2016 Primaries, Caucuses & Conventions

First of all, that jab was far from witty. Second of all, denigrating Trump or his supporters is not "hating America."

 

Sounds an awful lot like 8 years ago with Obama's 'hope and change'. Very few people really understood what he was about too. Too many made him seem like the Messiah. Maybe there's a lot of that with Trump.

I recognize the U.S. is not some minor little country in the back woods somewhere. So there is a lot of interest worldwide on what goes on here. I wish we provided a better example. I don't recall a presidential candidate ever having to cancel a rally because of protesters or rather what those protesters would do. That made us look no better than some banana republic. It was disgusting!

Another reason why Trump is popular is he wants Americans to feel good about being Americans and have America great again. There are many similarities between now and 1980. By then we had gone through the end of the Vietnam War fiasco, then Watergate and the Nixon resignation and 4 yours of the malaise under Carter. I lived through that. We have not had a happy decade more recently either. We've had the Iraq War fiasco (as many would claim), then the recession and a president who doesn't seem to know how to turn it around (the reality is the present economic growth is anemic by post recession recovery standards). In both cases America's prestige was and is declining all over. We're looking for someone who will either allow or make us feel good about being what we are; AMERICANS again.

If Trump ultimately gets the republican nomination I hope he will be that person because I know neither Hillary Clinton nor Bernie Sanders are.

 

lol Kasich gets my vote if he picks Aaron Rogers as VP

 

I wouldn't say you're entirely wrong, but I don't think it's isolated to the GOP. I did make the Obama allusion in that post for a reason.

This isn't a new thing, but I do think people are getting more desperate in their (IMO foolish) search for a "savior." For that one person that can fix all the problems with this country. Rather than buckling down and working to make sure good people get into all levels of government, and I think at least to that point that is somewhat manufactured. Presently I think the GOP is focusing on that narrative more, likely in part because they don't want people to go: "Hey, the GOP already has congress and they still aren't fixing the problems... maybe we should do something about that too..."

Agreed on both points.

 

Something amendement rights, free speech.

Good stuff

 

Also, let's dispell this notion that I hate America. I love America, America loves me. Some of my best friends are Americans!


In all seriousness though, I don't hate the US of A. A lot of stuff ya'll got going on is pretty awesome (but we ain't got a thread for that). There's just some things that are weird/mindboggling to me (as a European). Some things that are ingrained in your culture or beliefs are so different from my own that it could be perceived as 'weird/wrong/bad' at times. That's pretty much when I poke the fire up your asses and see what's up.



Little note, I'd love live in the US if I could, for a multitude of reasons, but mostly to do whatever the Firk I want.

 

Trump campaign manager charged for roughing up reporter

 

March 11, 2016

In an article published Thursday on Breitbart, Fields said she was covering a campaign event at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida, when the incident occurred.

So, when Trump approached her, Fields said she asked him a question about affirmative action. Before he could respond, she said she was “jolted backwards.”

"Someone had grabbed me tightly by the arm and yanked me down," she wrote. "I almost fell to the ground, but was able to maintain my balance. Nonetheless, I was shaken."

An anonymous witness to the incident told the Daily Beast that Fields was grabbed from behind and was yanked "down toward the ground like a ragdoll."

"Even if Trump was done taking questions, Lewandowski would be out of line," she said. "Campaign managers aren't supposed to try to forcefully throw reporters to the ground, no matter the circumstance."

She said the incident was especially "jarring" because there was no warning before she was grabbed.

"No one was pushing [Trump] to get away," she said. "He seemed to have been happily answering queries from my fellow reporters just a moment before."

In an interview Thursday with World News Tonight, Fields added that the incident has "been really hurtful because obviously no one wants to be touched and violated like that."

"I would just ask him to just put himself in my shoes and imagine if I was his daughter," Fields also said on the show.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcneal/michelle-fields-trump#.yydoY231K



And now the Dawgawful video follows:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IGz5DPqU-p0

And from a different angle.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=plZyWBTtlQU


No WWF move. No "violation". No look of pain or distress. No forceful throw to the ground. Just a simple pull to keep her outside of Trump's personal space as he exited the room. I would not be surprised to learn she bruised her own forearm. Vid seems benign. The eye witness writes hit pieces against The Don. Oh the webs they weave.

 

Just wanted to put the florida law (below) in here for now, you may be interested.

If odds on this opened in vegas I would bet heavy on - nothing happens. Basically you cant touch someone against there will in florida, What they will notice is she touched(intentionally) Trump right before she herself was touched (will matter because he could go after her), and Trump will fight that fight If pressed I bet.

If you watch the exact same tape that shows the incident what you will also see is people all over that room touching people without their consent, literally one reporter is pushing past another and shoving him out of way right behind trump, by law the one could file charges on other, watch the whole tape and you see a whole crowded convention floor of people intentionally touching people against their will, you could prolly have 1000 lawsuits in that event on that one night if every idiot filed stupid charges. In her statement that she filed before she knew? they had video tape she also lied about what happened her being thrown to ground (didn't dig up her exact police report- but it doesn't match video)

If when this ever goes to court this is the part that will come up in defense Intent and --->Other Factors or Motivations Showing Lack of Intent; and Defense of others

Basically since there has been a million conventions with tons of footage of reporters getting pushed past or arms grabbed etc, that's a common occurance at conventions will be showed its inline with typical environment and was occurring all around her at the time also, an "other factor" is as easy as, "Trump was just rushed a few weeks ago on stage ..... she had an object in her hand.....she touched trump without his consent" Being that she is a reporter in a convention next to a leading pres candidate who has tons of death threats and has had Bernie sanders supporters try to attack him makes a pretty ****in huge "other factor"

The overall reason is this, lets say someone is in a concert in florida or someplace crowded. you are walking in a crowd and you sort of put your arm up front to touch the shoulder/arm of person in front of you intentionally as you sorta squeeze by, its not an accident you did it on purpose, bam you broke law ! a lawyer could sit with a camera at a concert and prolly have 10000 cases by end of night.

edit this will come into play too --One unnamed Secret Service agent, meanwhile, has given a different version of events, saying in a statement to the London Daily Mail that Fields “crossed in between agents and our protectee after being told not to,” and touched Trump first,WND reported.

Definition of Battery
The crime of Simple Battery or Misdemeanor Battery is defined under Section 784.03, Florida Statutes. In Florida, the term battery means:

1. Any actual and intentional touching or striking of another person against that person’s will (non-consensual), or
2. The intentional causing of bodily harm to another person.

Where there are no aggravating factors or enhancements at play (such as use of a weapon, serious bodily injury, or domestic violence) the offense is known as “simple battery” or “misdemeanor battery.”

Intent Requirement
Intent is a required element of a simple battery charge. To constitute a crime, there must be “either a specific voluntary act or something that is substantially certain to result from the act.” C.B. v. State, 810 So.2d 1072 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002). A defendant must intend to strike the person, or engage in conduct where he or she knows that a touch or strike “is substantially certain to result from his acts.” Id.

Thus, an accidental touching or a touching that is incidental to other conduct not aimed at making contact with another person, is insufficient to establish a battery. Beard v. State, 842 So.2d 174, 176-77 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003). Whether the accused had the requisite intent is a question for the jury to resolve by examining the surrounding facts and circumstances of the incident.

Defenses to Misdemeanor Battery
Battery is one of the most defendable charges in all of criminal law. Some of the most common defenses include the following:

• Self-Defense;
• Defense of Others;
• Defense of Property;
• Consent (touching not against alleged victim’s will);
• Mutual Combat;
• Use of Force under Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law;
• Accidental Touching;
• Touching Incidental to Other Conduct not Aimed at Making Contact;
• Other Factors or Motivations Showing Lack of Intent;
• Lack of Evidence or Conflicts in the Evidence.

 

America’s Border Patrol Agents Issue Historic Letter of Endorsement For...

(WISCONSIN) March 30th, 2016 - America's Border Patrol Agents broke with their long-standing non-endorsement policy to issue their first-ever endorsement in a presidential primary. The letter from their official union, the National Border Patrol Council, endorsing Donald J. Trump for President, follows below:

"The National Border Patrol Council is the official organization representing our nation’s Border Patrol Agents. We represent 16,500 agents who selflessly serve this country in an environment where our own political leaders try to keep us from doing our jobs. The NBPC has had a longstanding practice of not endorsing presidential candidates in the primaries. We will not, however, shy away from voicing our opinions as it pertains to border security and the men and women of the United States Border Patrol. As such, we are breaking with our past practice and giving our first-ever endorsement in a presidential primary. We think it is that important: if we do not secure our borders, American communities will continue to suffer at the hands of gangs, cartels and violent criminals preying on the innocent. The lives and security of the American people are at stake, and the National Border Patrol Council will not sit on the sidelines.

As an organization we expect our elected officials to aggressively pursue the interests of the country. America has already tried a young, articulate freshman senator who never created a job as an attorney and under whose watch criminal cartels have been given the freest border reign ever known.

Unlike his opponents, Donald Trump is not a career politician, he is an outsider who has created thousands of jobs, pledged to bring about aggressive pro-American change, and who is completely independent of special interests. We don't need a person who has the perfect Washington-approved tone, and certainly NOT another establishment politician in the White House. Indeed, the fact that people are more upset about Mr. Trump’s tone than about the destruction wrought by open borders tells us everything we need to know about the corruption in Washington. We need a person in the White House who doesn't fear the media, who doesn't embrace political correctness, who doesn't need the money, who is familiar with success, who won't bow to foreign dictators, who is pro-military and values law enforcement, and who is angry for America and NOT subservient to the interests of other nations. Donald Trump is such a man.

Mr. Trump is as bold and outspoken as other world leaders who put their country's interests ahead of all else. Americans deserve to benefit for once instead of always paying and apologizing. Our current political establishment has bled this country dry, sees their power evaporating, and isn't listening to voters who do all the heavy lifting. Trump is opposed by the established powers specifically because they know he is the only candidate who actually threatens the established powers that have betrayed this country.

https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-...ssue-historic-letter-of-endorsement-for-donal


The endorsement contains three more paragraphs. This is quite the surprise. I wonder if it will tip the scales in Wisconsin. We shall know in 6 days.

 

While a big deal in general... does Wisconsin care about what Border Patrol wants? (This is an actual question.)

 

Trumps whole push was built on the wall

People all across the country want that, hence a big part of Trumps popularity and often said at conventions etc. Could get into many reasons but you get idea.

Some people in particular older people, specially those closer to big wars will look at border patrol as the eyes and ears, the people on actual ground seeing it day in and day out. If the border patrol agents as a whole think its a good idea to come out of history and support him then they view that as proof we need wall and it stresses how important it is.

 

I just looked at both of those videos and I don't see anything that justifies criminal charges. People being grabbed like that happens God knows how many times a day.

Was it handled the best? I don't know, but if that's the worst thing that happens around Trump, I would say he's running a pretty squeaky clean campaign.

The case is in the justice system now, so will hope for the best.

 

You can sugar-coat it all you want. I can argue the reason why we have been doing 'relatively' well in comparison to the rest of the world over the past 7 years is they are screwing up as badly or worse than we are. The growth in that period pales in comparison to the comparable period in the Reagan years.

WRT your assessment we're heading into another collapse in the next decade, I wouldn't bet against it though I don't think it will be as bad as a 'collapse'. I would attribute it to the high tax/regulate and higher spending policies the west has engaged in during the last few decades. Piling debt upon debt is not a sound fiscal policy and there is no easy way out of a debt induced crisis.

 

I do not have tv at my house and I have never found a way to watch to stream debates online. I am really out of loop on this politic thing. It is honestly enhanced by the fact i am am a registered independent and can not vote in primary's.

It can be really tough to pin down a problem or issue to one president because the effects of an actions can take 5-10+ year to manifest. This is because it just takes time to collect data, and there really are so many global factors that go into these calculations that any result would have grounds to be unreliable i would imagine. To (super) sub quote Marcus Tullius "A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious..." I really do believe in the 1st line of this quote.

Just historically speaking, when the big European conquest of the America's 1st started the original idea was to make the America's a land with a respectful attitude. (For the European invaders.) A place where walls were not needed because we are callable of reasoning and forgiveness, I guess. (Probably had something more to do with privet ownership of land and general respect for privet property as opposed to kings ruling everything.) [Architecture history class of early America is my source for this.] To make a wall, or 3 really makes me upside-down face, it just is a strong contrast to one of the founding idea's of America's settlement. That being said I do believe there is strong drug circulation coming from up from central America possibly from South America. Heroin destroy my brother, and then my Mother because of his actions. I still can not support the idea of wall though, it will not stop anything. Looking at the Oxycontin, lortab, xanax problem Heroin can be legal to sell and manufacture in the US as long your big pharmaceutical. The only way to stop drug addiction is through education. Not like school education, but real education. Like watching how addiction affects someone close to you. Blah, rant.