So, as of Thursday morning we've had a speaker give Trump a Nazi salute for some reason, a crowd of yokels taking a break from their usual schedule of filling up local newspaper comment sections to chant creepy, third world ideas about how the democratic process works, six billion references to Benghazi and more uses of the words Hillary and Clinton than either Donald or Trump, a campaign team so inept that they gave Ted Cruz a primetime slot to spend twice his allotted speaking time taking a shit on Trump, a deranged man talking about Saul Alinsky and comparing Hillary Clinton to lucifer, a bizarre spectacle of Trump calling in to do a live interview with Bill O'Reilly because his own convention was so boring that apparently he didn't want to watch it, and an opening night of the convention basically devoted to a bunch of random nobodies talking about Benghazi and why America needs to worship law enforcement and the military more.
Meanwhile, other than the House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader, of whom the GOP appeared to mandate their appearance and pretend enthusiasm, fewer than ten members of the Republican Party in Congress (and, unless I missed someone, no governors other than future ex-Governor Pence) bothered to show up to their party's own convention. And here's the thing – regardless of any of this, regardless of the obvious fact that the candidate is a giant child-sociopath with zero interest in anything other than himself, about a third of the country is going to vote for him. Of everyone you see today of voting age, roughly one out of three of them think this is all great.
Just what the doctor ordered for America.
The sad part about this whole degraded and degrading spectacle is not that Trump is going to win. It's the number of your fellow Americans who have retreated so far into their own fantasy world that they actually believe this person should be given access to nuclear weapons, American diplomacy, appointment power, and the legislative process.
We don't need to elect Trump to know we're deeply messed up as an electorate; any number of votes he receives above zero is sufficient evidence of that.
Heaventree says:
Fuck
Gregory Hagin says:
How could you miss the elephant in the room of other future ex-governor Chris Christie? :-)
Paul says:
Future ex-governor Christie was there as well, but yeah, for this being the Republican National Convention, a large number of Republicans from around the nation seem to be hiding in spider holes.
geoff says:
Never thought I'd have anything positive to say about Ted Cruz (aka the man everybody hates) but the Trump camp was dumb enough to give him twenty minutes on national tv and by God he did not let it go to waste. (What were they thinking? You call a guy a liar for months and imply that his father was involved in the JFK assassination FFS you have probably MADE AN ENEMY.)
Skipper says:
What you call the Nazi salute was the way Americans saluted the flag pre-WW2. So, this may have just been part of Trump's plan to bring us back to those halcyon days when we were great.
Jude says:
Good ol' Captain Shitnuts, aka Scott Walker, was also there.
Tony says:
I'd tell you Asa Hutchinson would be outraged you missed his speech, but I'm guessing he doesn't remember giving it either.
SeaTea1967 says:
That last paragraph should have to be memorized by school children the way we used to have to learn the Gettysburg Address.
Alan Christensen says:
I wonder how many Republicans in Congress will quietly vote for Hillary because she's relatively sane and they figure they can work with her.
Timurid says:
PUPPET SHOW AND RNC
fasteddie says:
Yes – 1/3 of the country is nostalgic for the days of white supremacy. We live in a country with a LOT of racist shitheels. Yes – they live among us. Their support of the Republican party is ALL about this fact. They were called "Reagan Democrats" – folks who prefer throwing in with a party that will hurt them financially – BUT – make them feel superior. Low taxes for the wealthy means that their kids can't go to college – but neither can those black kids from across the tracks. Lack of regulation means that corporations can shit on everyone and everything they touch – but mostly on poor brown people. "Conservative Principles" serve white supremacy first and foremost.
fasteddie says:
also – this:
http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2005/10/lunch-discussions-145-crazification.html
Obama vs. Alan Keyes. Keyes was from out of state, so you can eliminate any established political base; both candidates were black, so you can factor out racism; and Keyes was plainly, obviously, completely crazy. Batshit crazy. Head-trauma crazy. But 27% of the population of Illinois voted for him. They put party identification, personal prejudice, whatever ahead of rational judgement. Hell, even like 5% of Democrats voted for him. That's crazy behaviour. I think you have to assume a 27% Crazification Factor in any population.
My take on this is that the 27% is white supremacists. Alan Keyes is black but as a "good" Republican, he surely believes in white supremacy.
Emerson Dameron says:
Proud ignorance (bigotry and otherwise) and playing the victim are a behavioral combination that I find viscerally disgusting.
It's going to be a long four years.
Tim H. says:
Racism isn't the whole story, and this won't fill in all the blanks, labor is becoming obsolete and the .01% would rather keep all the profits, for future shrivel compensation, than participate in any level of socialism. The proles are foolishly looking to the party of oligarchy for relief, their chances are slightly better with HRC, but have you noticed a vast right-wing conspiracy?
mothra says:
Weeeeell….don't only a little over 40 percent of eligible voters actually vote? That means only a third of that slightly more than 40% will vote for Trump and that nearly 60 percent of eligible voters just simply do not vote. Which I find even MORE depressing, honestly.
I am not at all surprised, however, to learn that a third of my fellow citizens are batshit insane sociopaths. I am reminded of that every time I go out in public and have to interact with them.
blahedo says:
Regarding "nuclear weapons, American diplomacy, appointment power, and the legislative process", I still maintain that Trump is less bad than a number of the R alternatives that were presented to us (like, say, Cruz). And not just because of purported unelectability: I think Trump as president, for all his self-absorption (and indeed because of it) would be less likely to push the big red button than someone like Cruz. And while his appointments wouldn't be *good* they strike me as more likely to be in the "mostly harmless" category than Cruz's, who would be actively damaging in a long-term way.
So, there's that.
Berkeley '74 says:
Can someone responsible please explain how a compulsive liar can possibly be given a security clearance ? Something isn't making sense here.
Mike H says:
I tried to talk about good roads and good schools and all these things that have been part of my career, and nobody listened. And then I began talking about niggers, and they stomped the floor.
George Wallace
It's about racism, which just about covers it. These people aren't being tricked into voting against their own interests, they'd rather brown people be subjugated, than be lifted up themselves.
Dan says:
Only a third? That's low.
John Danley says:
The Do Lung Bridge is the best, get here and the GOP will do the rest.
c u n d gulag says:
He doesn't know anything about anything – except how someone treats him. And that's all that matters to this sociopathic narcissist!
What he's said about the national debt, NATO, and other things he's been asked about, are bugfuck shit insane!
A HS student who failed Civics (if they still taught it), and world history after WWII, knows more than Hair Dumb-'n-old!
And keep in mind that 27% number of Authoritarian followers, who'll ANY and EVERY thing they're told.
That means that over 1/4 of the drivers on the highway with you, would gladly run into you head-on, if they're told.
And they may not mind dying as long as they can can see you die before them.
This country is in what I call a "Cold Civil War."
And this time, I'm not so sure the good guys will win.
freelancer says:
Nikki Haley was in attendance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o4X7YMYe_s
ebonkrieg says:
I tried to warn people in 1980; failure. I thought Americans had a chance in 1988; failure. I knew for certain we weren't this stupid in 2000; failure. Given all we had we were led to believe we had failure again in 2004. Hope had a chance in 2008; failure. 2016 is failure in droves.
This simplistic faire is nothing more nor nothing less than a mockery of what we are and have become.
quixote says:
"We don't need to elect Trump to know we're deeply messed up as an electorate; any number of votes he receives above zero is sufficient evidence of that."
^^^ This.
(Except maybe "above one"? You are allowed to vote for yourself, aren't you?)
JustRuss says:
@blahedo: I don't know. Once he became president, that wouldn't be enough for Trump. He'd have to get into a dick-measuring contest with all the other world leaders who aren't treating him fairly, and god knows where that could end up.
Skepticalist says:
I have no liking for Chris Christie but he sounds like and adult when speaking or asked questions by reporters. Damn.
jharp says:
You really made me laugh and I'm just past the first paragraph.
Terrific post Ed.
geoff says:
Shorter Trump: IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
Marcion says:
So ya
Thought ya
Might like to
Go to the show…
To be at the thrilling convention
The G.O.P. throws.
I've got some bad news for you sunshine,
Jeb isn't well, he stayed back at the hotel
And they sent me along, as his surrogate man
We're gonna find out where you fans really stand!
Are there any queers in the arena tonight?
Get them up against the wall!
There's one in the spotlight, he don't look right to me,
Get him up against the wall!
That one looks Muslim!
And that one's a coon!
Who let all of this riff-raff into the room?
There's one smoking a joint,
And another with spots!
If I had my way…
I'd have all of them shot!
Glen H says:
You are screwed. Please don't take the rest of us with you.
mago says:
Glen H? We're all screwed in case you aren't in on the secret. And I keep repeating that "we're all screwed" shit not necessarily because I believe it but because it's succinct and makes good copy.
Major Kong says:
If you want to know what a dick-measuring contest between world leaders looks like I'd suggest you google August 1914.
Wim says:
Is it just me, or does Trump sound exactly like Larry "Bud" Melman?
Tom says:
Nikki Haley was there. So was Rick Scott.
Tom says:
Scott Walker too.
Matt says:
@Wim This video nails it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRly-0wwl_g
Brian M says:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/bill-maher-michael-moore-buzzkill-donald-trump-prediction-will-win-sorry
I fear Ed is wrong. Gawd, I wish I had enough money to qualify for a New Zealand residency. To heck with Canada…way too close to the maelstrom.
James Ritchie says:
If the American public is so thoughtless and lazy, then we have earned this possible horrendous outcome. If this unspeakable horror does happen, I just hope the damage Trump does can be repaired.
Bill says:
Fuck New Zealand. Expensive and too tied up with neoliberal trade bullshit and US and UK intelligence aims.
Move to Uruguay. You can get an indefinite residency visa by passing a criminal background check (and they supposedly only really care about violent crime) and showing income (or equivalent) of $600/month. Best standard of living in Central or South America. Up there with Scandoland and Taiwan for direct democratic participation. Most secular country in the Western Hemisphere. Your USDs will go at least twice as far as they will in the not-complete-shitholes parts of the US. Better weather than Canada.
Wim says:
@Matt Thanks for the link! It is perfect.
Dave Dell says:
I go back and forth. Will the Electoral College match 2008 or 2012?
Secretary Clinton in a walkover. Can't find anyone that I've bet with in the past willing to put any money on Mr. Trump. No one. Not even for small stakes. Not even with odds. These people are deeply red in a deep red state. They'll vote for Mr. Trump but won't send him money… "Losing cause" is part of it but the big reason: "Waste of money better spent on local elections".
I've gotta say this eases my worries.
Tom says:
0: There is no shame to admit you've misjudged somebody, Ed; swallow your pride; help quell the empty clichés & cached responses from C21 political debate.
1: I'm surprised the socialists who comment on this blog aren't salivating at Trump's tax plan.
2: c u n d gulag, reckon you could define "sociopathic narcissist" without deferring to a dictionary? …or are you, like, Ed's pet parrot.
Major Kong says:
You're right, I did misjudge Trump.
At first I thought he was just a harmless buffoon. Now I see him for the demagogue he really is.
As I tell my conservative co-workers: Trump will be the dictator you guys all think Obama is.
democommie says:
Dear Tom:
It's always amusing to read what passes for KKKONSERVATIVE wisdom–as I'm watching the KKKlownKKKar that is the RepuKKKliKKKan party going over a cliff.
Are you gonna jump on the Duck Dynasty Douchebag Diaspora Express with the rest of the Trump Troo Bleeverz when he gets shitcanned?
mskitty says:
@Major Kong – Please, make that "WOULD be the dictator" – because he won't, unless of course there are a zillion terrorist attacks in late October, first week of November. And I hope to god that Hillary prepares for that by bringing it up – debates or ads? – to show that she'll be a "safe pair of hands" when it does happen again … because it does seem to keep happening.
Darius Casamayor says:
Slater said that young people s perceptions risked creating a self fulfilling prophecy as they reacted to the perceived threat by taking up weapons. Слейтер сообщил, что восприятие молодых людей рискует создать накликанную беду , так как их реакцией на представляемую угрозу является ношение оружия.