Trump's America

[River]

And Republicans are backing him up. So does that mean the stereotypes are correct?

[RoseMorninStar]

I think I finally understand Trump.
(...)

He acts the way a Democrat thinks a Republican acts. That's why he does all the things he does, he thinks that is the way he is supposed to act since he is now a Republican. Every stereotype about Republicans that Democrats have, he's trying to live up to them.

I don't think Trump is a Democrat or a Republican. He is a narcissist and an opportunist. They do not fit any 'mold'. They exploit. They have insatiable dreams of money, power, authority, prestige, status, and glory and don't care what vehicle they use to achieve it. It's all about ego. While many people who seek public office have some of these traits, as with many things, it is a matter of degree. Trump believes he could 'shoot someone on 5th avenue and not loose any voters.' His win probably fortified that belief and as a result his beliefs will become more grandiose and bizarre.
I sincerely do not mean to be unkind and I am not trying to lump all Trump voters into one category, but narcissists (like Trump) are uncannily and innately expert at exploiting people (as cult leaders are). They sense fear and utilize it just as snake-oil hucksters of old could work a crowd up into a frenzy to get them to buy whatever they were selling.

Trump doesn't have a political view in the traditional sense of the word, he takes on the opinion of the last person he spoke to.. specifically because he has no ideology of his own. Chameleon-like. This is what has worked for him in the past and why it is not working quite so well now is because there are checks and balances (unlike being in business for one's self) and EVERYTHING is made public. Narcissists bank on being able to tell one person one thing and another person something else and being able to call someone a liar if he is caught. It's his word against theirs. Narcissists usually work opposing sides knowing that one is not likely to communicate with the other & they will believe what he tells them (Believe me!). But with recordings, video, screenshots, they can't maneuver quite as easily as he could with verbal conversation alone. Compounding the issue is that he has no subtlety, and quite frankly I don't think he is smart enough to realize that people will figure him out and call him out on it. I think it's awful that the Republicans will not stand up to him. They are the ones with the most to lose (in the long run).
Narcissists rarely leave anyone 'standing'. They destroy and they move on.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I couldn't have said it any better myself, Rose. That is precisely what I think as well.

[Frelga]

I don't understand what the Republicans are doing. Where's the downside to standing up for the country? President Pence would be a True Believer, so the Evangelicals should be happy (White Evangelicals, anyway). The voters who consider themselves conservatives but think Trump might be going too far would come back. And the reactionary/White Supremacist "base" can be easily led to believe that it was all a Democratic conspiracy.

The only explanation I can see is if they believe they will win in midterms by means other than fair elections.

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

I think I finally understand Trump.
(...)

He acts the way a Democrat thinks a Republican acts. That's why he does all the things he does, he thinks that is the way he is supposed to act since he is now a Republican. Every stereotype about Republicans that Democrats have, he's trying to live up to them.

I don't think Trump is a Democrat or a Republican. He is a narcissist and an opportunist.

You just described almost all prominent Democrats and Republicans.

They exploit. They have insatiable dreams of money, power, authority, prestige, status, and glory and don't care what vehicle they use to achieve it. It's all about ego.

You continue to describe almost all prominent Democrats and Republicans.

While many people who seek public office have some of these traits, as with many things, it is a matter of degree.

Yes, the more prominent ones more so, and the less prominent ones less so.

Compounding the issue is that he has no subtlety

Now THAT is what makes Trump different.

[Frelga]

I don't know what adjective goes with this story. Unfortunately, it's not "unbelievable".

State Dept. hasn't spent any of its $120M to counter foreign election interference: report

The State Department has yet to spend any of the $120 million allocated to it in order to address foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. elections, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Because of the lack of spending, the Global Engagement Center, which is responsible for addressing Russia's disinformation efforts, does not have a single Russian-speaking analyst, according to the Times.

In the final days of the Obama administration, Congress told the Pentagon to give $60 million to the State Department so it could coordinate efforts to fight Russian and Chinese "anti-democratic propaganda," the Times reported.

Tillerson took seven months to decide whether to spend the money but, because the fiscal year was just a few days from ending, the Pentagon said the State Department could no longer get it, the Times reported.

Bolding is mine

[RoseMorninStar]

Frelga, it's part of 'what makes Trump different'.. that lack of subtlety. He isn't even pretending to defend our country against Russia. No sanctions. No attempt at securing fair elections. No nothing. He believes that we are too slow and too foolish to see what he is doing in plain sight. He constantly proclaims his innocence, 'no collusion', but his actions speak for him.

*edited to add: It appears that Putin not only preferred/chose Trump but also had an influence on the picks for Vice-president and Secretary of State.

[Maria]

Interesting:
North Korea willing to talk to US about giving up nuclear weapons, Seoul says
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/06/asia/nor ... index.html

[yovargas]

I don't think Trump is a Democrat or a Republican. He is a narcissist and an opportunist.

You just described almost all prominent Democrats and Republicans.

Can you really not differentiate between the run of the mill, lowercase-n narcissism of many politicians, and the uppercase-N Narcissism of a man who lies about the size of his crowd attendance and brags about being the greatest president in history less than a year into his presidency?

[Frelga]

You guys won't understand why this tweet by Press Sec Sanders made my head go wooga wooga. It's because I grew up hearing how the USSR was going to overtake America by this or that measure any day now.

Great again: “The U.S. is likely to overtake Russia to become the world's largest oil producer”

Also, that's really not the metric that greatness is measured by.

[RoseMorninStar]

I don't think Trump is a Democrat or a Republican. He is a narcissist and an opportunist.

You just described almost all prominent Democrats and Republicans.

Can you really not differentiate between the run of the mill, lowercase-n narcissism of many politicians, and the uppercase-N Narcissism of a man who lies about the size of his crowd attendance and brags about being the greatest president in history less than a year into his presidency?

This was my thought yov.
Many politicians/leaders/businesspersons have a degree of narcissism. Narcissists are more willing to take risks and can handle challenges that would leave most of us shaking in our boots. I definitely think Bill Clinton, Nixon, and a few others would score a few points on the Hare's checklist. I think Trump, however, would score far higher than any president we've ever had. There is also a difference between run-of-the-mill narcissism and malignant narcissism. The constant barefaced lies, the flagrant bullying, his unprofessional manner and vulgarness, the constant bragging and divisiveness. There is a difference between 'not doing nuance' (George W Bush) and having so little control that a person blurts (or tweets) whatever thought comes into their head at any given moment with no reflection, ESPECIALLY one who is in a high stakes position that affects so many people.

[Primula Baggins]

And who may soon be face-to-face with Kim Jong Un. When, as Rose says, Trump has already demonstrated that he'll say anything that aggrandizes himself or that sounds "tough" without any consideration for very real consequences. They'll give him a script, but he'll go off it. Guaranteed. I'm scared in a way I haven't been since the Cold War ended.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I don't know, Trump and Kim are just crazy and mutually-narcissistic enough to make peace together. Thinking of the bragging that both of them could do!

[Primula Baggins]

Making peace (= giving up nukes) is a lose for Kim and a win for Trump. I don't expect Kim will let it happen, or follow through if it does happen.

I'd be overjoyed to be wrong.

[RoseMorninStar]

I doubt I have ever previously agreed with one of our senators, Ron Johnson, but I agree that Trump going to North Korea would be like Charlie Brown to North Korea's/Kim Jong Un's Lucy. North Koreahas a strategy and they won't hesitate to yank that football and Trump will fall for it because it is only too obvious that all it takes for Trump to fall for a scheme is a bit of flattery. Maybe they'll have a military parade or something and he'll agree to anything. Our state department is gutted. We don't have the diplomatic personnel that is needed for this type of mission and you can bet Un will be telling the people of North Korea that Trump is coming to honor him (the people of North Korea view Un as a god).

I would be overjoyed to be wrong too, Prim. I'm not going to hold my breath though.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Making peace (= giving up nukes) is a lose for Kim and a win for Trump. I don't expect Kim will let it happen, or follow through if it does happen.

I'd be overjoyed to be wrong.

I think Kim is irrational enough that it is impossible to predict what he considers a win. Plus, North Korea is so closed that it is difficult to assess just how much pain years of isolation and sanctions have trickled up from the masses to the elite. Maybe there is a calculation that they can't take it much longer. Or maybe Kim just wants to be seen as a great peacemaker. Or maybe pigs will fly.

For years I have said it is better to talk than not to talk. I said it about Obama when he opened up dialogue with Iran, and with Cuba, and I won't apply a different standard to Trump, despite the obvious reservations that must be applied.

[Frelga]

While I think the Nobel they gave Obama was premature at the time and unearned in retrospect, I feel confident in saying that his idea of diplomacy is somewhat different from Trump's.

What I mean is that I would totally apply a different standard to the necessity of brain surgery based on whether it is going to be performed by a neurosurgeon or a plumber.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

True, all the way around. I don't have high hopes, but I don't have hopes, such as they are.

[RoseMorninStar]

While talk is preferable over military action, ill-prepared or unbridled 'off the cuff' talk can quickly go off the rails and escalate tensions. The leaders of North Korea do not have a good track record of sticking to agreements while expecting advantage for themselves. If one doesn't know what they are doing and has no experience, especially dealing with such a different culture and such high stakes, it doesn't bode well. I suppose they could get advice from Dennis Rodman (I can't believe I just typed that). Ugh.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Rex Tillerson has been fired as Secretary of State, to be replaced by CIA director Mike Pompeo, in turn will be replaced by the current deputy director of the CIA, Gina Hapsel, who would become the first female director of the agency if she is confirmed.