 AM

I know you probably don't care as much given your leanings but not only that, but the GOP looks likely to hold the Senate too. Basically the entire federal governance system would be conservative. I don't remember in my lifetime that happening (the court was always a conservative-lean when Democrats held congress/presidency).

9/14/2016 9:03:42 AM

So funny the live poll CNN is always running on odds trump becomes president. Seems like it was at like 5 or 7% a few weeks ago it was at 44% yesterday and now its at 38%.

9/14/2016 9:15:20 AM

Concerning the question about whether Clinton can still win while losing some certain states...538 has a helpful graphic showing all the states as compared to win point

http://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/?ex_cid=rrpromo

If you scroll down you'll see a snake looking graphic that basically shows she doesn't need to win Ohio, NC, Florida, or Nevada assuming she wins anything else that's looking to be in her corner right now

9/14/2016 9:29:53 AM

I do care Nym - I don't think any one group of ideologues should control every branch of our government. We need a balance. Sure there might not be gridlock, but the things that get passed will not always be good things.

But to say a conservative will be in the White House if Trump wins is a bit of disservice to conservatives. Trump is NOT a conservative. It is my belief that he's playing the conservatives for fools and that once he's in the office, we'll see a lot of un-conservative idea come from his administration.

9/14/2016 9:36:30 AM

that why his camp told Pence that if they win, he'd be in control of domestic and foreign policy?

9/14/2016 10:18:59 AM

I know it's hard because he lies every waking second but shouldn't we take what he says about his policy and vision at face value? Why should I believe he won't appoint judges cleared by the Heritage Foundation if that is what he said he would do?

9/14/2016 10:20:36 AM

I'm still in awe that someone could say that he's been on an absolute roll since July

9/14/2016 10:22:00 AM