Is Donald Trump "good" for politics?

"GreenN_Gold" (GreenN_Gold)
08/05/2015 at 19:11 • Filed to: None

Donald Trump running for President could actually be a good thing, and not strictly from a laugh-your-ass-off entertainment point of view, but in terms of ratings. This year’s elections and debates could be the highest rated ever as people tune in to laugh and gawk at Trump (and in some cases support him too, of course). I don’t think the level of political discourse will be anything noteworthy, but it could have a secondary effect of getting more people interested in politics. Let’s face it, political interest among US citizens could use a boost.

DISCUSSION (20)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 19:17

I never thought about it that way.

By that logic, think how high the turnout will be next election when people realize they actually have to show up to vote him out!

Howdy Harrell > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 19:19

As a Liberterian Republican.... I hate Trump. He isn’t a serious candidate, although I will admit- He is quite the sensationalist.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 19:21

Didn’t people say the same about Reagan?

And he only determined a whole lot of people who hate the government, to get into government. Cruz, Rubio, Palin, the carrot speaker, and most of the Tea Part are a direct consequence to Reagan’s cowboy politics.

nermal > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 19:32

You need to remember the key to winning an election. You don’t need to be the best person to do the job, you just need to get more people to vote for you than the other candidates.

In that manner, Trump is doing very well. He’s using similar tactics to Jesse Ventura, who also was not a politician when he ran for the governor of MN. The reason Trump is doing well so far is because he is at least honest. Some of his views and statements may get taken out of context (hello Mexico!), but he does have a lot of really good points.

If he gets more people out to vote, that’s a good thing, especially if the come out to vote for him. There were only 126 million votes in the 2012 election. That means that nearly 2/3 of the population did not vote - granted that counts minors, etc, but it’s still a huge number. Instead of trying to sway the 60 million or so voters that are going to pick the Democrat no matter who it is, why not go after the 100+ million that haven’t already made up their mind?

GreenN_Gold > Howdy Harrell
08/05/2015 at 19:35

I agree that he’s not a serious candidate.

GreenN_Gold > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!
08/05/2015 at 19:39

Good point! I was 2 during those elections, so I’ll have to take your word for it. I actual realized before I posted that there are probably numerous elections throughout history that garnered tons of attention for different reasons, but even Reagan was ~35 years ago, so it’s been a while.

whoarder is tellurium > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 19:40

I like him because he makes the rhinos and career politicians nervous as shit. Absolutely LOVE it. They should be too... a lot of them are backstabbers.

GreenN_Gold > nermal
08/05/2015 at 19:46

I agree with a lot of what you said, but I’m still waiting to hear his really good points.

Rico > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 19:52

As much as I dislike some of the comments he makes or his lack of filter when he says certain things it is refreshing to see someone not reading from the “How to be a politician” script. Seriously most of the candidates outside of Bernie Sanders are just robots spitting out the same shit they think people want to hear.

Brian, The Life of > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 20:07

DT is currently pulling slightly better numbers than both the 2nd and 3rd place candidates in the GOP Clown Car combined. This from a candidate that the clear majority of those polled say there is no way they’d ever actually vote for. The answer to whether he is good for politics differs depending upon whose politics you’re talking about. Is he good for GOP politics? LOLNOPE! Is he good for the Dems? Oh, heck yes.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 20:14

Ah, now see the way you asked the question is the interesting bit.

We’ve all become so used to politicians not saying anything of substance that it’s often more important to not have an opinion about A than it is to have an opinion about B. The great thing about Trump is that he’s not a politician, and he doesn’t give even a single shit about how things have been done. He will say things nobody else will say (even if they think it), he’ll make people react to him.

There hasn’t been a ton that I’ve agreed with Trump on in his politics, but I’ll be damned if I haven’t found his candor and his willingness to just come right out and say things refreshing as hell. And you know what else? People haven’t taken those opinions of his and run away from him in nearly the numbers you would have thought, given the inflammatory nature of the things he says. To me, that says that people might not agree with what he’s saying, but they like the way he says it.

What I hope Trump accomplishes, if nothing else, is that he shows politicians that you don’t need to be so vanilla to the point of almost being unflavored. You can have opinions, you can be a character, you can tell people things they don’t want to hear and it won’t be the death of your career.

None of this means I’m planning to vote for him, by the way. I’m just impressed that my level of interest in his candidacy is more than just as a ridiculous sideshow. I want more people acting like Trump, while not necessarily thinking like Trump, if that makes sense.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > nermal
08/05/2015 at 20:23

Care to list out some of his really good points? Because all I’ve heard thus far is vile garbage. The thought of that man being President is ridiculously scary.

Tapas > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 20:25

Donald Trump is good for nothing. The minor positive effects his candidacy indirectly has is overwhelmed by the negetive effect he has made. The political discourse has become more asinine and trashy because of him.

The only good thing that can come out of it is if he actually becomes the Republican nominee. If its him against most democrats in the final race, democrats will win. But even better - he will lose the election and a ton of his money XD

Rico > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
08/05/2015 at 20:39

That’s what I’m saying, I wouldn’t vote for Trump but damn it’s nice to see someone just speak and not have everything rehearsed and trying to please every single person. The rest of the candidates are the usual robots saying the shit they think their respective party voters want to hear.

Chasaboo > GreenN_Gold
08/05/2015 at 20:53

I think he cheapens the whole environment and because of morons like him the good people have no desire to lead the country. That and the pay sucks.

wiffleballtony > GreenN_Gold
08/06/2015 at 00:00

The only good thing I see coming out of Trump in the debates is more honesty and less decorum.

Maxi Cooper Ż\_()_/Ż > GreenN_Gold
08/06/2015 at 01:54

I think Bernie Sanders represents much the same anti-establishment appealfrom farther left on the political spectrum. The differences, however, are telling in terms of how seriously we should take each man as a candidate. While Trump is honest about his opinions, he has yet to really take a policy stand on much besides repeating “I’ll fix immigration, I’ll bully China, I’ll create jobs.” Not exactly a detailed, comprehensive platform. He’s also flopped on a bunch of things, including going from one of the Clintons’ biggest donors, and a Democrat, as recently at 2009, to running for the GOP nomination. Meanwhile, I think Bernie is getting a really positive response because he also speaks his mind in a rather opinionated, devil-may-care manner, but does so as a well-informed and well-respected legislator. I mean, the guy has the balls to identify himself as a socialist (really a social democrat, but he doesn’t shy away from the label), but it’s not an attention-seeking move so much as an adherence to what his beliefs are and always have been. Hell, his campaign isn’t even using polling because he’s not willing to change his stances on the issues to win the election!

tl;dr: Both guys don’t care what you think about them and won’t change their opinions on issues to court the electorate, but Bernie does so from a position of experience/conviction and Trump from a position of egotism and desire for attention.

DISCLAIMER: Usually I try to stay away from these types of political conversations because they can turn nasty quickly. If you think Bernie is a commie red bastard and Trump is the apotheosis of political greatness, I have nothing but respect for you and your right to form your own opinion. That said, I mean the above analysis as a dissection of who is more viable as a legitimate political candidate, given certain similarities between the two, rather than any judgment on liberals vs. conservatives, Democrats vs. Republicans, etc. Bottom line, I have a much easier time seeing Bernie in the White House than Trump, independent of my own political persuasions (which do lean fairly progressive).

tl;dr II: Don’t kill me, Trump fans!

nermal > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/06/2015 at 10:25

A few -

Common Core in education is “a disaster”. The national debt is a serious issue, approaching a tipping point. Obamacare isn’t the answer for national health care. Our reliance on China and other foreign countries is too high.

GreenN_Gold > nermal
08/06/2015 at 11:15

It’s easy to point out problems. He hasn’t offered any sound solutions.

BRyan31122 > GreenN_Gold
08/06/2015 at 11:35

Politics aren’t good for Politics.