Rand Paul's ACA Replacement

[Mark E. Hurling]

How the *hell* did this come about? I am pretty sure I wrote "NOT as impressive".

Perhaps you might take a look at the take on TR here. Because he and Trump share an uncomfortable bunch of personality characteristics.

And although the presidency began to amass more power during the 1880s, Roosevelt completed the transition to a strong, effective executive. He made the President, rather than the political parties or Congress, the center of American politics. Roosevelt did this through the force of his personality and through aggressive executive action. He thought that the President had the right to use any and all powers unless they were specifically denied to him. He believed that as President, he had a unique relationship with and responsibility to the people, and therefore wanted to challenge prevailing notions of limited government and individualism; government, he maintained, should serve as an agent of reform for the people. Theodore Roosevelt: Impact and Legacy?Miller Center

I'll grant that I have what is probably a minority view of TR, but he was certainly a self aggrandizing narcissist. He engineered the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War as a vehicle to rise in national politics. Even before he succeeded the assassinated McKinley, he undertook to Make America Great through building up the US Navy while Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He engineered a revolt in the Colombian province of Panama to get control of the Panama Canal construction. His Bull Moose Party split the republican vote and saddled the US with Woodrow Wilson.

I don't find some of those things so wonderful, and given the distaste by so many Europeans for American adventurism, I'll just bet you find even more to dislike. Now that perhaps you have been better informed.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Well, you might have mistaken it for sarcasm.

To be honest, I don't read your posts that carefully.

[Tiedemies]

To be honest, I don't read your posts that carefully.

Touché.

But then again, as my little awkward error revealed, neither do I.

[Tiedemies]

Perhaps you might take a look at the take on TR here. Because he and Trump share an uncomfortable bunch of personality characteristics.


I'll grant that I have what is probably a minority view of TR, but he was certainly a self aggrandizing narcissist. He engineered the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War as a vehicle to rise in national politics. Even before he succeeded the assassinated McKinley, he undertook to Make America Great through building up the US Navy while Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He engineered a revolt in the Colombian province of Panama to get control of the Panama Canal construction. His Bull Moose Party split the republican vote and saddled the US with Woodrow Wilson.

I don't find some of those things so wonderful, and given the distaste by so many Europeans for American adventurism, I'll just bet you find even more to dislike. Now that perhaps you have been better informed.

I am not contesting anything you say. I made the comparison, not because of the differences, but because the blatant similarities.

TR was many things, and he was known for his bravado, even narcissism. This he shares with Trump, among other things. But there is one crucial difference in character and disposition. TR did not bitch and whine, to the best of my knowledge, about people not agreeing with him. And for the record, I did say *politics aside*. I find most of the content of his policies rather distasteful. It was his character that I find impressive.

[Philbert]

His policy positions are great. His personal/political skills are abysmal. He didn't even acknowledge my wife's presence. It was a disappointment. He's no Trump.

So Trump is the benchmark for personal/political skills? . . .

No, but you can be absolutely sure he would have acknowledged Mrs. Kirkham.

[nykid]

The "status quo" would have been dramatically altered, not maintained, if HRC had been granted the opportunity to appoint one more more justices to the Supreme Court. I can't say for sure what kind of judge trump will appoint but we all know what kind of judge HRC would've appointed. We were on the precipice of a "brave new world" and if trumps greatest accomplishment is defeating HRC and keeping her out of the white house he will still have done enough to satisfy me.

Would the "status quo" have been dramatically altered if Merrick Garland had been appointed to the Supreme Court?

I don't know what "brave new world" you're referring to but I have to assume you are anti-abortion and pro Citizens United, which means we're not going to agree here.

Mrs. Clinton was a tool of foreign governments, or anybody else who would pay. The status quo economy has been below 3% GDP growth for the past 10 years. I assume you're not self-employed, or you would not be okay with that either.

That HRC was a tool of foreign governments is not an evidence-based claim. Certainly it seems a bit silly given Trump's Russian Problem. Anyway, agree to disagree there... moving on... if you think GDP growth is going to go to 4+% in the next four years I'll bet you a thousand dollars you're wrong. And I am self-employed (freelancer), and the last 8 years have suited me just fine. In particular, my investments since 2008 have been killing. But that's not what I base my vote on - what will enrich me personally the most (Trump will suit me fine as well).

He already has. You have not been paying attention to anything but MSNBC.

He has how? By eroding Americans' trust in institutions and by making it "acceptable" for the POTUS to spew lies every time he opens his mouth? You may have a point. If you mean by fundamentally altering the fact that the country is controlled by the wealthiest elites and their corporate holdings, then no he is has not changed anything and will not change anything. I'll bet another thousand dollars he doesn't even get the infrastructure plan through congress.

Nice little ad hominem slipped in there w/ MSNBC

There will not be a 20% tariff on Mexican imports. You don't understand how the man works. I'd love to buy a car from you, but I'd prefer that you not sell my car for me.

It was an example I pulled from the day's headlines. I'm not worried it will actually come to pass, though the quiver is more than full when it comes to stupid shit Trump has said he wants to do.

You may be right - I don't understand how the man works. You do? Please tell me, then -- what the great achievements of his presidency will be.