Trump, Clinton......

[Canadiens2099]

I spend half the year in Washington State and the other half in Eastern Canada. I am utterly confused about the presidential race. Does Trump really have a chance? What will a Trump presidency or even a Clinton presidency mean going forward. Just weird stuff. Any politically savvy people out there who can enlighten us

[iwinthings]

I hope he wins it all just for the laughs.

[Rylant]

I am still in denial, saying that Sanders is still going to pull it off.

In all seriousness though, it is a scary situation. I am "fairly" confident that Clinton will win the general election, but I do have a feeling that there are going to be a LOT of people out there, who are going to be of the mindset "no... Trump is a joke. He can't win...". Sadly, I think that is going to make the election a lot closer than I will be comfortable with. Trump CAN win.

I can't imagine the effect a US Trump President would have on the world...

Rylant

[keytolife]

From the outside looking in, it´s hard to believe what is happening. There were a lot of "IQ-tests failed, America "- memes going on and thats spot on.

[finminer]

I'm really disappointed in my country that someone like Trump can make it this far. However, something like this has been coming for awhile. The Republican party is such a disaster that there's a big hole where an opportunist like Trump can read the public and appeal to their baser instincts. It's been really clear from the last two presidential elections that they can't present a viable candidate. Both McCain and Romney were compromises, trying to find someone acceptable to the party but actually with a chance of being elected. When Obama gets elected, they stonewall everything he tries to do, which they said publicly up front that they would do. So he goes around them, then they complain that what's he's doing is illegal. On the other hand, you have the Democrats. Hillary has been the anointed one for a long time and it's pretty clear that she'll get her chance. However, she's not all that likable and will be stonewalled just as Obama has been. It will be more of the same for her term.

Sad to say, but there are a lot of people in the U.S. who are backwoods, ignorant rednecks, even in positions of power today. I live in Texas, which is one of the worst states. The Republican governor, Greg Abbott, called out the Texas National Guard to monitor U.S. Army military maneuvers in the state, because a small group of people thought that Obama was sending them to get their guns. Abbott spent taxpayer money to monitor his own government's army maneuvers. That's the kind of stupidity we're talking about. A lot of these people probably don't vote, but Trump's posturing is raising their interest and bringing them out. If left-leaning voters don't turn out like they did for Obama, Trump has a good shot. Then all bets are off. But I think people will see pretty quickly that he can't do all the things he promised and he will flounder. But it's pretty disgusting the ignorance, racism and out-and-out hatred people buy into.

[Atomic Wedgy]

Think of how stupid the average person is in the world.... well then try to contemplate that half the people you are thinking about are even dumber than that. The world is absolutely filled with idiocy. The question is not whether Trump will become president, the question is how can people be so incredibly fearful to make that a possibility. Make no mistake, Trump is selling fear and a lot of people are buying. How in the hell did we get to the point that this is actually a reality? It is completely mind boggling.

[butch]

I'd like to see Hilary take the high road and avoid the smearing and just stick to her platform (whatever it is)

I cant believe 8 years has almost passed by

[Pengwin7]

I believe, by statistics/analytics, Hilary is considered a near lock to win presidency.
But Trump has a chance, he really does... (oof)

Trump is dangerous candidate though... because he's appealing to a lot of a demographic that is:
i) Annoyed as shit with how they feel much of the country (esp. democrats) view them
ii) Represents a voter-base that probably only shows up at a 50% rate to begin with... but now they are so... so riled up... that they have rallied together enough where that extra 10% maybe 20% of them will now turn out at polls.
Extra voter turn out. That's dangerous - and not something analytics can capture.

One of my fave analytics site is 538 fivethirtyeight.com... where they cover everything from SPORTS to POLITICS.
538... and Nate Silver (the guy who nailed his prediction on all 50 states in the 2012 election) actually MISSED the prediction that Trump would win the Republican nomination.
Why?
Well - because even analytics can't capture the surging flow of a cult-following that really rallies their group.
The media gave Trump so much face-time and hate... that people will show up and back somebody if they feel like the way they believe (if Trump-ish) is being publicly slandered.
They'll show up, at the polls, to silently say "I feel the same way as you guys are hating on."
It's a dangerous phenomenon... Trump voter turn-out.


For clarity, I don't vote.
I'm a dual citizen in the US. My political stance (according to my wife) is right smack-dab in the MIDDLE of the political spectrum. (*Though I do believe Hilary is best candidate for US for 2017-2020)
[My wife is an EXTREMIST liberal. God bless her. Wonderful, wonderful girl. Can't manage a budget - but everything else about her is incredible.]
I find that the US republican party has a LOT of flaws that I can not accept.
I find that the US democratic party has several flaws that I can not accept.
You Canadians... at least you have extra parties. The US needs that. It is an incredibly polarized country.

Trump is not a good candidate.
Regardless of where he stands, he's not a politician. People need experience in government, in politics... to be a good president.
Even if he was of a different ilk - one that people thought was admirable (a la Sanders) - the population still shouldn't support somebody that has no significant political background.

It's like needing heart surgery... and maybe you don't like your options.
It's still not a good enough reason to ask your financial advisor to do your heart surgery.
That's.just.silly.

I'm not a political person, but this year's election really concerns me.
Overall - there's been way too many people in this country (the US) that feel it is acceptable to piss off others with their strong opinions.
It's one of the reasons why we all try so hard to keep the conversation here on the forums... civil.
If you have enough people in any location start flinging poo back and forth - eventually... you end up living in a zoo.

Rant.over.

[GinFizz]

@ Peng - What if your financial advisor was being over looked by some really talented heart surgeons? If they oversaw the persons every move and advised on all the in and outs of the surgery? Would it make that much of a difference?

Obama had like next to no experience in government..

[Goldendelicious]

It would be awesome if Trump wins and creates tons of jobs, stimulates the economy and is better President anyone could ever dream of.

It would also be nice if the Americans didn't have to drag this show on for 2+ years.

[Wonko]

I'm really disappointed in my country that someone like Trump can make it this far. However, something like this has been coming for awhile. The Republican party is such a disaster that there's a big hole where an opportunist like Trump can read the public and appeal to their baser instincts. It's been really clear from the last two presidential elections that they can't present a viable candidate. Both McCain and Romney were compromises, trying to find someone acceptable to the party but actually with a chance of being elected. When Obama gets elected, they stonewall everything he tries to do, which they said publicly up front that they would do. So he goes around them, then they complain that what's he's doing is illegal. On the other hand, you have the Democrats. Hillary has been the anointed one for a long time and it's pretty clear that she'll get her chance. However, she's not all that likable and will be stonewalled just as Obama has been. It will be more of the same for her term.

Sad to say, but there are a lot of people in the U.S. who are backwoods, ignorant rednecks, even in positions of power today. I live in Texas, which is one of the worst states. The Republican governor, Greg Abbott, called out the Texas National Guard to monitor U.S. Army military maneuvers in the state, because a small group of people thought that Obama was sending them to get their guns. Abbott spent taxpayer money to monitor his own government's army maneuvers. That's the kind of stupidity we're talking about. A lot of these people probably don't vote, but Trump's posturing is raising their interest and bringing them out. If left-leaning voters don't turn out like they did for Obama, Trump has a good shot. Then all bets are off. But I think people will see pretty quickly that he can't do all the things he promised and he will flounder. But it's pretty disgusting the ignorance, racism and out-and-out hatred people buy into.

Well written and thought out. I agree with most of these sentiments.

[Kofax]

@ Peng - What if your financial advisor was being over looked by some really talented heart surgeons? If they oversaw the persons every move and advised on all the in and outs of the surgery? Would it make that much of a difference?

Obama had like next to no experience in government..

I'm not into politics, but in your example above, it does make a difference. Reaction time is a big issue here, picking up on something small quickly and making the right decision to correct it quickly and avoid catastrophe is imperative. If you have someone directing you, explaining to you what to do, there is lag time.

In many situations, lag time isn't a problem, you have the time to be directed properly and to do it right. But when you're in a certain situation, and things go wrong, and you have to think on your feet and react quickly, that's where you need an expert with experience and your financial advisor being directed will not cut it.

[Instant Karma]

Historically in American Presidential elections, a candidate cannot win without winning the center. I frankly can't see Trump making much in the way of inroads there. Trump has also effectively alienated Hispanics, which are one of the fastest-growing portions of the electorate. No matter how much he tries to back-pedal that it's not going to go away.

Winning the Republican nomination is not the daunting feat that it may seem. He won out against a field of 15 other candidates who all managed to drown each other out while at the same time failing to distinguish themselves (at least in any positive way). He was just the loudest and most chaotic voice in a loud and chaotic room.

I don't see him winning barring some crazy October Surprise that effectively disqualifies Clinton (which I wouldn't entirely rule out).

A few weeks ago, Chuck Todd on MTP laid out several election scenarios that made it seem highly unlikely that Trump could get the required votes in the Electoral College. I'll see if I can find a link to it.

[Zorro]

I'd love to hear more from our American brothers and sisters about Donald Trump..

What would be the worst things you would fear for your country if Donald Trump was elected President??

[Instant Karma]

I'd love to hear more from our American brothers and sisters about Donald Trump..

What would be the worst things you would fear for your country if Donald Trump was elected President??

I expect it would be a step towards the rise of fascism in the U.S. It's something that I've been concerned about dating back to the aftermath of 9/11, leading to the Patriot Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. (Sound familiar?)

I realize that it sounds very Chicken Little-esque even to my own ears, but reading about Germany during the Weimar Republic and the early days of the Nazi Party, much of the rhetoric and political sentiments are eerily similar to what we're hearing now.