I decided to spend about an hour yesterday watching my first Republican debate.
And a day later I'm still having nightmares about what might happen if any of those tea baggers ever becomes President.
Because it couldn't have been more crazy or more disturbing.
Or more frightening.
The Las Vegas Republican debate Tuesday night was downright bloodthirsty. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz promised no fewer than six times to "kill" ISIS forces, including by carpet bombing. "If I am elected president, we will hunt down and kill the terrorists," Cruz said. "We will utterly destroy ISIS."
Not to be outdone, Donald Trump defended his proposal to kill the families of terrorists — notwithstanding Sen. Rand Paul's observation that this would "defy every norm that is America" and violate international law. With truly Trumpy logic, the GOP frontrunner replied, "So, they can kill us? But we can't kill them?"
With Donald Trump's performance alone...
Making me feel like this guy.
And Chris Christie making me wonder whether now might be the time to start building my fallout shelter.
Christie got in the best body blow at President Obama when he promised to enforce a no-fly zone in Syria against all hostile forces: "Yes, we would shoot down the planes of Russian pilots if in fact they were stupid enough to think that this president was the same feckless weakling that the president we have in the Oval Office is right now," Christie said.
And Rand Paul, of all people, sounding like the only sane person.
Paul, the lonely isolationist, was quick with a rejoinder to Christie: "I think if you're in favor of World War III," he said, "you have your candidate."
Which is hardly reassuring.
And when it was over neither was this:
Clear winner of the #GOPDebate. Thank you for your support!
#MakeAmericaGreatAgain #Trump2016 pic.twitter.com/dl6IuSHwtK
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 16, 2015
But then what would the MSM know?
About Trump or the triumph of crazy....
Watch out @realDonaldTrump ! I think your hair is running away from your bullshit... pic.twitter.com/NeoULcD6Di
— Max ⚓️ Haes (@MaximeHaes) December 16, 2015
When the ones that best captured the spirit of that insane debate were the Taiwanese Animators...
And if it seemed a little crazy that's because it was. Like America itself these days. A country teeming with right-wing extremists, bigots and bullies, hatred and violence.
And the good news? None of those RepubliCons is going to get anywhere near power. Their politics of division will backfire on them, just like they backfired here.
And isn't it great that we defeated Stephen Harper?
Before he could he could finish off our Canadian values.
And take us to his nightmare place...
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13 comments:
Will one of these critters end up with access to America's nuclear launch codes?
What kind of political party depends on a campaign where it's candidates strive to out-crazy one and other?
Wait a minute, I think we have have such a party up here in Canada.
The only comforting thought in this whole mess is that ted cruz wasn't born in the usa so he, by 'murikan law, is not eligible to be president....
unless they just spit in the face of their own constitution again, rescind that law, and just let the asshole pretend to be preznit if he's "elected".
trump will take the usa into a shooting war with russia and the other guys don't have a real shot at winning anyway. Nice choices...only in 'murika!
VIDEO Uncovered Trump Interview (Oprah Winfrey Show) from over 25 years ago
https://www.youtube.com/embed/MOKi5YeNtRI
Chilly reception
http://www.worldmag.com/2015/12/chilly_reception
Dan Rather: Donald Trump Is ‘The Best Thing to Happen to ISIS’
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/16/dan-rather-donald-trump-is-the-best-thing-to-happen-to-isis.html
Is it true that Obama’s own FBI director, James Comey, said national security and intelligence officials can’t screen Syrian refugees?
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/15/ted-cruz/ted-cruzs-claim-head-fbi-told-congress-they-cannot/
anyone of those guys is scary, very scary. could one of them win the election? it is possible. Americans have very low voter turn out and they aren't like other western countries.
bombing ISIS into the ground, not going to happen. American jets will be shot out of the sky before that happens because too many civilians would be killed. i.e. millions. That is what these candidates and their supporters don't understand. If they were to "carpet" bomb, millions of innocent people would be killed. The question actually then becomes would the American Generals permit their armed forces to conduct these types of activities. Would the Generals permit Trump to have the codes for the nuclear weapons. If Trump or one of these "idiots" be permitted to assume office or would the American military step in. It hasn't ever happened, but could it happen?
If Chris Christy thinks shooting down Russian jets is something he can get away with, he is crazier than Putin. If he does that, I do hope the Americans have a fence along the Canadian border and that the RUssians can see it.
If one of these Republicans is voted into office they won't have to build any walls or fences, the other countries will be doing it to keep the Americans in.
Lets hope sanity prevails and all of these nut bars find something else to do/.
Trump is a product of the virtual NOW world that social media and MSM have created.He has a lot of company as there are any number of people that would risk driving into a concrete wall rather than miss the next Tweet on their smart phones.The virtual world has rules but the time frame related to the reasons for action and the results of the actions are compressed into the NOW and not based on a rational analysis of history or potential longer term consequences.Trump has successfully manipulated this virtual space in his business dealings and is now applying it to politics. The problem is there is still a real world out there and horribly screwed up government actions cannot be fixed like those in the corporate world where the miracles of financial engineering and zero interest rates can transform failed bankrupt companies into winners at the tap of a finger.Hopefully he will self destruct along with the majority of the party but he has certainly changed the Republican game of metering out just the right amount of fear and prejudice to control the population but not enough to cause a revolt due to lack of resolution. Trump doesn't mind turning up the rhetoric because in his world today's issues and potential consequences will rapidly become part of the forgotten yesterday with tomorrow virtually full of new opportunity.He who runs the fastest has the best chance of "walking on water".
RT
hi anon....as I said in my post, I think that it's very likely that what happened to Harper and his Cons will happen to Trump and company. The wedge issues stir up people for a while, until most of them are disgusted, and the RepubliCons will be crushed when the election finally arrives...
hi anon...Cruz renounced his Canadian citizenship so apparently he's cleared to run. But I certainly won't stop reminding the Americans that he is from Alberta, and that he is backed by some of the worst bigots in Amerika. But yes if somehow Trump becomes President, we're all in real trouble. And it will be the end of the American Empire...
hi e.a.f....if any of those RepubliCon clowns is ever in position to win the election, you can be sure that voter turnout will set a new record, as Hispanics and other minority groups, and the young vote in droves to defeat them. They have yet to be attacked by the Democrats, and when they are they will crumble....
hi RT...yes he is a bit like Rob Ford in that respect. A man who commands attention because he is entertaining or larger than life. A person who abysmal ignorance is confused with straight talk. And I like this description:
He who runs the fastest has the best chance of "walking on water".
Now try to imagine Trump and the others doing that in the heat of an election with attack ads raining down on them. Any and all of them will go down like lead balloons.
P.S. of course if I'm wrong I'll see you in Patagonia.... ;)
Hi Simon
Don't forget he is wearing a pair of Jesus boots and may not sink as fast as one would hope.
Rt
@ e.a.f.
Putin is not crazy. Cunning, smart, and a bit over-ambitious but I think he has a world-view and understanding of international affairs that make the GOP Klown Kar Kandidates look like kindergarten kids.
He clearly understands his own people. He has (apparently quite legitimate) popularity ratings Justin Trudeau would envy and despite recent economic hits living standards in Russia have risen since he first became president.
He may well overreach himself but to mention him in the same sentence as those idiots to the south is something of an insult.
AND there they are: MOE ... LARRY ... and CURLY ... LOL ... TY
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