I think I might vote for Trump

[SallyMae]

Here's my take. I don't love Biden but he will have my vote in the general and here's why.

First - Age. I don't think there is anything that applies to Biden in terms of old age that does not apply equally or more to Trump. When it comes to wandering in circles, babbling incoherently, blanking out and getting names wrong, I've seen both men do plenty. However I have seen interviews with Biden recently, in the last week or so. He spoke clearly, answered questions intelligently. He spoke in multi-syllabic words and complex sentences at a higher reading comprehension level than Trump ever has. Yes, he's old, but he is fully present, and has an understanding of the functions of government and the levers of power from a lifetime of public service. He knows it like he breathes and that kind of experience makes it possible for him to function effectively, despite his years.

Similarly, I would rather have the office of the presidency run by an experienced man with competent team of administrators who respect the government than by a gang of sappers like Bannon, Miller and Conway. Biden has people who can make up for his lacks; Trump doesn't.

Which brings me to my second point - The Men. Biden spent his whole life as a public servant, taking the train every day from Wilmington to DC. None of the claims that he is using his office for personal profit have ever amounted to a hill of beans, and the main accuser was just arrested for making the whole thing up. Say what you want about him, there is just NO evidence that Biden is crooked. He seems like a decent human being who cares about something other than himself and who has clearly given his entire life to it. That is what Biden is.

Compare that to a lifetime spent bilking contractors, defrauding banks, trading up wives and grabbing women by the p**sy. From using the presidency to enrich himself to constantly leaning on people to literally stealing from the archives, to cheering on the "Hang Mike Pence!" crowd, Trump has no apparent moral compunctions of any kind. He functions constantly for greedy self-fulfillment and is happy to grift his own supporters to spare himself from legal consequences. That is what Trump is. It's all about him.

Which brings me to my third point - As President. In the last three years we have had to recover from a pandemic, riots and an insurrection, so we had a lot of lost ground to make up. Biden had an uphill climb, but some significant things have been accomplished. He brought microchip manufacturing back to the U.S., inflation is coming down, domestic energy production is up, the economy is strong and jobs are being added. (That's not really surprising. Historical data shows that the economy functions better under Democrats.) We have new infrastructure and green energy coming online, and crime is way down all across the country.

It's far from ideal, of course. The gun, housing and border crises remain. Our economics are exploitive, and ordinary people have no real representation. But in day-to-day terms, things seem to have turned around from the pandemic and begun to move forward. Despite political differences, there was a plan for the border that had broad, bipartisan agreement. We can expect to see more of that if we continue forward.

I can barely compare the years of quiet, steady recovery to the violence and turmoil of the Trump presidency. The constant reality-bending agitprop from Day One, forcing Sean Spicer to insist that his inauguration crowd was bigger than Obama's when the whole world could see otherwise. Trump lied like a psychopath, continuously, about everything, creating chaos that cost lives, he obstructed justice, he leaned on world leaders like a street thug. Worst of all, he made it acceptable for a huge rise in hate groups and hate crime, which more than doubled from 2018 to 2019.

Which brings us to the real problem with the Trump presidency. His movement is fascist. That is not an insult; it is the political science term for reactionary movements with authoritarian leaders who promise to restore Greatness by scapegoating. Here are Lawrence Britt's 14 characteristics of a fascist movement - recognize them?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
Supremacy of the Military
Rampant Sexism
Controlled Mass Media
Obsession with National Security
Religion and Government are Intertwined
Corporate Power is Protected
Labor Power is Suppressed
Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fraudulent Elections

This was written in 2003, long before Trump hit the political scene. It's a predictable pattern. Democracy has fallen to the rise of fascists in other nations. And the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. If we are not checked by democratic norms and laws, we could create a terrible devastation. We should not give that power to fascists, period.

Please, feel free to disagree, but that is what I see. We do have a chance to prevent the rise of fascism and that is why I'll vote for Joe this fall. Thanks for reading.

[Anonymous 3]

Here's my take. I don't love Biden but he will have my vote in the general and here's why.

First - Age. I don't think there is anything that applies to Biden in terms of old age that does not apply equally or more to Trump. When it comes to wandering in circles, babbling incoherently, blanking out and getting names wrong, I've seen both men do plenty. However I have seen interviews with Biden recently, in the last week or so. He spoke clearly, answered questions intelligently. He spoke in multi-syllabic words and complex sentences at a higher reading comprehension level than Trump ever has. Yes, he's old, but he is fully present, and has an understanding of the functions of government and the levers of power from a lifetime of public service. He knows it like he breathes and that kind of experience makes it possible for him to function effectively, despite his years.

Similarly, I would rather have the office of the presidency run by an experienced man with competent team of administrators who respect the government than by a gang of sappers like Bannon, Miller and Conway. Biden has people who can make up for his lacks; Trump doesn't.

Which brings me to my second point - The Men. Biden spent his whole life as a public servant, taking the train every day from Wilmington to DC. None of the claims that he is using his office for personal profit have ever amounted to a hill of beans, and the main accuser was just arrested for making the whole thing up. Say what you want about him, there is just NO evidence that Biden is crooked. He seems like a decent human being who cares about something other than himself and who has clearly given his entire life to it. That is what Biden is.

Compare that to a lifetime spent bilking contractors, defrauding banks, trading up wives and grabbing women by the p**sy. From using the presidency to enrich himself to constantly leaning on people to literally stealing from the archives, to cheering on the "Hang Mike Pence!" crowd, Trump has no apparent moral compunctions of any kind. He functions constantly for greedy self-fulfillment and is happy to grift his own supporters to spare himself from legal consequences. That is what Trump is. It's all about him.

Which brings me to my third point - As President. In the last three years we have had to recover from a pandemic, riots and an insurrection, so we had a lot of lost ground to make up. Biden had an uphill climb, but some significant things have been accomplished. He brought microchip manufacturing back to the U.S., inflation is coming down, domestic energy production is up, the economy is strong and jobs are being added. (That's not really surprising. Historical data shows that the economy functions better under Democrats.) We have new infrastructure and green energy coming online, and crime is way down all across the country.

It's far from ideal, of course. The gun, housing and border crises remain. Our economics are exploitive, and ordinary people have no real representation. But in day-to-day terms, things seems to have turned around from the pandemic and begun to move forward. Despite political differences, there was a plan for the border that had broad, bipartisan agreement. We can expect to see more of that if we continue forward.

I can barely compare the years of quiet, steady recovery to the violence and turmoil of the Trump presidency. The constant reality-bending agitprop from Day One, forcing Sean Spicer to insist that his inauguration crowd was bigger than Obama's when the whole world could see otherwise. Trump lied like a psychopath, continuously, about everything, creating chaos that cost lives, he obstructed justice, he leaned on world leaders like a street thug. Worst of all, he made it acceptable for a huge rise in hate groups and hate crime, which more than doubled from 2018 to 2019.

Which brings us to the real problem with the Trump presidency. His movement is fascist. That is not an insult; it is the political science term for reactionary movements with authoritarian leaders who promise to restore Greatness by scapegoating. Here are Lawrence Britt's 14 characteristics of a fascist movement - recognize them?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
Supremacy of the Military
Rampant Sexism
Controlled Mass Media
Obsession with National Security
Religion and Government are Intertwined
Corporate Power is Protected
Labor Power is Suppressed
Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fraudulent Elections

This was written in 2003, long before Trump hit the political scene. It's a predictable pattern. Democracy has fallen to the rise of fascists in other nations. And the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. If we are not checked by democratic norms and laws, we could create a terrible devastation. We should not give that power to fascists, period.

Please, feel free to disagree, but that is what I see. We do have a chance to prevent the rise of fascism and that is why I'll vote for Joe this fall. Thanks for reading.

He is still 81 and I can not even imagine Harris being President! That is a scary thought.

[Anonymous 1]

Not because I think he's going to do well by the country, but because I think America needs to shake up the status quo.

I believe American Democracy is strong enough to survive.

Thoughts?

What do you feel is our current status quo?

The state in which Trumpism has become a normal. I believe his policies will fail spectacularly, leading to a revisioned government that's for the people .

[SallyMae]

Not because I think he's going to do well by the country, but because I think America needs to shake up the status quo.

I believe American Democracy is strong enough to survive.

Thoughts?

What do you feel is our current status quo?

The state in which Trumpism has become a normal. I believe his policies will fail spectacularly, leading to a revisioned government that's for the people .

It's way harder to recover from spectacular failure than to pivot while you are still standing. The new AIs and the end of labor will be a shakeup that changes everything, they will force us confront and rebuild our definitions of the obligations of citizen and government. I'd way rather have that shakeup in the context of a free and open democratic republic than under the control of fascists.

[KendallsMom]

Biden's got my vote again.

[Anonymous 4]

Here's my take. I don't love Biden but he will have my vote in the general and here's why.

First - Age. I don't think there is anything that applies to Biden in terms of old age that does not apply equally or more to Trump. When it comes to wandering in circles, babbling incoherently, blanking out and getting names wrong, I've seen both men do plenty. However I have seen interviews with Biden recently, in the last week or so. He spoke clearly, answered questions intelligently. He spoke in multi-syllabic words and complex sentences at a higher reading comprehension level than Trump ever has. Yes, he's old, but he is fully present, and has an understanding of the functions of government and the levers of power from a lifetime of public service. He knows it like he breathes and that kind of experience makes it possible for him to function effectively, despite his years.

Similarly, I would rather have the office of the presidency run by an experienced man with competent team of administrators who respect the government than by a gang of sappers like Bannon, Miller and Conway. Biden has people who can make up for his lacks; Trump doesn't.

Which brings me to my second point - The Men. Biden spent his whole life as a public servant, taking the train every day from Wilmington to DC. None of the claims that he is using his office for personal profit have ever amounted to a hill of beans, and the main accuser was just arrested for making the whole thing up. Say what you want about him, there is just NO evidence that Biden is crooked. He seems like a decent human being who cares about something other than himself and who has clearly given his entire life to it. That is what Biden is.

Compare that to a lifetime spent bilking contractors, defrauding banks, trading up wives and grabbing women by the p**sy. From using the presidency to enrich himself to constantly leaning on people to literally stealing from the archives, to cheering on the "Hang Mike Pence!" crowd, Trump has no apparent moral compunctions of any kind. He functions constantly for greedy self-fulfillment and is happy to grift his own supporters to spare himself from legal consequences. That is what Trump is. It's all about him.

Which brings me to my third point - As President. In the last three years we have had to recover from a pandemic, riots and an insurrection, so we had a lot of lost ground to make up. Biden had an uphill climb, but some significant things have been accomplished. He brought microchip manufacturing back to the U.S., inflation is coming down, domestic energy production is up, the economy is strong and jobs are being added. (That's not really surprising. Historical data shows that the economy functions better under Democrats.) We have new infrastructure and green energy coming online, and crime is way down all across the country.

It's far from ideal, of course. The gun, housing and border crises remain. Our economics are exploitive, and ordinary people have no real representation. But in day-to-day terms, things seems to have turned around from the pandemic and begun to move forward. Despite political differences, there was a plan for the border that had broad, bipartisan agreement. We can expect to see more of that if we continue forward.

I can barely compare the years of quiet, steady recovery to the violence and turmoil of the Trump presidency. The constant reality-bending agitprop from Day One, forcing Sean Spicer to insist that his inauguration crowd was bigger than Obama's when the whole world could see otherwise. Trump lied like a psychopath, continuously, about everything, creating chaos that cost lives, he obstructed justice, he leaned on world leaders like a street thug. Worst of all, he made it acceptable for a huge rise in hate groups and hate crime, which more than doubled from 2018 to 2019.

Which brings us to the real problem with the Trump presidency. His movement is fascist. That is not an insult; it is the political science term for reactionary movements with authoritarian leaders who promise to restore Greatness by scapegoating. Here are Lawrence Britt's 14 characteristics of a fascist movement - recognize them?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
Supremacy of the Military
Rampant Sexism
Controlled Mass Media
Obsession with National Security
Religion and Government are Intertwined
Corporate Power is Protected
Labor Power is Suppressed
Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fraudulent Elections

This was written in 2003, long before Trump hit the political scene. It's a predictable pattern. Democracy has fallen to the rise of fascists in other nations. And the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. If we are not checked by democratic norms and laws, we could create a terrible devastation. We should not give that power to fascists, period.

Please, feel free to disagree, but that is what I see. We do have a chance to prevent the rise of fascism and that is why I'll vote for Joe this fall. Thanks for reading.

He is still 81 and I can not even imagine Harris being President! That is a scary thought.

If your complaint about Biden is his age and mental acuity, why would the thought of a Harris presidency be "scary"?

[mater-three]

I won’t vote for either.

[Anonymous 3]

Here's my take. I don't love Biden but he will have my vote in the general and here's why.

First - Age. I don't think there is anything that applies to Biden in terms of old age that does not apply equally or more to Trump. When it comes to wandering in circles, babbling incoherently, blanking out and getting names wrong, I've seen both men do plenty. However I have seen interviews with Biden recently, in the last week or so. He spoke clearly, answered questions intelligently. He spoke in multi-syllabic words and complex sentences at a higher reading comprehension level than Trump ever has. Yes, he's old, but he is fully present, and has an understanding of the functions of government and the levers of power from a lifetime of public service. He knows it like he breathes and that kind of experience makes it possible for him to function effectively, despite his years.

Similarly, I would rather have the office of the presidency run by an experienced man with competent team of administrators who respect the government than by a gang of sappers like Bannon, Miller and Conway. Biden has people who can make up for his lacks; Trump doesn't.

Which brings me to my second point - The Men. Biden spent his whole life as a public servant, taking the train every day from Wilmington to DC. None of the claims that he is using his office for personal profit have ever amounted to a hill of beans, and the main accuser was just arrested for making the whole thing up. Say what you want about him, there is just NO evidence that Biden is crooked. He seems like a decent human being who cares about something other than himself and who has clearly given his entire life to it. That is what Biden is.

Compare that to a lifetime spent bilking contractors, defrauding banks, trading up wives and grabbing women by the p**sy. From using the presidency to enrich himself to constantly leaning on people to literally stealing from the archives, to cheering on the "Hang Mike Pence!" crowd, Trump has no apparent moral compunctions of any kind. He functions constantly for greedy self-fulfillment and is happy to grift his own supporters to spare himself from legal consequences. That is what Trump is. It's all about him.

Which brings me to my third point - As President. In the last three years we have had to recover from a pandemic, riots and an insurrection, so we had a lot of lost ground to make up. Biden had an uphill climb, but some significant things have been accomplished. He brought microchip manufacturing back to the U.S., inflation is coming down, domestic energy production is up, the economy is strong and jobs are being added. (That's not really surprising. Historical data shows that the economy functions better under Democrats.) We have new infrastructure and green energy coming online, and crime is way down all across the country.

It's far from ideal, of course. The gun, housing and border crises remain. Our economics are exploitive, and ordinary people have no real representation. But in day-to-day terms, things seems to have turned around from the pandemic and begun to move forward. Despite political differences, there was a plan for the border that had broad, bipartisan agreement. We can expect to see more of that if we continue forward.

I can barely compare the years of quiet, steady recovery to the violence and turmoil of the Trump presidency. The constant reality-bending agitprop from Day One, forcing Sean Spicer to insist that his inauguration crowd was bigger than Obama's when the whole world could see otherwise. Trump lied like a psychopath, continuously, about everything, creating chaos that cost lives, he obstructed justice, he leaned on world leaders like a street thug. Worst of all, he made it acceptable for a huge rise in hate groups and hate crime, which more than doubled from 2018 to 2019.

Which brings us to the real problem with the Trump presidency. His movement is fascist. That is not an insult; it is the political science term for reactionary movements with authoritarian leaders who promise to restore Greatness by scapegoating. Here are Lawrence Britt's 14 characteristics of a fascist movement - recognize them?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
Supremacy of the Military
Rampant Sexism
Controlled Mass Media
Obsession with National Security
Religion and Government are Intertwined
Corporate Power is Protected
Labor Power is Suppressed
Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fraudulent Elections

This was written in 2003, long before Trump hit the political scene. It's a predictable pattern. Democracy has fallen to the rise of fascists in other nations. And the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. If we are not checked by democratic norms and laws, we could create a terrible devastation. We should not give that power to fascists, period.

Please, feel free to disagree, but that is what I see. We do have a chance to prevent the rise of fascism and that is why I'll vote for Joe this fall. Thanks for reading.

He is still 81 and I can not even imagine Harris being President! That is a scary thought.

If your complaint about Biden is his age and mental acuity, why would the thought of a Harris presidency be "scary"?

I don't think her mental ability is that great.

[cgd5112]

I’m voting for President Biden again.

[WellPreserved]

Here's my take. I don't love Biden but he will have my vote in the general and here's why.

First - Age. I don't think there is anything that applies to Biden in terms of old age that does not apply equally or more to Trump. When it comes to wandering in circles, babbling incoherently, blanking out and getting names wrong, I've seen both men do plenty. However I have seen interviews with Biden recently, in the last week or so. He spoke clearly, answered questions intelligently. He spoke in multi-syllabic words and complex sentences at a higher reading comprehension level than Trump ever has. Yes, he's old, but he is fully present, and has an understanding of the functions of government and the levers of power from a lifetime of public service. He knows it like he breathes and that kind of experience makes it possible for him to function effectively, despite his years.

Similarly, I would rather have the office of the presidency run by an experienced man with competent team of administrators who respect the government than by a gang of sappers like Bannon, Miller and Conway. Biden has people who can make up for his lacks; Trump doesn't.

Which brings me to my second point - The Men. Biden spent his whole life as a public servant, taking the train every day from Wilmington to DC. None of the claims that he is using his office for personal profit have ever amounted to a hill of beans, and the main accuser was just arrested for making the whole thing up. Say what you want about him, there is just NO evidence that Biden is crooked. He seems like a decent human being who cares about something other than himself and who has clearly given his entire life to it. That is what Biden is.

Compare that to a lifetime spent bilking contractors, defrauding banks, trading up wives and grabbing women by the p**sy. From using the presidency to enrich himself to constantly leaning on people to literally stealing from the archives, to cheering on the "Hang Mike Pence!" crowd, Trump has no apparent moral compunctions of any kind. He functions constantly for greedy self-fulfillment and is happy to grift his own supporters to spare himself from legal consequences. That is what Trump is. It's all about him.

Which brings me to my third point - As President. In the last three years we have had to recover from a pandemic, riots and an insurrection, so we had a lot of lost ground to make up. Biden had an uphill climb, but some significant things have been accomplished. He brought microchip manufacturing back to the U.S., inflation is coming down, domestic energy production is up, the economy is strong and jobs are being added. (That's not really surprising. Historical data shows that the economy functions better under Democrats.) We have new infrastructure and green energy coming online, and crime is way down all across the country.

It's far from ideal, of course. The gun, housing and border crises remain. Our economics are exploitive, and ordinary people have no real representation. But in day-to-day terms, things seem to have turned around from the pandemic and begun to move forward. Despite political differences, there was a plan for the border that had broad, bipartisan agreement. We can expect to see more of that if we continue forward.

I can barely compare the years of quiet, steady recovery to the violence and turmoil of the Trump presidency. The constant reality-bending agitprop from Day One, forcing Sean Spicer to insist that his inauguration crowd was bigger than Obama's when the whole world could see otherwise. Trump lied like a psychopath, continuously, about everything, creating chaos that cost lives, he obstructed justice, he leaned on world leaders like a street thug. Worst of all, he made it acceptable for a huge rise in hate groups and hate crime, which more than doubled from 2018 to 2019.

Which brings us to the real problem with the Trump presidency. His movement is fascist. That is not an insult; it is the political science term for reactionary movements with authoritarian leaders who promise to restore Greatness by scapegoating. Here are Lawrence Britt's 14 characteristics of a fascist movement - recognize them?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
Supremacy of the Military
Rampant Sexism
Controlled Mass Media
Obsession with National Security
Religion and Government are Intertwined
Corporate Power is Protected
Labor Power is Suppressed
Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fraudulent Elections

This was written in 2003, long before Trump hit the political scene. It's a predictable pattern. Democracy has fallen to the rise of fascists in other nations. And the United States is the most powerful nation in the world. If we are not checked by democratic norms and laws, we could create a terrible devastation. We should not give that power to fascists, period.

Please, feel free to disagree, but that is what I see. We do have a chance to prevent the rise of fascism and that is why I'll vote for Joe this fall. Thanks for reading.

I totally agree with you which is why I'm voting for Biden. However, I understand why some of my friends who are choosing not to vote or are voting blank ballot in the primaries, cannot morally cast a vote for Biden.