This reply got 6k likes and I’ve never heard of the guy! Perhaps on that metric he should run for president
Current Affairs 2020 Democratic Primary
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dholliday
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He's not started any new military conflicts which cost lives, money and stability.
He's taken a hard line against the 'made in china' domination which has endangered Western manufacturing industries.
He's publicly engaging with the people in an open unprecedented manner.
He's the first President to openly admit the existence and damaging almighty power of the Military Industrial Complex. While he admits his influence is limited, he at least tries to push things in a more business-driven rather than military direction. His candidness and attitude, as well as his political-outsider status, may make it easier for the next President to make a more effective stand against this complex (which, lest we forget, has been responsible for so much damage in the world...including here in Germany).
Is that the typical answer?
dholliday
deconstructed rep
This reply got 6k likes and I’ve never heard of the guy! Perhaps on that metric he should run for president
He's getting that attention on the back of Tulsi. Take away the Tulsi effect, and what engagement does this guy have within hours of him posting something?
He has over 350k followers so I guess quite a lot ! Fwiw Tulsi herself has 750k which doesn’t seem dramatically more given the extensive exposure that being a candidate brings.
dholliday
deconstructed rep
Fair point. Twitter has insane levels of engagement. Personally never understood that site, and never seen a normal discussion on there. It's a mystery to me why so many people use it.
Twitter is great for getting fast information and specific information but despite it being a thriving ecosystem you always have to keep in mind it isn’t very representative - only 1 in 5 Americans use it after all.
dholliday
deconstructed rep
i wish the mainstream media would take heed, yet they've allowed Twitter spats to shape narratives. It's become defacto representative because of traditional media's over-reliance on it.
I knew you would mention war. I did not like Bush but September 11th gave him no choice but to attack Afghanistan. America wanted answers and retribution simple as that. As for Iraq I agree that should not have happened.
We cannot compare Trump with Bush in that respect because Trump hasn't been in charge during a major attack on American soil. The one thing we can compare though is Trump trying his best to destabilise the middle east without war.
Sure he has taking a "stance" but that's just it. It's all bluster. The tariffs hurt Americand more than China. A country he still does a lot of business with especially his daughter. It's all bluster. He doesn't even understand the consequences of tariffs.
Open to the public via twitter and much of it is nonsense and hate. It's not exactly a good quality to come off as a 12 year old who is easily offended. Most of the president's before him had no twitter or social media so it's kind of an unfair comparison. Obama used his staff when he was busy as far.as.i know and they tweeted for him too. He and Bush would talk to the "people" as much as warranted.
It must be noted that the press secretary had not been seen in months. They have not discussed anything with the press and public neither from his or her mouth or by anyone else's. Trump going on tantrums is not exactly transparent and open.
The last part I will largely ignore because simply its nonsense other than to say. He has greenlighted more military spending that had been on hold and he and his administration has hampered military law by getting involved when they shouldn't. Undermining their hierarchy and rules.
He does nothing but talk about how much bigger the military needs to be. Including talking about creating a "space force". Which is useless.
He has poked at countries threatening them with devastation. Creating tense and complicated relations even with allies.
Just.becuase he hasn't put boots on the ground doesnt mean he is suddenly a humanitarian. He has flipped flopped so many times on his views of war.
dholliday
deconstructed rep
WTF??
As far as the US was concerned the taliban was responsible. That's what intelligence said so they went after them and their leader who was in Afganistan.
Not sure why that is surprising or a shock.
I never said I agreed or condoned it. But I do see why. Its what happened based on facts and intelligence
dholliday
deconstructed rep
You think they would have just sat on it?
Or sit on it during any massive terrorist attack.
You are very naive if you think countries wouldn't look for retribution after an attack as big as Sept 11 especially a country like this one.
Again i do not condone war. But i do see why they went into Afghanistan. If you asked most Americans at that time too they would have agreed Bin Laden needed to be rid off so.
Is it possible that you simply don't understand how Americans are and how they feel about the whole thing and how it stoked anger and fear.
Both sides of the aisle largely agreed to go look for Bin Laden as did the public.
Only in the last few years when the peace accord was discussed did the left start to ease off, of their then agreement that it was necessary.
dholliday
deconstructed rep
it was obvious intentional warmongering to make money for the few, 9/11 was a convenient excuse. We all knew this at the time. It was common knowledge that it was all about money, not 'retribution'.
So many lives lost, so much instability caused. It all started here. The fuckers got away with it, so then they did Iraq. They got away with that too and so it goes on.
Now Bush Jr is seen as a kindly elder statesman. And some people, including you, seem to genuinely believe even now that it was justified at the time, or at best was merely a mistake in hindsight.
Honestly a bit gutted. Despite all our other diferences i thought at least with Bush Jr's warmongering we were all on the same page.
The people wanted retribution. You are confusing Iraq with Afghanistan. That was the war people thought was about money and profits. No one agreed with Iraq. That was the war which Cheaney orchestrated for profit so they lied about WMD.
Again i am not condoning war nor did i agree with it i said i understand the hate and issues the american people had with the attacks. I dislike Bush.
dholliday
deconstructed rep
i am not confusing iraq with afghanistan, ffs! i've got family who served in both.
we all knew it was evil rot even before the first deployment in autumn '01. the americans were itching to get on mere days after 9/11. no one sensible at the time believed the retribution excuse.
anyway, best leave it there.
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