Pentagon: "Trump is endangering US security"

[kenny]

Will someone please shut this stupid man up?
He's poking a hornet's nest with a stick.

But then maybe I should be egging him on, as long as his blustering doesn't result in more terror attacks.
If he gets the nomination the right just handed the oval office to Hillary since Trump is not electable.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35047105

 

[katharath]

I like this recent yahoo article because it summarizes all of the worst things he's said. The one about Jeb Bush's wife was new to me, though obviously in no way surprising.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/dear-america-republican-presidential-front-215419145.html

 

[ksinger]

He's a rank amateur compared to the gun-totin' Michele Fiore.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/125669/fiore-says-she-does-not-want-shoot-refugees

 

[kenny]

How can these 'charming' people be so popular?
Candidates for president of the United States? Really?
This is the best they could find?

 

[OreoRosies86]

I wonder if we are ever going to get another Lincoln or Jefferson.

 

[lulu]

I wonder if we are ever going to get another Lincoln or Jefferson.

Jefferson kept slaves.

 

[kenny]

I wonder if we are ever going to get another Lincoln or Jefferson.

Jefferson kept slaves.

... and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s views on equality for gays would not pass muster in 2015.

Jefferson and King have lots of company.
History is chock full of heroes who would fail dismally the latest tests of politically correctness.

That's a lot of US bills to reprint and American grade/middle/high schools, counties, cities, universities, parks, and boulevards to rename.
I even predict the days are numbered for that national holiday, Columbus Day, as the curtain pulled back and we learn more.

A country on a perpetual mission to become more moral improves every year.
This is one of the things I do love about America, but should all historical figures be judge by 2015 standards?
Maybe, maybe not.

Just saying ... rather, just asking.
I don't know the answer.

 

[kenny]

More ...
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35033747
Partial snip:

Over the past few weeks, word spread that Republican elders were increasingly anxious at the damage Donald Trump was doing to their party's long-term presidential prospects.

With the New York real estate tycoon's latest pronouncement on closing the US borders to all Muslims, that anxiety has become palpable panic.

Virtually all of Mr Trump's fellow candidates have condemned him, and Republican officials, past and present - from former Vice-President Dick Cheney to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan - have joined the fray.

"As a conservative who truly cares about religious liberty, Donald Trump's bad idea and rhetoric send a shiver down my spine," tweeted Matt Moore, head of the Republican Party in South Carolina, a key early voting state in the presidential primary process.

Behind this barrage of criticism is fear that Mr Trump's controversial statements, which would be campaign killers for more traditional candidates, are solidifying his support among increasingly restive conservatives at the expense of the party's long-term ability to assemble the voting coalitions necessary to win the presidency.

 

[kenny]

My take on BBC's story above ...

Yes, Trump is a huge embarrassment ... but he's only one man.
One embarrassment among 318 million would not be such a big deal ........... but this man polling as the FIRST choice!
Listen to what that says!

For such a man to be the front runner for the Republican party's nomination of President of the United States, America has to be swarming with citizens of whom I am deeply embarrassed.

On behalf of my country, I apologize to every non-American here on PS.

Don't worry.
He won't win.

Further, I suspect his party will suffer so much damage and disgrace that it won't win for many many election cycles.

The worst part is (even though we'll get a decent president) this all proves tens of millions of Americans are ... well, you get the idea.

 

[momhappy]

Will someone please shut this stupid man up?
He's poking a hornet's nest with a stick.

But then maybe I should be egging him on, as long as his blustering doesn't result in more terror attacks.
If he gets the nomination the right just handed the oval office to Hillary since Trump is not electable.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35047105

So, Trump is not electable because (among other reasons) he is endangering US security, but Hillary, who endangered National Security with her email scandal, is? Interesting.....
By the way, the House just passed legislation by an overwhelming majority (407-19) to overhaul the Visa waiver program barring those from Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Sudan, so Trump is not the only one engaging in a dialogue about how to move forward with a flawed system that potentially allows toxic individuals to enter the US.
There are some rather embarrassing candidates on the democratic side too, IMO. It will certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out.

 

[chrono]

What is more frightening is that so many Americans are agreeing with Trump's view, otherwise there is no other explanation as to why he is leading the polls.

 

[Niel]

What bothers me most is the people who support him like to call Obama "Hitler" because why? Does he want to monitor or keep out Muslims? No. He wants a single payer healthcare.

He poses a real threat to Americans merely by his views on women, minorities, the poor, the handicapped, and Muslims..... Let alone his threats to national security

 

[Niel]

Will someone please shut this stupid man up?
He's poking a hornet's nest with a stick.

But then maybe I should be egging him on, as long as his blustering doesn't result in more terror attacks.
If he gets the nomination the right just handed the oval office to Hillary since Trump is not electable.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35047105

So, Trump is not electable because (among other reasons) he is endangering US security, but Hillary, who endangered National Security with her email scandal, is? Interesting.....
By the way, the House just passed legislation by an overwhelming majority (407-19) to overhaul the Visa waiver program barring those from Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Sudan, so Trump is not the only one engaging in a dialogue about how to move forward with a flawed system that potentially allows toxic individuals to enter the US.
There are some rather embarrassing candidates on the democratic side too, IMO. It will certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out.

You're opinion is your opinion and you're welcome to it. But do tell me what compares on the Democratic side to making fun of the disabled

 

[momhappy]

I actually don't care to get into a political debate, which is why I offered a brief post and moved on. I find a couple of democratic nominees particularly frightening (in different ways), but I don't think this the proper platform for it. For what it's worth, I didn't say that I agreed with Trump, or even that I was a fan of his, but I just wanted to point out that others have engaged in a dialogue about how to appropriately handle the threat against American safety & security.

 

[AGBF]

Will someone please shut this stupid man up?
He's poking a hornet's nest with a stick.

But then maybe I should be egging him on, as long as his blustering doesn't result in more terror attacks.
If he gets the nomination the right just handed the oval office to Hillary since Trump is not electable.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35047105

So, Trump is not electable because (among other reasons) he is endangering US security, but Hillary, who endangered National Security with her email scandal, is? Interesting.....
By the way, the House just passed legislation by an overwhelming majority (407-19) to overhaul the Visa waiver program barring those from Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Sudan, so Trump is not the only one engaging in a dialogue about how to move forward with a flawed system that potentially allows toxic individuals to enter the US.

There are some rather embarrassing candidates on the democratic side too, IMO. It will certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out.

You're opinion is your opinion and you're welcome to it. But do tell me what compares on the Democratic side to making fun of the disabled

I was going to post in response to your comment when I first read it, momhappy, but life here in the fast lane got away from me. (My father never paid the bill for his secondary insurance so the hospital called to say that the card number he gave them wasn't good; only his Medicare number was good. I did not know he had not paid the bill for his secondary insurance in over 60 days, however. It took some phone calls to figure out why the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield was being denied.) But I digress.

In truth, I was only embarrassed for one candidate during one exchange during the first Democratic Presidential Debate. That was when Lincoln Chafee was asked about his vote on whether to repeal The Glass-Steagall Act. He came across as childish and whining. I cringed for him. Other than at that moment, I felt no embarrassment for any candidate.

When I had listened to the Republicans, however, I did nothing but cringe. There are some Republican candidates whom I consider intelligent and qualified to be president, even if I think that they would take this country in a terrible direction. There are more whom I consider to be completely unqualified, however.

Deb/AGBF

 

[katharath]

There is certainly no one, in either party, who compares to the awfulness that is Trump. Carson keeps trying to come close, but it's really no contest.

 

[chemgirl]

In Canada, but we elected our new leader back in October and it's interesting how things played out.

The incumbent was a conservative and made some fairly offensive statements (nothing compared to Trump, but policies concerning Muslim people weren't exactly fair). Polls showed him to be in the lead and the other party leaders weren't exactly standouts.

Something interesting happened on election night. The polls were wrong. People vote in record numbers, young people in particular, and areas that had been historically conservative became liberal. People hated one candidate so much that they went out and voted against him rather than for someone else.

I think this will happen with Trump as well.

Regarding polls, at least here they are normally telemarketing calls to landlines. My theory is that younger people use cell phones, have caller ID, and generally don't answer the phone if they don't recognize a number. An assumption, but those who would support someone like Trump are probably older or less tech savvy than those who would support a more progressive candidate. This could explain the poll numbers.

 

[OreoRosies86]

I wonder if we are ever going to get another Lincoln or Jefferson.

Jefferson kept slaves.

Erm, I'm aware of that. His presidential legacy left absolutely no impression other than slavery? K.

We have many great minds at our disposal in 2015 where we should be learning from our past, and I see practically none of them being represented as candidates.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Don't know which worse. A nutty Trump or a Prez who refuses to say the words Islamic extremists.

 

[0-0-0]

I seriously hope the Trump phenomenon causes the GOP and conservative media to reflect on their reliance on fear mongering tactics. But the situation may have reached a tipping point where more and more independent actors like Trump are simply playing to the crowd and egging them on.

 

[Dancing Fire]

My take on BBC's story above ...

Yes, Trump is a huge embarrassment ... but he's only one man.
One embarrassment among 318 million would not be such a big deal ........... but this man polling as the FIRST choice!
Listen to what that says!

For such a man to be the front runner for the Republican party's nomination of President of the United States, America has to be swarming with citizens of whom I am deeply embarrassed.

On behalf of my country, I apologize to every non-American here on PS.

Don't worry.
He won't win.

Further, I suspect his party will suffer so much damage and disgrace that it won't win for many many election cycles.

The worst part is (even though we'll get a decent president) this all proves tens of millions of Americans are ... well, you get the idea.

Scare about our National Security!

 

[distracts]

How can these 'charming' people be so popular?
Candidates for president of the United States? Really?
This is the best they could find?

Because there are a lot of small-minded people to whom these ideas appeal. THAT is what is truly terrifying.

 

[momhappy]

Don't know which worse. A nutty Trump or a Prez who refuses to say the words Islamic extremists.

Yes, I'm disturbed by that too

 

[momhappy]

Since I don't personally know each and every Trump supporter, I would never presume to know if they were small-minded or not... I feel that many Americans are simply responding to the fact that our safety and security is at risk, which doesn't necessarily make them all small-minded IMO.

 

[Niel]

How can these 'charming' people be so popular?
Candidates for president of the United States? Really?
This is the best they could find?

Because there are a lot of small-minded people to whom these ideas appeal. THAT is what is truly terrifying.

From my understanding they are happy to call it terrorism, just reluctant to give it a name that labels it as a religious terrorism. Probably because it causes biggoted broad Muslim hatred.

At least they call it terrorism, Republicans sure seem reluctant to call home grown terrorism what it is.

 

[kenny]

Regarding polls, at least here they are normally telemarketing calls to landlines. My theory is that younger people use cell phones, have caller ID, and generally don't answer the phone if they don't recognize a number. An assumption, but those who would support someone like Trump are probably older or less tech savvy than those who would support a more progressive candidate. This could explain the poll numbers.

Good point.
Hope you're right ... not because I think Trump has a chance but because maybe Trump is not really in the lead if there was a way to reach all voters.
If Trump's not really in the lead then I can breath again.

 

[Snowdrop13]

And in other news..... A petition calling for a ban on Donald Trump entering the UK has reached 250,000 signatures, which means a debate on the issue by our MPs may be triggered!

 

[Jambalaya]

Donald Trump is really inflammatory. I wonder how much of what he says is just posturing, and/or a publicity-grab on the grounds that people are more likely to vote for him if they've seen his face splashed all over.

If he really believes what he is saying, there are more moderated ways of saying it, and more moderate forms of some of his ideas. If he was truly concerned about America I don't think he'd be so divisive. Right now he is just coming across as a thug and a bully - bullying innocent, peaceful people.

I don't like him at all.

 

[ksinger]

Since I don't personally know each and every Trump supporter, I would never presume to know if they were small-minded or not... I feel that many Americans are simply responding to the fact that our safety and security is at risk, which doesn't necessarily make them all small-minded IMO.

True, but concern over national security does not automatically mean that a person has to run into the waiting arms of the loudest, braying demagogue who promises to register the entire population of Muslims in the US, to deny entry based on a religion, and to build an actual wall to keep out Mexicans. Thinking that any problem that exists in this world is going to be "fixed" by such things is simple-minded. His followers are truly made for him because the man himself seems to have a simple-minded grasp of the complexity of the problems facing us. Or, he isn't that stupid, in which case he's lying to and manipulating his followers. Neither option makes him very attractive.

So, the fact that a spokesman from the Pentagon - that organization known for being lax on security - has spoken out about the danger Trump's words are creating, is very telling, if you ask me. As usual, the irony of him supposedly being all about security, while actually making us less secure with incendiary rhetoric, is lost on his supporters.

I bet the military and the actual national security world of the CIA and NSA are just cringing right now, and are making deep contingency plans of how to skillfully thwart the boss for 4 years, should the worst occur. Unless of course, we have some Curtis Lemay character lurking there, if so, we are well and truly screwed.

 

[momhappy]

Since I don't personally know each and every Trump supporter, I would never presume to know if they were small-minded or not... I feel that many Americans are simply responding to the fact that our safety and security is at risk, which doesn't necessarily make them all small-minded IMO.

True, but concern over national security does not automatically mean that a person has to run into the waiting arms of the loudest, braying demagogue who promises to register the entire population of Muslims in the US, to deny entry based on a religion, and to build an actual wall to keep out Mexicans. Thinking that any problem that exists in this world is going to be "fixed" by such things is simple-minded. His followers are truly made for him because the man himself seems to have a simple-minded grasp of the complexity of the problems facing us. Or, he isn't that stupid, in which case he's lying to and manipulating his followers. Neither option makes him very attractive.

So, the fact that a spokesman from the Pentagon - that organization known for being lax on security - has spoken out about the danger Trump's words are creating, is very telling, if you ask me. As usual, the irony of him supposedly being all about security, while actually making us less secure with incendiary rhetoric, is lost on his supporters.

I bet the military and the actual national security world of the CIA and NSA are just cringing right now, and are making deep contingency plans of how to skillfully thwart the boss for 4 years, should the worst occur. Unless of course, we have some Curtis Lemay character lurking there, if so, we are well and truly screwed.

Judging by the incredibly high number of firearms sold very recently, it doesn't appear to me as though Americans are running into the arms of anyone. Sounds to me like they are taking their safety & security into their own hands....
I have my doubts as to whether or not Trump will even make it on the ballot. Sure, he has appealed to many, but that doesn't necessarily translate into reality.