PLAYPEN: Covid-19 Everything Political

[Alan Klein]

We get that with anyone we elect, regardless of party. 

We have had the "intelligent Americans and others who have bothered to study problems and produced recommendations based on knowledge and reason shape American and world policy," and they pretty much screwed it up.  Its was and is time to do things differently.

Let's make a comparison, not perfect I admit, but its what comes to mind. 

Steve Jobs and Apple.   Apple is currently a very well managed company by all accounts and I'll admit it has made me a bunch of money.  But is Apple still the company it once was?  I'll wager no.  Why?  because while they are well managed by Tim Cook the lack vision of Steve Jobs that made them the company they are now.  Jobs was willing to fail, he was willing to shake things up, he was willing to piss people off, he was willing to tell prople they didn't know want they wanted and then he gave them things they had no idea were coming their way.  He was by all accounts a terrible people manager and business manager, but he was a salesman - and reality star of sorts.  And his main focus was Apple first.

Trump is a lot like Jobs in many respects.  He thinks big, he thinks out loud, he doesn't really care if some folks think is his ideas are crazy, and he is not afraid to fail.  He wants AMERICA FIRST.  America has had many "statesmen" as President who didn't really make a dent.  We don't need the safe now. We need BOLD.  We need someone like Trump.  Warts and all he has performed.  Him pissing off the people is not a bug, its a feature.  He has a vison and people like it.  Its not unlike why Bernie has his following. 

Trump, like Jobs, says he wants something, now find a way to do it. 

We hear a lot of talk about how international politics is nuanced and difficult and requires lots of careful discussion and learning.  Not a gut level thing.

But thats not really true is it?  When you cut to the chase and get past all of the posturing and talk, in the end it comes down to the gut level thing between two men ( or women).  The leaders decide, after all of the diplomats and advisers have their say, if the deal feels right to then...in their gut. A SINGLE MAN on each side of the table makes a choice. 

For me, I want a guy like Trump ( or Steve Jobs) making the gut level calls, because they have been doing it their entire lives.  Win, Lose or Draw.

You're on the mark.  People in government enjoy the anticipated action of a bureaucracy.  It's safe. It's predictable. It's protective.  Trump is the bull in the CHina shop.  That scares people.  Antiseptics in your body? On my.  What horror?  Well, poisonous nuclear waste is pumped into bodies as chemotherapy to save them from cancer. 

When I worked for the NYC government, I came up with this cost savings idea.  I went to see my boss and told him I had this great plan .  He looked at me quizzically and asked me, "Why do you care what it costs?".  Now look at the multi-trillion dollar bailouts that is being supported unanimously in the Senate and by the president.  They didn't even bother to vote on it in the House.  Who cares what it costs?  This is government group think.  Unfortunately, Trump has become part of it as well to a large degree because he wants to get re-elected.  One of the problems with a democracy.  Oh well. 

[Peter McLennan]

According to Science, You're a Huge Jerk

Congrats, a new study says you're probably a douchebag.

No doubt about it.  That's just science.

I've said before here, "The main reason I hate Trump is because he brings out the worst in me."

Anyway, you've played that card before.  Old, tired, lame.

[Alan Klein]

Jobs was smart.

Trump gets things done.  Does anyone think Biden is up to the job of being leader of the free world and president of the United States?  Does anyone think he could go toe-to-toe with Xi, Kim (or his sister), or even for that matter Trudeau?

[Craig Lamson]

I am not familiar with the term "unlimited genders".

Really?  You don't watch the news?  You are not familar with the pronoun police?

[Craig Lamson]

Jobs was smart.

So is Trump. 

[LesPalenik]

So is Trump.

He thinks so.

[Peter McLennan]

Well...

We tried with a highly educated, polished, well-spoken guy, with “zero experience in anything related to government or global issues” because of the color of his skin, and it ended up with disastrous results. So we said, what the heck, let’s try something else this time.

No experience in anything related to government?  Wikipedia:

After graduating, he became a civil rights attorney and an academic, teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Turning to elective politics, he represented the 13th district from 1997 until 2004 in the Illinois Senate, when he ran for the U.S. Senate. Obama received national attention in 2004 with his March Senate-primary win, his well-received July Democratic National Convention keynote address, and his landslide November election to the Senate.

In other words, substantially more governance experience than you-know-who, who had, as I said, zero.

And he was elected "because of the color of his skin"  (Slobodan's words).
Thanks for confirming it. Racism.  Pure and simple.

[faberryman]

Trump gets things done.  Does anyone think Biden is up to the job of being leader of the free world and president of the United States?  Does anyone think he could go toe-to-toe with Xi, Kim (or his sister), or even for that matter Trudeau?

Biden is leading in the polls so I guess a majority of people think he is up for the job.

[Alan Klein]

He thinks so.

Why don't you think Trump is smart?  Here's a guy who beat the Clinton machine and 17 other Republican candidates with lifetime's of political experience.  A non politician who never even ran for any political office becomes president of the United States.  With all the constant attacks over 4 years, he was still able to accomplish many things.  That's smart in my book.  Certainly he's not an intellectual caught up in the minutia of details.  A president has to broad brush things, think big. Think out of the box.  Shake things up.  Meeting with Kim. Canceling NAFTA. Starting a trade war with tariffs. Building a wall.   Moving the American embassy to Jerusalem.  These things take guts as well as smarts.

[Alan Klein]

Biden is leading in the polls so I guess a majority of people think he is up for the job.

Hillary led in the polls until she lost the election.

[Craig Lamson]

He thinks so.

So do I and I'm not alone.  YMMV

[Craig Lamson]

.

And he was elected "because of the color of his skin"  (Slobodan's words).
Thanks for confirming it. Racism.  Pure and simple.

You believe the color of his skin had nothing to do with him being elected? 

[Craig Lamson]

Biden is leading in the polls so I guess a majority of people think he is up for the job.

The only poll that has any value is the one that will happen on election day.

[armand]

Even communists are resisting their totalitarian government:

https://www.the-sun.com/news/735979/coronavirus-california-heatwave-ignore-social-distancing-stay-home/

You mean the largest economy in US, by far, is communist?

[Peter McLennan]

You believe the color of his skin had nothing to do with him being elected?

More confirmation.  Remember your recommendation about holes?

[Peter McLennan]

It appears that Trump won't in the future be participating in the WH daily news briefing.

Trump questioned the value of holding White House press briefings, saying they are "not worth the time & effort" if the media is going to just ask "nothing but hostile questions." Trump also noted the "record ratings" for his appearances.

Not worth the time and effort?  What did he expect to gain from "the time and effort"?

[armand]

You're on the mark.  People in government enjoy the anticipated action of a bureaucracy.  It's safe. It's predictable. It's protective.  Trump is the bull in the CHina shop.  That scares people.  Antiseptics in your body? On my.  What horror?  Well, poisonous nuclear waste is pumped into bodies as chemotherapy to save them from cancer. 

When I worked for the NYC government, I came up with this cost savings idea.  I went to see my boss and told him I had this great plan .  He looked at me quizzically and asked me, "Why do you care what it costs?".  Now look at the multi-trillion dollar bailouts that is being supported unanimously in the Senate and by the president.  They didn't even bother to vote on it in the House.  Who cares what it costs?  This is government group think.  Unfortunately, Trump has become part of it as well to a large degree because he wants to get re-elected.  One of the problems with a democracy.  Oh well.

Are you actually still trying to defend that piece of idiocy with the disinfectant that even Trump is trying to walk away from?

[Alan Klein]

That'a pretty obscene picture that doesn't belong here.  You ought to delete it. 

[chez]

So is Trump.

He just hides it very well.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Well, poisonous nuclear waste is pumped into bodies as chemotherapy to save them from cancer. 

Another piece of Klein-invented, spur-of-the-moment drivel. What on earth do you imagine you are talking about?

Jeremy